POSTS:
All Posts
Stephen Batchelor on the ‘Parable of the Snake’ and the need to reimagine Buddhism
Stephen Batchelor led a meditation and offered a dharma talk to the Community Meditation Center (CMC), an Insight meditation center based in New York City, USA. Stephen's talk was on the 'Parable of the Snake,' a sutta in which Gotama, the historical Buddha, discussed different ways of approach the dharma.
Debates and Dialogues on Secular Buddhism
SBN has hosted several important debates about the meaning and role of secular Buddhism in our contemporary society.
My path to becoming a secular Buddhist monastic
Venerable Tenzin Tharpa discusses his path from Tibetan Buddhist monasticism to becoming a secular Buddhist monastic. He formed the Secular Buddhist Tradition (SBT), an international community dedicated to sharing a practical and accessible presentation of the buddhadharma focused on the positive life-affirming message of the Buddha.
An interview with Yanai Postelnik on meditation and climate change activism
Bernat Font Clos interviewed Yanai Postelnik, a meditation teacher who in recent years has been devoting more and more time to climate activism with the group Extinction Rebellion, a decentralized, international movement using non-violent direct action and civil disobedience to persuade governments to act on the climate emergency.
Two years of SBN: an update
The Secular Buddhist Network (SBN) website and our monthly newsletter went 'live' two years ago. In this article we assess the progress made in achieving the goals for SBN that we initially established and two recent changes. We also ask for your feedback.
The New Buddhist Fellowship in Meiji Japan: an early experiment in socially active secular Buddhism
James Mark Shields discusses the New Buddhist Fellowship (NBF), a group of roughly a dozen young scholars and activists in Japan who developed a more modern and secular version of Buddhism. In several important respects, the New Buddhists of early twentieth-century Japan lay the foundations for later movements such as socially engaged and secular Buddhism.
A Sangha Without a Name (SWAN): Vajrayana roots, democratic and socially engaged practices
Fede Andino writes about the formation, development, and current functioning of a sangha in Argentina - the Sangha Without a Name (SWAN) – whose teachers and practitioners have deep connections to Tibetan Buddhism and have developed a democratic and participatory style of functioning.
A missed opportunity: a review of ‘Secularizing Buddhism’
A new collection of essays, 'Secularizing Buddhism: new perspectives on a dynamic tradition', unfortunately represents a missed opportunity to explore the emergence of secular Buddhism, to critically examine its assumptions, and to provide us with an accurate snapshot of the diverse views and practices of secular Buddhists.
Anti-racism and the dharma: next steps
Jewel Wheeler argues that the pain and suffering caused by racism require us to understand why our response as Buddhists - both secular and traditional - has been inadequate. Then, we can begin to think through how we can bring dharmic insights more effectively into the struggle for a multi-racial, just society.
A shared commitment to human flourishing: the Young Marx, Gotama, and Epicurus
According to Tom Bulley, to move toward the goal of full spiritual citizenship, we, as secular Buddhists, need to understand how the key ideas of the young Marx, Gotama, and Epicurus can help us develop an overall perspective and practice oriented toward human flourishing for the greatest number of people.
Linda Modaro on the need for ethical reflection by teachers and dharma leaders
In an interview with SBN, Linda Modaro, a meditation teacher, discussed a course that she has developed and taught on ethical reflecting for meditation teachers and dharma group leaders.
A review of ‘Reimagining Zen in a Secular age: Charles Taylor and Zen Buddhism in the West’
Charles Taylor's discussion of secularity has provided secular Buddhists with important conceptual tools to avoid the false dichotomy between the 'secular' and 'religious' aspects of life. James M. Shields reviews a 2020 book by Andre van der Braak which explores the connection between Charles Taylor's notion of secularity and Zen Buddhism.
Robert M. Ellis and Winton Higgins discuss Middle Way Philosophy and Secular Buddhism
Robert M. Ellis and Winton Higgins engage in a discussion about Middle Way Philosophy and secular Buddhism, exploring the strengths and weaknesses of each perspective.
Robert M. Ellis’s rejoinder to Winton Higgins’s comments on ‘Middle Way Philosophy and Secular Buddhism’
In a rejoinder to Winton Higgins's comments on his article, 'the Middle Way Philosophy and Secular Buddhism', Robert M. Ellis disputes Winton Higgins's criticisms of Middle Way Philosophy and contends that this approach, rather than secular Buddhism, identifies and applies the valuable insights of the Buddha in the most universal way available.
Winton Higgins on Robert M. Ellis’s ‘Middle Way Philosophy and Secular Buddhism’
Winton Higgins responds to Robert M. Ellis's SBN article on his Middle Way Philosophy and secular Buddhism. Higgins disagrees with Ellis's criticisms of secular Buddhism and argues that the Middle Way Philosophy's eclecticism, while well-intentioned, obscures important differences in the way we understand our spiritual quests.
EXPLORE BY SECTION
SEARCH THE SITE
RECENT POSTS
