In this episode, Doug and Jon consider the latest developments in AI ChatBots. Should we consider them sentient? Do they have a “self”?

In this episode, Doug and Jon continue their conversation about the recent developments in Artificial Intelligence and whether Chatbots have “director experience”- a key component in the cultivation of wisdom.

In this episode Doug and Jon exploring the practice of taking refuge. The Triple Gem refers to Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. T

How do we work with our own fixed views and the fixed views of others. With this in mind, is it helpful to bring politics into our Buddhist practice?

How do we deal with war? If we are practicing the precept of non-harming (non-killing) what are we supposed to do, and how are we supposed to feel about the situation in Ukraine?

It’s been said that “enlightenment is an accident and meditation makes us more accident prone”. There is certainly some truth in this. In this episode we look at Enlightenment from some different perspectives.

While it can be hard to believe, there is no limit to the amount of joy in the world. Sympathetic Joy, or Resonant Joy is the third of the Divine Abodes and like the quality of compassion it has the capacity to weaken the boundary between self and other.

ompassion is one of the Divine Abodes. Doug and Jon discuss whether this is an innate quality or one that needs to be learned.

Doug and Jon discuss whether compassion is an innate quality or one that needs to be learned.

Unlike the 10 Commandments in the Judeo-Christian traditions which tell you what not to do, The Buddhist Precepts are actually practices and while they can be read like commandments, that is really not the point.

The Meditation Industrial Complex and how we manage to make a living.

The first of the Four Divine Abodes (Brahmaviharas) is Unconditional Friendliness (Metta) and for many this is a very challenging practice.

We'll discuss a recent example of self-immolation, as well as difficulties some of the Buddha's senior disciples had with serious illness.

In the Seven Factors of Awakening- one of the maps in the early teachings- Investigation is the second factor after Mindfulness. Doug and Jon speak discuss what it is we are investigating.

In the early Buddhist teachings there are many, many lists! Quite a of few of these provide different ways of exploring our experience.

We'll discuss how the practice and realization of non-self in Buddhism helps us see through We don’t know about you, but seems like most of us can take everything so personally.

Doug and Jon start a conversation on one of the most misunderstood and yet probably the most important of the Buddha’s teachings.