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by Nicholas Bright Haight
Welcome to Bright on Buddhism, a podcast where we discuss and explain topics of Buddhism in a casual, conversational, question and answer setting. My name is Nick Bright, scholar of East Asian Buddhism. I am currently studying for my Master’s degree in Religion at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, where I am specializing in pre-modern Japanese Buddhist architecture history. I have researched topics such as Japanese Buddhist responses to the Covid-19 pandemic, Buddhist Haiku poetry, and the Japanese history of science and religion. I will be joined by my friend Proven Paradox.
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The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- 2 weeks ago1h 9m
Lohicca Sutta
Bright on Buddhism - Lohicca Sutta Join us as we read and discuss the Lohicca Sutta in its entirety!Resources: https://accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.12.0.than_________________________________If you like our show and would like to support us, we encourage you to give your money or resources to a worthy cause. We can get through this. Our strongest weapon is solidarity. Stay strong and help where you can. Thank you.Do you have a question about Buddhism that you'd like us to discuss? Let us know by emailing us at Bright.On.Buddhism@gmail.com.Credits:Nick Bright: Script, Cover Art, Music, Voice of Hearer, Co-HostProven Paradox: Editing, mixing and mastering, social media, Voice of Hermit, Co-Host
- 2 weeks ago21 min
Who was Nagarjuna?
Bright on Buddhism - Episode 150 - Who was Nagarjuna? What were some of his views and written works? How did they affect Buddhism in East Asia?Resources: Westerhoff, Jan Christoph. "Nāgārjuna". In Zalta, Edward N. (ed.). Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. ISSN 1095-5054. OCLC 429049174.Rhys Davids, T. W. (1911). "Nāgārjuna" . In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 19 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 151.Fieser, James; Dowden, Bradley (eds.). "Nagarjuna". Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. ISSN 2161-0002. OCLC 37741658.Nāgārjuna – Sanskrit Buddhist texts: Acintyastava, Bodhicittavivaraṇa, Ratnāvalī, Mūlamadhyamakakārikās &c.Overview of traditional biographical accountsOnline version of the Ratnāvalī (Precious Garland) in English Translated by Prof. Vidyakaraprabha and Bel-dzekOnline version of the Suhṛllekha (Letter to a Friend) in English Translated by Alexander BerzinWorks by or about Nagarjuna at the Internet ArchiveWorks by Nagarjuna at LibriVox (public domain audiobooks) Nārāgjuna vis-à-vis the Āgama-s and Nikāya-s Byoma Kusuma Nepalese Dharmasangha (archived)ZenEssays: Nagarjuna and the MadhyamikaMula madhyamaka karika online Tibetan and English version translated by Stephen Batchelor (archived)_________________________________If you like our show and would like to support us, we encourage you to give your money or resources to a worthy cause. We can get through this. Our strongest weapon is solidarity. Stay strong and help where you can. Thank you.Do you have a question about Buddhism that you'd like us to discuss? Let us know by emailing us at Bright.On.Buddhism@gmail.com.Credits:Nick Bright: Script, Cover Art, Music, Voice of Hearer, Co-HostProven Paradox: Editing, mixing and mastering, social media, Voice of Hermit, Co-Host
- 4 weeks ago18 min
What is mudra?
Bright on Buddhism - Episode 149 - What is mudra? What is its significance in Buddhism? How ought we understand it?Resources: Draeger, Donn (1980). "Esoteric Buddhism in Japanese Warriorship", in: No. 3. 'Zen and the Japanese Warrior' of the International Hoplological Society Donn F. Draeger Monograph Series. Mallinson, James; Singleton, Mark (2017). Roots of Yoga. Penguin Books. ISBN 978-0-241-25304-5. OCLC 928480104.Stutley, Margaret (2003) [1985]. The Illustrated Dictionary of Hindu Iconography (First Indian ed.). New Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers. ISBN 81-215-1087-2.Saunders, Ernest Dale (1985). Mudra: A Study of Symbolic Gestures in Japanese Buddhist Sculpture. Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-0-691-01866-9.Hirschi, Gertrud. Mudras: Yoga in Your Hands.Taisen Miyata: A study of the ritual mudras in the Shingon tradition: A phenomenological study on the eighteen ways of esoteric recitation in the Koyasan tradition. Publisher s.n.Acharya Keshav Dev: Mudras for Healing; Mudra Vigyan: A Way of Life. Acharya Shri Enterprises, 1995. ISBN 9788190095402 .Gauri Devi: Esoteric Mudras of Japan. International. Academy of Indian Culture & Aditya Prakashan, 1999. ISBN 9788186471562.Lokesh Chandra & Sharada Rani: Mudras in Japan. Vedams Books, 2001. ISBN 9788179360002.Emma I. Gonikman: Taoist Healing Gestures. YBK Publishers, Inc., 2003. ISBN 9780970392343.Fredrick W. Bunce: Mudras in Buddhist and Hindu Practices: An Iconographic Consideration. DK Printworld, 2005. ISBN 9788124603123.A. S. Umar Sharif: Unlocking the Healing Powers in Your Hands: The 18 Mudra System of Qigong. Scholary, Inc, 2006. ISBN 978-0963703637.Dhiren Gala: Health at Your Fingertips: Mudra Therapy, a Part of Ayurveda Is Very Effective Yet Costs Nothing. Navneet, 2007. ISBN 9788124603123.K. Rangaraja Iyengar: The World of Mudras/Health Related and other Mudras. Sapna Book house, 2007. ISBN 9788128006975.Suman K Chiplunkar: Mudras & Health Perspectives: An Indian Approach. Abhijit Prakashana, 2008. ISBN 9788190587440.Cain Carroll and Revital Carroll: Mudras of India: A Comprehensive Guide to the Hand Gestures of Yoga and Indian Dance. Singing Dragon, 2012. ISBN 9781848190849._________________________________If you like our show and would like to support us, we encourage you to give your money or resources to a worthy cause. We can get through this. Our strongest weapon is solidarity. Stay strong and help where you can. Thank you.Do you have a question about Buddhism that you'd like us to discuss? Let us know by emailing us at Bright.On.Buddhism@gmail.com.Credits:Nick Bright: Script, Cover Art, Music, Voice of Hearer, Co-HostProven Paradox: Editing, mixing and mastering, social media, Voice of Hermit, Co-Host
- Oct 2, 202615 min
What is the fifth precept of Buddhism?
Bright on Buddhism - Episode 148 - What is the fifth precept of Buddhism? What is its significance? How have interpretations of it changed over time?Resources: Keown, Damien (2013b), "Buddhist Ethics", in LaFollette, Hugh (ed.), The International Encyclopedia of Ethics, Blackwell Publishing, pp. 636–47, doi:10.1002/9781444367072.wbiee163, ISBN 978-1-4051-8641-4Keown, Damien (2016b), Buddhism and Bioethics, Springer Nature, ISBN 978-1-349-23981-8De Silva, Padmasiri (2016), Environmental Philosophy and Ethics in Buddhism, Springer Nature, ISBN 978-1-349-26772-9Edelglass, William (2013), "Buddhist Ethics and Western Moral Philosophy" (PDF), in Emmanuel, Steven M. (ed.), A Companion to Buddhist Philosophy (1st ed.), Wiley-Blackwell, pp. 476–90, ISBN 978-0-470-65877-2, archived from the original (PDF) on 16 March 2015Funayama, Tōru (2004), "The Acceptance of Buddhist Precepts by the Chinese in the Fifth Century", Journal of Asian History, 38 (2): 97–120, JSTOR 41933379Seeger, M. (2010), "Theravāda Buddhism and Human Rights. Perspectives from Thai Buddhism" (PDF), in Meinert, Carmen; Zöllner, Hans-Bernd (eds.), Buddhist Approaches to Human Rights: Dissonances and Resonances, Transcript Verlag, pp. 63–92, ISBN 978-3-8376-1263-9Keown, Damien (2012), "Are There Human Rights in Buddhism?", in Husted, Wayne R.; Keown, Damien; Prebish, Charles S. (eds.), Buddhism and Human Rights, Routledge, pp. 15–42, ISBN 978-1-136-60310-5Keown, Damien (2013a), "Buddhism and Biomedical Issues" (PDF), in Emmanuel, Steven M. (ed.), A Companion to Buddhist Philosophy (1st ed.), Wiley-Blackwell, pp. 613–30, ISBN 978-0-470-65877-2, archived from the original (PDF) on 16 March 2015_________________________________If you like our show and would like to support us, we encourage you to give your money or resources to a worthy cause. We can get through this. Our strongest weapon is solidarity. Stay strong and help where you can. Thank you.Do you have a question about Buddhism that you'd like us to discuss? Let us know by emailing us at Bright.On.Buddhism@gmail.com.Credits:Nick Bright: Script, Cover Art, Music, Voice of Hearer, Co-HostProven Paradox: Editing, mixing and mastering, social media, Voice of Hermit, Co-Host
- Sep 25, 202630 min
Research Project Series - The Yakuza - Part 2
Bright on Buddhism - Research Project Series - The Yakuza - Part 2Resources: Adelstein, Jake (2009). Tokyo Vice: An American Reporter on the Police Beat in Japan. New York: Pantheon Books. ISBN 978-0-307-37879-8. OCLC 699874898.—— (2023). The Last Yakuza: A Life in the Japanese Underworld. Minneapolis, Minn.: Scribe Publications. ISBN 9780307908384. OCLC 1376495818.Adelstein, Jake (2024). Tokyo Noir: In and Out of Japan's Underworld. Minneapolis, Minn.: Scribe. ISBN 9781957363912. OCLC 1415747543.Baradel, Martina. 2026. 21st Century Yakuza: Death of Japanese Organised Crime. Oxford University Press.Whiting, Robert (1999). Tokyo Underworld: The Fast Times and Hard Life of an American Gangster in Japan (First ed.). New York: Pantheon Books. ISBN 9780679419761. OCLC 45344213_________________________________If you like our show and would like to support us, we encourage you to give your money or resources to a worthy cause. We can get through this. Our strongest weapon is solidarity. Stay strong and help where you can. Thank you.Do you have a question about Buddhism that you'd like us to discuss? Let us know by emailing us at Bright.On.Buddhism@gmail.com.Credits:Nick Bright: Script, Cover Art, Music, Voice of Hearer, Co-HostProven Paradox: Editing, mixing and mastering, social media, Voice of Hermit, Co-Host
- Sep 18, 202625 min
Research Project Series - The Yakuza - Part 1
Bright on Buddhism - Research Project Series - The Yakuza - Part 1Resources: Adelstein, Jake (2009). Tokyo Vice: An American Reporter on the Police Beat in Japan. New York: Pantheon Books. ISBN 978-0-307-37879-8. OCLC 699874898.—— (2023). The Last Yakuza: A Life in the Japanese Underworld. Minneapolis, Minn.: Scribe Publications. ISBN 9780307908384. OCLC 1376495818.Adelstein, Jake (2024). Tokyo Noir: In and Out of Japan's Underworld. Minneapolis, Minn.: Scribe. ISBN 9781957363912. OCLC 1415747543.Baradel, Martina. 2026. 21st Century Yakuza: Death of Japanese Organised Crime. Oxford University Press.Whiting, Robert (1999). Tokyo Underworld: The Fast Times and Hard Life of an American Gangster in Japan (First ed.). New York: Pantheon Books. ISBN 9780679419761. OCLC 45344213_________________________________If you like our show and would like to support us, we encourage you to give your money or resources to a worthy cause. We can get through this. Our strongest weapon is solidarity. Stay strong and help where you can. Thank you.Do you have a question about Buddhism that you'd like us to discuss? Let us know by emailing us at Bright.On.Buddhism@gmail.com.Credits:Nick Bright: Script, Cover Art, Music, Voice of Hearer, Co-HostProven Paradox: Editing, mixing and mastering, social media, Voice of Hermit, Co-Host
- Sep 11, 202638 min
Mūlapariyāya Sutta
Bright on Buddhism - Mūlapariyāya SuttaResources: Ñanamoli; Bodhi; The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha, Outline of the suttas. Kearney, Patrick; EVAṂ ME SUTTAṂ This is how I heard it; Mūlapariyāya Sutta: The process of delusion. http://www.dharmasalon.net/Writings/Majjhima/files/01_Delusion.pdf Kearney, Patrick; EVAṂ ME SUTTAṂ This is how I heard it; Mūlapariyāya Sutta: The process of delusion. http://www.dharmasalon.net/Writings/Majjhima/files/01_Delusion.pdf Mūlapariyāya Sutta - The Root of All Things - Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Ñāṇamoli and Bhikkhu Bhodi, http://obo.genaud.net/dhamma-vinaya/wp/mn/mn.001.ntbb.wp.htm#fn5 Mūlapariyāya Sutta - The Root of All Things - Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Ñāṇamoli and Bhikkhu Bhodi, http://obo.genaud.net/dhamma-vinaya/wp/mn/mn.001.ntbb.wp.htm#fn5 Mulapariyaya Sutta: The Root Sequence translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu © 1998 http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.001.than.html_________________________________If you like our show and would like to support us, we encourage you to give your money or resources to a worthy cause. We can get through this. Our strongest weapon is solidarity. Stay strong and help where you can. Thank you.Do you have a question about Buddhism that you'd like us to discuss? Let us know by emailing us at Bright.On.Buddhism@gmail.com.Credits:Nick Bright: Script, Cover Art, Music, Voice of Hearer, Co-HostProven Paradox: Editing, mixing and mastering, social media, Voice of Hermit, Co-Host
- Sep 4, 202618 min
Who was Thich Quang Duc?
Bright on Buddhism - Episode 147 - Who was Thich Quang Duc? What was the significance of his sacrifice in Buddhism? What was his legacy in the Vietnam war?Resources: Buttinger, Joseph (1967), Vietnam: A Dragon Embattled, Praeger PublishersDung, Thay Phap (2006), "A Letter to Friends about our Lineage" (PDF), PDF file on the Order of Interbeing website, retrieved 23 November 2014Fall, Bernard (1963), The Two Viet-Nams, Praeger PublishersGettleman, Marvin E. (1966), Vietnam: History, documents and opinions on a major world crisis, New York: Penguin BooksHalberstam, David (1965), The Making of a Quagmire, New York: Random House, ISBN 9780345357779Hammer, Ellen J. (1987), A Death in November: America in Vietnam, 1963, New York City: E. P. Dutton, ISBN 0-525-24210-4Harrison, Gilbert, ed. (1963a), "Diem's other crusade", The New Republic, no. 22 June 1963Harrison, Gilbert, ed. (1963b), "South Vietnam: Whose funeral pyre?", The New Republic, no. 29 June 1963, p. 9Jacobs, Seth (2006), Cold War Mandarin: Ngo Dinh Diem and the Origins of America's War in Vietnam, 1950–1963, Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, ISBN 0-7425-4447-8Jones, Howard (2003), Death of a Generation: how the assassinations of Diem and JFK prolonged the Vietnam War, New York: Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-505286-2Karnow, Stanley (1997), Vietnam: A history, New York: Penguin Books, ISBN 0-670-84218-4Langguth, A. J. (2002), Our Vietnam: the war, 1954–1975, New York: Simon & Schuster, ISBN 0-7432-1231-2Prochnau, William (1995), Once upon a Distant War, New York: Times Books, ISBN 0-8129-2633-1Schecter, Jerrod L. (1967), The New Face of Buddha: Buddhism and Political Power in Southeast Asia, New York: Coward-McCannShaw, Geoffrey (2015), The Lost Mandate of Heaven: The American Betrayal of Ngo Dinh Diem, President of Vietnam, San Francisco: Ignatius Press, ISBN 978-1-58617-935-9Tucker, Spencer C. (2000), Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War, Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, ISBN 1-57607-040-9Unattributed (14 June 1963a), "The Religious Crisis", Time Magazine, no. 14 June 1963, retrieved 21 August 2007Unattributed (30 August 1963b), "The Crackdown", Time Magazine, no. 30 August 1963, archived from the original on 13 July 2007, retrieved 23 October 2007Warner, Denis (1963), The Last Confucian, New York: MacmillanZinn, Howard (2003), A People's History of the United States, New York: HarperCollins, ISBN 0-06-052842-7_________________________________If you like our show and would like to support us, we encourage you to give your money or resources to a worthy cause. We can get through this. Our strongest weapon is solidarity. Stay strong and help where you can. Thank you.Do you have a question about Buddhism that you'd like us to discuss? Let us know by emailing us at Bright.On.Buddhism@gmail.com.Credits:Nick Bright: Script, Cover Art, Music, Voice of Hearer, Co-HostProven Paradox: Editing, mixing and mastering, social media, Voice of Hermit, Co-Host
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About Bright On Buddhism
Welcome to Bright on Buddhism, a podcast where we discuss and explain topics of Buddhism in a casual, conversational, question and answer setting. My name is Nick Bright, scholar of East Asian Buddhism. I am currently studying for my Master’s degree in Religion at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, where I am specializing in pre-modern Japanese Buddhist architecture history. I have researched topics such as Japanese Buddhist responses to the Covid-19 pandemic, Buddhist Haiku poetry, and the Japanese history of science and religion. I will be joined by my friend Proven Paradox.
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