Author Archives: Emma

Zombie Buddha 4evah

What compels me about the idea of Zombie Buddha is the very undesirability of that state. If we, in our attachment-ridden samsaric condition—bogged down with karma and the perception of conventional reality—were able to see Buddhahood as desirable, I would … Continue reading

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Devotion and Surrender

In class, we discussed what makes something a “religion” as opposed to a “philosophy,” what makes something a “ritual” as opposed to a habit, and what, then, makes something a religious ritual. Previously, I had committed to a set of … Continue reading

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Poison Arrow Problems: Grappling with the Irrelevant Questions

Rupert Gethin’s unpacking of certain concepts that are systemically present in the “Western” study of religion is helpful in tackling questions that arise for Western scholars studying Buddhist thought. Some misunderstandings that he points out are patterns so fundamental to … Continue reading

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