203 – La Naturaleza de Buda: ¿Qué Diablos Es y Cómo la Realizamos? Parte 1

203 – Buddha-Nature: What the Heck is It and How Do We Realize It? Part 1

by | May 13, 2022 | Buddhist Teachings

One of the central teachings of Mahayana Buddhism is that all beings have Buddha-Nature (buddhata). Awakening to this Buddha-Nature allows one to attain unsurpassed enlightenment, so it is clearly pure, good, and redemptive. But what is Buddha-Nature? Sometimes it is presented as our potential for awakening. Sometimes it is associated with our bodhi-mind – that which causes us to seek the Buddha Way. Not surprisingly, the teaching of buddhata is difficult to grasp. Even so, we can have a sense of it, and this offers an experience of personal redemption and deep faith in the Dharma.

202 – Dos Verdades: Todo Está Bien y Todo NO Está Bien al Mismo Tiempo

202 – Two Truths: Everything is Okay and Everything is NOT Okay at the Same Time

by | Apr 28, 2022 | Buddhist Teachings

Reality has two dimensions. Along the dependent dimension, our world is unequivocally full of greed, hate, delusion, and suffering, and any moral person should feel compelled to do something to make things better. Along the independent dimension, things are just as they are, and when we don’t impose our expectations and preconceived notions on the world, it’s a miracle anything exists at all. The two dimensions do not conflict with one another but are simultaneously true. The challenge is to be awake to, and live in harmony with, both dimensions, without clinging to either one.

200 – Historia de mi viaje espiritual Parte 4: Iluminaciones

200 – Story of My Spiritual Journey Part 4: Enlightenments

by | Apr 15, 2022 | Buddhist Practice

This episode is the story of my spiritual journey, part 4. I start sharing a series of what I’m calling “enlightenments” I experienced over the course of the first ten years or so of my monastic training. These “enlightenments” were transformational insights that allowed me, slowly but surely, to find the happiness and peace of mind I was searching for.

199 – ¿Languidece mi práctica? Si es así, ¿qué puedo hacer al respecto?

199 – Is My Practice Languishing? If So, What Can I Do About It?

by | Mar 30, 2022 | Buddhist Practice

It’s not unusual for our practice to languish at times. “Languish” means to be or become weak or feeble, to lose vigor or vitality, to be subjected to neglect or prolonged inactivity. How do we recognize when our practice is languishing and revitalize it, without falling into the dualistic trap of striving? How do we avoid the trap of striving without then falling into the opposite trap of complacency?

198 – La Renuncia como Acto de Amor

198 – La Renuncia como Acto de Amor

by | Mar 23, 2022 | Spanish Translations

Category: Práctica Budista, Enseñanzas Budistas ~ Translator: Claudio Sabogal Click here for audio + English version of Episode 198 El Budismo es un camino de renuncia. Mucha gente asume que esto significa que nuestro objetivo es separarnos de las...
198 – La Renuncia como Acto de Amor

198 – Renunciation as an Act of Love

by | Mar 22, 2022 | Buddhist Practice, Buddhist Teachings

Buddhism is a path of renunciation. Many people assume this means we aim to separate ourselves from the things and beings of the world and work ourselves into a state where we no longer care about them – at least not to the point where it might hurt or upset us. Fortunately, this assumption couldn’t be further from the truth. Renunciation leaves us much more capable of sincere and open-handed love.

197 – Ni Evitación ni Identificación: Estar con la Realidad de las Situaciones Dolorosas

197 – Neither Avoidance nor Identification: Being with the Reality of Painful Situations

by | Mar 11, 2022 | Buddhism Today, Buddhist Practice

Sometimes there is no avoiding painful situations, whether the difficulty is arising in our own life or from witnessing suffering in the world around us. How can we respond to troubling conditions with generosity and compassion, but also without being overwhelmed? I discuss the Zen approach of being with the reality of situations – neither avoiding the pain, nor identifying with it.

194 – Dolor en la meditación 2: Ajustes a la postura y cuándo tolerar la incomodidad

194 – Pain in Meditation 2: Adjustments to Posture and When to Tolerate Discomfort

by | Feb 14, 2022 | Meditation

This is episode 2 in my discussion of physical discomfort in seated meditation. I discuss how to do it with a minimum of discomfort, including tips on spinal position and different kinds of meditation equipment. I try to call attention to specific practices that lead to discomfort or pain, and what the alternatives are. Because it’s rare to be able to meditate entirely without pain, I talk about when to tolerate pain, and when to adjust your meditation posture instead. Finally, I’ll share some options for you if seated meditation is not possible.

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