Diggin' the Dharma

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"Not mine, not I, not myself" is a phrase that appears in various suttas.  It can be a useful reminder to let go.  We cling to material things, people, and of course ourselves. When we lose something or someone, or when that idea of who I am suddenly shifts, it can manifest in significant suffering. In this episode, Doug and Jon discuss how they relate to this sutta and how it can be a helpful reminder when we find ourselves in the jaws of dukkha.

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What is non-dualism all about?  Is it a practice? Is it a way of looking at the world?  Or is it just words?  Yes and. . . 

We'll discuss the dharma and practice of non-dualism. Was it found in the early texts?  How do we understand and use it?

Doug's YouTube video on the topic:
Non-Dualism and Early Buddhism -- https://youtu.be/43v6lLweukg

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The training called Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction was developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn in the late '70s and could be credited with the concept of "secular mindfulness."  It is taught worldwide by hundreds of teachers and has been the topic of well over 1000 scientific research papers.    Is it Buddhist? Is it effective?  Jon Aaron is one of the prominent teachers of this curriculum and a trainer of new teachers.  He and Doug talk about the Buddhist underpinnings of this curriculum as well as it's impact on the secular mindfulness movement.

Link to Jon's upcoming MBSR Classes
Receive a 10% discount using: MBSR10

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What are the Buddha's views about views?   How are the ways we hold opinions about politics, people, food, etc, different from clinging to spiritual views?   The Buddha had a lot to say about this but how do we put it into practice.  How does our clinging to views, most importantly views about ourselves,  impede our progress on the path?  

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The Seven Awakening Factors are a fundamental teaching in the early Buddhist Suttas.    In an active form, these factors can be a valuable antidote to any of the Five Hindrances.    In a passive way, as we meditate, they can act as signposts informing us both where we are and what is needed at any given moment.  Throughout our day, they can work in the same way.

Each of these factors warrants its own podcast, but here we discuss them as a whole.

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In Buddhist practice, direct experience is a key component of mindfulness and the development of wisdom.  Can AI actually have direct experience?   And if so, does it actually develop true wisdom?  

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With the hyper-driven developments in Artificial Intelligence, we wonder, is AI becoming sentient?  What is sentience anyway?  What are the determining factors? How do we hold these developments in the Buddhist context of Anatta, not self?  

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Metta--the quality of unconditional love is considered one of the boundless qualities of the heart.   We often have beings in our lives who embody this quality and have been there for us regardless of how we are, or what we have done.   These beings could be grandparents, an aunt or uncle, perhaps our parents (though most parents knowingly or not have conditions to their love), our 1st-grade teacher, or even a family dog.   Recalling these benefactors is of great help if we have trouble connecting with the kind of love. 
In this episode, we discuss the benefactors in our lives and how the impact they can have.

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As Jon returns from his heart surgery and recovery, we discuss the practice of patience, which is considered one of the Perfections of the Heart (Parami).    While heart surgery itself is miraculous, perfecting the heart by cultivating this quality of patience (among others) is no less so.  We look at ways to develop patience throughout our day.

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We'll discuss a fun early sutta where two ascetics, one practicing as a dog, the other as a cow, come up to the Buddha to ask for his opinion about the merit of their practices.  What does this show us about our own attitude to practice?

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