Hybrid lunch lecture | The Zen Buddhist Philosophy of D. T. Suzuki (free lunch included!) In-Person
D.T. Suzuki (1870-1966) reached global fame for his writings on Zen Buddhism. Come to 3D@VU to listen to Rossa Ó Muireartaigh, who has written a book on Suzuki’s theories of self, knowledge, and the world. How did Suzuki gain his reputation and legacy as a philosopher? And why did his description of Zen attract the attention of many leading intellectuals and helped it become a household name in the English-speaking world? Are you interested in the philosophical relevance and development of Mahayana Buddhism today? Come listen to Rossa and ask your question in the Q&A, while enjoying a free sandwich and drink!
During this event, you’ll also hear about web exhibitions AUC students Anna Xanthi and Micha Anna Lasinger made with items from the library’s Special Collections. What’s more: you can leave the event with inspiring reading tips from the library's book collection curated by Marina Uzunova, PhD student in PPE.
About the speaker: Rossa Ó Muireartaigh is Associate Professor at the School of Foreign Studies, Aichi Prefectural University, Japan.
ONLINE PARTICIPATION
This is a hybrid event. Would you like to attend online? Please send an email to Michèle Meijer (VU Library) to receive the Zoom-link: m.l.meijer@vu.nl.
PROGRAM
12:30-13:00 doors open (grab youself a free sandwich and drink and make youself comfortable)
13:00-13:30 presentations by Anna Xanthi and Micha Anna Lasinger on web exhibitions and Marina Uzunova on the book collection
13:30-14:30 Rossa Ò Muireartaigh on the Zen Buddhist Philosophy of D.T. Suzuki (incl. Q&A)
About this event series
This is the first of four events based on the Bloomsbury Introductions to World Philosophies series organized together with Monika Kirloskar-Steinbach, Professor of Diversifying Philosophy at the VU and editor of the series. Each event centers around one book. Come listen to the authors talking about their books and ask them your questions in the Q&A, all while enjoying a snack and a drink!
Web Exhibitions
Students have dived into the library’s Special Collections and selected items that connect with the book themes. During the events you’ll hear more about these items and the web exhibitions the students made!
Books for further reading
Interested in these topics and looking for further reading? Get inspired by the book collections that have been especially curated from the library’s collection for these events by VU researchers Krishma Labib, Cecilia Nogueroles, and Marina Uzunova and will be on display during the events.
Project Omboeken
The University Library houses 30 kilometers of books, many of which are rarely used and are simply gathering dust in the stack rooms. The library started an innovative project, Omboeken (literally ‘rebook’), to find new ways to present these books to the public. For example, we created a multidisciplinary collection on sustainability for the Green Office and created an art installation with books, called Pantheon. New forms of presentation also means that we are experimenting with new ways of working, for example by offering more people a role in selecting books to be placed prominently on display, such as during these events!