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Secular Buddhism

Rejoinder to Winton Higgins on ‘Reexamining “truths” and “tasks” in secular Buddhism’

Responding to Winton Higgins' criticism of his view of the relationship of tasks and truths in secular Buddhism, Mike Slott argues that in rejecting metaphysical truths as the basis of Buddhism, we don’t need to reject entirely the notion of truth as correspondence. The beliefs of secular Buddhists are provisional and conditional truth claims about our lived experience and the universe in which we are inextricably embedded.

Response to Mike Slott’s ‘Reexamining “truths” and “tasks” in secular Buddhism’

In response to Mike Slott's article on truths and tasks in secular Buddhism Winton Higgins argues that Mike's critique of Stephen Batchelor's formulation is misconceived; the issue is not the epistemological status of truth but about how we should live and practise. Dharma practitioners do have to choose: they can’t wish-wash over the truths/tasks distinction.

Reexamining ‘truths’ and ‘tasks’ in secular Buddhism

While Stephen Batchelor's emphasis on the pragmatic and ethical meaning of the Buddha’s teachings has been crucial in the development of a secular approach to the dharma, Mike Slott argues that Stephen has not adequately addressed a legitimate concern about the role and meaning of truth in his approach. The secular dharmic path challenges us to assess constantly both our ‘tasks’ and the ‘truths’ on which they are based.

Interview with Dave Smith on teaching during COVID and a secular approach to the dharma

Dave Smith is an internationally recognized Buddhist meditation teacher, addiction treatment specialist, and published author. We recently interviewed Dave about the impact of COVID on his teaching programs and his evolving understanding of secularity and a secular 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.

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 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.

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.

Middle Way Philosophy and Secular Buddhism

Robert M. Ellis explains that his Middle Way Philosophy shares with secular Buddhism a critical approach to the Buddhist tradition, but he argues that ‘secular’ is not a term that provides the criteria we need to skillfully interrogate Buddhism and other traditions.

Book launches for Winton Higgins’s new book on secular Buddhism

Beginning 19 May 2021, four book launches were held to introduce Winton Higgins's new book, Revamp: writings on secular Buddhism. The book is published by Tuwhiri and consists of a collection of essays on various topics related to secular Buddhism.

A review of Winton Higgins’s ‘Revamp: writings on secular Buddhism’

Winton Higgins’s latest book, Revamp: writings on secular Buddhism, provides the best account of the history of secular Buddhism available today and identifies the core characteristics of this relatively new trend within Buddhism. While reflecting on its key perspectives and practices, Higgins also identifies the key challenges facing secular Buddhists.

Avoiding the conceit of superiority: a cautionary note for secular Buddhists

To avoid the superiority conceit pervasive in debates within Buddhism, secular Buddhists need to recognize two key points: 1) our approach to the Buddha's teachings is only one of many legitimate approaches and 2) Buddhism, whether, in a secular or traditional form, does not provide us with all the answers to the key challenges that we face today.