Diggin' the Dharma
Jon Aaron and Doug Smith
Diggin' the Dharma with Jon Aaron and Doug Smith is a relaxed discussion of the Buddhist dharma between friends. Jon's interest centers around practice, while Doug's centers around scholarship of the early material, so their approaches balance practice with study. Their discussions will be approachable to a broad audience of Buddhists and those curious about Buddhism, and they welcome questions and comments. Jon is a teacher at Space2Meditate and NY Insight Meditation Center and a well known teacher and trainer of teachers of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction. Doug has a PhD in Philosophy and runs Doug's Dharma on YouTube and the Online Dharma Institute, where he gives courses on early Buddhism. Find them at: https://digginthedharma.com/
Episodes
Mentioned books
Aug 20, 2023 • 23min
Turning Toward What is Here-- Whether You Like or Not.
Exploring acceptance and equanimity in Buddhist practice, the hosts discuss the challenges of accepting the present moment. They delve into the fine line between acceptance and clinging and explore the power of acceptance in removing blinders and overcoming resentment. The chapter also emphasizes the importance of setting boundaries for self-care and how accepting challenges leads to positive change and a calmer approach to problems.
Aug 13, 2023 • 28min
The Fire Sermon
Dealing with wildfires associated with global warming turns our mind to one of the Buddha's most famous and trenchant suttas, his third discourse, the Fire Sermon.Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato:https://suttacentral.net/sn35.28/en/sujatoTranslation by Bhikkhu Bodhi:https://suttacentral.net/sn35.28/en/bodhiDoug's video:https://youtu.be/dhTULnK8BWoSupport the showGo to our website to leave a comment, buy us a coffee, or see further notes and links: https://digginthedharma.com/
Aug 6, 2023 • 31min
Listener Questions and Responses: Non-Judgment, Ethics, and Working with Unwanted Criticism
Doug and Jon respond to three member questions on how to reconcile non-judgment in our practice with the role of ethics, as well as how we can best deal with personal criticism and even aggression from co-workers.Support the showGo to our website to leave a comment, buy us a coffee, or see further notes and links: https://digginthedharma.com/
Jul 30, 2023 • 30min
Listener Questions and Responses: The Roles of Teachers and Trauma in the Path
In this listener Q&A, Doug and Jon answer two questions: teachers' roles in guiding their students in the dharma, and how our past trauma might influence our journey. We don't pretend to have specific answers, but these wonderful questions elicited a wonderful discussion.Support the showGo to our website to leave a comment, buy us a coffee, or see further notes and links: https://digginthedharma.com/
Jul 2, 2023 • 24min
Dealing with the "Polycrisis"
The time we are living through just now has been termed a poly-crisis. A combination of existential crises happening all at once. Whether it's climate change, the war in Ukraine, pandemics, worldwide hunger, refugees, civil strive. . . we are experiencing it all directly or indirectly. How can our practice help? Does it help? Doug and Jon reflect on their own experience of this.Support the showGo to our website to leave a comment, buy us a coffee, or see further notes and links: https://digginthedharma.com/
Jun 25, 2023 • 25min
Love but not Attachment
How do we negotiate the Buddha's teachings on craving and clinging with our deep love of family and friends? What is the difference between true love and "attached love," and when does attached love lead to dukkha? This is an ongoing question. The Buddha did expect monastics to be celibate and to leave their families but he did not expect this of householders. Later traditions had other options. Still, the teaching asks us to beware of love based on attachment and clinging.Support the showGo to our website to leave a comment, buy us a coffee, or see further notes and links: https://digginthedharma.com/
Jun 18, 2023 • 32min
Let's Talk about Buddha Nature
Buddha Nature is a concept that arises primarily in the Mahayana Buddhist teachings, though without using that language, specifically, could certainly be interpreted within the early teachings as well. The most famous Koan on this is "Does a Dog of Buddha Nature?"Doug and Jon have a spirited and at times confusing discussion on this. Join in with us!Support the showGo to our website to leave a comment, buy us a coffee, or see further notes and links: https://digginthedharma.com/
Jun 11, 2023 • 24min
What Is "Now"? What Was "Now"? What will be "Now"?
The present moment seems to come and go, but is that the case? What is the present moment anyway? This is a deep philosophical question and certainly a central point of Buddhist practice. Doug and Jon look at the topic from a number of different points of view . It's always a fun discussion!Support the showGo to our website to leave a comment, buy us a coffee, or see further notes and links: https://digginthedharma.com/
Jun 4, 2023 • 27min
Speak Kindly and Don't Carry a Stick!
In these days of divisiveness, it's easy to get into political arguments or, at the very least, think ill thoughts about some of our leaders. The Buddha's words on wise speech can be a useful guide. Support the showGo to our website to leave a comment, buy us a coffee, or see further notes and links: https://digginthedharma.com/
May 28, 2023 • 24min
Do You Believe in Magic??
A recent comment on our website prompted a discussion about whether certain Buddhist practices (Lovingkindness for instance) involve magical thinking. Support the showGo to our website to leave a comment, buy us a coffee, or see further notes and links: https://digginthedharma.com/
