The Panpsycast Philosophy Podcast

Introduction Jack was walking down a street. It was a day like any other. As ever, his mind was a flurry of thoughts, worries, and anxieties, stimulated by coffee and the bright light of his phone. In a bid to relieve his stress, he put his phone in his pocket, and tried to notice the details he would usually ignore.  As he walked past the pharmacy, he saw a sick man coughing and spluttering; he was throwing medication back to stop his disease from decaying his body. Jack kept walking and came across an old woman waiting at a bus stop. She was fragile, crooked, and anxious; clearly age had taken much from her. Crossing the road away from the bus stop, he waited for the traffic to pass. Driving slowly past him was a hearse: a coffin on full display, surrounded by flowers, proceeded by a stream of weeping mourners.  Jack fell to his knees, overwhelmed with despair, “we all get sick, we all age, and we all die. We cannot escape this fate!” His head against the pavement, he didn’t move for almost an hour. When he got up, he was approached by a homeless man, to whom he said, “sorry, I don’t have any change.” The man replied, “It is you who needs a little change, young monk. I know why you fall to your knees in despair: the inescapable suffering of life weighs on us all. Let me tell you of someone who was once like you, who tried to remove suffering from our minds… let me tell you the story of Siddhartha Gotama, The Buddha.” Contents Part I. The Life of Siddhārtha Gautama Part II. The Four Noble Truths Part III. The Cycle of Life Part IV. The Eightfold Path Part V. Further Analysis and Discussion Links Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction. Book. Buddhist Ethics: A Very Short Introduction. Book. Why Buddhism Is True, Robert Wright. Book. The Foundations of Buddhism, Rupert Gethin. Book. Buddhism, The Great Courses. Lecture series. What the Buddha Taught, Walpola Rahula. Pdf. The Problem of Mindfulness, Sahanika Ratnayake. Online essay. Buddha, Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Webpage. Buddha, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Webpage.

Introduction Jack was walking down a street. It was a day like any other. As ever, his mind was a flurry of thoughts, worries, and anxieties, stimulated by coffee and the bright light of his phone. In a bid to relieve his stress, he put his phone in his pocket, and tried to notice the details he would usually ignore.  As he walked past the pharmacy, he saw a sick man coughing and spluttering; he was throwing medication back to stop his disease from decaying his body. Jack kept walking and came across an old woman waiting at a bus stop. She was fragile, crooked, and anxious; clearly age had taken much from her. Crossing the road away from the bus stop, he waited for the traffic to pass. Driving slowly past him was a hearse: a coffin on full display, surrounded by flowers, proceeded by a stream of weeping mourners.  Jack fell to his knees, overwhelmed with despair, “we all get sick, we all age, and we all die. We cannot escape this fate!” His head against the pavement, he didn’t move for almost an hour. When he got up, he was approached by a homeless man, to whom he said, “sorry, I don’t have any change.” The man replied, “It is you who needs a little change, young monk. I know why you fall to your knees in despair: the inescapable suffering of life weighs on us all. Let me tell you of someone who was once like you, who tried to remove suffering from our minds… let me tell you the story of Siddhartha Gotama, The Buddha.” Contents Part I. The Life of Siddhārtha Gautama Part II. The Four Noble Truths Part III. The Cycle of Life Part IV. The Eightfold Path Part V. Further Analysis and Discussion Links Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction. Book. Buddhist Ethics: A Very Short Introduction. Book. Why Buddhism Is True, Robert Wright. Book. The Foundations of Buddhism, Rupert Gethin. Book. Buddhism, The Great Courses. Lecture series. What the Buddha Taught, Walpola Rahula. Pdf. The Problem of Mindfulness, Sahanika Ratnayake. Online essay. Buddha, Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Webpage. Buddha, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Webpage.

Introduction Jack was walking down a street. It was a day like any other. As ever, his mind was a flurry of thoughts, worries, and anxieties, stimulated by coffee and the bright light of his phone. In a bid to relieve his stress, he put his phone in his pocket, and tried to notice the details he would usually ignore.  As he walked past the pharmacy, he saw a sick man coughing and spluttering; he was throwing medication back to stop his disease from decaying his body. Jack kept walking and came across an old woman waiting at a bus stop. She was fragile, crooked, and anxious; clearly age had taken much from her. Crossing the road away from the bus stop, he waited for the traffic to pass. Driving slowly past him was a hearse: a coffin on full display, surrounded by flowers, proceeded by a stream of weeping mourners.  Jack fell to his knees, overwhelmed with despair, “we all get sick, we all age, and we all die. We cannot escape this fate!” His head against the pavement, he didn’t move for almost an hour. When he got up, he was approached by a homeless man, to whom he said, “sorry, I don’t have any change.” The man replied, “It is you who needs a little change, young monk. I know why you fall to your knees in despair: the inescapable suffering of life weighs on us all. Let me tell you of someone who was once like you, who tried to remove suffering from our minds… let me tell you the story of Siddhartha Gotama, The Buddha.” Contents Part I. The Life of Siddhārtha Gautama Part II. The Four Noble Truths Part III. The Cycle of Life Part IV. The Eightfold Path Part V. Further Analysis and Discussion Links Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction. Book. Buddhist Ethics: A Very Short Introduction. Book. Why Buddhism Is True, Robert Wright. Book. The Foundations of Buddhism, Rupert Gethin. Book. Buddhism, The Great Courses. Lecture series. What the Buddha Taught, Walpola Rahula. Pdf. The Problem of Mindfulness, Sahanika Ratnayake. Online essay. Buddha, Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Webpage. Buddha, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Webpage.

Introduction One day when Jack, Olly, and Andy were accompanying Confucius, Confucius said: “Why don’t each of you tell me what you have your mind set on.” Andy was the first to reply, he said he wanted to be as profitable and the prestigious as the Duke of Zhou. Once he had profit and prestige, he could have all things his heart desired.   Jack, having suspected that Andy had given a poor response, said he wished to cultivate humanness by helping others to help themselves. He wanted to allow others to see how their selfishness prevented them from becoming truly human and from experiencing true joy.   Finally, Olly simply responded that he wished not to make any promises he couldn’t keep but that he hoped to learn from the ancients, respect the roles he had been assigned, and care for his friends and family.   Confucius sat quietly for a moment and then said: “Andy, you have mistaken what made the Duke of Zhou so well pleased. Jack, you have said the right words but for the wrong reason. Olly, you can learn from the ancients but also from your less capable friends, see if you share any of their qualities.” Contents Part I. The Life of Confucius Part II. The Analects Part III. Practices Part IV. Further Analysis and Discussion Links The Analects (pdf). The Analects (Oxford Classics). Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Confucius. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Confucius. Confucius from the Heart, Yu Dan (Pan Macmillan). The Great Courses, The Analects of Confucius (Audible). Confucius: A Guide for the Perplexed, Yong Huang (Bloomsbury). Confucianism: A Very Short Introduction, Daniel Gardner (Oxford).

Introduction One day when Jack, Olly, and Andy were accompanying Confucius, Confucius said: “Why don’t each of you tell me what you have your mind set on.” Andy was the first to reply, he said he wanted to be as profitable and the prestigious as the Duke of Zhou. Once he had profit and prestige, he could have all things his heart desired.   Jack, having suspected that Andy had given a poor response, said he wished to cultivate humanness by helping others to help themselves. He wanted to allow others to see how their selfishness prevented them from becoming truly human and from experiencing true joy.   Finally, Olly simply responded that he wished not to make any promises he couldn’t keep but that he hoped to learn from the ancients, respect the roles he had been assigned, and care for his friends and family.   Confucius sat quietly for a moment and then said: “Andy, you have mistaken what made the Duke of Zhou so well pleased. Jack, you have said the right words but for the wrong reason. Olly, you can learn from the ancients but also from your less capable friends, see if you share any of their qualities.” Contents Part I. The Life of Confucius Part II. The Analects Part III. Practices Part IV. Further Analysis and Discussion Links The Analects (pdf). The Analects (Oxford Classics). Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Confucius. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Confucius. Confucius from the Heart, Yu Dan (Pan Macmillan). The Great Courses, The Analects of Confucius (Audible). Confucius: A Guide for the Perplexed, Yong Huang (Bloomsbury). Confucianism: A Very Short Introduction, Daniel Gardner (Oxford).

Introduction One day when Jack, Olly, and Andy were accompanying Confucius, Confucius said: “Why don’t each of you tell me what you have your mind set on.” Andy was the first to reply, he said he wanted to be as profitable and the prestigious as the Duke of Zhou. Once he had profit and prestige, he could have all things his heart desired.   Jack, having suspected that Andy had given a poor response, said he wished to cultivate humanness by helping others to help themselves. He wanted to allow others to see how their selfishness prevented them from becoming truly human and from experiencing true joy.   Finally, Olly simply responded that he wished not to make any promises he couldn’t keep but that he hoped to learn from the ancients, respect the roles he had been assigned, and care for his friends and family.   Confucius sat quietly for a moment and then said: “Andy, you have mistaken what made the Duke of Zhou so well pleased. Jack, you have said the right words but for the wrong reason. Olly, you can learn from the ancients but also from your less capable friends, see if you share any of their qualities.” Contents Part I. The Life of Confucius Part II. The Analects Part III. Practices Part IV. Further Analysis and Discussion Links The Analects (pdf). The Analects (Oxford Classics). Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Confucius. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Confucius. Confucius from the Heart, Yu Dan (Pan Macmillan). The Great Courses, The Analects of Confucius (Audible). Confucius: A Guide for the Perplexed, Yong Huang (Bloomsbury). Confucianism: A Very Short Introduction, Daniel Gardner (Oxford).

Introduction One day when Jack, Olly, and Andy were accompanying Confucius, Confucius said: “Why don’t each of you tell me what you have your mind set on.” Andy was the first to reply, he said he wanted to be as profitable and the prestigious as the Duke of Zhou. Once he had profit and prestige, he could have all things his heart desired.   Jack, having suspected that Andy had given a poor response, said he wished to cultivate humanness by helping others to help themselves. He wanted to allow others to see how their selfishness prevented them from becoming truly human and from experiencing true joy.   Finally, Olly simply responded that he wished not to make any promises he couldn’t keep but that he hoped to learn from the ancients, respect the roles he had been assigned, and care for his friends and family.   Confucius sat quietly for a moment and then said: “Andy, you have mistaken what made the Duke of Zhou so well pleased. Jack, you have said the right words but for the wrong reason. Olly, you can learn from the ancients but also from your less capable friends, see if you share any of their qualities.” Contents Part I. The Life of Confucius Part II. The Analects Part III. Practices Part IV. Further Analysis and Discussion Links The Analects (pdf). The Analects (Oxford Classics). Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Confucius. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Confucius. Confucius from the Heart, Yu Dan (Pan Macmillan). The Great Courses, The Analects of Confucius (Audible). Confucius: A Guide for the Perplexed, Yong Huang (Bloomsbury). Confucianism: A Very Short Introduction, Daniel Gardner (Oxford).

There was once a wise farmer named Oliver who, enjoying the evening’s sun at the end of a summer’s day, watched on as one of his prized horses escaped from his farm. That evening, having heard the news, Jack and Andrew came to Oliver’s farm to express their sympathies. Oliver turned to his neighbours upon their arrival and said, “maybe.” The next day the horse returned, but brought with it six wild horses. Jack and Andrew, seeing the horses from their homes, ran to Oliver’s exclaiming his good fortune. Olly turned to the men and said, “maybe.” The following day, Oliver tried to saddle and ride one of the wild horses. He was thrown off the horse’s back and broke his leg. Jack and Andrew came to offer their condolences for the misfortune. Sat upright in his bed, without a wince, Oliver spoke clearly to the men once more, “maybe.”  The day after that, conscription officers came to the village to recruit soldiers for the army, but because of his broken leg, Oliver was rejected.  Relieved, Jack and Andrew came to Oliver to proclaim how fortunately everything had turned out. Olly turned to them and answered, “maybe.” Contents Part I. The Life of Lao Tzu Part II. The Tao Te Ching Part III. Practices Part IV. Further Analysis and Discussion Links Tao Te Ching (Penguin) Lao Tzu (Stanford Encyclopedia) Taoism (Stanford Encylopedia) The Tao of Pooh and the Te of Piglet, Benjamin Hoff Compare Translations of the Tao Te Ching

There was once a wise farmer named Oliver who, enjoying the evening’s sun at the end of a summer’s day, watched on as one of his prized horses escaped from his farm. That evening, having heard the news, Jack and Andrew came to Oliver’s farm to express their sympathies. Oliver turned to his neighbours upon their arrival and said, “maybe.” The next day the horse returned, but brought with it six wild horses. Jack and Andrew, seeing the horses from their homes, ran to Oliver’s exclaiming his good fortune. Olly turned to the men and said, “maybe.” The following day, Oliver tried to saddle and ride one of the wild horses. He was thrown off the horse’s back and broke his leg. Jack and Andrew came to offer their condolences for the misfortune. Sat upright in his bed, without a wince, Oliver spoke clearly to the men once more, “maybe.”  The day after that, conscription officers came to the village to recruit soldiers for the army, but because of his broken leg, Oliver was rejected.  Relieved, Jack and Andrew came to Oliver to proclaim how fortunately everything had turned out. Olly turned to them and answered, “maybe.” Contents Part I. The Life of Lao Tzu Part II. The Tao Te Ching Part III. Practices Part IV. Further Analysis and Discussion Links Tao Te Ching (Penguin) Lao Tzu (Stanford Encyclopedia) Taoism (Stanford Encylopedia) The Tao of Pooh and the Te of Piglet, Benjamin Hoff Compare Translations of the Tao Te Ching

There was once a wise farmer named Oliver who, enjoying the evening’s sun at the end of a summer’s day, watched on as one of his prized horses escaped from his farm. That evening, having heard the news, Jack and Andrew came to Oliver’s farm to express their sympathies. Oliver turned to his neighbours upon their arrival and said, “maybe.” The next day the horse returned, but brought with it six wild horses. Jack and Andrew, seeing the horses from their homes, ran to Oliver’s exclaiming his good fortune. Olly turned to the men and said, “maybe.” The following day, Oliver tried to saddle and ride one of the wild horses. He was thrown off the horse’s back and broke his leg. Jack and Andrew came to offer their condolences for the misfortune. Sat upright in his bed, without a wince, Oliver spoke clearly to the men once more, “maybe.”  The day after that, conscription officers came to the village to recruit soldiers for the army, but because of his broken leg, Oliver was rejected.  Relieved, Jack and Andrew came to Oliver to proclaim how fortunately everything had turned out. Olly turned to them and answered, “maybe.” Contents Part I. The Life of Lao Tzu Part II. The Tao Te Ching Part III. Practices Part IV. Further Analysis and Discussion Links Tao Te Ching (Penguin) Lao Tzu (Stanford Encyclopedia) Taoism (Stanford Encylopedia) The Tao of Pooh and the Te of Piglet, Benjamin Hoff Compare Translations of the Tao Te Ching