Buddhism can take many forms, from its intended beatific philosophical purity to Silver Lake's brand of passive-aggressive faux spiritual entitlement to the infamous extreme of saffron-draped gunman Sayan Chitasuro, the AK-47-toting monk who, seeking redress for grievances, held hostage some 30 members of the Thai parliament in 2002. Cult-cherished The Big Lebowski star Jeff Bridges and his partner in theological acrobatics, Bernie Glassman, will be discussing their new book, The Dude and the Zen Master, as part of the Los Angeles Public Library's ALOUD series, in what's certain to be a lively and penetrating examination of this wildly popular form of Eastern inner exploration. With Rev. Danny Fisher, coordinator of the Buddhist chaplaincy department at University of the West, serving as referee, one may expect a colorful psychic safari that's bound to twist through an enlightening and entertaining course of disparate topics. Whether examining delicate theological intricacies or detailing bawdy secular circumstances, Bridges and Glassman are assuredly going to tell it like it is, or should be. Japanese American Cultural and Community Center, 244 S. San Pedro St., dwntwn.; Thurs., Jan. 10, 7:30 p.m.; $25. (213) 228-7550, lfla.org.

Thu., Jan. 10, 7:30 p.m., 2013

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