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Great Writing

These pages on great writing consist of four sections: Dharma, Academia, Secular writing , and Quotes. These refer to writings that I have found helpful in my own inquiries, and which I think will be relevant to others.

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  • Dharma is a collection of works and articles, mainly by Buddhist masters, that provide insight into the nature of Buddhist theory and practice.

  • Academia presents books and articles on Buddhism by modern scholars.

  • Secular writing includes relevant books and articles, not necessarily Buddhist.

  • Quotes are one- or two-liners that can open or recalibrate our minds.

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These headings reflect my background as a hybrid of East and West. The culture, insights, and literature of both these traditions have shaped my views and practice. The knowledge traditions of the West and Asia evolved along very different lines, and yet share a common commitment to truthful investigation that serves humanity and the wider world. In many cases, there are shared perspectives and objectives, yet in deeper analyses, they often go in different directions. Socrates famously said, "The unexamined life is not worth living." Still, there are individual and cultural predispositions that determine what such analysis is directed toward, and hence, the conclusions and the nature of the extracted wisdom of East and West, pre-modernity and modernity, differ substantially.

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The tension inherent in the modern encounter between Buddhism and science can be most fruitful, prompting greater clarity in cross-cultural exchange. In the status quo of traditions, such interaction and tension are often absent. Modern science clearly has a lacuna in its physicalist focus, yet this science dominates the minds and souls of present-day individuals and societies. In terms of material achievements, Buddhist culture does not compare with modern culture, but it has much to offer with its timeless insights. The modern worldview of materialism has infiltrated all present-day cultures, including ancient Buddhist cultures. Yet awareness of Buddhist knowledge remains severely hampered in the modern context due to the self-referential nature of modern science and the inability of Buddhist masters to powerfully assert the value of Buddhism's timeless insights.​​

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Shantarakshita (725–788)

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Rodin's "The Thinker"

Things To Do

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