Buddhist Geeks

In May of 2009, we received a CD collection of letters held at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa Library Archives. Robert Aitken Rōshi, the founder of the Diamond Sangha, an international Zen sangha, has donated his extensive files to the university library. The letters were, until recently, part of the sealed section of Aitken’s voluminous papers. The collection is accompanied by a signed letter dated August 14, 2008, from Lynn Ann Davis, Head of the Preservation Department of the library attesting to their authenticity, and every page of each letter is stamped with the library’s stamp. ...

"I consider the positions of kings and rulers as that of dust motes. I observe treasures of gold and gems as so many bricks and pebbles. I look upon the finest silken robes as tattered rags. I see myriad worlds of the universe as small seeds of fruit, and the greatest lake in India as a drop of oil on my foot. I perceive the teachings of the world to be the illusion of magicians." – Buddha (Source: 'Zen Flesh, Zen Bones')

"The evolution of complexity often involves the weaving together of simple motifs to produce a whole fabric which, when finished, exhibits complex features of its own, in no way evident from its constituents. The fabric in turn may become part of a larger garment. This is the story of the grand evolutionary synthesis..." – Allan Combs, The Radiance of Being

"The mystery of life isn't a problem to solve, but a reality to experience." - Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam

Episode Description: Richard Brown--a long time Buddhist and contemplative educator--joins us to share some of the details from his recent involvement in helping the small Buddhist country of Bhutan reform their public education system. Bhutan, which since the early 70's has had as its main goal to increase Gross National Happiness, wants to create an education system that pulls the best from the West. The main principles they're holding with this reform, include Contemplation, a Holistic approach, Sustainability, Cultural Integrity, and Critical Intellect. They're aim is to educate their populace in such a way that they're prepared for ...

The wholeness and freedom we seek is our own true nature, who we really are. Whenever we start a spiritual practice, read a spiritual book, or contemplative what it means to live well, we have begun the inevitable process of opening to this truth, the truth of life itself. - Jack Kornfield

"Emptiness is described as the basis that makes everything possible" - The Twelfth Tai Situpa Rinpoche, Awakening the Sleeping Buddha

“The truth you believe and cling to makes you unavailable to hear anything new.” - Pema Chodron

“When in doubt, bow.” – anonymous master

Episode Description: In this episode we're joined by Soren Gordhamer, long time tech writer, and author of Wisdom 2.0: Ancient Secrets for the Creative and Constantly Connected. Soren often writes for the Huffington Post and Mashable (a social media blog) on the relationship between the inner world with technology and social media. He explores with us some of the potential shadow sides of technology, as well as some of the remedies that can be used in balancing our internal life with our external. He suggests that focusing more consciously on our internal world actually puts us in a ...

Episode Description: In this episode we wrap up our discussion with meditation teachers Tina Rasmussen and Stephen Snyder, two of the only lay Western teachers authorized to teach the jhana system of Pa Auk Sayadaw. They share the deeper purpose of concentration practice, which isn't to attain any particular states, but rather is to serve as a purification of the mind stream, what they describe as the "thinning of the me." They describe the 8 jhanas as states that progressively reach toward the unconditioned, with the 8th jhana, neither perception nor non-perception, as a realm that is as close as ...