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A Master Class “The Structure of Chan Buddhist Teachings: Wisdom, Madness, and Laughter” Will Be Held at the Buddhist Forum

On Tuesday, August 13, as part of the II International Buddhist Forum, Alexey Maslov, Director of the Institute of Asian and African Countries at Moscow State University and President of the Foundation for the Promotion of Buddhist Education and Research, will hold a master class titled "The Structure of Chan Buddhist Teachings: Wisdom, Madness, and Laughter." The training will begin at 15:00 in the universal hall of the Sports and Fitness Complex.

“The Buddhist tradition has developed a special type of dialogue that allows for checking the purity of the student’s consciousness and revealing it. To the uninitiated, these dialogues may seem meaningless, but for those who can understand the special 'codes' of conversation, these discussions become pointers on the path. This is how the most important part of Buddhist culture was born—the paradoxical dialogues of Gongan in China and Koan in Japan. We will discuss how their meaning and impact on consciousness are assessed by modern researchers,” said Alexey Maslov.

The II International Buddhist Forum “Traditional Buddhism and Modern Challenges” is being held in Buryatia from August 12 to 14, 2024, at the initiative of the Head of Buryatia, Alexey Tsydenov, with the support of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The forum aims to create a new platform for international dialogue and comprehensive discussion on the development of Buddhism, Buddhist culture, philosophy, and practice, while promoting scientific, educational, and cultural cooperation among Buddhist organizations from different countries. The forum will be attended by representatives from 15 countries: Bangladesh, Belarus, Brazil, Bhutan, Vietnam, India, Cambodia, China, Laos, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Japan. The total number of participants is expected to exceed 600 people.

The forum is organized by the Buddhist Traditional Sangha of Russia, the Government of the Republic of Buryatia, and the Foundation for the Promotion of Buddhist Education and Research, with support from the Roscongress Foundation.