The Department of Religion at George Washington University in partnership with the Sigur Center for Asian Studies and the Chinese Arts & Humanities Initiative presents the 2025 Abbie Ziffren Endowed Lecture:

"Chan (Zen) Path to Freedom  禪本自在"
Dr. Jimmy Yu (Guo Gu 果谷), Sheng Yen Professor of Chinese Buddhism

All students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to register. See you there!

Lecture Preview: What lies at the heart of Chan (Zen) is our intrinsic nature of freedom, expressed in terms of wisdom and compassion. Freedom in Chan Buddhism refers to the direct personal awakening to the interconnectedness and freshness of life, beyond concepts and self. In this talk, Dr. Jimmy Yu (aka Guo Gu) will discuss two interrelated approaches to awakening: the meditation methods of silent illumination and critical phrase.