Posts by Doug Smith
Was the Buddha Bald?
We usually think of the Buddha as having a full head of hair, but it may not always have been so. Today we’ll look at some of the history of Buddhist iconography, and take some lessons about how viewpoints can change over time. Some suttas mentioned in this video: The Marks of a Great Man…
Read MoreThe Buddha on Self and Non-Self
The Buddha’s teachings on the self and on non-self are some of his most subtle, interesting, and unique. We’ll take a look at them in this video. We’ll also compare the Buddha’s view of the self with that of western philosophers David Hume and Derek Parfit. Suttas mentioned in this video: Sabbāsava Sutta (MN 2.8)…
Read MoreBuddha and Jesus on Wealth
Both the Buddha and Jesus viewed wealth as problematic in various respects, but their approaches differed in important ways due to their historical backgrounds and outlooks. We’ll consider both the views of the historical Jesus as well as those of the Buddha in order to compare and contrast their approaches. Suttas mentioned: Utilization (AN 5.41)…
Read MoreThe Buddha and Free Will
What might the Buddha have thought about free will? To answer that question we’ll look at the history of the concept in Western philosophy, and then consider how it applies to early Buddhism. We will find that the Buddha would have accepted a couple of related senses of the phrase. Suttas mentioned: The Characteristic of…
Read MoreThe Buddha's Charter of Free Inquiry
The Buddha’s discourse to the Kālāmas outlines a charter of free inquiry. It strikes us today as expressing a very modern approach to the world. We’ll look at how that is, and its down-to-earth take on ethics and knowledge. Kesaputtiya (the Discourse to the Kālāmas) Soma Thera: The Buddha’s Charter of Free Inquiry Check out…
Read MoreWas the Buddha a Philosopher?
The Buddha had some very interesting things to say, but was he a philosopher? Justin Whitaker and I recently wrote a paper on this topic, which I’ll discuss here. Justin’s great blog, American Buddhist Perspectives Ted’s podcast with Justin and me: Reading the Buddha as a Philosopher Check out my new Patreon page!
Read MoreDependent Origination
The Buddhist notion of dependent origination (or dependent arising, interdependent origination, etc.) is complicated and difficult. We’ll look at its manifestation in the early teachings, in its canonical twelve-step formula as well as in formulations that are simpler. Then we’ll tackle the question of how to unbind oneself from the chain altogether. Suttas discussed in…
Read MoreOur Stories: Are They Everything?
We structure our lives through our stories, but in what ways can they lead us astray? We’ll look at how story is important using some comments by YouTube filmmaker Casey Neistat. Then we’ll look at the story of the Buddha, and the stories many of us use to understand our pasts and futures. Check out…
Read MoreKnowledge and Wisdom: What's the Deal?
What is the difference between knowledge and wisdom? Should our aim be to pursue one or the other? We’ll look at these questions in this video, and also discuss the role of contemporary skepticism and science. Check out my new Patreon page!
Read MoreWhat are the Four Noble Truths?
The Four Noble Truths are the heart of Buddhist philosophy, but they wouldn’t have been the first thing we encountered when learning the teaching. We will look at where they fit into the path, then each of the truths in turn, and finish with a different take on the teaching, as tasks or practices. Check…
Read More