The Relevance of Buddhism in the Modern World

This is an audiobook of Bodhi Leaves No. 43 by Princess Poon Pismai Diskul, The Relevance of Buddhism in the Modern World narrated by Gregory M. Dams. The print edition can be found in the Pariyatti Edition of Collected Bodhi Leaves Vol. 2. The eBook of Bodhi Leaves No. 43 can be downloaded from the BPS website.

Excerpt:

Throughout history, the practice, adherence and belief in religion has been a virtually universal aspect of human society. And as a rule, the increase in complexity and sophistication of a given culture has borne with it an accompanying increase in the level of ethical and philosophical development of that society's religious thought.

Today, however, the world witnesses a level of civilization and social complexity far surpassing that of any previous era. Yet out of the great thoughts and discoveries of our time, no new major religion has evolved. Whatever new religious concepts may have appeared, they have failed to reach the masses of humanity in the form of altering basic beliefs and practices. Most of the new reforms that modern institutions sometimes announce with pride are actually negative in character; that is, the termination of outmoded practices and the relinquishment or reinterpretation of embarrassing dogmas. …