Noting the self : Theoretic Challemges in Autobiographical Performance from the perspectives of Postmodernism and Buddhism

Abstract

          Vipassana or insight meditation is a practice that truly transformed Buddhist philosophy into practice (George, 1999; Sujiva, 2000). The notion of his meditation practice, interestingly, shares a similar structure to that of an autobiographical performer in western contemporary modes. In Vipassana, the meditating individual is essentially divided into being a spectator of his/her own performance or experiencing (Carlson, 2004; Goerge, 1999). In autobiographical performance, the performer experiences his/her performance of self-representation, through the workings of a dual consciousness (Heddon, 2008)          The research study intends to explore the Buddhist philosophical concept of the three universal characteristics, Impermmanence, Suffering, and Non-Self (or Emptiness) in the reaim of contemporary devised performance practice, applying the framework of Buddhist Vipassana meditation practice into the practice of Thai devised autobiographical performance. Discussion will focus on the issues of self, identity and the idea of self-renunciation (self-restraint) in contemporary performance. The study’s aim is to indicate how the embodiment of three universal characteristic concept of Buddhism might occur in contemporary autobiographical performance.