Join us in CHAT for the final Translation Lecture of the semester. We will be featuring Joseph O'Leary (English Literature, Sophia University, Tokyo), who will be speaking about "The Notion of Conventional Truth as a Promising Platform for Buddhist-Christian Dialogue."
This talk suggests that the most promising theme for a theological discussion with Buddhism is the question of the status of religious and doctrinal language. Christian theology has devoted much thought to this. On the Buddhist side, religious discourse has always been assessed in terms of its salvific efficacity. The ideal religious discourse is a "skillful means" serving to lead to liberation and disposable when it has served its purpose. Another relevant topic is the Buddhist attitude to "views." Although "right view" is the first step of the Noble Eightfold Path, in Mahayana sutras we hear that right view is more dangerous than wrong because more apt to encourage fixated attachment. Finally, the dyad of conventional and ultimate truth makes all religious teachings conventional, yet urges that in their very conventionality they are indispensable vehicles for conveying ultimate truth.