And Then the Buddha Said: A Dialectical Approach to Early Buddhism

Join us for a four-week program looking at the Buddha in conversation. The suttas record the Buddha’s side of a series of dialogues, but we are often left as if overhearing someone talk on the phone to an unidentified other. Careful analysis reveals details of context that bring the conversation back to life, revealing the Buddha’s detailed knowledge of and interest in the lives of his contemporaries. More than "what" the Buddha taught, this program focuses on "how" he taught. Understanding how he responded to the challenges of his day gives us an insight into how we can respond to the challenges of ours.

Join us for this sutta study program. The readings will consist of a different set of suttas from last year’s program. We’ll share one sutta to read before each week’s session.

COST: By donation

We offer this course freely in the Buddhist tradition of dana. Both Bhikkhu Sujato and the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies depend on donations to continue our work. Please consider making a donation when you register to support our programming. You'll find one dana link on our registration page, and all dana offered will be shared between SuttaCentral and BCBS.

Experience Level:

Suitable for beginning and experienced practitioners.

Cancellation Policy:

There are no cancellation fees for donation-based programs.

Online Schedule:

This program is hosted on Zoom and closed captions are available. You can check the time of the group sessions in your timezone here: https://www.worldtimebuddy.com. The schedule for this program (shown in US Eastern Time) is as follows:

Meeting Dates: July 9, 16, 23, and 30

Meeting Days/Times: Wednesdays, 7:00 – 8:30 PM ET

Please note that sessions will be recorded and made available to participants within 48 hours of each session. Recordings remain available for two weeks from the program end date.