Dying ‘Buddhish’: Death, Diversity, and Worldview Complexity in and Beyond Australia

Authors

  • Hannah Gould The University of Melbourne
  • Anna Halafoff Deakin University
  • Ruth Fitzpatrick Deakin University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26034/lu.jgb.2024.4861

Keywords:

death, deathstyles, end-of-life, Buddhish, Buddhism, Australia

Abstract

Buddhism contributes significantly to spirituality and wellness practices in contemporary Australia, influencing a new way of life not just for converts, but also broader society. Less frequently observed, however, is how Buddhism and Buddhist-inspired phenomena contribute to a new way of death or “deathstyle”. This paper examines the position of Buddhism within mainstream end-of-life and death care in Australia, focusing on those phenomena we describe as “buddhish”: derived from or inspired by Buddhism, but sitting outside its institutional structures. Our research, comprising online service scoping, a survey, and interviews with deathcare workers, suggests that buddhish deathcare is successful in Australia because of its compassionate and pragmatic approach. It also occupies a middle way, drawing on but also distinct from the biomedical, religious, and spiritual. In analysing the triangulation of buddhish death in this manner, this article advances our understanding of postmodern or new death movements, theories of worldview complexity in the post-secular age, and how Buddhism is contributing to both.

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Published

2024-12-19

How to Cite

Gould, Hannah, Anna Halafoff, and Ruth Fitzpatrick. 2024. “Dying ‘Buddhish’: Death, Diversity, and Worldview Complexity in and Beyond Australia”. Journal of Global Buddhism 25 (2):186-201. https://doi.org/10.26034/lu.jgb.2024.4861.

Issue

Section

Research Articles