NTI Conversations series

Western Thought Meets Buddhism

Presented by Dr Peter Oldmeadow, hosted by Dr Elizabeth McDougal.

This conversation will reflect on resonances and influences in the meeting of Western thought and Buddhism with special attention to some streams of 19th century thought which contributed to creating an intellectual environment receptive to the introduction of Buddhism in the modern West and which influenced the development of modern Buddhism 

During the nineteenth century, early encounters with Indian and Buddhist thought helped set new directions in European or “continental” philosophy which remain vitally significant at the present time. This approach was accompanied by a new understanding of “spirituality” and our interrelationship with our environment and fellow creatures. Influenced by these ideas and other developments in modern thought, forms of Buddhism emerged which involved a re-evaluation of the meaning of “disengagement” and “engagement” with the world and society. 

Exploring these significant currents in modern Western thought and Buddhism and reflecting on the history of ideas that influence our societies, cultures and world views, can help to deepen our understanding of ourselves and of Buddhism in its many forms in Asia and in the West.

About the Presenter

Prior to his retirement Peter was head of the Classical Indian and Buddhist Studies programs at the University of Sydney. He taught Sanskrit language and Indian and Buddhist philosophy and also lectured extensively in the areas of religious studies and the history of ideas. Peter has a long-standing interest in Buddhist theory and practice and an interest in comparative philosophy and religion particularly as they relate to the fundamental questions that face modern humanity. He is the author of Going Beyond: Western Thought Meets Buddhism (Platform Books, 2025). He is Chair of the Program Advisory Committee for Applied Buddhist Studies and Humanistic Buddhism at Nan Tien Institute.

Human Agency, Dharma Transmission and the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence

Student led discussion with Master of Arts (Applied Buddhist Studies) students Sheena Anderson and Jodi Bush. Hosted by Dr Elizabeth McDougal.

AI promises efficiency and innovation, yet as we hand over our capabilities to machines, what are we trading in return? In this NTI Conversation, Master of Arts (Applied Buddhist Studies) students Jodi Bush and Sheena Anderson, will discuss their research on the ethical and practical implications of artificial intelligence – and the distinctive practices Buddhism offers for navigating the AI era.

Jodi will challenge current AI Alignment discourse, arguing that its focus on human values and intentions overlooks a fundamental question — how do we proactively safeguard human agency and capabilities? And in this context, what strategies can Buddhism offer for navigating our relationship with artificial intelligence?

Sheena will explore AI’s impact on monastic teachers and the integrity of Dharma when transmitted via non-embodied entities. She highlights ethics, mental discipline and wisdom from the Noble Eightfold Path as valuable guides for Dharma students engaging with AI. Sheena’s interest is in human and posthuman evolution through Dharmic enquiry with all that arises, including AI as an extension of human potential and limitations.

How to be good: Classical Greek and Roman Perspectives on Ethics & Empathy

Presented by Dr Sarah Lawrence, hosted by Professor Alistair Noble

Ethics were a primary concern of most Greco-Roman schools of philosophy, but the thinkers in question varied widely on exactly how one should attempt to live a good life. From the radical self-control of the Stoics to the distinctly un-glamorous focus on pleasure of the Epicureans, the focus tended to be very much on a rational approach which eschewed the role of emotion. This presents an interesting contrast to many modern models of ethics which see emotion – and particularly the recognition of others’ emotions often described as empathy – as critical to morality. In this conversation, I’ll be asking to what extent this unemotional approach could still be useful for us as thinkers today.

About the presenter:

Dr Sarah Lawrence is the Charles Tesoriero Assoc. Prof in Latin at UNE. She is currently the Assoc. Dean T&L for the Faculty of HASSE, which reflects her complete commitment to providing students with the best possible learning experience. As a researcher, Sarah is fond of underloved Roman texts and trying to get inside the Roman mind.

Women’s Buddhist Journeys: Leadership, Liberation and Celebration on IWD

Panel discussion with Venerable Juefang, Ayya Upekkha and Subhana Roshi, Hosted by Dr Nadine Levy

In honour of International Women’s Day, Nan Tien Institute warmly invites you to a special online panel celebrating the lives, leadership, and contributions of women in Australian Buddhism.

Join Venerable Juefang, Ayya Upekkha, and Subhana Barghazi Roshi for a rich and inspiring conversation reflecting on their journeys as women practitioners, teachers, and leaders within their respective traditions. Together, they will explore the challenges and unexpected opportunities they have encountered, what sustained them along the path, and their hopes for the next generation of women in Buddhism.

This dialogue will consider how different Buddhist traditions shape possibilities for women, how female Dharma voices can be elevated, and what guidance these respected teachers might offer younger women navigating contemporary institutions and spiritual communities.

The session will include opening reflections from each speaker, a moderated panel conversation, audience Q&A, and closing reflections.

This event is both a celebration and a call forward, honouring the paths forged by women in Buddhism and the communities they continue to nurture with wisdom, courage, and compassion.

All are warmly welcome!

About the Panelists

Venerable Ayya Upekkha – Born in Sri Lanka in 1974, Ven Upekkha grew up in various parts of the world before her family settled down in Perth, Australia. If that wasn’t enough traveling, at 23 she quit her job in the financial industry in Singapore to go seeking in India for ‘the Truth’. Her journey took her through marriage and long retreats in Malaysia and Myanmar with her Irish husband (who later also ordained as a monk) before finally at the age of 35, she returned to Perth where her spiritual journey started. She joined Dhammasara Monastery, a Theravada monastery for Buddhist nuns under the auspices of Ajahn Brahm in 2009 and has been part of that community since then. Ven Upekkha ordained in 2011 and took Bhikkhuni Ordination in 2014.

Venerable Juefang – is the Director of International Relations at Nan Tien Institute and the General Manager of the Hsing Yun Education Foundation. Her PhD research in Education Studies from Peking University, China involves the application of The Awakening of Faith in the Mahāyāna as an educational theory. She has taught Buddhist communities, face-to-face and online, for over 20 years in London, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, China, Singapore, and Malaysia. She developed the 4,000 square metre Beijing cultural and educational centre and started the Master Hsing Yun Cultural and Educational Foundation in China. Her engagement with volunteers include ‘Be Kind, Be Vego’ and other campaigns. She also completes her MA in Sociology from Fo Guang University, Taiwan.

Subhana Roshi – Subhana Barzaghi, a senior resident teacher of the Sydney Zen Centre, has been practising meditation for over 40 years. She has studied in Australia and California with John Tarrant Roshi, in Japan with Yamada Koun Roshi, and in Australia and Hawaii with Robert Aitken Roshi, the founder of the Diamond Sangha. Subhana received Dharma transmission in 1996 from Aitken Roshi and John Tarrant Roshi at our bush zendo, Kodoji Subhana Barzaghi is a qualified and experienced psychotherapist, a mother of two children, and a grandmother. She was a founding member of the ‘Bodhi Farm’ community in the Northern Rivers region of NSW, where she lived for 20 years. She was also the founder of the Kuan Yin Zen Centre in Lismore. Subhana is a Registered Religious Marriage Celebrant and also teaches in the Vipassana Insight Meditation tradition. She leads workshops, Zen sesshins and Vipassana retreats at a variety of centres in Australia and New Zealand. Subhana has mentored and appointed eight Apprentice Teachers in the Diamond Sangha tradition.

Dr Nadine Levy (PhD, LLB (Hons), BA (Hons)) is the Head of Health and Social Wellbeing and Applied Mindfulness at the Nan Tien Institute. She teaches and researches in the areas
of mindfulness, compassion and social emotions. Her research examines the therapeutic effects of spiritual community and considered the intersection of mindfulness and
psychotherapeutic discourse. She is a Buddhist Insight Meditation Teacher having been trained by James Baraz from Spirit Rock (CA) and the Insight Meditation Institute (Sydney). She regularly leads retreats and workshops on Buddhist meditation and is a regular columnist for The Guardian.

Jesus and the Buddha: Reorienting Lived Religion

Presented by A/Prof Milad Milani hosted by Dr Elizabeth McDougal

This conversation explores Jesus and the Buddha as transformative teachers whose lives and sayings invite a reorientation of lived religion. Rather than comparing Christianity and Buddhism at the level of doctrine or institution, the lecture attends to how each figure unsettles inherited certainties and opens new possibilities for seeing, acting, and relating in the world.

By examining recognisable parallels and deeper existential resonances, the conversation highlights how Jesus and the Buddha challenge forms of attachment, identity, and authority—not simply through their teachings—but through the risks they embodied in their lives. The aim is to consider how their shared gestures, as an example of reorientation, continues to reshape lived religious experience beyond the boundaries later traditions placed around them.

About the Presenter:

Milad Milani is an Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Western Sydney University and a School-based Member of the Institute for Culture and Society. He leads the Humanities Religious Studies Research Collective within the School of Humanities and Communication Arts and is co-lead of the Sufi Studies Network (Monash University). He serves on the editorial board of Sophia and is co-editor of the Journal for the Academic Study of Religion. From 2023 to 2025, he served as President of the Australian Association for the Study of Religion. Dr Milani is an internationally recognised expert in the study of religion, with a focus on Islam and Sufism.

The Art of Buddhist Filmmaking: “Meeting the Buddha”

Presented by Márta György-Kessler, hosted by Dr Nadine Levy

Join us for a special lunchtime conversation with Márta György-Kessler, director of the internationally acclaimed documentary Meeting the Buddha. The film presents an intimate, richly layered exploration of the life and legacy of the 16th Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje, head of the Karma Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism, whose presence and vision helped carry Buddhist teachings into the modern world.

Through rare archival footage, original animation, and thoughtful interviews, Meeting the Buddha traces the profound teacher-student relationship between the Karmapa and Ole Nydahl, a young Danish seeker whose life was radically transformed through that encounter. Together with his wife, Hannah, Nydahl became a pivotal figure in bringing Tibetan Buddhist practice and community to the West, founding hundreds of meditation centres across countries and cultures.

In this event, Márta will share insights into her creative process and the spiritual and artistic intersections of Buddhism and filmmaking — how personal practice informs storytelling, the challenges of capturing lived Dharma on film, and what it means to bring ancient wisdom into contemporary life.

For more information on the film, or to watch the trailer, please visit the website https://www.meetingthebuddha.com/

About the Presenter

Márta György-Kessler is an internationally acclaimed documentary filmmaker, writer and producer whose work explores the transformative power of spiritual encounter and personal journey. She directed Meeting the Buddha, a feature documentary that traces the life of the 16th Karmapa and the living transmission of Tibetan Buddhism into contemporary life, blending rare archival footage, intimate interviews and animation to illuminate timeless wisdom in modern contexts. Her earlier film Hannah – Buddhism’s Untold Journey screened widely including on Netflix and has been celebrated for its depth and narrative grace. Márta first encountered Buddhism through her meetings with Lama Ole and Hannah Nydahl in 1990, an experience that continues to shape her creative and personal path.

Information Overload to Inner Knowledge

Presented by Lara Ryan

We live in an age of endless information, where advice about food is abundant yet often confusing. Nutritional guidance changes rapidly, headlines contradict one another, and certainty is often presented louder than wisdom. In this environment, it can be easy to feel anxious, overwhelmed, or disconnected from our own inner knowing around food.

Social media has intensified this confusion. Short videos, influencer opinions, and algorithm-driven trends often reduce complex nutrition science into absolutes. These messages are designed to provoke reaction rather than reflection, and can quietly cultivate craving, aversion, and self-doubt. Without mindful discernment, it becomes easy to outsource our trust to voices that do not know our bodies, our context, or our lives.

This one-hour presentation offers a Buddhist-informed approach to nutrition rooted in mindfulness, discernment (paññā), and the Middle Way. Rather than chasing perfection or rigid food ideals, we explore how to meet food choices with clarity, balance, and compassion. Nutrition becomes not another source of stress, but an opportunity to practice awareness in daily life.

You will learn how to read food and supplement labels with mindful attention, how to make informed choices around fresh and processed foods and how to recognise marketing and health claims without fear or confusion. The emphasis is not on control, but on understanding, supporting choices that are grounded, flexible, and sustainable.

If you are feeling weary of conflicting advice, curious about cultivating a calmer relationship with food, or seeking a way to nourish both body and mind with greater clarity, this session is an invitation to pause and re-orient. You are warmly invited to attend, reflect, and continue the journey from information overload toward inner knowledge.

About the Presenter

This event is led by Lara Ryan, an accredited Nutritionist and Naturopath with extensive experience in integrative mental health and wellness. Lara’s background includes senior lecturing roles, clinical supervision, and a private practice supporting clients facing chronic health conditions, mental health challenges, and complex emotional needs. Known for her compassionate approach, Lara also writes about resilience, trauma, and self-compassion, offering insights into navigating life’s challenges with strength and hope.