According to received information The World Fellowship of Buddhists (near Emporium, Suk 24) has invited Venerable Bhasakorn to lead the monthly workshop on Sunday June 6th.
Phra Bhasakorn did a talk on karma for us last year. He is a Thai monk, but with more than adequate English. In fact you night see a book of his in English around bookstores called Karma for Today’s Traveler. It is the result of years researching the topic both academically and from the standpoint of practise. Phra Bhasakorn lectures on the topic frequently all over Thailand, and claims that if you can get Karma, then the rest of Buddhist practise unfolds before you.
Karma: For Today’s Traveler
A new look at the Buddhist concept of cause and effect, the dazzling processor we call mind, and the fantastic creative power of human intention.
by Phra Bhasakorn Bhavilai
The book itself has some history. It was originally a Master’s Thesis, but the conclusions that it made were not acceptable to the Thai Sangha University. They wanted to steer the findings to fit with the standard theory. In other words they wanted him to toe the party line.
Instead of changing what he considered to be the correct findings to fit the Thai clerical view, he went ahead and published the book himself – an action that forced him to surrender his hard earned Degree.
“I feel that what I wrote is right” he says, “so how can I change it?”
It put him on the outside of the Sangha academic fold, but he persevered and carefully translated the book into English with the help of his friend David Freyer, self publishing it with some success; the book can be found in many places. Though the Thai clergy rejected the work, his jovial nature, and clear thinking have gained him ground as a speaker on the topic, and he is repeatedly invited out to give lectures, even to the point of excess. And being the under dog always has an added appeal for Westerners.
Workshop will be from 2 to 5pm, with coffee/cake served on arrival.
Location :
Meeting Room, the World Fellowship of Buddhists (WFB) Headquarters Bldg., in Benjasiri Park, Sukhumvit 24, Bangkok, Time : All are welcome to join the programme free of charge.
click maps for larger view
You can count on me being there. Karma has always been one of my favorite things to study and learn about.. I have always thought to myself, if I could understand completely about karma, I could understand about this life and beyond.. and even maybe, hopefully pass it on to others.
I couldn’t promise that Karma is the topic of his talk, but I presume it is. The WFB did not giv eme topic details. I will mail Phra bhasakorn asn ask him.
did you fing out the details for the lecture by Phra Bhasakorn?
No, he did not answer the email I sent him. So it is pot luck I guess. He is quite a good speaker anyway, though he finds it hard to come to conclusions…. since his Thai workshops go on for days, he is not so good at sumamrising. But it should be good.
I’m coming from Khok Samrong, Lopburi, I only have the afternoon. I am coming to hear his talk on Karma, if I don’t get that, I will be a little disappointed.. but that’s life isn’t it. I would like to pick his Karma book up while in Bangkok, any suggestions? I mean, exact suggestions, going around to all the Asia bookstores in search, is out of the question. thanks.. see you this Sunday.
Phra Bill
I had a really great time Sunday.. I so much enjoyed listening to Ajahn Bhasakorn. He invited me to stay at his temple in Chaing Mai for the Pansa season. I am really thinking of taking him up on it, I could learn so much from him…
good stuff. He is a very nice character, and fun to be around.