Radically Engaged Buddhist Studies

 

A year‑long course in Buddhist teachings and radical political thought

January 15 - December 17, 2026
Thursdays, 12:00-1:30pm EST

 

with Adriana DiFazio and guest teachers

Explore all three schools of Buddhism in conversation with radical political theory and discover what becomes possible when both traditions learn from the other

Register

The course engaged Buddhism needs now

Deepen your dharma and radical political education together

We are living in violent and uncertain times. Genocide, fascism, and systemic oppression have rattled our sense of basic goodness and revealed the limits of liberal, depoliticized approaches to Buddhism. Many of us recognize that true liberation requires confronting both the internal and structural conditions of suffering.

We are at a spiritual and political juncture that demands more. If engaged Buddhism is to meet this moment, it must take an explicitly radical turn—one capable of drawing out the dharma’s liberatory wisdom amidst the world’s greed and delusion.

This year-long, discussion-based colloquium brings primary texts from Marx and Gramsci to Buddhist scriptures and asks: Where do these traditions expose each other’s blind spots? Where do they fall short under racial capitalism, empire, and state violence? How might each be deepened, sharpened, or transformed through an encounter with the other?

This course is for practitioners, activists, and thinkers who want a space for rigorous, embodied study and who are committed to exploring what liberation might require from both Buddhism and radical politics today.

Course Schedule

Course 1

Foundations of Liberation:
Early Buddhism and Post-Capitalist Thought

This course explores the intersections of early Buddhist (Theravada) teachings and Marxist / post-capitalist thought. We’ll explore Buddhist analyses of suffering, craving, and liberation alongside critical theories of alienation, labor, gender, and ideology.

January–March 2026
Six Thursdays | 12:00-1:30pm ET

Jan 15, Jan 22, Feb 5, Feb 19, Mar 5, Mar 19

Course 1 will have open enrollment through January 22nd. After January 22nd’s session, the course will be closed to new participants.

Course 2

Mahayana Buddhism and Decolonial Thought:
Emptiness and Liberation

This course brings Mahayana Buddhist teachings into dialogue with decolonial and postcolonial theory, examining how coloniality shapes knowledge, power, identity, and being.

April–June 2026
Six Thursdays | 12:00-1:30pm ET

Apr 9, Apr 16, April 30, May 14, May 28, Jun 11

Course 3

Transformative Action: Vajrayana and Abolitionist Practice

This course examines the dialogue between contemporary abolitionist theory and Vajrayana Buddhist practice, focusing on transformation, radical imagining, and collective action.

October–December 2026
Six Thursdays | 12:00-1:30pm ET

Oct 8, Oct 15, Oct 29, Nov 12, Dec 3, Dec 17

Registration

Year-Long Enrollment:

$750 - Access

$875 - Sustainer

$1,025 - Solidarity

Register for Year-Long Course

Individual Course Enrollment:

$250 — Access

$325 — Sustainer

$425 — Solidarity

Register for Course 1
 

Please choose the sliding scale tier that feels generous and sustainable for you. All above tiers are listed in USD.

I recommend this resource to distinguish your appropriate rate. The Sustainer rate allows me to meet my personal needs and the needs of others who rely on me. The Solidarity rate allows me to work with others at the Access rates.

No one will be turned away for lack of funds. If you are unable to afford the Access tier, please input what you are able to offer on one of the above registration forms. Payment plans are also available—reach out to ad@adrianadifazio.com for options (I have to set up a custom link for you on the backend).

 

Class Structure

1.Preparation

We’ll have two weeks between each class to read the assigned texts drawn Buddhist teachings and radical political theory

2. Opening practice

Each session begins with introductions, check-ins, and a short meditation to ground our bodies

3. Facilitated framing

Brief contextual remarks will be offered to surface key themes and tensions in the texts we read

4. Colloquium discussion

We’ll dive into participant-led discussion and analysis of the teachings and theory

5. Integration

We’ll have closing reflections to connect the study to lived practice, political commitment, and engaged Buddhist action

Register for Year-Long Course

By the end of our time together you'll have:

  • Developed a grounded analysis of our overlapping crises and why both individual and structural transformation are necessary

  • Deepened your political education in dialogue with a Buddhist worldview, clarifying how the dharma informs your activism

  • Connected with fellow meditators and Buddhists seeking an engaged Buddhism able to speak directly to genocide, capitalism, and imperialism

  • Formed your own analyses of how Marxist, decolonial, and abolitionist theory illuminate the limits of Buddhism—and how Buddhist teachings, in turn, challenge these frameworks

  • Cultivated the emotional and spiritual agility to bring the dharma into direct relationship with the unfolding crises of our time

  • Practiced holding the grief, disorientation, and tenderness that arise through political radicalization and the work of hospicing modernity

Guest Teachers

Guest teachers will join us for select sessions, bringing additional perspectives from Buddhist practice, scholarship, and radical political theory.

 

Thanissara — Buddhist teacher and writer, known for her work on feminist dharma perspectives and socially engaged practice

 

Dr. Rima Vesely-Flad — scholar of religion, race, and Buddhism, whose work centers Black studies and liberationist frameworks

 

Alexandra Cain, MDiv — writer and chaplain focused on engaged Buddhist practice

More guest teachers to be announced!

This looks awesome, I’m in!

Facilitator

Led by Adriana DiFazio

Hey! I’m Adriana 👋

I am a Buddhist meditation teacher, scholar, chaplain, and parent.

I believe Buddhism and spirituality have a role to play in bringing about collective liberation. I also believe that Western engaged Buddhism has, so far, failed to respond adequately to the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people, as well as to broader social upheaval and systemic collapse.

This failure is not inherent to the dharma itself, but rather reflects the ways liberalism and modernity have shaped how Buddhism is translated and practiced in the West. I see one foundational path forward as engaging deeply with traditions like Marxism, decolonial/post-colonial thought, and abolitionist frameworks to develop a more rigorous analysis of power and oppression.

My deep aspiration and hope is that this year-long course will give us the opportunity to collectively iterate a more radically engaged Buddhism and allow that work to inform our practice. May we all be free from the roots of suffering and enjoy true, profound, complete liberation.

In love and solidarity,
Adriana

Have more questions?

  • Yes! All sessions are recorded and posted within 48 hours of the live session. Recordings remain accessible for 90 days after each course ends.

  • Because this is a colloquium-style course, live participation is encouraged. That said, asynchronous participation is possible. A Google Classroom discussion board will be available for continued conversation between sessions.

  • Each session begins with brief introductions, a check-in, and a short (5-minute) meditation. I then offer a 10–15 minute framing of the texts, highlighting key themes and tensions, followed by facilitated group discussion for the remainder of the session.

  • Readings will typically be 20–30 pages per session. There are two weeks between sessions to allow time for reading and reflection.

  • Nope! This program is open to folks of any spiritual, religious, or secular background.

  • This course is designed for engaged Buddhists, meditators, activists, organizers, and thinkers who are interested in placing Buddhist teachings in direct conversation with radical political theory.

  • The course engages primarily with radical political traditions, including Marxist, abolitionist, decolonial, and anti-imperialist thought, alongside Buddhist teachings. While participants hold a range of views, the course is not grounded in liberal or “neutral” political frameworks.

  • Some familiarity with basic Buddhist teachings is recommended in order to engage the texts—this is not an introductory Buddhism course. If you’re looking to establish a strong foundation in core Buddhist teachings, I recommend my 1:1 mentorship program.

  • We’ll be engaging with primary texts from both Buddhist and radical political traditions. While you do not need to be a trained academic by any means, there is a shared expectation that the material will be dense and require intensive reading and reflection.

  • That’s okay! And to be expected. This course is structured as a colloquium where we can learn and grow together. The goal is not consensus, but critical engagement and dialogue.

  • Each live session includes a brief meditation, but the primary focus of the course is collective study, discussion, and reflection. This is a text-based, dialogue-driven course rather than a meditation program. If you’re looking for a meditation course, I recommend my Introduction to Buddhist Meditation Practice Course on Substack.

  • Participants will receive the syllabus one week before each course begins. Readings will be provided as PDFs and uploaded to Google Classroom at the end of each session.

  • This course is part of my full-time work and supports my family. I offer sliding-scale, tiered pricing to make the program accessible while allowing me to sustainably offer it and meet my family’s needs. No one is ever turned away for lack of funds for any of my offerings or programs.