Geoff Barstow's guest appearances

Geoff Barstow

A State of Mind

The Buddhist Studies Podcast

OwlTail

Geoffrey Barstow joins us for this in depth discussion of vegetarianism, ethics and specifically the debates about it found in the Tibetan Buddhist traditions. Learn more about Geoffrey Barstow at  https://thelostyak.com  Find his books at:    https://cup.columbia.edu/book/food-of-sinful-demons/9780231179966  https://wisdomexperience.org/product/the-faults-of-meat/   Partial List of Topics in Chronological Order: 0:00 Introduction 3:34 Introduction to Geoffrey Barstow 7:25 Conversation with Geoff begins  Geoff's background Studying Tibetan language How Geoff is both a Scholar and a Practitioner No one believes in myth of academic impartiality 2 Books on Vegetarianism and Buddhism First book is an Attempt to make sense of vegetarianism in the Tibetan context Using Buddhist positions to critique idea of lone gun man doing ego driven science How he got interested in vegetarianism How he went to Kham, Eastern Tibet and interviewed scholars and monks about eating meat 3 Levels of Vows in the Tibetan Buddhist traditions: Individual Liberation, Bodhisattva, Tantric. How vegetarianism was an issue in Tibetan for at least 1,000 years Being Vegetarian was seen as unhealthy - and seen then as an ascetic practice that someone could choose to do for the dharma but was a kind of sacrifice. Separation between buying and killing animals - and debate about this Not causing harm by eating less - or mitigate the harm through buying more 'humanely' raised meat Most chickens never see day light - they have very difficult lives Role of family and culture and tradition in eating meat Value in reducing the amount of meat you eat How we can't escape causing some harm The View sometimes expressed in Tibetan Buddhism that eating meat can be part of being a dharma practitioner because one forms a karmic connection with the animal and Geoffrey's response to this view. The question of the conceptual division between 'human' and 'animals' How neuroscience has shown that animals and humans are not actually so distinct biologically.  A State of Mind Podcast: www.astateofmindpodcast.com Somatic &amp; Trauma Informed Psychotherapy, Psychedelic assisted Therapy, Meditation training &amp; more: www.astateofmindcounseling.org Support the show: www.patreon.com/astateofmind  ---   Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/a-state-of-mind/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/a-state-of-mind/support

Geoffrey Barstow joins us for this in depth discussion of vegetarianism, ethics and specifically the debates about it found in the Tibetan Buddhist traditions. Learn more about Geoffrey Barstow at <ul> <li><a href="https://thelostyak.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://thelostyak.com</a></li> </ul> Find his books at:   <ul> <li><a href="https://cup.columbia.edu/book/food-of-sinful-demons/9780231179966" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://cup.columbia.edu/book/food-of-sinful-demons/9780231179966</a> </li> <li><a href="https://wisdomexperience.org/product/the-faults-of-meat/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://wisdomexperience.org/product/the-faults-of-meat/</a></li> </ul> Partial List of Topics in Chronological Order: 0:00 Introduction 3:34 Introduction to Geoffrey Barstow 7:25 Conversation with Geoff begins <ul> <li>Geoff's background</li> <li>Studying Tibetan language</li> <li>How Geoff is both a Scholar and a Practitioner</li> <li>No one believes in myth of academic impartiality</li> <li>2 Books on Vegetarianism and Buddhism</li> <li>First book is an Attempt to make sense of vegetarianism in the Tibetan context</li> <li>Using Buddhist positions to critique idea of lone gun man doing ego driven science</li> <li>How he got interested in vegetarianism</li> <li>How he went to Kham, Eastern Tibet and interviewed scholars and monks about eating meat</li> <li>3 Levels of Vows in the Tibetan Buddhist traditions: Individual Liberation, Bodhisattva, Tantric.</li> <li>How vegetarianism was an issue in Tibetan for at least 1,000 years</li> <li>Being Vegetarian was seen as unhealthy - and seen then as an ascetic practice that someone could choose to do for the dharma but was a kind of sacrifice.</li> <li>Separation between buying and killing animals - and debate about this</li> <li>Not causing harm by eating less - or mitigate the harm through buying more 'humanely' raised meat</li> <li>Most chickens never see day light - they have very difficult lives</li> <li>Role of family and culture and tradition in eating meat</li> <li>Value in reducing the amount of meat you eat</li> <li>How we can't escape causing some harm</li> <li>The View sometimes expressed in Tibetan Buddhism that eating meat can be part of being a dharma practitioner because one forms a karmic connection with the animal and Geoffrey's response to this view.</li> <li>The question of the conceptual division between 'human' and 'animals'</li> <li>How neuroscience has shown that animals and humans are not actually so distinct biologically.</li> </ul> A State of Mind Podcast: <a href="http://www.astateofmindpodcast.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.astateofmindpodcast.com</a> Somatic &amp; Trauma Informed Psychotherapy, Psychedelic assisted Therapy, Meditation training &amp; more: <a href="http://www.astateofmindcounseling.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.astateofmindcounseling.org</a> Support the show: <a href="http://www.patreon.com/astateofmind" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.patreon.com/astateofmind</a> --- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/a-state-of-mind/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/a-state-of-mind/message</a> Support this podcast: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/a-state-of-mind/support" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/a-state-of-mind/support</a>

The Ethics of Eating Animals with Buddhist Scholar Geoff Barstow

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Geoff Barstow about his beginnings as a scholar of Tibetan Buddhism, the complicated status of animals in Buddhism, his research into the history of vegetarianism in Tibet, and how thinking with animals can help us see the world in a new way. We discuss common questions about Buddhism and animals, such as: what did the Buddha teach about animals? Are most Buddhists vegetarians? What are some of the different ways Buddhist communities have interacted with animals?  We also preview his upcoming online course, BSO 106 | Buddhism and Animals, which will explore these issues in more depth!Speaker BioDr. Geoffrey Barstow is Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Oregon State University.He first encountered Tibetan Buddhism in 1999, and since that time the study of Tibetan religion, history, and culture has been the focus of his professional life. For the last decade and a half, his research has focussed on the history and practice of vegetarianism on the Tibetan plateau, asking questions about how animals were viewed, how they were treated (i.e., eaten), what that can tell us about Tibetan Buddhism, and how Buddhist ideas about animal ethics might impact broader philosophical discussions. His published work includes Food of Sinful Demons: A History of Vegetarianism in Tibet (Columbia University Press) and The Faults of Meat: Tibetan Writings on Vegetarianism (Wisdom Publications).Links discussed in episodeBSO 106 | Buddhism and AnimalsFood of Sinful Demons: A History of Vegetarianism in TibetThe Faults of Meat: Tibetan Writings on Vegetarianism Unfortunate Destiny: Animals in the Indian Buddhist Imagination by  Reiko OhnumaThe Rule of Threefold Purity in MN 55.5Janet Gyatso on animal ethics on the Wisdom PodcastKinship and Killing: The Animal in World Religions by Katherine Perlo

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Geoff Barstow about his beginnings as a scholar of Tibetan Buddhism, the complicated status of animals in Buddhism, his research into the history of vegetarianism in Tibet, and how thinking with animals can help us see the world in a new way. We discuss common questions about Buddhism and animals, such as: what did the Buddha teach about animals? Are most Buddhists vegetarians? What are some of the different ways Buddhist communities have interacted with animals?  We also preview his upcoming online course, <a href="https://www.buddhiststudiesonline.com/bso-106" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">BSO 106 | Buddhism and Animals</a>, which will explore these issues in more depth! Speaker Bio Dr. Geoffrey Barstow is Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Oregon State University. He first encountered Tibetan Buddhism in 1999, and since that time the study of Tibetan religion, history, and culture has been the focus of his professional life. For the last decade and a half, his research has focussed on the history and practice of vegetarianism on the Tibetan plateau, asking questions about how animals were viewed, how they were treated (i.e., eaten), what that can tell us about Tibetan Buddhism, and how Buddhist ideas about animal ethics might impact broader philosophical discussions. His published work includes <a href="http://cup.columbia.edu/book/food-of-sinful-demons/9780231179966#:~:text=Food%20of%20Sinful%20Demons%20shows,shaped%20religious%20beliefs%20and%20practices." rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Food of Sinful Demons: A History of Vegetarianism in Tibet </a>(Columbia University Press) and <a href="https://wisdomexperience.org/product/the-faults-of-meat/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Faults of Meat: Tibetan Writings on Vegetarianism </a>(Wisdom Publications). Links discussed in episode<ul><li><a href="https://www.buddhiststudiesonline.com/bso-106" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">BSO 106 | Buddhism and Animals</a></li><li><a href="http://cup.columbia.edu/book/food-of-sinful-demons/9780231179966#:~:text=Food%20of%20Sinful%20Demons%20shows,shaped%20religious%20beliefs%20and%20practices." rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Food of Sinful Demons: A History of Vegetarianism in Tibet</a></li><li><a href="https://wisdomexperience.org/product/the-faults-of-meat/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Faults of Meat: Tibetan Writings on Vegetarianism </a></li><li><a href="https://oxford.universitypressscholarship.com/view/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780190637545.001.0001/acprof-9780190637545" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Unfortunate Destiny: Animals in the Indian Buddhist Imagination by  Reiko Ohnuma</a></li><li><a href="https://suttacentral.net/mn55/en/sujato?layout=plain&amp;reference=none&amp;notes=asterisk&amp;highlight=false&amp;script=latin" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Rule of Threefold Purity in MN 55.5</a></li><li><a href="https://wisdomexperience.org/wisdom-podcast/janet-gyatso/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Janet Gyatso on animal ethics on the Wisdom Podcast</a></li><li><a href="http://cup.columbia.edu/book/kinship-and-killing,/9780231146227" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kinship and Killing: The Animal in World Religions by Katherine Perlo</a></li></ul>