Secular Buddhism: Imagining the Dharma in an Uncertain World

An essential collection of Stephen Batchelor's most probing and important work on secular Buddhism

As the practice of mindfulness permeates mainstream Western culture, more and more people are engaging in a traditional form of Buddhist meditation. However, many of these people have little interest in the religious aspects of Buddhism, and the practice occurs within secular contexts such as hospitals, schools, and the workplace. Is it possible to recover from the Buddhist teachings a vision of human flourishing that is secular rather than religious without compromising the integrity of the tradition? Is there an ethical framework that can underpin and contextualize these practices in a rapidly changing world?

In this collected volume of Stephen Batchelor's writings on these themes, the author explores the complex implications of Buddhism's secularization. Ranging widely--from reincarnation, religious belief, and agnosticism to the role of the arts in Buddhist practice--he offers a detailed picture of contemporary Buddhism and its attempt to find a voice in the modern world.

Author: Stephen Batchelor
Publisher: Yale University Press
Published: 02/06/2018
Pages: 296
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.70lbs
Size: 7.90h x 5.20w x 0.90d
ISBN13: 9780300234251
ISBN10: 0300234252
BISAC Categories:
- Religion | Buddhism | Rituals & Practice
- Philosophy | Buddhist

About the Author
Stephen Batchelor is a teacher and scholar of Buddhism. He trained as a monk for ten years in traditional Buddhist communities and now presents a secular approach to Buddhist practice. The author of the bestselling Buddhism without Beliefs, he lives near Bordeaux, France.