Category: Buddhism

Upcoming talks

On By DavidWebsterIn Buddhism1 Comment

Looking forward to this event in Groningen:

Colloquium on Asian religions | Buddhism and Fetish

When: Mo 27-10-2014
Start: 16:00
End: 17:30
Where: Oude Boteringestraat 38, Groningen

 

Upcoming events, Fall 2014

Thursday, November 13, 1 p.m.
Workshop: “Desire-Cessation Theories of Happiness”
Featured speakers: Bernard Reginster, Brown University; Susan Sauve Meyer, University of Pennsylvania; David Webster, University of Gloucestershire
Corliss Brackett seminar room, 45 Prospect Street

Friday, November 14, 4-6 p.m.
David Webster, University of Gloucestershire
Public Lecture: “Fruits of the Pointless Life: Buddhist Thought in an Atheistic Future”
Crystal Room, Alumnae Hall (194 Meeting Street)
Reception to follow on site.

Anger, and its risks

On By DavidWebsterIn Buddhism, GeneralLeave a comment

I’ve just had a piece go up at http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/mar/04/anger-bad-for-health-has-uses 

Screen Shot 2014-03-04 at 19.51.57

From early comments maybe I should have been clearer that my goal was, by the end of the short piece, to distinguish between types of anger. The Buddhist typology I spoke of is clearly not about anger – but the way things like Abhidhamma texts examine cittas such as chanda – and declare them ethically variable..

Oh – and for anti-anger Buddhism , the Pali Canon looks safe – but Wrathful Deities?

Meditation, Meditation, Meditation

On By DavidWebsterIn Buddhism, Meditation1 Comment

The people at Tricycle put this on their Facebook page this week..

timecovers

On his page, Dan Fisher featured the image with the phrase:

How “the Mindfulness Movement Uses Buddhism to Prop Up the White-Supremacist-Capitalist-Cishet Patriarchy” – a phrase he borrows from Josh Eaton. I think there is a seed (grain?) of truth here. Like many others, I’m heartened and moved by accounts of Mindfulness being used to help those with anxiety, (MBSR, etc!) : But – there’s just something about the co-opting of it by various groups, its repackaging and reselling and that makes me more than a little uncomfortable. I think I’ll try and disentangle my thoughts on this later in the year..

Dispirited interview with Tricycle Magazine

On By DavidWebsterIn Book, Buddhism, GeneralLeave a comment

tricDispirited interview with Tricycle Magazine

I know I am overdue to post about the SBNR issues with studies and mental health – and that’ll appear..

But till then – here’s an interview (entitled ‘The Dangers of Spirituality”) that I did with the Buddhist magazine Tricycle’s website:

http://www.tricycle.com/blog/dangers-spirituality-interview-david-webster 

Meanwhile, at American Buddhist Perspective..

On By DavidWebsterIn BuddhismLeave a comment

More interesting stuff from Justin, on models of thought in Buddhism:

I am often asked “why ‘impose’ Western models of thought on Buddhism?” as if discussing the nature of Buddhist philosophy or ethics is some sort of new colonialist/imperialist activity. The fact is, the Buddha used countless models, analogies, and illustrative examples in his teachings. READ MORE

When I have more energy, I think there is much to be said on how Buddhism engages models of teaching… Till then, I’ll make do with a quote from the Mahaparinibbana Sutta;

I have set forth the Dhamma without making any distinction of esoteric and exoteric doctrine; there is nothing, Ananda, with regard to the teachings that the Tathagata holds to the last with the closed fist of a teacher who keeps some things back.