Learn Buddhism with Alan Peto by Alan Peto

04.19.2024

62 - The Baby Buddha!

Did you know the Buddha was once a baby? Learn about the Buddha's birth, and how we celebrate the Buddha's birthday in May! Read the article: https://alanpeto.com/buddhism/buddha-birthday/ and https://alanpeto.com/buddhism/buddha-mothers-day/ Contact Alan: alanpeto.com/contact Podcast Homepage: alanpeto.com/podcast Podcast Disclaimer: alanpeto.com/legal/podcast-disclaimer --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/alanpeto/message

04.12.2024

61 - Building a Buddhist Altar

Buddhist altars are an important part of Buddhist practice. Let's explore why they are important, what they do, how we build them, and where to place them. Contact Alan: alanpeto.com/contact Podcast Homepage: alanpeto.com/podcast Podcast Disclaimer: alanpeto.com/legal/podcast-disclaimer --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/alanpeto/message

04.05.2024

60 - The Most Popular Bodhisattva in Buddhism (Avalokiteśvara)

The most popular Bodhisattva is Avalokiteśvara (Guan Yin, Kannon, etc.). Because they are known as the Bodhisattva of Compassion and can be called upon, you see Avalokiteśvara as the one Bodhisattva that most Buddhists know and love. Get an introduction to this...

03.22.2024

59 - Buddhism Questions and Answers from Listeners

I'm answering YOUR questions about Buddhism in this episode! Recently I asked on my social media if anyone had questions about Buddhism and here are a few of those questions that I answered. Be on the lookout for me asking...

03.02.2024

58 - Dependent Origination ("Causes and Conditions") in Buddhism

What did the Buddha "awaken" to 2,600 years ago? It was "Dependent Origination"! This teaching is so fundamental to Buddhism, that it is where all the other things we focus on, such as karma, rebirth, five aggregates/skandhas, not self, etc.,...

01.27.2024

57 - 12 Month New Year Buddhist Practice

Want to try something special for your Buddhist practice this year? Mix in a monthly focus that compliments your daily practice! Join me in incorporating the Threefold Training throughout the year and be exposed to different Buddhist practices. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 01:30 The...

12.23.2023

57 - Practicing Holidays as a Western Buddhist

Can a Western Buddhist participate in Western holidays like Christmas or Thanksgiving? What about Buddhist or country specific holidays? Let's explore in this episode! Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 00:05 Western Buddhism and Western holidays 00:30 should I engage in Western holidays? 01:22 finding Buddhism in western...

12.10.2023

56 - Live Like the Buddha

How can you, as a lay-Buddhist, "be like The Buddha" in your daily life? Here are my five observations about the Buddha and his life that we can incorporate into our life! 00:00 - Introduction 05:00 - Mindfulness 10:18 - Generosity 13:08 - Precepts 18:00...

10.16.2023

55 - The Super Buddha

Did you know the Buddha was "super"? He had supernatural and supranormal abilities. But this was something he didn't see as central to Buddhism, but as a consequence of meditative concentration. Yet, it is a key part of skillful means...

09.10.2023

54 - The Heart Sutra

The most chanted, studied, and copied sutra in the Buddhist world is the Heart Sutra. Found in most traditions that follow Mahayana Buddhism (the path of the Bodhisattva) chant this sutra daily. It teaches the profound nature of Prajna or...

08.12.2023

53 - The Bodhisattva Path

Mahayana Buddhism makes up the largest branch of Buddhism, and they follow the "Bodhisattva Path". What is that and why is it so important to them? A Bodhisattva is an enlightened being that practices for themselves and others and makes...

07.08.2023

52 - Impermanence in Buddhism

Impermanence in Buddhism is so important and central to our practice that we can't ignore it. However, it is also a very hard concept to understand. The Buddha essentially said that all conditioned things (that includes you and me) are...

06.19.2023

51 - Repentance in Buddhism

Do Buddhists "repent"? Yes! And it's not what you think. Repentance in Buddhism is a fundamental part of Buddhist practice because it helps us "get out" the misdeed/transgression of the five precepts we created so that we can understand...

05.23.2023

50 - Buddhism Misconceptions (Part 2)

Check out episode three (3) of this podcast for the first part! In this new episode, I talk about more misconceptions you may have heard about Buddhism in the West. Here are the misconceptions covered in this episode: "The Buddha...

05.15.2023

49 - The Three Fires of Buddhism

One of the most important teachings in Buddhism is that of the "Three Fires" or "Three Poisons" of greed, anger, and ignorance. Why? Because it is the cause of our unwholesome karma keeps us trapped in the cycle of rebirth,...

04.17.2023

48 - Prayer in Buddhism

Hundreds of millions of Buddhist pray. But why? And more importantly, why should you pray as part of your Buddhist practice? Prayer in Buddhism is not the same as in other religions where you might be praying to a creator God...

04.04.2023

47 - Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Buddhism (Does AI Have Buddhanature?)

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is capturing everyone's attention at the moment. From ChatGPT to Microsoft's Bing chat and Co-Pilot, to Google Bard. It can seemingly be like talking to a real person who then gives you answers or helps you with...

03.28.2023

47 - Observance Days Practice in Buddhism

Buddhist practice isn't confined to a daily practice or going to the temple. There are "Observance Days" in numerous traditions where lay-Buddhists engage in practices that align themselves more with the monastic lifestyle and advance their development. This includes taking...

03.21.2023

46 - Daily Practice & Meditation - Interview with Bodhipaksa

I've known meditation teacher Bodhipaksa for several years. He was one of the first to use the internet when it was "new" to teach others about meditation when there wasn't a group or temple nearby. He has also spread knowledge...

03.14.2023

45 - Do You Have to Believe in Everything Buddhism Believes In?

If you are new to Buddhism, there are plenty of things in Buddhism that make you question if it is real or not. But they are clearly part of the religion. And, different traditions may have various beliefs. So, do...

02.20.2023

44 - Virtual Buddhism & Venerable Tri Dao Interview

How do you practice Buddhism when there is no Buddhist temple or monastics where you live? Can technology and "virtual" Buddhism be an option? In this episode, I talked with Venerable Tri Dao, a Buddhist monk in the Theravada tradition...

02.13.2023

43 - The Enemy of the Buddha - Mara

Before Siddhartha was enlightened and became the Buddha, he had to face the demon Mara and his army. While Mara doesn't get talked about all the time in Buddhism, he is all around us trying to make us create the...

01.30.2023

42 - Buddhism During Difficult Times

When challenging and difficult times happen in your life, are you able to continue your Buddhist practice? What does it mean to practice Buddhism during these times, and what practices may be helpful? In this episode, we will talk about...

01.09.2023

41 - Faith in Buddhism

Do you need to have blind faith in Buddhism? Faith in things you can't prove such as karma, rebirth, samsara, etc.? This is one of the most often-asked questions (and concerns) about Westerners exploring or entering Buddhism for the first...

12.12.2022

40 - Buddhist Holidays

There are many Buddhist holidays, but what are they and what do they mean to you? Buddhist holidays serve a few purposes, which include getting Buddhists together (Dharma Friends), engaging with monastics, visiting the temple, practicing the religion (chanting, recitation,...

11.08.2022

39 - Taking the Triple Gem Refuge (Becoming a Buddhist)

When you are ready to become a Buddhist, you "officially" become one by taking the Triple Gem Refuge. But what does this mean and why is it important? Can you take the Triple Gem Refuge from home? What's the purpose...

10.10.2022

38 - The Leadership of the Buddha

We often think of the Buddha as the founder of the Buddhist religion in our era. But he was also a leader. The Buddha had to manage, supervise, organize, inspire, and delegate to get a community started, rules to organize...

09.27.2022

37 - Attachment (Upadana) in Buddhism and the Fire Sermon

What are we trying to end in Buddhism? The Three Fires of greed, anger, and ignorance result in karmic actions that trap us in rebirth and dukkha (suffering). But how did we get here in the first place? What "fuels"...

09.19.2022

36 - The Six Perfections (Paramitas) in Buddhist Practice

What is the practice of Mahayana Buddhists? From Zen to Pure Land, Mahayana Buddhists strive to perfect the Six Perfections or "Paramitas". These are the qualities and virtues of the true nature of an enlightened being like a Buddha or...

09.06.2022

35 - The Five Hindrances of Buddhist Meditation

Buddhism has something called the "Five Hindrances" which are mental obstructions on our path towards enlightenment and Nirvana. In this episode, we will talk about Buddhist meditation, our mind, and how the Five Hindrances are like obstacles on the road...

08.16.2022

34 - Reincarnation in Buddhism? (Rebirth)

A common misconception is that Buddhism believes in “reincarnation” where a permanent and unchanging “self” or “soul” transmigrates to a new body or existence. The Buddha firmly rejected this. In Buddhism, the focus on “karma,” and generating wholesome karma, is related...

07.25.2022

33 - Devotional Buddhism

Regardless of tradition or branch, the half-billion Buddhists around the world practice something called devotional Buddhism. This is based on faith and refuge in the Triple Gem (Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha), and not on blind faith. This foundational way to...

06.29.2022

32 - Mahayana Buddhism

Mahayana makes up the second branch of Buddhism in our world today and is practiced in the East-Asian and Central-Asian countries. Mahayanists follow the "Bodhisattva Path" that leads to the full awakening of Buddhahood. This Mahayana Path allows anyone, even...

06.20.2022

31 - Theravada Buddhism

The first in a series of episodes on the branches and traditions of Buddhism, we will explore Theravāda Buddhism. How did this school emerge? Did it ever read Mahayana sutras? What is the school of thought and guiding practice? Come...

06.13.2022

30 - Buddhist Temples

What is a Buddhist temple and how do you attend services in one? In this episode, I'll talk about why we have Buddhist temples, how to find one, some examples of etiquette when going to one, the general layout and...

06.06.2022

29 - Pure Land Buddhism & Amitābha Buddha

One of the most popular and widely practiced forms of Buddhism is "Pure Land". This practice is found throughout East-Asia and Central-Asia (Mahayana) and is part of the daily practice of a large number of Buddhists. But what does this...

05.30.2022

28 - Buddhist Cosmology

Buddhism has a rich and vast cosmology that can sometimes be overlooked or disregarded by Westerners. However, this cosmology is central to the half-billion Buddhists around the world and shapes the desire and effort they have in practicing Buddhism. Learn...

05.09.2022

27 - Buddhism in 10 Steps Book Interview with Buddhist Monk Sanathavihari Bhikkhu

The free eBook, Buddhism in 10 Steps, was written by Alan Peto and Buddhist Monk Sanathavihari Bhikkhu to help those new to Buddhism get a 'quick start' with a short and easy to read book. In this episode, Alan discusses...

05.02.2022

26 - The Buddha's Mothers (Mother's Day Episode)

Did you know that the Buddha actually had two mothers? His mother, Maya, passed away just a few days after he was born. His aunt became his stepmother and raised him as her own. At a basic level, this doesn't...

04.17.2022

25 - A Buddhist Easter

Easter is celebrated by Christians around the world. But does Buddhism have a similar resurrection story? Yes and no. While Jesus and the Buddha were two different people, religions, and paths, we can find some similarities between their stories and...

04.04.2022

24 - How to Start Off in Buddhism

If you live in a country where Buddhism is not the major religion, it can be overwhelming to begin with for many. However, if you just follow three straightforward steps you can correctly begin your journey in the religion! Get our...

03.28.2022

23 - Buddhism During Difficult and Challenging Times

When challenging times happen to us, we can easily become overwhelmed with the situation. While we are following the advice of professionals during these times, we can sometimes lose our Buddhist practice. We may feel that there isn't a way...

03.14.2022

22 - Not-Self in Buddhism

One of the fundamental teachings of the Buddha is that we do not have a permanent, unchanging, and independent "self". However, we believe we do have such a "self", and as a result, we engage in karmic actions that trap...

03.07.2022

21 - Karma in Buddhism

Karma can be a misunderstood term in our world since it has crept into our everyday conversations with "good karma" and "bad karma". But for Buddhists, it is an important part of the religion because it is something one wants to...

02.28.2022

20 - The Buddhist Threefold Training

The "Threefold Training" is based upon the Buddha's Eightfold Path to practice Buddhism that leads to enlightenment and Nirvana. It is the way to end the Three Fires of greed, anger, and ignorance/delusion which would then lead to your true...

02.05.2022

19 - Thich Nhat Hanh

The world-famous Buddhist monk Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh passed away in January 2022 at the age of 95. He left behind a legacy of monasteries, local groups, books, and millions of followers. In this episode, I'd like to reflect on...

01.25.2022

18 - The Three Marks of Existence in Buddhism

The Buddha taught that our existence is marked by impermanence, dukkha, and the illusion of self. He wasn't telling us this to make us sad, but to spur us into action. The only permanent thing is "impermanence", but we fail...

01.15.2022

17 - Merit Practice in Buddhism

The most widely practiced form of Buddhism is the cultivation of merit. Merit creates the wholesome conditions that are conducive to the Buddha's path towards enlightenment. Because enlightenment is often not possible in our lifetime and is difficult for laypersons,...

12.31.2021

16 - New Year, New Buddha Mind

With a new year upon us, it can be a perfect time to reflect upon why we are Buddhists and re-invigorating our determination and effort to practice. The Eightfold Path, and the Threefold Training that derives from it, provide us...

12.25.2021

15 - A Buddhist Christmas

Merry Christmas! Can a Buddhist celebrate Christmas? Yes, with a Buddhist mindset. Learn how Buddhists can demonstrate the shared values of peace, love, kindness, compassion, and charity, and allow it to fill your heart and mind. Alan's Buddhism and Christmas articles...

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