The Rowdy Buddhist Podcast

In this episode of The Rowdy Buddhist Podcast , we explore the true meaning of making offerings in Buddhism. Discover why flowers, incense, light, water, and food are not gifts to a deity, but practices that cultivate gratitude, generosity, mindfulness, and compassion within ourselves. Learn how honoring the Buddha differs from worship and how every offering becomes an opportunity to awaken and em...

The Hands of Compassion: Self-Reiki Through the Lens of Maka Shikan explores how the modern practice of self-Reiki can be understood through the Buddhist meditation teachings of Maka Shikan (Great Calming and Contemplation) by Grand Master Zhiyi. Rather than presenting Reiki as a separate religious tradition, this lecture examines how mindful touch, chanting Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō , and awareness of...

Here is a short explanation you can use to promote or introduce the lecture: Why do Nichiren Shū Buddhists chant the Lotus Sutra? This lecture explores the meaning and purpose of one of the central practices of Nichiren Buddhism: reciting the Lotus Sutra and chanting Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō (Odaimoku). Together we will examine how Nichiren Shōnin understood the Lotus Sutra as a direct path for ordina...

SHINDOKU – The Sacred Sound of the Dharma examines how Buddhist teachings moved from the oral recitation traditions of India into the scriptural and chanting culture of Tang Dynasty China, and how these traditions were preserved and transmitted into Japan. Together we will explore the meaning of Shindoku —the traditional Japanese reading of Buddhist scriptures—and Shōmyō , the sacred art of Buddhi...

This lecture explores the many different versions of “self” that arise within our minds through memory, emotion, relationships, expectations, and spiritual identity. Through Buddhist meditation, chanting, and mindfulness practice, we will examine how these shifting “me’s” influence suffering, attachment, and inner peace. Participants will learn how Buddhist practice helps cultivate awareness, comp...

Lecture from Sept. 17th, 2023 Itai Dōshin (異体同心) is a Buddhist principle often translated as “many in body, one in mind.” It teaches that although individuals may differ in personality, background, abilities, and circumstances, they can work together harmoniously when united by a shared purpose, spirit, or aspiration. In Nichiren Buddhist thought, Itai Dōshin emphasizes unity based on mutual r...

🌿 Fasting Is Meditation 🌿 A Dharma Talk by Rev. Kanjin Cederman What if hunger isn’t a problem… but a doorway to awareness? Drawing from Yoga, Ayurveda, and Buddhism, this talk explores: • Why we feel the need to constantly eat • The difference between hunger and craving • How fasting can become a form of meditation • Returning to balance in a world of excess 🧘‍♂️ Discover stillness in the body...

“Finding the ‘Why’ in ‘Why Study Buddhism?’” is a thought-provoking lecture that explores the deeper purpose behind Buddhist practice. Moving beyond simple curiosity or the search for peace, this talk examines how the teachings of the Buddha guide us to understand suffering, transform our lives, and awaken to our true nature. Grounded in practical insight and the living practice of Namu Myōhō Reng...

“Returning to the Why — Through the Odaimoku” is a guided meditation that gently leads participants inward to reconnect with their deeper purpose for practice. Through mindful breathing, reflective awareness, and the rhythmic chanting of Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō , this meditation helps quiet the mind, release attachments, and cultivate clarity and compassion. Rooted in the spirit of Nichiren Shonin, i...

This Hanamatsuri lecture teaches that the birth of Shakyamuni Buddha is not just a historical event, but a living reminder that all people possess the potential for enlightenment. Drawing from the Lotus Sutra and the writings of Nichiren, it emphasizes the dignity of every life and the presence of the Buddha nature within us. Through faith, practice, and chanting Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō, we actively...

This talk explores whether it is appropriate to say that Buddhism can “save” us, reframing salvation as liberation through awakening rather than rescue from outside. Drawing connections between Easter’s message of renewal and the Buddha’s birth on April 8th, it highlights our shared human potential for transformation. Rooted in Nichiren Buddhist practice, the lecture emphasizes personal responsibi...

This 30-minute guided meditation invites practitioners to gently settle the body and mind, reflect on the nature of suffering, and awaken to their inner Buddha-nature. Through mindful breathing, silent chanting of Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō , and compassionate awareness, participants connect with their own capacity for transformation while extending that intention toward others. Rooted in the teaching t...

This lecture, “Helping Others with Wisdom: When Compassion Becomes Attachment,” explores the deeper Buddhist understanding of compassion beyond simple kindness. It challenges the common assumption that helping others is always beneficial, revealing how unchecked compassion can sometimes lead to burnout, attachment, or even the reinforcement of suffering. Drawing from the teachings of the Lotus Sut...

In “Guarding Our Energy, Awakening Compassion,” Rev. Kanjin Cederman explores how to remain calm, centered, and compassionate when faced with both supportive and difficult people. Drawing on Buddhist wisdom, this talk offers practical guidance on protecting one’s inner state, setting healthy boundaries, and transforming conflict into an opportunity for growth. Especially relevant for high-stress e...

O-Higan is a Buddhist observance held during the spring and autumn equinox that symbolizes crossing from the “this shore” of suffering to the “other shore” of enlightenment. The practice encourages reflection on the **Six Pāramitās—generosity, ethical conduct, patience, diligence, meditation, and wisdom—as the path that carries us toward awakening. In Nichiren Shu Buddhism , this crossing is reali...

This lecture explores Chapter 21 of the Lotus Sutra, “The Supernatural Powers of the Tathagata,” through the lens of Nichiren Buddhism. It explains how the Buddha demonstrates supernatural powers to confirm the truth of the Lotus Sutra and entrusts its future propagation to the Bodhisattvas of the Earth and to practitioners in later ages. Drawing on teachings from Nichiren, the lecture highlights...

This lecture explored how Prince Shōtoku helped establish the spiritual foundation of Japan through his devotion to the Lotus Sutra, centuries before Nichiren proclaimed it as the essential teaching for the Latter Age of the Dharma. As regent of early Japan, Prince Shōtoku promoted the Lotus Sutra as a guide not only for personal awakening but for ethical governance and social harmony, expressing...

In this lecture we investigate how Nichiren Shonin's birth and faith can be used in our own study and practice of the Lotus Sutra.

In this podcast we will discuss the last of the Five Hinderances in practicing Meditation find in our Doubt! We will discuss why this is a "Hinderance" to our practice and how to remedy it, by changing poison into medicine.

In this episode, we talk about the concept of the agitated mind during meditation from worry and Remorse.

In this lecture on the Third Hinderance towards practice, we can become aware of the reality of Laziness and Lethargy. The path towards freedom comes with the investigation of these potential roadblocks in all of their forms.

This podcast focuses on that not all meditation and practices are the same and how spiritual materialism can cause us to be confused on our practice. As we learn and practice, we need to learn a practice and devote ourselves to the proper study.

The second of the five hindrances in Buddhism is ill will or aversion, which is a form of aversion or dislike that encompasses a range of negative emotions: minor irritation, anger, outrage, hatred, resentment, and hostility. Ill will is the opposite of lovingkindness, and it can manifest in many ways, from subtle inclinations of mind to more overt behaviors. It can cloud judgment, make it hard to...

This aspect of our nature, born of our instinct to survive and continue our species, has directed our lives in a powerful and even destructive way. As Buddhists we should gain insight into this powerful aspect of our nature and understand how ryu realize true contentment in our lives.

We can trace pretty much any problem that we have during meditation to one or more of these predispositions that we call the 5 Hinderances of Worldly desire, Aversion, Laziness and Lethargy, Agitation due to worry and remorse, and doubt. Let us explore these and the remedy...