Rev. Dr. Takashi Miyaji will be hosting the inaugural seminar of the Seattle Buddhist Study Center. The lecture will be held on Wednesday, October 23rd starting at 7:00pm. He will be leading a lecture and discussion on how to apply Buddhist teachings in the trying times we live in. Read more for Rev. Miyaji’s abstract about his upcoming talk!
Ever wonder why Shin Buddhism is not particularly vociferous of its views when it comes to social issues? Is there a religious doctrinal reason for this, or perhaps it is merely because of “Japanese” culture?
In this talk, we will explore some of the historical and doctrinal reasons that led to why Shin Buddhist religious institutions have been slow to promote engagement with various social issues. According to Shinran Shonin, one of the major leaders of the Pure Land school of Buddhism, the definition of “ethics” is that it is a process of introspection, as opposed to establishing normative behavior for all people to follow. However, this does not mean that he discouraged people’s involvement with society. Finally, in showing one possible Buddhist approach to the field of ethics, this will help us to think about how Buddhists can apply these values to various social issues of today.
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SBSC Rev Miyaji OCT23