Buddhist Encounters：Finding a Home in the Human Condition

Contents
Acknowledgments
Foreword
Preface

Introduction

Part 1  Understanding the Human Condition
1. Human Condition: Earthly and Cosmic
2. Human Condition

Part 2  Learning from the Four Great Messengers
3. The Persistent Message of Illness
4. The Future of Old Age
5. Death: The Last Moment of a Human
6. Learning to Respond to the Human Condition

Part 3  Living with Reality
7. Cause
8. Emptiness: Not Nothing
9. Behavior: Acts of Consequence
10. Personal Self

Part 4  Confronting Challenges
11. Desire
12. Racism
13. Buddhism in the Time of COVID

Part 5  Journeying Toward Enlightenment
14. Enlightenment: A Distant Beacon
15. Reincarnation
16. Detachment
17. Compassion

Conclusion

Appendices
●    How a Buddhism Teacher Deals With His Own Pain
●    Surprising Ways of Dealing with Adversity and Hopelessness
●    On Personal Life, Academic Journey, and Research

 

自序

Preface

　　Over the years， there have been many who helped lead me to the point of giving the lectures contained in this volume。 Technology has transformed our way of communication。 My first attempt at giving online talks came with the encouragement and help of Tom Nickel when he was in charge of setting up the early internet on the University of the West (UWest) campus。 Howie Lan from U。C。 Berkeley for the past three decades has kept me aware of the fast moving world of the digital age。 On another level， my reluctance to share personal information was deeply embedded in the idea that scholars only deal with textual resources。 Objectivity in research was the goal and subjective data had no place in publications。 During the COVID-19 pandemic， I moved to Pacific Palisades to be with my sister during the lockdown。 As I took daily walks for exercise， I became acquainted with Tomas Harlan， a filmmaker。 He challenged me to be more open about my personal thoughts and I began to explore how to talk with him about this side of my life that had remained mute throughout my academic career。 One of the breakthroughs happened during a previous visit to and long walk with SienaDune Buchanan along the beaches and shoreline of Sydney， Australia。 She led me into a deep discussion of how important it is to have gratitude for the gifts and assistance I have had during my academic life。 President Ta of UWest and Professor Miroj Shakya， Chair of the Religious Studies Department asked me to give this series of lectures online when the campus was under closure due to COVID。 Later， Venerable Abbot Hui Dong of Hsi Lai Temple arranged for me to give online talks for the lay organization of Fo Guang Shan， the BLIA (Buddha’s Light International Association)。 Both the President and Abbot urged me to include my personal information and thoughts in the lectures。 Up to this point， I had never ventured to do so。 Many of the doctrinal issues have for more than six years been discussed with the translation team of the Fo Guang Dictionary of Buddhism project in my role as an editor。 Led by Venerable Miao Guang and Venerable Zhi Yue， the English translation of this eight-volume Dictionary will soon be published。 Those conversations have allowed me to explore Buddhist thought at a deep level。 As I prepared the talks， my sister Ora Pelton was always the first reader and I relied on her to tell me if my talks were understandable。 She was an invaluable assistant with years of group and therapy experience。 After receiving her approval， I felt at ease about presenting each talk。 Having to give the talks from my bedroom at Pacific Palisades presented a barrier。 There would never be a live audience in a classroom。 Fong Sam took over the logistics of publicity and contact with other staff members at UWest campus。 Professor Shakya presided over the sessions and made introductions。 A great deal of work fell on the shoulders of Chris Johnson， who did all the Zoom setup and I was left free to give each talk without distraction。 Now， the final stage of publication is in the hands of Fo Guang Shan in Taiwan。 The team from Fo Guang Shan Institute of Humanistic Buddhism took on the task of putting the texts of my talks into some order and then edited the final version。 My thanks to all these friends who have made this volume possible。