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Audio | view transcript
Speaking to a gathering of fellow members of the Triratna Buddhist Order, Khemasuri brilliantly combines an explanation of systems theory and pratitya samutpada to show how this can help us promote ethics in the world as an Order community. This is a clear, accessible explanation of the implications of our worldview for our understanding of conditionality.
Talk given at the women’s National Order Weekend, April 2009.
| 1. | Outlining the influences on this talk including reflections on pratitya samutpada, paradigm shifts in science and Sangharakshita's 1971 lecture 'Evolution or extinction, a Buddhist view of world problems'. (4:54) | |
| 2. | The significance and historical context of the pratitya samutpada teaching and a brief look at emergence. (2:47) | |
| 3. | Cartesian and systems thinking and the relationship with pratitya samutpada. Properties of systems including feedback. More on emergence. (2:24) | |
| 4. | Implications of the differences between Cartesian and systems paradigms - causality and conditionality. (7:08) | |
| 5. | The conditions for the maintaining of individual ethical practice. Sharing examples of how our perspective influences how we live our lives. Actions may be small but they may have huge effects. If you want to change, live creatively outside the box. (5:36) | |
| 6. | The conditions for our collective ethical practice as an Order drawing on Capra, Meadows and Wheatley: the internal health of the Order, keeping it strong and creative. (10:23) | |
| 7. | How does the Order use these strengths to promote ethical change in wider society? Ways of communication and possible pitfalls. Withdrawing from unsupportive situations. (14:05) | |
| 8. | What would be the conditions in the Order that would enable us to promote ethics in the wider society? A summing up. (10:30) |
Total running time: 57:47
