Interview with Piya

Interview with Piya Tan by Jan-Christoph Daniel

 

Interview with Piya Tan, Singapore from Jan-Christoph Daniel on Vimeo.

Piya TAN is a well-known Buddhist scholar, Dharma teacher and meditation instructor to various executives and individuals at The Minding Centre (TMC) in Singapore. He is also a writer and translator of early Indian texts on meditation and psychology.

Questions asked by Jan to Piya:

Q1. Buddhism is said to be non-judgemental. What does that mean? (00:15)

Q2. Does Buddhism have a conception of good and evil? (01:34)

Q3. Is there an objective truth according to Buddhist thought? (05:31)

Q4. Can you share the story of your near-death experience at Gunung Ledang in Malaysia? (08:36)

Q5. Is this your earliest memory of a spiritual experience? (11:44)

Q6. You have lived as a monk in Thailand for 20 years. What was it like? (12:54)

Q7. Why is it important to have a monastic name? (18:22)

Q8. What is Theravada Buddhism? (20:53)

Q9. Theravada Buddhism gains popularity in the West (eg Germany) in recent years. What might be the reasons for this? (25:16)

Q10. In which way is studying the early Buddhist texts helpful for meditation practice? (30:58)

Q11.  How can meditation lead to a happier, more wholesome life? (33:01)

Q12. You have learned forest meditation from Ajahn Brahm. Is insight meditation a logical progression of the forest tradition? (34:08)

Q13. As you look back on your life, which events stand out? (38:12)

Q14.  Buddhism asks the fundamental question: What is life and what is the point of  existence? What are the answers you have found so far? (42:55)

Q15. What does it mean to be a Buddhist? (46:16)