Event time:
Tuesday, January 31, 2017 - 7:00pm
Event description:
In the sixth session of our year-long series of Dharma Discussions devoted to investigating each of the Ten Perfections, we turn to prajna, or wisdom.
Wisdom is an essential attribute of buddhas and bodhisattvas, of supreme value in all schools of Buddhism. Tibetan Buddhism makes study of the wisdom paths to enlightenment a central part of monastic training; Theravada Buddhism esteems wisdom resulting from insight into impermanence, suffering, and no-self; Mahayana Buddhism values wisdom arising from a true understanding of emptiness. The Perfection of Wisdom is represented as a female deity, and numerous Prajnaparamita scriptures extol the nature and the merits of perfect wisdom. Wisdom also is represented by Manjusri, a bodhisattva bearing the sword that cuts through delusion.
In the chapter devoted to wisdom in the ancient Indian text A Guide to the Bodhisattva Way of Life, we read that “to ward off suffering, one should develop wisdom.” But how?
And what might all of this mean in our daily lives? What is the relationship between the knowledge gained through academic study in college and wisdom in a Buddhist sense? What does it mean to see wisely into our conditioning? What is meant by “emptiness,” how does it relate to interconnectedness, and why might the wisdom that arises from experiencing that interconnectedness be crucial in addressing issues we face in the 21st century? Why is compassion such an important accompaniment to wisdom?
Join us to share in an open conversation around these and other questions related to prajna wisdom, facilitated by Reverend Kanji, and bring questions of your own. We’ll begin with a brief meditation period (beginner instruction available on request). Everyone is welcome – Buddhists of all traditions and levels of experience, from beginner to advanced, and non-Buddhists, too!
It is not necessary to attend each Dharma Discussion in the series.
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