A Theory of Reciting as Asian American Buddhist Practice: The Young Buddhist Editorial as a Discursive Site of Recitation

Abstract

This article contributes a theory of reciting as Asian American Buddhist practice. I argue that when Asian American Buddhists share their stories and experiences, they perform a critical form of religious reciting. This reciting articulates the reality of Asian American Buddhist existence amidst ongoing legacies of exclusion. It displaces the predominance of narratives about Asian American Buddhists told by others. Moreover, reciting forges networks of knowledge, recognition, and sangha amongst Asian American Buddhists. This article then investigates the recently established web platform, The Young Buddhist Editorial (YBE), as an example of the layered reciting practices amongst young Asian American Buddhists. I examine YBE as a discursive space, both in regard to the platform itself as a publisher of Asian American Buddhist stories, and in regard to its broader impact in reciting these narratives to the public. I further argue that YBE serves as a discursive site of recitation that exemplifies and amplifies Asian American Buddhist existence beyond injury and grievance.