Rooted in the Buddhist teaching of the bardo − states of ‘in-between’ − the text offers a way to understand death, life and transformation as deeply intertwined.
Articles on Enlightenment
Displaying 1 - 20 of 39 articles
President Donald Trump is trying to prescribe the style and content of many federal sites to highlight his own authority and promote a particular view of America.
A scholar of Buddhism explains authentic ways to engage deeply with the tradition, ranging from short meditation retreats to full ordination as a monastic.
For Buddhists, Bodhi Day represents hope and the potential to overcome suffering.
Kamala, a Sanskrit word for lotus, symbolizes wisdom. Its rooted in the fact that even though the flower blooms in a swamp, it remains untouched by the dirt around it.
In asking how Buddhism gained such a vast material presence, the course helps students understand how a religion manages to survive over time.
The Therigatha, a collection of poems written in Pāli by Buddhist nuns, reveals that women’s enlightenment may not necessarily require renunciation of domestic life.
Collecting shells was a common past time in Enlightenment Britain, when elite women were becoming increasingly interested in science.
The ideas of Rousseau reflect many of our own deepest commitments and patterns of thought.
Stan Grant’s new book, The Queen is Dead, is revealing in terms of his decision to step down from public life. ‘I have been reminded what it is to come from the other side of history,’ he writes.
A Steller’s sea eagle, native to the Asian Arctic, has traveled across North America since 2021. A scholar questions whether the bird is lost – and how well humans really understand animals’ actions.
ChatGPT is a sophisticated AI program that generates text from vast databases. But it doesn’t understand the information it produces, which also can’t be verified through scientific means.
From J.M.W. Turner to Yayoi Kusama, this exhibition explores 200 years of art about light.
Naturalistic thinking has long helped humanity grapple with complex urban predicaments. What role can it play today?
In a Japanese tree burial, cremated remains are placed in the ground and a tree is planted over the ashes to mark the gravesite. Environmental responsibility is part of Buddhism.
Taiwan’s death rituals come from multiple spiritual sources. A Taiwanese-American scholar explains what changes for those who make their home in the US.
Fun fact: the term ‘influenza’ comes from the premodern belief stars influenced disease. Before epidemiologists, there were astrologers.
For celebrated botanist Joseph Banks, his voyage with James Cook was more about extending imperial power than simply discovery.
All of the senses have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic, not because the senses have changed, but because the world has, writes a sensory historian.
With dreaded, invisible germs lurking on surfaces and in people, our surroundings are seen as a minefield – and we end up dulling one of our most valuable senses.
Top contributors
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Assistant Professor of Religious Studies, Case Western Reserve University
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Lecturer in Art History, University of St Andrews
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Visiting Scholar of Anthropology, University of California, Berkeley
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Lecturer in Philosophy, University of St Andrews
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Professor of Anthropology and Museum Studies, Lawrence University
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Senior Lecturer in Philosophy and Education; Curriculum Director, UQ Critical Thinking Project, The University of Queensland
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Lecturer in History of Medicine/Life Science, The University of Melbourne
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PhD Candidate, University of the Witwatersrand
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Professor of American Literature and Public Understanding of the Humanities, School of Advanced Study, University of London
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Associate Professor of History, University of Saskatchewan
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University Professor of History, Provost Emeritus, George Mason University
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Professor in Philosophy, Australian Catholic University
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Professor in the History of Art Islamic Art and Architecture, Yale University
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Professor of History, University of Warwick
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Postdoctoral researcher, Institute of Development Policy, University of Antwerp