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It’s natural to have doubt. The key, however, is whether we use our questions as fuel to seek out answers. Confidence in the power of Buddhist practices grows with time as you see actual proof of change in your life.

Today’s guest, Devesh Kumar, a medical student in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, shares how he tested Buddhism to see whether her could really make his impossible dreams a reality.

References:
Jan. 2, 1998, World Tribune, p. 11
Hope Is a Decision, p. 5
The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 1, revised edition, p. 126
The Buddha in Your Mirror, pp. 207–10

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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

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Buddhability Shorts are monthly episodes where we break down a Buddhist concept that we’ve touched on in an interview. This month, we’re talking about why Buddhist practice is neither simple altruism nor is it focused solely on ourselves.

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

References:

The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 2, revised edition, pp. 239–241

The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 2, revised edition, pp. 229–230

The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 2, revised edition, pp. 227–229

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This week we’re talking about dreams. How do we dream? How do we find purpose in our dreams? And if we have a clear dream, how we pursue it.

We’re speaking with two young Buddhists: one who learned how to open her life up to new possibilities and another who discovered deeper meaning in his dreams. Samantha Collins of St. Paul, Minnesota and Grady Tesch of New York City share how they discovered and followed their dreams.

References: 

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 835

The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 2, revised edition, p. 173

Discussions on Youth, pp. 76-77

The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 3, revised edition, pp. 112-113

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 279

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As we head into the final stretch of the year, we bring you the voices of several Buddhability listeners sharing appreciation for someone in their life.

References mentioned:

The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 1, pp. 66-68

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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.

Cheat Sheet:

7:20 Daniel tries Buddhism to get through graduate school

11:05 Dreaming of a research career in the U.S.

21:03 What Buddhism says about self-doubt

33:56 Fresh confidence to apply for a large grant

43:46 How studying maximizes the effects of Buddhist chanting

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

Struggles are an unavoidable part of life. While it may seem counterintuitive to view them as opportunities, Buddhism teaches that we can use each problem in our life as fuel for our happiness. Today we’re discussing how overcoming challenges builds an unshakable and undefeated self.

Today’s guest, Sasha Lee, and influencer and TV personality in Hawaii, shares how she started to see that obstacles were opportunities for her growth and the powerful role a friend’s encouragement can play.

References mentioned
The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, Part 1, p. 170

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We’re creating a special episode about gratitude with stories from listeners.

To submit, send a voice memo of no more than 1 minute to [email protected] sharing a quick story about someone you appreciate. It can be a small interaction with a stranger on the bus to a family member who’s been with you all your life. We want to showcase the variety of ways one person can make an impact. So, there’s no moment to share that is too big or too small. No need to share names in your voice memo—you can submit anonymously.

We’ll select a small assortment to share on an upcoming episode, so please submit only if you are comfortable having it shared on the podcast.

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Today we share the news of Buddhist philosopher and Soka Gakkai International (SGI) President Daisaku Ikeda’s passing and the impacts of his life and work.

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Fear and anger can be overpowering. Especially when they’re grounded in past and deeply personal experience. While our fears may feel justified they can also hold us back from accomplishing our goals and living a happy life. Today we’re talking about how to uproot those tendencies in our lives and transform them for our happiness.

Today’s guest, Krithi Byadgi, of San Francisco, shares how she used her Buddhist practice to transform her deep anger and fear into the courage and joy needed to strive for a harmonious family and her dream career.

References mentioned
Discussions on Youth, p. 410
“On Attaining Buddhahood in This Lifetime,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 4