Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Self as metaphor? Buddhist Studies in Barre

The Barre Center for Buddhist Studies, MA, is part of an amazing forested complex that includes the Insight Meditation Society (IMS) and Forest Refuge run by Joseph Goldstein.

Dr. Arnie Kozak will be conducting his annual workshop at the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies between Feb. 17-19, 2012. He will be teaching the Buddha’s Dharma through metaphors.

Last summer he wrote an article for the BCBS online publication Full Moon Insight Journal exploring the bold statement that what we regard as self cannot be understood on its own without metaphor.

Metaphor was important to the Buddha’s Teachings. The sutras of the Pali Canon contain 1,000 different teaching metaphors from elephants to water. Metaphor was a way of connecting with the audience to make the teachings accessible, lively, and memorable.

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