Can you be an atheist and a Buddhist? From what I’ve read, I can tell you that seeking an answer to this question will surface two groups of people – those who’ll tell you that it’s possible and those who’ll tell you that it’s not. Among the former is Stephen Batchelor, the author of … Read more
What are the five aggregates? In Buddhism, they are the building blocks that we typically use to construct our sense of self. The Buddha classified the constituents of body and mind into five categories known as “the five aggregates of clinging”: form, feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness. In his book Satipatthana: The Direct Path … Read more
Although initially my daily meditation was secular, it eventually lead me to Buddhism and evolved into a spiritual practice. If I had to name its most challenging part, it would be following the five precepts. For example, a non-monastic life inadvertently leads to occasional alcohol use, white lies, and other morally questionable choices (no … Read more
Much has been written over the centuries about Buddhism and what its teaching really means. The word “enlightenment” is tossed around like a giant ball of cotton candy — delicious, fluffy but, ultimately, without much substance. This happens because “while second-hand wisdom is valuable as a signpost pointing the way, it is too easily … Read more