Workshop: Connecting with Vancouver Buddhist Communities
held on December 15, 2009 at the Institute of Asian Research.
25 leaders and organizers from different Buddhist communities in the Vancouver area, including those affiliated with Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Southeast Asian Theravada, Tibetan, and Engaged Buddhist traditions, came together on December 15, 2009. Discussions ranged from the possibility of holding joint academic and religious events, to building a network within the community for social activities. All agreed that this was the first time that anyone had attempted to create a network of Buddhist communities in Vancouver. Continue reading “First Meeting of the Lower Mainland Buddhism Group”
Sogyal Rinpoche gave two lectures at UBC (December 15 and 16 2009), both of which teemed with references to, and elaborations of, the nature of mind according to Tibetan Buddhism. He sat down with us afterward to answer a few questions on the key points of his lectures, and to give us his thoughts on university education:
Sogyal Rinpoche is the author of The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying (1992).
Course Description: Extreme tension exists between those who hold that Buddhists should leave politics to the politicians, and those who believe Buddhists must engage the world and become involved in its power structures. In the modern history of Asia, Buddhist groups have thought carefully about the functions of modern states: military service, violence, enforcement, social service, relief, and medical care. Some have participated in mainstream power politics, formed activist and interest groups, and become involved in nonviolent protest. One of the fault lines in this discussion of politics and state power, however, are those activities associated with violence and war. Some theorists advance the idea that Buddhists affiliated with state power and nationalism are more likely to participate in violence, while those on the margins are more likely to pursue non-violence. Students will evaluate and critique theories that tie violence to specific forms of Buddhism-state configurations. The class will also address Buddhism’s relation to modern historical movements and ideologies such as colonialism, postcolonialism, fascism, communism, the rise of Asian nationalisms, and religious terrorism. This course is made possible by the support of The Tung Lin Kok Yuen Canada Foundation.
Course Description: Beginning with the origins of Buddhism on the Indian subcontinent (c. 6th century BCE), this course will introduce basic components of the Buddhist worldview, such as karma and the “three jewels”–the Buddha, the Buddhist teachings (dharma), and the Buddhist order (sangha)–covering characteristic Buddhist social roles (male and female renunciates, pious laypersons, and rulers) and forms of Buddhist practice (meditation, chanting, devotion, generosity). It will trace its historical spread from the Indian subcontinent throughout Asia, looking at Mahayana and Theravada streams. This course will examine Buddhism in specific Asian cultures: Southeast, East, and North Asia. And lastly, this course will look at issues in contemporary Buddhism and its spread into Western cultures. Accordingly, the class will be divided into three sections: (1) Origins, worldview, Indian context, and the three jewels (triratna). (2) Spread of Buddhism beyond India: Southeast, East, and North Asia. (3) Buddhism in the modern and contemporary world, with a focus on prison dharma. This course is made possible by the support of The Tung Lin Kok Yuen Canada Foundation, and is a gateway to advanced courses on Buddhism and Asian cultures. Prerequisites: None. Continue reading “ASIA 250: Introduction to Buddhism, Winter 2010”
excerpted from the Institute of Asian Research Annual Report 2008-2009.
On April 27, 2008, the College for Interdisciplinary Studies (CFIS), The Tung Lin Kok Yuen Canada Foundation, and the Buddhism and Contemporary Society Program presented Robert Thurman, America’s leading expert on Tibetan Buddhism, at UBC’s Chan Centre for Performing Arts. As the Je Tsong Khapa Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies at Columbia University, Professor Thurman holds the first endowed chair in this field of study in the U.S. He is also co-founder and President of Tibet House and President of the American Institute of Buddhist Studies. His public lecture at UBC entitled, “Buddhism as a Civilization Matrix and the Current Global Crisis,” centered on Buddhism taken in the context of the crisis humanity faces as a struggling species on an overstressed planet. Continue reading “Program Activities in 2008-2009”
excerpted from the Institute of Asian Research Annual Report 2008-2009.
By Gustaaf Houtman.
During my tenure at UBC, I taught Introduction to Buddhism (ASIA 250) and the graduate seminar on Buddhism and Politics in Burma (IAR515B). Both were a delight to teach. Students at UBC are highly motivated and the AV facilities are excellent.
A family offers a meal to a senior Buddhist monk, Mandalay 2003 (photo courtesy of Dr. Houtman).
25 leaders and organizers from different Buddhist communities in the Vancouver area, including those affiliated with Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Southeast Asian Theravada, Tibetan, and Engaged Buddhist traditions, came together on December 15, 2009. Discussions ranged from the possibility of holding joint academic and religious events, to building a network within the community for social activities. All agreed that this was the first time that anyone had attempted to create a network of Buddhist communities in Vancouver. Continue reading “First Meeting of the Lower Mainland Buddhism Group”
