Learn Buddhism

About the Authors

Meet the authors and find out what nice guys like them are doing in a place like this.

Articles:

• Meng’s story: How Buddhism Saved My Life.
• Soryu’s story: All Life Depends on This.
• Buddhism Day Sale: Buy Meng, Get Soryu Free.

Topic #1: Dharma and the Features of Buddhism

Dharma generally refers to the teachings of the Buddha. Here, we learn what Dharma really is, and some of the most important features of Buddhism.

Articles:

• What is Dharma? Dharma is Not Banging Your Head Against the Wall.
• Buddhism is So Serious We Have to Laugh.
• Buddhism is Seriously Cool With Science.
• Yes, Empiricism and Faith Can Play Together.
• A Secular Religion? Isn’t That Like a Joke?
• Buddhism Frees You.
• Buddhism is Needed in the World.
• Why We Use the Early Buddhist Texts So Much.
• Laugh Your Way to Enlightenment.
• Abbot’s Commentary: Why Buddhism Fascinates Me.

Topic #2: The Buddha

The Buddha is the founder of Buddhism.  Besides getting to know him, you will begin to see some fascinating features of Buddhism.  For example, you will find that gods play no role whatsoever in the enlightenment of the Buddha, which explains the nontheistic nature of Buddhism.  You will also find the central role of joy and investigation in the Buddha’s enlightenment, again foretelling their central role in his eventual teachings.

Articles:

• His Friends Call Him Bud: About the Buddha’s Story 
• The Buddha Formerly Known as Prince.
• The Four Sights, Four Signs, and Four Sighs
• The Noble Search, Without Google 
• When Mara Met Siddhattha 
• The Buddha’s Findings: The Middle Way and The Four Noble Truths 
• Abbot’s Commentary: How the Buddha’s Story is Useful 

Topic #3: The First Noble Truth

The solution to suffering begins with the willingness to face suffering.  A key insight here is that suffering arises from clinging to the five aggregates.

Articles:

• Suffering An Extremely Lucky Birth
• Dukkha is Suffering-plus-plus
• Five Aggregates
• Where Do You Draw the Line on the Aggregates?
• Clinging Onto Aggregates is Like Grabbing Hold of Water
• Life is Not All Suffering, and That is a Problem
• Turns Out You Didn’t Have to Order the Self-Destruct Option
• Abbot’s Commentary: Suffering is Not Inherent 

Topic #4: The Second Noble Truth

The second noble truth leads us to an extremely important insight, that suffering is caused. Therefore, the solution to suffering is simply to “uncause” the causes of suffering. Easy peasy.  Here, we also begin the explore the mystical side of Buddhism.

Articles:

• How to Stop a Bomb
• Where Suffering Stops Being About Religion and Starts Being About Cause and Effect
• Craving for Sensual Pleasure
• Craving for Existence and Non-Existence
• Not Mine, Not I, Not My Self 
• You Already Have Gold in that Ball of Dung
• Solve Problems Not By Creating More
• Abbot’s Commentary: Everyone Can Put It Down 

Topic #5: The Third Noble Truth

What is it like to be totally free of suffering? That is the topic of the third noble truth.

Articles:

• Smells Like Nirvana
• Aspects of Nirvana
• Call Now and Get 50% More Nirvana Absolutely Free  
• Four Stages of Enlightenment
• The Five Higher Fetters are Like a Subtle Final Boss
• Abbot’s Commentary: You Can Do It  (Newly added: 18 Nov 2023)

Topic #6: The Fourth Noble Truth and the Noble Eightfold Path

How do you get to the state of total freedom from suffering? The path is contained within the fourth noble truth. It comes in eight parts, which is why is it also called <drumroll…> the Noble Eightfold Path.

Articles:

• The Noble Eightfold Path  (Newly added: 26 Nov 2023)
• Right View  (Newly added: 3 Dec 2023)
• Right Intention  (Coming soon)
• Right Speech
• Right Action
• Right Livelihood
• Right Effort
• Right Mindfulness and Right Samadhi
• Abbot’s Commentary: Practice Makes Right

More to come.

For Topic#6, we’re adding 1 post per week, with supporting content (learn more)