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> > > >Asia House presents The Bagri Foundation Lecture >Series on > > >ASIAN MYSTICISM > > > >Brunei Gallery Lecture Theatre >2nd October – 30th October 2007 > >Admission free > >Asia House presents the Bagri Foundation Lecture >Series on Asian Mysticism. Five lectures over five >weeks – one a week - by top speakers which explore the >mystical traditions and mystics of some of the major >Asian religions: Introduction, Indian Mysticism, >Sufism, Daoism and Tibetan Mysticism. > >In every religious tradition of the world, a special >place is held for those whom the faiths call mystics. >These individuals arise from within specific >traditions, but also go far beyond the confines of any >one tradition. They seem to soar above the mundane >world of both religion and everyday life and to enter >new realms of experience and insight. This series >introduces us to a spiritual level which ultimately >links faiths rather than emphasises their differences. > >Press Information: >For information on Bagri Foundation Lecture Series on >Asian Mysticism and press pictures, please contact: >Aurelie Bocquillon or Katriana Hazell on 020 7307 5454 >/ aurelie.bocquillon@asiahouse.co.uk > > > > > > > > > >Lecture Series on Asian Mysticism >Schedule of Events >October, 2007 > >TUESDAY 2 OCTOBER 7-8pm >Exploring Asian Mysticism >Professor Ursula King, Professor Emerita of Theology >and Religious Studies, University of Bristol; >Professorial Research Associate, SOAS, University of >London. > >This lecture will first look at the remarkable rise of >interest in mystical experience and practice, and in >the study of mysticism during the twentieth century, >then examine different forms of Asian mysticism found >in the spiritualities of India, China and Japan. What >is distinctive in each and common to all? How far does >the global world of the twenty-first century call for >a convergence between the mysticisms of Asia and the >West? Can the spiritual resources of mysticism help us >to create a mystical ethic of compassion, love and >wisdom to heal the wounds of people and the planet? >Admission free > > > >WEDNESDAY 10 OCTOBER 7-8pm >Mysticism in the Indic Religious Tradition >Professor Arvind Sharma, Birks Professor of >Comparative Religion, McGill University, Montreal, >Canada. > >Mysticism constitutes a particularly visible part of >the religious landscape of India. This lecture will >examine reports of mystical experience from Hinduism, >Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. If mysticism is defined >as the belief that direct knowledge of God, or the >ultimate reality, is possible then the Indic religious >tradition identifies several ways of achieving it. Two >of these - the path of knowledge or jñāna and the >path of devotion or bhakti - will provide the main >focus of the presentation. >Admission free > > > >TUESDAY 16 OCTOBER 7-8pm >Navigating the Ocean of the Soul: Sufism >Professor William C. Chittick, Professor, Department >of Asian and Asian-American Studies, Stony Brook >University, New York. > >Muslims have addressed issues that we moderns >recognize as “mysticism” mainly in the strands of the >tradition that are commonly lumped together as >“Sufism.” The major concern of Sufi teachers has been >to offer both theoretical and practical instruction on >how to follow the example of the prophet Muhammad in >achieving nearness to God. In both the theory and >practice, the nafs—the soul or self—is the central >issue, because it is our own selves that are the locus >of awareness and transformation. This lecture will >review basic Sufi teachings on the nafs, which is, as >the thirteenth century mystic Ibn Arabi puts it, “an >ocean without shore.” >Admission free > > > > > > > >TUESDAY 23 OCTOBER 7-8pm >The Role of the Inspired Fool in Daoist Mysticism >Martin Palmer, Secretary General, Alliance of >Religions and Conservation (ARC), Bath and translator >of the Penguin Classic ‘Chuang Tzu’. > >Chuang Tzu (in pinyin Zhuang Zi) lived in the fourth >century BC and the book which carries his name >contains stories, saying and legends about him which >provide one of the funniest, most profound and >enjoyable books of religious mysticism in the world. >Although he is called a Daoist, there was no such >thing as Daoism when he was alive. But his writings, >together with those of Lao Tzu (Lao Zi) are amongst >the most formative forces which flowed into the >creation of Daoism itself. But Chuang Tzu, like all >mystics is much, much larger than the tradition that >claims him. Through anecdote, story and legend, Martin >will take us into the mystical, humorous, thought >provoking world of one of the world's very few funny >mystics. >Admission free > > > >TUESDAY 30 OCTOBER 7-8pm >Tibetan Mysticism >Dr Charles Ramble, Lecturer in Tibetan and Himalayan >Studies, Oriental Institute of Oxford University > >India was the source of Tibetan Buddhism, but the >directions in which Tibet’s mystic traditions >developed were often perceived as shocking and alien >by Buddhists from other countries. Tibetans themselves >see no contradiction between their beliefs and >practices and the most sublime aspirations of the >Buddhist enterprise: necromantic and sexual rites, >techniques for the generation of psychic heat, >transfer of consciousness and other such performances >which are pursued in the quest for liberation. >Admission free > > > >The Lecture Series on Asian Mysticism is sponsored by > > > > > > > > > >NOTE TO EDITORS: > > > Asia House > >Asia House is the ‘must visit’ centre for everyone >with an interest in the rich and varied cultures and >economic vibrancy of Asia. As a leading pan-Asian >organisation, Asia House offers a range of unique >opportunities to gain a greater appreciation and >understanding of business, diplomatic and cultural >interaction between Asia and Britain. We run a lively >programme of approximately 130 events annually >covering Asia in the widest possible geographic >context – from Iran to Japan and from the Central >Asian Republics to Indonesia. > > > > The Bagri Foundation > >The Bagri Foundation was set up in 1985 and one if its >key objectives is to encourage learning through >scholarships, bursaries, lecture series and >exhibitions. The Foundation seeks to promote a better >understanding of art and culture particularly of South >Asia. In recent years it has helped fund major lecture >series on aspects of Indian history, Indian religious >architecture, miniature paintings, Islam, Hinduism and >Buddhism. > > > > >Press Information: >For information on Bagri Foundation Lecture Series on >Asian Mysticism and press pictures, please contact: >Aurelie Bocquillon or Katriana Hazell on 020 7307 5454 >/ aurelie.bocquillon@asiahouse.co.uk
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