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Identifying the core values and principles of the teachings of Gotama, the Buddha, Living life on life's terms systematically rethinks them in a way that addresses the issues of this secular age. 'What matters today?', the authors ask. At the heart of this book is a reimagining of the Four Noble Truths. They are reframed as practical tasks to be performed - guidelines for living ethically and responding wisely to the realities of life. This approach rests on a philosophical scepticism that values questions over answers. Following the Buddha's middle way between the extremes of 'it is' and 'it is not', secular dharma avoids dogmatic claims about ultimate truth or reality. The measure of a teaching is simple. Does it help us live with greater awareness, care, and integrity? Does it free us from reactivity - the habits of clinging, resistance and denial that keep us trapped, harming ourselves and others? The path of practice lies in cultivating attitudes, skills and virtues that ease these burdens, and open us to flourishing. In this book, three leading voices bring secular dharma to life. Stephen Batchelor offers a tapestry of philosophical insight, Martine Batchelor shares practical guidance for weaving practice into daily life, while Bernat Font adds creativity and warmth through stories and metaphors. Together, their teaching creates a multidimensional experience that speaks to both heart and mind. Drawn from a year long course at Bodhi College, Living life on life's terms is an inspiring guide for anyone seeking a contemporary path to freedom.
Living Life on Life's Terms: Turning the Wheel of Secular Dharma,Living Life on Life's Terms: Turning the Wheel of Secular Dharma, Stephen Batchelor, Martine Batchelor, Bernat Font, Tuwhiri Project LtdStephen Batchelor, Martine Batchelor, Bernat Font, Tuwhiri Project Ltd, Paperback, 238 Pages, $19.95
Stephen Batchelor is a well-known writer, translator, secular Buddhist teacher and artist. Born in 1953, he was ordained as a Buddhist monk at the age of 21 and then spent ten years training in the Tibetan Gelug and Korean Seon orders.
Martine Batchelor is a Buddhist teacher and a writer who teaches seminars and leads meditation retreats worldwide. For ten years, Martine lived in Korea where she was a zen nun under the guidance of Kusan Sunim. Martine is interested in meditation in daily life, Buddhism and social action, religion and women's issues, and Zen and its history, factual and legendary.
Bernat Font teaches with a combination of scholarly rigour, everyday examples, and a playful sensibility. He met the dharma at a very early age, and has been mainly influenced by Stephen Batchelor, Sayadaw U Tejaniya and the Thai Forest tradition. A founder of Espai Sati in Barcelona, he has a PhD in Buddhist Studies, translates Pali texts into Catalan and Spanish, and is also a jazz pianist.
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