Seido Oda ist ein introvertierter japanischer Junge – und der Liebling seines Vaters, der für ihn die prestigeträchtige Aufnahme als Novize im nahegelegenen Schrein des buddhistischen Quellwasser-Ordens erwirkt. Dieser hat nach seiner Ausbildung eine besondere Aufgabe für ihn; er soll der Priester des ersten und noch zu errichtenden Tempels seiner Ordensgemeinschaft in New York – genauer gesagt im italienischen Viertel von Brooklyn – werden.

Die Amerikaner hat er bereits in Japan als Touristen der elterlichen Herberge kennengelernt, und dort waren sie laut, ignorant und besserwisserisch. Nun kommt der weltfremde und auch etwas engstirnige „Reverend Oda“ also in den kulturell so unterschiedlichen Westen – und die dortige Gemeinde ist laut, ignorant und besserwisserisch. Er ist plötzlich der „Boss“, seine persönliche Assistentin Jennifer trägt enge T-Shirts und einen Igelschnitt und die Gemeinde tut alles, um ihn mit ihrer individualistischen und kapitalistischen Sicht der Dinge in die Verzweiflung zu treiben.

Die Entscheidung seines Ordens war dennoch richtig: dank der wirtschaftlichen Ader Seido Odas wächst der Tempel zusehends und die Lebenslust von Jennifer wirkt auch auf ihn ansteckend.

Auch wenn die interkulturellen Aspekte den einen oder anderen Schmunzler hervorrufen (durch einen falsch zitierten Ausspruch zu einer für Oda belanglosen Modenschau steigt er plötzlich zum Fashion-Guru auf), ist der Roman auch hervorragendes Beispiel für einen Entwicklungsroman. Liebe und Freundschaft sind der Schlüssel zum wahren Buddhaland (so der Originaltitel) und die Erleuchtung kann einen im quirligen New York genauso treffen, wie im stillen Fukushima (dessen Reaktorkatastrophe beim Schreiben dieses Buches jedoch noch keine Rolle gespielt hat).

Richard Morais, der Amerikaner mit den portugiesischen Wurzeln wuchs in der Schweiz auf und war Wirtschaftsjournalist in Großbritannien („Madame Mallory und der kleine indische Küchenchef“, 2011). Er weiß um das Fremdsein unter Fremden und um die verschiedensten Facetten von Geld und Geist. So führt er auch seinen Charakter Seido Oda von einer professionellen „Distanz“ zur Welt zu einer menschlichen Fähigkeit der inneren Nähe. Gut recherchiert und einfühlsam geschrieben – wie Morais die Leser an dieser langsamen Entwicklung zum wahren Verständnis teilhaben lässt, kommt im Kopf so lebendig an, wie ein guter Kinofilm. Zugleich stellt er die Frage nach dem derzeitigen Trendthema Spiritualität ohne Dogmatik – das das tut zuweilen sein Protagonist für ihn. ( )

Buddhaland Brooklyn is the story of a Japanese Buddhist priest, raised in a strict monastery there, who is asked to head up a new Buddhist temple under construction in Brooklyn. Reverend Seido Oda had a tragic experience when young, with his mentally ill father and family. Through entry into the rural priesthood at age 11, he gains his bearings, particularly in creating and teaching Buddhist art. When many years later his beloved superior asks him to go to America, he feels he can't refuse, but he also doesn't feel he's qualified.

His experience in Brooklyn with the informal, tradition-scoffing Americans who are sect members is funny and frustrating at the same time (they like to call him "Rev" or "Reverend O"). He wants to teach them in the strict way he was taught, and they want him to be more "personal" and accessible.

I'm not a chanting Buddhist, but Morais makes it sound appealing (the Lotus Sutra is the principal source). This sect can marry and have sex, and those issues come up for the reverend. Maintaining his equanimity is a challenge. He learns a lot, and finds his new, chaotic locale actually brings him to a far greater understanding than his placid life in rural Japan.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one. ( )

This is a great story of a Japanese who lost his entire family as a teenager, shortly after joining a Prister School. The story is about his life, where he seems to be torn between the Buddhist faith and the worldly vices. The story starts in Japan and ends in New York. I have learned a lot about Buddhist thinking. It was very entertaining and amusing. ( )

I loved reading this book! Although cultural conflict and Buddhism are themes throughout, Oda's personal growth, from a lonely outsider plagued by the death of his family to prickly, arrogant priest, overly confident of his knowledge and blinded by his Japanese "everyone is other and lesser" lens, is forced when he is transplanted to Brooklyn. He does not want to bend, adapt or open. He is an oyster, tightly closed to every foreign idea. His personal journey is difficult, even painful, as he fights to maintain what he thinks to be his essential Japaneseness and his devout Buddhism. He makes so many mistakes and misunderstands/misreads so many simply situation! America's heterogenous culture shocks him in so many ways! As he makes small changes and opens up to what the world has to teach, he realises how many opportunities he has missed, and that happiness, even joy, are within his reach. I loved the Haiku sprinkled throughout the novel and the imagery, described through Oda's eyes, reminded me of my years spent in Japan. It is a unique view of the world. ( )

This book went from 4 stars down to two. I was actually thinking of giving it only one. It is the story of a Japanese Buddhist priest called Oda. He is transferred to Brooklyn New York to build a temple.

The book started well. But as soon as the action moved to USA it deteriorated. It sometimes reminded me of "Letters Back to Ancient China" by Herbert Rosendorfer where the main character also struggled with the modern culture. Only that Rosendorfer's book is a brilliant fascinating and funny novel. Buddhaland Brooklyn is none of this. It isn't even very funny.

What really put me off is the little knowledge the author has about Buddhism. More research would have done the book some good. He might then have avoided sentences like "The Buddhist gods have sent Michael to me..." There are no Buddhist gods. And "I whispered to Miss Laura that I would have to leave as I could not participate in a Catholic religious service." which is ridiculous. Buddhism is the one religion which accepts other religions and no Buddhist would think they couldn't participate in another religion's service.

The book tapers out at the end into the expected "All is good" happy ending. No surprises. Over all a very shallow story about religion, conflicts and the mandatory love story. ( )