Introduction
Wendi L. Adamek UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY
Organized by the Dharma Drum Vancouver Centre in collaboration with the University of Calgary Numata Chair in Buddhist Studies, the “Buddhism and Social Change” workshop that inspired these papers was convened in September 2019. The workshop was designed to address areas of dialogue between Buddhist practice and the complex social and environmental crises and transitions we currently face. Speakers and discussants addressed social change through the lenses of their respective fields, drawing from sociology, philosophy, economics, psychology, cultural studies, all inflected by Buddhist teaching and practice. Topics raised in the papers and discussion sessions included Chan practitioners as agents of social change, Buddhism and resilient systems, transforming social karma, EcoDharma and a new Buddhist path, modern subjectivities and social change, and how a “Buddhist economics” might work. Discussion was especially focused on questions of how to practice in the context of global social upheaval, which of course has grown even more acute since the workshop was held a year ago. A key point that readers of this volume might consider and discuss for themselves is: “How do you see the work of beneficial and equitable social, economic, and political change (which involves making distinctions) mesh with the work of Buddhist practice goals (like action arising from nondual wisdom)?”
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We are glad to announce that the Canadian Journal of Buddhist Studies’ 2020 special issue Buddhism and Social Change was published and is now available for online reading. Please see below for the issue’s table of contents
Introduction of the Special Issue
By Wendi Adamek, University of Calgary
Articles
As If This Is Home
By Wendi Adamek, University of Calgary
Chan Practitioners as Agents of Social Change
By Rebecca S.K. Li, The College of New Jersey
Ecodharma: a new Buddhist path?
By David Loy, Rocky Mountain Ecodharma Retreat Center
Pragmatism, Institutionalism, and Buddhism: Toward a Synthesis for Socially Engaged Buddhist Economics
By Joel Magnuson, Willamette University
Book Reviews
A Yogācāra Buddhist Theory of Metaphor
By Richard K. Payne, Institute of Buddhist Studies, Graduate Theological Union
Buddhist Stone Sutras in China Sichuan Province Volume 3
By Elizabeth Guthrie, University of Waterloo
Reincarnation in Tibetan Buddhism
By Colin H. Simonds, Queen’s University
News and Views
“Reimagining East Asian Buddhism: Wuyue Foundations of Song Dynasty Buddhism and Beyond:” A Talk by Professor Albert Welter
By Jisi Fu, Fudan University, and Jing Le, East China Normal University
“The Life-world of Chinese Buddhism: Temple-town Relationship and Everyday Life in Jiangnan:” A Talk By Professor Tang Zhongmao
By Jing Le, East China Normal University
Tibetan Monastic Education: Challenges and Reforms
By Weiyu Lin, University of British Columbia
“‘How to Milk a Painted Cow:’ Considering the Buddhist View of Emptiness:” A Lecture by Khenpo Chöying Dorjee at UBC, February 28, 2019
By Sarah Fink, University of British Columbia
On Chinese Qin and Chan Buddhism Literature: A Lecture by Dr. Huqun Li
By Maggie Mitchell, University of British Columbia, and Sarah Fink, University of British Columbia
Reflections on Attending the Annual Meeting of the Association for Asian Studies (2019)
By Gerjan Altenburg, McMaster University
Naturalizing Buddhism: Tradition and Tension: A Reflection on Bernard Faure’s Leslie S. Kawamura Memorial Lecture at the University of Calgary (March 29, 2019)
By Josh Ereshefsky, University of Calgary
The Oriental Nun and Representation of Buddhist Female Monastics or Monasticism: An Interview with Elizabeth Guthrie (University of Waterloo)
By Ngoc B. Le, Simon Fraser University
The Politics and Pathways of Return: Trans-regional Perspectives on a Buddhist Homeland (June 28-29, 2019): A Conference Report
By Ngoc B. Le, Simon Fraser University
Autumn Canadian Conferences
By Jeffrey Kotyk, McMaster University
Thai Forest Buddhism Enters the British Columbian Forest: A talk by Luke Clossey and Karen Ferguson at Simon Fraser University
By Liam Foster, Simon Fraser University
“All Living Beings Have Buddha-Nature:” the Genesis of the Concept of Universal Buddhahood: A Lecture by Dr. Michael Zimmermann at UBC
By Sarah Fink, University of British Columbia
Premodern Japanese Studies International Conference at McGill, 10-11 October 2019
By Alex Dieplam, McGill University
In the Present Moment: Buddhism, Contemporary Art and Social Practice (October 25-27, 2019): A research convening report
By Marina DiMaio, Curatorial Assistant, Art Gallery of Greater Victoria
Religion and Politics in Bhutan: An Interview with Dr. Dagmar Schwerk
By Ngoc B. Le, Simon Fraser University
“Did Women Produce Buddhist Texts in Medieval China? And Does it Matter if they did?:” Lecture by Stephanie Balkwill
By Sarah Fink, University of British Columbia
New Paths in Teaching Buddhist Studies: Conference Report
By John Negru, Independent Scholar, Publisher at Sumeru Books
If you are interested in sharing news of conferences, speakers, research projects, scholarships, book publications and launches, and other items of interest to Buddhist scholars on the CJBS News blog, please get in touch with the Journal Manager Ngoc LE at [email protected].
Featured image: Photo by Rob Curran on Unsplash
Source: CJBS News