Lecture: The Birthplace of the Buddha and Other Failures

This talk looks at five major Buddhist sites in Japan, Nepal, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and Thailand, built over 2,500 years, that reveal a variety of strategies for memorializing Buddhist relics and historical moments. These massive projects range from museums to parks, from golden reliquaries to statues twice as tall as the Statue of Liberty. Looking at both the visionaries that planned these sites and the range of activities for Buddhist pilgrims and tourists, we will see the ways in which the Buddhist teachings of impermanence and non-attachment are negotiated and debated. The speakers during the presentation will be Justin McDaniel, Edmund J. and Louise W. Kahn Endowed Professor of the Humanities, Religious Studies UPenn. The event will be live, on-site at the Penn Museum and will be live streamed for anyone who would like to attend the lecture virtually.

Tickets:

$15 General

$10 Member

$5 Virtual