Diggin' the Dharma

By Jon Aaron and Doug SmithAlternative Health Health & Fitness Religion & Spirituality Spirituality Buddhism

Diggin' the Dharma episodes

February 16, 2025 Pilgrimage and Spiritual Seekers
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Jon has been on pilgrimage in India over the last few weeks. He reports in about all he's been experiencing at various Buddhist and other sites.
Links:
Jon's blog posts: JonAaron.net/musings
Where Are You Going: Ajahn Sucitto and Nick Scott https://whereareyougoing.podbean.com/
Doug's video: King Asoka: Buddhism's Great Political Modernist -- https://youtu.be/V4894Ug8Y3c
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30 min
January 12, 2025 It's About Time in Buddhism
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How do we perceive time, and what can we learn from Buddhist teachings about it? How do we frame the past and the future, not to mention the present? Jon and Doug discuss this topic, inspired by the fact that Jon is currently in India, which is 9.5 hours ahead of the East Coast of the U.S., where Doug is.
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28 min
December 22, 2024 Dharma Chat with Stephen Fulder-- Practicing in Challenging Times
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Jon and Doug have a wide-ranging chat with the dharma teacher and peace activitist, Stephen Fulder, founder of Tovana, the Israel Insight Society. We discuss his work in Israel and his new book, How to Thrive in Hard Times.

You can find his book here on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/How-Thrive-Hard-Times-Buddhist/dp/1915672740/

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34 min
December 15, 2024 Refuge in Practice: Self or Sangha?
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What is the role of community in our practice? The sangha is one of the traditional three refuges or jewels of Buddhism. The Buddha also advised at the end of his life to hold the self as our island and refuge, with the dharma as our island and refuge. Jon and Doug discuss how we reconcile these ideals.
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28 min
December 08, 2024 Investigation, Energy, and Joy
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Three key aspects of the seven enlightenment factors are investigation, energy, and joy. What are they, and how can we touch them in our practice?
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27 min
November 24, 2024 Conscious of Consciousness
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The final aggregate in the set of five is consciousness. What is meant by consciousness/ As an aggregate of clinging, when does it get in the way?
Jon and Doug discuss.

Doug's Video:
The Problem(s) of Consciousness -- https://youtu.be/W1Pn65QZiZs
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35 min
November 17, 2024 Sankharas, What Are They? Volitional Formations/Constructions/etc.?
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In Buddhism the root of karmic action is in sankharas, a word with many uses in the dharma. As we practice, we can see the sankharas taking shape and then realize we have choices. But even the choices are related to other sankharas and the "wow' of this mind.
Jon and Doug discuss them and how we can view their role in our lives.
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28 min
November 10, 2024 Bringing Our Practice to an Unwanted Outcome
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Two days after the US Election, Doug and Jon discuss how they are handling the results. They also discuss how our practice can support us as we look to the future political landscape in the US and the world.

Jon offered this poem by Rilke as a support:

Let This Darkness be a Belltower
Rainer Maria Rilke

Quiet friend who has come so far,
feel how your breathing makes more space around you.
Let this darkness be a bell tower
and you the bell. As you ring,
what batters you becomes your strength.
Move back and forth into the change.
What is it like, such intensity of pain?
If the drink is bitter, turn yourself to wine.
In this uncontainable night,
be the mystery at the crossroads of your senses,
the meaning discovered there.
And if the world has ceased to hear you,
say to the silent earth: I flow.
To the rushing water, speak: I am.

Doug's Video:
No Local Meditation Group? Six Solutions -- https://youtu.be/-rEKVKsV2iU

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Go to our website to leave a comment, buy us a coffee, or see further notes and links: https://digginthedharma.com/
29 min
November 03, 2024 Talkin' 'bout feeling (Vedana)
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Feeling tone, the pleasure or pain we take in experience, is a central part of dharma. As an aggregate, a foundation of mindfulness, a link in the chain of dependent origination, appreciating, understanding, and directly experiencing Vedana is a key to experiencing freedom.
Jon and Doug have a lively discussion on this topic.
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30 min
October 27, 2024 The Aggregate of Form: Body and World
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Doug and Jon continue to explore the Five Aggregates of Clinging (to self) and this week explore Form. How do we cling to form and at what point, does this clinging become suffering? Are doesn't it?

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Go to our website to leave a comment, buy us a coffee, or see further notes and links: https://digginthedharma.com/
30 min

About Diggin' the Dharma

From the publisher's feed

Diggin' the Dharma with Jon Aaron and Doug Smith is a relaxed discussion of the Buddhist dharma between friends. Jon's interest centers around practice, while Doug's centers around scholarship of the…