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
What is non-attachment in Buddhism?
Bright on Buddhism Episode 83 - What is non-attachment in Buddhism? What texts discuss it and how? How does the definition of the term change over time?
Resources: Bodhi, Bhikkhu (ed.) (1978, 2005). …
Research Project Series - Chōgen’s Tōdaiji Campaign: Reconstruction and Reimagination
Bright on Buddhism - Research Project Series - Chōgen’s Tōdaiji Campaign: Reconstruction and Reimagination
Hello and welcome to a new type of episode of Bright on Buddhism. In this series, I will be …
Vajrasekhara Sutra - Fascicle One Part Two
Bright on Buddhism - Vajrasekhara Sutra - Fascicle One - Part Two
Resources: https://www.bdkamerica.org/product/two-esoteric-sutras/; Bentor, Yael, and Meir Shahar, eds. Chinese and Tibetan esoteric …
What are the paramitas in Buddhism?
Bright on Buddhism Episode 82 - What are the paramitas in Buddhism? How ought one cultivate them? How do understandings of them change over time?
Resources: Bodhi, Bhikkhu (1978). The All-Embracing N…
Buddhish Episode 14 - Vairocana and Cosmic-ness
Buddhish Episode 14 - Vairocana and Cosmic-ness
Join us for a lively discussion about Vairocana, samsara, and the nature of Cosmic-ness in Esoteric Buddhism. This episode features discussion about Va…
What is "the great doubt" in Buddhism?
Bright on Buddhism Episode 81 - What is "the great doubt" in Buddhism? How does one cultivate it? Why ought one cultivate it?
Resources: Berzin, Alexander (2006), Primary Minds and the 51 Mental Fact…
Asian Religions Series - Shintō Part 1
Bright on Buddhism - Asian Religions Series - Shintō Part 1
Hello and welcome to the Asian religions series. In this series, we will be discussing religious traditions in Asia other than Buddhism. Bu…
Lotus Sutra Chapters 15-16 - Emerging from the Earth and The Life Span of The Thus Come One
Chapters 15-16 of the Lotus Sutra - Join us as we read and discuss Chapters 15-16 of the Burton Watson translation of the Lotus Sutra!
Resources: Hurvitz, Leon. 1976. Scripture of the Lotus Blossom …
Vajrasekhara Sutra - Fascicle One - Part One
Bright on Buddhism - Vajrasekhara Sutra - Fascicle One - Part One
Resources: https://www.bdkamerica.org/product/two-esoteric-sutras/; Bentor, Yael, and Meir Shahar, eds. Chinese and Tibetan esoteric …
What is the story of Buddhism's arrival into Japan?
Bright on Buddhism Episode 80 - What is the story of Buddhism's arrival into Japan? How did this relate with traditions of kami worship? How did this affect Japanese Buddhism going forward?
Resource…
2023 Wrap-Up and 2024 Preview
2023 Wrap-Up and 2024 Preview
Thank you to all our listeners for a wonderful 2023, and we hope to see you again in 2024. Happy Holidays, and thank you so much for listening and learning with us.
D…
How ought we evaluate the agenda of secular Buddhism and other sources in English about Buddhism?
Bright on Buddhism Episode 79 - How ought we evaluate the agenda of secular Buddhism and other sources in English about Buddhism? Could one not argue that upon encountering a more secularly inclined …
Buddhish Episode 13 - Israel-Palestine and Us
Bright on Buddhism - Buddhish Episode 13 - Israel-Palestine and Us
Join us for a sad and frustrating episode of Buddhish, where we discuss the recently escalated Israel-Palestine conflict and our app…
What is the story of Buddhism's arrival into Korea?
Bright on Buddhism Episode 78 - What is the story of Buddhism's arrival into Korea? How did this affect Korean Shamanism? How did this influence Korean Buddhism going forward?
Resources: Baker, Don (…
What is Secular Buddhism?
Bright on Buddhism Episode 77 - What is secular Buddhism? What are its origins and principles? What are some of its strengths and weaknesses?
Resources: Batchelor, Stephen (1998), Buddhism without B…
What is the story of Buddhism's arrival into China?
Bright on Buddhism Episode 76 - What is the story of Buddhism's arrival into China? How did this affect Confucianism and Daoism? How does this influence Chinese Buddhism going forward?
Resources: Br…
Does Buddhism regard human nature as inherently good or bad?
Bright on Buddhism Episode 75 -Does Buddhism regard human nature as inherently good or bad? Do other religions adjacent to Buddhism regard human nature as inherently good or bad? What does this mean …
Metta Sutta
Metta Sutta - Discourse on Loving-Kindness - Join us as we read and discuss the Thanissaro Bhikkhu translation of the Metta Sutta in its entirety.
Resources: Bodhi, Bhikkhu (2005a). In the Buddha's …
Who is Ananda?
Bright on Buddhism Episode 74 - Who is Ananda? What role does he play in the texts? How does this role change over time?
Resources: Ambros, Barbara R (27 June 2016), "A Rite of Their Own: Japanese B…
What is possession in Buddhism?
Bright on Buddhism Episode 73 - What is possession in Buddhism? What are the doctrinal origins and applications of possession in Buddhism? How ought we interpret and understand possession in Buddhism…