“Is American Buddhism Losing Its Soul?” This talk addresses the tendency in America today to see Buddhism and “mindfulness” as synonymous, as though Buddhism is only about being present. Dana Sawyer sees this as a part of the American tendency to scrub all ideologies free of any intimations of their metaphysical aspects, which would, of course, compromise the dharma.
Dana Sawyer is professor of religion and philosophy at the Maine College of Art and a lecturer on world religions for the Chaplaincy Institute of Maine. He is the author of a critically acclaimed biography of Aldous Huxley and the authorized biography of Huston Smith. He has been involved with the Buddha dharma since 1977, when he became a student of Nechung Rinpoche in Honolulu, Hawaii. Since 1989, he has worked closely with Khen Rinpoche Lobzang Tsetan, including editing Rinpoche’s book, Peaceful Mind, Compassionate Heart. He is also a regular contributor to Tricycle magazine.
(Please RSVP for this event to tashigatselling@gmail.com, because we expect a large turnout & need to be prepared.)