Buddhability

Buddhability Shorts is a monthly series where we break down a Buddhist concept that we’ve touched on in an interview. This month, we’re talking about how Buddhist practice helps us to value our unique qualities and lead a purposeful life.   To ask a question about the basics of Buddhism, you can email us at connect@sgi-usa.org   References: The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace , part 2, rev...

Buddhism helps us to build a solid inner life that isn’t swayed by our circumstances. That strength is the key to having the confidence needed to take action toward our dreams.   Today’s guest, Christopher Robin Donaldson, of Denver, Colorado, shares how he went from passively waiting for his dreams to becoming a father, professional actor, husband, college graduate and homeowner.   References: Th...

It’s natural to have doubt. The key, however, is whether we use our questions as fuel to seek out answers. Confidence in the power of Buddhist practices grows with time as you see actual proof of change in your life. Today’s guest, Devesh Kumar, a medical student in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, shares how he tested Buddhism to see whether her could really make his impossible dreams a reality. References:...

Whether we like it or not, we don’t exist in isolation. The interconnection of life means that when we change, our environment changes as well.    Today’s guest, Heidi Hayashi, of Stratford, Conn., shares how finding the courage to live true to herself improved and deepened her family relationships.   References: The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace , part 2, revised edition p. 270 Buddhism...

Buddhability Shorts are monthly episodes where we break down a Buddhist concept that we’ve touched on in an interview. This month, we’re talking about why Buddhist practice is neither simple altruism nor is it focused solely on ourselves.   To ask a question about the basics of Buddhism, you can email us at connect@sgi-usa.org References: The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace , part 2, revis...

This week we’re talking about dreams. How do we dream? How do we find purpose in our dreams? And if we have a clear dream, how we pursue it.   We’re speaking with two young Buddhists: one who learned how to open her life up to new possibilities and another who discovered deeper meaning in his dreams. Samantha Collins of St. Paul, Minnesota and Grady Tesch of New York City share how they discovered...

As we head into the final stretch of the year, we bring you the voices of several Buddhability listeners sharing appreciation for someone in their life.   References mentioned: The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace , part 1, pp. 66-68

Believing that we each possess limitless wisdom, courage and compassion—what we call Buddhability—can be a daily battle. Many of us impose limitations on ourselves, believing that we’re not capable of accomplishing our dreams and becoming happy.   Today’s guest, Daniel Sun, of Boston, shares how he used Buddhism to overcome his limiting beliefs and become an accomplished Harvard scientist and scho...

We’re creating a special episode about gratitude with stories from listeners.   To submit, send a voice memo of no more than 1 minute to connect@sgi-usa.org sharing a quick story about someone you appreciate. It can be a small interaction with a stranger on the bus to a family member who’s been with you all your life. We want to showcase the variety of ways one person can make an impact. So, there...

Today we share the news of Buddhist philosopher and Soka Gakkai International (SGI) President Daisaku Ikeda’s passing and the impacts of his life and work.

Fear and anger can be overpowering. Especially when they’re grounded in past and deeply personal experience. While our fears may feel justified they can also hold us back from accomplishing our goals and living a happy life. Today we’re talking about how to uproot those tendencies in our lives and transform them for our happiness. Today’s guest, Krithi Byadgi, of San Francisco, shares how she used...

Amid a painful reality that can’t be changed, like a family member’s terminal disease, how can we still create hope? Today we’re discussing how tapping into our Buddhability—the limitless wisdom, courage, and compassion we each possess—can help us transform our attitude, create a beautiful life, and accomplish our dreams amid a difficult reality. Our guest is Jonathan Cheng, of New York City, who...

Today, we have for you the season finale of Buddhability Season 1, and we’re so excited to share some big updates about the show.  We’ve just passed the three-year anniversary of launching Buddhability, and with it, a huge milestone, surpassing 1 million podcast downloads, and well over 100 episodes. Thank you for your support and dedication to sharing the show all this time. Alongside this milest...

Today, October 2nd, marks the three year anniversary since our launch! We are also celebrating a milestone- hitting 1 million downloads! To commemorate this, we're going to be closing out with an exciting season finale next week. Stay tuned. 

Here's today's question: How can Buddhism help me with this stress caused by chronic physical pain?  How can I be happy living with chronic illness?  Buddhism teaches that falling to illness is not a form of failure or defeat. In fact illness can be an inspiration to bring out our best, most resilient selves. References: https://www.worldtribune.org/2021/key-ways-to-view-and-overcome-the-suffering...

Here’s today’s question: Do I have to believe in chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo for it to work? This is a question nearly every person who starts to chant has in the back of their mind. Unless spirituality or a chanting-like practice has already been part of your life for a while, it can feel very new and hard to believe in. We want to approach this question from a few angles but first, to answer it...

Here's today's question: How can I set healthy boundaries that honor myself and others?  One listener asked: “How can Buddhism help me and my family with setting boundaries? Setting boundaries at work seems easier than with family stuff.”  Chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo about our situation ensures that we make our decisions based on wisdom, courage and compassion, rather than trends or emotion. Refe...

Here’s today’s question: What does Buddhism say about dealing with grief? Grief is something we all experience at some point in life.  One listener asked, “I've recently had a few folks die and I am trying to give myself space to have this new emotional experience but also be strong, move forward, help others and be happy. What should I do?”  Another listener wrote in, “What does Buddhism teach ab...

Here’s today's question, ”Can I be angry when I chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo?” It’s actually a combination of a few questions we received. One person asked, “Some days I feel powerful and determined. Some days I feel sad and cry. But lately, I've been furious and angry. Is it okay to be furious and angry in front of my Gohonzon?” And another person asked, “Is there a way I can use my anger for good?”...

Here’s today’s question, “I’m starting a new job soon and I’m wondering if you could talk a little bit about stressful transitions in life?”  We actually got quite a lot of questions about work stress or challenging professional situations. We’ll answer the question and touch on what Buddhism says about work.

Here’s today’s question: I’m dealing with a really stressful relationship with someone close to me. Do you have any advice on what to do when someone just keeps getting under your skin? Well first of all, who can’t relate to this one? Stress is an inevitable part of daily life, but when it manifests through a person, it tends to bring with it a whole host of other emotions – anger, frustration, bl...

Today we have two exciting announcements. First, we’re launching a new 7-day series called “Change Your Relationship with Stress.” From July 24 to August 1, you'll receive inspiration in your inbox each day about how to transform stress in nearly every area of your life from relationship stress and financial stress to work and family stress. Visit us at Buddhability.org and sign up for our email n...

“Tips & Insights” is an episode series in which we introduce one Buddhist concept each month and share how it can be applied to your life! Today’s episode is about suffering, an inescapable fact of life for all living beings, but one that Buddhism offers a refreshing and concrete perspective on. References: https://www.daisakuikeda.org/main/philos/essays-on-buddhism/buddhist-view-of-life-and-d...

This week we're airing a rerun of one of our most popular episodes from June, 2021 with lawyer Dan Foley. On June 26, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court ratified same-sex marriage, a monumental achievement after a more than 25-year battle across the country. Recently, journalist Sasha Issenberg published a riveting, comprehensive history of that struggle, titled The Engagement: America’s Quarter Century...

Today, we’re talking about how Buddhism can help you find the wisdom to overcome anything in life. In particular, the challenges that sometimes come with love and relationships. Our guest is Bryant Ríos-Niño, of Connecticut. He shares his parallel journeys of developing his Buddhist practice and learning what love, relationships and supporting your family truly takes.