- Do Buddhists Believe in God?
Buddhism's views about god and gods are paradoxical. On the one hand, all traditional forms of Buddhism accept the existence of deities. On the other hand, Buddhism is fundamentally an atheistic religion. We'll consider this paradox with…
- Devas & Nagas in Early Buddhism
What role did deities and supernatural creatures such as nāgas play in early Buddhist mythology? We'll consider three ways the Buddha used and transformed mythic elements of his day to reinforce the dharma.
- 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…
- The Buddha on "Magic"
The Buddha had a nuanced view on magic and the supernatural. We'll look at one crucial aspect of that view, corresponding to what we might term "conversion magic" or magical means used to convince and convert. Recorded before our house…
- Māra's Roles in Buddhism: Personal and Cosmological
We will begin by looking at who Māra is, through an investigation of the linguistic roots of his name. Then we'll turn to look at a couple of Māra's roles in Buddhism, both the way he works in a cosmological sense as well as in a personal…
- Equanimity Meditation: Last of the Brahmaviharas
In this video we will look at the meditation practice of equanimity in the Brahmavihāras or so-called abodes of the gods. We will begin with a look at what equanimity means in early Buddhism, and its importance. We will turn to a couple…
- Sympathetic Joy Meditation: Third of the Brahmaviharas
The practice of sympathetic joy is the third of the so-called Brahmavihāras or abodes of the gods. We will discuss what it entails, why we should practice it, and look at three different approaches to such a practice in the Buddhist…
- What Might the Buddha Say About Secular Buddhism?
What might the Buddha have thought about secular approaches to Buddhism? We will take a look at arguments found in a couple of early texts, the Apaṇṇaka and Sandaka Suttas, as jumping-off points. Our trip will take us through perhaps the…
- Is 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.