Buddhism criticizes greed and teaches about the illusory nature of everything around us, the wealth is not an exception. Meanwhile, the Chinese culture perceives wealth as a well-deserved blessing, and states that this belief is based on the Buddhist worldview. There are no temples dedicated to the god of wealth specifically, but in any temple, a statue of god of wealth is the most addressed and splendidly adorned by the temple’s congregation.
Isn’t it controversial? And if wealth is a gift, then poverty is a punishment, and this dynamics must be hard to subvert. Some people will profit from their high status for generations, the others will be stuck in a vicious circle of material and intellectual scarcity, as a Ukrainian saying puts it: “Why is he poor? It’s because he is dumb. Why is he dumb? It’s because he is poor.”
However, the lecture „Wealth: controversies resolved“ will explain the other factors that influenced values, beliefs, and practices helping to pinpoint influences of other philosophies and interventions of the state. It will also suggest optimistic scenarios. And while there is no Poor Lazarus figure in the Chinese lore, one still should not lord over an odd-job man or a drifter as this humble or even disgusting person may be a deity in disguise.
The lectures will be delivered by Marta Logvyn who is a leading research fellow at The Bohdan and Varvara Khanenko National Museum of Art (Kyiv, Ukraine).
The lecture will be held at Vilnius University Confucius Institute (Didžioji Konfucijaus auditorija, M. K. Ciurlionio str. 21, inner yard).
Also check out other Arts events in Vilnius.
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