Confronting the Dangers of a Materialistic Culture
As
the COVID crisis continues, we’ve seen some of the most harmful
ideologies underpinning our culture—including racism and runaway
capitalism—pushed to a breaking point.
Dr. Bokin Kim, a Won Buddhist minister and President of the Won Institute of Graduate Studies in Philadelphia, describes the current pandemic as a warning signal for us to examine the materialistic foundations of our culture and the suffering it has caused.
Materialism has always been a central concern of Won Buddhism. The tradition was founded 100 years ago in South Korea with the guiding motive “As material civilization develops, cultivate spiritual civilization accordingly.” Concerned by rapid industrialization and the decline of moral values, the Korean founder of Won, Venerable Sotaesan set out to create a “buddhadharma of the future” that would make the Buddha’s teachings applicable to everyday life in modern society. Won principles can provide insight on the roots of human suffering in the 21st century and valuable guidance for navigating the fragile world we live in.
Watch our July Dharma Talk series with Dr. Kim to discover wisdom and practical tools for finding the right balance between our spiritual and material lives.
Dr. Bokin Kim, a Won Buddhist minister and President of the Won Institute of Graduate Studies in Philadelphia, describes the current pandemic as a warning signal for us to examine the materialistic foundations of our culture and the suffering it has caused.
Materialism has always been a central concern of Won Buddhism. The tradition was founded 100 years ago in South Korea with the guiding motive “As material civilization develops, cultivate spiritual civilization accordingly.” Concerned by rapid industrialization and the decline of moral values, the Korean founder of Won, Venerable Sotaesan set out to create a “buddhadharma of the future” that would make the Buddha’s teachings applicable to everyday life in modern society. Won principles can provide insight on the roots of human suffering in the 21st century and valuable guidance for navigating the fragile world we live in.
Watch our July Dharma Talk series with Dr. Kim to discover wisdom and practical tools for finding the right balance between our spiritual and material lives.
No comments:
Post a Comment