Buddhism and Crisis: Sacred Texts on Suffering, Wisdom, and Liberation
Suffering is part of being human. It can unsettle what we believe, challenge our relationships, and change how we understand ourselves and the world around us.
Buddhist teachings invite us to examine these experiences without turning away from them. Rather than offering a way to avoid life's difficulties, they encourage us to cultivate the wisdom, awareness, and compassion needed to meet them.
The Dhammapada, an early collection of teachings attributed to Shakyamuni Buddha, examines how our thoughts, actions, and habits shape our lives. Centuries later, Nichiren Daishonin offered a Mahayana Buddhist perspective in which suffering and enlightenment are not ultimately separate realities.
The circumstances of our lives may be difficult, but they do not have to determine the limits of our spiritual growth.
In the third workshop of One Spirit Learning Alliance's Sacred Texts Series: Navigating Crisis, Rev. Ali'a B. Edwards brings these teachings into conversation through close reading, contemplative inquiry, dialogue, and practical reflection.
Together, we'll explore what it means to respond wisely to difficult conditions and how the very circumstances that challenge us can become part of a journey toward liberation.
Saturday, February 27, 2027
10 AM – 4 PM ET
Live on Zoom · Recording included
General Public $135 · OSLA Affiliated Alumni $100
What We'll Study
The Dhammapada: Cultivating Wisdom in Everyday Life
Through selected chapters of the Dhammapada, we'll examine how the mind, our choices, and our actions influence the way we experience life. Our readings will include:
Chapter 1, The Pairs: How the mind shapes our experience and the consequences of our thoughts and actions.
Chapter 2, Heedfulness: The importance of awareness, diligence, and intentional living.
Chapter 12, The Self: Personal responsibility, self-discipline, and the work of cultivating wisdom.
Chapter 17, Anger: Understanding anger and responding without allowing it to govern our actions.
Chapter 20, The Path: The practices and insights that lead toward liberation.
Nichiren Daishonin: Hell Is the Land of Tranquil Light
Written in 1274 to a widow mourning her husband, this letter offers a perspective on grief, suffering, and enlightenment.
Nichiren challenges the idea that peace and awakening exist only somewhere beyond our present circumstances. Through the Mahayana teaching that suffering and enlightenment are not ultimately separate, we'll consider how even the most difficult experiences can become occasions for spiritual transformation.
Bringing Buddhist Wisdom into Daily Life
Through contemplative inquiry, conversation, and practical reflection, we'll consider how these teachings speak to the challenges we encounter in our relationships, communities, and everyday lives.
Rather than seeking to eliminate every difficulty, we'll explore the discipline of responding with greater awareness, wisdom, and compassion.
What You'll Take Away
An understanding of selected teachings from the Dhammapada on the mind, ethical conduct, anger, and the path toward liberation.
An introduction to Nichiren's understanding of suffering and enlightenment through Hell Is the Land of Tranquil Light.
Practical perspectives on meeting difficult circumstances without losing sight of compassion, human dignity, and the possibility of growth.
Who Should Attend?
Those Curious About Buddhist Wisdom
Whether you're encountering the Dhammapada for the first time or have an established interest in Buddhism, this workshop offers a chance to spend time with foundational teachings and consider their relevance to daily life.
Those Interested in Spiritual Practice and Transformation
If you're drawn to questions about suffering, awareness, personal responsibility, or the possibility of flourishing amid difficult circumstances, these readings offer a rich foundation for reflection.
All Paths and All Levels Welcome
No previous knowledge of Buddhism is required. Newcomers to One Spirit, current students, graduates, and longtime community members are welcome, as are folks from any faith or spiritual tradition including none at all.
About Your Facilitator
Rev. Ali’a B. Edwards is an ordained interfaith minister, writer/designer, and provocateur devoted to the science of living artfully and the everyday practice of constructing peace from life's daily ingredients. A student of Buddhist humanist thought for over 24 years, she brings the liberating wisdom of Nichiren into vibrant conversation with Brother Wayne Teasdale, James Baldwin, Audre Lorde, George Clinton, and Harmonia Rosales—drawing on theology, philosophy, funk, and the transformative power of art. As Dean of Formation at One Spirit Interfaith Seminary and founder of The Monastery Within, she cultivates spaces for courageous inquiry, spiritual rigor, and creative expression. Her work champions human dignity, radical encouragement, and the audacious possibility of flourishing, even in the midst of it all.
Registration Details
What Your Registration Includes
Six-hour live, interactive workshop with guidance into the sacred text.
Workshop recording, available through June 30, 2027.
Reflection questions, guided practices, and community discussions to deepen your experience.
Spiritual practices and resources for integration beyond the classroom.
Registration Pricing
General Public: $135 · OSLA Affiliated Alumni: $100
OSLA Alumni: →Log in to your OSLA Portal to apply your affiliate discount.
Not affiliated yet? →Learn More about Affiliation
Sacred Text Series Pricing
This workshop is part of One Spirit’s Sacred Texts Series, bringing six sacred texts into conversation around the wisdom, resilience, and possibilities available to us in times of change.
Complete Six-Workshop Series: $495
→Explore all Six Offerings →Register for the Complete Series
After You Register
You'll receive a confirmation email with instructions for accessing the workshop's Hylo Course Board, where you'll find the Zoom link and workshop materials.
Can't attend live? The recording will be available within 72 hours of the workshop and accessible through June 30, 2027.
Questions? Contact help@1spirit.org.