The emergence of secular Buddhism in the west is part of the secularization that has been developing since before the Renaissance. Secular Buddhism represents the attempt to continue the process of rooting the dharma in modern western culture where the earlier non-monastic insight movement left off.
Lama Rod Owens will be offering a program on apocalyptic grief to help us respond to the collapse of systems in our contemporary society. The program incorporates the wisdom of Tantric Buddhism, West African spirituality, and the Black Prophetic tradition.
For those who are curious about or interested in secular Buddhism and want to learn about this relatively new trend within Buddhism, this article will provide a helpful starting point for exploring a secular approach to the dharma.
Stephen Batchelor and Gil Fronsdal Discuss “Buddha, Socrates, and Us”
Stephen Batchelor and Gil Fronsdal met on July 29 for a 90-minute online conversation to explore the themes of Stephen’s upcoming book, Buddha, Socrates, and Us: Ethical Living in Uncertain Times.
Reconstructing the Dharma: An Axiomatic Approach to Buddha’s Teachings
Kenneth Leong argues that two core Buddhist concepts - non-self and this-that conditionality - provide the axiomatic foundation for all Buddhist concepts and doctrines.
Cultivating Ethical Mindfulness — Reflections from Our Hong Kong Workshop
Ayda Duroux discusses a workshop on Mindfulness Based Ethical Living (MBEL) that she and Stephen Batchelor offered at the International Conference of Mindfulness - Asia Pacific (ICMAP) 2025.
Stephen Batchelor: books, articles, and interviews
Stephen Batchelor's books, articles, and dharma talks have offered a compelling vision of a secular dharma based on individual transformation and creating a “culture of awareness” in this world.
Jesus Perez argues that secular Buddhism is characterized by a sense of cultural superiority over non-western cultures and reflects a worldview shaped by commercialism and individualism.
In a recent dharma talk Winton Higgins discusses the contradiction between western ethical ideals which embrace our common humanity and the violence, inequality, and cruelty so prevalent in western societies.
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