The papers in this session bring together the concepts of interreligious dialogue and comparative studies. The first paper explores how Humanistic Buddhism contributes to reimagining the future of interreligious dialogue in a world marked by polarization and ethical uncertainty placing Yun’s “I Am Buddha” in dialogue with Kierkegaard’s claim that “subjectivity is truth.”
The second paper explicates the connection between the concept of No-Mind and Jewish Sabbath rituals by reading Jewish texts by Breslov in dialogue with Zen Buddhist texts Treatise on No-Mind, the Diamond Jewel Platform Sutra, and Dogen Shobogenzo.
The third paper investigates how religious traditions and scientific research inform questions of “age of accountability” in Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism, focusing on rites of passage and theological judgments about when individuals become morally and spiritually responsible.
This paper explores how Humanistic Buddhism can contribute to reimagining the future of interreligious dialogue in a world marked by polarization and ethical uncertainty. It places Hsing Yun’s teaching “I Am Buddha” in dialogue with Søren Kierkegaard’s claim that “subjectivity is truth.” Although arising from different traditions—Chinese Mahayana Buddhism and nineteenth-century Danish Christianity—both expressions suggest that religious truth becomes meaningful only when it is existentially appropriated and embodied in lived practice. Drawing on Conceptual Metaphor Theory, the paper argues that these teachings function as transformative metaphors that reshape how practitioners understand themselves in relation to religious truth. By highlighting the formative role of metaphor in spiritual life, the study proposes a model of interreligious dialogue grounded in shared processes of existential transformation, demonstrating how Humanistic Buddhist thought can deepen contemporary approaches to dialogue across religious traditions.
A Zen monk and I were standing together watching some Jewish women lighting Shabbat candles on Shabbat eve. He offered his interpretation of why the women covered their eyes when having lit the candles. He said that you cannot look at the light of Shabbat with the same eyes with which you see the light of shabbat. So the women had to close their weekday eyes and open new eyes - shabbat eyes. This presentation explicates my understanding of my Zen friend in terms of the ZEN concept of No-Mind. Then I apply this explication to some new readings of traditional Jewish texts, prominently by Reb Nachman of Breslav.
This paper explores the intersection of religious traditions and scientific perspectives on youth autonomy, particularly in decision-making regarding gender-affirming care. It examines how various religious practices across Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism mark gradual development toward autonomy, with significant milestones occurring between the ages of 8 and 16. These rites of passage signify moral and intellectual responsibility in a religious context. Scientific research on cognitive development, including studies on identity formation, limbic system regulation, and prefrontal cortex maturation, further informs the conversation. The paper argues that while religious traditions emphasize a measured approach to youth autonomy, scientific insights call for caution in granting full autonomy power during adolescence, given the ongoing development of critical cognitive functions. The paper concludes that legal frameworks should balance the need for youth agencies with the responsibility to protect their well-being, considering both spiritual guidance and scientific evidence to support informed, mature decision-making.