POSTS:

Secular Buddhism

A conversation between Stephen Batchelor and Bhikkhu Santi
On 21 April 2024, Stephen Batchelor and Bhikkhu Santi discussed Stephen's forthcoming book, Buddha, Socrates and Us, the meanings of monasticism, and the import of ancient wisdom for our contemporary moment.
Secular reflections on the five precepts
At SBN’s monthly discussion group meeting last week, several members of the Secular Buddhism Meets Western Psychology subgroup offered their perspectives on Buddhism’s five precepts, including their relevance to our daily practice.
Secular Buddhist honored with an ‘Outstanding Women in Buddhism’ award
Saskia Graf, a meditation teacher and project manager for Buddha Stiftung, a secular Buddhist organization in Germany, was honored with an Outstanding Women in Buddhism Award.
Secular Humanist Buddhism
Kirk Mason argues that secular humanist Buddhism, a synthesis of secular humanism and secular Buddhism, weaves together secular humanism's emphasis on reason, ethics, and human values with secular Buddhism's focus on mindfulness, meditation, and compassion.
SBN’s discussion group: Secular Dharma and Political Activism
The Secular Buddhist Network has formed a discussion group for those who wish to share their experiences of and discuss new possibilities for bringing secular Buddhist ideas, ethics, and practices to community groups, social service organizations, and political movements.
From Anglican Catholic to secular Buddhist
Jack Chamberlin explains why he rejected the Anglican Catholicism of his youth and ultimately embraced a secular Buddhist perspective on life and death.
Reflections in a time of war
Based on a secular Buddhist ethic of care, compassion, and radical uncertainty, Carmel Shalev offers her reflections on the current situation in Israel/Palestine.
A practitioner’s journey to secular Buddhism: Sylwia
From a very early age, Sylwia Plich has always questioned religious orthodoxies. She has moved from her family's Catholicism to Protestantism to Tibetan Buddhism. In 2016, she came across Stephen Batchelor's writings and embraced a secular approach which focuses on ethical life on a daily basis.
Buddhist modernism and secular Buddhism
Winton Higgins discusses the differences between Buddhist modernism, which established itself in the west in the 1960s, and a fully secular approach to the dharma.
A Secular Buddhist Credo
Keith Jackson offers a secular Buddhist credo rooted in the perspectives of the Greek philosopher Epicurus, the young Marx, Thomas Nail, and the Buddha.
A practitioner’s journey to secular Buddhism: Carmel
Although deeply influenced and inspired by some aspects of Judaism, Carmel Shalev began to lose faith in God and his commandments because they treated women as somehow limited and second best to men. She eventually connected with Buddhist teachers and found that Stephen Batchelor's secular approach resonated deeply with her.
Bodhi College’s After Buddhism and Beyond Course
Bodhi College's self-study, online course, After Buddhism and Beyond, will offer a comprehensive series of Stephen Batchelor's lectures, reflections, and discussions on the theme of Secular Dharma. The course includes videos with talks and Q&As, Stephen’s notes, questions for self reflection, and a resources guide.  
Secular Buddhism briefly explained
Jochen Weber offers his perspective on the key elements of a secular approach to the dharma.
A practitioner’s journey to secular Buddhism: Craig
Craig Murphy encountered Buddhist-inspired meditation practices through John Kabat-Zinn’s MBSR approach in the early 1990s. Craig has found that a secular approach which eschews metaphysics to be most consistent with his perspective toward life and society.
SBN’s online discussion group: meeting summaries
SBN's online discussion group meets the third Thursday of each month. For those who cannot attend, we provide summaries of the topics discussed at each meeting.