Archive for August 2018
Two Important (but Rather Overlooked) Episodes in Human History
I Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta — Setting the Wheel of Dhamma in Motion – Samyutta Nikaya 56.11 The End of the Buddha’s First Sermon The Buddha’s First Sermon is a very important event in human history indeed – but fortunately it cannot be said to have been overlooked. In it the Buddha expounds the Middle Way and…
Read MoreChronic Stress: Problems and Solutions
Chronic stress causes us many problems in daily life. We’ll look at seven ways it can impact us, and then turn to nine potential solutions to the syndrome of chronic stress. We’ll find that many of the solutions supported by contemporary research mirror those found in early Buddhism. Check out my Patreon page! If you’re…
Read MoreEpisode 300 :: Arno Michaelis and Pardeep Singh Kaleka :: The Gift of Our Wounds
Dhammapada Verse 5 Kalayakkhini Vatthu Na hi verena verani sammantidha kudacanam averena ca sammanti esa dhammo sanantano. Hatred never ends through hatred. By non-hatred alone does it end. This is an ancient truth. The Dhammapada: Teachings of the Buddha translated from the Pali by Gil Fronsdal 2008 Thank you for joining us for this landmark…
Read More8/26 Practice Circle: Getting Out of Default Mode
I have tended to give concentration practice short shrift. To me, devotion to intense concentration – jhana practice, long sesshins, and the like – seemed like spiritual calisthenics, meditation for its own sake, another skill to attach the ego to. Coming out of the vipassana-influenced MBSR tradition, I thought the tangible benefits of exploring the…
Read MoreOf Onions and Anatta
Of all the central notions of Buddhism, anatta ‘no self’ is the hardest to understand. At least it is the most counter-intuitive. Of course I have a self! If I tread on someone else’s toe, I may feel apologetic but I do not feel pain. If someone else treads on my toe I do feel…
Read MoreWhat is the Middle Way in Early Buddhism?
What is the Buddhist Middle Way? We’ll take a look at early Buddhism in particular, and some of the material found in suttas of the Pāli Canon. There we’ll see there are a few related approaches to this topic, some immediate and down-to-earth, others more conceptual and philosophical. Suttas mentioned: Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta (SN 56.11) Cūḷadukkhakkhanda…
Read MoreHistory of Vajrayana or Tantric Buddhism: Power and Transgression
We’ll go over the history of tantric Buddhism, its origins as well as its differences from other forms of Buddhist belief and practice. Then we’ll give an overall characterization of what constitutes this somewhat transgressive form of Buddhism. It’s a huge topic so this video should only be seen as an intro! Suggested readings: Ronald…
Read MoreEpisode 299 :: Gary Gach :: Pause Breathe Smile: Awakening Mindfulness When Meditation Is Not Enough
Gary Gach Gary Gach returns to the podcast to speak about his new book Pause Breathe Smile: Awakening Mindfulness When Meditation Is Not Enough. Meditation is sometimes thought of as a passive relaxation technique. And I’ll admit, those three words together rub me the wrong way. Meditation is, to me, an active, alive way of…
Read More10/12 Practice Circle: Soften, Soothe, Allow
How do we deal with truly difficult emotions when they arise in our daily life? Can we meet them without being overwhelmed or using distraction or numbing to avoid them? When Practice Circle meets again this Sunday evening at 6 Pacific, 7 Mountain, 8 Central and 9 Eastern, we’ll share another practice from Kristin Neff…
Read MoreHistory of Mahāyāna Buddhism: Innovation and Perfection
We’ll take a quick overview of the history of Mahāyāna Buddhism, beginning with its earliest developments and how it separated from the rest of mainstream Buddhism. Then we’ll look at a few of its later developments that came to define the Mahāyāna approach. It’s a huge topic so this video only can provide an introduction!…
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