Progress and Free Will: On the Buddhist Concept of “Time” and Its Possibilities for Modernity
An even only cursory glance at the way Buddhism is experienced, interpreted, and lived in the contemporary world––both Western and Oriental––reveals Buddhism’s multiple “modern faces”. This paper does not intend to describe all or even a selected group of these many faces, but attempts to contribute...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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University of Ljubljana Press (Založba Univerze v Ljubljani)
2016-02-01
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| Series: | Asian Studies |
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| Online Access: | https://journals.uni-lj.si/as/article/view/3558 |
| _version_ | 1828060954241269760 |
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| author | Bart DESSEIN |
| author_facet | Bart DESSEIN |
| author_sort | Bart DESSEIN |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | An even only cursory glance at the way Buddhism is experienced, interpreted, and lived in the contemporary world––both Western and Oriental––reveals Buddhism’s multiple “modern faces”. This paper does not intend to describe all or even a selected group of these many faces, but attempts to contribute to our understanding of how peculiar developments within Buddhist philosophy have made it possible that such a variety of “Buddhist modernities” could develop. It is shown that it is the peculiar Buddhist interpretation of the concept of time that has provided the basis on which the various modern features of Buddhism could build, because the Buddhist interpretation of time contains an aspect of progress and free will. It is suggested that these two aspects increased the prominence given to the individual adept in the Mahāyāna. The article then claims that it precisely are the ideas of rationality, progress and individualism that are also characteristic for the modern world that contain the possibility for Buddhism to develop its multitude of modern faces.
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| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T22:07:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-269f76687a3641cfaf05890337db015a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2232-5131 2350-4226 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T22:07:24Z |
| publishDate | 2016-02-01 |
| publisher | University of Ljubljana Press (Založba Univerze v Ljubljani) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Asian Studies |
| spelling | doaj.art-269f76687a3641cfaf05890337db015a2023-01-18T09:01:46ZengUniversity of Ljubljana Press (Založba Univerze v Ljubljani)Asian Studies2232-51312350-42262016-02-014110.4312/as.2016.4.1.11-33Progress and Free Will: On the Buddhist Concept of “Time” and Its Possibilities for ModernityBart DESSEIN0Ghent University, BelgiumAn even only cursory glance at the way Buddhism is experienced, interpreted, and lived in the contemporary world––both Western and Oriental––reveals Buddhism’s multiple “modern faces”. This paper does not intend to describe all or even a selected group of these many faces, but attempts to contribute to our understanding of how peculiar developments within Buddhist philosophy have made it possible that such a variety of “Buddhist modernities” could develop. It is shown that it is the peculiar Buddhist interpretation of the concept of time that has provided the basis on which the various modern features of Buddhism could build, because the Buddhist interpretation of time contains an aspect of progress and free will. It is suggested that these two aspects increased the prominence given to the individual adept in the Mahāyāna. The article then claims that it precisely are the ideas of rationality, progress and individualism that are also characteristic for the modern world that contain the possibility for Buddhism to develop its multitude of modern faces. https://journals.uni-lj.si/as/article/view/3558timekarmic retributionknowledgemeditationBuddhist modernity |
| spellingShingle | Bart DESSEIN Progress and Free Will: On the Buddhist Concept of “Time” and Its Possibilities for Modernity Asian Studies time karmic retribution knowledge meditation Buddhist modernity |
| title | Progress and Free Will: On the Buddhist Concept of “Time” and Its Possibilities for Modernity |
| title_full | Progress and Free Will: On the Buddhist Concept of “Time” and Its Possibilities for Modernity |
| title_fullStr | Progress and Free Will: On the Buddhist Concept of “Time” and Its Possibilities for Modernity |
| title_full_unstemmed | Progress and Free Will: On the Buddhist Concept of “Time” and Its Possibilities for Modernity |
| title_short | Progress and Free Will: On the Buddhist Concept of “Time” and Its Possibilities for Modernity |
| title_sort | progress and free will on the buddhist concept of time and its possibilities for modernity |
| topic | time karmic retribution knowledge meditation Buddhist modernity |
| url | https://journals.uni-lj.si/as/article/view/3558 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT bartdessein progressandfreewillonthebuddhistconceptoftimeanditspossibilitiesformodernity |