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Week 3 Q&A

Stephen Batchelor

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I have long been a fan of your writing, and I wholeheartedly agree that much of what some consider to be essential to Buddhism, such as the doctrine of reincarnation, is unnecessary and a distraction from the Buddha's fundamental teaching.
 
It seems, however, that in your recent book and in these dharma talks, you are intent on removing all traces of Buddhism as a religion, so that in your presentation the Buddha seems more like a master psychotherapist. Do you regard experiences of Buddha Nature, The Absolute, Shunyata, whatever we may call it, irrelevant? Some schools of Zen, as you know, make much of these experiences--kensho, or openings, as I prefer to call them.
 

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