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.
- Update frequency
- every 7 days
- Average duration
- 33 minutes
- Episodes
- 221
- Years Active
- 2021 - 2025
Lotus Sutra Chapter 3 - Parable of The Burning House
Chapter 3 of The Lotus Sutra - Join us as we read and discuss Chapter 3 of the Burton Watson translation of The Lotus Sutra
Resources: Hurvitz, Leon. 1976. Scripture of the Lotus Blossom of the Fine …
2022 Preview
Bright on Buddhism 2022 Preview Episode
Join us in 2022 for some great content, including but not limited to:
- Guest Appearances!
- More Buddhish episodes!
- More sutra episodes!
- Buddhist holiday …
Buddhish Episode 1
Bright On Buddhism - Buddhish Episode 1
Hello and welcome to a new kind of episode of Bright on Buddhism called "Buddhish"! These episodes are unscripted, untimed, and unedited. In them, your hosts N…
What is Tiantai/Tendai?
Bright on Buddhism Episode 15 - What is Tiantai/Tendai? How is it different from other schools of Buddhism? How does it influence other schools of Buddhism?
Resources: Kevin Trainor: Buddhism: An Il…
What is the relationship between Buddhism and science?
Bright on Buddhism Episode 14 - What is the relationship between Buddhism and science? Do science and Buddhism indeed believe the same things? Does science validate or reinforce Buddhism, or vice ver…
What is the Buddhist perspective on mental health?
Bright on Buddhism Episode 13 - What is the Buddhist perspective on mental health? What does Buddhist scripture say about it? How does that perspective change over time?
Kevin Trainor: Buddhism: An I…
What is a Bodhisattva?
Bright on Buddhism Episode 12 - What is a Bodhisattva? What are the different meanings of this word? How have those meanings changed over time?
Resources: Kevin Trainor: Buddhism: An Illustrated Guid…
What about gender in Buddhism?
Bright on Buddhism Episode 11 - How does gender function in Buddhism? What is the doctrinal basis for the status of women in Buddhism? How does this change over time?
Resources: Kevin Trainor: Buddhi…
The Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta - The First Sermon
Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta - Join us as we read and discuss a critically important text in the Buddhist tradition: the First Sermon
Bhikku Bodhi Translation: https://suttacentral.net/sn56.11/en/bod…
Mahasatipatthana Sutta
Mahasatipatthana Sutta - Join us as we read and discuss a critically important text in the Early Buddhist tradition: the Mahasatipatthana Sutta!
Resources: Bhikku Sujato, English Trans.: https://sutt…
What is Zen Buddhism?
Bright on Buddhism Episode 10 - What is Zen Buddhism? How does it differ from other Buddhist schools? How does it reinterpret the oder teachings?
Resources: Kevin Trainor: Buddhism: An Illustrated G…
What is Dharma?
Bright on Buddhism Episode 9 - What is Dharma? What are the different meanings of the word Dharma? How do these meanings change over time?
Resources - Kevin Trainor: Buddhism: An Illustrated Guide; D…
What is Buddhist Modernism?
Bright on Buddhism Episode 8 - What is Buddhist Modernism? What are its origins? Why are we critical of it?
Resources - The Making of Buddhist Modernism, David L. McMahan. Oxford: Oxford University P…
What is Buddhahood?
Bright on Buddhism Episode 7 - Who can become a Buddha? What does somebody have to do to become a Buddha or realize their Buddhahood? What is the difference between becoming enlightened, becoming a B…
What are the major schools of Buddhism in East Asia and how do they differ?
Bright on Buddhism Episode 6 - What are the major schools of Buddhism in East Asia? How do they differ? What sorts of rituals do they do?
Resources: Robert E Buswell: Encyclopedia of Buddhism: Upaya,…
What is non-attachment and the Middle Way?
Bright on Buddhism Episode 5 - What is the Middle Way? What is non-attachment? How does it differ from detachment?
Kevin Trainor: Buddhism: An Illustrated Guide; Donald Lopez: Norton Anthology of Wor…
What is karma?
Bright on Buddhism Episode 4 - Does Buddhism believe in the existence of a soul? What is karma? What are the moral tenets of Buddhism?
Resources: Kevin Trainor: Buddhism: An Illustrated Guide; Donald…
What are the fundamental beliefs of Buddhism?
Bright on Buddhism Episode 3 - What are the fundamental beliefs of Buddhism? Does Buddhism have an afterlife? Does Buddhism have a bible like Christianity?
Resources:
Kevin Trainor: Buddhism: An Illu…
Who is the Buddha?
Bright on Buddhism Episode 2 - Who is the Buddha? Is the Buddha a god? Is there more than one Buddha?
Resources: Kevin Trainor: Buddhism: An Illustrated Guide; Donald Lopez: Norton Anthology of World…
What is Buddhism?
Bright on Buddhism Episode 1 - What is Buddhism? Why are we talking about it? What are the central beliefs of Buddhism?
Resources: Kevin Trainor: Buddhism: An Illustrated Guide; Donald Lopez: Norton …