Monja Coen's Pop Buddhism on Social Media
This article examines the emergence of "pop Buddhism" in Brazil through the work of Coen rōshi, a Brazilian Zen Buddhist nun who has gained widespread visibility via social media and mainstream media. Drawing on the historical transplantation of Zen Buddhism to Brazil, the study focuses on...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Interlibrary Loan: | Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany) |
| Published: |
2025
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| In: |
International journal of Latin American religions
Year: 2025, Volume: 9, Issue: 2, Pages: 669-691 |
| Further subjects: | B
Zen Buddhism
B Pop Buddhism B Social media B Brazil B Coen rōshi |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | This article examines the emergence of "pop Buddhism" in Brazil through the work of Coen rōshi, a Brazilian Zen Buddhist nun who has gained widespread visibility via social media and mainstream media. Drawing on the historical transplantation of Zen Buddhism to Brazil, the study focuses on the third phase of this process - cultural translation by Brazilian masters. Coen rōshi's background in journalism and her communication skills have enabled her to reach a broad, mostly non-Buddhist audience. Her teachings, often framed in therapeutic and motivational language, resonate with contemporary spiritual seekers. Based on fieldwork, interviews, and survey data, the article identifies five key features of pop Buddhism: its therapeutic appeal, alignment with self-help discourse, strong digital presence, the centrality of a media figure, and low institutional commitment among followers. The study also explores the economic dimensions of religious dissemination, showing how Coen rōshi's lectures, books, and online content support the sustainability of the Zendo Brasil community. This case highlights the intersection of religion, media, and market in contemporary Brazilian spirituality. |
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| ISSN: | 2509-9965 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: International journal of Latin American religions
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1007/s41603-025-00313-9 |
