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Not-self and the narcissism epidemic
Western countries accord their citizens the freedom to practise the religion of their choice. But also as harbingers of the narcissism epidemic, they give Buddhists an extra incentive to practise ardently, in order to remain in good non-narcissistic health and so live skilful, fulfilling lives – including the nurturing of deep relationships.
The Dharma of Modern Mindfulness: A Review
By Mark Knickelbine | March 4, 2018 Originally appeared on the SBA website at https://secularbuddhism.org/the-dharma-of-modern-mindfulness-a-review/. One of the most common misunderstandings about MBSR and the other mindfulness-based interventions is that they consist of meditation techniques that have somehow been extracted or divorced from their original context in traditional Buddhism. From this standpoint, critics have referred to mindfulness as […]
The dharma as a culture of awakening – developing a sanghic life
In this 2016 talk Winton Higgins discusses how awakening, gaining significant insight into our human condition and its full potential for personal development, is a key component of a secular Buddhist approach.
What is religion for now? a pragmatist inquiry
In this talk in 2013 Winton Higgins argues that religion is best understood from a pragmatic perspective. He says that "our ancestors developed our religious traditions as tools in aid of survival, well-being and self-improvement. Along with other significant inventions, they have served us well and utterly transformed us into self-aware moral agents."
Heidegger for dharma wallahs: the granddaddy of existentialism
In this 2015 talk Winton Higgins discusses the relevance of the ideas of German philosopher Heidegger for developing a secular dharma.
Are secular Buddhists modern or traditional?
Derek LeDayn discusses the following questions in this article: What is secular Buddhism, or what are secular Buddhisms? Is secular Buddhism the same as modern Buddhism, or Buddhist modernism? How different is it from traditional Buddhisms? Are individual secular Buddhists modern or traditional?
Secular Buddhism: Divisive Criticism Instead of Collaborative Dialogue Once Again
By Ted Meissner | September 24, 2017 Originally appeared on the SBA website at https://secularbuddhism.org/secular-buddhism-divisive_criticism/. Many years ago I took lifetime precepts at Bhavana Society under Bhante Gunaratana, and have renewed them several times. One in particular is challenging me lately: Pisunavacha veramani sikkahapadam samadiyami. I take the precept to abstain from divisive speech. It's with a heavy […]
Taking a second look at Radical Dharma through the lens of social class
Mike Slott discusses Radical Dharma, a book which proposes a radical approach to Buddhism. He argues that the book is valuable in several respects, but the authors fail to make social class a core part of their radical analysis.
Jim Champion on meditation: what if I’m doing it wrong?
Jim Champion discusses the common view of meditators that they are somehow doing "something wrong" and argues that "what I’ve found so far in my practice of meditation (which most commonly involves sitting quietly, with the intention to meditate, in the morning and the evening) is that however much I want do it right, in fact I can't do it wrong.
Creating the Secular Buddhist Association in the USA
In the U.S., the Secular Buddhist Association has grown organically around Ted Meissner’s podcast, The Secular Buddhist, and its associated Facebook page. The individuals who were frequent participants on Facebook became the core volunteers who would go on to create the Secular Buddhist Association website and, later, the non-profit organization incorporated under that name.
Buddhist Activism and Quietism
By Doug Smith | February 6, 2017 Originally appeared on the SBA website at https://secularbuddhism.org/buddhist-activism-and-quietism/. Many of us are looking for the right way to engage with contemporary political concerns. What does Buddhism have to teach us? A couple of recent articles have taken this question in opposite directions. In “Let’s Stand Up Together”, Bhikkhu Bodhi argues that Buddhism has a […]
What is Dependent Arising?
By Linda Blanchard | January 29, 2017 Originally appeared on the SBA website at https://secularbuddhism.org/buddhist-activism-and-quietism/. I said that dependent arising is both very simple, and very complex, but always helpful, and worth the effort to understand. Let me start with the very simple. It Really Is Simple Dependent arising says that we come into the world with certain […]
On Some Criticisms of Modern Mindfulness
By Doug Smith | May 16, 2016 Originally appeared on the SBA website at https://secularbuddhism.org/on-some-criticisms-of-modern-mindfulness/. Is the contemporary mindfulness movement a kind of "fad" that misconstrues the essential message of the Buddha? Pieces by Edwin Ng and Ron Purser (2016a, 2016b) and Stephen Schettini (2014), not to mention the earlier “McMindfulness” critique by Purser and Loy (2013) argue that this […]
A Review of Rick Heller’s ‘Secular Meditation’
Sylvie Vanasse, a member of the Beaches Sangha in Australia, discusses the different secular meditation practices in Rick Heller's book. She praises Heller for offering many practical exercises and his avoidance of supernatural jargon, but thinks that his insistence on the need to 'quiet our mind' minimizes the value of a recollective or reflective approach to meditation.
A secular approach to insight meditation
In a dharma talk given in New Zealand in October 2015 Winton Higgins explores the differences between the traditional model of insight meditation using the foundational text of the Satipatthāna sutta and a secular approach.
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