Buddhism for Everyone with JoAnn Fox

“Praise and blame, fame and shame, gain and loss, pleasure and pain come and go like the wind. To be happy, rest like a giant tree in the midst of them all.” ― Buddha We're exploring a truth so simple yet profound it almost feels like a secret; every problem we have comes from just one thing, our own mind. Specifically, our problems come from misperceiving reality: we see our worries, fears, and stresses as big, immovable mountains. In reality, they're more like clouds, shifting and changing with the winds of the mind. Nothing is as fixed as it seems. Everything depends on perception (even that thing you're stressing about right now). The mind of worry conjures up what we fear. The worst-case scenario hasn't happened, may not happen, but we let these figments of our imagination torment us. Instead, we're going to practice a beautiful little mind trick: instead of thinking, "What's the worst that could happen?" we'll try asking, "What's the best that could happen?" Perhaps everything will play out in ways that are incredibly healing or positive...there's no way to know for sure. So why not plant seeds of hope instead of fear and watch what grows? This small shift that can open up a whole new way of experiencing your life. To register for two free virtual classes, “Developing Universal Love and Compassion” on Saturday, May 10 and 17, 2025 visit www.BuddhismForEveryone.com References with Links Lama Zopa Rinpoche, 2008. How Things Exist: Teachings on Emptiness. Lama Zopa Rinpoche Edited by Ailsa Cameron. Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive.  Find us at the links below:  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Buddhismforeveryone Facebook Group: Join our private group at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/sanghatalk/ Instagram: @buddhism4everyone or https://www.instagram.com/buddhism4everyone X: @Joannfox77 TikTok: @buddhism4everyone

According to the Buddha, thoughts create karma, our present reality and our future. Yet our thoughts can be so deceptive. This episode will help us explore and question our thoughts, as well as direct them toward what is beneficial. Specifically, we will look at the three non-virtuous actions of mind: coveting, malice and wrong view.   “Coveting: The bases of covetousness are the wealth or possessions of another. The motivation is the desire to make the wealth or property your own. The culmination is thinking “May it become mine,” about wealth and the like. Asaṅga describes this as “the determination that it will become yours.”    For this to be full-fledged covetousness, five qualities are required:  (1) having a mind that is exceedingly attached to your own resources;  (2) having a mind of attachment that wants to accumulate resources; (3) having a mind of longing due to comprehending or experiencing the good things of others—their wealth and so forth;  (4) having an envious mind, thinking that whatever is another’s should be your own;  (5) having a mind that is overcome, due to covetousness, by shamelessness and an obliviousness about the determination to be free from the faults of covetousness. 2. Malice: Thinking such thoughts as, “How nice it would be if they were killed, or bound, or their resources were ruined, either naturally or by another person.”  Moreover, it is complete if the following five attitudes are present. The five are:  (1) an attitude of hostility driven by a reifying apprehension of the characteristics of the causes of harm and the phenomena related to them;  (2) an impatient attitude by way of not being patient with those doing the harm to you;  (3) a resentful attitude based on repeated, improper attention to and mindfulness of the causes of your anger;  (4) an envious attitude which thinks, “How nice if my enemy were beaten or killed”;  (5) an attitude that is dominated by a lack of shame about your malice and obliviousness about the determination to be free of its faults.”  -- Je Tsongkhapa, Great Treatise of the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment (see reference below) 3. Wrong Views:  Holding tightly to a denial of the existence of an object of wisdom that is very beneficial to us, such as the law of karma. It is not simply having doubts. It is a very closed mind. Karmic results of the 3 non-virtuous actions of mind: covetousness — comes a predominance of attachment malice — comes a predominance of hostility  wrong views — comes a predominance of confusion    Guard against anger erupting in your mind; Be restrained with your mind. Letting go of mental misconduct  Practice good conduct with your mind.   The wise are restrained in body,  Restrained in speech. The wise are are restrained in mind. They are fully restrained. —Buddha, The Dhammapada   Links and References Buddha.The Dhammapada. Translated by Gil Fronsdale. Shambala, Boston and London, 2011, pp.61. Je Tsongkhapa. Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment, Volume 1. Pages 224-227. Translated by the Lamrim Chenmo Translation Co.

What does it mean to live a holy life in this modern world? The Pali word ‘nekkhamma’ in the Buddhist canon is generally translated as "renunciation". This word also conveys the meaning of giving up the world and leading a holy life. What would our most holy life look like? Do we want to pursue and prioritize a holy life? This episode is dedicated to searching inside ourselves to ask these most meaningful questions.    “What the development of true renunciation implies is that we no longer rely on sensory pleasures for our ultimate happiness; we see the futility of expecting deep satisfaction from such limited, transitory phenomena. It is important to understand this point clearly. Renunciation is not the same as giving up pleasure or denying ourselves happiness. It means giving up our unreal expectations about ordinary pleasures. These expectations themselves are what turn pleasure into pain. It cannot be said too often that there is nothing wrong with pleasure. It is our grasping, exaggerating, distorting, and polluting attitude toward pleasure that must be abandoned.” —Lama Yeshe   “Although we are social animals, forced to live together, we lack a sense of responsibility toward our fellow humans. Does the fault lie in the basic structures of family and society? In the facilities produced by science and technology? I don’t think so. I think that despite the rapid advances that civilization has made over the past century, the immediate cause of our present situation is exclusively privileging material progress above all else. We have thrown ourselves so frantically into its pursuit that we have neglected to pay attention to the essential human needs of love, kindness, cooperation, and caring. It is clear to me that an authentic sense of responsibility can emerge only if we develop compassion. Only a spontaneous feeling of empathy toward others can motivate us to act on their behalf.” -Dalai Lama    People hold dear those  Who have done their own work,  Complete in virtue and vision,  Established in the Dhamma,  And who speak the truth. (217)    Anyone who aspires to the Indescribable,  Whose mind is expansive,  And whose heart is not bound to sensual craving  Is called “one bound upstream.” —Buddha, The Dhammapada    Links and References Buddha.The Dhammapada. Translated by Gil Fronsdale. Shambala, Boston and London, 2011, pp. 43-44. H.H. Dalai Lama. My Spiritual Journey. Translated by Charlotte Mandell. Harper Collins, pp. 138-139.  Yeshe, Thupten. Introduction to Tantra. (Audiobook). Wisdom Publications, Somerville, 2014, pp.39-41.

It is so easy to get entangled with the pressures of work, family dramas, relationship issues etc. The body and mind are finely tuned to handle acute stress, but not the prolonged, daily stress we experience from these emotional entanglements. How then do we follow the Buddha’s advice, “Don’t get entangled with what you long for or dislike”? In this episode, we explore how we turn situations and people into things we long for or dislike. We can engage in a mindfulness practice to stop ourselves from getting stressed, angry or attached by reminding ourselves: “Don’t get entangled. It is empty.” Don’t get entangled  With what you long for or dislike. Not seeing what you long for is suffering; So also is seeing what you dislike. (210)*    Therefore, do not turn anything  Into something longed for,  For then it’s dreadful to lose.  Without longing or dislike,  No bonds exist. —Buddha, The Dhammapada References Buddha. The Dhammapada, translated by Gil Fronsdale. (2011). Shambala, pp. 56.

The ancient meditation known as the ‘the magical practice of taking and giving’ is a profound method to:   transform our suffering into a tool to help others purify our negative karma make our mind strong and resilient  develop universal compassion eventually attain enlightenment   In this episode, we learn how to do this practice formally, seated, as well as in daily life. This practice can be done with our eyes open, whenever we see someone suffering. It can help us make our own suffering meaningful and easier to bear, and even purify the karmic causes of it.    Practicing what one shouldn’t,  Not practicing what one should,  Having abandoned the goal,  Clinging to what is dear,  One comes to envy those who practice. (209)* —Buddha, The Dhammapada   References   Buddha. The Dhammapada, translated by Gil Fronsdale. (2011). Shambala, pp. 56.  

This episode is devoted to the meditation of loving-kindness, a profound method to develop love for all living beings. It creates immeasurable good karma, diminishes ill will toward others and creates the cause of our own enlightenment. Scientific research has also been done on the results of people practicing this meditation.  Research indicates these benefits: Increases positive emotions. One study showed that seven weeks of practicing the loving-kindness meditation increased multiple positive emotions including love, joy, contentment, gratitude, pride, hope, interest, amusement, and awe. Quiets your inner critic Strengthens capacity for empathy Decreases migraines Increases compassion  Slows the aging process. In another eye-opening study researchers found that women with experience in loving-kindness meditation had relatively longer telomere length (a biological marker of aging) when compared to age-matched controls. Loving-kindness Prayer Within the Meditation  May you be happy May you be well May your body and mind be at ease May all good fortune and successes in life come to you May you be healthy May you have all the wealth you need May your happiness increase day by day  May you never know a day of sadness May you experience the supreme happiness of enlightenment.    Verse 206-208 of The Dhammapada It’s good to see the noble ones;  Their company is always a delight.  Free from the sight of fools, One would constantly be happy.   One who keeps company with fools Will grieve for a long, long time.  Living with fools is painful, As is living with foes. Living with the wise is delightful, Like relatives gathered together.   Therefore: You should always follow a good, intelligent person Who is wise, insightful, learned, Committed to virtue, dutiful and noble,  As the moon follows the path of the stars. (208) —Buddha, The Dhammapada References Abrahmson, L. 6 Amazing Benefits of Loving Kindness Meditation Backed by Science. Lifehack (blog post). Retrieved from https://www.lifehack.org/361244/6-amazing-benefits-loving-kindness-meditation-backed-science Buddha. The Dhammapada, translated by Gil Fronsdale. (2011). Shambala, pp. 54-55.

To bring more joy and lessen the stress in our lives, we can turn to the practice of kindfulness. Mindfulness, the conscious awareness of our thoughts and intentions, tuned into ways to be kind to others is ‘kindfulness.’ First coined by the monk Ajahn Brahm, kindfulness is a gentle way to more align our life with the law of karma. According to the law of karma, every act of kindness creates the cause for our own future happiness. Being kind usually makes us feel pretty good in the moment too!  Research also indicates that kindness has many good effects on our heath and even slows the aging process! Dr David Hamilton, author of The Five Side-Effects Of Kindness, says, “Being kind generates the “kindness” hormone oxytocin, which also happens to be a major cardiovascular hormone. It keeps the arteries clear and lowers blood pressure by reducing levels of harmful free radicals and inflammation, which cause disease. These are also the main culprits for causing ageing to our cells, so you could also say that kindness slows the ageing process.” Tasting the flavor  Of solitude and peace, One becomes free of distress and evil, Drinking the flavor of Dharma joy. (Verse 205) —Buddha, The Dhammapada References Buddha. The Dhammapada, translated by Gil Fronsdale. (2011). Shambala, pp. 54. Carlyle, R. (2018, May 20). Kindfulness: It’s the new twist on mindfulness — being consciously kind to others. The best thing? It’s good for you, too. Retrieved from https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-5750811/Kindfulness-new-twist-mindfulness-consciously-kind-others.html

For many, the practice of contentment is a completely new idea. Learning, practicing and becoming good at contentment means  we come to enjoy our life more and more.  In this episode we discover how to practice contentment with ourselves, other people, and our life.  Link to the Character Strength Survey mentioned, https://www.viacharacter.org Health is the foremost possession,  Contentment, the foremost wealth, Trust, the foremost kinship,  And Nirvana, the foremost happiness. —Buddha, The Dhammapada References Buddha. The Dhammapada, translated by Gil Fronsdale. (2011). Shambala, pp. 54. Kaufman, S. (Host). (2019, Mar. 21) “Ignite Your Character Strengths” [Podcast]. The Psychology Podcast. Retrieved from https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-psychology-podcast/id942777522?i=1000432732066 McGrath, R., & Niemiec, R. (2020). “VIA Survey” [website]. Retrieved from https://www.viacharacter.org  

Almost everyone wants to be less stressed and more peaceful. Even as our modern world ramps up the external stressors, we can learn to make ourselves calm and relaxed. The Buddha said, “there is no happiness higher than peace”. This episode guides us through a simple process to become more peaceful and to de-stress.  Mindfulness Practice to De-stress  Aspire to become a calm and peaceful person, even in challenging situations. Try to be mindful of whether you’re feeling calm. Notice when you start to feel tense. Calm yourself. When you start to feel tension or stress, turn toward calming yourself—rather than doing anything to affect the situation. This is vital. When you notice tension and stress, start breathing deeply from the diaphragm, feeling your stomach expand. Or, if possible, close your eyes and begin a brief breathing meditation (see below).  Breathe deeply and say to yourself “calm” “relaxed”. Try to tune your body to these feelings...calm...relaxed.  Continue this Diaphragmatic breathing or a breathing meditation until you feel relaxed. This might take only a minute or it might take much longer. Remember the world is empty and dreamlike. Put a little smile on your face. Try to have fun and find joy in things. Keep trying this mindfulness practice and calming technique whenever you need it. You’ll get better at with practice, and eventually you will be able to tame your mind and be calm all day.  Part 2 Daily Meditation  Ideally, meditate every morning. You can do the simple breathing meditation or any meditation you’d like. If you are new to meditating daily, you can meditate for only a few minutes. Or you can meditate for only as long as it takes your body and mind to enter a more peaceful state. Sometimes you might not be able to move your mind to a more relaxed state; no worries, just meditate anyway. Take the seat. Putting effort to begin the day in a state of peace will help you be mindful of peacefulness and help you stay relaxed.  Let the experiences of life dissolve into your peaceful state.  Think of your world as empty, dreamlike. Keep a little smile on your face.  Enjoy everything you can.  There is no fire like lust No misfortune like hate, No suffering like the aggregates And no happiness higher than peace. —Buddha, The Dhammapada  A Simple Breathing Meditation  Sit with your back straight and your shoulders dropped and relaxed. You can put your hands in the mudra of meditative equipoise. To do this, place your hands in your lap with your palms facing upward. Rest your right hand in your left. Touch your thumbs, forming a bridge.  Breathe through your nostrils. Breathe deeply, from your diaphragm. Observe the sensation of your breath at your nostrils.  Instead of paying attention to thoughts, allow your only thought to be watching the breath. Like watching the water lapping at the shore, calm the mind by watching the gentle rise and fall of the breath at your nostrils.  When you exhale, really feel yourself relaxing...deeper and deeper with every exhalation.  When your mind wanders, without judging yourself, bring it back to the breath. References Buddha. The Dhammapada, translated by Gil Fronsdale. (2011). Shambala, pp. 54.   Oz, M. (2019), Apr. 11). America’s Doctor: The Dr. Oz Podcast. How to Stress Less [podcast]. Episode 94.  

1,200 years ago, the Buddhist Master Shantideva offered a Buddhist approach to lasting change in his Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life. The four powers of effort can be used as steps to making a specific change reaching a goal.   The Four Powers of Effort   Aspiration. A strong wish (aspiration) is a fundamental basis to accomplish an important goal. The most powerful wishes comes when the outcome is meaningful to us and is an expression of our values. Living in accordance with our values is a path toward happiness and is a type of success that can reliably bring us satisfaction. External success may or may not be achieved or even deliver the happiness we believed it would. But acting in accordance with our values will bring us peace.  Steadfastness. What is the smallest, most manageable step you can take in the next 24 hours to move in the direction of your goal? Very clearly identify the first step, according to your capacity. Plan the step for the following day. Try to make one step toward your goal each day. If we diligently put these planned steps into action, from this steadfastness will come a newfound confidence. The Buddha said that “with effort we have all attainments”.  Joy. Try to make the plan for change a joyful one. We won’t do what makes us suffer for very long! Adopting new habits will be challenging, but the experience can’t be very unpleasant. The spiritual path should be a joyful one if we are practicing correctly. Rest. Rest is a power of effort. Plan to take rest and have a break. Also, when we have an unexpected rest (when we diverge from our plan or slip-up), don’t feel that you have failed. Steadfastness means we are going in the direction of our dreams, not that we are perfect.    The verses from the Dhammapada we studied in this episode are:   Ah, so happily we live,  We who have no attachment, We shall feast on joy, As do the radiant gods.   Victory gives birth to hate, The defeated sleep in anguish. Giving up both victory and defeat, Those who have attained peace sleep happily. —Buddha, the Dhammapada  References Buddha. The Dhammapada, translated by Gil Fronsdale. (2011). Shambala, pp. 54. Esposito, C. (2015). The Calm Living Blueprint. [podcast] Episodes 10-11.  Je Tsongkhapa. Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment, Volume 2. Translated by the Lamrim Chenmo Translation Committee. Joshua Cutler, Editor-in-Chief, and Guy Newlan, Editor. Pages 181-208.    

Within a series of episodes on happiness, we look at how to de-stress. First, we can become mindful of emptiness as an antidote to stress. We can also try to “always do our best” to loosen the grip that busyness has on us and become less attached to outcomes. To always do our best can also mean that we look honestly at where our own ethics or beliefs don't line up with our actions. For a happier and more peaceful life, we can become mindful of emptiness and practice always doing our best.    Ah, so happily we live,  Without ambition among those with ambition.  Among people who are ambitious  We live without ambition. (199) --Buddha (Dhammapada, verse 46) References Buddha. The Dhammapada, translated by Gil Fronsdale. (2011). Shambala, pp. 53.  Je Tsongkhapa. Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment, Volume 3. Translated by the Lamrim Chenmo Translation Committee. Joshua Cutler, Editor-in-Chief, and Guy Newlan, Editor. Pages 1961, 2014, 2019.

Whenever we patiently except some suffering, pain or irritation we purify karma that created it. To mindfully harness the power of this process, we can do a karma cleanse. The karma cleanse described in this episode requires we fast from blame—no blame for one week. In particular, we refrain from blaming any living being. It might appear to us that the source of a problem is something a person did or said. But problems are inside our mind; they are not outside of our mind.  What is patience? Patience accepts things as they are, having given up the idea that things should be other than the way that they are. Buddhist Master Je Tsonghapa said, “Perfecting patience means that you simply complete your conditioning to a state of mind wherein you have stopped your anger and the like. It is not contingent upon all living beings becoming free from undisciplined conduct because you would not be able to bring this about, and because you accomplish your purpose just by disciplining your own mind.” Doing no evil,  Engaging in what’s skillful,  And purifying one’s mind:  This is the teaching of the buddhas. (183)    Patient endurance is the supreme austerity.  The buddhas say that Nirvana is supreme. One who injures others is no renunciant; One who harms another is no contemplative. (184)* --Buddha, The Dhammapada   References Buddha. The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom. Translated by Acharya Buddharakkhita. Buddhist Publication Society Kandy, 1985. pp. 48. Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment, by Je Tsongkhapa, Volume 2. Translated by the Lamrim Chenmo Translation Committee. Joshua Cutler, Editor-in-Chief, and Guy Newlan, Editor, pop.152-154. 

The teachings of Buddha show us how to develop habits of happiness and peace. By practicing mindfulness we can train our mind and become anyway we want. No matter how confused, lonely, anxious or angry we are habitually, we can change. In this episode, we look at a verse that distill all of Buddha's teaching into three practices: Do no harm Practice what’s skillful Purify your mind  The great Tibetan Buddhist Master Je Tsongkhapa, explains how to practice mindfulness, "examine your physical, verbal, and mental actions all day and all night. By this means, you will put an end to miserable rebirths. However, if at the outset you are not versed in the classifications of cause and effect, understanding only a fragment of their depth and having a lax attitude with your physical, verbal, and mental actions, then you are merely throwing open the door to the miserable realms." It is difficult to be born a human;  Difficult is the life of mortals;  It is difficult to hear the true Dharma;  Difficult is the arising of buddhas. (182)    Doing no harm,  Practice what’s skillful,  Purify one’s mind:  This is the teaching of the buddhas. --Buddha, The Dhammapada References Buddha. The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom. Translated by Acharya Buddharakkhita. Buddhist Publication Society Kandy, 1985. pp. 48.   Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment, by Je Tsongkhapa, Volume 1. Translated by the Lamrim Chenmo Translation Committee. Joshua Cutler, Editor-in-Chief, and Guy Newlan, Editor, pop. 210-245.   

The habit of attachment gives rise to craving, and craving robs us of our inner peace and happiness in the most deceptive ways. Attachment is on of the main mental afflictions Buddha described. The afflictions of anger and jealousy obviously steal our peace, but attachment might seem like it is creating happiness! An affliction is defined as a metal habit that, when it arises, disturbs the mind. To eliminate afflictions, you must know the afflictions’ faults,  characteristics, remedies, and the causes of their arising. In this episode, we will discover attachments faults and remedies for this mental poison. Attachment means noticing a pleasant or attractive object and desiring it. When attachment clings to its object and grows stronger, it is hard to tear yourself away from the object, just as it is difficult to remove oil which has soaked into a cloth. Mindfulness practice: Choose peace. Let go.  The Buddha’s victory cannot be undone;  No one in the world can approach it.  By what path would you guide him,  Who has no path,  Whose field is endless? (179)    The Buddha has no ensnaring, embroiling craving  To lead him;  By what path would you guide him,  Who has no path,  Whose field is endless?   Even the gods envy  The awakened ones,  The mindful ones,  The wise ones  Who are intent on meditation  And delight in the peace of renunciation. --Buddha, The Dhammapada References: Buddha.The Dhammapada. Translated by Gil Fronsdale. Shambala, Boston and London, 2011, pp. 47-48.   Je Tsongkhapa. Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment., Volume 2. Pages 104-105, 147, 184-185. Translated by the Lamrim Chenmo Translation Committee. Joshua Cutler, Editor-in-Chief, and Guy Newlan, Editor.

In Buddhism, generosity is defined as the virtue of a generous attitude and any physical and verbal actions motivated by this intention. Thus, generosity is fundamentally a state of mind. Our goal would be to completely condition our mind to giving. It is conditioning our mind to wish to be the gift, the blessing, the miracle for other living beings. The practice of generosity entails generating, in various ways, the intention to give and steadily increasing this generosity, even though you may not be actually giving something away to others.  Buddha once said, “If beings knew, as I know, the results of giving, they would not eat without having given, nor would the stain of selfishness overcome their minds. Even if it were their last bite, their last mouthful, they would not eat without having shared”. There are many ways to practice generosity—by giving material things, spiritual teachings or care for the sick, saving the bugs or animals in danger and giving love. In an era in which we are always advertised to, spurring our attachment and over-consumption, generosity is a much-needed practice. Giving our material possessions helps to diminish attachment and craving, which increases our peace and good fortune. In general, there are Four Ways to Give:   -Materially -Dharma -Fearlessness (saving living beings from harm or caring for the sick) -Love Fools don’t praise generosity;  Misers don’t go to the world of gods.  The wise rejoice in generosity  And so find happiness in the hereafter. (177) — Buddha, The Dhammapada  References: Buddha.The Dhammapada. Translated by Gil Fronsdale. Shambala, Boston and London, 2011, pp. 46. Je Tsongkhapa. Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment., Volume 2. Pages 113-130. Translated by the Lamrim Chenmo Translation Committee. Joshua Cutler, Editor-in-Chief, and Guy Newlan, Editor.

Our speech can create the most beautiful, peaceful life if we are mindful to speak with kindness and wisdom. If we lack mindfulness of our words, we can cause another to believe something negative about themselves that they carry their whole lives. We might end a long friendship with only a few sentences motivated by anger. in the episode, we learn how to become mindful of our words and purify our speech of four downfalls. This can change our lives so completely. Where there was once drama and confusion, there can be peace and stable relationships. Some might even say that if we purify our speech, we will purify our world! The four downfalls of speech to try to let go of: Lying Lying is when someone else—the recipient of the lie—comprehends the meaning of the lie. The motivation is your desire to misrepresent your perception. The performance of the lie can be through speaking, through choosing not to speak, or through gesture. It is said that even causing others to engage in the three non-virtuous types of speech—lying, divisive speech, or offensive speech—is the same as doing it yourself.  Divisive Speech Speech that divides others.  Offensive Speech This when we speak in an offensive manner. The performance is saying something unpleasant, which may be either true or false. Senseless Speech This is speech about a topic that is not meaningful. For people who speak falsely,  Who transgress in this one way,  And who reject the world beyond,  There is no evil they won’t do. (176)* —Buddha, The Dhammapada   “The first agreement is the most important one and also the most difficult one to honor. It is so important that with just this first agreement you will be able to transcend to the level of existence I call heaven on earth. The first agreement is to be impeccable with your word. It sounds very simple, but it is very, very powerful.” —Don Miguel Ruiz, The Four Agreements  References: Buddha.The Dhammapada. Translated by Gil Fronsdale. Shambala, Boston and London, 2011, pp. 47. Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment, by Je Tsongkhapa, Volume 1. Pages 222-223. Translated by the Lamrim Chenmo Translation Committee. Joshua Cutler, Editor-in-Chief, and Guy Newlan, Editor. Ruiz, Don Miguel. The Four Agreements. Amber-Ellen Publishing, 2011. pp.  34-38.

Like two wings of a bird, the Buddhist Spiritual path has two essential parts: wisdom and compassion. All the teachings of Buddhism help us to develop and refine these two qualities. Also, we can use wisdom or compassion to help us to work on our problems, like anger, anxiety or an attachment causing us great pain. In this episode, we look at wisdom and compassion and ask ourselves, Who am I? Who do I want to be?  Wisdom realizing emptiness is realization that leads to enlightenment. Buddha taught that the ultimate nature of all things is emptiness. Our reality is empty of something that we normally perceive, but what is it empty of? When we say our glass is empty and ask for more, the glass is empty of something. Is it empty of  water or tea? This is the same with the emptiness of reality; it means our reality is empty of something. We ask then, “reality is empty of what?” Buddha taught that our reality is empty of inherent existence. Nothing exists inherently, independent of its name or without our minds perceiving it. A wine glass, for example, is not inherently a wine glass. Someone from a culture that has never seen a wine glass might see it as a vase flowers or a bowl for food. If no one ever gave it the name ‘wine glass’ it would not be a wine glass. The object is empty of existing inherently as a wine glass, but it does exist as a wine glass conventionally; it exists as mere name or imputation by conception. This also means the wine glass is full of possibilities for how it can exist.  This state of infinite possibility is true of our self also. If we even get a taste of our self being empty, it opens up infinite possibilities for our us. We can be anything. We can exist in any new, healthy way we can imagine. We can believe with certainty that we can become a Buddha and set out on the journey to become a bodhisattva. A bodhisattva is someone who has universal compassion and has determined to become a Buddha for the benefit of all living beings. Who are you? Who do you want to become?   Blind is this world;  Few see clearly here.  As birds who escape from nets are few,  Few go to heaven. (174)    Swans travel the path of the sun;  Those with psychic powers travel through space; The wise travel forth from the world,  Having conquered Māra and his army. --Buddha, The Dhammapada   Reference Buddha.The Dhammapada. Translated by Gil Fronsdale. Shambala, Boston and London, 2011, pp. 40. Yeshe, Thupten. Introduction to Tantra. (Audiobook). Wisdom Publications, Somerville, 2014.

The world that appears to us depends upon our mind: our mental habits, our views and beliefs. In this episode, Buddhist Teacher, JoAnn Fox, talks about how to purify our mind and specifically how to purify our negative karma. We can create a new mind and a new world by purifying negative karma and taking positive actions toward creating the life we really want.  Karma means action. Actions that caused harm to others in the past create our present painful feelings and experiences. We can purify the negative karma we’ve created in the past through the following purification meditation, which also involves a special mindfulness practice in daily life.  Meditation to Purifying Negative Karma has four parts: Power of regret (sometimes translated as the power of release). Generate the strong wish to purify a specific action in the past causing you suffering, that is perpetuating your current way of being that you wish to change. Power of reliance: Pray for help to any holy being you feel connected to or simply pray, thinking “please help me to purify this.”  Power of opponent force: means we do something to oppose the negative karmic. In this meditation, you can simply perform the following visualization as an opponent force. You can also recite the mantra of purification before the visualization. The short mantra of Vajrasattva is “Om Vajrasattva hum.” You might recite this many times, a few times, or 100 times using a mala (Buddhist rosary).  Then visualize a holy being of light comes to the crown of your head. This holy beings sends out liquid light, which enters your crown. The purifying light travels down your central channel, pushing the negative karma down and out of your body. Power of Promise: Make a promise to yourself to refrain from a certain negative or unhelpful behavior for a specific amount of time (a day or a week).  Whoever recovers from doing evil  By doing something wholesome  Illuminates the world  Like the moon set free from a cloud. (172)    Whoever replaces an evil deed  With what is wholesome  Illuminates the world  Like the moon set free from a cloud. (173)* —Buddha, The Dhammapada References Buddha.The Dhammapada. Translated by Gil Fronsdale. Shambala, Boston and London, 2011, pp. 43. Yeshe, Thupten. Introduction to Tantra. (Audiobook). Wisdom Publications, Somerville, 2014.

In the last few episodes, we have been looking at the basics of Buddhist tantric practice. In this episode, we try to get a taste of the experience of emptiness— the true nature of reality. The correct view of emptiness is one of three prerequisites for the practice of Buddhist tantra (in addition to renunciation and bodhicitta.) Over time, we try to develop this correct view of emptiness which allows us to experience this world as perfect and all living beings as perfect. Like a rainbow appearing in the sky, a real experience of emptiness ushers in a new world for us, one without stress, insecurities or isolation.  Do not follow an inferior way;  Don’t live with negligence.  Do not follow a wrong view;  Don’t be engrossed in the world. (167)*    Rouse yourself!  Don’t be negligent!  Live the Dharma, a life of good conduct.  One who lives the Dharma is happy  In this world and the next. (168)    Live the Dharma, a life of good conduct.  Don’t live a life of bad conduct.  One who lives the Dharma is happy In this world and the next.   If one sees the world as a bubble If one sees it as a mirage, One won’t be seen  By the King of Death.    Come, look on this world  As a beautified royal chariot.  Fools flounder in it,  But the discerning do not cling. (171) —Buddha, The Dhammapada  References Buddha.The Dhammapada. Translated by Gil Fronsdale. Shambala, Boston and London, 2011, pp. 40-41. Yeshe, Thupten. Introduction to Tantra. (Audiobook). Wisdom Publications, Somerville, 2014.

How a person functions in this world and whether they appear to be a good person or not, depends upon the intentions that most often pervade their mind. This is because intentions cause actions. What is the highest intention a human can have? Only the most benevolent intention can create actions so powerful it can radically transform us. In this episode, we look at a human’s ultimate potential and the intentions that ripen it.  It’s easy to do what is not good  And things that harm oneself.  It’s very difficult to do  Things beneficial and good. (163)    The unwise who rely on evil views  To malign the teachings of the noble arahants Who live the Dharma  Produce fruit that destroys themselves, Like the kathaka reed that dies upon bearing fruit. (164)*    Evil is done by oneself alone;  By oneself is one defiled.  Evil is avoided by oneself;  By oneself alone is one purified.  Purity and impurity depend on oneself; No one can purify another. (165)    Don’t give up your own welfare  For the sake of others’ welfare, however great.  Clearly know your own welfare  And be intent on the highest good. (166) —Buddha, The Dhammapada  References Buddha.The Dhammapada. Translated by Gil Fronsdale. Shambala, Boston and London, 2011, pp. 39-40. Yeshe, Thupten. Introduction to Tantra. (Audiobook). Wisdom Publications, Somerville, 2014.