Buddhist Scholar,Dr. Claude d'Estree, Conducts Lecture and experiential WorkshopNovember 11 and 12

SALISBURY, MD--Dr. Claude d’Estree, an internationally eminent Buddhist scholar and practitioner, visits Salisbury State University on November 11 and 12. His visit, sponsored by the Fulton School of Liberal Arts and the Philosophy Department, includes a public lecture on "Pain, Suffering and Altruism: Buddhism in Everyday Life" on Thursday November 11, at 7:30 p.m. in the Montgomery Room of the Commons.

In addition, d’Estree will offer an experiential workshop on "Meditation in Action" on Friday, November 12, at 3 p.m. in the Dance Studio in Maggs Center. Both events are open to the public and free of charge.

D’Estree has been teaching meditation, mindfulness training, Buddhist philosophy and practice, and comparative spirituality for 20 years in academic, religious and corporate settings. He has been a spiritual director to Buddhist, Christian and Jewish communities for the past 16 years.

He graduated in 1980 for Harvard Divinity School where he studied comparative religion and spirituality. In 1981 he was recognized by His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet, as master teacher and was appointed as the first Buddhist Chaplain at Harvard University where he remained until 1990. D’Estree has continued to study under the Dalai Lama and is one of his senior students in the West. He has also studied with the Trappist monk, Basil Pennington, and has taught "centering prayer" to Christian groups for the past 20 years. He also works with Islamic and Jewish religious communities. From 1990-97 he served as Buddhist chaplain at the University of Arizona. He is currently serving in the same position at George Mason University.

D’Estree has a special interest in Buddhism as it emerges in the West and is co-founder of the Network of Western Buddhist Teachers. He has published a number of articles and poems, including "Buddhism and Christianity: An Internal Dialogue." He is presently preparing for publication of the book You Can Never Step in the Same River Twice: A Mindfulness Primer, and is working on another book focusing on pain, suffering and self.

According to Dr. Jerry Miller, chair of the SSU Philosophy Department, d’Estree’s visit will provide students and the public a unique opportunity to learn about Buddhist spirituality from someone deeply familiar with both Eastern and Western religious traditions. "We’re especially delighted," Miller said, "that Dr. d’Estree will be sharing with us both his understanding of Buddhist philosophy and a ‘hands-on’ practical workshop in Buddhist meditation practice."

For more information about d’Estree’s visit contact the SSU Philosophy Department at 410-334-3407.