Richard P. Hayes
Professor of Buddhism
University of New Mexico
USA
Hayes presents what some may call ‘conversion’ in the Buddhist sense. By presenting the fundamentals of Buddhism, such as the “No-Self” doctrine, the problem of “Liberation” and “Dissatisfaction”, Hayes attempts to present the listeners with the “Religious Identity” of Buddhism. He presents an exhaustive array of ancient Buddhist literature as well as present day experiences in order to demonstrate the ways by which a Buddhist can achieve “Liberation” and what stages and methods can be used. This process of “continuous conversion” as seen not only in Buddhist philosophy, but in the life and teachings of Buddha himself. Hayes concludes his talk by presenting metaphors by which Buddhist thought explains its relationship with other religions and the idea of being both a Buddhist and a member of a different religion.