Transnational Buddhism and Ecological Awareness

Abstract

The chapter explores the interplay among identity construction, environmentalism, and education within the Tibetan community in exile in India with a focus on the Tibetan Nuns Project. Drawing on Toni Huber's analysis of Tibetan self-representation in exile, the chapter examines the emergence of a modern, liberal Shangri-la image, informed by complex translational politics influenced by Western political traditions. The Tibetan exiled elite, through prolonged contact with the globalized cultural environment, adapted Western representational styles to reshape their self-image, challenging traditional perceptions of Tibet. Statements on the so-called ‘environmentalist' Tibetan identity emphasises a worldview and modes of behaviour that are described in terms of ‘completely modern' concepts and language with terms like ‘ecological balance,' interdependence, and ‘preservation.'