- The Philosopher "Genius" and the Buddha
Derek Parfit was one of the greatest philosophers of recent decades, and yet most people have never heard of him. His remarkable views on personal identity explicitly followed those of the Buddha. I'll look at Parfit's life as well as…
- The Buddha's Creation Story: Myth as History and Inspiration
Should we look at ancient stories and myths historically, or as inspirational literature? I'll look at both options through the lens of the Aggañña Sutta, a famous, early Buddhist creation myth.
- What Is the Pali Canon of Buddhism?
Many of us may have heard of the Buddhist Pāli Canon. What is it? We will look at its early history and the material that makes it up.
- Is the Mind Luminous?
We may have heard the metaphor of the "luminous mind" in Buddhist discourse. We'll discuss one famous source of that metaphor and how it has influenced some aspects of Buddhist thought in the abhidharma and thereafter, as well as certain…
- The Buddha on Just Government
Did the Buddha feel that it was possible to have a just ruler or just government? We will look at the early Buddhist texts for an answer to this vexed question, and find several different possible answers.