Blue Lotus Buddhist Temple Podcast

Recorded at the Blue Lotus Buddhist Temple on 2011-02-19.

Talk by Bhante Sanyatha

The story of two merchants

Being mindful of your stories

Letting go of desire

Bhante Sujatha Discusses his Trip to India - Bhante Sujatha talks about the stuggles, suffering, joy, and surprising lessons he learned during a trip to India for a meditation retreat.

Tying up the cat

Letting go of happiness - Bhante Sanyatha of the Blue Lotus Buddhist Temple discusses letting go of happiness.

To Hell and Back

Bhante Sanyatha

Question and Answer - Question and Answer with Bhante Sujatha

Compassion - What does it mean to be compassionate? In this podcast, Bhante Sujatha tells a story about seeing a homeless man on the streets of Sri Lanka when he was a young monk. When he first passed him by, he learned a lot about compassion and about himself.

The Buddha's Middle Path - Many look at the Buddha's Middle Path as "a little bit of this and a little bit of that" or simple moderation. But Bhante Sanyatha teaches that the middle path is a totally separate path that leads to happiness.

Taking Care of the Body, as Well as the Mind - Bhante Sujatha explains that in order to have true loving-kindness for others, we have to be loving to ourselves. This includes not only working on our mind, but also taking good care of our bodies.

Bhante Sanyatha's Vishaka Day Speech

Hyeon Seong Sunim from Bultasa Korean Buddhist Temple in Chicago

Bhante Sanyatha's 2010 Vishaka Day Speech - Bhante Sanyatha of Blue Lotus Temple gives a tribute to abbot Bhante Sujatha and explains the Buddha Day celebration. This was recorded at the Vishaka Day (Buddha Day) Celebration on May 22, 2010, in Woodstock, IL.

Vishaka Day 2010 Speech by Hyeon Seong Sunim

The Golden Swan - In this podcast, Bhante Sanyatha retells the story of one of the Buddha's past lives as a swan with golden feathers. This story illustrates how unhappiness is created by greed and not appreciating what we have in the present moment.

Learning From Difficulties - Bhante Sujatha, abbot of the Blue Lotus Temple, explains how we should look at our life's difficulties as learning experiences that can help us grow, learn, and ultimately make us happier people.

Mindfulness: A Skeptic's Journey - Brian Waspi, a member of Blue Lotus Temple who is also on the Board of Directors, shares his skeptical (and humorous) journey into the world of mindfulness. This was recorded on Vishaka Day, 2010, in Woodstock, IL.

Meditation, Exercise, or Happy-cin - Bhante Sujatha discusses the benefits of meditation and explains that the work of mindfulness starts on the cushion but must carry over into daily life.

Spiritual vs. Religious - Bhante Sujatha, abbot of Blue Lotus Temple, discusses the difference between "spiritual" vs. "religious" and whether it is necessary to call oneself a "Buddhist."

Inaugural Podcast: Why Focus on the Breath? - There are many types of meditation. In the Theravadan tradition, we talk about meditating "on the breath." In this first podcast by Blue Lotus Buddhist Temple, abbot Bhante Sujuatha explains why we focus on the breath and discusses common misconceptions.