How did an unconventional undergraduate program become an international model for contemplative education? In episode 2 of this five-part series in the podcast Buddhist Studies Footnotes, we trace the origins of BPMH, from its roots in socially engaged Buddhism and the teachings of Thích Nhất Hạnh to its pioneering integration of Buddhist Studies, psychology, neuroscience, […]
This brochure introduces transdisciplinary education as an essential framework for addressing the complex challenges of the twenty-first century. Arguing that issues such as mental health, climate change, artificial intelligence, and social justice transcend traditional disciplinary boundaries, it highlights BPMH as a model of collaborative, community-engaged learning that integrates scientific, humanistic, and cultural forms of knowledge. […]
This month the EASE Lab is meeting at the Centre for Ethics! Join Zoom Meeting https://utoronto.zoom.us/j/88536633527 (Meeting ID: 885 3663 3527 | Passcode: 707164)
This brochure argues that contemporary universities must respond to an emerging "attention crisis" produced by digital economies that commodify human awareness. Drawing on the concept of "human fracking," it presents BPMH as an educational "attention sanctuary"—a space that cultivates sustained attention, contemplation, dialogue, and community. It proposes that protecting human attention has become a central […]
Join us for a conversation about attention activism with Jay Vidyarthi. Jay Vidyarthi is an attention activist and the founder of Still Ape – the world’s first UX design studio focused exclusively on mindfulness, compassion, and wellbeing. He is working toward a society where access points to self-care and collective transformation are as diverse as […]
Join the BPMH community for a movie night showing of Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022). IMDb summary: "A middle-aged Chinese immigrant is swept up into an insane adventure in which she alone can save existence by exploring other universes and connecting with the lives she could have led." This event is only open to […]
Can scholars ever stand outside the knowledge they study? Beginning with a dispute over the title of a single university course, this episode examines larger debates about objectivity, evidence, and whose ways of knowing universities recognize as legitimate. Drawing on classroom practices, student reflections, and the work of scholars who offered public lectures for the […]
This brochure explores the relationship between the University's commitments to anti-Asian racism initiatives and the proposed closure of the BPMH program. It argues that BPMH advances many of the recommendations articulated in the University's own Anti-Asian Racism Working Group Report by centring Asian intellectual traditions, fostering culturally informed approaches to mental health, and building partnerships […]
This brochure situates BPMH within broader national conversations about student mental health and argues that universities should integrate well-being directly into their educational missions. Rather than treating mental health exclusively as a clinical concern, BPMH approaches flourishing through interdisciplinary scholarship that combines Buddhist Studies, psychology, neuroscience, public health, and the humanities. The brochure presents education […]
Join the BPMH community for a movie night showing of Perfect Days (2023). IMDb summary: "Hirayama cleans public toilets in Tokyo, lives his life in simplicity and daily tranquility. Some […]