Dhammapada: Walking on the Path of the Buddha

Instructor(s): Mu Soeng

Program Description:

In traditional Buddhist countries of Southeast Asia, the Dhammapada has been the most beloved and easily accessible compendium of Buddha’s teachings. These teachings, collected from the earliest discourses of the Buddha, have been a continuing source of inspiration for the philosophical and meditative dimensions of the Theravada and Mahayana traditions. In this program, we will investigate how these teachings are humanistic at their core and an inspiration for us today as practitioners of the Dharma.

Learning Intentions:

To engage with the classical teachings of the Buddha through a close reading of the Dhammapada, and to form a personal relationship to the actual words of the Buddha through a nuanced investigation of how and why they were spoken.

Experience Level:

Suitable for beginning and experienced practitioners.

About the Instructor(s):
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  Mu Soeng

  Mu Soeng is Scholar Emeritus at BCBS. He trained in the (Korean) Zen tradition and was a monk for eleven years. He is the author of Thousand Peaks: Korean Zen (Tradition and Teachers); The Diamond Sutra: Transforming the Way We Perceive the World; Trust in Mind: The Rebellion of Chinese Zen; The Heart of the Universe: Exploring the Heart Sutra, and co-author of Older and Wiser: Classical Buddhist Teachings on Aging, Sickness, and Death.