Sumeru News — Engaged Buddhism

I recently presented at the New Paths in Teaching Buddhist Studies conference in Toronto. My talk was entitled: Teaching the Buddhism of the Future, not the Past. It was about incorporating green practice path perspectives into all our teaching endeavours and syllabi. Prior to attending, I had opted to take the train to Toronto rather than fly, in order to generate a smaller carbon footprint. When the Tyendinaga protests in support of the Wetsuweten hereditary chiefs' objections to the Coastal GasLink pipeline blocked the rail lines, I was forced to choose between driving, flying, or taking the bus. The flight would...

Buddhistdoor asked me to do a monthly column for 2020, based on my recent book, Bodhisattva 4.0: A Primer for Engaged Buddhists. The articles are extended adaptations of 12 of the topics from the 108 in the book, one from each chapter, along with the books, websites and magazine articles that provide resources for further study and networking. Here's the link to the first two columns: HAPPINESS and MAGIC.

In 2020, Buddhistdoor.net will be running a series of 12 columns on Green Buddhism, based on adaptations of topics from my recent book, Bodhisattva 4.0: A Primer for Engaged Buddhists. Here's the first one -- click on the green link: HAPPINESS. Here's to a healthy planet for 2020 and beyond. I'll be writing one per month throughout the year, and will post links here too.

The Barre Center for Buddhist Studies is sponsoring a four-week webinar series entitled Mindfully Facing Climate Change, starting in January 2020. Bhikkhu Analayo is the lead presenter. Here is the link to read more about the event (which is funded by dana): https://www.buddhistinquiry.org/resources/bhikkhu-analayo-mfcc/ At the bottom of the page, there is a further link to download a free PDF e-book of the same name, published by the Barre Center.

This excerpt is from my recently-published book, BODHISATTVA 4.0: A Primer for Engaged Buddhists. It's one of 108 topics. This one is about guns, and it comes from the section of the book on violence. In all, the book has more than 500 online resources for deeper study and networking. https://sumeru-books.com/products/bodhisattva-4-0 GUNS “On an average day in America, seven children and teens will be shot dead.” Gary Younge, Another Day in the Death of America There is no Buddhist justification for guns. There is no way to “normalize” gun violence. There is no karmic upside to the business of making and selling guns,...