Erik Braun

Professor Erik Braun joins us to speak about The Birth of Insight: Meditation, Modern Buddhism, and the Burmese Monk Ledi Sayadaw.

Insight meditation is arguably one of the most common practices in contemporary Buddhism. But, where did this modern version come from, what are the roots of what we see in the West?

Erik Braun joined the University of Oklahoma’s Religious Studies Program faculty in January, 2008. He completed his Ph.D. at Harvard University in the same year, specializing in Buddhist Studies with a focus on Burmese Buddhism. His first book-length project is The Birth of Insight: Meditation, Modern Buddhism, and the Burmese Monk Ledi Sayadaw, part of the “Buddhism and Modernity” series of the University of Chicago Press. His next project explores how current global flows of people and ideas have changed Buddhist communities throughout the world and have played an important part in reformulations of notions about secularity and modernity. At University of Oklahoma, Erik teaches introductory courses on Buddhism and Hinduism, a course on meditation traditions in Buddhism, the course introducing students to the study of religion, and the course for advanced Religious Studies students in methodologies and the major theoretical developments in the field.

So, sit back, relax, and have a nice Oklahoma Cooler.

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• Erik Braun

Music for This Episode Courtesy of Rodrigo Rodriguez

The music heard in the middle of this podcast is from Rodrigo Rodriguez. You can visit his website to hear more of his music, get the full discography, and view his upcoming tour dates.