- What Is Buddhist Nirvana?
What does nirvana mean in Buddhism? We'll look at some descriptions of it before turning to different views on its ontological status. Then we'll consider some later developments in ideas about nirvana. ** Note: the Pāli term "appatiṭṭha"…
- How Was the Buddha Down-to-Earth? Demythologizing Prayer, Deities, and Devotion
How was the Buddha a down-to-earth, pragmatic teacher? In this second video on the subject (the first is linked below) we'll look at some of the ways the Buddha demythologized many deity practices of his day, as well as his skepticism…
- Buddhism's Non-self: How Do You Know? Looking at a Critique
How do we come to know the truth of non-self in early Buddhism? Do we come to it through deep meditative insight, or by other means? We'll look at a recent critique of the claim that we come to know non-self through deep meditative insight.
- Overcoming Arrogance: Story of the Buddhist Monk Malunkyaputta
Who was Malunkyaputta and why was he important in early Buddhism? We'll look at his story: how he began as an arrogant monk interested in intellectual matters and learned how to overcome his problems through meditation and wisdom.
- How We Get Caught By Practice: Clinging to Rules and Rituals in Early Buddhism
One of our unskillful underlying tendencies of mind in early Buddhism is that of clinging to rules and rituals. We'll discuss what that is, as well as its potential historical development, and how it may manifest in us today.
- The "Underlying Tendencies" of Our Minds: Early Buddhist Understanding of Unskillfulness
On an early Buddhist understanding, our minds are beset by certain "underlying tendencies" that produce in us unskillful thought and behavior. We will look at those tendencies through their most well-known list and also look at a couple…
- Is Deep Meditative Absorption (Jhana) Necessary for Enlightenment?
Do we need to have achieved the jhānas -- four deep states of meditative absorption -- in order to become enlightened? We'll look at some early texts for clues as to what the Buddha might have thought about this complex and controversial…
- “Beginner’s Mind” in Zen and Early Buddhism: its Development and Difference
Zen teacher Shunryu Suzuki introduced us to the concept of practicing with a "beginner's mind". What does this mean? Where did it come from? We will discuss its history and how the practice differed importantly from what came before. We…