The core of Buddhist teaching compels us to address and relieve the suffering of sentient creatures in the best ways we can. Our health system therefore assumes a special role in alleviating suffering. However, despite undeniable benefits, our health system in significant respects has fallen short of the task. One major factor lies in forgetfulness of the virtue of presence and its associated distinction between curing (treating and preventing) and healing. Despite advanced and sophisticated medical technologies, healthcare seems to have lost its way.

We will examine Buddhist views of presence and healing within this context and that of Buddhist beliefs and values. Along the way, we will examine some Buddhist teachings in view of specific bioethical issues. In conclusion, we will explore ways this resonates with other faith traditions, lending weight to the proposition that we have much to learn from other perspectives, and that looking outward is looking within.

Michael C. Brannigan (Ph.D., Philosophy, M.A., Religious Studies, University of Leuven, Belgium) is the George and Jane Pfaff Endowed Chair in Ethics and Moral Values at The College of Saint Rose in Albany, New York. He holds the first endowed chair in the college’s history. He also has a joint appointment with the Alden March Bioethics Institute at Albany Medical College. His specialty lies in ethics, medical ethics, Asian philosophy, and intercultural studies. Along with numerous articles, his books include: The Pulse of Wisdom: The Philosophies of India, China, and Japan; Striking a Balance: A Primer on Traditional Asian Values; Healthcare Ethics in a Diverse Society (co-authored); and Ethical Issues in Human Cloning (ed.) His two most recent books are Cross-Cultural Biotechnology and Ethics Across Cultures. He chairs the Association for Practical and Professional Ethics Diversity Committee, and serves on the editorial board of Health Care Analysis: An International Journal of Health Care Philosophy and Policy, and several international committees. He was recently guest lecturer at the University of Tokyo, Center for Biomedical Ethics and Law. For fun, he plays piano, ocean kayaks, and practices martial arts.

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