Cody Bahir
My blogs
| Gender | Male |
|---|---|
| Occupation | PhD Candidate, Leiden University Institute for Area Studies |
| Location | Tainan, Taiwan |
| Introduction | I attempt to understand how modern thinkers have reinterpreted supernatural and “magical” phenomena in light of modern science. To this end, my PhD dissertation explores the life, teachings and influence of Master Wuguang 悟光上師 (1918-2000). Wuguang was a Taiwanese Chan monk, folk healer and exorcist who studied Daoist Alchemy, Western Occultism, Yoga, Tibetan and Japanese Esoteric Buddhism, biology physics and psychology. In East Asia, he is best known for ushering in a worldwide Buddhist revival movement which I refer to as Contemporary Chinese Zhenyan 現代漢傳真言宗. Of special interest is how Wuguang’s particular form of Buddhist modernism—which is embodied in how he reinterpreted Buddhism in light of modern science—is dramatically different from other Buddhist reformers such as Taixu 太虛 (1890-1947), Yinshun 印順(1906-2005) and Inoue Enryō 井上円了(1858-1919). These more well-known figures attempted to rationalize and demythologize the esoteric, superstitious and magical aspects of Buddhism. In contrast, Wuguang utilized concepts from biology, physics and psychology to explain the mechanics behind supernatural powers such as spirit communication, religious healing and performing wonders. |
| Interests | religion, philosophy, buddhism, asia, china, taiwan, japan, tibet, judaism, science, physics, modernity, modernism |