Is Buddhism Science Fiction? Buddhism Explained | 10/1/2018

Is Buddhism Science Fiction? – A Buddhism Explained Video from Force For Good: How to Build a Buddhaverse and Buddhist Non-Dual Physics with Robert A.F. Thurman Tibet House US New York City 2018

In this short video Professor Robert A.F. Thurman discusses “The Holy Teachings of Vimalakirti” and what how the sutra can be considered, in part an early form of science fiction.

Excerpted from the Force for Good Buddhist Science Sources for Practices Beyond Religion: Ancient & Modern Teacher’s Training course with Robert A. F. Thurman.

Free Online Book + Suggested Reading:  “The Holy Teachings of Vimalakirti” Translated by Robert A.F. Thurman available via www.84000.co.

This video is an archive recording from the 2018 Force For Good: This Magical World of Shakyamuni Buddha as Revealed by Vimalakirti Intro, How to Build a Buddhaverse and Buddhist Nondual Physicsled by Tibet House US President Robert A.F. Thurman.

This course is to further H. H. the Dalai Lama’s contemporary world initiatives, from His Holiness’ American Institute of Buddhist Studies and Mind and Life science dialogues (Universe in a Single Atom) and His creation of Abhidharma 2.0 through the “Science for Monks” programs, his “secular ethics” (Ethics for the New Millennium and Beyond Religion), His nonviolent approach to conflict resolution, including His Nobel Peace Laureate activities to seek dialogue and a win-win reconciliation with China in the face of the ongoing ethnicidal policies in Tibet (Freedom in Exile and Man of Peace: The Illustrated Life Story), along with his emphasis on positive activism (A New Reality: Charter of Universal Responsibility), and finally, His opening up the study of the esoteric Tantras through his 34 Kalachakra Grand Initiations (The Kalachakra Initiation, Tantra in Tibet, and other such works). The “root texts” for this spring, for Part 1, will be the Noble Teaching of Vimalakirti Sutra, and for Part 2, Nagarjuna’s Jewel Garland, along with selections from various other works in English translation, as well as passages from works of His Holiness. the Vimalaprabha Commentary” published by AIBS.

“Modern scholars do not normally believe in supernatural miracles, but neither do they believe the events in the life of Vimalakirti to be historical. They see the Scripture as a literary creation by an imaginative artist of the Mahayana tradition: an allegorical presentation of certain basic philosophical and religious teachings, set in the ancient and hallowed times of the Buddha Sakyamuni and using fictitious Tathagatas and bodhisattvas to dramatize the doctrine. Traditional scholars do believe in the historicity of Vimalakirti, the other bodhisattvas, and the Buddha in his Mahayana manisfestions, as well as in the science-fictional world view of interralted universes or buddha-fields.”

Robert A.F. Thurman “The Holy Teachings of Vimalakirti.”

Is Buddhism Science Fiction? Buddhism Explained Video with Robert A.F. Thurman was recorded at the Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Sources Class Introduction of the Force for Good Series at Tibet House US.

This on-going series was inspired by Daniel Goleman’s ‘A Force For Good: The Dalai Lama’s Vision for Our World‘.

To join the on-going #ForceForGood series please visit: www.tibethouse.us.

To watch more videos from past ‘Force for Good’ programs please visit the Tibet House US Member Archive, available to monthly supporters.

Full access starts at $2 a month.

? Music by Tenzin Choegyal, Used with Permission www.tenzinchoegyal.com
? Introduction to Force For Good Photo via www.bobthurman.com.