Towards a Secular Buddhism

What is distinctive about the Buddha's teaching that sets it apart from the mainstream Indian religious traditions of his day? Through exploring this question, we will try and recover the radical, non-mystical and empirical core of Siddhattha Gotama's vision. We will present the Buddha's teachings on "contingency," "mindfulness," "the four noble truths" and "self-reliance" as the foundation for our inquiry.

By discarding metaphysical beliefs (e.g. in God, Absolute Truth, or Unconditioned Consciousness), we will envisage a thoroughly secular Buddhism, which is focused entirely on responding to the suffering of this world. While Pali texts from the early Buddhist scriptures will form the basis of our inquiry, we will interpret them in ways that illuminate their contemporary relevance.