Life is Made of Stories
“Trust me, I'm telling you stories.”
― Jeanette Winterson, Written on the Body
Stories help make our lives, and analyzing stories can help make our lives better. In this program, Akincano and Andy will explore a variety of classical Buddhist texts as an exercise in narrative ethics. Together, we will read them closely, reflect on them morally and ethically, discuss how they speak to us as practitioners, and translate the wisdom they hold into our lives.
(1) “Holding and attaching as a strategy against change and uncertainty.”
(Text(s): The Merchant from *Hungry Ghosts* p. 111 (Andy Rotman)
(2) “How to give up desire with the help of desire.”
Text(s): [[Uṇṇābha Sutta Notizen | Uṇṇābha S v 271 / S 51.15 ]]
(3) “The Anatomy of a Breakthrough”
Text(s): Channa Sutta S 22.90 / S iii 132
(4) “The story of the great departure”
Text(s): John Strong’s *Family Quest* vs. Vinaya Nidāna
The *Saṅghabhedavāstu*’s account of the *pabbajjā* vs. the *Samantapāsādikā*’s
(5) “On withholding judgment”
Text(s): Canki Sutta M 95 / M ii 164, Kesamutti Sutta AN 3.65; Dhammapada (Verses 253-255);
Snip Attadanda Sn 4.15; Vatthupama Sutta MN 7;
(6) *How to Ask and How to Meet Questions*
Text(s): Cūḷamālukya Sutta (MN 63)"unanswerable (avyākata) questions”;
Sabbāsava Sutta (MN 2) questions that should be asked and others that should be put aside
Abhaya Sutta (MN 58): three ways of responding to questions
Pañhabyākaraṇasutta (A 4.41 / A ii 46): 4 Strategien: ekaṃsabyākaraṇīyo; vibhajjabyākaraṇīyo;
paṭipucchābyākaraṇīyo; ṭhapanīyo. The Vimalakirti Nirdesa Sutra: use of skillful means
Program Format: This program will include presentations, discussions, close readings of early Buddhist texts, and meditation.
