339. Dana Sawyer on Huston Smith - a podcast by Rick Archer

Why are we here? Is there a God? Can there be authentic mystical experience? Are Hindus and Buddhists correct that we can attain a state of enlightenment? Can psychedelic drugs give us a glimpse of it? Does religion have a viable place in the modern world? Is there a common core of values and insights among the world's religions?

Huston Smith spent his career in a search for answers to these and other questions. Born in China in 1919, the son of Methodist missionaries, Smith followed a life-long spiritual quest that led him around the world many times. He studied the world's religions and mystical traditions directly with Aldous Huxley, D.T. Suzuki, J. Krishnamurti, Alan Watts, Paul Tillich, Reinhold Niebuhr, the Dalai Lama, Joseph Campbell, Ram Dass, and a host of others. Huston, as a renowned philosopher of religion, helped shape the contemporary face of comparative religion, interfaith dialogue, and religious tolerance. As a seeker, he became a citizen of the world, plunging into its various spiritual traditions.

Website: hustonsmith.netSome of Huston Smith's books:

The World's Religions (Plus)
Tales of Wonder: Adventures Chasing the Divine, an AutobiographyForgotten Truth: The Common Vision of the World's Religions
Why Religion Matters: The Fate of the Human Spirit in an Age of DisbeliefThe Soul of Christianity: Restoring the Great Tradition (Plus)
Buddhism: A Concise IntroductionAnd Live Rejoicing: Chapters from a Charmed Life — Personal Encounters with Spiritual Mavericks, Remarkable Seekers, and the World's Great Religious Leaders
The Huston Smith ReaderDana Sawyer is the author of Huston Smith: Wisdomkeeper: Living The World's Religions: The Authorized Biography of a 21st Century Spiritual Giant. He is also the author of an acclaimed biography of Aldous Huxley. He was a professor of religion and philosophy at the Maine College of Art and a popular lecturer at venues such as Esalen Institute and Kripalu. An expert in Asian religions and theories related to the perennial philosophy, he has written for Tricycle, Parabola and other magazines.His website is dana-sawyer.com
Previous Batgap interview with Dana.Previous Batgap interview with Jeffrey Kripal and Dana.
Batgap panel discussion at Sofia University, including Dana. Part 1 | Part 2Transcript of this interview

Interview conducted 3/19/2016Video and audio below. Audio also available as a Podcast.


YouTube Video Chapters:00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump
00:04:25 - Academic Defense of Non-Dual Experience00:09:50 - The Holistic Development of Intellect, Heart, and Body
00:14:58 - Houston Smith's Reconciliation of Religions00:20:44 - Community and Identity in Religion00:25:32 - Restoring the Transcendent Aspect of Religions
00:30:27 - The Curative Value of Religion00:35:49 - The Paths to Spiritual Enlightenment
00:40:48 - The Four Points of the Minimum Working Hypothesis00:47:10 - The Ocean in a Drop
00:52:31 - Profound Interconnectedness and Spiritual Experiences00:57:35 - Meeting a Sadhu in the Newark Airport
01:02:21 - The Importance of Houston Smith01:07:23 - Houston Smith's Humility and Approach to Religions
01:12:34 - Houston's Interaction with Timothy Leary
01:17:51 - Extraordinary Experiences and Timothy Leary01:23:05 - The Anger and Disapproval of Houston
01:28:44 - Integrating Spiritual Experiences into Life01:33:51 - Compassion and Engaging in Social Action
01:38:35 - Embracing the Transcendent Aspect of What We Are01:44:13 - Existential dilemmas and the importance of spiritual growth
01:48:40 - The Importance of Houston Smith's Third Choice
01:53:19 - Houston Smith and the Condemnation to Meaning01:58:28 - Cultural Relativity and Conflict
02:03:44 - Qualia Problems and the Interpretation of Experience02:08:54 - Embracing Individual Perspectives

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