Episodes
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Thank you for an incredible year! Today we’re reflecting back on Buddhability’s 2024 guests and some things we’ve learned from them. We can’t wait to show you what we have planned for 2025.
Reach out to us any time at [email protected] to get connected to a local Buddhist community or ask questions.
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The journey of self-discovery can sometimes be long and winding. Ray Guida, of Columbus, Ohio, shares how he developed the compassion and courage to live as his authentic self. We discuss the ways chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo helps us face all hardships with hope and what it is like to practice SGI Nichiren Buddhism as an LGBTIQA+ person.
Today’s episode is also available in video format on our YouTube Channel.
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Episodes manquant?
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With so much to learn about Buddhist history, it can be hard to know where to start! This month, we’re doing a short series covering Buddhist history. Today’s episode is about how the Lotus Sutra and Nam-myoho-renge-kyo are practiced today.
Online Articles:
About Our CommunityLiving The Lotus Sutra
Engaged Buddhism
Books:
Waking The BuddhaThe Wisdom of the Lotus Sutra Series
Reach out to us at [email protected] to get connected with a Buddhability community near you. -
With so much to learn about Buddhist history, it can be hard to know where to start! This month, we’re doing a short series covering Buddhist history. Today’s episode focuses on the origins of Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhist philosophy and the practice of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.
Online Articles:
Buddhism Reaches the Shores of JapanThe Teachings of Nichiren Daishonin
Daishonin’s Life and Legacy
Books:
The Records of the Orally Transmitted Teachings IntroductionThe Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol.1 and vol. 2
Reach out to us at [email protected] to get connected with a Buddhability community near you. -
With so much to learn about Buddhist history, it can be hard to know where to start! This month, we’re doing a short series covering Buddhist history. Today’s episode covers the early history of SGI Nichiren Buddhism.
Online Articles:
The Humanism of The Lotus Sutra
Buddhist LineageBooks:
The Lotus Sutra and Its Opening and Closing Sutras
The Living Buddha
The Wisdom of the Lotus Sutra Series
The Heart of The Lotus SutraReach out to us at [email protected] to get connected with a Buddhability community near you.
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Today’s guest, Bora Colak, is a psychiatrist in Brooklyn who struggled with depression for years after graduating from Harvard. When he started to practice Buddhism, something changed deep in his life. Bora shares the story of how he navigated depression, became a psychiatrist, and now uses Buddhism as the foundation for everything in his life.
Today’s episode is also available in video format on our YouTube Channel.
Resources:
Basics of Buddhism
Buddhism Applied (Chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo)
Embracing Buddhism
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Self-worth is tough to cultivate when we look to others for validation. One moment we’re flying high, then one harsh word sends us spiraling. Today’s guest, Nikki Gonzalez, of Oakland, shares how her Buddhist practice helped her shift from a life consumed by the opinions of others to one based on a deeply held belief in her infinite worth. We talk about how Buddhist concepts helped her change the way she looks at love and relationships and determine to become the kind of person she would be proud to be with.
Watch the video version of today's episode here.
References:
Discussions on Youth, pp. 65, 69–70, 229.
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Do you feel overwhelmed and exhausted? In today’s Short, we talk about how to refresh yourself when you feel pulled in too many directions. Buddhability Shorts is a series where we break down a Buddhist concept or common life challenge we’ve touched on in an interview.
Resources:
Sept. 13, 2024, World Tribune, p. 10.
May 21, 2021, World Tribune, p. 3.
The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 3, revised edition, pp. 446-48.Reach out to us at [email protected] to get connected with a Buddhability community near you.
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What does it look like to have a fulfilling career? While no one can tell us the best life path for us, Buddhism offers a clear framework for understanding how to live with meaning and purpose. Today’s guest, Paige Asawa of Los Angeles, shares her story of becoming an art therapist and how Buddhism helped her understand how to find a fulfilling career.
oday’s episode is also available in video format on our YouTube Channel.
If you’d like to get connected with your local Buddhability community, contact us at [email protected]
Instagram: @buddhability -
Sometimes we may wish the people around us were different. Today’s guest, Brigid Perry of Boston, shares how chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo honestly about her feelings toward her family helped her make a fundamental shift in the way she views them.
Today’s episode is also available in video format here.
References:
The New Human Revolution, vol 1, pp. 173-4.
Living Buddhism, June 2024, p. 5.
The New Human Revolution, vol 30, Ch. 4.
Cheat Sheet:
02:05 Brigid joins her sister at a Buddhist meeting
07:45 Her brother comes home due to illness
13:00 Wishing her family would change so life would be easier
21:30 How Buddhist study helped her shift her perspective
26:20 Seeing her brother in a new light
33:15 Chanting to cherish her family just as they are
39:10 A once unimaginable family moment
If you’d like to get connected with your local Buddhability community, contact us at [email protected]
Instagram: @buddhability
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We have a very special episode of Buddhability! You can listen as usual or watch the video on YouTube.
Today’s guest, Orlando Bloom, sits down to discuss how his Buddhist practice has informed everything from his breakout role as Legolas in the Lord of the Rings to how he confronts his limitations in his new show To The Edge.
Orlando shares insights he’s gathered throughout his life since encountering SGI Nichiren Buddhism at age 16. He opens up about staying grounded with his sudden rise to fame, following a Buddhist example of a fulfilling life, and how he shows up to his relationships and the challenges of daily life.
In this interview, we discuss:
02:35 Orlando’s rambunctious childhood
08:46 Seeking a meaningful way of life22:15 Practicing Buddhism when he hit sudden fame
29:27 Community is crucial for our growth
38:20 Having a mentor in life51:00 Breaking free from self-isolation
54:45 Deciding to incorporate his practice into his new TV Show
1:00:15 Confronting fears1:11:00 Don’t be afraid to make mistakes
1:19:12 Orlando’s advice for curious listeners
Learn more here:
Basics of Buddhism
Chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo
Buddhist Community
Buddhist Philosopher Daisaku Ikeda
Connect with us
Reach out to us at [email protected] to check out a local Buddhability community.
www.buddhability.org
Instagram: @buddhability
TikTok @buddhability
Facebook @buddhability
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Ariana Jaramillo, of Santa Cruz, started experiencing panic attacks in high school. Right around that time, she started to regularly chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. Today, she shares how practicing SGI Nichiren Buddhism has helped her remain undefeated by anxiety and depression. We talk about what it looks like to chant daily, study Buddhism and apply it to your life.
References:
The New Human Revolution, vol 2, revised edition, p. 190.
Unlocking the Mysteries of Birth and Death.
Discussions on Youth, p. 5.
If you’d like to get connected with your local Buddhability community, contact us at [email protected]
Instagram: @buddhability
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In today’s Short, we’re breaking down the Buddhist mantra Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and explaining how to chant it step-by-step. By the end of the episode, you should feel confident trying it out yourself!
Helpful Resources for Chanting:
How to Start Your Buddhist PracticeLearn How to Chant (Video)Ways to Enhance Your ChantingReach out to us at [email protected] to get connected with a Buddhability community near you.
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Nikita Agrawal, a recent high school graduate from Chicago, was determined to use her research to contribute to the world. Being the first author of an academic journal article is difficult but submitting it while you’re applying for colleges and finishing your senior year is even harder.
In today’s episode, Nikita shares how chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo helped her handle painful rejections and utilize feedback to help her become a better academic. Through the process, she learned how to overcome the thoughts that told her to give up.
Resources:
Twenty Life-Changing Buddhist Concepts, p. 39.
March 2017 Living Buddhism, p. 49.
Cheat Sheet:
03:35 What Nikita liked about growing up Buddhist
10:28 The ambition to publish her research as a high schooler
17:15 Seeing feedback as an opportunity for growth
25:23 How to overcome your own negativity
33:03 Advice for teenagers interested in Buddhism
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There are limitless reasons why someone might try chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo! For some, it’s an easy leap. For others, it might feel a bit intimidating. That’s why we’re bringing you the voices of several Buddhability listeners sharing why they started to chant.
Helpful Resources for Chanting:
How to Start Your Buddhist PracticeLearn How to Chant (Video)
Ways to Enhance Your ChantingReach out to us at [email protected] to get connected with a Buddhability community near you.
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Vishvak Prakkruth encountered Buddhism in Mumbai when he was an aspiring filmmaker. As he moved to New York and Los Angeles to further his career, he found deeper meaning in his art and shifted his perspective on success.
In today’s episode, we talk about how chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and studying Buddhist philosophy have helped him find meaning and purpose in his work.
Reference:
The New Human Revolution, revised edition, vol. 5.
The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 1, revised edition, pp. 335-35. -
Alexandria Jones, of San Diego, grew up with many examples of the power of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. It wasn’t until becoming a young adult that she decided to test it for herself.
In today’s episode, Alexandria shares how chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo helped her to develop limitless strength and courage. Two things she would need when faced with the painful loss of a loved one. She shares how the Buddhist view of death deepened her appreciation of life.
References:
Unlocking the Mysteries of Life and Death
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We’re making a listener episode with your stories about starting your Buddhist practice! You can submit a voice message telling us, in a minute or less, why you started chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.
Ways to submit your voice message:
1. Instagram: Send a voice message to our DMs @Buddhability
2. Voicemail: Call us at (646) 883-6381 and leave a message after the tone.
Please send us your story by Friday, August 2nd.
We’ll select a small assortment to share on an upcoming episode, so please submit only if you are comfortable having it shared on the podcast.
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An 8-year-old Kimberly Cadillo struggled to find her place in a new culture, language and country. Moving from Peru to New Jersey brought many challenges, especially with self-esteem.
Today we’re talking about how chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo helped Kimberly develop unshakable self-worth no longer tied to external validation. As she says, though the journey might be challenging, appreciating your life is a treasure no one can take away.
References:
Discussions on Youth, p. 77.
December 3, 2004, World Tribune, p. 8.
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Buddhability Shorts is a series where we break down a Buddhist concept or common life challenge we’ve touched on in an interview. Today, we’re talking about the Buddhist perspective on wisdom and what it means to use knowledge with wisdom.
To ask a question about the basics of Buddhism, you can email us at [email protected]
References:
My Dear Friends in America, fourth edition, pp. 369-71.
The Wisdom of the Lotus Sutra, vol. 2, p. 33.
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