Buddhism for Everyone with JoAnn Fox

What truly makes a person wise? Buddha answered this succinctly in the verse from the Dhammapada we examine during this episode. It is not merely one who talks about the dharma, he says, or that can wax philosophical on the teachings. Rather, it is a person that embodies three attributes…   He is not just if he decides a case arbitrarily; the wise man should decide after considering both what is r...

Buddha taught that the door to enlightenment depends on realizing the correct view of emptiness. The wisdom of emptiness realizes the way phenomena exist as opposed to the way it naturally appears to us. This wisdom cuts away ego grasping and gives us real freedom from disturbances of mind like anger, attachment, and jealousy. In this episode, we look specifically at the union of the two truths, e...

If we want to live in a beautiful world, we must give up the fault-finding mind. The more we give up faulting-finding, the happier we will be. Our relationships will also be more harmonious. We can decide what kind of world we want to live in-- a beautiful world or a world full of faults and problems.   To celebrate the 100th episode, I am giving away a 30 minute phone call with me to talk about y...

The slogan 'Three objects, three poisons, and three seeds of virtue.   Some feelings are painful, like hate, but we often don't recognize that feelings are suffering. We are busy focusing on an object that appears to be causing the hate or the lust, rather than understanding that feelings are manifestations of our karma. Positive feelings like happiness are the product of good karma. Feelings can...

When we're jealous, there's a wish that another would not have the happiness or good fortune we're observing. It is the opposite of a bodhisattva wish for others to be happy, for jealousy actually wishes that others not have happiness. This is why jealousy is such a hindrance on the path to enlightenment because it conjures a very different intention than the compassionate, bodhicitta intention we...

In order to change our experiences, we have to change the way we think, feel, and react. As long as we maintain the same habits of mind, our lives will continue with a similar amount of suffering, anxiety, or anger. Buddha teaches us that our lives are projected from our mind. In this episode, we will attempt a daily meditation and mindfulness practice to change our thoughts and feelings and proje...

In this verse, the Buddha says that the greatest corruption is ignorance. Ignorance is an unknowing; it is not knowing something. What is it that we do not know that is our greatest corruption because it is the underlying cause of all our suffering and confusion? It is ignorance of the way things actually exist as opposed to the way they appear. It is an unknowing of reality.    The mistaken way w...

Within the Four NobleTruths, Buddha taught the method to end suffering, which is the Eightfold Path. The Eightfold Path has three areas of focus: moral discipline, mental discipline, and wisdom. In almost all his discourses when teaching directly to people, Buddha included the Eightfold path. In this verse, Buddha is giving an explanation on moral discipline, and if we look at early Buddhism, dire...

What is joyous perseverance (effort)?   "When you have focused upon something virtuous, joyous perseverance is enthusiasm for it. Engaging in the Bodhisattva Deeds says:   What is joyous perseverance? It is delight in virtue.    The Bodhisattva Levels explains it as a flawless state of mind that is enthusiastic about accumulating virtue and working for the welfare of living beings, together with t...

Power of Reliance: Pray for help to any holy being you feel connected to or simply pray. In Tibetan the word prayer means "wish path" and a prayer is a karmic action or path leading you to a new reality.   Power of Release (sometimes translated as the power of regret). Generate the strong wish to purify the karma causing you suffering, that is perpetuating your current way of being that you wish t...

Taking refuge is the key expression of commitment to Buddhism. If you want to identify as a Buddhist in a more formal way, you can take refuge by saying the refuge prayer: "I go for refuge to Buddha, Dharma and Sangha." When we take refuge, we are committing ourselves to peace and the path to that inner peace. The Buddha is the teacher, and the Sangha (spiritual community) assists you in your prac...

A Buddhist is sometimes referred to as an inner being. This is one who solves their problems and seeks happiness within. In this episode, we look at how to recognize whether we are seeking inner or outer refuge, the difference being whether it can truly solve our problem and give us peace—or not.    Yama's henchmen are standing by. You stand at the door of death  With no provisions for the journey...

According to the Buddha, thoughts create karma, our present reality and our future. Yet our thoughts can be so deceptive. This episode will help us explore and question our thoughts, as well as direct them toward what is beneficial. Specifically, we will look at the three non-virtuous actions of mind: coveting, malice and wrong view.   "Coveting: The bases of covetousness are the wealth or possess...

Right speech is abstaining from: false speech divisive speech harsh speech frivolous speech    Lying (false speech): The performance is indicating something false through speaking, through choosing not to speak, or through gesture. Causing others to engage in the three types of speech—lying, divisive speech, or offensive speech—is the same as doing it yourself. Divisive speech: the motivation is t...

Moral discipline is the foundation of the spiritual path in Buddhism. Virtue means something that creates happiness or inner peace (good karma). When we determine that an action is virtuous or non-virtuous, it doesn't imply judgment or that a person is good or bad, but rather that the action will either bring happiness or suffering in the future. Virtue creates the experience of freedom from guilt...

In this episode, we consider our own Buddha-nature, the real nature of our mind: pure, peaceful, wise and compassion. We also learn how to do the practice of taking and giving (or Tonglen in Tibetan) to generate compassion for ourselves and to purify our future self.    'Monks, this mind is brightly shining, but it is defiled by adventitious defilements' —Buddha   Who is worthy enough to find faul...

In this episode we explore a method to help us avoid becoming angry when others criticize us or say hurtful things. We can learn to become an observer rather than becoming entangled with others' actions. Further, we can become an observer of our own thoughts and feelings instead of being controlled by them.    If someone says you talk too much it's not about you, it's about them. It's a reflection...

In this episode we look at a practice to help us generate compassion for those who harm us. This can free us from the painful experience of anger. The method given in this episode is called taking and giving. It is a highly effective practice for overcoming many types of anger, including resentment and guilt.    Analyzing your commitment   "I committed myself to achieving the benefit and happiness...

The Buddhist canon contains many methods to calm the fires of anger and increase our patience. In this episode we look at a method for averting anger by understanding that harm is created by the power of our own karma. The suffering generated by harm is the effect of previous bad karma; by experiencing it, we exhaust this karma. We can even view them as kind because it is as though they are engage...

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines patience as: the ability to remain calm when dealing with a difficult or annoying situation, task, or person. Everyone has different triggers that cause them to become upset, annoyed or furious, but, like any ability we possess, the capacity to remain calm can be cultivated with practice. This episode is part of a series on patience as we explore the chapter...

The faults of anger: We become unhappy and uncomfortable  Makes us lose our reason and good sense Destroys relationships Karmic cause of future ugliness and makes us appear unattractive in the moment  Destroys good karma    The section on the divisions of patience has three parts: Developing the patience of disregarding harm done to you Developing the patience of accepting suffering  Developing th...

Patience means our mind stays peaceful when things are difficult or we experience something (or someone) unpleasant. In this episode, we begin to learn how to practice patience. We can grow this habit of mind until our mind is strong and immovable from peace, like a tall tree that cannot be uprooted by the even the strongest winds.    The benefits of patience:   Persons who have patience will not...

The only thing that goes with us into the next life is our karma. Our friends and relatives, our wealth, even our body we will leave behind. When Buddha states this truth, it is to encourage us to focus today on creating good karma and engaging in spiritual practice. If we look into the mirror of karma, what we are doing today shapes who we become and what we experience in the future, both in this...

What does it mean to live a holy life in this modern world? The Pali word 'nekkhamma' in the Buddhist canon is generally translated as "renunciation". This word also conveys the meaning of giving up the world and leading a holy life. What would our most holy life look like? Do we want to pursue and prioritize a holy life? This episode is dedicated to searching inside ourselves to ask these most me...

This is the second episode detailing a method to develop bodhicitta, the wish to attain enlightenment to relieve the suffering of all living beings. The world needs such noble pursuits, which take responsibility for one another.    Seven Point Cause and Effect Method to Develop Bodhicitta   Recognizing that all beings have been our mother  Remembering the kindness of our mothers Developing the wis...