Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 50 of 55

Thread: Our Next Book Selection: A New Buddhist Path by David Loy

  1. #1

    Our Next Book Selection: A New Buddhist Path by David Loy

    Dear all,

    I am thinking to put aside for awhile the Koans of the Book of Serenity in our book club when we reach no. 75 (we are now at no. 70), and sometime after the New Year turn to another book or two for awhile. We will return to the Book of Serenity sometime next year.

    I would like to turn to a commentary on Buddhism, Engaged Practice and social responsibility, making Traditional doctrines and Practice relevant for modern times, by David Loy. I found it very good, filled with very down to earth short essays on various topics.

    A New Buddhist Path: Enlightenment, Evolution, and Ethics in the Modern World by David Loy

    Please have a look through the sample here ...

    https://books.google.co.jp/books?id=...0books&f=false

    or

    http://www.wisdompubs.org/sites/defa...th-Preview.pdf

    A New Buddhist Path: Enlightenment, Evolution, and Ethics in the Modern World (Wisdom Publications, 2015).

    David R. Loy addresses head-on the most pressing issues of Buddhist philosophy in our time. What is the meaning of enlightenment--is it an escape from the world, or is it a form of psychological healing? How can one reconcile modern scientific theory with ancient religious teachings? What is our role in the universe? Loy shows us that neither Buddhism nor secular society by itself is sufficient to answer these questions. Instead, he investigates the unexpected intersections of the two. Through this exchange, he uncovers a new Buddhist way, one that is faithful to the important traditions of Buddhism but compatible with modernity. This way, we can see the world as it is truly is, realize our indivisibility from it, and learn that the world's problems are our problems. This is a new path for a new world.

    Note from author: I'm not happy with the somewhat-pretentious main title, which was not my first choice. Too late, I realize what it should have been: A New Buddhist Story.
    From the Introduction ...

    This book outlines the basic features of a contemporary Buddhism
    that tries to be both faithful to its most important traditional teachings
    and also compatible with modernity, or at least with many of the most
    characteristic elements of the modern worldview. Despite the ambitious
    title, the pages that follow inevitably offer a personal perspective
    on some aspects of the dialogue so far. ... There is no
    question of providing a new version of Buddhism that will stand the
    test of time. Instead, the best that any of us can hope for is to contribute
    to the ongoing conversation, in the belief that a collective wisdom is
    beginning to emerge, which will be something more than the sum of
    separate voices.

    The main challenge to developing a modern Buddhism is the difficulty
    of achieving a genuine dialogue that is not predisposed to evaluate
    one side in terms of the other.

    On the traditional side, for the last few generations the main concern
    has naturally been to import particular schools of Asian Buddhism
    and foster support for them. Such a conventional approach might be
    summarized as follows: “Some adjustments need to be made, of course,
    but without conceding any significant alteration in the basic teachings
    and ways of practicing. That such traditions are premodern is not a
    weakness but their strength, given what the modern world has become
    and where it seems to be going. The prevalent Western worldview promotes
    individualism and narcissism, its economic system encourages
    greed, and society as a whole seems to be entranced in consumerist
    addictions and fantasies. We need to revitalize this ancient wisdom
    that can point us back in the right direction.”

    On the other side, however, the main concern is to make Buddhism
    more relevant to contemporary society by secularizing it, replacing its
    Iron Age mythological roots with a worldview more compatible with
    science and other modern ways of knowing. “Sure, modernity has its
    problems, but we must build on the best of what it has discovered. This
    includes not only hard sciences such as physics and biology but also
    social sciences such as psychology and sociology. Instead of accepting
    premodern beliefs that are no longer plausible today, we can also benefit
    from what anthropology and archaeology, for example, have learned
    about ancient ways of thinking. Only that approach can develop a
    Buddhism that speaks directly to our situation today—the dis-ease of
    modern people living in a globalizing world.”

    Sympathizing with both perspectives is easy; walking the knifeedge
    between them is more difficult. Can we employ each viewpoint
    to interrogate the other, without accepting either perspective as absolute?
    Such an approach can be discomforting because it is so destabilizing:
    what remains of one’s own standpoint? This process invokes
    the understanding of Buddhist practice discussed in part I, which
    emphasizes the realization of “nondwelling mind”: a mind that does
    not identify with any particular forms, including thought-forms such
    as ideologies, whether religious or secular.

    Although the Asian Buddhist traditions continue to fascinate many
    of us, clearly we need to distinguish the essentials of the Dharma from
    cultural trappings that don’t fit as well into the modern world—do
    those include karma and rebirth? Yet a secularized Buddhism may
    assume some of the very things that a Buddhist perspective might critique
    as problematic. Does the prevalent materialist worldview of modern
    science express the truth of the world we live in, or has it become
    questionable—as some distinguished scientists, including Nobel laureate
    physicists and biologists, now believe? Differentiating science as a
    methodology from the dominant naturalistic paradigm opens the door
    to new conceptions of what this world is and to a fresh understanding
    of our place and role within it, which are discussed in part II.


    ...

    This way of describing the Buddhist path and its fruit raises some
    other important issues. Is the nondualist perspective developed in part I
    compatible with what modern science has discovered? Or with what
    contemporary science is discovering now? It seems difficult to reconcile
    a spiritual path with the materialist and reductionist paradigm that
    has been so successful in bending the world to our will—a worldview,
    to say it again, that many scientists themselves now find problematical.
    Another issue raised by this way of understanding the Buddhist path
    is its social and ecological implications. “History is a race between
    education and catastrophe,” according to H. G. Wells, and the race is
    speeding up, on both sides. Catastrophe may not be too strong a term
    for the future that has begun to unfold.
    I hope that this will be interesting and helpful in your Practice, and that you will join the fun.

    Gassho, Jundo

    SatToday
    Last edited by Jundo; 10-28-2016 at 11:44 PM.
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  2. #2
    Looking forward to it, thanks for the heads up!

    Gassho, sat today
    求道芸化 Kyūdō Geika
    I am just a priest-in-training, please do not take anything I say as a teaching.

  3. #3
    Thank you Jundo;
    Looks really interesting. Ordered it for delivery next week. Cool

    gassho,

    sat Today
    合掌,生開
    gassho, Shokai

    仁道 生開 / Jindo Shokai

    "Open to life in a benevolent way"

    https://sarushinzendo.wordpress.com/

  4. #4
    Mp
    Guest
    Thank you Jundo, I too am looking forward to reading and talking about it. =)

    Gassho
    Shingen

    s@today

  5. #5
    Look forward to reading this, thank you Jundo
    Gassho,
    Marina
    sat today
    柔 Jyū flexible
    活 Katsu energetic

  6. #6
    Thank you, Jundo. This looks like it will be a good read and will spark lively conversations.

    Gassho,
    Onkai
    SatToday

  7. #7
    Thank you, Jundo.
    Looks interesting... order placed.
    Gassho,
    Kotei sattoday.

    義道 冴庭 / Gidō Kotei.
    Being a novice priest doesn't mean my writing about the Dharma is more substantial than yours. Actually, it might well be the other way round.

  8. #8
    Thank you. I purchased that book and it has been just there waiting for me to open it. A discussion with the Sangha will do the trick of getting the pages turned.

    Gassho
    Doshin
    sattoday

  9. #9
    Excellent! I like how we are taking our time with these endless koans.

    Gassho

    Risho
    -sattoday

  10. #10
    David Loy thanks you all for reading his book, and just told me that he will come for a netcast Zazenkai and Talk sometime in the Spring, when we are into the book.

    Gassho, J

    SatToday
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  11. #11
    Mp
    Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Jundo View Post
    David Loy thanks you all for reading his book, and just told me that he will come for a netcast Zazenkai and Talk sometime in the Spring, when we are into the book.

    Gassho, J

    SatToday
    Wow, very cool Jundo! Many thanks to you for bringing in so many wondeful teachers ... have been very inspiring. =)

    Gassho
    Shingen

    s@today

    Sent from my LG-H812 using Tapatalk

  12. #12
    Got it! Yes I am also enjoying all the guest talks, thank you!

    Gassho
    Jakuden
    SatToday

  13. #13
    A zazenkai and talk with David Loy will be great. My copy of the book will arrive next week. I'm looking forward to it.

    Gassho,
    Onkai
    SatToday

  14. #14
    Treeleaf Unsui Shugen's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Redding California USA
    Thank you Jundo.

    Gassho,

    Shugen

    Sattoday


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
    Meido Shugen
    明道 修眼

  15. #15
    Very interesting indeed. I'm ordering the book from Amazon now.
    Thank you Jundo.

    Gassho
    Washin
    just sat

  16. #16
    Thank you! I just purchased and also listened to a couple lectures by the author on YouTube. Looking forward to the discussion!

    Gassho,
    Jimmy
    Sattoday

  17. #17
    Already ordered it. Thank you, Jundo.

    Gassho,
    Andoitz.

    SatToday.
    太 Tai (Great)
    陽 Yō (Sun)

  18. #18
    Will buy it as soon as I'm able to.

    Thank you Jundo.

    Gassho,

    Kyonin
    #SatToday
    Hondō Kyōnin
    奔道 協忍

  19. #19
    I usually only buy e-books these days but as this is available only in print I have allowed myself the small luxury of the printed word in my hands!

    As I am new to treeleaf I hope this will be a means for me to get to know you all a little better. The New Zealand time zone is GMT+12 most of the year so please forgive me if I am "off pace" with the discussion at times.

    Gassho, Leon

    SatToday

  20. #20
    Hi Leon,

    Here in the UK, Treeleaf things often happen between 1am and 3am so I'm used to catching up with threads and zazenkai's the following day or over the weekend. The good news is lots of people do the same. When it comes to live talks and zazenkais, as soon as the video starts, it feels like we're together and I forget all about time differences.

    I'll be ordering the book today so look forward to discussing it with everyone

    Gassho,
    Alex
    Sat
    Last edited by Enjaku; 11-20-2016 at 09:40 AM. Reason: Still half asleep - missing key words!

  21. #21
    I have just ordered a copy

    Gassho
    Jessie
    ~sat today~

  22. #22
    This is a wonderful selection for the book club. I read through a few of the pages and found it to be quite interesting.
    It's definitely a thumbs up
    Thank you Jundo!

    Gassho
    Mike
    Sat2day

  23. #23
    Quote Originally Posted by leon View Post
    I usually only buy e-books these days but as this is available only in print I have allowed myself the small luxury of the printed word in my hands!

    As I am new to treeleaf I hope this will be a means for me to get to know you all a little better. The New Zealand time zone is GMT+12 most of the year so please forgive me if I am "off pace" with the discussion at times.

    Gassho, Leon

    SatToday
    Amazon has a Kindle version, at least that's what I'm seeing--is it perhaps restricted from your region?
    Thanks,
    Kaishin (開心, Open Heart)
    Please take this layman's words with a grain of salt.

  24. #24
    Differentiating science as a methodology from the dominant naturalistic paradigm...
    Oof... sounds like it's going to be a bit of an academic slog... I've grown weary of such texts, but I'll give it a shot!
    Thanks,
    Kaishin (開心, Open Heart)
    Please take this layman's words with a grain of salt.

  25. #25
    Quote Originally Posted by Kaishin View Post
    Oof... sounds like it's going to be a bit of an academic slog... I've grown weary of such texts, but I'll give it a shot!
    It is not, rather easy reading, practical for life.

    Gassho, J

    SatToday
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  26. #26
    Quote Originally Posted by Jundo View Post
    It is not, rather easy reading, practical for life.

    Gassho, J

    SatToday
    Good!
    Thanks,
    Kaishin (開心, Open Heart)
    Please take this layman's words with a grain of salt.

  27. #27
    While ordering my copy I was looking at some of his other books and one titled "The World is Made of Stories" that sounded interesting, so I bought it. When it arrived I flipped through it and thought that it looked familiar, and that would be because I had read it already about 10+ years ago. I even wrote some notes inside it! Anyway, I took the opportunity to read it again, and it has held up well over the years. He is an interesting author with a unique perspective, so I look forward to a book of his that I have not read yet
    AL (Jigen) in:
    Faith/Trust
    Courage/Love
    Awareness/Action!

    I sat today

  28. #28
    Got the book for Christmas; read a few pages......a very interesting read.

    Gassho,
    Marina
    sat today
    柔 Jyū flexible
    活 Katsu energetic

  29. #29
    Got The Book. Looking forward to the read and discussion

    gasshp,
    satToday
    合掌,生開
    gassho, Shokai

    仁道 生開 / Jindo Shokai

    "Open to life in a benevolent way"

    https://sarushinzendo.wordpress.com/

  30. #30
    Ordered the book today!

    Gassho, sat today
    求道芸化 Kyūdō Geika
    I am just a priest-in-training, please do not take anything I say as a teaching.

  31. #31
    Thank you Jundo. I look forward to reading this with the sangha.

    Gassho,
    Jason
    SatThisDay

  32. #32
    Got the book today.

    Gassho, sat today
    求道芸化 Kyūdō Geika
    I am just a priest-in-training, please do not take anything I say as a teaching.

  33. #33
    Like Leon, I am unable to download a kindle version but have ordered a paper version to be delivered next week.

    Gassho
    Karen
    Sat today

  34. #34
    Kyotai
    Guest
    I ordered a copy and will follow along.

    Gassho, Kyotai
    ST

    Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk

  35. #35
    I'm looking forward to joining everyone for this. For anyone still trying to get a digital version of the book, it is available on Google play books or through the kobo reading app - both perfectly useable alternatives to kindle.

    Gassho

    Sat today

    Peter

    Sent from my SM-G935L using Tapatalk

  36. #36
    Ansan
    Guest
    Thank you, Jundo. Just got my Kindle copy. Looking forward to reading it.

    Gassho
    Ansan

    SatToday

    Sent from my XT1635-01 using Tapatalk

  37. #37
    Copy on order; looking forward to it!

    Gassho

    Risho
    -sattoday

  38. #38
    I just picked up the kindle version and would love to follow along.

    Gassho,
    Konsetsu
    SatToday

  39. #39
    Got the book from Amazon few weeks ago and
    looking forward to reading it together.

    Gassho
    Washin
    st

  40. #40
    Hello,

    Reading the adventure of a New Buddhist. So far, so far.


    Gassho
    Myosha
    sat today
    "Recognize suffering, remove suffering." - Shakyamuni Buddha when asked, "Uhm . . .what?"

  41. #41
    Got the book.
    Been reading it.
    Enjoying it very much so far.
    Looking forward to the discussion.
    Gassho,
    Hōkō
    #SatToday

    Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using Tapatalk
    法 Dharma
    口 Mouth

  42. #42
    Kyotai
    Guest
    I am well into this book as well.

    Gassho, Kyotai
    ST

    Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk

  43. #43
    Hello all,
    I see you are now on case 75, will you be starting this book next? If so I will go ahead and pick it up, I would love to join this time.

    Much love,
    Serena

    <3 Sat today

  44. #44
    Quote Originally Posted by 2+2macht4 View Post
    Hello all,
    I see you are now on case 75, will you be starting this book next? If so I will go ahead and pick it up, I would love to join this time.

    Much love,
    Serena

    <3 Sat today
    Hi Serena,

    Yes, we will start in a week or so. Gassho, Jundo

    SatToday
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  45. #45
    Thank you Jundo. I will go ahead and order the book then. I look Forward to joining.

    Gassho,
    Serena

    <3 Sat Today

  46. #46
    I am about halfway through the book, looking forward to rereading and discussing.

    Gassho, sat today
    求道芸化 Kyūdō Geika
    I am just a priest-in-training, please do not take anything I say as a teaching.

  47. #47
    I recently finished Loy's book and I loved it.
    Just wanted to check in and see where we are supposed to be with this new selection.
    Gassho,
    Hoko
    #SatToday
    法 Dharma
    口 Mouth

  48. #48
    I finished as well, and am interested in the points of discussion that will be brought up. The book bounced over many points of view.

    Gassho, sat today
    求道芸化 Kyūdō Geika
    I am just a priest-in-training, please do not take anything I say as a teaching.

  49. #49
    Hey Guys,

    I guess we will start this coming weekend (February 11th-ish). I will post something about pages and such.

    Gassho, Jundo

    SatToday
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  50. #50
    Thanks Jundo,
    Looking forward to getting started.
    Gassho,
    Enjaku
    Sat
    援若

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •