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2008 FOCUS Understanding Death, Appreciating Life Go here for essays and articles on our 2008 focus. *** During 2008, the BRC focused its research on “Understanding Death, Appreciating Life.” We chose this focus based on BRC founder Daisaku Ikeda’s assertion that a major challenge facing humanity today is “establishing a culture — based on an understanding of life and death and of life's essential eternity — that does not disown death, but directly confronts and correctly positions death within a larger living context.” This theme was a key part of his 1993 Harvard University lecture, Mahayana Buddism and Twenty-first Century Civilization, which was explored throughout 2008, the 15th anniversary year of both the lecture and the Center itself. Two Fall 2008 events continued the investigation that started in February when the BRC hosted a public dialogue on how death influences us, personally and collectively. Read an article about the February event here. On Saturday, September 20 the Fifth Annual Ikeda Forum for Intercultural Dialogue took place, with four distinguished speakers — Pam Kircher, Megan Laverty, Anthony Marsella, and Vincent Harding — considering the topic "Living with Mortality: How Our Experiences with Death Change Us." Read an article about the Ikeda Forum here. On Saturday, October 18, Dr. Yoichi Kawada delivered a lecture called "Enjoying the Rhythm of Birth and Death: A Buddhist Perspective," with commentary by Mary Catherine Bateson. Read an article about the lecture here. Over the course of the year we engaged with several questions: How does our understanding of death affect the way we live? Could it be, as Ikeda suggests, that enlarging our understanding of life and death is a most significant step toward building peace in the world? We want to continue to think together with you about these questions, share experiences and insights, and expand our awareness. Thank you for joining us last year in “Understanding Death, Appreciating Life.” *** Go to the Articles & Essays section for full coverage of our 2008 focus. |
“We need to be able to walk into the forest and see that all of its beauty is intertwined with the process of death feeding back into the life of it.” - Mary Catherine Bateson, speaking at the “Understanding Death, Appreciating Life" public dialogue, Feb. 27, 2008 |
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Ikeda Center for Peace, Learning, and Dialogue
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