Episode 149 - Friendship and Buddhism
Buddhism for Everyone with JoAnn Fox
With stories of yogis who spent years practicing alone in isolated mountain caves, it might seem like Buddhism promotes a solitary path. But in reality, Buddha spoke many times of the importance of good friends. Friends that are a good influence on us are essential to our well-being and spiritual development. Once, Ananda said to the Buddha that good friends are half the Holy Life. Buddha replied, “No, Ananda, having good friends isn’t half of the Holy Life. Having good friends is the whole of the Holy Life.” Buddha also said, “it is better to go alone” than to have...
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Episode 148 - Mindfulness for a Happy Life
Buddhism for Everyone with JoAnn Fox
Mindfulness can be used to train the mind: to make the mind more peaceful and see your world differently. Mindfulness, in this way, is used to remember things we’ve learned and intend to put into practice. For example, we may have heard the teaching to gather all blame into one--our mental afflictions. We might agree that there are no external problems or enemies; our problems come from our mental afflictions, such as anger, attachment, ignorance, pride, or greed. To practice mindfulness, we could then determine to recall this wisdom when we start to get angry or upset. Mindfulness is used...
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Episode 147 - Be Grateful To Everyone
Buddhism for Everyone with JoAnn Fox
The practice of Lojong has the literal translation of “mind training.” The great Buddhist master Atisha taught mind training over 1,000 years ago in the form of slogans. These 59 slogans are designed to be practiced in the hustle and bustle of daily life to retrain our minds in the ways of peace, compassion, wisdom, and bodhicitta (the wish to attain enlightenment for the sake of all living beings.) In this episode, JoAnn Fox focuses on the 13th slogan, “Be grateful to everyone.” Be grateful to everyone. Who does everyone include? Grateful to those who lift us up Grateful...
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Episode 146 - Caring For Our Parents
Buddhism for Everyone with JoAnn Fox
The Buddha taught that certain factors strengthen the karmic results of our actions. One example is that the effects of actions we do toward certain types of people are intensified because of their special relationship to us and the benefits we receive from them. Our parents are one of these types of people, since we have received so much help from them in the past. Buddha, therefore, advised that we try to take care of our parents and cherish them as much as we can. In this episode, JoAnn Fox relates the teachings on this subject in a way that can also begin to heal our experience of our...
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Episode 145 - The Nature of The Mind
Buddhism for Everyone with JoAnn Fox
The word enlightenment is a translation of two Pali words that mean “awakened” and “freed from all fetters.” To become enlightened then means we wake to the true nature of reality, and we free our mind from all the shackles of the delusions, like ignorance, anger, and attachment. The basic nature of the mind is purity. No matter how troubled or deluded someone’s mind is currently, their basic nature is purity. In this episode, we try to get an understanding and an experience of the basic nature of the mind: purity, clarity, and awareness. “The deep, peaceful clarity of...
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Episode 144 - How To Turn The Other Cheek
Buddhism for Everyone with JoAnn Fox
Many of the great religious leaders have asked us to practice non-retaliation, to turn the other cheek, and practice nonviolence. The Buddha explained that non-retaliation is not only important for the person who harms us, but for the protection of our self. Buddha once said that if you throw burning coal at someone, you will definitely get burnt. In the same way, when we retaliate in our mind by harboring resentment, we experience that harm by drawing out the suffering we experience. If we retaliate verbally or physically, we create negative karma that will cause us to suffer again in the...
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Episode 143 - Right Thinking
Buddhism for Everyone with JoAnn Fox
This episode is the last of a three part series on the ten nonvirtuous actions, and the focus is on actions of mind. Actions of mind you say! Yes, actions of mind do create karma. In fact, mental actions are continuously creating our reality. Our mind can create a heaven or a hell right on earth. Our mind can also create a happy life—or at least 80% happier. Nonvirtuous actions of mind: covetousness ill will Wrong view Finding fault in what’s not at fault And seeing no fault in what is, Those who take up wrong views Go to a bad rebirth. (318) ...
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Episode 142 - Mindful Speech
Buddhism for Everyone with JoAnn Fox
When the Buddha explained the ten nonvirtuous actions to abandon, four are devoted to our speech. Our words are an incredibly powerful tool; they can build ourselves and others up. Or they can tear ourselves and others down. In a sentence they can destroy a relationship, friendship, or employment; such is the power of our speech. In fact, a mindfulness practice of purifying our speech is one that can change our lives completely. The Four Nonvirtous Action of Speech Lying Divisive speech Harsh speech Idle chatter 5 Factors of Right Speech: Is it true?...
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Episode 141 - Body Karma
Buddhism for Everyone with JoAnn Fox
Buddha explained the Ten Nonvirtuous Actions as a way to guide our actions of body, speech, and mind. "Nonvirtuous" means that it brings suffering to us in the future by way of negative karmic results. Yet it is easy to be confused about what is nonvirtuous if everyone around us is doing it or if our society sanctions it. That is why we are encouraged in Buddhism to bring the light of awareness to our actions. To see, in the light of our own wisdom, if our actions are helpful or harmful. The daily mindfulness practice JoAnn Fox suggests begins by contemplating what unskillful actions of body...
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Episode 140 - Happiness Training
Buddhism for Everyone with JoAnn Fox
Where we place our thoughts is how we produce happiness, calm, and peace. The real trap we're all in is believing that we will be happy when_______. Think about how many times we've said this: "I'll be happy when I get my own room. I'll be happy when I can drive. I'll be happy when I can move out. I'll be happy when I can move back in. When I graduate college, I'll be happy, and when I get that great job. I'll be happy when I get married. I'll be happy when I get divorced. I'll be happy when I have kids. I'll be happy when these kids finally leave. I'll be happy when I retire." We're always...
info_outlineIn this episode, we explore attachment and some simple ways to practice non-attachment. The concept of non-attachment is often misunderstood. For example, we still love people even while practicing non-attachment. We still have homes, jobs, and goals even as we lesson our attachment. Non-attachment does not mean being separated from people or things, but changing the way we relate to them. Lessened worry and anxiety, peace of mind, and more enjoyment are only a few of the innumerable benefits that come from non-attachment,
Benefits of non-attachment
- Less worry
- Less anxiety
- Greater enjoyment in relationships
- Contentment and satisfaction
- Better mood
- Less stress
- A more peaceful mind
What is attachment?
Attachment arises from: Focusing on an object we find desirable, dwelling on it with inappropriate attention until our mind becomes glued to it, such that we feel we can’t be happy without it. Attachment is not desire. We desire many things in a positive, non-attached way, like brushing our teeth. What attachment involves is “sticky desire.” This type of desire is like sticking duct tape to a hairy arm; when it is ripped away it is VERY painful (like when we are ripped away from our object of attachment).
We experience attachment to:
- Things
- Status
- People
- Relationships
- Children
- Past
- Future
- Situations in the present being other than they are
- And much more…
Cut down the forest of craving, not the real tree;
the forest of craving breeds danger (of rebirth).
Cut down the forest of craving
as well as its undergrowth
and be free from craving.
So long as craving of man for woman is not cut down
and the slightest trace of it remains,
so long is his mind in bondage
as the calf is bound to its mother.
—Buddha, The Dhammapada
References with links
Buddha. The Dhammapada:Verses and Stories. https://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=283