It may not be the latest religious fad in L.A., but Buddhism has certainly continued to attract celebrity practitioners unsatisfied with their own religions. From Richard Gere to Orlando Bloom, Beastie Boy Adam Yauch to Kate Bosworth, the adoption of Buddhism into celebrity culture has helped bring the Eastern religion into the Western conscience.

Buddhism is one of the world’s oldest religions, originating around 500 BC in India. With an estimated 350 million followers worldwide, Buddhism offers a spiritual journey that focuses on personal spiritual development and the attainment of a deep insight into the true nature of life.

It differs from most other religions as it does not maintain a relationship between the individual and God, nor does it necessitate worship or praising of a divine being (though a few sects do). It offers no form of redemption, forgiveness, heavenly hope, or final judgment. Buddhism is a moral philosophy.

Despite the relatively recent insurgence of Beverly Hills Buddhists, the religion has been practiced by Western artists, authors and poets longer than People magazine would have us know.

King’s University College professor of religious studies Amelia Gallagher noted, “Buddhism in the West can actually be traced back to the 1950s, with Jack Kerouac and the Beat poets… and became even trendier during the 1960s.” What we’re experiencing now, however, is that Western Buddhism has been removed from its counterculture, romantic roots and has been brought into the mainstream by way of contemporary mass media representations.

Celebrities like Gere, Yauch, Steven Seagal and Keanu Reeves have made their religious beliefs public, but it is no longer just the stars who are interested in Buddhism; it is the Hollywood machine itself. In recent years, Tinseltown has come out with blockbuster Buddhist narratives, such as Kundun (1997), Seven Years in Tibet (1997) and Little Buddha (1993).

According to cultural theorist and staff writer from Unbound Magazine at the College of New Jersey Anna Argasinski, “Buddhism may be alluring to celebrities because it confronts egotism and challenges the notion of individuality. It is also firmly bound in the disciplines of the imagination, so celebrities interested in exploring their creativity may find Buddhism more appealing than the traditional Western forms of religion.”

Furthermore, Argasinski noted, “potential adherents are not required to undergo a religious conversion to study and benefit from Buddhist teachings.” Case in point is Adam Yauch of the Beastie Boys, who has maintained his Jewish traditions but calls his conversion spiritual, rather than religious.

“Buddhism, though, may turn out to be a hard sell, especially compared with the religions Americans are more familiar with,” Argasinski noted, while Gallagher warns of the potential dangers when “the ancient principles get lost in our modern culture [and] Buddhism is seen simply as a good feeling one can attain.”

So what can be said about an alleged Hollywood Buddhist who splits his time between meditating at the temple and killing terrorists on the silver screen, or who subscribes to ‘oneness with nature’ yet also cannot resist a red carpet photo opportunity?

Christine Ng, coordinator of the University of Toronto Buddhist Community, suggested that “becoming Buddhist doesn’t mean that you must commit to an absolute life of annunciation.” People can be practicing Buddhists and respect the difficult paths taken by monks and nuns, but adhering to Buddhist principles does not require one to remove oneself from everyday contemporary life.

“We all have jobs and responsibilities, we all need to participate in the economy; celebrities are no different in this regard. If they are celebrities, they can help people in more ways than others could,” Ng noted.

Ng is positive about the recent popularity of Buddhism in Western culture and does not see it as simply a result of people trying to emulate their favourite stars: “As Buddhism has come to the West, and as more people are learning about it, it is only natural that people subscribe to it. As you become more exposed to the teachings, the more it makes sense.” This stems from what Ng believes is a general disillusionment with traditional Western religions.

So although Buddhism in theory may be a tough sell for Westerners, their involvement seems to be welcomed and thus numbers continue to grow. Buddhism has long ago lost its associations with rebellious youths and now seems to attract, besides celebrities, mostly educated people in their 30s and 40s.

As Argasinski noted, “Many of them are ‘Hyphenated Buddhists,’ clinging to the comfort of their original faiths while adapting elements of the Buddhism they find attractive.”