Much has been written about lovingkindness, compassion, and altruistic joy in my previous articles. Now we turn to equanimity, the last of the four brahmavihara meditations, also known as the four sublime states of mind. The most important thing to keep in mind about equanimity, or upekkha, is that all three other brahmaviharas are implicit … Read more
A quick YouTube search will reveal dozens of meditation techniques you can try right now. But in Buddhism, there are only two main types of meditation. The first is aimed at achieving serenity (samatha), the other is aimed at gaining insight (vipassana). Achieving serenity leads to one-pointed concentration of the mind (samadhi). And gaining insight … Read more
In his seminal work titled “In the Buddha’s Words,” renowned scholar-monk Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi writes that the Buddhist way of life is open to all people, monastic or lay. He also writes that many of the Buddha’s lay followers were accomplished practitioners. But even then they could be regarded as an exception rather than a … Read more
You’ve clicked on this article because a typical reading list includes from five to ten books, and you don’t have time to read that many right now. I’ve been there. This issue is further complicated by the fact that Buddhism has many schools that may interest you. However, I can confidently say that there is … Read more
Our next community meeting is scheduled for July 12, 2026. It will start at 9 a.m. PST and will last for 30-45 minutes. During our time together, we’ll discuss contemporary Buddhist teachers. Think of it as an opportunity to meet new people and share your experiences. All our meetings are casual and unstructured to facilitate … Read more