The current study examines the agnostic Buddhism of
contemporary scholar and practitioner Stephen Batchelor.
The main question under examination is whether the essence of Buddhism is
undermined when interpreted through Batchelor’s agnostic and “belief-free”
lens. In an attempt to answer this
question, Batchelor’s main philosophical texts – Alone
With Others, The Faith to Doubt,
and Buddhism
Without Beliefs – are analysed, as are three
critiques of his work written by Bhikkhu Punnadhammo, Bhikkhu Bodhi, and
Sangharakshita. It is concluded
that while Batchelor is discarding many of the conventional trappings of
Buddhism, he is not placing its integrity at risk.
RÉSUMÉ
L’étude
qui suit examine l’approche agnostique du penseur et practicien bouddhiste
Stephen Batchelor. Sous examen est
la question de la possibilité que l’essence même du bouddhisme soit minée
par le point de vue agnostique et “sans croyances” de Batchelor.
En tentant de répondre à cette question les textes primordiaux de l’œuvre
de Batchelor (Alone With Others, The Faith to Doubt, et Buddhism
Without Beliefs) seront analysés, ainsi que trois critiques de son œuvre
par Bhikkhu Punnadhammo, Bhikkhu Bodhi, et Sangharakshita.
On pourra en conclure que malgré que Batchelor rejette grand nombre des
notions conventionelles du bouddhisme, il ne menace point son integrité.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Firstly, I would
like to thank Dr. Richard P. Hayes of the Department of Religious Studies at
McGill, my supervisor for this project as well as my academic mentor throughout
my years of study at McGill. His
friendship, encouragement, and academic guidance have been instrumental over the
years. I would also like to thank
my family and friends for their ongoing help and support, especially Dara
Lithwick for the use of her laptop, her invaluable editing skills, and her
unconditional support and partnership. Finally,
I would like to thank Stephen Batchelor for sending me an extensive CV of his
life and work, and for responding generously to my queries for factual
clarification.