by Vishvapani | Aug 17, 2012 | Buddhism, Buddhism in the West, Interviews
David Brazier discovered Buddhism in the 1960’s and followed it as a personal spiritual quest and an outlet for his social idealism. The New Buddhism challenges the views of many western Buddhists, proposing a focus on the earliest Buddhist teachings and social...
by Vishvapani | Jul 31, 2012 | Buddhism in the West
The hippy discovery of Buddhism (along with a cacophony of Eastern teachers and new ideas) is an important part of western Buddhist history. Wes Nisker’s memoir evokes the era and reflects on his generation’s trajectory with satire, irony and sincerity The...
by Vishvapani | Jul 3, 2012 | Buddhism, Interviews
When the Buddhist writer and philosopher, Stephen Batchelor, published Verses From the Center: A Buddhist Vision of the Sublime I met him to discuss his new poetic translation of a seminal text by Nagarjuna that explores the seemingly mysterious subject of emptiness...
by Vishvapani | Jun 28, 2012 | Buddhism in the West
This book gives a rare insight into two leading western Buddhist movements: the Tibetan-derived New Kadampa Tradition and the Zen Buddhist Order of Buddhist Contemplatives Buddhism has come to the West in numerous forms. There is its impact on popular culture, the...
by Vishvapani | Jun 22, 2012 | Buddhist World, Thought for the Day
As Aung San Suu Kyi addresses the UK parliament here’s a reflection on her political philosophy which emphasises the moral qualities and good sense rather than force or strategy Weekend Word Talk, BBC Radio Wales 22/6/2012 She’s small and seems rather frail, but...
by Vishvapani | Jun 20, 2012 | Buddhist World
Ten years ago I travelled to Delhi and found myself caught in the confusion, strong emotions and intense politics of a mass conversion to Buddhism among India’s dalit community. It was the day before the mass conversion, which Ram Raj promised million people...
