Janet Gyatso, Hershey Professor of Buddhist Studies and Charles Hallisey,Yehan Numata Senior Lecturer on Buddhist Literatures (Harvard University)
A discussion of material from Gyatso’s recent book, Being Human in a Buddhist World: An Intellectual History of Medicine in Early Modern Tibet (Columbia University Press, 2015): From the blurb, “Critically exploring medical thought in a cultural milieu with no discernible influence from the European Enlightenment, Being Human in a Buddhist World reveals an otherwise unnoticed intersection of early modern sensibilities and religious values in traditional Tibetan medicine. It further studies the adaptation of Buddhist concepts and values to medical concerns and suggests important dimensions of Buddhism’s role in the development of Asian and global civilization.” Gyatso suggested we read the conclusion to the book (email for attachment).
The seminar is an opportunity to discuss material that all participants have a chance to read in advance. There will be a short introduction of the visitors, then a few opening questions to them, before turning things over to the room, where discussion will occupy the greatest portion of the seminar.