Events Calendar

Events Calendar

Natasha Heller (University of Virginia): Old Monks for a New Age
Thursday, 24 January 2019,  4:30pm -  6:00pm

Location: Brower Commons A

 

Abstract: What can present day children learn from the stories of monks from centuries past?  The Taiwanese Buddhist organization Dharma Drum has published a series of books retelling tales of famous historical monks, and these accounts show how monastic biographies can be situated in the context of modern education.  Not only are these monks presented as embodying personal characteristics worthy of emulation, their stories are also coupled with English-language acquisition, and the selection of monks shows how Buddhist exemplars might be imagined for a global age. Examining this series of books provides a window into the motivations and strategies of contemporary Buddhist youth education.