CGNK hosts “Semester at Sea” Students

The Center for Global Nonkilling and the Korean Buddhist Mu Ryang Sa Temple in Honolulu hosted eighteen students from the Semester At Sea program. Semester At Sea offers college students from across the US an opportunity to travel around the world by ship for three months while studying topics of their choice for earned credit. The ship stops at numerous ports around the globe where students have the option to disembark and attend special workshops, seminars or classes pertaining to their area of interest.

The connection to Glenn Paige’s work and the Center for Global Nonkilling was made through Mark Shadle, professor of English Writing at Eastern Oregon University and long time friend of Paige. Shadle, who taught students during the SAS program, put Paige’s book “Nonkilling Global Political Science” on the list of suggested reading. Shadle also led several discussions with students, centered on the concept of a nonkilling world, while onboard the ship prior arriving in Honolulu Harbor.

The program was held inside the temple and began with a Hawaiian chant from LouAnn Ha’aheo Guanson from the Pacific Justice and Reconciliation Center. The SAS students and speakers learned the meaning of the chant and then followed along in unison so they could “feel the vibration of peace and aloha,” according to Guanson.

Karen Cross, co-director of CGNK spoke about some of the resources available for peacemaking in Hawai’i at the University of Hawai’i Matsunaga Institute for Peace and about the people, projects, and reach of the newly created Center for Global Nonkilling. Katherine Li, CGNK Research Team Leader, spoke about the upcoming Neuroscience Exploratory Colloquium.

The heart of the visit for the students was a discussion led by Glenn Paige, founder and Chair of the Governing Council of CGNK, on the question “Is a Nonkilling World/Society Possible?” Students were engaged by answering the question “yes” or “no” and reflecting individually about “why or why not?.” After writing their thoughts on note cards, the cards were collected, passed around, and read so the answers were anonymous. The answers created a thoughtful and wide ranging discussion. This central question again proved to be the one that helps people consider the possibility that humans may be able to take a different path by developing nonkilling capabilities.

The Temple, was the perfect location for the SAS three-hour course and set the stage for thoughtful consideration of a nonkilling world. Founded in 1982, Mu Ryang Sa temple was dedicated to world peace. Dr. Paige was instrumental in building the temple, which is set in the lush hills above Honolulu. On the day of the SAS class, the temple was bedecked with colorful lanterns in preparation for the Buddha’s birthday. The SAS students were given a tour of the Temple grounds by Abbot Dohyun Gwon who chanted the Heart Sutra for the students.

For further details visit the audio slideshow and the the accompanying blog entry created by SAS students.