What topics would beginners most want to find in a book on contemporary perspectives on Buddhism?

DharmaField

I am thinking of writing a book which examines contemporary Buddhism from a position outside of any specific tradition. The idea is that the book would contain a critical history of Buddhism examining the claims of the major traditions as well as discussion on the perils and promises of these major approaches to practice. This would include an examination of some of the difficult areas which Stephen Bachelor's recent "Confessions of a Buddhist Atheist" have raised, for example, concerns around the notions of karma, rebirth and re-incarnation. This book would go further than Bachelor and examine how Buddhism which fits within science and contemporary academic interpretations which see many traditional Buddhist explanations as largely culturally-based, particularly in regard to explanations around the role of women, sexuality, the political and economic dimensions of Buddhist institutions, new physics, teacher/student relationship, and engaging with economics. This is not to suggest a transcendence of culture, but the resultant view would be a dialogue between Buddhism and contemporary social and scientific thinking. It would also examine the implications of this dialogue for both, exploring the possibility of a synthesis. Such a view is close to the evolutionary stage of human development which Ken Wilber suggests, but is less ecumenical and will argue for a serious alternative to traditional faith-based religion, hedonism, secular humanism and so on, through an new ways of being in the world that are implicit in the sophisticated thinking of the contemporary Buddhist movement.

Is this something that interests and if so, what comments, ideas, suggestions would you make?

Cloud

IMHO, it can only be a distraction. If one finds a particular form of Buddhism to be more appealing and to be their preference, they should follow it with the entirety of their heart/mind... and respectfully leave the other forms, and their followers, alone. We each go where our conditions and karma, that give rise to our opinions and views, lead us. This doesn't mean one is right and another wrong; thinking like that reinforces the self and its likes and dislikes.

Daozen

Sounds quite academic. Who are your intended audience?

patbb

it would only be interesting to me if you were highly qualified to criticize.

Meaning you would have at least attained the 4th path or attained arahatship.

There are plenty of scientists who have no clue whatsoever about what they are talking about, but a arahant who also happen to be a qualified scientist would be able to give a proper assessment.

Imagine the opposite, you would laugh at the critic of neuroscience from someone with only a high school diploma with no proper training in neuroscience.

I believe that anything less should be of no value to anyone, if we are to be consistent and logical.


If you are qualified then i will look forward to read your book

SherabDorje

This is not to suggest a transcendence of culture, but the resultant view would be a dialogue between Buddhism and contemporary social and scientific thinking.

This is already being done, IMHO quite well, by HHDL. Please see "Destructive Emotions- How Can We Overcome Them?" and "The Universe in a Single Atom", and others done in the 1990's and 2000's by HHDL. This appears to me to be a real beginning of such a dialogue, and IMHO they are both excellent reading.

patbb

This is not to suggest a transcendence of culture, but the resultant view would be a dialogue between Buddhism and contemporary social and scientific thinking.

This is already being done, IMHO quite well, by HHDL. Please see "Destructive Emotions- How Can We Overcome Them?" and "The Universe in a Single Atom", and others done in the 1990's and 2000's by HHDL. This appears to me to be a real beginning of such a dialogue, and IMHO they are both excellent reading.

indeed, or by people like Matthieu Ricard, which happen to be well achieved both in his Buddhist practice and in science. Having received his Ph.D. degree in molecular genetics and being a well rounded genius.

genkaku

Libraries, when people still read books, were built to house "comprehensive" views of one topic after another. Naturally, the books never were "comprehensive" and another book was necessary next year.

Another book on Buddhism probably won't hurt anything, whether academic or realistic. And you never know who might find it useful or informative. The idea of "contemporary Buddhism" makes me laugh, but that's just me ... someone else might be able to evince a thoughtful scowl and move forward from there.

Go for it.