Growing Up with Buddhism: Second-Generation Asian American Adolescents of Chinese Ancestry and Humanistic Buddhist Youth Programs

How do second-generation Asian American youth engage with Buddhism while growing up in temple communities? Drawing on ethnographic interviews with adolescents participating in youth programs at Hsi Lai Temple in Southern California, this paper examines how young participants understand their relationship to Buddhism through volunteering, peer relationships, temple activities, and shared ethical values. The findings show that participation in Buddhist youth programs does not necessarily produce clear religious identification. While some youth identify as Buddhist, others relate to Buddhism primarily as cultural heritage, ethical orientation, or community belonging. At the same time, temple leaders describe youth programs through the framework of Humanistic Buddhism as skillful means designed to attract youth through activities and relationships before introducing Buddhist teachings more deeply. The paper argues that Buddhist identity among second-generation Asian American adolescents of Chinese ancestry develops through gradual and relational engagement rather than through formal religious identification.