Talk
What if Buddhists Ran the World? (with Stephen Batchelor and Bing Song)
A panel discussion imagining a secular Buddhist approach applied to public life.
About the teacher
A quiet, direct path.
Stephen Batchelor trained first as a monk in the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism and later in Korean Zen, before leaving monastic life and developing what he calls Secular Dharma — a reading of Buddhist practice that treats it as a practical, this-worldly discipline rather than a religion requiring belief in rebirth or karma, argued most directly in his book After Buddhism.
He co-founded Bodhi College and hosts its Conversation Series from January to May 2026, alongside ongoing Secular Dharma courses and the After Buddhism online course.
Upcoming events
Meet Stephen in person.
Talks, day programmes and retreats currently listed in the Paths Are Many calendar.
No upcoming events are currently listed.
Talks & videos
Listen before you attend.
Short introductions and longer conversations give a sense of this teacher's language and style.
Talk
The Most Powerful Question I've Heard | The Ezra Klein Show
Batchelor discusses Secular Dharma and Buddhist practice stripped of metaphysical claims.