Bright on Buddhism Episode 83 - What is non-attachment in Buddhism? What texts discuss it and how? How does the definition of the term change over time? Resources: Bodhi, Bhikkhu (ed.) (1978, 2005). A Treatise on the Paramis: From the Commentary to the Cariyapitaka by Acariya Dhammapala (The Wheel, No. 409/411).; Kandy: Buddhist Publication Society. Retrieved 30 Jun 2007 from "Access to Insight" at http://accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/wheel409.html.; Bodhi, Bhikkhu (1984, 1999). The Noble Eightfold Path: The Way to the End of Suffering (The Wheel, No. 308/311). Kandy: Buddhist Publicat ..read more

Bright on Buddhism - Research Project Series - Chōgen’s Tōdaiji Campaign: Reconstruction and Reimagination Hello and welcome to a new type of episode of Bright on Buddhism. In this series, I will be presenting and discussing some of my own original research, which covers a broad range of topics in Japanese Buddhism, and discussing it in the context of East Asian Buddhism and other disciplines broadly Resources: Andreeva, Anna. “Buddhist Temple Networks in Medieval Japan.” Japanese Journal of Religious Studies 47, no. 1 (2020): 11–41.; Bushelle, Ethan. “The Mountain as Mandala: Kūkai’s Founding ..read more

Bright on Buddhism - Vajrasekhara Sutra - Fascicle One - Part Two Resources: https://www.bdkamerica.org/product/two-esoteric-sutras/; Bentor, Yael, and Meir Shahar, eds. Chinese and Tibetan esoteric Buddhism. Leiden ; Brill, 2017.; Orzech, Charles D., Henrik Hjort. Sorensen, and Richard Karl. Payne. Esoteric Buddhism and the Tantras in East Asia. Leiden ; Brill, 2011.; Goble, Geoffrey C. Chinese Esoteric Buddhism : Amoghavajra, the Ruling Elite, and the Emergence of a Tradition. New York, NY: Columbia University Press, 2019.; Yamasaki, Taikō, Yasuyoshi. Morimoto, David Kidd, and Taikō Yamasa ..read more

Bright on Buddhism Episode 82 - What are the paramitas in Buddhism? How ought one cultivate them? How do understandings of them change over time? Resources: Bodhi, Bhikkhu (1978). The All-Embracing Net of Views. Kandy: Buddhist Publication Society.; Bodhi, Bhikkhu (ed.) (1978, 2005). Lopez, Donald S. Jr. (1988). The Heart Sutra Explained: Indian and Tibetan Commentaries. SUNY Press. ISBN 978-0-88706-589-7.; Cantegreil, Mathieu; Chanana, Dweep; Kattumuri, Ruth, eds. (2013). Revealing Indian Philanthropy (PDF). Alliance Publishing Trust. ISBN 9781907376191. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 ..read more

Buddhish Episode 14 - Vairocana and Cosmic-ness Join us for a lively discussion about Vairocana, samsara, and the nature of Cosmic-ness in Esoteric Buddhism. This episode features discussion about Vajrasekhara Sutra Fascicle One Part One and Part Two. Part Two will come after this episode. Give it a listen to find out why. 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! Credits: Nick Bright: Script, Cover ..read more

Bright on Buddhism Episode 81 - What is "the great doubt" in Buddhism? How does one cultivate it? Why ought one cultivate it? Resources: Berzin, Alexander (2006), Primary Minds and the 51 Mental Factors; Guenther, Herbert V. & Leslie S. Kawamura (1975), Mind in Buddhist Psychology: A Translation of Ye-shes rgyal-mtshan's "The Necklace of Clear Understanding" Dharma Publishing. Kindle Edition.; Kunsang, Erik Pema (translator) (2004). Gateway to Knowledge, Vol. 1. North Atlantic Books.; Nina van Gorkom (2010), Cetasikas, Zolag; https://terebess.hu/zen/great_doubt.pdf; https://tricycle.org/ma ..read more

Bright on Buddhism - Asian Religions Series - Shintō Part 1 Hello and welcome to the Asian religions series. In this series, we will be discussing religious traditions in Asia other than Buddhism. Buddhism never existed in a vacuum, and as it has spread all across East Asia, it has developed, localized, and syncretized with local traditions in fascinating and significant ways. As such, we cannot provide a complete picture of East Asian without discussing those local traditions such as they were and are. Disclaimer: this series is very basic and introductory, and does not and cannot paint a com ..read more

Chapters 15-16 of the Lotus Sutra - Join us as we read and discuss Chapters 15-16 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 Universal Virtue. Tokyo:  Kosei Publishing Company.; Kern, H. 1884. 1963. Saddharma-Puṇḍarīka or The Lotus of the True Law. London:  New York:  Clarendon Press. Dover Publications ..read more

Bright on Buddhism - Vajrasekhara Sutra - Fascicle One - Part One Resources: https://www.bdkamerica.org/product/two-esoteric-sutras/; Bentor, Yael, and Meir Shahar, eds. Chinese and Tibetan esoteric Buddhism. Leiden ; Brill, 2017.; Orzech, Charles D., Henrik Hjort. Sorensen, and Richard Karl. Payne. Esoteric Buddhism and the Tantras in East Asia. Leiden ; Brill, 2011.; Goble, Geoffrey C. Chinese Esoteric Buddhism : Amoghavajra, the Ruling Elite, and the Emergence of a Tradition. New York, NY: Columbia University Press, 2019.; Yamasaki, Taikō, Yasuyoshi. Morimoto, David Kidd, and Taikō Yamasa ..read more

Bright on Buddhism Episode 80 - What is the story of Buddhism's arrival into Japan? How did this relate with traditions of kami worship? How did this affect Japanese Buddhism going forward? Resources: Buswell, Robert; Lopez, Donald S. (2013). The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism. Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-0-691-15786-3.; Deal, William E.; Ruppert, Brian (2015). A Cultural History of Japanese Buddhism. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-1405167017.; Rahder, Johannes (January 1956). "Harivarman's Satyasiddhi-sastra". Philosophy East & West. 5 (4): 348. doi:10.2307/1396885. JSTOR 139 ..read more