Archive for May 2017
Enlightenment, European and Buddhist
The word “enlightenment” is used to describe a period of history in Europe, and a state of mind in Buddhism. What do these really mean, and do they share any important similarities?
Read MoreTragedy Led Me To The Dharma
I sometimes think the deaths of my parents led me directly into Buddhism. When I was fourteen years old my dad was diagnosed with stomach cancer. He was in his early 50s. I remember when he told me. He had been having stomach problems for a while and he saw a doctor and they found…
Read MoreIs Buddhism Atheist?
Was the Buddha an atheist? Does one need to believe in God or gods to follow his system? This is a question with an interesting answer I think we can all learn from.
Read MoreEpisode 273 :: Beth Mulligan :: The Dharma of MBSR: Discovering the Buddhist Teachings at the Heart of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction
Beth Mulligan Beth Mulligan joins us to speak about how dharma informs Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. In the past several years, there has been an astounding amount of press and research around mindfulness. And this has rustled some Buddhist feathers; honestly, it ruffled mine. I had a good understanding of sati having sit several satipatthana retreats…
Read MoreOn Mettā
Where do the instructions for mettā practice come from? The suttas give relatively little instruction on what actually to do, beyond generating universal good will that we find in the Mettā Sutta (Sn. 143-152), and the practice of focusing on each direction, in an oft-cited pericope: [W]ith his heart filled with lovingkindness, he dwells suffusing…
Read MoreLoving Kindness Meditation: History and Practice
What is Loving Kindness (mettā) meditation and how did it develop? Many people today practice a form that probably originated centuries after the Buddha’s day.
Read MoreEarly Buddhism and Secular Buddhism
Folks interested in a secular approach to Buddhism will find many forms of Buddhism congenial. Why is early Buddhism particularly so? We will look at the Kevaddha Sutta (DN 11) and some material from Richard Gombrich, eminent scholar of early Buddhism, to help illuminate the discussion.
Read MoreEpisode 272 :: John Negru and Michael Glantz :: Plot to Save the Earth
One common focus of Secular Buddhism is the natural world, the understanding and acceptance of our interdependence upon one another and the environment in which we live. One’s contemplative aspirations may extend into ideas about ending rounds of rebirth, but the simple fact remains: we do have this life, we are living on this world,…
Read MoreAntidotes to the "Three Poisons"
The three poisons of greed, hatred, and delusion lie at the root of many of our problems. What can we do about them? In this video I outline some techniques from early Buddhist teachings.
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