Stephen Batchelor - Buddhism: A Changing, Living Organism (Upaya Zen Podcasts)

Upaya Zen Center's monthly podcast features Stephen Batchelor this month, talking about the ever-evolving nature of Buddhism. They discuss a wide variety of topics:

“confession of a Buddhist atheist”; a Buddhist way of life; a middle road between religion and secularism; ethics & contemplation without metaphysical beliefs; the Dharma in a global culture; “Buddhism 2.0″; a plurality of discourses: the mythical and the historical; Keats and Zen.

Enjoy.

Stephen Batchelor: Buddhism: A Changing, Living Organism

Speaker: Stephen Batchelor

Upaya Conversations

This is Upaya’s monthly podcast series with our host Joanna Harcourt-Smith of Future Primitive. Today’s guest is Stephen Batchelor.

Stephen Batchelor is a contemporary Buddhist teacher and writer, best known for his secular or agnostic approach to Buddhism. Stephen considers Buddhism to be a constantly evolving culture of awakening rather than a religious system based on immutable dogmas and beliefs. Through his writings, translations and teaching, Stephen engages in a critical exploration of Buddhism’s role in the modern world. He is the translator and author of various books and articles on Buddhism, including the bestselling “Buddhism Without Beliefs” (Riverhead, 1997) and “Living with the Devil: A Meditation on Good and Evil” (Riverhead, 2004). His most recent publication is “Confession of a Buddhist Atheist” (Spiegel & Grau, 2010)

Stephen speaks with Joanna about “confession of a Buddhist atheist”; a Buddhist way of life; a middle road between religion and secularism; ethics & contemplation without metaphysical beliefs; the Dharma in a global culture; “Buddhism 2.0″; a plurality of discourses: the mythical and the historical; Keats and Zen.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download 

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Roshi Joan and Upaya Zen Center launched a new Google+ Community on Engaged Buddhism. Please visit & join the community. 

Secular Buddhist Podcast Episode 156: Mirabai Bush: The Center for Contemplative Mind in Society

This week's episode of the Secular Buddhist Podcast features (your host) Ted Meissner in conversation with Mirabai Bush, author and co-founder of The Center for Contemplative Mind in Society.

Episode 156 :: Mirabai Bush :: The Center for Contemplative Mind in Society 

Ted Meissner | February 17, 2013 

Mirabai Bush

Mirabai Bush speaks with us about The Center for Contemplative Mind in Society.

The ideas and practices of Buddhism are finding new ways of expression in today’s society. We see mindfulness, for example, in therapeutic contexts and in the workplace, contributing to the betterment of our culture and the world. Few people have been so instrumental in this progress than today’s guest.

Mirabai Bush has organized, facilitated, and taught workshops, weekends, and courses on spirit and action for more than 20 years. She has a special interest in the uncovering and recovery of women’s spiritual wisdom to inform work for social change. Her spiritual studies include meditation study at the Burmese Vihara in Bodh Gaya, India, bhakti yoga, and studies with Tibetan lamas. Before entering the foundation world, Mirabai was the first professional woman to work on the Saturn-Apollo moonflight at Cape Canaveral. She has also worked on educational programs with inner-city youth of color. Mirabai was a co-founder of the Center for Contemplative Mind in Society and served as Executive Director until 2008. Under her direction, The Center developed its programs in education, law, business, and activism and its network of thousands of people integrating contemplative practice and perspective into their lives and work.

So, sit back, relax, and have a nice Lemon Twist Tea.  

Podcast: Download

 Web Links

• The Center for Contemplative Mind in Society
• Mirabai Bush
• New York Times Article
• Cease Fire
• Mindful Magazine

Music for This Episode Courtesy of Rodrigo Rodriguez

The music heard in the middle of the podcast is from Rodrigo Rodriguez. The track used in this episode is “Sangha” from his CD,Traditional and Modern Pieces: Shakuhachi.

Secular Buddhist Podcast, Episode 155: Julian Marc Walker - Devil in the Details

This week's episode of the Secular Buddhist Podcast (Episode 155) features integral theorist and yoga teacher Julian Marc Walker, discussing his new book, Devil In the Details: 3 Keys To Thinking More Clearly About Spirituality (Thinking Clearly About Spirituality). Enjoy.

Secular Buddhist Podcast, Episode 155: Julian Marc Walker: Devil in the Details
Ted Meissner | February 9, 2013


Julian Marc Walker

Today we speak with yoga instructor Julian Marc Walker about his online book, Devil In the Details: 3 Keys To Thinking More Clearly About Spirituality.

Secular Buddhism is, in many ways, suspended between two world views: that of the naturalistic and non-religious, and that of the faithful and religious. We often find ourselves brokering discussions between these very different poles, caught in the middle as we explore Buddhism’s teachings and practice, couched in ancient tradition, with contemporary understanding of the world informed by science.

This is also true of other disciplines like yoga, which is also undergoing a protestant evolution. New ways of seeing the world seem to clash with ancient attempts to understand. We often get mired in discriminating attitudes, rather than collaborative investigations about how our predecessors in practice may have been trying to understand what they were discovering.

Julian Walker has been teaching yoga since 1994 and practicing Mind-Body Healing since 1997. He studied under Ana Forrest from 1992 to 1998 and was certified by her to teach. Influenced by American Buddhism, Tantra, and Transpersonal Psychology, Julian has led workshops across the United States and in Canada and has been training teachers and bodyworkers since 2001 and sharing his twice-a-year Transformation Retreats to Ojai since 2002. He weaves sacred poetry, world music, mythology and transformational themes into his deep stretch and flow yoga classes and is well known for his “Funky Friday” class that includes ecstatic dance.

So, sit back, relax, and have a nice Darjeeling.

Podcast: Download

Quotes
“I’ve been in pursuit of integration. I think the underlying question for me has been, ‘Is there a way to have a meaningful spiritually engaged life that is congruent with science and psychology and is really about seeing spirituality as a way to cut through delusion.’” — Julian Marc Walker 

“Spirituality is often the domain of fuzzy logic and vague beliefs. But this need not be the case! Julian Walker identifies the three key mistakes in reasoning made again and again in our thinking about, and discussion of, subjects like God, The Big Bang, evolution, souls, astrology, psychics and other aspects of religion and pop spirituality.” — Julian Marc Walker 

Web Links

• Julian Walker Yoga

• Julian Walker FaceBook 

Music for This Episode Courtesy of Rodrigo Rodriguez
The music heard in the middle of the podcast is from Rodrigo Rodriguez. The track used in this episode is “Sagariha” from his CD,Traditional and Modern Pieces: Shakuhachi.

Secular Buddhist Episode 138 - Brad Warner: Hardcore Zen Strikes Again

This week's episode of the Secular Buddhist Podcast features Ted Meissner (your host) in conversation with Brad Warner, one of the most controversial and popular young Buddhist teachers in America. Warner began life as a musician in bands such as Zero Defex, Dementia 13 (I loved the punk psychedelics of Mirror Mind and Disturb the Air, on vinyl no less), and others, and as an aficionado of B-grade horror film monsters (especially those from Japan).

Here is a little history of his training in Zen, from Wikipedia (edited and condensed):

He began practicing Zen Buddhism under his first teacher, Tim McCarthy. Warner later studied with Gyomay Kubose. When music failed to earn him a living, he moved to Japan. While in Japan he met and trained with Gudo Wafu Nishijima, who ordained him as a priest. In 2007, Gudo Wafu Nishijima named Warner the leader of Dogen Sangha International which Nishijima had founded. Warner dissolved the organization in April 2012.

Warner is an interesting guy - and while his background and context is very DIY, his Zen teachers, to me, have seemed very traditional and faithful to the structure in which he was taught.

This is an interesting conversation for those reasons and many others.

Episode 138 :: Brad Warner :: Hardcore Zen Strikes Again

Hosted by Ted Meissner | October 13, 2012

Brad Warner

Zen teacher Brad Warner speaks with us about his new book, Hardcore Zen Strikes Again.

Zen stories are filled with teachers doing odd things. Their behaviors, their words, can often rub people the wrong way as the softness of social constraint gives way to pointing out the realities we often lose sight of, and the profound nature of our practice. By their very example, these teachers have historically called us out in our lack of questioning the urgent need for looking at life differently, and changing it.

Fast forward in time and to the left geographically, to modern day America. How might the words of some contemporary Zen teachers have that same impact on our social attitudes? It can be said that it challenges us to rethink what we’re really responding to, and what that can tell us about our priorities. Interestingly enough, punk does the same thing, so to find the radical hardness of punk in alignment with a coarse zen teaching shouldn’t be very surprising.

Our guest today is Brad Warner, Zen monk, writer, bass player, and film-maker. He wrote the books Hardcore Zen, Sit Down And Shut Up, Zen Wrapped in Karma Dipped in Chocolate, and Sex, Sin, and Zen. He received Dharma Transmission from Gudo Nishijima Roshi, who received his transmission from Rempo Niwa Roshi who, at the time was the head of the Soto Sect in Japan. Brad was also a student of Tim McCarthy, who was a student of Kobun Chino Roshi.

So, sit back, relax, and have a nice Oyama cold sake.

Podcast: Download

 

Books

 

Web Links

• Hardcore Zen Site
• Episode 45 :: Brad Warner :: Sex, Sin, and Zen
• It Gets Better Videos
• Fans and Haters Can Now Send in Video Responses to be in Brad Warner Documentary 

 

Music for This Episode Courtesy of Rodrigo Rodriguez

The music heard in the middle of the podcast is from Rodrigo Rodriguez. The track used in this episode is “Shikantaza” from his CD, Shakuhachi Meditations.

Here is another interesting episode of the Secular Buddhist Podcast. This week Ted Meissner spoke with "The Naked Monk," Stephen Schettini, about his personal evolution from religious Buddhism to secular practice. He was ordained as a Buddhist monk in the Tibetan Gelug tradition and became a founding member of Tharpa Choeling Centre d'hautes etudes Tibetaines in Mont Pelerin, Switzerland. For eight years he trained there and in Asia as a translator and instructor of Buddhism, and began teaching in 1980. After eight years he returned to secular life and pursued education in the Theravada tradition before striking out on his own and eventually creating his Quiet Mind Seminars.

Secular Buddhist Podcast, Episode 137 :: Stephen Schettini :: Secular Practice One-On-One

Ted Meissner | October 6, 2012

Stephen Schettini

The Naked Monk Stephen Schettini joins us to speak about personal evolution from religious Buddhism to secular practice.

It’s interesting, isn’t it, how things change and yet so much remains the same? We have in our world, for example, not only ongoing lineages of religious Buddhism, but these traditions are growing alongside new non-traditional forms. The development of secular Buddhism doesn’t take away from or ruin tradition, it simply opens up new fields of exploration.

And what an opportunity this is for us to learn! Our practice doesn’t have to remain in one place, bound by the constraints of convention. We can and should investigate our options, and understand that in different times and circumstances of our lives, we’re going to incline to different approaches to engagement with moment by moment existence. In other words, what we do evolves.

Stephen is the founder and director of Quiet Mind Seminars. He’s led hundreds of meditation workshops in the Montreal area since 2003 through www.thequietmind.org, and has contributed columns regularly to local newspapers and to The Suburban, Quebec’s largest English-language weekly. He also freelanced for the Montreal Gazette. Stephen made a living in print communications and over the next 20 years authored, co-authored, illustrated, and designed dozens of books on information technology and health science.

So, sit back, relax, and have a nice light roast coffee, with a dash of hazelnut creamer.

 

Podcast: Download

Books

Web Links

• The Naked Monk
• Stephen Schettini
• The Quiet Mind
• Episode 43 :: Stephen Schettini :: The Novice, and Mindful Reflection
• Episode 68 :: Stephen Schettini :: It Begins with Silence
• Berzin Archives — The Spiritual Student-Teacher Relationship (section of articles)

Music for This Episode Courtesy of Rodrigo Rodriguez

The music heard in the middle of the podcast is from Rodrigo Rodriguez. The track used in this episode is “Shika no Tone” from his CD, Traditional and Modern Pieces: Shakuhachi.

Secular Buddhist Podcast #135: Charles Prebish, Sarah Haynes, Justin Whitaker, Danny Fisher - Two Buddhisms Today

This is a very cool episode of the Secular Buddhist Podcast, a round-table discussion with Charles Prebish, Sarah Haynes, Justin Whitaker, and Rev. Danny Fisher on the current changes in the American Buddhist world.

In this discussion, they look at the increasing divide between traditional Buddhist practice in the U.S. and the widening circles of secular Buddhist practice.

I'm happy to add, on a personal note, that I have been reading Justin Whitaker and Danny Fisher for many years now, their blogs being among the elite Buddhist blogs on the internets.

Episode 135 :: Charles Prebish, Sarah Haynes, Justin Whitaker, Danny Fisher :: Two Buddhisms Today

The Secular Buddhist Podcast

by Ted Meissner

Today we have a round table discussion with Charles Prebish, Sarah Haynes, Justin Whitaker, and Danny Fisher on the changes in the American Buddhist landscape.

Our cultural landscape is changing, and it seems the rate of change is more rapid than ever. We’ve seen tremendous progress in civil rights, diversity issues, and of particular interest to Buddhists, our communities of practice. There is now a much wider representation in America of traditional Buddhism, and increasingly secular groups. Whatever you find most helpful to you in your practice, it’s likely out there somewhere, or on the way. But, that wasn’t always the case. Buddhism has grown through the pioneering efforts of those from particular traditional backgrounds, and their sanghas reflected that.

Today, we’re going to have a round table discussion that’s a response. Not to the cultural landscape’s change, but to criticisms about past efforts to understand that landscape at the time. Understanding that this is a controversial topic, we’ve invited the participation of four Buddhist scholars to discuss it, and provide their insight and point of view.

 

Charles Prebish

Charles Prebish is among the most prominent scholars in studying the forms that Buddhist tradition has taken in the United States. Dr. Prebish has been an officer in the International Association of Buddhist Studies, and was co-founder of the Buddhism Section of the American Academy of Religion. In 1994, he co-founded the online Journal of Buddhist Ethics, which was the first online peer-reviewed journal in the field of Buddhist Studies. Prebish has also served as editor of the Journal of Global Buddhism and Critical Review of Books in Religion. In 1996, he co-founded the Routledge “Critical Studies in Buddhism” series, and currently co-edits the Routledge “World Religions” series of textbooks. He is also co-editor of the Routeldge Encyclopedia of Buddhism project.

Sarah Haynes

Sarah Haynes is assistant professor in the Department of Philosophy & Religious Studies at Western Illinois University. Her primary area of research is Tibetan Buddhism, specifically Tibetan Buddhist ritual and its manifestations in North America. She has also conducted research on Jodo Shinshu communities in North America and their relationship to Mormon communities in Utah and Alberta. Her publications include: A Relationship of Reciprocity: Globalization, Skilful Means, and Tibetan Buddhism in Canada, in Wild Geese: Studies of Buddhism in Canada; An Exploration of Jack Kerouac’s Buddhism: Text and Life Journal of Contemporary Buddhism; and the forthcoming collection of essays “Wading into the Stream of Wisdom: Essays in Honor of Leslie Kawamura”.

Justin Whitaker

Justin Whitaker is a student of Damien Keown and a PhD candidate at Goldsmiths, University of London. There he is working on a thesis comparing early Buddhist ethics and the work of the German philosopher Immanuel Kant. Mr Whitaker holds a BA (with Honours) in Philosophy from The University of Montana and an MA (with Distinction) in Buddhist Studies from Bristol University. He has extensive experience teaching Buddhist Studies and Philosophy as an Instructor and Teaching Assistant at The University of Montana as well as Antioch University’s Education Abroad programme based in Bodhgaya, India, and currently works as a Distance Education Instructor in Comparative World Religions for Mohave Community College, Arizona. He has presented papers at several academic conferences including “Meditation’s Ethics: Ignatian Spiritual Exercises and Buddhist Metta-Bhavana” at the American Academy of Religion’s 2009 international conference in Montreal as well as “Wriggling Eels in the Wilderness of Views: Studies in Buddhist Ethics” for the Oxford Centre for Buddhist Studies, and “Warnings from the Past, Hope for the Future: The Ethical-Philosophical Unity of Buddhist Traditions” at the International Association of Buddhist Universities UN Day of Vesak, both in 2012.

Danny Fisher

Reverend Danny Fisher is the author of the Patheos blog Off the Cushion, maintains an official website, and writes for Shambhala Sun, Buddhadharma: The Practitioner’s Quarterly, and elephantjournal.com. Rev. Fisher’s commentary on Buddhism in the United States has been featured on CNN, the Religion News Service, E! Entertainment Television, and others. Rev. Fisher earned his Master of Divinity from Naropa University and his Doctorate in Buddhist Studies from University of the West. He is also a professor and Coordinator of the Buddhist Chaplaincy Program at University of the West. He was ordained as a lay Buddhist minister by the Buddhist Sangha Council of Southern California in 2008 and is certified as a mindfulness meditation instructor by Naropa University in association with Shambhala International. He also serves on the advisory council for the Upaya Buddhist Chaplaincy Program, and in 2009 became the first-ever Buddhist member of the National Association of College and University Chaplains.

So, sit back, relax, and have a nice white grape juice.

 

Podcast: Download

:: Discuss this episode ::
 

Web Links

• Charles Prebish
• Tricycle: Pursuing an American Buddhism — Linda Heuman interviews pioneering scholar Charles Prebish
• New Books in Buddhist Studies: An American Buddhist Life: Memoirs of a Modern Dharma Pioneer
• American Buddhist Perspective — Justin’s blog
• Faculty Page For Dr . Sarah Haynes at Western Illinois University
• Off the Cushion — Danny’s blog

Secular Buddhist Podcast, Episode 133 - Ginger Campbell and Dana Nourie: Consciousness and the Complex of Mind

I am a long-time fan of Dr. Ginger Campbell's Brain Science Podcast show - I think I have listened to most if not all of the 88 shows she has done so far. So it's a treat to hear her on the other end of the microphone, being interviewed by another of my favorite podcasts, the Secular Buddhist Podcast.

Dr. Campbell has a recent book, Kindle only I believe, called Are You Sure? The Unconscious Origins of Certainty (Brain Talk: Conversations with Neuroscientists) - only $2.99.

Secular Buddhist Episode 133 :: Ginger Campbell and Dana Nourie :: Consciousness and the Complex of Mind

The Secular Buddhist Podcast

by Ted Meissner

 

Dr. Ginger Campbell

Dr. Ginger Campbell and Dana Nourie speak with us about the complex interrelated processes we refer to as consciousness.

What is self? Is it your body, so if you lose your left pinky finger, is that really losing part of you? Is it your memories? Or some other aspect of mind, like consciousness? And for that matter, what is consciousness?

There are many different ideas about these questions, from a variety of disciplines. Scientific thought may not say the same thing as philosophy, which in turn has a wide variety of concepts that may not merge so well with an equally complext set of religious views. However we answer the question of what is consciousness, it is a rich area of thought, discussion, debate, and exploration.

Dr. Ginger Campbell is an experienced emergency physician with a long-standing interest in mind-body medicine, the brain, and consciousness. She is also interested in a wide variety of other topics including the history of science and ideas, began podcasting in 2006, and has discovered that it is a great way to share ideas with people from around the world. Her Brain Science Podcast explores how recent scientific discoveries are unraveling age-old mysteries, such as intelligence, emotions, personality, and memory.

Dana Nourie

Dana Nourie does not label herself a Buddhist, though she does practice Buddha’s teachings and associates with Secular Buddhists. She has been a guest on The Secular Buddhist podcast many times, and has been the primary blogger on the Secular Buddhist Association website.

So, sit back, relax, and have a nice Downy White tea.

Podcast: Download

:: Discuss this episode ::

Secular Buddhist Podcast Episode 128 :: Gert de Boer, Brennen McKenzie, Doug Smith: Scientific Skepticism and Buddhism

This episode was posted a while back, but I just got around to listening to it. And now I am sharing it with you. Enjoy.

Episode 128 :: Gert de Boer, Brennen McKenzie, Doug Smith :: Scientific Skepticism and Buddhism

by Ted Meissner

July 29, 2012

Gert de Boer, Brennen McKenzie, and Doug Smith join us to talk about scientific skepticism and Buddhism.

We’ve found that there is a wonderful alignment between scientific naturalism, and secular Buddhism. Attitudes about Gotama’s presence as a human and the constraints of that embodiment, the veracity of first person experiences, and how we value the mutual support of community are rich areas for mutual exploration between these two disciplines. To serve as an introduction to some of these ideas, we’re going to have a round table discussion with three active free thinkers and meditation practitioners.

Gert de Boer

Gert de Boer studied philosophy with physics and mathematics as subsidiary subjects at the State University of Utrecht in the Netherlands. He moved to Switzerland where he is working as a database programmer. Since 2000 he is a regular participant of Buddhist meditation retreats, mainly with Reb Anderson. He is engaging, (sometimes fanatically) in the discussion fora of CFI, pleading for tolerance and correct understanding of science, religion and values, trying to put them on the right place in the human universe.

Brennen McKenzie

Brennen McKenzie is a small animal veterinarian in California and an advocate for a skeptical, science-based approach to medicine. He is the author of the SkeptVet Blog, a contributor to the Science-Based Medicine blog, and president of the Evidence-Based Veterinary Medicine Association. Dr. McKenzie has also found Buddhist meditation practice personally helpful and enriching, and he has an interest in the pragmatic, naturalistic approach of Secular Buddhism. He has been known to play the mandolin and the Irish pennywhistle and to wear the kilt, though he does not claim to do any of these well.

Doug Smith

Doug Smith had his first real exposure to Buddhism in an intro course at Princeton University, where he practiced Zen meditation while getting his bachelor’s degree in philosophy. He continued on to a PhD in philosophy at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, undertaking a minor in South Asian studies, which included classes from a Tibetan Geshe and several semesters of Sanskrit. An inveterate skeptic and secularist, in 2006 Doug got involved in volunteering for the Center for Inquiry, an organization created “to foster a secular society based on science, reason, freedom of inquiry, and humanist values”. He was made lead administrator of their web forum in 2007, where he still hangs out, chatting about philosophy, religion, skepticism and helping stem the unending tide of spammers.

So, sit back, relax, and have a nice Lapsang Souchong, with thanks to our wonderful guests for the suggestion.

Podcast: Download

:: Discuss this episode ::

Secular Buddhist Podcast Episode 125: Gregory Kramer: Insight Dialogue

 
In this episode of the Secular Buddhist Podcast, your host, Ted Meissner, speaks with Gregory Kramer about his book Insight Dialogue: The Interpersonal Path to Freedom, and about his website, Metta.org. I read his book a while back and it was a powerful impetus for my views on relational spirituality.

Episode 125 :: Gregory Kramer :: Insight Dialogue

Book Reviews, The Secular Buddhist Podcast

by Ted Meissner

Gregory Kramer

Gregory Kramer speaks with us about his book Insight Dialogue: The Interpersonal Path to Freedom, and his work at Metta.org.

The wonderful thing about our practice is that it isn’t dependent on a particular ideological point of view. One can do the practice within or without the context of a religious setting. We’re seeing more and more that traditional ways of describing the overall engagement with the present moment, and its implications for social engagement, are being put into language that may be more approachable to a contemporary Western audience.

Take for example the high level view of Insight Dialogue: there are a few basic steps to the practice. (1) pause, (2) relax, (3) open, (4) trust emergence, (5) listen deeply, and (6) speak the truth. Simple to say, filled with a fascinating depth of ongoing examination of our interpersonal experiences. It’s how we use this not just in our own minds, but in our outward interactions, that really impacts our lives and the lives of others.

Gregory Kramer has taught Vipassana and Metta practice since 1980. He has studied with esteemed teachers, including Anagarika Dhammadina, Ven. Ananda Maitreya, Achan Sobin Namto, and Ven. Punnaji Maha Thero. Gregory is the author of Insight Dialogue: the Interpersonal Path to Freedom; Seeding the Heart: Practicing Lovingkindness with Children; and Meditating Together, Speaking from Silence: the Practice of Insight Dialogue. He is also the founder and director of the non-profit Metta Foundation. Gregory travels extensively sharing Insight Dialogue and Dharma Contemplation, he holds a Ph.D. in Learning and Change in Human Systems, and is a visiting teacher at the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies. I would also like to thank Lenore Lambert of the Secular Buddhism Australia website for her introductions, which made today’s episode possible.

So, sit back, relax, and have a nice Earl Green tea.

Podcast: Download

:: Discuss this episode ::

Quotes

“I’ve never been troubled by having integrity to my culture.” — Gregory Kramer

Web Links

• Metta.org
• Steven Pinker: The False Allure of Group Selection 

Music for This Episode Courtesy of Rodrigo Rodriguez

The music heard in the middle of the podcast is from Rodrigo Rodriguez. The track used in this episode is “Eleven Waterfalls” from his CD, The Shakuhachi.

Buddhist Geeks 256: Will the Real Buddha Please Stand Up? (with John Peacock)

Frequent Buddhist Geeks guest Hokai Sobol interviews Buddhist scholar John Peacock (Associate Director of the Oxford Mindfulness Center) in this episode of the Buddhist Geeks podcast. Their topic is one I have long been fascinated by - who was the Buddha, the man, the human being who was born a prince in wealth and opulence and who died a wandering teacher and enlightened being?

His background:

JOHN PEACOCK is both an academic and a Buddhist practitioner of nearly forty years. He was initially trained in the Tibetan Gelugpa tradition in India and subsequently spent time in Sri Lanka studying Theravada. He has lectured in Buddhist Studies at the University of Bristol, and at present he is Associate Director of the Oxford Mindfulness Centre and teaches on the Master of Studies programme in MBCT at Oxford University. He has been teaching meditation for over twenty five years and is a Gaia House guiding teacher.

Peacock has a lot of talks/lectures available (for purchase and free, I believe) at the Buddhist Publishing Group site.

Buddhist Geeks 256: Will the Real Buddha Please Stand Up?

 

by John Peacock

Download

Episode Description:

John Peacock is a scholar and Associate Director of The Oxford Mindfulness Centre. His studies of the earliest Buddhist writings have revealed to him a very human Buddha and a very different Buddhism than we know today.

In a conversation with Hokai Sobol, Peacock describes the historical Buddha as a very practical teacher and a radical social reformer. He cites passages of the earliest writings that describe a very human and emotional Buddha that enjoyed satire. He calls the Buddha the “First Psychologist” and relates to him as a teacher who was more interested in practical psychology than philosophy.

This is Part 1 of a 2 part series.

Episode Links:

• Oxford Mindfulness Center
• Hokai Sobol | 21st Century Dharma
• Sutta Nipata
• Ariyapariyesana Sutta

Transcript