The seemingly intractable tension between celebrating diversity while protecting identity is threatening to fracture the world. In the third century BCE, Ashoka became the ruler of an empire stretching over vast swathes of lands and peoples. His place in history is significant not for any attempt to homogenize and unify, but for his efforts to formulate and apply an ethics for a world of diverse peoples. The speaker will explore Ashoka’s application of Dharmic ethics in governance and examine the utility of these principles in contemporary times.
15 June, 2024
15:00 - 16:30 CET (Geneva)
Salle Vienna, John Knox International Center, Chemin des Crêts-de-Pregny 27, 1218 Le Grand-Saconnex, Geneva
Dharma Tradition(s): Buddhist
Egil Lothe
Egil Lothe is a historian of religions specializing in the study of Buddhist traditions including its canonical languages Pali and Sanskrit. A prolific author, he has worked with translations of Buddhist texts from the canon of the Theravada Buddhist tradition and has also coordinated a project to publish an anthology of canonical writing from all Buddhist traditions (2017). He has been in leadership positions in various international and national Buddhist organizations for over 40 years, including the World Fellowship of Buddhists, the International Council for the United Nations Day of Vesak, the European Buddhist Union, and the Buddhist Federation of Norway.