Nature/environment

What did the Buddha have to say about living sustainably? We'll look to the early suttas for some clues and some inspiration we can take for living better lives today.

What really exists? It's an old question, and one that the Buddha approached in a unique way. We'll look at the Buddha's practical approach to questions of reality.

In early Buddhism emotions are both unproblematic features of our mental environment, and things to be cultivated or transformed, depending on the case. We will look at these aspects of emotions, and how we can work towards a healthy…

Early Buddhism provides several key insights into ourselves that can aid in living with greater clarity and peace. We will look at a couple of these as well as suggest practices for cultivating awareness of them.

What is Buddha nature or the "Tathāgatagarbha"? We'll begin by looking at the roots for these concepts in the early Buddhist texts. Then we'll turn to the origins of the mature concepts in later Mahāyāna texts. Finally we'll turn to some…

How do you approach the concept of Buddhist rebirth? Traditionally it's understood literally, which is how the Buddha saw it. But there is another option open to us, which is to take it as a resonant metaphor for the changeable nature of…

What did the early Buddhists have to say about appreciating nature? It's a bit of a conundrum. We'll look at what a couple of venerable monks had to say about the beauty of the natural world. Then we'll turn to the Buddha's views on such…

Contemplating the impermanence of the elements helps us to understand their non-self nature. In one early Buddhist sutta, Sāriputta gives an argument as to how the four elements are impermanent. But it's a strange sutta, full of…

We'll look at what the fourth jhana is in early Buddhism by considering its definition and the simile the Buddha provides to illustrate its character. We'll also consider some of the paradoxical nature of the early Buddhist approach to…

We'll look at three early Buddhist similes used to express the gradual nature of progress along the path. These highlight how we should use patience as part of our approach to meditation and life.

We'll take a look at how karma can be made sense of as a real phenomenon in nature and in human society through notions such as sincerity and reciprocity. We'll also look at how some ideas from evolutionary biology demonstrate how karmic…

How important is healthcare to society, and to each of us individually? We will consider that question and how it can best be provided. We will also take a look at an event from the Buddha's life that illustrates the essential nature of…

It often happens that those of us with a regular -- or irregular! -- practice will come to a place of wondering: "What's the point?" We'll discuss the nature of these completely normal doubts and ways to deal with them. We'll also try to…

Recently the renowned translator and activist Bhikkhu Bodhi gave a daylong event on Buddhism and climate change. Today's video summarizes his concerns and diagnoses, and looks at some aspects of Buddhist practice that can help us in our…