THEMES: Understanding Death

The Center's core inquiry for 2008: What can we learn from our experiences with death and dying? How can we learn to enjoy the cycles of birth and death?

Vincent Harding: Mortality and Love's Continuity

In this September 2013 video, historian Vincent Harding reflects on how his participation in the 2008 Ikeda Forum enriched his understanding of mortality.
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Learning to Learn About Death

In February 2008, Nur Yalman, Harvey Cox, Mary Catherine Bateson, and Tu Weiming spoke at the Center about how our conceptions of death impact the way we live.
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How Our Experiences with Death Change Us

This report from the 2008 Ikeda Forum is called "Facing Death: A Path to Personal and Social Change." The event featured remarks from Pam Kircher, Megan Laverty, Anthony Marsella, and Vincent Harding.
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Preparing for Death by Fostering Connections with Others

This event featured a lecture by Yoichi Kawada on the Buddhist conception of life and death along with a response from cultural anthropoligist Mary Catherine Bateson.
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Death and Life in the Mahayana Buddhist Tradition

This article reports on a lecture Yoichi Kawada gave at the Center in 2001. Dr. Kawada is director of the Institute of Oriental Philosophy in Tokyo, Japan.
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Year-end Reflections: A Fear to be Overcome

Jeff Farr reflects on the Center's yearlong investigation into the interrelationship of life and death. Buddhism, says Farr, teaches that death is part of the joyous core of life.
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