After having studied Buddhism for a while, I have come to some ideas about the philosophy and in particular its’ relation to morality. For westerners especially, Buddhism seems to be paradoxical and difficult to really categorize. I can accept that some things cannot be controlled, that man cannot directly choose his circumstances all the . . . → Read More: What Happens, Happens.]]> Question:

After having studied Buddhism for a while, I have come to some ideas about the philosophy and in particular its’ relation to morality. For westerners especially, Buddhism seems to be paradoxical and difficult to really categorize. I can accept that some things cannot be controlled, that man cannot directly choose his circumstances all the time. However, Buddhism, in particular Zen, which is influenced by Taoism has, throughout its’ teachings a kind of ‘whatever happens, happens’ kind of ideal. It seems to me that this could be fatalistic. If life is out of our control, then what about morality. If bad things just ‘ happen’ and chaos to order, order to chaos is inevitable, doesn’t that destroy our notion of choice? This can also create a kind of unclarity in one’s mind about what is right, what is wrong and can be used as an excuse for surrender to responsibility for one’s own life.

Answer:

My own chief complaint with Taoism is that it is seems passive in the extreme. Buddhism isn’t quite so passive, however. Yes, it teaches us to accept what comes by not grasping at expectations, but that’s not the same is being helpless to control ones own fate.

Bad things do sometimes just happen. So do good things. We need to learn to roll with the punches and deal with things as they happen. A great deal of suffering and unhappiness results from broken expectations and unpleasant surprises. Learn to see past all that.

This all relates to bad things that come from outside sources, not our own choice to do good or bad. If a truck runs off the road and drives through your house, is there anything you can do about that? No. Yet, if you continually hang around negative, discouraging, “toxic” people, is it likely that you will grow to take that point of view? Yes. You do have control over that sort of thing. You have control over who you call a friend. You have control over the food you eat. You have control over the words you speak and the choice of entertainment you enjoy. Most importantly, you have the choice and the control over your own actions, and this is where the Buddhist ideas of morality come into play. You do in fact have control over your thoughts and actions, and that’s really the only thing you do have control over.

We all need to learn the difference between the things you have control over and the things you do not, and focus your energies on changing the thngs we can. There’s an old prayer (not Buddhist) that goes like this:

“Lord, grant me patience to bear the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.”

Announcements: Let’s keep it short and simple this week and not do any announcements. If you are subscribed to the Daily Buddhism Daily Email Newsletter, you’re pretty much up-to-date already, and if you aren’t… why not? It’s free and simple, one email, once a day.

And now let’s get on with . . . → Read More: Podcast Episode 49: Hinduism and Buddhism]]> Podcast Episode 49: Hinduism and Buddhism

Announcements:

Let’s keep it short and simple this week and not do any announcements. If you are subscribed to the Daily Buddhism Daily Email Newsletter, you’re pretty much up-to-date already, and if you aren’t… why not? It’s free and simple, one email, once a day.

And now let’s get on with this week’s show!

[Read the past five blog posts or emails for contents of the show]

This Week’s Links:

Sponsor: Mighty Leaf Tea
http://www.dailybuddhism.com/tea

Compassion and Pity
http://www.dailybuddhism.com/archives/1231

Does Nirvana Mean Death to Everything?
http://www.dailybuddhism.com/archives/1230

Koan; A Calling Card
http://www.dailybuddhism.com/archives/1229

Book Review: The Way of Korean Zen, by Kusan Sunim
http://www.dailybuddhism.com/archives/1223
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1590306864/?tag=askdrarca-20

Hinduism and Buddhism
http://www.dailybuddhism.com/archives/1225

Arcane Tales Old Time Radio Podcast
http://ArcaneTales.com

Free Newsletter: http://www.dailybuddhism.com/sign

Voice Mail Number: 937-660-4949
Email: Dailybuddhism@gmail.com
Donate: http://www.dailybuddhism.com/donate
Weekly Buddhism Subscription Info: http://www.weeklybuddhism.com
Follow Daily Buddhism on Twitter: http://twitter.com/DailyBuddhism

This is just a little audio promo spot I made a while back. I figured now was as good a time as any to slip it into the podcast stream. If you do a podcast yourself or know someone who does, you have full permission to include this in your show or feed. If . . . → Read More: Daily Buddhism Promo MP3]]> Hello everyone;

This is just a little audio promo spot I made a while back. I figured now was as good a time as any to slip it into the podcast stream. If you do a podcast yourself or know someone who does, you have full permission to include this in your show or feed. If you’d like to email or forward the MP3 file to a friend, that’s good to. Basically, just spread this aroud to anyone you know who might be interested in.

Thanks for your support!

Yet, I want to do . . . → Read More: A Heroic Resolution for the New Year]]> Once again, I wish each of you a Happy and Healthy New Year. I appreciate your readership over the past year, and this year, I hope to continue along the same path here at the Daily Buddhism. I don’t have any major changes planned; things should continue as they have been.

Yet, I want to do more.

I know my blogs, especially the Daily Buddhism, have been a real help to some people. Teaching the path of Buddhism relieves suffering for many of you, and it’s wonderful that I can help in that way. Still, I’d like to be doing something on a bigger scale, with people who really need help. How can I help reduce suffering in the world?

With my financial situation, anything involving money is out of the question, but one thing I do have is a large and growing number of readers and listeners. I want to use my blogging skills and listener/reader base to do some good for people who are doing good. I can ‚Äúgive‚Äù publicity to those who need it, and that’s exactly what I am going to do this year.

Take a look at http://www.herobulletin.com

There’s not much there yet, I only set up the site this past weekend. But as you can see, the plan is to feature individuals who are making a positive difference in the world. With any luck, as the site grows, some of those Heroes may gain new donors, or volunteers, or whatever it is they need.

Why am I telling you all this?

As Buddhists, it is our goal and our duty to relieve suffering in the world. This is my new project, but I would suggest each of you decide if there is something you can do to make the world a better place and help end suffering in some way, even if only in your own neighborhood or workplace. Meditation is nice, and an important part of Buddhism, but actions matter just as much.

If you know of someone who is already working hard to make a difference, nominate them to be featured on the new site. They deserve the recognition, and they’ll sure appreciate any support that flows their way. I can come up with a few starter Heroes to feature on the site, but I’m going to need names and suggestions fairly quickly.

Be a hero by nominating one today.

http://www.herobulletin.com

Sign up for the newsletter there if you would like to get updates by email. I don’t know the frequency of updates yet, but I doubt it will be more than one a day, certainly less in the beginning.

Question:

I wonder if you can give me a pointer for following the path. My understanding is that we should be in the here and now as much as we can yet as a teacher I have to be aware of what I’ve taught so I can plan what . . . → Read More: Being in the Present. Be Here Now.]]> Join us on our new Facebook Page! http://www.dailybuddhism.com/Facebook

Question:

I wonder if you can give me a pointer for following the path. My understanding is that we should be in the here and now as much as we can yet as a teacher I have to be aware of what I’ve taught so I can plan what I will teach next… this means I’m often not in the here and now… (I teach French and German at secondary school…)

Answer:

“Be here, now.” There is a lot to this simple phrase that goes way beyond planning for the future and remembering the past. There are two concepts important to this idea; time and place.

Time:

I don’t think ‚Äúbeing in the present‚Äù means you cannot think about the future or past. We all have to make plans and have certain expectations about the future, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Even monks, or abbots at least, have to make some kinds of plans, otherwise they couldn’t manage a monastery or organize any kind of dharma teachings. Actually, NOT planning for the future can cause no end to suffering; the current global economic crisis is proof of enough of that.

It’s fine to consider and plan for the future, just don’t get too attached to your plans. When situations change, be flexible, and adapt. Don’t get caught up in the plans, and don’t spend time worrying about them. As a teacher, you create lesson plans, possibly for weeks in advance. You also know that no matter how carefully you plan, things are going to come up that will derail your plan. You have to accept that in advance and take the surprises as they come. Don’t worry about changes and problems; expect them and deal with them as they arrive. Worry is a terrible distraction, and it’s unhealthy as well.
Place:

Place:

Are you present? Is your mind here, or is your mind elsewhere?

Whatever you are doing, be present and aware of it while you do the task. It’s more about your concentration than anything else. Being present means that you are focused on what you are doing. In your case, let’s say you are working on a lesson plan for next week. You’re thinking about next week, and that’s fine, you have to do that as part of the task. If, however, you are also thinking about the latest episode of American Idol, or what color to paint the house, or what you’re having for dinner, that’s not good. Your task at hand is making that lesson plan, and all the other ‚Äústuff‚Äù is a distraction.

Whatever you are doing in the present (time), be fully present (location), “Be here, Now.”

Basically it concerns focusing on the task at hand, thinking clearly and on one thing at a time without distracting thoughts. If you have twenty items that you are mentally dealing with at one time, you cannot be fully present. Clear your mind and whatever you do, pay attention to that and lose the distractions. Meditation is a big aid in mastering this, as you quickly learn to put aside distractions.

This idea also involves moving from moment to moment, taking each moment for what it is, not letting the past or future influence you in any way. This is another form of non-attachment.

Join us on our new Facebook Page! http://www.dailybuddhism.com/Facebook

Good morning! I hope you’re enjoying the Daily Buddhism; I know I have a lot of fun writing it. From the letters I get, I know a lot of you are learning from it, and I’m thrilled to be able to help! Not only do I . . . → Read More: Help Support Daily Buddhism]]> Brian Passes the Begging Bowl before ‚ÄúBlack Friday.‚Äù

Good morning! I hope you’re enjoying the Daily Buddhism; I know I have a lot of fun writing it. From the letters I get, I know a lot of you are learning from it, and I’m thrilled to be able to help! Not only do I enjoy it immensely, but due to the state of the economy here in Dayton, it’s quickly changed from a simple hobby to my livelihood.

I especially like doing the questions & answers, since I never know what to expect, but my second-favorite part of the site is the book review section. I have to continually be reading something, which keeps me learning new ways of teaching the dharma as well as giving me new ideas for topics to discuss here. As you have probably noticed, I usually include a link to buy the book from Amazon somewhere in the review. I get a little commission if you buy the book through one of those links. It’s not much, but every little bit helps. The past few years, I’ve done the majority of my gift shopping through Amazon; if you do too, this is a painlessly easy way to help support the Daily Buddhism at the same time.

Are you planning on buying any of your holiday gifts from Amazon this year? Not necessarily something I have recommended, but anything? If you are, please use the Daily Buddhism’s affiliate link to do so. Just go to http://www.dailybuddhism.com and find the ‚ÄúSupport the Daily Buddhism by purchasing from Amazon‚Äù image on the upper-right hand side of the page. Click through to Amazon and order whatever you want, whether it is electronics, DVDs, shoes, CDs, gift cards, and of course, books. If you go through my link, anything you buy will count. (Amazon Affiliate Link)

I’ll also point out that the Weekly Buddhism PDF Magazine is available for subscription, and it’ll be continuing for a long time to come. It’s not too late to subscribe now and get all the back issues before it gets tough to catch up. I altered the subscription options last week, and now if you want to use the ‚ÄúDonate $5 a month‚Äù button on the site, you’ll get free issues for as long as the donations continue. Of course, you could always ask Santa for a regular subscription.

The final option is of course, just a simple donation. The buttons for that are on the main page of the site.
If you’ve learned something that has helped you, or even just entertained you, now is a good time to give back. If you’ve learned something, your support will help others learn too.

If you have already donated in the past, thank you very much for your support!

Weekly Buddhism?

We’ve all gotten used to the format of the Daily Buddhism, and it works well for most things. However, there are some topics I’d like to cover that really don’t have a place in the daily emails.

There are some ideas that would be better to cover in greater depth than two or three paragraphs in . . . → Read More: ANNOUNCEMENT: Weekly Buddhism Issue 1]]> [display_podcast]

Weekly Buddhism?

We’ve all gotten used to the format of the Daily Buddhism, and it works well for most things. However, there are some topics I’d like to cover that really don’t have a place in the daily emails.

There are some ideas that would be better to cover in greater depth than two or three paragraphs in an email will allow. There are “real” news articles, as well as things that are either too small to spend a day on or so large that it could take days to complete. Plus, the PDF format allows a huge range of text and graphic options, so I can put together a much more attractive offering than possible with email or even the website. Basically, I want a wider range of options for these things.

So, rather than change the “daily system” and risk fouling up a good thing, I think its a good idea to add a new outlet to the mix: The Weekly Buddhism is a full-color printable newsletter meant to be printed or saved and perhaps put in a binder. There will be some overlap; most of what goes into the Daily Buddhism will wind up here as well, but the plan is to offer much more expanded, exclusive content in the “Magazine” format.

As with everything things change, and this project will evolve as they all do.
– Brian Schell

p.s. Nothing is changing with the Daily Buddhism, this is a new ADDED feature.

Although there’s never been a problem, my little disclaimer about the call-in number last week got me thinking that I should probably post some official notice about legal rights and whatnot. I’m no lawyer, and I’m not trying to rip off anyone, but this stuff probably needs to be said; . . . → Read More: Copyrights, Privacy, Etc.]]> Daily Buddhism Privacy and Copyright Policy

Although there’s never been a problem, my little disclaimer about the call-in number last week got me thinking that I should probably post some official notice about legal rights and whatnot. I’m no lawyer, and I’m not trying to rip off anyone, but this stuff probably needs to be said; nothing’s changed since last week. If I’ve left something out or said something you think is worded poorly or is otherwise wrong, please point it out!

Copyrights and Usage Policy:

All Daily Buddhism content is copyright 2006-2008 Brian Schell. All text and audio content is released under the ‚ÄúCreative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0‚Äù license. What this means is that you can copy and forward the audio show or emails to anyone you want, so long as you don’t edit or change anything and give proper attribution, such as a link to the site. You cannot edit the audio shows, but you can pass the original MP3 files or emails on to as many people as you’d like.

By submitting questions or comments in the form of email, blog comments or voice messages, you are granting permission for publication of said material on the website, audio program, email, or other potential future media. If you specifically ask to be excluded from this policy in your message, that’s fine; I won’t use it, just let me know you want to have a private communication.

Privacy:

In any and all cases, I will not use your name or contact information in any public form. Unless you specifically ask me to use your real name, any reference to you will be as “a reader” or “a listener,” as generically as I can. If you choose to use your real name while commenting on the blog or by voice message, then that is your option; what you enter on the blog or record on audio is what readers will see and hear.

The Daily Buddhism Daily Mailing List is for use only by the Daily Buddhism List Manager. Your email and contact information is private, and your address will never be sold or transferred to another entity unless I someday transfer ownership of the whole Daily Buddhism “entity” to someone. There are additional legal rights and disclaimers imposed by Google Groups pertaining to the mail list, you should check their privacy policy if this is a concern.

There is no way to track people who are downloading and listening to the audio program, so those people should have no privacy issues.

Finances:

The site is primarily supported by donations. The Daily Buddhism is not an official non-profit organization, and all money sent through the Donation Button is legally a “gift” to Brian Schell, but is earmarked for support of the site. The site reserves the right to receive additional income from advertising and commissions as well as other potential sources.

As I have mentioned a few times over the past week, your continuing donations are going toward improving the show. Although the donations are still a bit short of my goal to cover the voice mail for a year, I have jumped the gun and set it up anyway. It will only . . . → Read More: Call In Now!]]> Call In now!

As I have mentioned a few times over the past week, your continuing donations are going toward improving the show. Although the donations are still a bit short of my goal to cover the voice mail for a year, I have jumped the gun and set it up anyway. It will only take one or two more small donations to cover the cost, so I figured why wait any longer?

We now have an online voicemail system that you can call with your questions and comments. I love answering your emails, and they give me something to share with all the great readers on the daily email list. But I also know that some people don’t like writing long emails, and there are all those people who listen to the podcast who aren’t on the daily email list. This project is meant to make interacting with me and the Daily Buddhism listeners and readers easier. More access and easier interactivity for everyone!

So, here it is. You can call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at the Daily Buddhism call-in line. The phone number is 937-660-4949. It’s not toll-free, but long distance is cheap enough that I hope that won’t be a problem for you. This is an automated voice mail system, not a direct phone line; I won’t answer live, so you can call anytime of the day or night without fear of bothering me or getting caught up in a conversation.

After you hear my recorded greeting, just state your first name and maybe where you’re calling from and then get on to your comment or question. If you’ve ever listened to the callers or a talk-radio show, try to use that format. If you don’t want to use your real name, then make up something fun.

“Hi, this is Brian from Dayton Ohio, and I have a question about karma…”

or something else entirely. It’s your line; use it how you like. You don’t have to have a question; if there’s a story you would like to share, or some classic reading or text, an inspirational poem, a book review, or anything, call in.

My Usage Policy

If you call the number, be aware that if it’s appropriate I will use the recording of your call on the weekly audio show; that was the while point of getting the number. Please don’t say anything too personal and especially no contact information; if you don’t want thousands of listeners to have that information, then don’t say it. I also may ‚Äúparaphrase‚Äù your words in writing for use in the Daily Email.

Once again, the phone number is: 937-660-4949

Give it a try, let’s see what we can all do with it!

Announcement:

[Edited 8/5/08]

Effective as of today, I am removing the forums. There doesn’t seem to be a great deal of interest, but it is taking a great deal of time to moderate all the spam and “crank” messages being posted there. I may try another message forum at another time, but for now, just . . . → Read More: Announcement]]>

Announcement:

[Edited 8/5/08]

Effective as of today, I am removing the forums. There doesn’t seem to be a great deal of interest, but it is taking a great deal of time to moderate all the spam and “crank” messages being posted there. I may try another message forum at another time, but for now, just post comments and thoughts on the blog here.

Thanks for your support!

Due to many requests for more community and discussion, there is now a message forum for my various podcasts and email subscription lists.

http://www.thearcaneum.com

is now the “official” forum for the Daily Buddhism, Tao of the Day, Arcane Tales, and lots of other fun talk and discussion.

While I always answer emails directed at me, by posting a question or comment on the message board, anyone can answer or comment on it. This will allow for a wide variety of responses and ideas.

You will need to register for the message forum, but it’s free and fully automated, you can sign up and start posting immediately.

. . . → Read More: Companion Site Announcement]]> Hello to all DailyBuddhism.com fans! This is a brief note to announce a new website that will be a companion to the Dailybuddhism.com site. Taooftheday.com will be going online (returning from hiatus actually) next Monday, May 12^th.

The Tao (or Dao) was incredibly influential with all Eastern thought, including Buddhism, so reading through the Tao will add to your understanding of Buddhism. It’s not exactly the same thing, but there is enough overlap to make it worth your while to go through the Tao at least once.

The Tao of the Day will send out one chapter of the Tao Te Ching every weekday. There are 81 chapters, so the whole cycle takes around 16 or 17 weeks. The chapters are short, usually about one or two quick paragraphs.

Give it a shot if you’re interested. Just as with DailyBuddhism.com, Taooftheday.com s completely free. And yes, there will be a DAILY audio podcast of the Tao to accompany the website. So whether you want to hear to Tao or just read it in your email or on the web, all the options are available. The link is:

http://www.taooftheday.com

to sign up for the Tao of the Day mailing list, use the sign-up box in the upper right-hand corner of the Tao site. You can also subscribe by sending an email to:

Taooftheday-subscribe@googlegroups.com

(it’s automated, just send the email, you don’t need to actually say anything) and then respond to the confirmation message it will send you.

Have a great day

Just like before, Internet access where I am going is going to be difficult. The daily emails will stop temporarily and so with the podcast. It can’t be avoided, but rest assured, this will most likely be the last extended break for the . . . → Read More: A Brief Hiatus (Again)]]> Sigh. It’s time for another break already;I’m going out of town until May 5th.

Just like before, Internet access where I am going is going to be difficult. The daily emails will stop temporarily and so with the podcast. It can’t be avoided, but rest assured, this will most likely be the last extended break for the Daily Buddhism. We’re mostly through the very basic introductory material now, so when I do return, we’ll get back on track and into the interesting stuff fairly quickly. Stay tuned; subscribe to the podcast and sign up for the email list from the website and you won’t miss a thing.

Now would be a good time to go back over the material we have covered already. ook over all of that and drop e an email with any questions. I’d like to have some questions to answer when I get back.

Have a good couple of weeks, I will, but I am looking forward to getting back to more Daily Buddhism– there are some big things in the works for the future!

Nothing fancy, nothing complex. Just some Eastern beauty to brighten your day and just maybe make . . . → Read More: Daily Buddhism’s Rebirth]]> Welcome to the Daily Buddhism.

The signup form is on the right-hand side of the page. Each day you will get some bit of Buddhist brilliance in your mailbox to start your morning (or afternoon).

Nothing fancy, nothing complex. Just some Eastern beauty to brighten your day and just maybe make you think.