In this episode, I speak with Jin Choi from the University of Ghent, a specialist on early Buddhism and tea enthusiast, about the connections between tea and contemplative practice.

We discuss how the history of tea drinking became intertwined with the spread of Buddhism in China, how tea has been used as a stimulant for meditation, and the various praises of its benefits found in Buddhist texts. We also trace the transfer of tea ceremonies from China to Japan, and their eventual return to China in a different form.

A conversation about tea, meditation, and the material culture of Buddhist practice across East Asia.

Khyentse Center for Contemplative Traditions

ReCentGlobe

Material objects occupy a particular place in contemplative systems. In this episode, I speak with James Gentry about meditation-infused pills and their role in Tibetan Buddhist practice.

We discuss how these pills are made and distributed during rituals called drupchen, and what it means to unite mind and matter in this way. These practices were designed to be relevant for different kinds of people, from accomplished meditators to illiterate common folk, and we discuss the commentaries that describe their making and significance.

We also look at the importance of Avalokiteśvara practices in this context, particularly the manuals authored by Karma Chakmé in the seventeenth century.

A conversation about the material dimensions of meditation and how contemplative traditions have worked with the relationship between substances and spiritual practice.

Khyentse Center for Contemplative Traditions

ReCentGlobe

In Vajrayāna Buddhism, devotion is an integral part of practice. Yet it remains notably absent from secular mindfulness. Why is that so?

In this episode, I speak with Renée Ford from Ruhr Universität Bochum about the many layers and meanings of devotion in contemplative traditions. We discuss some of the lesser known aspects of this practice and consider why it has been largely set aside in contemporary approaches.

We also look at how devotional relationships can, in certain circumstances, invite abuse. Interestingly, ancient texts already address these difficulties, offering guidance on navigating such situations.

A conversation about devotion in Buddhist practice, its complexities, and the questions it raises for us today.

Khyentse Center for Contemplative Traditions

ReCentGlobe

In this episode, I engage in conversation with Dr. Devin Zuckerman from the University of Virginia, who shares her fascinating research on nearly forgotten elemental practices from the early Nyingtig or Seminal Heart literature of Tibetan Buddhism. We explore the historical trajectory of these practices and examine possible reasons why they have gradually faded from contemporary practice systems, despite their documented effectiveness in facilitating profound shifts in mental states.

Our discussion delves into the intriguing question of whether lost contemplative practices can be authentically reconstructed from textual sources alone, or whether the absence of living transmission creates insurmountable gaps in understanding. We also investigate the crucial role that our natural environment plays in deepening contemplative insights, particularly when elemental practices are integrated into one’s spiritual development.

Dr. Zuckerman’s research illuminates the complex relationship between written transmission and experiential practice, while highlighting how elemental awareness can serve as a bridge between inner contemplative states and our connection to the natural world around us. This conversation offers valuable insights into both the preservation of traditional practices and their potential adaptation for contemporary practitioners.

In this episode, I discuss with Aaron Proffitt, professor of Japanese Studies at SUNY and Buddhist chaplain, how practice and scripture intertwine in Buddhist traditions. We explore the formation of Buddhist sects in Japan that developed singular practices while remaining grounded in multidimensional backgrounds. We compare the Shin school’s practice of prayer and visualization of Buddha Amitabha with Tibetan counterparts, and highlight the importance of physical practices like chanting and offerings, as well as community activities involving families.

In unserem zweiten Gespräch mit Gelek Dirk Frettlöh vertiefen wir die Diskussion über die Wirkung traditioneller buddhistischer Kontemplationspraktiken im westlichen Kontext. Als erfahrener Praktizierender der Kagyü- und Nyingma-Traditionen des tibetischen Buddhismus und Ausbilder für Essentielle Psychotherapie gibt er weitere Einblicke in das komplexe Zusammenspiel von Meditation und psychischer Gesundheit.

Wir erkunden, unter welchen Umständen Meditation kontraproduktiv sein kann und wie sich Traumata sowohl als Hindernis als auch als Transformationspotential auf dem spirituellen Weg erweisen können. Wir besprechen darüber hinaus Themen wie: das Schaffen von Ressourcen, Bedürfnisse und Missverständnisse über traditionell gelehrte Entsagung, die Rolle der Mutter, die Gefahr einer Spaltung zwischen der Person und ihrer spirituellen Welt und vieles mehr.

William Edelglass is having a wide-ranging career with the academic study and teaching of western philosophy and Buddhist teachings that lead him to become the director of study at the Barre Center for Buddhist studies. Here, William and I are having a multifaceted discussion on different approaches to contemplative practices and intersections with western philosophical traditions and their approach to contemplation, the rise of secular meditation, the framing of ‘early Buddhism’, and much more.

In dieser Episode diskutiere ich über Meditation und Kontemplation mit Paulus Kaufmann von der LMU München und der Universität Zürich. Als Experte für westliche Philosophie und japanischen Buddhismus führt er uns durch die komplexe Geschichte dieser spirituellen und philosophischen Praktiken aus ganz andere Perspektive.

Wir erkunden die ursprüngliche Bedeutung der Begriffe Kontemplation und Meditation, beginnend mit ihrer Rolle in der hellenistischen und römischen Philosophie. Dabei beleuchten wir, wie verschiedene philosophische Schulen diese Praktiken verstanden und nutzten. Besonders spannend wird es, wenn wir die Brücke zu östlichen Traditionen schlagen: Welche Herausforderungen entstehen, wenn wir westliche Begriffe auf buddhistische oder hinduistische Praktiken übertragen?

Eine aufschlussreiche Diskussion über kulturübergreifende Spiritualität, philosophische Tradition und die Feinheiten der Begriffsübertragung erwartet Sie in dieser Episode.