Best The Imperfect Buddha Podcast Podcasts (2024)

1
117 Building the Future Buddha: A Discussion with Jundho Cohen 59:00

19d ago59:00

59:00

Jundo Cohen is a Zen Buddhist teacher and founder of Treeleaf Zendo, a digital Zen community with members in over 50 countries. He writes on the intersection of Buddhism, ethics, science, and the future of the planet. He resides in Tsukuba, Japan’s “Science City”. He is the author of The Zen Master’s Dance: A Guide to Understanding Dogen and Who Yo…

1
Navigating Guilt: A Journey of Self-Forgiveness 13:26

1d ago13:26

13:26

Guilt, a powerful and complex emotion, can often weigh heavily on our hearts and minds when we've done something that goes against our values or has harmed others. It's a natural response to recognizing our own mistakes and the impact they have had. However, dwelling in guilt can be detrimental to our well-being and hinder our ability to move forwa…

1
116 Making Sense of Yogacara with William Waldron 1:27:29

28d ago1:27:29

1:27:29

Professor William Waldron teaches courses on the South Asian religious traditions of Hinduism and Buddhism, Tibetan religion and history, comparative psychologies and philosophies of mind, and theory and method in the study of religion at Middlebury College. His publications focus on the Yogacara school of Indian Buddhism and its dialogue with mode…

1
Wabi-Sabi: Finding Beauty in Imperfection 22:49

2M ago22:49

22:49

In today's fast-paced and constantly changing world, the ancient Japanese philosophy of Wabi Sabi offers a refreshing perspective on life, encouraging us to appreciate the beauty of imperfection and transience. Wabi Sabi is not just a design or aesthetic concept; it's a way of life that can inspire us to find contentment and peace in the midst of l…

1
Bouncing Back: The Art of Resilience and Renewal 14:59

3M ago14:59

14:59

Ultimately, bouncing back is about finding the inner strength to persevere, adapt, and grow in the face of adversity. It's about recognizing that setbacks are a natural part of the human experience and that they can serve as opportunities for self-discovery and transformation. With the right mindset and support systems in place, individuals can bou…

1
115 Christian Coseru on Perceiving Reality 1:18:27

3M ago1:18:27

1:18:27

What does it mean to perceive and just how capable are we of perceiving reality? This is a core question in the work of Christian Coseru, who is today’s guest. He is the Lightsey Humanities chair and Professor of Philosophy at the College of Charleston. Christian works in the fields of philosophy of mind, phenomenology, and cross-cultural philosoph…

1
Navigating Grief: Understanding, Coping, and Healing 18:19

4M ago18:19

18:19

Grief is an unavoidable part of the human experience, a natural response to loss that can profoundly impact our emotional, mental, and physical wellbeing. Whether triggered by the death of a loved one, the end of a significant relationship, or a major life transition, grief is a universal phenomenon that touches us all at some point in our lives. I…

1
114 David McMahan on Rethinking Meditation 1:12:48

5M ago1:12:48

1:12:48

If anything, the Imperfect Buddha Podcast has been a rallying cry for the disruption of the myths that abound in the world of Buddhism and meditation. David L. McMahan professor of religion at Franklin and Marshall College, has been something of a crusader himself, writing a much needed correction to many of the myths in western adoption of Buddhis…

1
113 A.I. and Practice with Stuart Baldwin 2:14:43

5M ago2:14:43

2:14:43

The technological revolution we are facing today is artificial intelligence. At least this is what we are told. Those doing the telling include tech experts such as Elon Musk, linguist Noam Chomsky, as well as philosophers, politicians and intellectuals of all stripes. What are to make of all this and how are we to manage a world experiencing such …

1
From Perception to Action 17:20

5M ago17:20

17:20

In Buddhism, there are five omnipresent mental factors. These factors are present in every moment of our mental experience and play a fundamental role in shaping our thoughts, emotions, and actions. Understanding these factors can help us cultivate mindfulness and develop a deeper awareness of our own minds.Books by Karma Yeshe Rabgye: Open Awarene…

1
112 Wake up! (Part 3) An Antidote to Stupidity in Three Parts 51:55

6M ago51:55

51:55

Wake up! Antidote to stupidity in three parts. This is part 3. What follows is a three-part series on waking up to non-buddhism as an antidote to stupidity. This is an ambitious project designed to look at a curriculum of items that might be useful to contemporary Buddhist practitioners in order to wake up from some of the traps that have been diag…

1
111 Wake up! (Part 2) An Antidote to Stupidity in Three Parts 28:29

6M ago28:29

28:29

Wake up! Antidote to stupidity in three parts. This is part 2. What follows is a three-part series on waking up to non-buddhism as an antidote to stupidity. This is an ambitious project designed to look at a curriculum of items that might be useful to contemporary Buddhist practitioners in order to wake up from some of the traps that have been diag…

1
110 Wake up! (Part 1) An Antidote to Stupidity in Three Parts 26:56

6M ago26:56

26:56

Wake up! Antidote to stupidity in three parts. This is part 1. What follows is a three-part series on waking up to non-buddhism as an antidote to stupidity. This is an ambitious project designed to look at a curriculum of items that might be useful to contemporary Buddhist practitioners in order to wake up from some of the traps that have been diag…

1
Unraveling the Mind for a Deeper Understanding 15:54

7M ago15:54

15:54

In both Buddhism and neuroscience, the concepts of brain, mind, and consciousness play vital roles in understanding human existence and awareness. While Buddhism offers a philosophical and spiritual perspective, neuroscience approaches these concepts from a scientific and empirical standpoint. Books by Karma Yeshe Rabgye: Open Awareness, Open Mind …

1
109 Meditating Three Minutes a Day: A Conversation with Richard Dixey 1:03:00

8M ago1:03:00

1:03:00

After a month or two of absence, the podcast returns for a new season, beginning with an unexpectedly wide ranging conversation with Dr. Richard Dixey. Richard holds a Ph.D. from London University, an M.A. with distinction in the history and philosophy of science from London University, and a B.A. Hons from Oxford. He has been a student of Buddhism…

1
Secular Buddhism: Bridging Eastern Wisdom and Western Minds 11:42

8M ago11:42

11:42

Buddhism, originating in ancient India, has traversed continents and centuries, touching the lives of millions. As it spread to the West, it underwent adaptations to resonate with the Western mindset. One such adaptation that gained popularity is Secular Buddhism. In this podcast, I want to explore the essence of Secular Buddhism, its distinctions …

1
The Fluidity Of Reality 12:53

9M ago12:53

12:53

The Buddhist concept of emptiness refers to the idea that all things lack intrinsic or inherent existence. It is a way of understanding the nature of reality and the way in which things come into being. By recognising the emptiness of all things, we can let go of our attachment to fixed identities and concepts, leading to greater freedom and compas…

1
A Path To Peace 20:31

11M ago20:31

20:31

Over the years, I have spent a lot of time meditating and reflecting on world peace. I have even wondered if it was even possible. I concluded that it is not only possible, but also essential for humanity. It is complicated, multifaceted and requires cooperation, but it is achievable.World peace is important because it is the foundation for global …

1
108 Curtis White on Buddhism and Transcendence 53:26

11M ago53:26

53:26

Acclaimed cultural critic Curtis White examines current fissures in Western Buddhism and argues against the growth of scientific and corporate dharma, particularly in the Secular Buddhist movement. Most of his career has been spent writing experimental fiction, but he turned to writing books of social criticism, the latest of which is Transcendent,…

1
107 Simon Cox on the Subtle Body 1:16:11

11M ago1:16:11

1:16:11

What links Vajrayana Buddhism and Vajrayogini to Alistair Crowley and the neo-Platonists? A topic of speculation, desire and imagination, the Subtle Body, also known as the energy body, is an odd phenomena with deep roots in Taoism, Hinduism and Buddhism, but many are unaware that it has a rich history in European thought too. Simon Cox traces its …

1
106 Think Piece: "I Refuse to Change" 31:14

11M ago31:14

31:14

“There is positive and negative resistance, and plenty of somethings in between. But who determines the terms upon which such a psychological force is cast? If it’s you, then you may have a small problem on your hands. That is if you are interested in transformation and change.” In the latest Think Piece, we look at why so many begin but never end …

1
105 Ken McLeod on the Magic of Vajrayana 1:48:12

12M ago1:48:12

1:48:12

“A moving description of a life in practice which goes far beyond text-based ideas of prayer, devotion, guru-connection, or meditation, and most especially of tantric practice." Anne Klein, former Chair of the Department of Religion at Rice University. A ground-breaking book, The Magic of Vajrayana (Unfettered Mind Media, 2023) opens new doors to t…

1
Mangala Sutra - Part Eleven 16:23

12M ago16:23

16:23

In the dictionary, defilement means a state of being polluted, and that is what we are talking about here: our minds being polluted. So, what is polluting our minds? It is destructive mental states, and these are what we need to remove so we can free our minds.This podcast is based on my book ‘Life’s Meandering Path’- which is available from Amazon…

1
104 Doug Bates on the Ancient Greek Version of Buddhism 37:09

1y ago37:09

37:09

“It is not events that disturb us, but what we believe about them.” Is this true? Well, apparently Pyrrho, a rather obscure Greek philosopher claimed it to be the case and he may have been influenced by Buddhism in his creation of what today is called “Pyrrhonism”. Pyrrho agreed with the Buddha that delusion was the cause of suffering, but instead …

1
103 Incognito: The Astounding Life of Alexandra David-Neel 48:09

1y ago48:09

48:09

I grew up with Alexandra David-Neel’s books on my mum’s bookshelf. She was part of the myth making process that led to my own fascination with Tibet, as something real, and as fantasy, a description that is often used to define Neel’s relationship and presentation of Tibet. She was either a key that helped open the door into the world of Tibet with…

1
102 A Review of "A Critique of Western Buddhism" 51:44

1y ago51:44

51:44

Regular guest to the podcast Glenn Wallis wrote A Critique of Western Buddhism: Ruins of the Buddhist Real (Bloomsbury) back in 2018. Time has flown since and in honour of the non-Buddhism project, and some interesting news coming up, the Imperfect Buddha Podcast presents this audio review of the text that will serve as a useful introduction to the…

1
Mangala Sutra - Part Ten 13:10

1y ago13:10

13:10

In this podcast, we will be looking at the Buddhist concept of non-self. This is a difficult subject for many of us to grasp because we have invested so much time and effort into building and reinforcing a sense of self. However, Buddha stated that what we call a self is just a coming together of different parts.This podcast is based on my book ‘Li…

1
101 Contemplative, Existential Psychotherapy and Dzogchen 1:29:26

1y ago1:29:26

1:29:26

Ken Bradford, Ph.D., has been a practitioner in the Theravada and Tibetan Buddhist traditions since 1975, and engaged in introducing meditative sensibilities and nondual wisdom streams into the experience-near practice of psychotherapy since 1988. Formerly, he was in private psychotherapy practice for 25 years, an Adjunct Professor at John F. Kenne…

1
Mangala Sutra - Part Nine 17:59

1y ago17:59

17:59

Impermanence is one of the most important topics Buddha taught. He stated that there is no phenomenon that exists from its own side—that is, there are no phenomena that are not compounded.Things do not just come into existence by sheer magic or by some superior power, such as a god. It is through causes and conditions, the joining together of thing…

1
100 Nietzsche, Wokeism, Non-Buddhist Mysticism 1:54:42

1y ago1:54:42

1:54:42

What does it mean to be a hundred? Perhaps Fredric Nietzsche would know. He’s in part the star of the show. Along with regular guest Glenn Wallis. We look at the ideal reader, the ideal thinker, and perhaps the ideal practitioner. We discuss his work in progress, Nietzsche NOW! A book that wonders what Nietzsche would have to say about Wokeism. We …

1
Mangala Sutra - Part Eight 13:56

1+ y ago13:56

13:56

I have mentioned various ways of reducing our suffering throughout this series on the Mangala Sutra, so now I want to discuss things that may stop us from reducing our suffering, namely, the ten fetters. These are ten things that shackle us to a life of suffering. If we cut through these fetters, we will be able to start reducing our suffering.This…

1
Mangala Sutra - Part Seven 14:29

1+ y ago14:29

14:29

All our actions of body and speech stem from our mind, so it is vitally important to have a strategy whereby we can have some control over our thoughts, feelings, and emotions. Mindfulness and carrying out a day of observance are two good ways to practice self-restraint.This podcast is based on my book ‘Life’s Meandering Path’- which is available f…

1
99 Non-Duality: A Discussion with Peter Fenner 1:08:51

1+ y ago1:08:51

1:08:51

Peter Fenner, Ph.D, is an adapter and teacher of non-duality, and an author. His two books, Radiant Mind: Awakening Unconditioned Awareness (Sounds True, 2007) and Natural Awakening: An Advanced Guide for Sharing Nondual Awareness (Sumeru Press, 2015), draw on a dialectical method adapted from his monastic training with the Gelugpa School of Tibeta…

1
Mangala Sutra - Part Six 21:19

1+ y ago21:19

21:19

In part six of the Mangala Sutra, we look at the importance of having a teacher, guide, or spiritual friend. We are obviously going to face obstacles and hindrances on the path, so having someone with experience to support us is essential.This podcast is based on my book ‘Life’s Meandering Path’- which is available from Amazon and Kindle.Books by K…

1
98 Being Buddhist and Some Thoughts on "Identity" 28:50

1+ y ago28:50

28:50

The Think Pieces continue. This month, it is a look back at a piece on being Buddhist and identity. The text version can be found below. Themes picked up on in this episode include: Identity in an age of identity politics Playing identity politics, or not The discomfort of committing to the Buddhist identity True me versus contextual me The therape…

1
97 Buddhist Medicine and Buddhish 1:27:39

1+ y ago1:27:39

1:27:39

In this episode, Pierce Salguero comes on to discuss two of his books: Buddhish, A Guide to the 20 Most Important Buddhist Ideas for the Curious and Skeptical (Beacon Press, 2022) and A Global History of Buddhism and Medicine (Columbia UP, 2022). Pierce is a transdisciplinary scholar of health humanities, fascinated by historical and contemporary i…

1
96 Doubt: Part 5 30:18

1+ y ago30:18

30:18

And so it continues. The fifth and final installment in this series on doubt continues to explore an enlightened vision of practice in the 21st century. It explores the call to practice, honesty, doubt’s place and epistemic humility. It also looks at how to practice with doubt through suggestions for meditation practices and contemplative explorati…

1
Mangala Sutra - Part Five 25:20

1+ y ago25:20

25:20

This podcast deals with characteristics and patterns of behaviour we should all try to cultivate, such as diligence, patience, contentment and being humble and a good communicator.This podcast is based on my book ‘Life’s Meandering Path’- which is available from Amazon and Kindle.Books by Karma Yeshe Rabgye: Open Awareness, Open Mind - www.amazon.i…

1
95 Intercultural Buddhism and Philosophy: A Discussion with Jin Y. Park 1:11:37

1+ y ago1:11:37

1:11:37

Welcome to the new season of the Imperfect Buddha Podcast. After a well-earned and challenging summer filled with drought, war, political strife and ridiculous heat, we’re back in the saddle and raring to go with some intellectual stimulation aimed at the practicing life. Four episodes are lined up with Buddhist scholars, philosophers and practitio…

1
Mangala Sutra - Part Four 22:39

1+ y ago22:39

22:39

In part four of the Mangala Sutra we continue to look at the social principles. This covers how we can refrain from harmful acts and how we need to put great effort into developing beneficial acts and avoiding destructive ones.This podcast is based on my book ‘Life’s Meandering Path’- which is available from Amazon and Kindle.Books by Karma Yeshe R…

1
Mangala Sutra - Part Three 18:58

1+ y ago18:58

18:58

In this third part of the Mangala Sutra, we will look at the Social Principles.These social principles take us further into our journey of becoming more responsible and reducing our mental suffering. By implementing these principles, we will also be reducing the suffering of those around us. This is not a selfish journey; it is one that helps us ga…

1
Mangala Sutra - Part Two 24:00

1+ y ago24:00

24:00

In part two of the Mangala Sutra we look at learning and practical skills, a code of conduct, appropriate speech and much more. This podcast is based on my book ‘Life’s Meandering Path’- which is available from Amazon and Kindle.Books by Karma Yeshe Rabgye: Open Awareness, Open Mind - www.amazon.in/Open-Awareness-Min…=1627806820&sr=8-1 The Best Way…

1
Mangala Sutra - Part One 15:41

2y ago15:41

15:41

For centuries people have been indulging in superstitions, lucky charms, omens, divinations, and fortune-telling. They have used these things to help them make decisions and keep them from taking responsibility for their own actions. Buddha called all of these practices ‘low art’, and on many occasions he stated that such things are of no use as we…

1
The Twelve Links of Dependent Arising 14:35

2y ago14:35

14:35

A central teaching in traditional Buddhism is the principle of dependent arising, which states that all things happen through cause and conditions and that they are interdependent. No phenomenon, whether outer or inner, occurs except as a reaction to a previous cause, and all phenomenon will, in turn, condition the following results. So, in a nutsh…

1
94 Derrida Meets Nagarjuna, with Peter Salmon 1:56:05

2y ago1:56:05

1:56:05

In an historic event, the second Buddha himself Nagarjuna returns from the dead to team up with Jacques Derrida, non-Buddha, perhaps, to take on emptiness. They clash with identity politics. Bump into Jordan Peterson and the misses, and go for a coffee with John Gray. What you say? All of that in a single episode! Yes, dear listener. All of that in…

1
93 Doubt: Part 4 23:22

2y ago23:22

23:22

The fourth installment in this series on doubt continues to explore an enlightened vision of practice in the 21st century. It explores the call to practice, honesty, doubt’s place and epistemic humility. Text version here. Matthew O'Connell is a life coach and the host of the The Imperfect Buddha podcast. You can find The Imperfect Buddha on Facebo…

1
92 Jason M. Wirth on Zen, the Kyoto School, and Whether Nietzsche is a Buddha 1:54:51

2y ago1:54:51

1:54:51

Welcome to this Great feast conversation. Philosophy Professor at Seattle University, Soto Zen Priest, Sangha leader, and Dharma teacher, Jason M. Wirth is the author of Nietzsche and other Buddhas: Philosophy after Comparative Philosophy (Indiana UP, 2019), Engaging Dogen’s Zen and Mountains, and Rivers, and the Great Earth, both from 2017. In a r…

1
91 Peter Salmon on Jacques Derrida and the Buddha 1:24:56

2y ago1:24:56

1:24:56

Today I talk with Peter Salmon, author of An Event, Perhaps; an intellectual biography of Jacques Derrida. Our conversation was rich: We tackle Derrida and Buddhism, Derrida and the culture wars, Derrida and practice. Foucault gets a mention, as does Heidegger, as does spiritual enlightenment, mindfulness and spirituality. Our conversation was inco…

1
90 Doubt: Part 3 20:18

2y ago20:18

20:18

In the third part of this series on Doubt, we head off to the Great Feast. Come along and dine with the Buddha, your favourite philosophers, and any other great mind you have a penchant for. You won’t regret it. Matthew O'Connell is a life coach and the host of the The Imperfect Buddha podcast. You can find The Imperfect Buddha on Facebook and Twit…

1
89 Daniel Ingram on Practice 1:29:12

2y ago1:29:12

1:29:12

In this episode, returning guest Daniel Ingram comes on to discuss a range of fascinating questions concerning practice. We explore coming through the pandemic, the impact of long-term relationships on practice, first Buddhist books, hardcore Dharma practice, how life might have been different without practice, suffering and karma and Daniel’s new …

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