Bob Thurman Podcast:

Relative & Absolute: Manjushri & Vimalakirti, Part 1 – Ep. 38

In this episode Professor Thurman expounds the profound teaching, contained in the fifth chapter of the famous Vimalakirti Sutra, which he translated and has been teaching for nearly forty years. An object of love and inspiration for many lay practitioners, as well as monastics, the Sutra is known for giving an in-depth explanation & analysis of key buddhist concepts, such as emptiness, non-duality, self & non-self, and so on. The 5th chapter relates to Prajnaparamita or Transcendent Wisdom...

Bob Thurman_Relative & Absolute_ A Conversation between Manjushri & Vimalakirti - Ep 38

The Art of Dying : Buddhism 101 – Ep. 37

Death is just like going to sleep.. And then we are going to wake up. The way, in which we wake up, has to do with how we have lived today. In this podcast Professor Thurman offers a discourse on the topic of death and dying: what is happening, when we die, what follows it? Can we take rebirth where we like, and what is the difference between conscious and unconscious dying? The episode was recorded on April 24, 2015 at the Open Center conference “The Art of Dying: Spiritual, Scientific an...

Bob Thurman_The Art of Dying - Ep 37

Buddhism is Realism : Buddhism 101 – Ep. 36

In this episode Professor Thurman explains, why we may call Buddhism Realism. He presents Buddha’s teachings on the Four Noble Truths (or Four Noble Realities) and the Eightfold Path (or 8 Steps of Evolutionary Path) in a manner that is fresh and accessible, as it is profound. Recognition of the symptom, diagnosis of the cause, prognosis of the outcome and therapy or education – are four facts that lead us towards recognition of nirvana of reality.   Buddhism is Realism : Buddhism 101 – E...

Bob Thurman_Buddhism is Realism - Ep 36

Misplaced Confidence : Buddha & The Yogis – Ep. 35

What do we experience when we look inside? Where do we place our confidence? Do we believe that we have mind? In this episode Professor Thurman discusses the power of questioning, the necessity of digging deeper in order to understand mind and its power. The episode is an excerpt from the the “Buddha and Yogis” retreat at Menla Mountain Retreat, taught by David Swenson, John Campbell & Robert Thurman on July 31, 2015. Misplaced Confidence : Buddha & The Yogis – Ep 35 Photo by Vicky Sim on...

Bob Thurman_Misplaced Confidence - Ep 35.mp3

The Fast Path : Buddha & The Yogis – Ep. 34

Tantric Buddhism is known as the fast path, meaning that it is possible to become enlightened in one or a few lives, instead of millions. In this podcast, Professor Thurman discusses how we can use our dreams to compress the virtue of many lives into one dream. He also speaks about the role of compassion, ethics and wisdom on the path. This episode was recorded on June 8, 2011 at the “Buddha and Yogis: The Vajra Body” gathering at Menla Retreat, taught by David Swenson, John Campbell & Robe...

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Visualizing an Enlightened Universe – Ep. 33

In this episode, Professor Thurman discusses visualization practice and meditation. He explains how the context which you assume will determine how much progress you can make. When you create an imagined enlightened universe, you are making vivid to yourself a preferable image, as well as loosen your own sense of yourself as being limited and incapable of change. This episode was recorded on July 31, 2015 at the “Buddha and the Yogis” retreat at Menla Mountain Retreat, taught by David Swens...

Heart Sutra Part 2 : Buddhism 101 – Ep. 32

This episode is a continuation of last week’s episode on The Heart Sutra. In this episode, Professor Thurman discusses the questions: How does free will work? What does it mean that we are all effected by causes and conditions? He also discusses how shunyata, or voidness, is a scientific discovery, not just a mystic philosophy. This episode was recorded on July 27, 2015 at the “Buddha and the Yogis” retreat at Menla Mountain Retreat, taught by David Swenson, John Campbell & Robert Thurman. ...

Heart Sutra Part 1 : Buddhism 101 – Ep. 31

The Heart Sutra is one of the most profound and widely studied texts in the Buddhist canon. In this episode, Professor Thurman reads the Heart Sutra, and explains the meaning as he goes along. This is the first of a two-part episode on the Heart Sutra. This episode was recorded on July 27, 2015 at the “Buddha and the Yogis” retreat at Menla Mountain Retreat, taught by David Swenson, John Campbell & Robert Thurman. Heart Sutra : Part 1 – Episode 31 of the Bob Thurman Podcast Image by Miles ...

Vimalakīrti’s Verses : Deconstructing the Self – Ep. 30

In this episode, Professor Thurman explains how to use analysis to realize non-duality. Deconstructing our habitual understanding of body, mind- everything you think of as solid and real dissolves under this analysis, and brings you into a state of samadhi. This is a powerful practice for deeply understanding the nature of things as they are. “Vimalakīrti’s Verses : Deconstructing the Self” – Ep. 30 of the Bob Thurman Podcast was recorded on July 24, 2015 at the “Hiking in the Catskills wit...

Meeting Vimalakīrti : Buddhism 101 – Ep. 29

In this episode, Professor Thurman reads the first chapter of Vimalakirti, which he translated and has been teaching for nearly forty years. Thurman illuminates the meaning of the text, the historical context, and the various possible translations of important words and concepts that elucidate the Mahayana teaching. Meeting Vimalakīrti- Episode Twenty Nine of the Bob Thurman Podcast via Wikimedia. This episode was recorded on July 23, 2015 at the “Hiking in the Catskills with Vimalakirti &...

All Beings Are My Mother : Buddhism 101 – Ep. 28

In this podcast Robert A.F. Thurman discussed the Buddhist perspective on the health and happiness of all beings. One of the unique aspects of Tibetan culture is that for hundreds of years, thousands of people have been meditating on the thought “every single being has been my mother.” This means that through countless lives, you have been every possible animal and being, and every single being alive today has been your mother countless times. Even the worst killers shared their body and m...

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Bob Thurman_Deconstructing the Self - Ep 30.mp3

Meeting Vimalakīrti : Buddhism 101 - Ep. 29

In this episode, Professor Thurman reads the first chapter of Vimalakirti, which he translated and has been teaching for nearly forty years. Thurman illuminates the meaning of the text, the historical context, and the various possible translations of important words and concepts that elucidate the Mahayana teaching. Meeting Vimalakīrti : Buddhism 101 - Episode Twenty Nine of the Bob Thurman Podcast via Wikimedia. This episode was recorded on July 23, 2015 at the “Hiking in the Catskills...

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Bliss is Legal : Buddhism 101 – Ep. 27

In this episode, Professor Thurman points out the unspoken rule in our culture that it isn’t OK to be happy for no apparent reason. He explains that in fact, reality is bliss and joyfulness. When we understand the nature of reality, it makes perfect sense to be happy. We just don’t experience our life that way because we think we are separate from everything else. This, he explains, was the Buddha’s discovery. This episode is the first of a two-part recording of a lecture given at Tibet Hou...

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Flowing Through the Knots : Buddha & The Yogis – Ep. 26

All of us have knots in our energetic system from our conditioning and emotional trauma that need to be uncoiled through spiritual practice. However, if we try to pierce them or muscle our way through them, they just get tighter. In this episode, Professor Thurman, Richard Freeman, and John Campbell discuss how to flow through the knots, based on teachings from the Hatha Yoga Pradipika and Buddhist Inner science. Flowing Through the Knots – Ep. 26 of the Bob Thurman Podcast Image via Himal...

Flowing Through the Knots : Buddha & The Yogis - Ep. 26

All of us have knots in our energetic system from our conditioning and emotional trauma that need to be uncoiled through spiritual practice. However, if we try to pierce them or muscle our way through them, they just get tighter. In this episode, Professor Thurman, Richard Freeman, and John Campbell discuss how to flow through the knots, based on teachings from the Hatha Yoga Pradipika and Buddhist Inner science. Flowing Through the Knots – Ep. 26 of the Bob Thurman Podcast Image via H...

Buddhist Inner Sciences : Revealing Your Rainbow Body – Ep. 25

Yuthok Nyingthig is the most important practice for Tibetan medicine healing practitioners. The practice of Yuthok Nyingthig helps reveal the rainbow body that is each person’s natural state. Professor Thurman discusses the meaning of empowerment, tantra, and why the rainbow body of natural bliss and happiness is such an important teaching for our modern world. This podcast was recorded on July 2, 2015 at Menla Mountain Retreat Center as part of a retreat called “Shakyamuni Buddha’s Inner S...

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The Ethics of Enlightened Self-Interest – Ep. 24

In this episode, Professor Thurman discusses Buddhist ethics, which he translates as the ten-fold path of skillful and unskillful action. Instead of right and wrong, Professor Thurman urges us to consider ethical behavior as any action that helps us evolve on the path toward enlightenment. Helping others is the heart of skillful action, but it’s also in our best interest. When we realize we are all stuck in this universe together, lifetime after lifetime, it is in our enlightened self-inter...

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Buddhism 101 : Transforming Anger to Compassion – Ep. 23

One of the Dalai Lama’s slogans is: “If you want to be happy, be compassionate.” In this lecture, Professor Thurman discusses how to do this by opening our hearts to others, especially our enemies. Our enemies aren’t just other people, but within ourselves. By transforming anger towards all our enemies we can find true happiness and also help others do the same. This podcast is an excerpt from a lecture hosted by the Kadampa Center in Raleigh, North Carolina on September 29, 2014. This pod...

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Buddhist Inner Sciences : Mis-knowing – Ep. 22

The Buddha’s Wheel of Dependent Origination describes the cycle of existence—the endless wheel of samsara and suffering. The first link on this wheel is ignorance, or mis-knowing. Specifically, the idea that we are separate from others. Professor Thurman explains how this fundamental misunderstanding of separateness creates the whole universe of suffering. It is also the key to putting an end to the cycle altogether. “Buddhist Inner Sciences: Fundamental Mis-knowing” podcast is an excerpt f...

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Pilgrimage : Buddhist Soul – Ep. 21

In this episode, Professor Robert A.F. Thurman responds to the question: “Does Buddhism believe in a soul?” Buddhism teaches that we have no inherent self, so how can there be life after death and reincarnation? In a concise and humorous way, Professor Thurman explains the Buddhist understanding of existence, non-existence, and what is reborn. This episode was recorded in Bhutan as part of the Geographic Expedition called “Bhutan: Land of the Thunder Dragon” led by Professor Thurman on Apr...

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Uncreated Mind : Buddhist Inner Sciences – Ep. 20

In this lecture, Professor Thurman explains the concept of non-duality, and that emptiness doesn’t mean we don’t have a mind. Emptiness means we have an uncreated mind—it has always been there and it can never be destroyed. What this means is that we’re already in nirvana, we’ve always been in nirvana, and we can’t leave nirvana. But we can fail to enjoy it for a really long time! This episode is an extract from a lecture given at Sacred Stream in Berkeley, California, on June 5, 2015. The...

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The Danger of “Just Meditate!” – Ep. 19

Professor Thurman discusses the potential dangers of cultivating an empty mind without also developing proper understanding of what emptiness is. Just meditating with our default understanding of reality can temporarily dampen our worries, but it won’t completely overcome them. The danger is that we’ll think we’re already enlightened, and lose the motivation to completely transform our whole experience into a Buddhaverse. “A true bodhisattva does not develop strong meditative prowess at the...

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Mahamudra Meditation : Buddhist Inner Sciences – Ep. 18

Robert A.F. Thurman gives advice to a group of students who have been learning the Mahamudra (great seal) meditation. This episode is an extract from a lecture given to students of the Nalanda Institute on April 16th. Advice on Mahamudra Meditation : Buddhist Inner Sciences 101 Episode 18 the Bob Thurman Podcast Photo of Robert A.F. Thurman at Tibet House US via Nalanda Institute. “Advice on Mahamudra Meditation : Buddhist Inner Sciences 101 Episode 18 the Bob Thurman Podcast is an excerp...

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Bob Thurman_Buddha and Yoga - Ep17.mp3

Buddha and Yoga : Buddhist Yoga – Ep. 17

In this episode Professor Thurman, Richard Freeman, and John Campbell compare and contrast the Hatha Yoga Pradipika and the Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp of the Five Stages. Bob and Richard discuss the opening verses of the Hatha Yoga Pradipika. Podcast includes a discussion of atman, raja yoga, mahasiddhas, bliss, and the channels/nadis of the body. Buddha and Yoga : Buddhist Yoga is an excerpt from “Buddha & the Yogis: The Vajra Body” given by Robert Thurman, Richard Freeman and Joh...

Talking to Those Who Depart Through Death – Ep. 16

Robert A.F. Thurman leads a prayer for those who died in the Nepal earthquakes from The Tibetan Book of the Dead. In the Tibetan view of the dying process, death is a gateway into a journey through a dream-like landscape (the bardo), that can take up to 49 days, and sometimes much longer, if the person has strong amount of unfinished business from the previous life. They are said to be aware of what the people formerly connected are thinking and saying, though they cannot communicate with t...

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Tsongkhapa : Father Philo & Mother Sophia – Ep. 15

Professor Thurman introduces the Essence of True Eloquence (drang nges legs bshad snying po), discussing his own personal experience encountering and translating the Tsongkhapa’s great work, and also Tsongkhapa’s own experience and doubts about composing the work. He elaborates on the role of Manjushri in influencing Tsongkhapa to eventually compose it, and in influencing those who would wish to study it, to understand it. Professor Thurman is reading from his own translation of the Essenc...

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Buddhism 101: How Vajrayana & Tantra Works – Ep. 14

Professor Robert A,F, Thurman draws from his book, Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp of the Five Stages for a discussion on the distinctions between Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana, delving into a discussion of Tantra, the creation stage and perfection stage; the extraordinary-ordinary mergers pertaining to basis, path and fruition; and the five stages of the Glorious Esoteric Community (Shri Guhyasamaja) — (1) body isolation, (2) speech isolation, (3) mind isolation, (4) clear light, and...