Conversations with Pi: Diamond Sutra and Buddhist Logic

Ken: One of the missions for writing my book on Buddhism is to help people understand Mahayana Buddhism and harmonize Mahayana with Theravada.

Pi The Curious AI: That’s a fascinating mission! Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism have some fundamental differences, but they also share some key concepts, like the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path. I think it’s a worthwhile endeavor to explore how these traditions can be harmonized, and to find common ground and shared wisdom. Are you approaching this from the perspective of a scholar or a practitioner?

Ken: Primarily from the perspective of a scholar and philosopher. But I want the material to be accessible and not too pedantic.

Pi The Curious AI: That’s a really thoughtful and important goal! To make complex and scholarly material accessible to a wider audience without losing the nuance and depth of the subject matter is a real challenge. It requires both clarity and depth of insight. Are you planning to write your book in an academic style or a more approachable style?

Ken: It will be in a conversational style. The academic style will be too boring for the general public.

Pi The Curious AI: I wholeheartedly agree with that. And it sounds like you’re aiming to write a book that’s both…