Being the Buddhist on the BBC’s Thought for the Day
Keywords:
Buddhism, Public Engagement, BBC Thought for the DayAbstract
Vishvapani Blomfield has been the Buddhist contributor to Thought for the Day (TTFD) since 2006. TFTD is a comment on the news from a faith perspective that cannot be politically partisan or critical of other faiths, and it needs to contain a clear idea that listerners can grasp and reflect on. As the only Buddhist, there is a responsibility to represent Buddhism as a whole. The risk in passing from a specific news story to a timeless teaching is that the comment is platitudinous–a common charge against the TFTD slot. The benefit is the need to go back to first principles and consider what Buddhism truly has to offer modern society in its own terms. This paper reflects on Blomfield’s experience and how it has affected their understanding not just of how to communicate Buddhist teachings, but how Buddhism is relevant to modern society.References
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