339. Dana Sawyer on Huston Smith

Why are we here? Is there a God? Can there be authentic mystical experience? Are Hindus and Buddhists correct that we can attain a state of enlightenment? Can psychedelic drugs give us a glimpse of it? Does religion have a viable place in the modern world? Is there a common core of values and insights among the world's religions? Huston Smith spent his career in a search for answers to these and other questions. Born in China in 1919, the son of Methodist missionaries, Smith followed a life-long spiritual quest that led him around the world many times. He studied the world's religions and mystical traditions directly with Aldous Huxley, D.T. Suzuki, J. Krishnamurti, Alan Watts, Paul Tillich, Reinhold Niebuhr, the Dalai Lama, Joseph Campbell, Ram Dass, and a host of others. Huston, as a renowned philosopher of religion, helped shape the contemporary face of comparative religion, interfaith dialogue, and religious tolerance. As a seeker, he became a citizen of the world, plunging into its various spiritual traditions. Website: hustonsmith.net Some of Huston Smith's books: The World's Religions (Plus) Tales of Wonder: Adventures Chasing the Divine, an Autobiography Forgotten Truth: The Common Vision of the World's Religions Why Religion Matters: The Fate of the Human Spirit in an Age of Disbelief The Soul of Christianity: Restoring the Great Tradition (Plus) Buddhism: A Concise Introduction And Live Rejoicing: Chapters from a Charmed Life — Personal Encounters with Spiritual Mavericks, Remarkable Seekers, and the World's Great Religious Leaders The Huston Smith Reader Some of Dana's books: The Perennial Philosophy Reloaded: A Guide for the Mystically Inclined Aldous Huxley: A Biography Huston Smith: Wisdomkeeper: Living The World’s Religions: The Authorized Biography of a 21st Century Spiritual Giant He was a professor of religion and philosophy at the Maine College of Art and a popular lecturer at venues such as Esalen Institute and Kripalu. An expert in Asian religions and theories related to the perennial philosophy, he has written for Tricycle, Parabola and other magazines. His website is dana-sawyer.com Previous Batgap interview with Dana. Previous Batgap interview with Jeffrey Kripal and Dana. Batgap panel discussion at Sofia University, including Dana. Part 1 | Part 2 Summary and Transcript of this interview Interview conducted 3/19/2016 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:04:25 - Academic Defense of Non-Dual Experience 00:09:50 - The Holistic Development of Intellect, Heart, and Body 00:14:58 - Houston Smith's Reconciliation of Religions 00:20:44 - Community and Identity in Religion 00:25:32 - Restoring the Transcendent Aspect of Religions 00:30:27 - The Curative Value of Religion 00:35:49 - The Paths to Spiritual Enlightenment 00:40:48 - The Four Points of the Minimum Working Hypothesis 00:47:10 - The Ocean in a Drop 00:52:31 - Profound Interconnectedness and Spiritual Experiences 00:57:35 - Meeting a Sadhu in the Newark Airport 01:02:21 - The Importance of Houston Smith 01:07:23 - Houston Smith's Humility and Approach to Religions 01:12:34 - Houston's Interaction with Timothy Leary 01:17:51 - Extraordinary Experiences and Timothy Leary 01:23:05 - The Anger and Disapproval of Houston 01:28:44 - Integrating Spiritual Experiences into Life 01:33:51 - Compassion and Engaging in Social Action 01:38:35 - Embracing the Transcendent Aspect of What We Are 01:44:13 - Existential dilemmas and the importance of spiritual growth 01:48:40 - The Importance of Houston Smith's Third Choice 01:53:19 - Houston Smith and the Condemnation to Meaning 01:58:28 - Cultural Relativity and Conflict 02:03:44 - Qualia Problems and the Interpretation of Experience 02:08:54 - Embracing Individual Perspectives