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Bhikkhu Anālayo: The Satipatthana Sutta Sep 21, 2016

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This week on the Wisdom Podcast you’ll have the chance to learn about Theravada Buddhism from one of its finest scholar-monks, Bhikkhu Anālayo. Bhikkhu Anālayo discusses the role of mindfulness in early Buddhist texts, specifically the Satipatthana Sutta, and then explains some important etymological points regarding the word satipatthana. He talks about how Pali became one of the early languages of Buddhism and provides some pointers for doing comparative study of the Satipatthana Sutta. He also reflects on how it is important to not reject certain Buddhist teachings just because they were not originally taught by the Buddha himself. Bhikkhu Anālayo then explains what the true meaning of the “direct path” to awakening means and how to understand the various types of mindfulness. He also discusses the role that mindfulness plays in the path to liberation, the relationship between mindfulness practice and breathing practice, the continuity between the four satipatthanas, the importance of body contemplation practice, and much more.

The post Bhikkhu Anālayo: The Satipatthana Sutta appeared first on The Wisdom Experience.

Jay Garfield: Engaging Buddhist Philosophy Sep 08, 2016

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In this episode of the Wisdom Podcast, meet Jay Garfield, one of the country’s most well-known scholars of Buddhism and a professor at Smith, Harvard, and other universities. We hear how Jay came to Tibetan Buddhist philosophy, initially studying with Robert Thurman, and then spent time in India as he became more serious about his Buddhist studies. Jay explains the common misconceptions that cause some academics to be prejudiced against Buddhist philosophy and also explains some fundamental differences between Western and Buddhist philosophy. Jay also explains how many aspects of Western philosophy, such as free will and metaphysical necessity, need to be problematized instead of remaining our unquestioned, theologically-influenced heritage. Jay also discusses the difference between Western and Buddhist ethics. He then tells us about the huge response he received to a recent article he wrote for the New York Times, “If Philosophy Won’t Diversify, Let’s Call It What It Really Is,” which addresses the racism that is influencing the way philosophy is taught in American universities. Listen to the interview to hear him discuss many other fascinating topics, including the intricacies of translation.

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Dan Harris: 10% Happier Aug 24, 2016

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In this episode of the Wisdom Podcast, host Daniel Aitken speaks with Dan Harris, the ABC News anchor who discovered the power of meditation after he experienced a panic attack on live national television back in 2004. Dan recalls how his time reporting in war zones and using drugs contributed to his panic disorder and explains the utility of meditation to counter mindlessness and the anxiety that stems from it. He gives us a compelling account of how he overcame his skepticism of Buddhism by way of personal experience and recent scientific studies of meditation’s effects on the brain.

Dan recounts the development of his own practice, including his time as a student of insight teachers Joseph Goldstein and Sharon Salzberg and his experience with retreats. He makes the case that setting aside even small segments of time for meditation during the day can have profound effects and continues on to describe how he has since found ways to integrate meditation into his busy schedule and days spent working in the fast-paced environment of ABC studios.

Given his past experiences, Dan explains that part of his current mission is to articulate Buddhist concepts in a way that reaches lay audiences who may be weary of meditation and is highly focused on the implications practice has for our well-being. He guides us through his secular and intellectual understanding of Buddhism, how he thinks about awakening and the self, and shares what motivates him to practice. Finally, Dan and Daniel grapple with the concept of selflessness, and Dan describes some of his hopes and ideas for his next book.

For further discussion on how meditation can help us to navigate the stress and frantic pace of our modern lives, listen to this conversation between Dan Harris and Koshin Paley Ellison at the Wholehearted Book Launch in NYC.

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Mingyur Rinpoche: Stories of Wandering and Awakening Aug 05, 2016

Show notes

In this episode of the Wisdom Podcast, we hear an interview with Mingyur Rinpoche, a beloved teacher of Tibetan Buddhism. Rinpoche discusses his experiences with panic and how he deals with feelings of anxiety. He talks about how trying to avoid panic actually makes things harder and how meditation techniques have helped him. He tells us how he trained at Sherab Ling Monastery, and how his anxiety affected him there, including when he was on a three-year retreat. Rinpoche shares how he decided that he would see panic as a teacher, and what this meant in his everyday practice. He gives a teaching on the purity of awareness itself, unchanged by whatever is happening within one’s awareness. We hear many other wonderful stories and teachings from Rinpoche, including stories from his four years on wandering retreat, from which he only recently returned—about the people he met, the profound experiences he had, and much more.

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Guy Newland: A Buddhist Grief Observed Jul 22, 2016

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In this episode of the Wisdom Podcast, author and Tibetan Buddhist scholar Guy Newland speaks profoundly on the experience of grief in the context of Buddhist teachings and practices. Guy published his book A Buddhist Grief Observed with Wisdom in the summer of 2016; contained within its pages is Guy’s reflection on his grieving process during the time when his wife, Valerie, was dying, and how he came to terms with her death after she passed away in 2013. In the tradition of C. S. Lewis’s A Grief Observed, Guy recalls the emotional states he found himself in and how he learned how to address them within the framework of his spiritual tradition.

Even though Guy had been a practicing Buddhist for many years before Valerie’s death, he recounts how he felt utterly unprepared to handle the shock and isolation he experienced. In the beginning, he recalls how he identified with his suffering, and how, with practice, he was gradually able to move past this. He also remembers how others around him reacted, notes what consolations he found helpful and unhelpful, and offers advice for those finding themselves in the position of trying to comfort a grieving person whose world has been entirely upended. Guy tells us that, as he began to speak more openly about his experience, he was surprised at how others felt able to open up about traumatic events in their past as well. This helped to normalize the grieving process and ease his sense of alienation, eventually leading him to write his book with the hope that he could do the same for others.

Drawing inspiration from all corners of the Buddhist world—from Zen stories and the Dalai Lama, to Pema Chödrön and ancient Pali texts—Guy’s story and his insights resonate with a genuine kindness and a deep humanity, demonstrating to us the power of responding with our whole hearts to the realities of death and dying.

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Lama Alan Wallace: Dzogchen and the Science of Mind Jul 08, 2016

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In this episode of the Wisdom Podcast, recorded live as a part of the Wisdom Academy course Introduction to Dzogchen, we hear an interview, lecture, and Q&A with Lama Alan Wallace, renowned Tibetan Buddhist scholar and teacher. We hear how Lama Alan’s spiritual path began and what drew him to dzogchen practice in particular. He describes his life in college and how he dropped out to study meditation intensively. He traveled to India where he met many great teachers, including the Dalai Lama, who became his root guru. He tells us about the years he spent in intensive meditation retreat and explains why he feels that he was “born at age 20.” After spending time in India he returned to college at Amherst and began studying physics under the guidance of Arthur Zajonc. Lama Alan also tells us what drew him to shamatha practice and relays a teaching on how shamatha supports the development of bodhicitta. He tells of the pivotal experience he had while on a retreat with S. N. Goenka and reflects on why shamatha is so important across Buddhist traditions. Lama Alan then tells the story of how the Buddha slipped into a state of mindfulness when he was only a child and comments on what this meant. Lama Alan then gives an illuminating talk about dzogchen practice, touching on the conversation currently happening between science and Buddhism. He also teaches on the essential nature of the mind and how to truly and wisely observe the mind and naturally discover awareness. Finally, the Q&A with the live audience provides even more rich, eye-opening, and immediately applicable teachings to help you along the Buddhist path.

The post Lama Alan Wallace: Dzogchen and the Science of Mind appeared first on The Wisdom Experience.

Sharon Salzberg: Faith and Doubt Jun 28, 2016

Show notes

On this episode of the Wisdom podcast we speak with Sharon Salzberg, a renowned figure in the American Buddhist and mindfulness community. Sharon first encountered Buddhism in college, where the Buddha’s teaching of suffering spoke deeply to her and led her to begin her Buddhist path. About to leave for India to further explore Buddhism, she encountered Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche and he gave her some advice for her journey.

In India, she went on her first meditation retreat: one of the historic ten-day retreats with S.N. Goenka. It was on this retreat that she met Joseph Goldstein and Ram Dass. She describes the exciting and meaningful experience of being on that retreat and the impact it had on her. One of the most influential parts of the retreat was Goenka’s emphasis on equanimity.

Sharon reflects on faith as a part of Buddhist practice, and the importance of having an intelligent faith in one’s teacher. She also shares her thoughts on the wisdom of doubt, and doubt as an integral part of faith. She also shares what was the most inspiring to her as she was practicing in India in those early days, including knowing the teacher Dipa Ma.

After coming back to the U.S., Sharon started teaching with Joseph Goldstein and Jack Kornfield, and together they founded the Insight Meditation Society. She tells us what it was like to be 23 years old and founding the one of the first major vipassana meditation centers in the United States. She reflects on similarities and differences between people who came to IMS when it started in the 1970s and people coming today. She also shares her thoughts on the way that science and meditation practices are now coming together to provide new insight into the human experience.

The post Sharon Salzberg: Faith and Doubt appeared first on The Wisdom Experience.

Khenchen Konchog Gyaltshen: Drikung Teachings Jun 10, 2016

Show notes

In this episode of the Wisdom Podcast, we meet Tibetan Buddhist teacher and translator Khenchen Konchog Gyaltshen Rinpoche, Great Abbot of the Drikung Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. He tells us about the region where he was born in Tibet in 1946, what Tibet was like at that time, and his memories of fleeing from the country soon after the Dalai Lama left. We hear about the time he spent as a young man in India studying Buddhist philosophy and other subjects at the Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies, and he tells us about his first trips to Bodhgaya. He also reflects on his experience studying with Khunu Lama Rinpoche, focusing on two classic works by Gampopa: The Jewel Ornament of Liberation and The Precious Garland of the Excellent Path. After more than nine years of studying, in 1978 Rinpoche went into a three-year retreat under the guidance of the master Khyunga Rinpoche. He describes the conditions of this retreat in the mountains of Ladakh and goes on to reflect on the importance of balancing study and practice. Rinpoche then teaches us about the Drikung Kagyu lineage, sharing stories about its origin from masters like Gampopa, Milarepa, and founder Jigten Sumgon.

The post Khenchen Konchog Gyaltshen: Drikung Teachings appeared first on The Wisdom Experience.

Christina Feldman: Meditation as Cultivation May 27, 2016

Show notes

In this episode of the Wisdom Podcast, host Daniel Aitken interviews Christina Feldman, co-founder of Gaia House in England and a guiding teacher of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts. Christina has been teaching insight meditation retreats since 1976, and has recently been involved in the dialogue between cognitive therapies and Buddhist practice.

This interview took place at IMS, at a time when Christina was conducting a retreat for professionals in fields such social work, education, and criminal justice who teach mindfulness in the context of their respective places of work. She stresses the importance of these individuals having a grounded practice of their own in order to enhance their abilities to effectively teach their students and clients.

Christina reflects on the word “mindfulness” as a translation for the Pali term sati, and discusses the more nuanced meanings of sati that can be missed when using “mindfulness”. She suggests “present moment collectedness” or “present moment recollection” as alternatives that encompass more expansive dimensions of the word. Christina continues on to share how we can use this present moment as an object for meditation, describing it as a means of “stripping away of the extras” and what it really means to practice that. We learn a more investigative, relational attitude towards meditation, and why this can lead to a much more profound experience of what the present truly is.

We then hear Christina’s thoughts on bhavana or “cultivation.” She addresses the many ways we participate in cultivating our lives and minds, and how powerful it can be to take on a more engaged and aware exploration of what we’re cultivating, as well as the. She outlines her own practice when she is going through troubling or difficult times and speaks to the importance of guarding against the proliferation of thoughts and actions that contribute to further suffering.

Finally, we hear the story of how Christina first encountered Buddhism as a teenager in the 1960’s, including the time when she began practicing Tibetan Buddhism as a student of the Dalai Lama, Geshe Rabten, and Ling Rinpoche before meeting S. N. Goenka and transitioning to the Theravada lineage. She also details her motivations for opening Bodhi College and describes her teaching project with other experienced scholars and practitioners, including Stephen Batchelor, John Peacock, and others.

The post Christina Feldman: Meditation as Cultivation appeared first on The Wisdom Experience.

Joseph Goldstein: Bringing the Dharma from the Masters to the West May 14, 2016

Show notes

In this episode of the Wisdom Podcast, we hear stories and teachings from Joseph Goldstein, one of the most well-known Buddhist teachers in the United States. Joseph Goldstein has been teaching meditation for 40 years and founded the Insight Meditation Society in 1976 with Sharon Salzberg and Jack Kornfield, a center that has since introduced thousands of people to meditation. He also has recently begun teaching meditation to, and with, ABC News anchor Dan Harris.

Joseph first tells us how he came across Buddhism at age 21 while in the PeaceCorps in Thailand. He describes his first meditation experience and what about that made him want to keep meditating. He also tells us about the book that influenced his early practices and reflects on whether he could tell at that time whether he was pioneering into uncharted waters for a Westerner. We hear what Joseph’s early practice looked like and what inspired him to spend more time practicing in Asia. He shares experiences and stories from traveling in India in his early 20s, including meeting his first teacher, Anagarika Shri Munindra, who had been studying with Mahasi Sayadaw. We hear how Joseph was so powerfully drawn to meditation, despite the fact that it was not at all easy for him at first.

We hear how in the fall of 1970, renowned teacher S. N. Goenka came to Bodhgaya and Joseph began to practice body-scanning meditation with him. Joseph highlights the difference between mindfulness practice and concentration practices, and then goes on to share his experience being a student of beloved teacher Dipa Ma. In 1974, Joseph returned to the United States and was invited by Ram Dass to teach with him and Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche at the first summer session of the Naropa Institute. This led Joseph to be invited to lead retreats all around the country, and shortly afterward, he joined Sharon Salzberg and Jack Kornfield in founding the Insight Meditation Society. Joseph tells of IMS’s early days and what teaching alongside Trungpa Rinpoche was like.He also tells of his experience practicing with Tibetan teachers Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche and Nyoshul Khenpo Rinpoche, underscoring the contrasts between the various practices he’s done. He shares with us a profound teaching he received from Nyoshul Khenpo Rinpoche on compassion and emptiness.

Finally, Joseph shares the realizations that set his mind at rest when he was struggling with some of the central philosophies and teachings of Buddhism, and offers his thoughts on how the Dharma has taken root in Western culture.

Listen to more episodes of the Wisdom Podcast, the leading Buddhist podcast.

The post Joseph Goldstein: Bringing the Dharma from the Masters to the West appeared first on The Wisdom Experience.

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