Buddhism, Star Trek, and Utopia

I’ll be honest. We spent the first half of this episode geeking out on Star Trek, talking about how this vision of a utopian future hinges on the civilizing influence of an alien culture and that the Federation, being created by humans, is actually less of a utopia and more of a homogenizing galactic empire.… Continue reading Buddhism, Star Trek, and Utopia

Buddhist Ethics

Picking up where we left off (in our D&D episode), we wrestle again with the questions and challenges of Buddhist ethics. We begin with the assumption that a basic Buddhist ethical framework is based on compassion and informed by the wisdom of seeing the world clearly, as it is. But this clarity of vision is… Continue reading Buddhist Ethics

Ethics (and Dungeons and Dragons)

Copyright: ©2010, Christian Kaden Licence: Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0 ID: DSC02893 https://www.flickr.com/photos/satorinihon/6771125221/

That title should really be “Dungeons and Dragons (and Ethics).” Or “D&D, Star Wars, and Cats (with some Buddhism sprinkled in).” In our first episode for 2016, we wanted to begin a conversation about social ethics — somehow we got sidetracked by Dungeons and Dragons, the classic role playing game that we both grew up… Continue reading Ethics (and Dungeons and Dragons)

Pure Land Diversity

Dancing flames at Po Lin Monastery, Lantau Island, Hong Kong, by kartografia https://www.flickr.com/photos/kartografia/2930512768/

In response to a listener question, we discuss the variety of Pure Land practices outside the Shin and Japanese traditions. We begin by noting that Honen and Shinran set up distinct schools and institutions devoted to a single Pure Land practice (nenbutsu) whereas across the Buddhist world, Pure Land is best understood not as a… Continue reading Pure Land Diversity

Diversity of Buddhist Teaching

Buddhas: Leiden, Museum Volkenkunde (National Museum of Ethnology), October 2012 via https://www.flickr.com/photos/jankunst/8122824258

Following up on our conversation from last time, we tackle a list of listener questions that we thought would be simple but took us off in really different directions. The first question is whether or not Japanese Buddhist traditions rely on the Pali canon — yes? no? maybe? we don’t know! We (well, really, Scott)… Continue reading Diversity of Buddhist Teaching

Japanese Buddhism

https://www.flickr.com/photos/40295335@N00/4487820999/

In response to a bunch of listener questions that we thought would be pretty straightforward, we bring you several episodes to discuss, first, the differences between Japanese Buddhist schools of Jodo Shu, Jodo Shinshu, and Nichiren. What unites these traditions are their founders’ experiences in the Tendai tradition and eventual dedication to a single path… Continue reading Japanese Buddhism

Special episode: good dharma friends and teachers

Reflecting on the sad news of Rev. Dr. Taitetsu Unno’s passing this past month, we thought we’d do a special short episode to acknowledge his influence in our own lives as well as appreciating our good Dharma friends and teachers. We’ll be back in a couple of weeks with full-length episodes answering listener questions. Thanks… Continue reading Special episode: good dharma friends and teachers

Good and Evil

Singapore - Dragon Silk

Okay. Some big questions this time around, none of which we’re gonna answer but we have a good time talking around the issues. Does (Shin) Buddhism give us a way to act? Are there guidelines on how to be good and avoid evil? Is it right to even judge persons as good and evil or… Continue reading Good and Evil

Meta episode: podcast about the podcast

by bebouchard on flickr

We’re doing a post-modern meta show about the show where we talk about the show. It’s been six years, this is episode number eighty, and we want to take stock and talk about what we’ve done and where we’re headed. Actually, we have a really hard time remembering what we talk about once we post… Continue reading Meta episode: podcast about the podcast