Archive for August 2011
Episode 79 :: Jason Siff :: Unlearning Meditation Part Two
Jason Siff Jason Siff speaks with us about Unlearning Meditation in the second of a two part episode. Jason Siff was a Buddhist monk in Sri Lanka in the late 1980s, where he began studying Pali and teaching meditation. After he left the Buddhist monastic order and returned to Los Angeles in 1990, he studied…
Read MoreGetting Knocked Off the Meditation Cushion: Unlearning Meditation
I recall going into the local sangha, taking a seat on my cushion, and the women in a chair beside me leaned down. “I notice whenever you come here that you always sit in a different place.” I smiled. “Yes, I’m not crazy about routine, and I enjoy challenging my comfort zones.” She looked at…
Read MoreFour Truths, Four Vows
This is another in my series of discussions of ideas Stephen Batchelor has been presenting in dharma talks since late 2010. You can hear them at dharmaseed.org. One of the attractive ideas to come out of Stephen Batchelor’s recent teaching is a mapping of the Four Noble Truths onto the Four Bodhisattva Vows of the…
Read MoreEpisode 78 :: Jason Siff :: Unlearning Meditation Part One
Jason Siff Jason Siff speaks with us about Unlearning Meditation in the first of a two part episode. We come from a long line of meditators. For literally thousands of years, there have been specific instructions on how to do this practice, and what the outcomes will inevitably be. And we have very positive experiences…
Read MoreEpisode 77 :: Matt Lowry and Dana Nourie :: Fun With Physics and Walking Through Walls
Dana Nourie and Matt Lowry join us to speak about physics, the natural world, and quantum misperceptions.
Lately, there seems to be an unfortunate mixing of Siddhattha Gotama’s teaching and practice around the existential experience of dissatisfaction, and science. Certainly we do see wonderful scientific studies about what’s going on in the brain during meditation, for example, but that’s a far cry from levitation and walking through walls. Buddhism is not about physics, despite our seeing false patterns of synchronicity between the two.
Read MoreThe Goal of Practice
This simple approach leads to some startling possibilities, the most significant of which is a radical change in the goal of dharma practice.
Read MoreEmbracing Joy and Sorrow Fearlessly by Letting Go
I recall when I first started studying Buddhism how surprised and unsettled I felt at all the talk of dispassion and letting go.
Read MoreEpisode 76 :: Dave Smith :: Meditation Nashville Style
Dave Smith Dave Smith talks with us about growing up a dharma brat, and meditation Nashville style. Hi, everyone. As many of you know, I was fortunate enough to attend a Secular Dharma retreat at Barre Center for Buddhist Studies recently, led by Stephen and Martine Batchelor. One of the best aspects to that retreat,…
Read MoreResponse to Faith and Belief in Secular Buddhism
What follows below is taken from an email I received today from Geoff, regarding one of the threads on Sujato’s Blog. I thought this audience might be interested in the full response, and I’ll also see if I can find the spot on Sujato’s site to respond there as well. Many of the topics here…
Read MorePop Quiz: What Is Dependent Arising?
Dependent Arising (paṭicca samuppāda, also known as Dependent Origination, Interdependent Arising, &c) is of special interest to me. The other day while I was browsing various online forums, I found a monk expressing amazement that anyone could think it was about — well, I’m not going to say what he was amazed by, but suffice…
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