Bright On Buddhism

Bright on Buddhism - Episode 129 - Who is Tara? What are some stories about her? How is she depicted in iconography and why? Resources: Beer, Robert (2003). A Handbook of Tibetan Buddhist Symbols. Boston: Shambhala. ISBN 978-1590301005. Blofeld, John (1992). The Tantric Mysticism of Tibet: A Practical Guide to the Theory, Purpose, and Techniques of Tantric Meditation. Penguin. ISBN 0-14-019336-7....

Bright on Buddhism - Kālāma Sutta - Join us as we read and discuss the Soma Thera translation of the Kalama Sutta in its entirety Resources: Root texts Pali text at SuttaCentral (available in five scripts, including Roman and Devanagari) Translations With the Kālāmas of Kesamutta, translation by Bhikkhu Sujato Kesaputtiya, translation by Bhikkhu Bodhi Essays The wisdom of Kalama Sutta Knowledge an...

Bright on Buddhism - Feed Drop - Nihonshi, A Japanese History Podcast Join us as we drop part 3 of a 3 part series narrating the story of the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki, two myth-histories of Japan. This series serves both as a feed drop of the forthcoming Nihonshi podcast and as Asian Religions Series - Shintō Part 4, 5, and 6. https://www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-local-foodbank Do you have a...

Bright on Buddhism - Feed Drop - Nihonshi, A Japanese History Podcast Join us as we drop part 2 of a 3 part series narrating the story of the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki, two myth-histories of Japan. This series serves both as a feed drop of the forthcoming Nihonshi podcast and as Asian Religions Series - Shintō Part 4, 5, and 6. https://www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-local-foodbank Do you have a...

Bright on Buddhism - Feed Drop - Nihonshi, A Japanese History Podcast Join us as we drop part 1 of a 3 part series narrating the story of the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki, two myth-histories of Japan. This series serves both as a feed drop of the forthcoming Nihonshi podcast and as Asian Religions Series - Shintō Part 4, 5, and 6. https://www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-local-foodbank Do you have a...

Bright on Buddhism - 2025 Wrap Up Join us as we celebrate 2025 and look ahead to 2026! https://www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-local-foodbank Do you have a question about Buddhism that you'd like us to discuss? Let us know by emailing us at Bright. On. Buddhism@gmail.com. Credits: Nick Bright: Script, Cover Art, Music, Voice of Hearer, Co-Host Proven Paradox: Editing, mixing and mastering, so...

Bright on Buddhism - Episode 128 - What is Tibetan Buddhism? What are some important historical points about it? What do the various schools of Tibetan Buddhism believe? Resources: Cabezón, José Ignacio (26 October 2006). "Tibetan Buddhist Society". In Juergensmeyer, Mark (ed.). The Oxford Handbook of Global Religions. doi:10.1093/oxfordhb/9780195137989.003.0010. Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche (...

Bright on Buddhism - Buddhish Episode 24 - TTRPGs Join us as we discuss Nick and Dox's ongoing TTRPG! https://www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-local-foodbank Do you have a question about Buddhism that you'd like us to discuss? Let us know by emailing us at Bright. On. Buddhism@gmail.com. Credits: Nick Bright: Script, Cover Art, Music, Voice of Hearer, Co-Host Proven Paradox: Editing, mixin...

Bright on Buddhism - Guest Episode - Dharma Voices for Animals Join us as we speak with a very special guest, Katie Nolan, Communications Director for Dharma Voices for Animals, a Buddhist animal rights organization . https://www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-local-foodbank Do you have a question about Buddhism that you'd like us to discuss? Let us know by emailing us at Bright. On. Buddhism@gm...

Bright on Buddhism - Tevijja Sutta Join us as we read and discuss the Bhikku Sujato translation of the Tevijja Sutta in its entirety. Resources: https://suttacentral.net/dn13/en/sujato?lang=en&layout=plain&reference=none&notes=asterisk&highlight=false&script=latin; chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://themindingcentre.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/1.8...

Bright on Buddhism - Asian Religions Series - Shugendō Resources: Andrea Castiglioni, Fabio Rambelli, & Carina Roth, eds. Defining Shugendō: critical studies on Japanese mountain religion. London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2020. Faure, Bernard; Moerman, Max; Sekimori, Gaynor (2011). Shugendō: The History and Culture of a Japanese Religion. Kyoto: Ecole française d'Extrême-Orient, centre de Kyot...

Bright on Buddhism - Episode 127 - How do you cite sutras? Why does this matter? How do you read sutra citations? Resources: Cousins, L. S. (1982), Pali oral literature. In Denwood and Piatigorski, eds.: Buddhist Studies, ancient and modern, London: Curzon Press, pp. 1–11 Davidson, Ronald M. (2003), Indian Esoteric Buddhism, New York: Indian Esoteric BuddhismColumbia University Press, ISBN 0-231-1...

Bright on Buddhism - Episode 126 - Who is Xuanzang? What were some of his views and written works? How did they affect Buddhism in East Asia? Resources: Beal, Samuel, trans. (1911). The Life of Hiuen-Tsiang. Translated from the Chinese of Shaman (monk) Hwui Li. London. 1911. Reprint Munshiram Manoharlal, New Delhi. 1973. (a dated, abridged translation) Bernstein, Richard (2001). Ultimate Journey:...

Bright on Buddhism - Guest Episode - Marta Gyoergy-Kessler Join us as we speak with a very special guest, Marta Gyoergy-Kessler, director and producer of the documentary Meeting The Buddha. Please also consider going to a screening of the film at the Awareness Film Festival on October 26, 2025, in Santa Monica, CA, USA. https://wck.org/relief/chefs-for-gaza Do you have a question about Buddhism th...

Bright on Buddhism - Feed Drop - Nihonshi, A Japanese History Podcast - Genpei War: Part 3 Join me as I drop an episode of my forthcoming 2nd podcast, Nihonshi, a Japanese History Podcast. On this show, we will be discussing topics in Japanese history and diving deep into their circumstances, their context, and their significance. We will talk about who the major players were, what their agendas w...

Bright on Buddhism - Feed Drop - Nihonshi, A Japanese History Podcast - Genpei War: Part 2 Join me as I drop an episode of my forthcoming 2nd podcast, Nihonshi, a Japanese History Podcast. On this show, we will be discussing topics in Japanese history and diving deep into their circumstances, their context, and their significance. We will talk about who the major players were, what their agendas w...

Bright on Buddhism - Feed Drop - Nihonshi, A Japanese History Podcast - Genpei War: Part 1 Join me as I drop an episode of my forthcoming 2nd podcast, Nihonshi, a Japanese History Podcast. On this show, we will be discussing topics in Japanese history and diving deep into their circumstances, their context, and their significance. We will talk about who the major players were, what their agendas w...

Bright on Buddhism - Episode 124 - What is the second moral precept of Buddhism? What is its significance? How have interpretations of it changed over time? Resources: Five Precepts: Collected Essays by Paul Dahlke (BPS Wheel Publication No. 55) Going for Refuge; Taking the Precepts by Bhikkhu Bodhi (BPS Wheel Publication No. 282 / 284) For a Future to Be Possible: classic work about the five prec...

Bright on Buddhism - Dōgen - Passages from Shōbōgenzō Join us as we read the Kazuaki Tanahashi translation of "Actualizing the Fundamental Point," "Being-Time," and "Body-and-Mind Study of The Way." Resources: Dogen, Trans. Thomas Cleary; Shobogenzo: Zen Essays By Dogen; U. of Hawaii Press, Honolulu; ISBN 0-8248-1014-7 (1st edition, hardback, 1986).; Dogen, Trans. Nor...

Bright on Buddhism - Episode 123 - What was the Saffron Revolution of 2007? What were the circumstances that caused it? What is its legacy? Resources: The Group Protesting the Murder of Mr. Nagai by the Army of Myanmar Burma-Myanmar Genocide 2007 , aggregating news about current ongoing events, providing translations into English from Burmese blogs from within the country Burma News International...

Bright on Buddhism - Kōan Series Episode 12 - Banzan's "3 Worlds, No Dharma" Hello and welcome to a new episode of the Kōan Series. In this series, we will read and discuss real Buddhist kōans to try and better understand them. We hope you enjoy. Resources: Episode 10 - https://anchor.fm/brightonbuddhism/episodes/What-is-Zen-Buddhism-e1a2sm2 Episode 18 - https://anchor.fm/brightonbuddhism/episodes...

Bright on Buddhism - Episode 122 - Who were some early Western scholars who shaped Western ideas about Buddhism? What were their perspectives and arguments? Where does scholarly consensus stand on those conversations and encounters today? Resources: Abelson, Peter (1993). "Schopenhauer and Buddhism". Philosophy East and West. 43 (2): 255–78. doi:10.2307/1399616. JSTOR 1399616. Archived from the or...

Buddhish - Episode 23 - Music Join us as we nerd out about music together. Music list: Nick – Leo Leo - https://www.youtube.com/@leoleotheband Makoto Matsushita - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCprewYlxsT-7hK6_nM7jCQ Masayoshi Takanaka - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh2rvH6MGKYC-UHjTA1-eIQ Mariya Takeuchi - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFCHKsT1ZY2aLUAbWW1lJGA Kingo Hamada - https://www....

Bright on Buddhism - Episode 121 - What were the nikaya schools? What did they believe? What happened to them? Resources: Baruah, Bibhuti (2000). Buddhist Sects and Sectarianism. Sarup & Sons. ISBN 978-81-7625-152-5.; Nakamura, Hajime (1987). Indian Buddhism: A Survey with Bibliographical Notes. Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 978-81-208-0272-8.; Nattier, Jan (2003). A Few Good Men: The Bodhisattva...

Bright on Buddhism - Episode 120 - Who is Vairocana? What is his history? How ought we understand him? Resources: Birmingham, Vessantara (2003). Meeting The Buddhas, Windhorse Publications, ISBN 0-904766-53-5.; Cook, Francis H. (1977). Hua-Yen Buddhism: The Jewel Net of Indra, Pennsylvania State University Press.; Cook, Francis H. (1972). 'The meaning of Vairocana in Hua-Yen Buddhism, Philosop...