Bright On Buddhism

Bright On Buddhism - Buddhish Episode 3 Hello and welcome to a new kind of episode of Bright on Buddhism called "Buddhish"! These episodes are unscripted, untimed, and unedited. Note that we're speaking less formally here and explicit language used. Listener discretion advised! Today, we are talking about the growing wave of hate-driven anti-trans and anti-LGBTQ laws in the US. Bright on Buddhism...

The Contemplation Sutra - Join us as we read and discuss the Contemplation Sutra Resources: Inagaki, Hisao, trans.  The Sutra on the Visualization of the Buddha of Infinite Life Delivered by Sakyamuni Buddha.  BDK English Tripitaka Series.   (Berkeley:  Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research, 2004), pp. 63-87.; The Three Pure Land Sutras, translated by Inagaki...

Bright on Buddhism Episode 26 - How does Buddhism perceive friendships and romantic relationships? How does this relate to non-attachment? How does one maintain these relationships and follow the precepts? Resources: Kevin Trainor: Buddhism: An Illustrated Guide; Donald Lopez: Norton Anthology of World Religions: Buddhism; Chan Master Sheng Yen: Orthodox Chinese Buddhism; Nagarjuna: Verses of The...

Bright on Buddhism Episode 25 - What does the canon say about people who claim to remember their past lives or parts of them? How does one come to remember past lives? What does Buddhism say about groups of people whose karma is so intertwined they continue to find each other across multiple reincarnations? Resources: Kevin Trainor: Buddhism: An Illustrated Guide; Donald Lopez: Norton Anthology of...

Bright on Buddhism Episode 24 - What is the meaning of the word mantra? What are the different understandings of this word in Buddhism? What are some of the most famous mantras and their function? Resources: Kevin Trainor: Buddhism: An Illustrated Guide; Donald Lopez: Norton Anthology of World Religions: Buddhism; Chan Master Sheng Yen: Orthodox Chinese Buddhism; Nagarjuna: Verses of The Middle Wa...

Bright on Buddhism Episode 23 - How does Buddhism deal with the issue of destiny and fate? How much control does one have over destiny and fate? How does karma affect how much agency we have in our lives? Resources: Kevin Trainor: Buddhism: An Illustrated Guide; Donald Lopez: Norton Anthology of World Religions: Buddhism; Chan Master Sheng Yen: Orthodox Chinese Buddhism; Nagarjuna: Verses of The M...

Bright on Buddhism Episode 22 - What are the different realms of Samsara? What are their native inhabitants like? What happens when they die? Resources: Kevin Trainor: Buddhism: An Illustrated Guide; Donald Lopez: Norton Anthology of World Religions: Buddhism; Chan Master Sheng Yen: Orthodox Chinese Buddhism; Nagarjuna: Verses of The Middle Way (The Madhyamakarika); Conze, Edward, trans. The Perfe...

Bright on Buddhism Episode 21 - What is common Buddhist temple etiquette? What is the doctrinal foundation for this etiquette? How is this etiquette different between different schools of Buddhism? Resources Yun, Venerable Master Hsing. "Visiting a Buddhist Temple." (2015): 30.; https://www.travelpulse.com/opinions/blog/9-things-you-need-to-know-before-visiting-buddhist-temples.html ; https://www....

The Diamond Sutra - Join us as we read and discuss the Diamond Sutra Resources: Kevin Trainor: Buddhism: An Illustrated Guide; Donald Lopez: Norton Anthology of World Religions: Buddhism; Watson, Burton. “The Diamond Sutra.” The Eastern Buddhist , vol. 41, no. 1, Eastern Buddhist Society, 2010, pp. 67–100, http://www.jstor.org/stable/26289589.; https://web.archive.org/web/20140520233206/http://www...

Bright on Buddhism - Guest Appearance - Ji Hye Robinson This week, Bright on Buddhism welcomes our second special guest, Ji Hye Robinson! Ji Hye is an MA student in the UIUC Religion department, and she specializes in Korean Buddhism and shamanism! In today's conversation, we talk in detail about Korean Buddhism, modern understandings of Buddhism, and everyday spirituality! We hope you enjoy. Do y...

Bright on Buddhism Episode 20 - Does Buddhism (or different Buddhisms) have an opinion on transgender or nonbinary identities, historically or in the present? How is gender identity thought to interact with reincarnation, if at all? How is this issue dealt with in the modern era? Resources: Kevin Trainor: Buddhism: An Illustrated Guide; Donald Lopez: Norton Anthology of World Religions: Buddhism;...

Bright on Buddhism - Nirvana Day Happy Nirvana Day! Welcome to a special holiday episode about the Nirvana Day celebrated this year on February 15, 2022. Do you have a question about Buddhism that you'd like us to discuss? Let us know by tweeting to us @BrightBuddhism, emailing us at Bright. On. Buddhism@gmail.com, or joining us on our discord server, Hidden Sangha https://discord.gg/tEwcVpu ! Cre...

Bright on Buddhism - Guest Appearance - Turner Rives This week, Bright on Buddhism welcomes our first special guest, Turner Rives! Turner is an MA student in the UIUC Religion department, and he specializes in Chinese Yogacara Buddhism! In today's conversation, we talk in detail about the origins and the central doctrines of Yogacara in China! We hope you enjoy.  Do you have a question about...

Bright on Buddhism Episode 19 - What is Yogacara/Faxiang/Hosso Buddhism? How does it differ from other schools in East Asia? What role do other teachings of Buddhism play in the Yogacara? Resources: Kevin Trainor: Buddhism: An Illustrated Guide; Donald Lopez: Norton Anthology of World Religions: Buddhism; Chan Master Sheng Yen: Orthodox Chinese Buddhism; Nagarjuna: Verses of The Middle Way (The Ma...

Bright on Buddhism - Chinese New Year Happy Chinese New Year! Welcome to a special holiday episode about the Chinese New Year, celebrated this year on February 1, 2022. Do you have a question about Buddhism that you'd like us to discuss? Let us know by tweeting to us @BrightBuddhism, emailing us at Bright. On. Buddhism@gmail.com, or joining us on our discord server, Hidden Sangha https://discord.g...

Bright on Buddhism Episode 18 - What is the Buddhist philosophy of speech, language, and words? What are some of the doctrines surrounding speech, language, and words? How do these doctrines play out in ritual and practice? Resources: Kevin Trainor: Buddhism: An Illustrated Guide; Donald Lopez: Norton Anthology of World Religions: Buddhism; Chan Master Sheng Yen: Orthodox Chinese Buddhism; Nagarju...

Bright on Buddhism Episode 17 - Who is Avalokitesvara/Guanyin/Kannon? What are some stories about Avalokitesvara/Guanyin/Kannon? What sort of devotional texts/rituals are there for Avalokitesvara/Guanyin/Kannon? Resources: Kevin Trainor: Buddhism: An Illustrated Guide; Donald Lopez: Norton Anthology of World Religions: Buddhism; Chan Master Sheng Yen: Orthodox Chinese Buddhism; Nagarjuna: Verses o...

Bright on Buddhism Episode 16 - How does Buddhism deal with death? What are some of the doctrines surrounding death? How do they play out in ritual and practice? Resources: Kevin Trainor: Buddhism: An Illustrated Guide; Donald Lopez: Norton Anthology of World Religions: Buddhism; Chan Master Sheng Yen: Orthodox Chinese Buddhism; Nagarjuna: Verses of The Middle Way (The Madhyamakarika); Conze, Edwa...

Bright on Buddhism - Bodhi Day Happy Bodhi Day! Welcome to a special holiday episode about the Buddhist holiday Bodhi Day, celebrated this year on January 10, 2022. Do you have a question about Buddhism that you'd like us to discuss? Let us know by tweeting to us @BrightBuddhism, emailing us at Bright. On. Buddhism@gmail.com, or joining us on our discord server, Hidden Sangha https://discord.gg/tE...

Chapter 3 of The Lotus Sutra - Join us as we read and discuss Chapter 3 of the Burton Watson translation of The Lotus Sutra Resources: Hurvitz, Leon. 1976. Scripture of the Lotus Blossom of the Fine Dharma. New York:  Columbia University Press.; Kato, Bunno. 1971. The Threefold Lotus Sutra: Innumerable Meanings, The Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Law, and Meditation on the Bodhisattva Universa...

Bright On Buddhism - Buddhish Episode 1 Hello and welcome to a new kind of episode of Bright on Buddhism called "Buddhish"! These episodes are unscripted, untimed, and unedited. In them, your hosts Nick and Paradox just talk about whatever is on our minds, whatever didn't make it into a regular episode, and whatever interests us in a casual, conversational way. Some of it may relate to Buddhism, s...

Bright on Buddhism 2022 Preview Episode Join us in 2022 for some great content, including but not limited to:  Guest Appearances! More Buddhish episodes! More sutra episodes! Buddhist holiday episodes A new Discord community! Happy New Year! Thanks to all our listeners, and we hope to see you and your friends in 2022! Do you have a question about Buddhism that you'd like us to discuss? Let us...

Bright on Buddhism Episode 15 - What is Tiantai/Tendai? How is it different from other schools of Buddhism? How does it influence other schools of Buddhism?  Resources: Kevin Trainor: Buddhism: An Illustrated Guide; Donald Lopez: Norton Anthology of World Religions: Buddhism; Chan Master Sheng Yen: Orthodox Chinese Buddhism; The Bodhisattva Vow: A Practical Guide to Helping Others, page 1, Th...

Bright on Buddhism Episode 14 - What is the relationship between Buddhism and science? Do science and Buddhism indeed believe the same things? Does science validate or reinforce Buddhism, or vice versa? Resources: Kevin Trainor: Buddhism: An Illustrated Guide; Donald Lopez: Norton Anthology of World Religions: Buddhism; Chan Master Sheng Yen: Orthodox Chinese Buddhism; Nagarjuna: Verses of The Mid...

Bright on Buddhism Episode 13 - What is the Buddhist perspective on mental health? What does Buddhist scripture say about it? How does that perspective change over time? Kevin Trainor: Buddhism: An Illustrated Guide; Donald Lopez: Norton Anthology of World Religions: Buddhism; Chan Master Sheng Yen: Orthodox Chinese Buddhism; Nagarjuna: Verses of The Middle Way (The Madhyamakarika); Conze, Edward,...