Events
October 24, 2020 · Conversations on Buddha-Nature: Matthieu Ricard - Buddha-Nature, Happiness and Altruism[edit]
Can we be happy and compassionate without Buddha-Nature? Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho will discuss themes of buddha-nature, happiness, and altruism with world-renowned Buddhist monk, photographer, writer, and activist Matthieu Ricard. Learn more about Matthieu's work at Karuna-Shechen or MatthieuRicard.org.
Watch his wonderful TED talk here.
Conversations on Buddha-Nature
Regular live interviews with Buddhist practitioners, scholars, and thinkers.
This is a space for stimulating and inspiring conversations on Buddha-Nature and related subjects. As a part of the Buddha-Nature Project of the Tsadra Foundation, Karma Phuntsho will host conversations with a Buddhist leader, influencer or expert each month on the theories and practices of Buddha-Nature, which will be live on Facebook. The conversations aim to enhance the understanding and awareness of Buddha-Nature and promote the ethos of innate goodness and positive perception. Styled on Krista Tippet’s On Being program on NPR, it will be an exercise of mindful listening, right speech, and wholesome exploration of meaning and nature of life and existence.
September 19, 2020 · Live Event: Celebrating Buddha-Nature[edit]
A Live Zoom Launch of this website with His Holiness the 17th Karmapa, Alak Zenkar Rinpoche, Lopon Karma Phuntsho, Geshe Thupten Jinpa, Lama Shenpen Hookham, Karl Brunnhölzl, and many others.
See more information here and watch the recording.
July 2019 · Vienna Symposium: Tathāgatagarbha Across Asia[edit]
Over the last decade, there has been increased attention to the tathāgatagarbha doctrine, which proposes that all sentient beings are already a “buddha within,” or at least have the potential to attain buddhahood. Scholars in Asia, Europe, and the Americas have published new translations and studies of the foundational scriptures and commentaries, and are examining the history and literature of the doctrine. In July 2019 Tsadra Foundation partnered with the University of Vienna to bring many of these scholars together for an international symposium titled Tathāgatagarbha Across Asia.
Over three days the symposium surveyed the differing forms of tathāgatagarbha doctrine that developed as its primary Indian scriptural sources were translated, transmitted, and interpreted by religious schools across Asia. Contemporary Buddhist teachers joined academics at the podium. Presentations ranged from the historical-philological analysis of the primary sources to issues of reconstruction and comparison in the target languages and cultures and included how tathāgatagarbha is taught in Buddhist communities today. Although primarily focused on the Indian and Himalayan material, the diversity in approaches and subject matter made for fruitful comparisons and discussions.
Watch videos of the presentations and learn more here.
November 20, 2018 · American Academy of Religion Meeting[edit]
Coming Soon: Recordings of a special interview and discussion about an episode in the history of buddha-nature studies with
