Lectures by Venerable Professor Dhammajoti
Centre of Buddhist Studies, The University of Hong Kong

 

The Sarvastivada Theory of Simultaneous Causality

Wednesday, March 15, 2006

12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Institute of Asian Research, C.K. Choi Building,
1855 West Mall Room 120, UBC

In the history of Buddhist thoughts, the Sarvastivada school was the first to articulate the theory of 'Simultaneous Causality (sahabhu-hetu)' which states that cause and effect can co-exist. This is contrary to the common sense understanding that a cause necessarily precedes an effect. This lecture examines the import of this theory and its impact on the subsequent development in the theories of causality in Indian Buddhism.

Two Buddhist Theories of Knowledge

Thursday, March 16, 2006

4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

UBC Robson Square,
C180-800 Robson Street

Buddhism teaches that we are trapped within the Cycle of Births and Deaths (samsara) on account of the fundamental error of cognition. Accordingly, throughout the history of Buddhism, the major doctrinal concern had consistently been the understanding of the cognitive process. This lecture discusses two major theories of knowledge developed in the period of Abhidharma Buddhism: the theory of Presentational Perception of the Vaibhasika school and the theory of Representational Perception of the Sautrantika school.

Venerable Professor Dhammajoti was born in Malaysia in 1949. From 1982 to 2004, he had been teaching at the Postgraduate Institute of Pali and Buddhist Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka. Before joining the University of Hong Kong in 2004, he had been Professor and Head of the Department of Buddhist Sources at the Postgraduate Institute. Currently, he serves as the Professor of Buddhist Studies, and Chairman of the Teaching and Research Advisory Committee, at the Centre of Buddhist Studies, the University of Hong Kong. He has published several books and many research papers in academic journals. His main fields of specialization are Northern Abhidharma and early Yogacara. As a Buddhist monk, he is non-sectarian in outlook, having received ordinations in both the Theravada and Mahayana traditions.

For more information, contact: Karen Jew, Institute of Asian Research, 604.822.4688