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20 EASTERN HORIZON | FACE TO FACE

and night feeds, tantrums and triumphs, lead to the Wise Steps:
cessation of suffering for yourself and all beings.
1. Pause before reacting: Take a moment to breathe and
reflect before responding to your child’s behaviour.
Resources for Buddhist Parents
2. Reflect on your triggers: Use challenging moments
If you’re navigating parenthood as a Buddhist, know with your children to explore your own unresolved
that you’re not alone. Consider exploring: issues.
3. Embrace impermanence: Remind yourself that both
• Suttas on family life, like the Sigalovada Sutta joys and challenges in family life are temporary. EH
• Modern Buddhist authors writing on parenting
• Local Buddhist communities

Śāntideva’s Philosophy

for the Modern World

By Dr. Stephen Harris

Indian Philosophy, Philosophy
East and West and Sophia. His
recent research focuses on
Śāntideva’s views on well-being,
virtue, and the relation between
metaphysical selflessness and
ethical commitment. He is
the author of Buddhist Ethics
and the Bodhisattva Path:
Śāntideva on Virtue and Well-
Being (Bloomsbury, 2024).
Benny Liow interviewed
Stephen about his interest in

Stephen Harris is University of moral demandingness in Buddhism, why he chose to
Lecturer (Universitair Docent) Western ethics. He specializes focus on Śāntideva’s teachings,
at Leiden University’s Institute in Cross-Cultural and Indian Śāntideva’s understanding
for Philosophy. He received philosophy, with a particular of moral philosophy, the
his PhD from the University interest in Buddhist accounts importance of patience, and
of New Mexico’s department of personhood and Mahāyāna his definition of happiness and
of philosophy in 2014, where ethics. He has published wellbeing in the context of the
his dissertation focused on the numerous articles in academic Buddha’s teaching on dukkha or
relationship between Śāntideva’s journals, including Journal suffering.
Bodhicaryāvatāra and issues of Buddhist Ethics, Journal of