Best Jon Aaron And Doug Smith Podcasts (2024)

1
The Heart Quality Equanimity 29:00

1h ago29:00

29:00

Equanimity- Upekkha has an important place in many of the key Buddhist teachings. It's the fourth of the Divine Abodes, the seventh Factor of Awakening, the last step of the 16 Step teaching in the Mindfulness of Breathing and in the 10th of the Parami- the Perfections of the Heart. Doug and Jon discuss the various facets of this important quality.…

1
Letting Go Again: The Unquenchable Thirst 24:15

3d ago24:15

24:15

How can we work with our thirst for clinging and identification that seems unquenchable? We will discuss various aspect of letting go related to desire and thirst. Support the Show. Go to our website to leave a comment, buy us a coffee, or see further notes and links: https://digginthedharma.com/By Jon Aaron and Doug Smith

1
More on Letting Go 23:26

10d ago23:26

23:26

We can't let go of letting go so we continue discussion from the prior episode. Support the Show. Go to our website to leave a comment, buy us a coffee, or see further notes and links: https://digginthedharma.com/By Jon Aaron and Doug Smith

1
Insights into Insight , and a New Platform 28:01

1M ago28:01

28:01

What is Insight (Vipassana) practice? Doug and Jon discuss its origins and how it orients our approach to the dharma. They also discuss some exciting potential developments with livestreaming the podcast. Book: Erik Braun, The Birth of Insight Our new YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8HnYof8CejuOkLsr86EjRQ Support the Show. Go to …

1
Is Your Livelihood Right Livelihood? 26:11

2M ago26:11

26:11

Right Livelihood is one of the factors of the Buddha's Eightfold Noble Path. Of course, times have changed in the last 2500 years, so what does this mean today? Doug and Jon look at the teaching and do some head-scratching over certain parts of it. Support the Show. Go to our website to leave a comment, buy us a coffee, or see further notes and lin…

1
The Question of Internal, External and Both. 27:46

2M ago27:46

27:46

The refrain in the teaching on the Four Foundations of Mindfulness refers to contemplating internally, externally, and internally and externally. Jon and Doug talk about how they receive that part of the teaching, which doesn't appear in any obvious way in other suttas but is actually a very important part of mindfulness. Support the Show. Go to ou…

1
Freedom and Free Will 26:07

2M ago26:07

26:07

What is free will? Do we have free will? What does it mean to be free, and what does this have to do with our ethical and karmic responsibility? Support the Show. Go to our website to leave a comment, buy us a coffee, or see further notes and links: https://digginthedharma.com/By Jon Aaron and Doug Smith

1
Truthfulness and Authenticity 26:49

3M ago26:49

26:49

Truthfulness is one of the Paramis or perfections of the heart. In this episode we dig into what it means to not only be factually true but how the truth finds expression in appropriate ways-- both in our external and internal speech. Support the Show. Go to our website to leave a comment, buy us a coffee, or see further notes and links: https://di…

1
The Nature of Buddha Nature 29:02

3M ago29:02

29:02

Buddha Nature: what is it and how is it a controversial concept in some understandings? Jon and Doug discuss this as well as concepts and words generally. Support the Show. Go to our website to leave a comment, buy us a coffee, or see further notes and links: https://digginthedharma.com/By Jon Aaron and Doug Smith

1
Moving Beyond Craving and Clinging 25:59

3M ago25:59

25:59

The second noble points to the cause of dukkha—craving and clinging. It's also related to the uncertainty of life and the desire for it to be otherwise. Sometimes, the wisdom we gain, even after years of practice, seems to vanish when confronted with the inevitable change. Our discussion was sparked by Jon's pending move to Chicago and the dukkha t…

1
Buddhism and the Golden Rule 28:42

4M ago28:42

28:42

Doug and Jon discuss the "Golden Rule" (do unto others as we would have them do unto us) and its role in Buddhist practice and the precepts. Support the Show. Go to our website to leave a comment, buy us a coffee, or see further notes and links: https://digginthedharma.com/By Jon Aaron and Doug Smith

1
The Heart Quality of Courage 27:59

4M ago27:59

27:59

The recent death of Alexei Navalny sparked this discussion on courage. Navalny is one example-- similar to people like Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, and Nelson Mandela. We see acts of courage from many daily but don't necessarily consider them in the same way. What is courage, and does it play a role in our practice? Can meditation and the dharma…

1
Papañca! Exactly What it Sounds Like 27:15

4M ago27:15

27:15

If one were to describe a word that illustrates the meaning of onomatopoetic, papañca fits the bill. There are a number of words in Pali that do this, but papañca which means mental proliferation, is one of the best. In this episode, Doug and Jon look at this familiar pattern of the mind and how to work with it. Support the Show. Go to our website …

1
Let's Talk More About Meditation 27:56

5M ago27:56

27:56

In our last few episodes, we've been discussing the Buddha's Noble Eight-Fold Path. The last three factors of the path are about meditation. It's always good to remind ourselves why we meditate and what meditation actually is. What meditations are presented in the early Buddhist teachings, and why are they important? Support the Show. Go to our web…

1
Coming Back to the Core: Strategies of Right Effort 29:33

5M ago29:33

29:33

Right Effort --one of the factors of the Noble Eightfold Path is an important aspect of the practice of meditation, and the teachings related to this are worth looking into. Jon and Doug discuss strategies and practices that may be useful for us to consider along the path. Support the Show. Go to our website to leave a comment, buy us a coffee, or …

1
Impermanence and the Closing of the Rubin Museum 25:26

5M ago25:26

25:26

The Rubin is an important institution in New York with a very significant collection and many special exhibitions of Tibetan and Himalayan art, specifically related to Buddhism and Buddhist culture in that part of the world. We received the sad news recently that they are closing the New York space and basically becoming a virtual and traveling mus…

1
Coming Back to the Core: Knowing Right View 26:49

5M ago26:49

26:49

The Eightfold Path, the fourth of the Four Noble Truths, lays out a map to become free from suffering. In our last episode, we explore the second fact on the Right Intention. In this episode, we discuss Right View and how we generally hold views. After all, if you don't have the right view, if you don't know where you're headed, you'll likely get l…

1
Coming Back to the Core: Are we Understanding Our Intentions? 30:38

5M ago30:38

30:38

As we continue our wondering through the Noble Truths we discuss aspects of the Fourth Truth the 8-Fold Noble Path with a particular interesting Right Intention. This is the second factor, but who says we need to start with the first? Japanese Bowl, Poem by Peter Mayer VIdeo on the Art of Kantsugi Support the Show. Go to our website to leave a comm…

1
Coming Back to the Core-- The Four Noble Truths (or 3 just now) 27:26

6M ago27:26

27:26

The New Year is a good time to return to the core teachings. And it's good to start with the Four Enobling Truths, from which much becomes clear. In this episode, we spend most of the time talking about the first two, Support the Show. Go to our website to leave a comment, buy us a coffee, or see further notes and links: https://digginthedharma.com…

1
New Year's Episode: Time Present, Time Past, Time Future-- What is Time Anyway? 28:20

6M ago28:20

28:20

In this episode for the last day of 2023, we look at concepts of time from a Buddhist perspective in the relative and absolute sense. It's a fun topic and seemed appropriate as we move into 2024-- at least in some calendars. George Carlin on TIme Support the Show. Go to our website to leave a comment, buy us a coffee, or see further notes and links…

1
Why Buddhism? 26:16

7M ago26:16

26:16

Perhaps this is a perennial question, but it's always worth asking. What's so special about Buddhism and why have we chosen it as a guide for how we live? We speak about our personal experience ask questions that might be helpful for you. Support the Show. Go to our website to leave a comment, buy us a coffee, or see further notes and links: https:…

1
Again and Again. . . Rebirth ... and Death 28:16

7M ago28:16

28:16

What is meant by re-birth?? Who is reborn and when? There are a number of interpretations and Doug and Jon explore some of them. More important is how our understanding of rebirth and death impacts the way we live now. Support the Show. Go to our website to leave a comment, buy us a coffee, or see further notes and links: https://digginthedharma.co…

1
Miracles, Mindfulness and What the Buddha Said 22:18

7M ago22:18

22:18

Depending on your interpretation of what a miracle is, there are certainly times when miracles seem to happen due to our practice. In fact, one of the most-read books on Buddhism and mindfulness is Thich Nhat Hanh's classic Miracle of Mindfulness. Do you notice miracles happening? What did the Buddha have to say about this? Support the Show. Go to …

1
Practicing the Precepts 27:28

7M ago27:28

27:28

Jon and Doug discuss how living ethically in the context of the five precepts is a considerable mindfulness practice. At first glance, the precepts seem rather obvious, but the more we look and the more we bring them into our moment-to-moment experience, the more we realize how much deeper we can go. Support the Show. Go to our website to leave a c…

1
Taking Sides 27:46

8M ago27:46

27:46

Inspired by taking the side of peace, Jon and Doug look at taking sides and the Buddha's teachings on clinging to views and opinions. How does taking a side often exacerbate the problem of division and conflict? Is there another route? Support the Show. Go to our website to leave a comment, buy us a coffee, or see further notes and links: https://d…

1
Gratitude, Generosity and Thanksgiving 21:35

8M ago21:35

21:35

What do you have to be thankful for? How can a practice of gratitude impact your life for the better? Thanksgiving week is a good time to reflect upon such questions. Support the Show. Go to our website to leave a comment, buy us a coffee, or see further notes and links: https://digginthedharma.com/By Jon Aaron and Doug Smith

1
Developing a Daily Meditation Practice with Guest Bodhipaksa 38:45

8M ago38:45

38:45

What are some techniques we can use to develop a regular meditation practice? Doug and Jon's guest Bodhipaksa has taught a course on this and is in the process of writing a book about it. Lots of good advice in this episode! Support the Show. Go to our website to leave a comment, buy us a coffee, or see further notes and links: https://digginthedha…

1
"Did the Buddha Really Say That?" with Guest Bodhipaksa 46:10

8M ago46:10

46:10

Doug and Jon have a spirited discussion with our guest, writer and Buddhist meditation teacher, Bodhipaksa, on Fake Buddha Quotes. How important is it to get the Buddha right? What is a "Fake Buddha Quote" anyway? Bodhipaksa's Websites: https://www.wildmind.org/ https://fakebuddhaquotes.com/ Book: https://fakebuddhaquotes.com/buy-i-cant-believe-its…

1
Is Karma Collective or Individual? 26:36

9M ago26:36

26:36

Is there such a thing as collective karma? Doug and Jon will consider the picture of karma given in early Buddhism, and compare it to the idea of collective karma, or alternately to a notion of 'aggregate' karma. How does karma work among groups of people? Support the Show. Go to our website to leave a comment, buy us a coffee, or see further notes…

1
How Do We Know What Response is Appropriate? 30:02

9M ago30:02

30:02

The world events of the past week, added, perhaps to our own personal challenges, may bring up the question of how to respond. Meditation is not meant as an escape from these challenges. Rather, when integrated with the teachings of the Dharma, it can set the groundwork for an appropriate response to arise within any circumstance. This week, Doug a…

1
Balancing our Effort in Meditation 26:10

9M ago26:10

26:10

Among the factors of the Eightfold Noble Path is Right Effort. This is part of the meditation path, and for many, finding the right energy in our meditation practice is a big challenge. Doug and Jon discuss how they approach this and hopefully give some useful tips. Right Effort Support the Show. Go to our website to leave a comment, buy us a coffe…

1
Buddhist Rupas and Other Images: is this idol worship? 28:03

9M ago28:03

28:03

Many folks with western religious upbringings find discomfort when faced, at least in a practice context, with a Buddha Rupa (statue) or other images and of course even more so when bowing or offerings are encouraged. In this episode we'll talk about Buddha images: their history, practices we might use with them, as well as discuss the show on disp…

1
Let's Talk About the Two Truths 28:38

10M ago28:38

28:38

We decided this week to speak about the Two Truths-- the Relative and the Absolute, or the Mundane and the Ultimate. Are they real or just another construct? How did they find their way into the Buddhist teachings? How can we practice with them today? Is there even something to practice? Doug's Videos on the Two Truths: The Buddhist Doctrine of Two…

1
Elemental Practice 26:31

10M ago26:31

26:31

There are many ways of investigating experience, including the six elements of earth, water, fire, air (wind), space, and consciousness. In this episode, we discuss how these practices can lead to a direct insight into the nature of self. Playlist of Doug's Dharma videos on the elements: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0akoU_OszRhAhUt9nXmf4…

1
It's All Practice-- or it can be! 28:36

11M ago28:36

28:36

Exercise is important for our bodies and minds. How do we approach exercise as a meditation ? Can we exercise mindfully, and what would that look like? In fact, any activity we do can be a meditation practice if we remember. Support the Show. Go to our website to leave a comment, buy us a coffee, or see further notes and links: https://digginthedha…

1
Turning Toward What is Here-- Whether You Like or Not. 22:56

11M ago22:56

22:56

Being in the present moment also means acceptance of the present moment whether we like it or not. This is a key to Buddhist practice and a key to freedom. It's also a challenge, mainly when what is present is unacceptable. In this episode, we discuss how we practice (or not) acceptance. Support the Show. Go to our website to leave a comment, buy u…

1
The Fire Sermon 28:02

11M ago28:02

28:02

Dealing with wildfires associated with global warming turns our mind to one of the Buddha's most famous and trenchant suttas, his third discourse, the Fire Sermon. Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato: https://suttacentral.net/sn35.28/en/sujato Translation by Bhikkhu Bodhi: https://suttacentral.net/sn35.28/en/bodhi Doug's video: https://youtu.be/dhTULnK8B…

1
Listener Questions and Responses: Non-Judgment, Ethics, and Working with Unwanted Criticism 31:24

11M ago31:24

31:24

Doug and Jon respond to three member questions on how to reconcile non-judgment in our practice with the role of ethics, as well as how we can best deal with personal criticism and even aggression from co-workers. Support the Show. Go to our website to leave a comment, buy us a coffee, or see further notes and links: https://digginthedharma.com/…

1
Listener Questions and Responses: The Roles of Teachers and Trauma in the Path 29:40

12M ago29:40

29:40

In this listener Q&A, Doug and Jon answer two questions: teachers' roles in guiding their students in the dharma, and how our past trauma might influence our journey. We don't pretend to have specific answers, but these wonderful questions elicited a wonderful discussion. Support the Show. Go to our website to leave a comment, buy us a coffee, or s…

1
Dealing with the "Polycrisis" 23:54

1y ago23:54

23:54

The time we are living through just now has been termed a poly-crisis. A combination of existential crises happening all at once. Whether it's climate change, the war in Ukraine, pandemics, worldwide hunger, refugees, civil strive. . . we are experiencing it all directly or indirectly. How can our practice help? Does it help? Doug and Jon reflect o…

1
Love but not Attachment 25:28

1y ago25:28

25:28

How do we negotiate the Buddha's teachings on craving and clinging with our deep love of family and friends? What is the difference between true love and "attached love," and when does attached love lead to dukkha? This is an ongoing question. The Buddha did expect monastics to be celibate and to leave their families but he did not expect this of h…

1
Let's Talk about Buddha Nature 31:50

1y ago31:50

31:50

Buddha Nature is a concept that arises primarily in the Mahayana Buddhist teachings, though without using that language, specifically, could certainly be interpreted within the early teachings as well. The most famous Koan on this is "Does a Dog of Buddha Nature?" Doug and Jon have a spirited and at times confusing discussion on this. Join in with …

1
What Is "Now"? What Was "Now"? What will be "Now"? 24:29

1y ago24:29

24:29

The present moment seems to come and go, but is that the case? What is the present moment anyway? This is a deep philosophical question and certainly a central point of Buddhist practice. Doug and Jon look at the topic from a number of different points of view . It's always a fun discussion! Support the Show. Go to our website to leave a comment, b…

1
Speak Kindly and Don't Carry a Stick! 26:47

1y ago26:47

26:47

In these days of divisiveness, it's easy to get into political arguments or, at the very least, think ill thoughts about some of our leaders. The Buddha's words on wise speech can be a useful guide. Support the Show. Go to our website to leave a comment, buy us a coffee, or see further notes and links: https://digginthedharma.com/…

1
Do You Believe in Magic?? 24:08

1y ago24:08

24:08

A recent comment on our website prompted a discussion about whether certain Buddhist practices (Lovingkindness for instance) involve magical thinking. Support the Show. Go to our website to leave a comment, buy us a coffee, or see further notes and links: https://digginthedharma.com/By Jon Aaron and Doug Smith

1
The Guardians of the World 25:07

1y ago25:07

25:07

Doug and Jon discuss two natural abilities we have to skillfully maneuver through the world. The Buddha discussed them as "guardians of the world" (Iti. 42). Support the Show. Go to our website to leave a comment, buy us a coffee, or see further notes and links: https://digginthedharma.com/By Jon Aaron and Doug Smith

1
Does Memory have a Role in Mindfulness? 26:59

1y ago26:59

26:59

The Pāli word Sati literally means "remember' but also has the meaning of Mindfulness. The question of memory in mindfulness practices is the starting point of our discussion in this week's episode. Support the Show. Go to our website to leave a comment, buy us a coffee, or see further notes and links: https://digginthedharma.com/…

1
Secular Buddhism. . . Is that a thing? 25:50

1y ago25:50

25:50

Recently we discussed a kind of secularized Buddhist practice with Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction. Today we discuss the topic of secular Buddhism. What do we mean by "secular" or "religious"? How can such concepts (and they are just concepts) be helpful or not? Support the Show. Go to our website to leave a comment, buy us a coffee, or see furt…

1
What Do You Mean It's Not Mine??? 24:55

1y ago24:55

24:55

"Not mine, not I, not myself" is a phrase that appears in various suttas. It can be a useful reminder to let go. We cling to material things, people, and of course ourselves. When we lose something or someone, or when that idea of who I am suddenly shifts, it can manifest in significant suffering. In this episode, Doug and Jon discuss how they rela…

1
Dualism or Non-Dualism, That is the Question 27:42

1y ago27:42

27:42

What is non-dualism all about? Is it a practice? Is it a way of looking at the world? Or is it just words? Yes and. . . We'll discuss the dharma and practice of non-dualism. Was it found in the early texts? How do we understand and use it? Doug's YouTube video on the topic: Non-Dualism and Early Buddhism -- https://youtu.be/43v6lLweukg Support the …

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Jon Aaron And Doug Smith Podcasts

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