Sponsor: The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Program in Buddhism and Contemporary Society
‘Madness’ is a cultural construct with diverse valences depending on time and place. In this lecture Professor Unno examines definitions of ‘madness’ in Asian and Western contexts, and then relates the terms of Buddhist compassion to these diverse contexts, both historical and contemporary. In examining the intersection between varying constructs of ‘madness,’ on the one hand, and trajectories of Buddhist compassion, on the other, different possibilities emerge for engaging ‘madness,’ not merely treating it psychopathologically but revaluing it. In turn, Buddhist compassion comes to hold a potential not just for healing ‘madness’ but as a lens for a world of ‘madness.’ This multifaceted approach to madness and Buddhist compassion is presented through case studies and narrative illustrations that offer an array of paths to practice.
Professor Unno’s lecture will be followed by a book signing (Buddhism and Psychotherapy Across Cultures), tea, and snacks. The following evening, March 22 at 7 pm, Professor Unno will join Dr. Dzung Vo for a more informal panel discussion moderated by Dr. Carole Christensen, Professor Emerita of UBC’s School of Social Work.
Professor Unno’s interests lie in Medieval Japanese Buddhism, specifically in the relation between intellectual history and social practices. He also researches and has published in the areas of modern Japanese religious thought, comparative religion, and Buddhism and psychotherpay. He is the author of Shingon Refractions: Myoe and the Mantra of Light, a study and translation of the medieval Japanese ritual practice of the Mantra of Light, and the editor of Buddhism and Psychotherapy Across Cultures: Essays on Theories and Practices.
