Suburban Dharma

A Dhamma talk at the International Buddhist Meditation Center Los Angeles on 1/15/23. Subodha shares a story from the Pali Canon about two monks who get into a fight and one commits a transgression that the other does not forgive. The Buddha weighs in on the matter, saying what is unwise and wise in regard to transgressions and pardoning. Subodha then relates this to his own past and a humbling lesson he learned as a young man.

A Dhamma talk at the International Buddhist Meditation Center Los Angeles on 12/18/22. Subodha shares lessons from the Pali Canon on what constitutes true happiness and why it is worth pursuing.

A Dhamma talk at the International Buddhist Meditation Center Los Angeles on 11/13/22. Subodha shares thoughts on living a quiet life in the forest being a waste if the mind is not also secluded. He shares a reading from the Viveka Sutta (SN 9:1) on the importance of training the mind away from the hindrances. The third tetrad of the Anapanasati Sutta (Mindfulness of Breathing Sutta), dealing with the mind, is explained as a tool for mental happiness.

A Dhamma talk at the International Buddhist Meditation Center Los Angeles on 10/23/22. Subodha discusses what it means to practice the Buddha’s teachings in our modern time and place.

A Dhamma talk at the International Buddhist Meditation Center Los Angeles on 9/18/22. Subodha shares a story about driving by a casino and then shortly after witnessing a murder of crows making a game out of consuming roadkill as they dodge oncoming cars. These events are then related to the eight worldly conditions and how the Buddha teaches us to be free of them.

A talk at IBMC Los Angeles on 8/14/22. Subodha begins with a story about an encounter with a rattlesnake to build on the themes of kindness, skillfulness, and discernment.

A talk at the International Buddhist Meditation Center Los Angeles on 7/10/22. Not getting caught up on arguing over maps when they can be so different from the terrain. Maps are useful when they an accurate guide and put to use, but we still need to be innovative and adapt when needed. And we eventually transcend the need for a map at all because we’ve reached the destination.

A Dharma talk at the International Buddhist Meditation Center Los Angeles on 6/5/22. Subodha shares his experience of practicing meditation while sick and severely short of breath.

A Dharma talk at the International Buddhist Meditation Center Los Angeles on 4/24/22.

A Dharma talk at the International Buddhist Meditation Center Los Angeles on 3/13/22