"Engaged Buddhism" is Buddhism lived in the world through compassion in action, wisdom applied to real life, and mindfulness extended beyond the meditation cushion!

In this episode, we explore how Engaged Buddhism developed from the Buddha’s own teachings and practices 2,600 years ago, and then through the reform movement of Venerable Taixu and Humanistic Buddhism, to Thich Nhat Hanh’s modern mindfulness‑in‑action approach and the 14 Mindfulness Trainings of the Order of Interbeing that were created during the Vietnam war.

We also look at Master Hsing Yun’s global humanitarian work with Fo Guang Shan, showing how Engaged Buddhism can be both deeply personal and profoundly communal.

This is a great episode if you have heard of 'Engaged Buddhism' before and are wondering how your Buddhist practice can help respond to suffering, support our communities, and live the Bodhisattva ideal in everyday life.

• 📖 Read the article: https://alanpeto.com/buddhism/engaged-buddhism-buddhist/
• More about Ven. Thich Nhat Hanh: https://plumvillage.org/about/thich-nhat-hanh/biography
• More about Ven. Master Hsing Yun: https://hsingyun.org/bio/index.php
• Contact Alan: alanpeto.com/contact
• Podcast Homepage: alanpeto.com/podcast
• Podcast Disclaimer: alanpeto.com/legal/podcast-disclaimer

This episode is the full audiobook reading of my book Buddhism in 10 Steps. Many of you have already listened to the shorter podcast/video version, which offered a quick overview of the ten foundational steps. This episode is different — it’s the complete, long‑form narration of the actual book.

If you prefer listening over reading, or you enjoy deeper, uninterrupted explanations, this audiobook version is for you. It walks through each step (topic) with more detail, context, and guidance than the condensed episode, making it a great companion for new Buddhists, curious listeners, or anyone wanting a clearer path into Buddhist practice.

You can also find the book and eBook here: alanpeto.com/books/buddhism-10-steps/ or BuddhismStarterPack.com

Settle in, relax, and enjoy the full journey through the ten steps!

Contact Alan: alanpeto.com/contact

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In this episode, we explore the beautiful world of Buddhist symbols — the dragons, lotus flowers, prayer flags, mandalas, guardian lions, and more that fill temples and artwork across Asia. These symbols aren’t just decoration; they’re teaching tools that help us understand compassion, wisdom, karma, and enlightenment in simple, visual ways. If you’re new to Buddhism, this episode will give you a warm, accessible introduction to the Dharma you can see.

Contact Alan: alanpeto.com/contact

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In this episode, we explore one of the most surprising teachings in the Lotus Sūtra: the idea that the Buddha didn’t become a Buddha under the Bodhi tree, but awakened countless ages ago. His birth, enlightenment, and even his passing are presented as skillful means and are compassionate appearances meant to guide us, not limits on who he is.

This teaching reminds us that awakening / enlightenment isn’t distant or rare. It’s timeless, ever‑present, and something we can uncover in ourselves right now.

Contact Alan: alanpeto.com/contact

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Many Westerners are drawn to Buddhism because it feels rational, experiential, and compatible with science. But Buddhism also includes teachings—like karma, rebirth, and cosmology—that don’t fit neatly into a scientific framework. So how do these pieces fit together?

In this episode, we explore why Western culture often wants Buddhism to be “scientific,” what the Buddha actually taught about direct experience in the Kālāma Sutta, and why Buddhism still includes a healthy form of confidence (saddhā) rather than blind belief. We also look at where Buddhism and science genuinely overlap, where they don’t, and how to approach teachings that can’t be tested in a laboratory.

Using a clear analogy from medicine—where we often trust what works long before we understand how it works—we examine why unprovable teachings like rebirth aren’t dismissed in Buddhism, and why the tradition encourages open‑minded investigation rather than rigid belief or rigid skepticism.

Contact Alan: alanpeto.com/contact

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Chanting is one of the most widespread Buddhist practices, yet often one of the most misunderstood. In this episode, we explore what chanting really is, how sound plays an important role in Buddhist practice, and how chanting developed from the early oral tradition.

You’ll learn how chanting is used in both Theravāda and Mahāyāna Buddhism, what dhāraṇīs are (and why you’ve probably heard them before), and why traditional languages like Pāli and Sanskrit matter—even if you don’t understand every word. We’ll also look at popular chants across traditions and offer simple ways to start chanting, especially if you're hesitant or unsure.

Contact Alan: alanpeto.com/contact

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The Buddha’s Last Teaching: Impermanence & Parinirvāṇa

In this episode, we explore one of the most meaningful and human moments in all of Buddhism: the Buddha’s final days, his final teachings, and what his parinirvāṇa (his final passing or 'final Nirvana') really means for us today.

We’ll walk through the Buddha’s last journey to Kuśinagara, the touching conversations he had with Ānanda, and the Saṅgha, and the powerful guidance he offered even while facing the end of his life. His final message, which is that all conditioned things are impermanent, and that we must strive with diligence, becomes a living reminder of how to practice right now, in our everyday lives.

You’ll also learn how Theravada and Mahayana understand parinirvāṇa.

For example, Theravāda emphasizes the historical Buddha’s final passing and the importance of the Dharma as our guide. In contrast, Mahāyāna adds the perspective of the Buddha’s three bodies (trikāya) and explains why awakened bodhisattvas attain nirvāṇa but choose not to enter parinirvāṇa, remaining in the world out of compassion for all beings.

This episode is both a teaching and a reflection. It's an invitation to look closely at impermanence, to appreciate the preciousness of this moment, and to carry the Buddha’s final encouragement into your own practice.

Contact Alan: ⁠alanpeto.com/contact⁠

Podcast Homepage: ⁠alanpeto.com/podcast⁠

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What is Buddhism? This podcast episode covers ten basic Buddhist concepts and also has a video! It's a companion to my book, Buddhism in 10 Steps, that I co-wrote with Buddhist monk Sanathavihari Bhikkhu.

I originally recorded this video for YouTube and thought it would be a great addition to the Learn Buddhism podcast. If you've been listening to all my episodes, some of this might sound familiar (and that's good!).

You can watch a VIDEO for this episode on Spotify, or if you are on another platform, check it out on YouTube: https://youtu.be/cn9GlUomlzU?si=UaE96U-c6KPQP9r4.

You can also download the FREE eBook, Buddhism in 10 Steps, on my website by going to my Buddhism Starter Pack page! https://BuddhismStarterPack.com. Tell a friend!

Chapters:

0:00 Introduction

0:32 What is Buddhism (1)

4:52 Who was the Buddha? (2)

7:47 What did the Buddha Teach? (3)

12:12 Four Noble Truths (4)

16:09 Noble Eightfold Path (5)

18:31 Dependent Origination (6)

22:02 Karma (7)

23:51 Not Self (8)

26:19 Rebirth (9)

28:49 Nirvana (10)

Get the Book: https://alanpeto.com/books/buddhism-10-steps or https://BuddhismStarterPack.com

Contact Alan: alanpeto.com/contact

Podcast Homepage: alanpeto.com/podcast

Podcast Disclaimer: alanpeto.com/legal/podcast-disclaimer

What do Buddhists believe happens after death? In this episode, we explore one of the most common and meaningful questions beginners ask about Buddhism. Rather than offering a single doctrine, Buddhism presents a clear process shaped by karma, mental habits, and the continuity of causes and conditions.

You’ll learn how different Buddhist traditions understand death, rebirth, and the transition between lives:

• Theravada: the importance of the final mind state, wholesome actions, and merit transfer
• Pure Land: the role of Amitābha Buddha, nianfo chanting, and rebirth in the Pure Land
• Ch’an/Zen: clarity, non‑attachment, and approaching death as another moment of practice
• Tibetan Buddhism: the bardo teachings, phowa, and rituals that guide consciousness

We also look at merit and merit dedication, why families generate merit for the deceased, and how these practices support a peaceful transition and favorable rebirth.

Whether you’re new to Buddhism or deepening your understanding, this episode offers a clear, compassionate guide to how Buddhists view death — and what these teachings reveal about living with wisdom and intention.

Read the article: https://alanpeto.com/buddhism/understanding-reincarnation-rebirth/

Contact Alan: alanpeto.com/contact

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In this episode, we explore the Six Paramitas, the “perfections” that form the gradual training path of a Bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism.

From generosity and ethical discipline to patience, joyful effort, concentration, and wisdom, each Paramita is both a practice and an antidote to the obstacles that keep us bound to suffering.

We look at how the Paramitas align with the Eightfold Path, why Mahayana emphasizes them as the Bodhisattva’s toolkit, and how they embody the vow to liberate all beings before oneself. Along the way, we uncover what these perfections mean in daily life and how anyone can begin applying them, not as distant ideals but as practical steps toward compassion, clarity, and transformation.

By the end, you will see how the Six Paramitas offer a gradual, cumulative path, a way to cultivate enlightened qualities step by step while carrying others with you across the shore of liberation.

Contact Alan: alanpeto.com/contact

Podcast Homepage: alanpeto.com/podcast

Podcast Disclaimer: alanpeto.com/legal/podcast-disclaimer