Thanissaro, Bhikkhu

Does searching for contentment in Buddhism mean settling for less out of life? How do we balance contentment with an aspiration for personal growth? We will consider such questions, as well as relate contentment to equanimity in early…

Is forgiveness good Buddhist practice? We'll consider two essays from Tricycle magazine that argue both sides of this issue. One by Ken McLeod argues that forgiveness is not Buddhist, and the other by Thanissaro Bhikkhu argues that it is.

Is solitary practice superior? We will consider that problem through a look at one of the most powerful and enigmatic early Buddhist poems, the sutta on the rhinoceros. What does it tell us, and who composed it?

We'll look at the life of Bhikkhunī Khemā, whom the Buddha called his wisest female disciple, using a sutta about her, a poem she wrote, and later material from the Theravāda commentaries. These will help illustrate her incisive approach…

In the past few decades a controversy has arisen over the restarting of nuns' orders in two schools of Buddhism. We will discuss the controversy as it relates to the Theravāda school, and note in passing that a similar controversy exists…

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…