Life, Law, and Desire: Buddhism in Contemporary Life
Dr Lewis Mayo, University of Melbourne
In Australian law firms, Buddhism is most likely to appear in the form of corporate mindfulness, which encourages calmness and productivity. Mindfulness utilises techniques derived from Buddhist meditation. Buddhism, in this guise, promises tranquillity in the midst of professional life, and offers inner peace and self-awareness. It is difficult to comprehend this religion in the context of chauvinist Buddhist nationalism which forces Rohingya Muslims to flee Myanmar. Their plight raises the question of how Buddhists ally themselves with state power and thus with domains we associate with the law: namely property, commerce, and politics. This problem pertains to those living in Thailand, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Tibet.
Dr Lewis Mayo draws on the themes of life, law, and desire to discuss how aspects of Buddhist doctrine and practice interact with one another. He will introduce roles religion has played, from its inception in India, to its contentious present status. Lewis will explore religion as a guide for managing life and desire, and as an institutional force which must navigate its relationship with the law and other systems of public order.
Dr Lewis Mayo, University of Melbourne
Dr Lewis Mayo teaches Chinese and Asian Studies at the University of Melbourne. His special field of study is the history of the Chinese Inner Asian borderlands and, specifically, the oasis of Dunhuang and its manuscripts, which were discovered in the early 20th century and are mostly connected with Buddhism. He is also very interested in the history of South East Asia, Taiwan, and the Pacific.
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