Using buddhism to sell stuff

[Clarence]

I will offer a different opinion. I am very glad there are places online where you can buy great quality products. I, for one, don't know everything about ornaments and implements but if you find a reliable place you can get stuff that 15 yrs ago was unavailable to most Dharma practitioners.

[dharmagoat]

As far as I am concerned, all the necessary teachings are out there and easily available, especially over the internet. There is no need to spend a cent on teachings, but we do need to support the teachers.

I personally am unimpressed by slick marketing. The more something is dressed up, the more doubtful I am of its quality.

[waimengwan]

Coming from Asia, in countries where the Buddhist consciousness is much more prevalent then Buddhism is very established in those countries and literature is given away free due to sponsorhip. A few countries I can think of is like Thailand , Myanmar and Sri Lanka.

Having said that I have noticed that because the works are just via donation sometimes quality is compromised. The publications from Kechara Media and Publications , we try to achieve the highest of standards and hence we need to have writers, graphic designers and etc etc.

Well have a look at what we produce, would you get what we have to offer?
http://vajrasecrets.com/books/english-books.html

Having said that there are many centers in the West who charges NKT, Jewel Heart and etc and the motivation is not purely for profit but to sustain themselves.

[odysseus]

Alas, let´s remember the prophecy about Buddhism declining over the centennials. Surely this will make us worried but the teachings available are still enough to reach the goal. So we should not despair that Buddhism is turning into a product. Instead we would spread the word about where to find genuine teachings to all who are interested.

[Indrajala]

Having said that I have noticed that because the works are just via donation sometimes quality is compromised. The publications from Kechara Media and Publications , we try to achieve the highest of standards and hence we need to have writers, graphic designers and etc etc.

I suspect most Buddhist books, with a few exceptions like those written by eminent individuals like HHDL, don't turn a profit. In many cases an organization can't really sell most of their run of printed books and inevitably give most of them away.

In Japan I gather it usually works like this as well. The author maybe pays for 1000 copies up front and the publisher is guaranteed to turn a profit, but not the author or organization wanting to get their work published.

In the English speaking world having material published isn't always so easy because the publisher wants to turn a tidy profit, but moreover the amount of money you put into compiling/writing and publishing religious literature seldom will generate a profit, or so I have come to understand being part of the business.

[Astus]

[waimengwan]

Oh I think Shambala turns in a profit too from all the books they publish , we are not just limited to Wisdom Publications. There is publishing New Kadampa they have a captured market in terms of their members and centers! Tzu Chi also publishes a lot of books for the Mahayana crowd.