Buddhism for Everyone with JoAnn Fox

Metta meditation, also known as loving-kindness meditation, is a fundamental practice in Buddhism that cultivates feelings of love, compassion, and goodwill towards oneself and others. The word "Metta" is a Pali term that translates to "loving-kindness" or "benevolence." In this meditation, practitioners typically sit in a comfortable position and focus on generating feelings of love and kindness....

The Lojong slogan "Work with your greatest defilements first" emphasizes the importance of addressing the negative habit that is most deeply disturbing our inner peace and happiness. Lojong, which means "mind training" in Tibetan, is a set of teachings in Tibetan Buddhism aimed at developing compassion, wisdom, and the ability to transform adverse circumstances into opportunities for spiritual gro...

In this episode we look at the practice of wisdom. In particular, this refers to wisdom realizing the true nature of reality. Little by little we touch reality as we gain wisdom. We come to understand why we suffer, where our problems truly come from, and how to solve our problems inwardly. Buddha's guidance remains as practical for his followers today as it was when he first shared it. This is a...

"The rain could turn to gold and still your thirst would not be slaked' the Buddha said. In this episode we explore the connection between the Buddhist teachings of emptiness and craving. Understanding this connection is fundamental to understanding the nature of suffering and the path to liberation. Emptiness (Shunyata) Emptiness refers to the fundamental nature of reality, which is devoid of inh...

The Buddha said that an earnest practitioner, even when just beginning the path to enlightenment, "lights up this world like the moon set free from a cloud." This episode explores how to relate to being this light in our world, specifically through the practice of metta, or loving-kindness.  Metta practice involves cultivating a heartfelt attitude of unconditional love, benevolence, and goodwill t...

The mind is the creator of everything—all happiness and suffering. Thus, gaining control over the mind is the only real and reliable way to live a happy, peaceful life. Buddha said that "we make our destiny, "therefore, control yourself."   To tame the mind, a practitioner relies on mindfulness. Although "mindfulness" is a broadly used term, its original meaning in Buddhist texts means remembering...

In Buddhism, equanimity (upekkha in Pali) is a state of calmness, balance, and non-reactivity in the face of both pleasant and unpleasant experiences. Equanimity is a quality of mind that is gradually cultivated through spiritual practice.    Equanimity is considered one of the four sublime states or divine abidings (Brahma-viharas) in Buddhism, alongside loving-kindness, compassion, and sympathet...

How do we start the path to enlightenment? After the Buddha attained enlightenment, he spent 45 years walking from place to place to give teachings. Buddha always tailored his teachings to reach people from all walks of life, religions, and social status. For some, he suggested focusing on emptiness; for others, loving-kindness or moral discipline. To those newly embarked on the spiritual path, he...

In Buddhism, the concept of "emptiness" (Sunyata) is a fundamental teaching that refers to the absence of inherent existence or independent selfhood. All things, including our self, are empty of inherent existence. The notion of a fixed, permanent, and independent self is an illusion.   The concept of emptiness is closely associated with the teaching of dependent origination (Pratityasamutpada), w...

Wisdom realizing emptiness is the realization that leads directly to enlightenment. This wisdom is also the direct remedy for all the misguided notions we harbor about our identity and the true nature of the world. As long as we carry the weight of these misconceptions, we find ourselves ensnared within a realm of self-imposed illusions, doomed to endlessly wander in the cycle of discontent we hav...

In Buddhism, envy is considered a painful state of mind because it arises from a fundamental misunderstanding of the nature of reality and the origin of happiness. Envy is rooted in the belief that one's own happiness and well-being are dependent on the possessions, achievements, or circumstances of others. This belief leads to comparison with others and a sense of inadequacy or lack, which actual...

Many of us may have a spiritual practice but often struggle to maintain it amidst the hustle and bustle of our daily routines. Whether it's work, family, or simply the demands of modern life, it can be challenging to find the time and space for our spiritual practice. In this episode, we focus on the practice of lovingkindness, also known as Metta, and explore how it can help us integrate our spir...

One of the principle tenets of Buddhism is to try to avoid harming living beings. To avoid harming others we generally need to practice restraint out of lovingkindness. It's just too easy to inadvertently hurt others, or not foresee the consequences of our actions. Even spiritual practitioners, wishing not to cause harm, have to mindfully practice restraint motivated by kindness.  The story of the...

The practice of restraint is a crucial part of the Buddhist path to enlightenment. It involves abstaining from harmful thoughts, speech, and actions that lead to suffering for oneself and others. In this episode, we look at the practice of restraint to protect and help ourselves. The Buddha speaks so much about the wisdom of guarding the sense doors and practicing restraint. For if we don't practi...

Wealth destroys those who lack in wisdom, But not those who seek the beyond. Craving wealth, those lacking wisdom Destroy themselves As well as others. (355)    Weeds are the ruin of fields; Passion is the ruin of people. So offerings to those free of passion Bear great fruit. (356)    Weeds are the ruin of fields; Ill will is the ruin of people. So offerings to those free of ill will Bear great f...

Taking refuge in the Dharma means we turn to the spiritual teaching of Buddha to help us solve our problems to alleviate pain. It means we commit to working on ourselves. Having taken refuge in the Dharma, reality itself becomes our greatest teacher. If we see everything as an opportunity for learning and growth, everything we experience becomes usable on our path toward freedom. We find solutions...

At the start of this three part series on Refuge, this episode explores what it means to take refuge in Buddha. The most simple way to take refuge in Buddha means relying on Buddha as a teacher. This requires studying and applying dharma in daily life, which leads to an understanding that dharma and daily life are inseparable.    To take refuge to a deeper level, what is called ultimate refuge in...

Fearlessness is much talked about in Buddhism, particularly the idea of becoming fearless. In this episode we look at that which causes us fear, antidotes to fear, and tapping into our own bravery.  It's important to begin a discussion on fear according to Buddhism, to understand that Buddha distinguished between skillful fear and unskillful fear. Skillful fear can be a helpful tool to motivate us...

Sometimes we find it hard to reach goals or put effort into things we desperately want to improve. Why is this—when the wish is there? Attachment to what is meaningless or nonvirtuous might be the obstacle when the wish to change is there but effort is lacking. For example, someone might want to improve their health, but they're also  attached to relaxing on the couch after work rather than exerci...

Buddha said, "with effort, we have all attainments." We can achieve any goal, no matter how lofty, with enough continued effort, even becoming a bodhisattva and attaining enlightenment. So why do such noble goals seem so hard to achieve? Because there are obstacles to effort, and, often, they playa do,I aTM role in our life.    The three main obstacles to effort are as follows: Procrastination  Di...

One way of practicing non-attachment can be expressed with the popular phrase, "Let go." In verse 348 of the Dhammwpada, Buddha says, " Let go of the past,  let go of the future, let go of the present." But what does it mean to let go? When we are attached to something, we are attached because of the way we're thinking about it. For example, we don't suffer today because of what someone did to us...

Buddha taught that no chains are as powerful as attachment, and nothing bonds us to suffering like our attachment. In the First Noble Truth, Buddha didn't just say, "Life is pervaded by suffering," but defined suffering:   In short, the five clinging-aggregates are dukkha (suffering).   "And what is the cause by which dukkha (suffering) comes into play? Craving is the cause by which dukkha comes i...

We must work on our minds to overcome the habits of attachment--which always bring suffering--whether one is a monk or a family man. The context of a monastery versus a home with young children will make the practice different in some ways, but in other ways achieving levels of nonattachment remains the same!    Loving our family is not in contradiction to the practice of non-attachment. Attachmen...

When we're being selfish, our actions are motivated by attachment to our happiness, reputation, opinion, expectations being met, etc. As we practiced after the last episode, we again practice cherishing others as an opponent to attachment. This time, however, we try to motivate our practice of cherishing others by a wish for all living beings to be happy and free from suffering. The following stor...