@mattbutnot So I hit and missed my mark. I wanted to see how you reacted to the Huayan school, but I didn't mean to offend you with such a sophmore level gloss. Unfortunately it's the best talk I could think of off the top of my head that got across the core focus of this school--which is a hugely influential precursor to Chan, Pure Land, and Lotus Sutra buddhism--in a manageable time period. (1/3?)

@mattbutnot In my personal practice I very much believe that Buddhism is about the management of mental states through the cultivation of enlightened viewpoints with the goal of reducing suffering. I feel that the Pali-cannon and associated texts like the Visuddhimagga give a clear process for cultivating the appropriate lifestyle for achieving this. I very much agree in what translators like Stephen Batchelor are trying to achieve when he, to paraphrase, "removes the superstructure of religious practice to find the foundation" in texts. (2/3?)