Buddhism is one of humanity's significant religious and intellectual traditions. It is, and should be, an active participant in the secular and liberal democratic societies of our contemporary world. It is, and ought to be, a contributor to a cosmopolitan community, where individuals engage in relationships characterized by mutual respect and cooperation, despite their differing beliefs. Throughout its history, particularly in South and East Asia, Buddhism has fulfilled this role by contributing to cosmopolitan societies. It has enriched the religious, intellectual, and artistic landscapes of its diverse host cultures. Today, Buddhism also enhances the modern world. In North America, Asian immigrants and European and American converts have established new forms of Buddhist communities, rituals, and artworks. Buddhism's impact on popular culture is extensive. It remains one of our most dynamic traditions.
However, the prevailing form of modern Buddhism, referred to as "Buddhist modernism," is filled with unclear ideas. These ideas converge around what I term "Buddhist exceptionalism." Buddhist exceptionalism is the belief that Buddhism is superior to other religions due to its inherently rational and empirical nature, or that Buddhism is not truly a religion but rather a form of "mind science," therapy, philosophy, or a lifestyle focused on meditation. These beliefs, along with the assumptions about religion and science that support them, are incorrect. They must be abandoned if Buddhism is to assume its rightful role as a valuable contributor to a modern cosmopolitan community. Cosmopolitanism, which posits that all human beings belong to a single community that can and should embrace various ways of life, offers a more suitable framework for appreciating Buddhism and for understanding the relationship between religion and science than does Buddhist modernism. This is the main argument of this book.