Author Topic: Scholarly and Popular Works on Buddhism Find a growing Audience  (Read 10544 times)

icy

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Scholarly and Popular Works on Buddhism Find a growing Audience
« on: October 05, 2013, 02:06:03 AM »
It is reported that as the Buddhist community in America continues to grow, and readers who are not necessarily Buddhist are drawn to Buddhist ideas and practices, publishers have found success promoting translated classic titles along with general, concise introductions that can both appeal to a general audience and be used in the classroom for religious studies courses.





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Re: Scholarly and Popular Works on Buddhism Find a growing Audience
« Reply #1 on: October 10, 2013, 04:41:35 PM »
Buddhism is a beautiful religion. Most of the teachings relates to our daily activities in life. The teaching is so easily applied in reality and hence, one does not need to be a Buddhist to use the teachings. Its not a surprise at all that many people Buddhist or non Buddhist are drawn to reading Buddhist texts. More so now because we have such great writers who can explain the traditional Sutras in such simple terms, making them absoultely logical and easy to understand and follow.

icy

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Re: Scholarly and Popular Works on Buddhism Find a growing Audience
« Reply #2 on: October 10, 2013, 09:33:33 PM »
How Buddhism Embraced Science

Blogger Fuketsu at Taste of Chicago Buddhism writes that last month was the 120th anniversary of the World's Parliament of Religions. The parliament, held in Chicago in 1893, was intended to create a worldwide dialogue among religious traditions. And to a large extent, it succeeded.

The parliament also was a significant event in western Buddhism. Two Buddhists addressed the assembly in person, and another -- a Pure Land scholar -- sent a paper read in his absence. This was, arguably, the first substantive introduction of Buddhism to cultural westerners, and it created impressions that persist in the West to this day.  This includes the perception that Buddhism is a science-friendly spiritual tradition, an appropriate topic given our recent look at the Higgs Bosun and Field.


Raising awareness on Buddhism through science is another doorway to BuddhaDharma.  Buddhism itself is science and it attracts science-minded intellects to embrace Buddhism through such global gathering in religious exchange.

icy

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Re: Scholarly and Popular Works on Buddhism Find a growing Audience
« Reply #3 on: October 10, 2013, 09:49:35 PM »
Raising awareness in Buddhism: Zee TV, an American television station show a program on Buddha capturing huge popularity and success on its viewership.

Zee TV's 'Buddha' gets over a million eyes
41 mins ago from tellychakkar.com

Enticing the audiences with a refreshing concept, the new TV show Buddha on ZEE TV has brought the legend of Prince Siddhartha, straight from history books to life. And people are loving it! Saturated with the never-ending tales of saas-bahu sagas, the audience has embraced the show based on the life of the legend which inspired and led King Asoka on the road to peace.

Only three episodes old, the public has clearly greeted the show which has a TVT (Television viewership in thousands) of 1450 (round about 1.5 million). The Twitter & Facebook pages are filled with praises about the show, the costumes and how viewers look forward to watching the show on every Sunday. The fact that the show is in infant stage and has already got such a good feedback, shows the interest and curiosity factor among the viewers.

The show is an epic tale of the prince Siddhartha, who was born with a golden spoon, discovers the harsh realities of life and finds his way to enlightenment. Such was his glory that people across the world adopted his way of being. The show "Buddha" aims to retell the story of the one man who renounced a life of luxury searching for the answers to the sorrows of life.

icy

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Re: Scholarly and Popular Works on Buddhism Find a growing Audience
« Reply #4 on: October 11, 2013, 11:45:03 PM »
English-Tibetan science textbooks have been developed at Emory University for monastic students to integrate modern science to Buddhism.  As I see this will create a better understanding of science between the Sanghas and the modern world to facilitate the application of Buddhism into the science context.  This will enhance knowledge and convince science minded individuals to embrace Buddhism.

ATLANTA — Quantum theory tells us that the world is a product of an infinite number of random events. Buddhism teaches us that nothing happens without a cause, trapping the universe in an unending karmic cycle. 

Reconciling the two might seem as challenging as trying to explain theHiggs boson to a kindergarten class. But if someone has to do it, it might as well be the team of scholars, translators and six Tibetan monks clad in maroon robes who can be spied wandering among the magnolias at Emory University here.
They were joined this week by the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people, who decided seven years ago that it was time to merge the hard science of the laboratory with the soft science of the meditative mind.

The leaders at Emory, who already had created formal relationships with Tibetan students there, agreed, and a unique partnership was formed.
For the monks, some of the challenges have been mundane, like learning to like pizza and trying to understand Lord Dooley, the university’s skeleton mascot.

For the team of professors involved in the project, the Emory-Tibet Science Initiative, there are the larger issues, like how to develop methods to quantify the power of meditation in a way the scientific world might actually accept.

But for the Dalai Lama, an energetic 78-year-old who rises at 3:30 every morning for four hours of meditation, his pet project is kind of a no-brainer.

Buddhist teaching offers education about the mind, he said in an interview after lunch Thursday at the home of James W. Wagner, the university president.

“It is quite rich material about what I call the inner world,” he said. “Modern science is very highly developed in matters concerning the material world. These two things separately are not complete. Together, the external and the internal worlds are complete.”

The first batch of six monks, who arrived on campus on 2010, have gone back to India, where much of the Tibetan exile community lives, and started teaching. Dozens of monks and nuns have taken lectures from Emory professors who traveled to Dharamsala, India, to instruct them, and 15 English-Tibetan science textbooks have been developed for monastic students.

The university pays about $700,000 a year for the program, which includes tuition for the monks, who then go back and teach science in the monasteries.

It has not been a smooth road. It took until last year for Buddhist leaders to accept science education as a mandatory part of monastic education. It was the first major change in 600 years.
But as anyone who has tried to implement an idea from the boss knows, the real work is in the details.
Many of the toughest battles have come down to seemingly simple but vexing issues of lexicon. How does one create new words for concepts like photosynthesis and clones, which have no equivalent in the Tibetan language or culture? How does one begin to name thousands of molecules and chemical compounds? And what of words like process, which have several levels of meaning for Tibetans?
So far, 2,500 new scientific terms have been added to the Tibetan language.

“Much of our work is to make new phrases novel enough so students won’t take them with literal meaning,” said Tsondue Samphel, who leads the team of translators.
Still, some concepts are quite easy to translate.

“We understand impermanence of things as simply existing through our traditions,” said Jampa Khechok, 34, one of the new monks on campus. “We are now challenged to understand the nature of impermanence through the study of how fast particles decay.”

Learning has gone both ways. Professors here find themselves contemplating the science of the heart and mind in new ways. A student presenting a report on the cardiovascular system described the physiological reaction his own cardiovascular system might have if he were told the Tibetan people were free.
Debate is a constant, said Alexander Escobar of Emory, who has gone to India to teach biology. Monks have wanted to know, for example, how he could be so sure that seawater once covered the Himalayas. (The answer? fossils).

Western scholars have had to look at their work with a new lens, too, contemplating matters like the nature and origins of consciousness.

One result has been the development of something called cognitively based compassion training, a secular mediation program proven to improve empathy.

The partnership has had other, more practical applications.
Linda Hutton, a social worker, has a longstanding clinical practice treating sexually abused children and families in Greenville, S.C. She drove to Atlanta this week to attend a private luncheon with the Dalai Lama, who was making his sixth visit to Emory.
She teaches her young victims and their families to practice mindfulness and how to use meditation and breathing to cope with trauma.

“I draw from a lot of medical research,” she said, “but what I have found here transcends that.”


icy

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Re: Scholarly and Popular Works on Buddhism Find a growing Audience
« Reply #5 on: October 13, 2013, 04:59:42 AM »
Buddhism is surely gaining popularity in the West.  Even Christain leaders are interested in some Buddhist Doctrine.  Read what the Dalai Lama said when He is in Mexico:


Mexico City (AFP) - The Dalai Lama told Mexicans on Saturday that Christianity and Buddhism coincide in their pursuit of human happiness.

Both religions promote "love, compassion and self-discipline" that lead to happiness, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader told some 3,000 people.

More than 90 percent of Mexico's 118 million people are Catholic.

With his usual smile and good humor, the Dalai Lama said that for decades, Christian leaders have been interested in some Buddhist teachings.

Christianity promotes the concept of a transcendent and unique God as creator, while Buddhism refutes the existence of a creator.

The Dalai Lama's trip, which began Friday, marks his fourth to Mexico, home to some 5,000 Buddhists. He will leave on Wednesday.

US actor and Tibet activist Richard Gere participated in the event, which was preceded by a Tibetan music show and held at an entertainment center in northern Mexico City.

No matter how many people are in the Dalai Lama's presence, Gere said, "something special happens."

"I'm not a movie star, I'm just a student like you," said Gere, 64, in speaking about his advocacy efforts.

The enthusiasm of attendees was dampened by audio problems that made the conference unintelligible for long periods of time.

"We came with much devotion to listen to His Holiness. We waited a long time and paid a lot for tickets. It's not fair, the sound is a disaster," attendee Hilda Montano told AFP.

The Dalai Lama fled Tibet following a failed uprising against Chinese occupation in 1959 and later founded the Tibetan government-in-exile in India. He stepped down as its leader in 2011.

icy

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Re: Scholarly and Popular Works on Buddhism Find a growing Audience
« Reply #6 on: October 23, 2013, 11:25:59 AM »
Buddhist thoughts of "Craving, Desire and Addiction will advance science."

Kent Berridge, the James Olds Collegiate Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience, hesitated a year ago before taking the offer to discuss his research on addiction with the Dalai Lama.

“It seemed so overwhelming; it was certainly nothing I would put myself forward for,” Berridge said. “I didn’t feel quite up to what the Dalai Lama group might want.”

But now Berridge is in Dharamsala, India, the site of the exiled Tibetan government, preparing to participate in Mind & Life XXVII:n Craving, Desire and Addiction.  It’s the 27th lecture sponsored by the Mind and Life Institute, a nonprofit organization that investigates the intersection between Buddhism and science founded in part by the head monk of Tibetan Buddhism.

All experts in their respective fields, the dozen event speakers typically include philosophers, scientists, psychologists and Buddhist monks. Berridge said he looks forward to the interdisciplinary perspectives the dialogue will offer.

Psychology Prof. David Meyer attended and organized a research dialogue with Dalai Lama in 2009. He said the interdisciplinary nature of the dialogues led to “profound new insights.”

“Buddhism has a lot of neat ideas that you can bring into a scientific framework to pursue further and that will advance both the science and, like the Dalai Lama would want, the Buddhism,” Meyer said.

He added that Buddhism as a spiritual practice leaned towards a scientific approach.

“The Dalai Lama has said if there are any beliefs in Buddhism which turn out to be contradicted by what scientists are finding, then Buddhism is going to have to change its beliefs so it’s consistent with science,” Meyer said.

The Mind and Life Institute chooses a topic each year for its week-long dialogues. Addiction, the topic this year, is a key question in Buddhism and science alike. Buddhism posits craving as the root of all suffering. An overabundance of craving can develop into addiction, which concerns psychologists like Berridge.

“Addiction is basically just a kind of chronic craving over which somebody who is addicted doesn’t have control,” Meyer said. "Regardless of whatever you're addicted to, you’re going to have very intense cravings and it’s impossible to completely satisfy that craving. As a result of being unsatisfied, you suffer.”

Berridge’s role at the dialogue is to explain the scientific background of addiction. It is impossible to discuss solutions to addiction without understanding how an addict’s brain functions.

“I think that my perspective might help them to understand the essence of craving and the essence of good and bad cravings,” Berridge said. “I’m there to describe the problem better and help them come up with a better solution.”

Berridge’s research shows that there are two sections of the brain behind cravings: wanting and liking. A person wanting an ice cream cone because they like ice cream would likely have both areas of their brain activated. Addicts, conversely, may have the “liking” sections of their brains turned off, but their active “wanting” sections can impel them to seek substances that they know are harmful and that they do not like.

These conferences improve the public well-being in the long run, Meyer said. The Mind and Life Institute uses the information discussed in these meetings to decide what research to fund.

Meyer said he valued the opportunity to meet the Dalai Lama in 2009, whom he noted had both profound humility and keen intelligence.

“You would never start off expecting that some day you might wind up having a personal conversation with someone like the Dalai Lama.”

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Re: Scholarly and Popular Works on Buddhism Find a growing Audience
« Reply #7 on: October 25, 2013, 10:37:02 AM »
Its amazing that big univerisities like Emory are willing to spend Usd 700,000 each year to sponsor Tibetan monks from India to study in their campus , so that the monks can return home to teach other monks and nuns. Plus Professors from the university spends their time teaching and researching within the monasteries in India too. This process of "research" and exchanging knowledge between academicians and the Sangha(who are well learned on Sutras and Tantras) will result in the Dharma being shared to many in a more dynamic way. Dharma can certainly explain all the science theories plus much more. More non Buddhists will learn this fact and realise, what a universal concept Buddhism actually entails. It will bring tremendous amount of benefits to many !

dondrup

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Re: Scholarly and Popular Works on Buddhism Find a growing Audience
« Reply #8 on: October 26, 2013, 04:02:53 PM »
Buddhism is based on the nature of reality, the indisputable truth of emptiness. All phenomena are governed by this truth without exception. This truth remains as is since beginningless time until now and shall remain unchanged into the future.

The growing interest by the scientists and the mainstream population is expected. The is because every teaching of Buddha is a truth, a medicine, a cure to the disease or illness of our mind and a means to solve all our mundane and daily life problems.  And Buddhism is the gateway to finding the lasting happiness.

Buddhism deals with the workings of the mind whereas Science is more concerned with the physical and material world. Quantum Physics is a  branch of science that has made much inroad in accepting the principles of Dharma in recent years.

icy

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Re: Scholarly and Popular Works on Buddhism Find a growing Audience
« Reply #9 on: October 30, 2013, 12:33:19 AM »
Dalai Lama attends 27th Mind and Life conference

DHARAMSHALA, October 28: The Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama today presided over "Mind and Life XXVII: Craving, Desire and Addiction- Critical Conversations between Buddhist Thought and Science" at his exile residence at Theckchen Choeling.

Speaking about craving, desire and addiction, His Holiness said, “without desire, no movement; no movement, no progress.” He also added that without desire there will be no enthusiasm. "No enthusiasm, no action; no action, no progress." The Tibetan leader said he does not know much about craving and addiction.

The Nobel laureate also noted that the very purpose of scientific research in one way is trying to find reality. “For what purpose, not necessarily for the sake of knowledge but these people (scientists), through their research, can bring some benefit to mankind. So, different way of approach but mainly, all have some sense of concern for well-being of this planet.”

“In our tradition, lots of explanation about emotion and also we have self-practice methods when we develop certain negative emotions, how to tackle these things,” the Tibetan leader who had just returned from the US said.

Attending the conference among others are thirteen prominent scientists, researchers and philosophers, His Holiness' principal translator Thupten Jinpa, Nora Volkow, President of Mind and Life Institute, Arthur Zajonc, Marc Lewis, Richard J. Davidson.

The MLI seeks to understand the human mind and the benefits of contemplative practices through an integrated mode of knowledge that combines first person knowledge from the world’s contemplative traditions with methods and findings from contemporary scientific inquiry.

The first Mind and Life conference took place in 1987. The Mind and Life dialogues were initially started to experiment whether a rigorous exchange could occur between leading modern scientists and the Dalai Lama. Series of regular successful experimental exchanges over the ensuing years lead to the formation of the Louisville based Mind and Life Institute (MLI).

Live Webcasts of the conference from October 28 to November 1 from 9 am - 11:30 am IST and 1 pm - 3pm IST will be available here.

Kim Hyun Jae

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Re: Scholarly and Popular Works on Buddhism Find a growing Audience
« Reply #10 on: November 02, 2013, 10:51:00 AM »
It is true we need not be a Buddhist to be able to appreciate Buddhism. Buddhism itself is already a philosophical study. Its teachings can be applied to anyone of other faith.

Reading Buddhist books does not label us as Buddhist. We can read the teachings behind these ancient knowledge and apply them in our lives to bring happiness to ourself and others. We do not have to label these knowledge as Buddhist, Christian, Muslim or Jew. It is irrelevant.

icy

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Re: Scholarly and Popular Works on Buddhism Find a growing Audience
« Reply #11 on: November 03, 2013, 04:58:13 AM »
The principles of Buddhism are introduced to students studying for the international baccalaureate of Truro College .  The early imprint on these fortunate students would surely ripen upon them if not this present life it would be in their future lives as nothing is wasted but remains latent until such time when the condition is conducive for the individuals to reap the harvest.  What a meaningful curriculum to be introduced to the school to these deserving students with good merits.


IB students are inspired by meeting with Buddhist nun

IT WAS one of the most interesting days anyone had had in several lifetimes, as a Buddhist nun came to Truro College to help international baccalaureate (IB) students answer the question "What do we know about death?"

Kelsang Dema, a fully ordained Buddhist nun from The Ashoka Meditation Centre in Plymouth, spoke to students as part of the IB's Theory of Knowledge.

Illustrating how Buddhists have given up attachment to material things, Kelsang Dema said: "Why would you go on a holiday to a house and say 'I like this holiday home so much, I'm going to remain here always and it's all that matters to me now'? You wouldn't. That is how we consider our bodies and possessions. It's easy to give up attachment."

Lecturer Clive Sutton said: "We've had a fascinating and inspirational day. The students were all very touched by Kelsang Dema's eloquent and persuasive account of the mind living on after the body has died – much more impressed than they were by my Spike Milligan joke: 'I've never believed in reincarnation ... even when I was a hedgehog.' I would like to offer my heartfelt thanks to all the speakers who brought such intriguing ideas to the minds of our IB students."

The students researched the issue from a variety of perspectives and gave presentations on their findings, while guest speakers gave talks followed by a debate.

The IB is an alternative to A levels where students study a broad curriculum as well as additional components, including the Theory of Knowledge, to increase understanding and create more reflective and conscientious learners.

vajrastorm

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Re: Scholarly and Popular Works on Buddhism Find a growing Audience
« Reply #12 on: November 03, 2013, 08:35:11 AM »
Buddhism is gaining popularity among scientists, scholars and Christians. I believe the reasons behind this are : (i) Buddhism is founded on the discoveries of Truth(which is in essence primordial truth)by Buddha Shakyamuni using the sharp and unerring instrument of a clear mind that had been 'sharpened ' by years of meditation and single-pointed concentration.Even renowned scientists, like Albert Einstein, can appreciate Buddhism as a spiritual practice that "leans towards a scientific approach".
 (ii)HH Dalai Lama's keen and scientifically inclined mind and great compassion as evidenced in his enthusiastic participation in the Mind and Life Institution dialogues with other spiritual leaders and leaders from other faiths, as well as with renowned scientists, scholars, educationists and psychologists. Furthermore, there is his keen  participation in interfaith dialogues.In fact, it is through the indefatigable efforts of HH Dalai Lama that Buddhism has become a 'household word'.


icy

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Re: Scholarly and Popular Works on Buddhism Find a growing Audience
« Reply #13 on: December 02, 2013, 10:35:44 AM »
It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s a… Buddhist Monk? Crowd Gathers in the Castro for “The Temple” Book Launch
A crowd queued up last week in San Francisco’s Castro neighborhood to celebrate the launch of Buddhist mystic and award-winning author Nicole Grace’s new book, The Temple: Meditations on the Spiritual Path, released by Mani Press Thanksgiving 2013.



Hundreds of seekers overflowed out of Crystal Way bookstore onto Market Street last Saturday night at the launch event for Buddhist mystic and monk Nicole Grace’s new book, The Temple: Meditations on the Spiritual Life. Bundled up and clutching steaming cups of Bhutanese tea, attendees crowded around the picture window and were queued all the way down Market Street, for a chance to hear the author speak, read selections from her book and get their books signed. Someone mounted a speaker above the doorway and Grace’s voice was projected out into the Castro night. Neighbors were hanging out their windows and leaning over fire escapes, listening to the talk and later, the music playing, while the line for the book signing inched forward. Cars slowed and rolled down their windows, a couple even pulled over and double-parked to listen.
After the success of Grace’s previous book, Bodhisattva: How To Be Free, Teachings To Guide You Home, devoted readers in the Bay Area appeared in a party mood for the launch of The Temple, several days before the official publication date on Thanksgiving (November 28, 2013).

Marveling at the unusually large turnout for a book signing, Crystal Way’s owner Maria Stanford was overheard saying, “Oh my god, you’re a rock star!” to the author, as the last people on line finally fit inside the store and the door to the chilly night air closed behind them.

The Temple follows a similar format of accessible teachings and verse as the perennial favorite of spiritual seekers, Dhammapada: Sayings of the Buddha. However, The Temple uses contemporary imagery and describes experiences that will be familiar to anyone living in the world today. Using seemingly ordinary moments to draw readers in, Grace then illuminates a deeper truth to be found in their midst, bringing readers to their own epiphany or revelation, through hers, as described in each “meditation.”
A few of the meditations in the book have already won individual poetry awards, and Grace’s previous books have all received national and international awards.

Available now from Mani Press, 200 pages. The author is currently on a multi-city book tour. The next stop is Namaste Bookshop in New York City, December 14, 2:30 p.m. More information is available at: http://www.likeswans.com and on the book’s dedicated Facebook page.

About Nicole Grace:
Nicole Grace is a teacher, Buddhist mystic and author of the award-winning books, Dreaming Bhutan: Journey in the Land of the Thunder Dragon; Bodhisattva: How To Be Free, Teachings To Guide You Home; and Mastery At Work: 18 Keys For Achieving Success, Fulfillment And Joy In Any Profession. Her books, talks and recordings continue to inspire thousands of seekers around the world.
Known to many by her spiritual name, Kundalini, she teaches a modern approach to spirituality and work, with uncommon wisdom, humor and warmth.

icy

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Re: Scholarly and Popular Works on Buddhism Find a growing Audience
« Reply #14 on: December 17, 2013, 12:46:47 PM »


A Buddhist monk’s meditative title grabbed the top slot on the national bestseller list for two straight years, Kyobo Book Centre said on Tuesday.

“Things You Can Finally See When You Stop,” authored by Ven. Haemin, ranked first on the list compiled by the country’s biggest bookseller. The Korean edition of Francois Lelord’s “Hector and the Search for Happiness” was the No. 2 bestseller this year.

Kyobo said readers favored both offline and online novels this year. For digital books, novels accounted for 62 percent of sales, with “Life of Pi” topping the ebook bestseller list. Overall, ebook sales rose by 27 percent, bucking the broader trend of sluggish sales of books on the local market.

Also popular were a group of novels which have been adapted for TV and film versions. Titles focused on “healing” also continued to perform at a solid pace.

Kyobo has forecasted that the domestic ebook market will grow by 20 percent in 2004, citing the increase in book purchases via PCs and smartphones.

By Yoon Ha-youn, Intern reporter