Lectures & Upcoming Events
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Parallel Awakenings: How Taixu and Ambedkar Transformed Buddhism from Monastery to Movement for the Modern World |
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In this online lecture, Dr Santosh Raut examines two pivotal twentieth-century Buddhist reformers鈥擳aixu (1890-1947) of China and B.R. Ambedkar (1891-1956) of India鈥攚ho independently reimagined Buddhism as a vehicle for social transformation in response to colonialism, modernisation, and social crisis.
Despite operating in distinct cultural contexts, both figures confronted decadent religious institutions, challenged superstitious practices, and articulated visions of “new Buddhism” (Navay膩na) grounded in humanitarian values. Through parallel pedagogical strategies, Taixu and Ambedkar transformed Buddhism from a monastic, otherworldly tradition into a socially engaged philosophy compatible with science, democracy, and social justice.
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Speaker Bio
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Dr Santosh Raut is a scholar, Dhamma teacher, theologian, and scholar of Buddhist Aesthetics and Philosophy. Following his doctoral studies in Buddhist Aesthetics, Kant, and Schopenhauer at Jawaharlal Nehru University and at Coddington Court, UK, Santosh joined the Department of Aesthetics and Philosophy at EFL University in Hyderabad. He is also the founder of The Babasaheb Ambedkar Philosophical Society (BAPS) at Nagaloka in Nagpur. Currently, Dr Santosh Raut is a Postdoctoral Fellow at Harvard Divinity School. His master’s from Harvard is focused on Buddhist Studies and Caste and Race Oppression.
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DATE:听Friday, April 10, 2026
WHERE:听Online on Zoom TIME:听9:00 a.m to 10:30 a.m. |
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Join Zoom Meeting
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Meeting URL:
Meeting ID: 823 6044 0060 Passcode: 895618 |
Past Events
LECTURE: How Do We Wake Up to Truth? A Buddhist鈥揅hristian Dialogue
How do we come to truth鈥攏ot as an abstract idea, but as a reality that reshapes how we live? This lecture brings the Christian thinker Kierkegaard into conversation with Huineng, a founding figure of Chan/Zen Buddhism. Though separated by culture and tradition, both question gradual, step-by-step approaches to truth. Through Kierkegaard鈥檚 鈥渓eap鈥� and Huineng鈥檚 鈥渟udden,鈥� the lecture explores how truth can arrive as a moment of radical awakening鈥攐ne that reorients the whole self and transforms lived experience. DATE: Tue, March 17, 2026
SPEAKER BIO Dr. Jizhang Yi听(Postdoc, Harvard; PhD, U of T) is Founding Director of the Institute for Humanistic Buddhist Thought & Practice. He is a scholar of comparative philosophy of religion, focusing on truth, selfhood, and ethical鈥搑eligious transformation across Buddhist and Christian traditions. |
This lecture explores how Humanistic Buddhism bridges the gap between transcendence and humanity, faith and reason, individual growth and collective well-being.
Humanistic Buddhism offers a modern path that bridges spirituality and daily life鈥攁 Middle Way between humans and religion. Rooted in the Buddha’s teachings and reinterpreted by Venerable Master Hsing Yun, it reminds us that compassion, wisdom, and awakening are not beyond the world but are realised through our relationships, actions, and shared humanity.
This event is intended for anyone interested in Buddhism and Chinese culture, as well as for those from diverse religious backgrounds seeking to deepen their understanding of religious truth through cross-cultural and interreligious dialogue. It warmly welcomes students, professors, staff, scholars, and members of the wider public both within and beyond the University of Toronto.
DATE: Wed, December 3, 2025
WHERE: 杏吧原创, Combination room
TIME: 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
SPEAKER BIO
Ven. Miao Guang served as the personal English interpreter for Venerable Master Hsing Yun, the founder of the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Order, who taught and spread the Dharma across all five continents for over 5 decades. She is currently serving as Deputy Chancellor for International Affairs at the FGS Institute of Humanistic Buddhism in Taiwan, which focuses on research and studies of Humanistic Buddhism, localisation, and the acculturation of Fo Guang Shan temples worldwide.
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With the Venerable Chueh Fan, Abbess of Fo Guang Shan Temple of Toronto, ordained by Venerable Master Hsing Yun and founder of Fo Guang Shan Monastery. This lecture explores Venerable Master Hsing Yun鈥檚 chapter 鈥淢y Understanding of Humanistic Buddhism鈥� from Humanistic Buddhism: Holding True to the Original Intent of the Buddha. Master Hsing Yun presents Buddhism as both faithful to the Buddha鈥檚 original teachings and deeply engaged with the realities of human life. Humanistic Buddhism emphasises compassion, wisdom, and moral responsibility, guiding practitioners to bring spiritual values into society. For students of theology, this discussion highlights how Humanistic Buddhism offers a framework for ethical living, interfaith dialogue, and global responsibility, enriching our shared pursuit of meaning, justice, and human flourishing in today鈥檚 world. DATE: Wed, October 8, 2025 SPEAKER BIO Venerable Chueh Fan has served as the Abbess of Fo Guang Shan Temple of Toronto since 2019. Ordained in 1991 by Venerable Master Hsing Yun, founder of Fo Guang Shan Monastery, she has devoted over 35 years to monastic life and Buddhist service. Originally from Malaysia, she earned a Bachelor鈥檚 degree in Governmental and Nonprofit Accounting and a Master鈥檚 degree in Public Administration from California State Universities. Her leadership has included key appointments at Hsi Lai Temple and Guang Ming Temple, with a steadfast commitment to applying Dharma in contemporary life and advancing the bodhisattva path. |
