In August, Rita Gross will be leading a Tricycle Retreat titled Buddhist History for Buddhist Practitioners. Gross is an accomplished scholar, renowned for her innovative work on gender and religion, and is also an experienced dharma teacher, trained by Jetsun Khandro Rinpoche. Highly adept and bridging the academic and the spiritual, Rita is sure to lead an engaging and illuminating month of teachings.
Modern historical study challenges much in the Buddhist tradition. Yet, understanding Buddhist history can enrich dharma practice by, among other things, demonstrating how Buddhist teachings and institutions are themselves impermanent and contingently arisen. It is our hope that this examination of Buddhist history may lead to a less sectarian appreciation of dharma, may help us see our biases and presuppositions more clearly, and that it may open up Buddhism to a richer dialogue with the contemporary world.
In preparation, we recommend reading Rita’s piece, Buddhist History for Buddhist Practitioners, from our Fall 2010 issue, which was the inspiration for next month’s retreat. We also recommend:
What the Buddha Taught? by Andrew Cooper
Whose Buddhism is Truest? by Linda Heuman
Modern Buddhism: So New, So Familiar by Donald S. Lopez, Jr.
To take part in Tricycle Retreats, please become a Tricycle Community Supporting or Sustaining Member.
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