The ethics of Buddhism will be the subject of a public talk on Thursday, March 16, at 4:30 p.m. in the E. Craig Wall Sr. College of Business Administration Boardroom. The event, part of the Jackson Family Center for Ethics and Values at Coastal Carolina University, is free and open to the public.

The discussion, led by CCU professor of philosophy and religious studies Ron Green, will explore questions related to Buddhism and morality. Some questions that the discussion will cover include: What does Buddhism tell us about our moral obligations? How should we eat? How should we act? How does a Buddhist approach to ethics differ from that of other world religions?

There are two groups of Buddhist rules that guide ethical behavior. One realm is solely for monks and nuns, the other is the Bodhisattva vows, which are taken by anyone who wishes to be enlightened. The original research and translations that Green and his colleague Chanju Mun, a Buddhist monk, conducted on "Xuanzang's Guide to Bodhisattva Ethics" are the basis of this talk. Xuanzang was a Chinese Buddhist monk in the 600s who became famous for his 17-year pilgrimage from China to India during a war between the two countries.

Green earned a Ph.D. in Buddhist studies from the University of Wisconsin at Madison in 2003. He also earned a master's degree in South Asian religions from UW-Madison, a master's degree in Japanese literature from the University of Oregon, and a master's degree in sociology from Virginia Tech. In addition to teaching at CCU, Green works as an editor at Blue Pine Press. Green's areas of expertise include world religions, Buddhism, Hinduism, Asian religions, religion in film and literature, religion in Japanese literature and representations of religious identity in popular culture.

The discussion is part of the Tea & Ethics series hosted by the Jackson Family Center, which aims to cultivate ethical awareness in the community through programs and events.

The Wall Boardroom is in Room 222 of the E. Craig Wall Sr. College of Business Admiistration, located at 119 Chanticleer Drive W. on the main Conway campus.

For more information on this event or the Tea & Ethics series, contact Brian Edgerton, the assistant director of the Jackson Center, at 843-349-4149 or bjedgert@coastal.edu. Visit coastal.edu/humanities/centersandinitiatives.