How can one of the most inevitable things in life still be so shocking and confusing? Oona Friedland, of Berkley, Michigan, shares the story of how she navigated the pain of illness and death, eventually creating new meaning for her life.

Watch this episode on our YouTube Channel.

Buddhability Shorts is a monthly series where we break down a Buddhist concept or common life challenge we’ve touched on in an interview. Today we’re talking about how to overcome division in our personal lives and beyond.

To ask a question about the basics of Buddhism, you can email us at [email protected]

Resources:

The Dragon Girl
The Two Admonitions of the ‘Devadatta’ Chapter
Transforming Evil Into the Highest Good

Compassion, Wisdom and Courage: Building a Global Society of Peace and Creative Coexistence

If someone asked you to identify something getting in the way of your happiness right now, could you? It can be challenging to see ourselves clearly but doing so helps us change our lives. Our guest, Zoie Young, of Phoenix, struggled with self-worth from a young age. Through chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo she came to treasure her life, changing her self-image, relationships, and ability to dream.

Content warning: We speak about disordered eating in this episode. Please listen with care.

Watch today's episode on our YouTube Channel.

Resources:
Discussions on Youth, p. 10
July 2025 Living Buddhism, p. 45
A Foundation For Your Life, pp. 60–61
Through Suffering to Joy

Buddhability Shorts is a monthly series where we break down a Buddhist concept or common life challenge, we’ve touched on in an interview. Today we’re talking handling personal stress brought on by problems in society.

To ask a question about the basics of Buddhism, you can email us at [email protected]

Resources:

Three Keys On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land

2012 Peace Proposal—Human Security and Sustainability: Sharing Reverence for the Dignity of

Life

“On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, pp. 6–30.

Hope Is a Decision, p. 5.

There isn’t an expiration date for our dreams. It’s our own limiting beliefs that hold us back from pursuing them. Today’s guest, Jee Hyo Kim, of the Bay Area, set a dream aside and didn’t pick it back up until after she started a career. She shares how chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo helped her develop the self-worth and confidence needed to make the leap.

Watch this episode on our YouTube Channel.

Resources:

You Were Born to Win, pp. 8–9.

“On the Treasure Tower,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 299.

Buddhability Shorts is a monthly series where we break down a Buddhist concept or common life challenge, we’ve touched on in an interview. Today we’re talking about how to start and navigate a new phase of your life.

To ask a question about the basics of Buddhism, you can email us at [email protected]

Resources:
The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 1, revised edition, pp. 165–66.

The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 2, revised edition, p. 224.

It can be hard to embrace ourselves when society often makes us feel otherwise. In this episode, we’re talking about how chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo empowers us to appreciate and treasure every part of who we are.

Today’s guest, Joshua Thomas, of Portland, Oregon, shares how chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo helped him to live authentically, love his life and encourage others to do the same.

References:
The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 1, revised edition, p. 207.
The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 2, revised edition, pp. 335–36.
October 11, 2013, World Tribune, p. 9.

Whether we like it or not, we don’t exist in isolation. The interconnection of life means that when we change, our environment changes as well. Today’s guest, Heidi Hayashi, of Stratford, Conn., shares how finding the courage to live true to herself improved and deepened her family relationships.

References:

The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 2, revised edition p. 270

Buddhism Day by Day: Wisdom for Modern Life, p. 315

The Wisdom of the Lotus Sutra, vol. 4, p. 20

Unlocking the Mysteries of Birth & Death

The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 1, revised edition

Believing that we each possess limitless wisdom, courage and compassion—what we call Buddhability—can be a daily battle. Many of us impose limitations on ourselves, believing that we’re not capable of accomplishing our dreams and becoming happy.

Today’s guest, Daniel Sun, of Boston, shares how he used Buddhism to overcome his limiting beliefs and become an accomplished Harvard scientist and scholar. We discuss the key role chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and studying Buddhism played in his ability to shift his mindset.

References mentioned:

A Piece of Mirror and Other Essays, pp. 39-43
The Hope-Filled Teachings of Nichiren Daishonin, p. 133
The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, pp. 3–4
The Light of Learning, p. 130

In this special Buddhability episode, we sit down with four science and aerospace professionals, speaking as private citizens, to discuss the relationship between Buddhism and space. They share perspectives on Buddhist humanism in space exploration, Buddhist theory and space science, and the eternity of life.

You can watch today’s episode on your YouTube channel.

Resources:

Space and Eternal Life: A dialogue between Chandra Wickramasinghe and Daisaku Ikeda, p. 219

The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 1, revised edition, pp. 113-12