On Thursday, November 13 at 12 p.m. ET, Donald S. Lopez Jr. and Stephen Batchelor will come together to discuss their differing visions of the Buddha, laid out in each scholar’s new book.
In The Buddha: Biography of a Myth, Lopez highlights the Buddha’s superhuman qualities, celebrating him as a mythic figure instead of a rationalist one. In Buddha, Socrates, and Us: Ethical Living in Uncertain Times, Batchelor depicts the Buddha as a practical thinker focused on the ethics of living a good life instead of a spiritual leader making metaphysical statements about the nature of reality. Is there a middle way between these two visions? Where do they overlap and what do we actually know about the Buddha? Join these leading voices to hear more about their just-published books and divergent outlooks.
This month’s Premium event is free and open to all. The first 1,000 registrants to join the event will watch via Zoom. For everyone else, we will livestream the event on YouTube.
Speakers
Donald S. Lopez Jr.
Donald S. Lopez Jr. is Arthur E. Link Distinguished University Professor of Buddhist and Tibetan Studies at the University of Michigan. He is the author or editor of many books, including Buddhism: A Journey through History; The Scientific Buddha: His Short and Happy Life; The Story of Buddhism, and The Buddha: Biography of a Myth. Lopez lives in New York City.
Stephen Batchelor
Stephen Batchelor is a teacher and scholar of Buddhism. His works include Buddhism Without Beliefs; Confession of a Buddhist Atheist; After Buddhism; Secular Buddhism; The Art of Solitude; and Buddha, Socrates, and Us: Ethical Living in Uncertain Times. He lives in La Sauve, France.
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DETAILS
- Date: November 13, 2025
- Time: 12-1 p.m. ET
- Format: Zoom meeting
- Price: Free and open to all