Opening the Mind, Engaging the World
Reading as Transformative Practice
April 22–25, Thursday evening–Sunday
Dharma Realm Buddhist University
Ukiah, California
In an age of fragmented attention and technological mediation, direct and embodied encounters with wisdom texts are more precious than ever. Reading today is rarely understood as an exercise in becoming fully human. As Pierre Hadot observed, “we have forgotten how to read.”
This conference, held in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Dharma Realm Buddhist University, explores reading as a transformative encounter. How might we bridge a theoretical engagement with texts to a practical and contemplative one? Can reading itself be a transformative practice? And, if so, how ought we read?
We welcome contributions from scholars, educators, and practitioners from diverse traditions and fields of study to share research into how our understanding of what it means to be human shapes, and is shaped by, our reading choices and practices.
Scholars include professors and graduate students from any field connected to reading and embodying classical texts—for example, Classics, Religious Studies, Buddhist Studies, Contemplative Studies, Area Studies, Great Books, Literature, and Philosophy. Practitioners include monastics and religious leaders from all faith traditions. Papers relating to the above theme are strongly encouraged. They may address: how to read, putting texts into practice, philosophy as a way of life, teaching wisdom texts, embodied learning, or translating what we read.
Keynote Speaker
Michael Nylan, UC Berkeley
Michael Nylan is Jane K. Sather History Chair at UC Berkeley. She focuses on three areas: the early empires in China, philosophy, and art/archaeology. Her many publications include The Chinese Pleasure Book (2018) and Environmental Equity in China and Beyond: Past, Present, and Future (2026; co-authored with Thomas Hahn). Her new research looks at the Four Fathers of History (Herodotus, Thucydides, Sima Qian, and Ban Gu); the distinctive sociopolitical and cultural conditions for classical learning in the two Han dynasties; and “the politics of the common good” in early China. We are excited to welcome Professor Nylan back to our campus for our 50th Anniversary to give a keynote on the topic of finding friends in history.
Presentation Format
Accepted proposals will be grouped into thematic panels. Each presenter will be allotted 20 minutes for their paper. To foster conversation, every panel will feature time for discussion.
Submission Guidelines
Title, abstract, and requested details may be submitted via THIS FORM by January 8, 2027.
Key Dates
- Submission Deadline: January 8, 2027
- Notification of Acceptance: February 8, 2027 (at the latest)
- Conference Registration Deadline: February 26, 2027
Conference Fee:
$200 Professors, Instructors, and Independent Scholars
$150 Graduate students
(Fees will be waived for monastics.)
Further Registration Details Forthcoming
Housing Options:
Hotels in Ukiah:
On-Campus Accommodation: A limited number of low-cost, simple dorm rooms are available. Please note that these facilities are single-sex. If you’d like more information, please let us know as part of your submission.
Travel to Ukiah:
Dharma Realm Buddhist University is located in Ukiah, CA, approximately two hours north of the San Francisco Bay Area via U.S. Route 101.
If you are flying to the area, you can fly into any of the following three airports:
- San Francisco International Airport
- Oakland International Airport
- Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport
Depending on interest, we may set up a shuttle for conference participants to Ukiah from the Bay Area, via the Sonoma County airport.
About Dharma Realm Buddhist University
Dharma Realm Buddhist University (DRBU) is a small private university and community dedicated to liberal education in the broad Buddhist tradition—a tradition characterized by knowledge in the arts and sciences, self-cultivation, and the pursuit of wisdom. The main campus is located within the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, a Buddhist community founded by the Venerable Master Hua. The DRBU offers two degree programs centered on reading and discussion of classical primary texts at its Ukiah, California campus: a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and a Master of Arts in Buddhist Classics. DRBU is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC). For more information, please visit www.drbu.edu.