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Enjoying the Rhythm of Birth and Death:
A Buddhist Perspective

Saturday, October 18, 2008
2:00PM - 5:00PM

A Lecture by Yoichi Kawada

Director, Institute of Oriental Philosophy

with Commentary by Mary Catherine Bateson

Cultural Anthropologist and Author,

Willing To Learn and Composing a Life

What does it mean for death to be more than the “absence of life?” Is it possible to experience both life and death with “equal delight?” A recognized authority in Buddhist history and philosophy, Yoichi Kawada brings the insights of Buddhism to bear on these important questions. Mary Catherine Bateson will respond, and audience members will have the opportunity to participate in a whole-group dialogue session. Refreshments will follow. Please join us for a unique exploration into the conditions and perceptions of existence.

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Speaker Bios

Yoichi Kawada is Director of the Institute of Oriental Philosophy (IOP) in Tokyo. Established in 1962, the IOP is dedicated to advancing scholarly inquiry on Buddhism and other world religions, with the aim of enriching the spiritual heritage of the modern age. The IOP conducts research on Buddhist philosophy, history, and social engagement. It also sponsors exchanges between Western and Eastern scholars through seminars, symposia, and public lectures.  Kawada has published over 13 books on Buddhism, Medicine and Oriental Philosophy. In a recent book, Is Life Eternal? Joy in Life and Joy in Death (2001), Kawada elucidates Buddhist theories on the eternal continuity of life, exploring such issues as terminal care and death with dignity.  He has spoken and lectured at conferences worldwide, including the European Academy of Sciences and Arts-sponsored "Dialogue Among Four Great Religions" Conference, the American Psychological Association (APA) Convention, and the Institute of World Religions of the Chinese Academy of Social Science.
   
Mary Catherine Bateson is a writer and cultural anthropologist, President of the Institute for Intercultural Studies in New York, and a visiting scholar at Boston College’s Center on Aging and Work. From 1987 to 2002, Bateson was Clarence J. Robinson Professor in Anthropology and English at George Mason University, becoming Professor Emerita in 2002. Following that she spent three years as Visiting Professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, exploring the ways in which lifelong learning modifies the rhythms of the life cycle and the interaction between generations. Bateson’s books include With a Daughter’s Eye: A Memoir of Margaret Mead and Gregory Bateson; Composing a Life; Peripheral Visions, and, most recently, Willing to Learn: Passages of Personal Discovery.

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Ikeda Center for Peace, Learning, and Dialogue
396 Harvard Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138
Phone: (617) 491.1090 Fax: (617) 491.1169