Dear list members,   In early August, there will be three free public seminars at the Nan Tien Temple, 180 Berkeley Road, Berkeley, NSW. For further information, please visit the website or telephone Nan Tien (02 4272 0648).   Kind regards, AABS Executive The Spread of Buddhism: Ships, Camels, Planes, Electrons Speaker: Professor Lewis Lancaster Time: 1:30pm, Friday, 1st August Place: Conference Room, Nan Tien Temple Explore a unique view of how Buddhism has spread and found acceptance around the world, both in history and in the present. While Buddhist doctrine mainly speaks of “vehicles” (yāna) in a metaphorical sense, the history of the tradition is one of many types of journeys with ordinary vehicles. Hear about the story of Buddhism told as a development of technologies, infrastructures, trade and cultural di­ffusion. Learn how a complex network of people formed a community that translated the Buddhist teaching into actions for their lives and livelihoods. China and Sri Lanka: Buddhism via the Maritime Silk Road Speaker: Dr Ananda Guruge Time: 1:30pm, Saturday, 2nd August Place: Conference Room, Nan Tien Temple Join Dr Ananda Guruge as he discusses the role Buddhism has and continues to play in the cultural and diplomatic relations between China and Sri Lanka, via the history and contribution of the Maritime Silk Road. Dr Guruge will discuss how the Great Port Mahatittha was considered to be the emporium mediatrix of the Maritime Silk Road and how its in­fluences are still apparent today. Chiastic Structure of the Vessantara Jataka: New Approach to Criticism and Hermeneutics of a Classic Buddhist Text Speaker: Venerable Huifeng Time:1:30pm, Friday, 8th August Place: Library, Nan Tien Temple The Vessantara Jataka is not only perhaps the most popular of all the Buddhist Jataka tales, but is an important Buddhist text in the tradition as a whole. While considered as displaying the epitome of the bodhisatta’s perfection of giving (dānapāramī) according to the Theravada tradition, and has appeared in modified forms in other traditions, scholars have sometimes felt difficulty in explaining the popularity of the text and how its renunciant content has been popularly thought to convey worldly power and benefit.