Daily Buddhism

Koan: Shoun & His Mother
Shoun became a teacher of Soto Zen. When he was still a student his father passed away, leaving him to care for his old mother.
Whenever Shoun went to a meditation hall he always took his mother with him. Since she accompanied him, when he visited monasteries he could not live with [...]

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Podcast Episode 29: Fear, Footprints, Family & Fat
Welcome back, this is Daily Buddhism audio show number twenty-nine. I’m Brian Schell, your host for the show. You can find the text for everything in this show and all past episodes on our website at www.dailybuddhism.com.
This [...]

Fat Buddha, Skinny Buddha, Laughing Buddha
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A Listener Phoned In
(to 937-660-4949 where you can call in your questions too!)
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What’s the deal with the big fat Buddha statues? He’s got fancy robes and stuff all around him and looks very greedy. What’s up with that?
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And my response:
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Whenever you mention Buddha to a non-Buddhist american (maybe all Westerners, [...]

Prayer in Buddhism
You may have noticed by now, that I tend to avoid writing on some of the more “religious” topics of Buddhism. Instead, I have focused more on the easily experienced and obviously practical truths in Buddhist practice.  Not this time, since I recently came across something that I really wanted to share.
Yesterday, I [...]

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Guided Breath Meditation
Here’s something I have been meaning to put together for weeks, but finally actually did it today. It’s a guided breath meditation session, and it’ll take roughly 16 minutes to do.
It’s the first time I’ve tried doing this kind of recording, so [...]

Book: Footprints in the Snow
By Chan Master Sheng Yen
Reviewed by Brian Schell
Doubleday, 210 Pages, ISBN 978-0-385-51330-2
Buy from Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/0385513305?tag=askdrarca-20

Have you ever dreamed about becoming a Buddhist monk?  I have.  I’ve visited some of those temples, and can imagine living there, doing the daily work, chanting, meditation, and so forth. After reading this book, I see [...]

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A Reader recently wrote:
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What is the buddhist way to overcome fear and anxiety in life? I understand it is by controlling the mind: but the question is what are some of the key techniques used to tame the mind in a more positive way?
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My Response:
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Meditation will generally lead to a calmer, more thoughtful approach to [...]