This week we continue our 'Numerical Series' with part 2 of  The Four Immeasurables:   Love, Compassion, Joy and Equinimity.

May all beings enjoy happiness and the root of happiness.
May they be free from suffering and the root of suffering.
May they not be separated from the great happiness devoid of suffering.
May they dwell in the great equanimity free from passion, aggression and prejudice.

This is a subject often talked about by Pema Chodron and has showed up in a number of her books such as The Places That Scare You, A Noble Heart and From Fear To Fearlessness.

This week we take the Four Immeasurables to the cushion and learn a practice.

[audio:http://media.libsyn.com/media/buddhist/EUP_50_-_The_Four_Immeasurables_Part_1.mp3]

This week we continue our 'Numerical Series' by talking about The Four Immeasurables:   Love, Compassion, Joy and Equinimity.  I talk about a little card I keep in top of my wallet that has the words from The Four Immeasurables Practice which says:

May all beings enjoy happiness and the root of happiness.
May they be free from suffering and the root of suffering.
May they not be separated from the great happiness devoid of suffering.
May they dwell in the great equanimity free from passion, aggression and prejudice.

This is a subject often talked about by Pema Chodron and has showed up in a number of her books such as The Places That Scare You, A Noble Heart and From Fear To Fearlessness.

Next this week we talk about the meaning of The Four Immeasurables and next week we'll learn a meditation practice to go with it.

It's my last podcast for 2008 and we're closing it out with a talk about the five skandhas.  The five skandhas help us understand how a thought forms by really breaking it down.  We break down thinking of a table, a Christmas tree and a slice of pizza.  Can you have more fun than that on New Years Eve?

This week was very interesting.  On the site poll, I asked folks to tell me topics that they would like me to discuss on the podcast.  One listener posted the following:

Perhaps a boring subject, but being fairly new to the Buddhism, I am continually asked by well-meaning family and friends a seemingly endless array of questions concerning my dietary changes. I've adopted an almost vegan lifestyle and sometimes struggle with - what can I really eat that truly does not harm animals. So being a vegetarian and to what extent it is necessary to adopt the vegan lifestyle.

"Vegetarianism" I thought.  "What a great subject!"  So I decided to cover that when low and behold a post from Daily Buddhism covered the exact same subject.  So, this podcast is a little late basically because I didn't want to appear to be stealing anything from Daily Buddhism.  By the way, Daily Buddhism is a great daily Q&A blog that sums each week up in a podcast.  Be sure to check them out!

So on this podcast we address Vegetarianism/Veganism and Buddhism.  Do you have to be a Vegetarian/Vegan to be a Buddhist?  We talked in Episode 40 about what Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse says in his book 'What Makes You NOT A Buddhist" actually makes you a Buddhist.  Is Vegetarianism one?

We talk about why some sects seem to put more emphasis on vegetarianism than others.  In addition, I try to dive deeper into why a Buddhist might want to be a vegetarian and expand on those issues to see where else they come into play.

I'm back after taking the month of November off!  Where have I been?  I took on the challenge of National Novel Writing Month and National Podcast Post Month, and successfully completed both.

But that's not why we're here!  This week on the Enlighten Up Podcast we take a look at the concept of Ambition.  The spark for this podcast sprang up from a comment Gwen and Patrick made on the Zen Is Stupid podcast that I was listening to this past weekend.

Also, I'm taking a little survery to learn a) a little bit more about the meditation habits of the folks who read the blog or listen to the podcast b) to give you guys an opportunity to tell me what topics you would like me to talk about on the show.  So if you got about a minute (it probably won't even take that long) click here and let me know a little bit about your practice and ideas for the show.I'm back after taking the month of November off!  Where have I been?  I took on the challenge of National Novel Writing Month and National Podcast Post Month, and successfully completed both.

But that's not why we're here!  This week on the Enlighten Up Podcast we take a look at the concept of Ambition.  The spark for this podcast sprang up from a comment Gwen and Patrick made on the <a href="http://zenisstupid.com/">Zen Is Stupid</a> podcast that I was listening to this past weekend.

Also, I'm taking a little survery to learn a) a little bit more about the meditation habits of the folks who read the blog or listen to the podcast b) to give you guys an opportunity to tell me what topics you would like me to talk about on the show.  So if you got about a minute (it probably won't even take that long) click here and let me know a little bit about your practice and ideas for the show.

A guy from one of the forums I frequent, named Scix,  made a really cool monologue video called 'On Love' that he put on youtube.com.  When I watched it, I thought what he had to say hit on a lot of Buddhist thought, whether he intended it that way or not, so I decided to use some of what he said as the basis for this weeks podcast.

This week we are talking about being in the moment, what that means, what it doesn't mean and how it becomes very intertwined with the concept of attachment.

This weeks talks takes quite a few twists and turns.  I start out talking about whether one can be on Bodhisattva path, striving to gain enlightenment for the benefit of others, without attachment.  We meander into skepticism in Buddhism and end up in the translation process of Buddhist texts.

And the answer to the question?  You'll just have to listen to find out!

This week, we are talking about the Eight Verses of Mind Training.  This is a teaching that was written by Geshe Langri Tangpa (1054-1123) He was the student of Geshe Potowa, who was one of the principal disciples of Atisha.   If you would like to know more about Geshe Langri Tangpa you can read more here.

By thinking of all sentient beings

As even better than the wish-granting gem,

For accomplishing the highest aim,

May I always consider them precious.

Wherever I go, with whomever I go,

May I see myself as less than all others,

And from the depth of my heart

May I consider them supremely precious.

May I examine my mind in all actions

And as soon as a negative state occurs,

Since it endangers myself and others,

May I firmly face and avert it.

When I see beings of a negative disposition

Or those opposed by negativity or pain,

May I, as if finding a treasure, consider them precious,

For they are rarely met.

When others, due to their jealousy,

Revile and treat me in unjust ways,

May I accept this defeat myself,

And offer the victory to others.

When someone whom I have helped,

Or in whom I have placed great hope

Harms me with great injustice,

May I see that one as a sacred friend.

In short, may I offer, both directly and indirectly,

All joy and benefit to all beings, my mothers,

And may I myself secretly

Take on all their hurt and suffering

.

May they not be defiled

By the concepts of the eight mundane concerns,

And aware that all things are illusory,

May they, ungrasping, be free from bondage.

For a more detailed explanation of emptiness (here, illusion) we have covered it some previous podcasts 10, 11 and 12. 

I have had a hell of a time getting this podcast out.  I recorded it and somehow the file was corrupt so I had to redo it.

What we are talking about this week is the balance between study and practice on the Buddhist path.  We reference the Refuge Vows from Episode 33 as well as Tonglen practice.  We talked about Tonglen here, here and here.  It's also discussed in a couple of other places too.  Just search for Tonglen using the search tool for more info.

This week, I take the podcast tagline (Classic Buddhist Themes for the 21st Century) quite literally as we examine the meaning behind an ancient Buddhist chant, 'The Four Dharmas of Gampopa'.  The chant goes like this:

Grant your blessings so that my mind may be one with the Dharma.

Grant your blessings so that Dharma may progress along the path.

Grant your blessings so that the path may clairfy confusion.

Grant your blessings so that confusion may dawn as wisdom.

First, we have a little history lesson.  We talk about who Gampopa was and his relationship to Milarepa and the Kagyu teachings.

This little chant leads us all the way from the start of the path to the fruition of the journey.

In our discussions, we mention the previous podcasts on The Four Reminders.