How I Came to Buddhism - Shantanu Phukan

Shantanu is a new member of GBF, having joined the sangha just last summer. He has been a practitioner of Hatha Yoga since he was ten and growing up in Calcutta, India. After immigrating to Los Angeles in 1976, he has meditated, intermittently, through college and then graduate school at the University of Chicago. Though not a card-holding member of any religion, Shantanu holds both Hindusim and Islam close to his heart. For his doctoral work, Shantanu studied comparative literature, specifically the literary interactions between Hindus and Muslims in India. He has found much pleasure in translating Rumi, Faiz, Iqbal and other Persian and Indian poets into English. Other activities that have been sources of joy for Shantanu are feeding his friends with new, but not elaborate, recipes; landscaping his rock garden; and, finally, discovering new species of birds both in India and far-flung corners of the United States. Shantanu teaches comparative literature at San Jose State University, and will talk about the connection between spiritual experience and the translation of lyric poetry. ______________  To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/There you can:   Donate  Learn how to participate live  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers  Join our mailing list or discussion forum Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995CREDITSAudio Production: George HubbardProducer: Tom BrueinMusic/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter