Advanced search
1 file | 982.58 KB Add to list

Progress and free will : on the Buddhist concept of 'time' and its possibilities for modernity

Bart Dessein (UGent)
Author
Organization
Abstract
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 Mahayana. 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.
Keywords
meditation, Buddhist modernity, knowledge, time, karmic retribution, TEMPORALITY

Downloads

  • progress and free will.pdf
    • full text (Published version)
    • |
    • open access
    • |
    • PDF
    • |
    • 982.58 KB

Citation

Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:

MLA
Dessein, Bart. “Progress and Free Will : On the Buddhist Concept of ‘time’ and Its Possibilities for Modernity.” ASIAN STUDIES-AZIJSKE STUDIJE, vol. 4, no. 1, 2016, pp. 11–33, doi:10.4312/as.2016.4.1.11-33.
APA
Dessein, B. (2016). Progress and free will : on the Buddhist concept of “time” and its possibilities for modernity. ASIAN STUDIES-AZIJSKE STUDIJE, 4(1), 11–33. https://doi.org/10.4312/as.2016.4.1.11-33
Chicago author-date
Dessein, Bart. 2016. “Progress and Free Will : On the Buddhist Concept of ‘time’ and Its Possibilities for Modernity.” ASIAN STUDIES-AZIJSKE STUDIJE 4 (1): 11–33. https://doi.org/10.4312/as.2016.4.1.11-33.
Chicago author-date (all authors)
Dessein, Bart. 2016. “Progress and Free Will : On the Buddhist Concept of ‘time’ and Its Possibilities for Modernity.” ASIAN STUDIES-AZIJSKE STUDIJE 4 (1): 11–33. doi:10.4312/as.2016.4.1.11-33.
Vancouver
1.
Dessein B. Progress and free will : on the Buddhist concept of “time” and its possibilities for modernity. ASIAN STUDIES-AZIJSKE STUDIJE. 2016;4(1):11–33.
IEEE
[1]
B. Dessein, “Progress and free will : on the Buddhist concept of ‘time’ and its possibilities for modernity,” ASIAN STUDIES-AZIJSKE STUDIJE, vol. 4, no. 1, pp. 11–33, 2016.
@article{7143379,
  abstract     = {{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 Mahayana. 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.}},
  author       = {{Dessein, Bart}},
  issn         = {{2232-5131}},
  journal      = {{ASIAN STUDIES-AZIJSKE STUDIJE}},
  keywords     = {{meditation,Buddhist modernity,knowledge,time,karmic retribution,TEMPORALITY}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{11--33}},
  title        = {{Progress and free will : on the Buddhist concept of 'time' and its possibilities for modernity}},
  url          = {{http://doi.org/10.4312/as.2016.4.1.11-33}},
  volume       = {{4}},
  year         = {{2016}},
}

Altmetric
View in Altmetric