Nearly 100 participants gathered at Fo Guang Shan Temple of Toronto on May 9 for the English Buddhist lecture Buddhist Encounters: Finding a Home in the Human Condition, exploring how Buddhist teachings can help people find peace, resilience, and inner stability amid anxiety, aging, illness, and uncertainty.

Presented by Venerable Miao Guang, Deputy Chancellor of Fo Guang Shan Institute of Humanistic Buddhism. The lecture drew members of the BLIA Toronto English Subchapter members, Lotus Mornings English Dharma class participants, and members of the wider English-speaking community.

Drawing on Buddhist Encounters: Finding a Home in the Human Condition by Dr. Lewis R. Lancaster, Professor Emeritus at the University of California, Berkeley, Venerable Miao Guang integrated the Humanistic Buddhist teachings of Venerable Master Hsing Yun to reflect on the emotional and spiritual challenges of modern life, including identity, relationships, fear, and the search for belonging.

Centered around the question, “Where is our true home?” the lecture explored how many people seek security through titles, social status, and external recognition, yet still experience anxiety and unease. Through four themes—breaking illusions, letting down defenses, living with vulnerability, and transforming fear—Venerable Miao Guang encouraged participants to reflect on the nature of self and the meaning of human existence.

Venerable Miao Guang described how one individual became upset after being incorrectly addressed in an email, illustrating how easily self-worth becomes tied to titles and external validation. “Buddhism reminds us that true security comes from self-understanding and inner stability,” she explained. Reflecting on another story about “planting watermelons but harvesting pumpkins,” she noted that much human suffering arises from attachment to expectations and outcomes, while learning to accept life as it truly unfolds can open the way to gratitude, reconciliation, and personal growth.

The lecture also explored Dr. Lancaster’s experiences caring for his wife during illness and living alongside patients in a rehabilitation centre, illustrating how vulnerability can deepen compassion and reveal the interconnectedness of human life. Venerable Miao Guang emphasized that Buddhist compassion is not merely sympathy, but the recognition of shared vulnerability and interdependence.

Addressing fear surrounding aging, illness, and death, Venerable Miao Guang shared Dr. Lancaster’s reflection that “old age is the only boundary between myself and death.” Rather than fearing aging, he gradually came to view it with gratitude and as another stage of personal growth.

During the Q&A session, participants raised questions on anxiety, emotional well-being, death, and Buddhist perspectives on consciousness and mindfulness. Venerable Miao Guang also explained that thoughts and actions plant karmic seeds, underscoring the importance Buddhism places on cultivating wholesome intentions and mindful awareness.

Many attendees remained afterward for discussion and book signings. Participants described the lecture as compassionate, relatable, and deeply relevant to daily life. BLIA Toronto Director Martyn Knowles shared that the lecture demonstrated how Buddhism is not a distant philosophy, but a practical source of strength for navigating life’s difficulties and inner struggles. English Subchapter member Grace Listkowski reflected that the lecture helped her realize vulnerability is not something to fear, but an opportunity to approach oneself and others with greater compassion.

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