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)