Bob Thurman Podcast:

Bob Thurman_How the Vajrayana and Tantra Works - Ep14.mp3

Meditation & Mistaken Guru Yoga with Gelek Rimpoche – Ep. 13

Introducing the Vimalakīrti Nirdeśha Sūtra, Gelek Rimpoche and Professor Thurman discuss mistaken relationships with Buddhist gurus and books, particularly in the West. They offer guidance for identifying a good guru and for maintaining a healthy relationship with the guru. In monastic Buddhism, the abbot is not a big boss and obedience is not a big virtue for the Buddhist monk or mendicant. In the Mahayana tradition, the spiritual friend is a teacher emphasizing how you have to get out the...

Bob Thurman_Mistaken Guru Yoga and Meditation with Gelek Rimpoche and Bob - Ep13.mp3

Buddhism 101: Reciting the Heart Sutra – Ep. 12

Buddhism’s Heart Sutra is recited at the start of teachings, events & as a blessing. In this podcast Robert AF Thurman leads a recitation of The Heart Sutra and gives an introduction to it’s history. Podcast concludes with Professor Thurman explaining how the practice of reciting The Heart Sutra is the key to understanding it’s teaching as a tool for mind transformation. “The Transcendent Wisdom Heart Sutra, known as The Heart Sutra in all Mahayana Buddhist countries, and The Heart of Wisd...

Buddhism 101 : Meditation + Realization – Ep. 11

Professor Thurman speaks one on one to a student about meditation practices, quiescence (pali: samatha, sanskrit: śhamatha), insight (pali: vipassanā, sanskrit: vipaśhyanā) and meditative realization (bhāvanā). Includes a discussion of the common misunderstandings of the three, and how to use them on the path to enlightenment. “All phenomena of samsara and nirvana come about through cause and effect. This is never fallacious, never false. When we understand this and, in addition, have the u...

Buddhism 101 : Meditation + Realization - Ep. 11

Professor Thurman speaks one on one to a student about meditation practices, quiescence (pali: samatha, sanskrit: śhamatha), insight (pali: vipassanā, sanskrit: vipaśhyanā) and meditative realization (bhāvanā). Includes a discussion of the common misunderstandings of the three, and how to use them on the path to enlightenment. To listen to more recordings from past programs with Robert AF Thurman at Tibet House US in New York City + Menla in Phoenicia, New York in the Catskills please consi...

Freedom of Asceticism: Buddha’s Free Lunch – Ep. 10

Introduction to the asceticism as created by the historical Buddha in the original mendicant community of male & female followers of his teachings. Robert A.F. Thurman discusses the difference between Theravada and Universal Vehicle (Mahayana) Buddhism, comparing the Nirvana aspiring mendicants and Enlightenment aspiring Bodhisattvas — the variances in their ways of thinking and the impacts they have on the societies they live among. Includes a discussion of the revolutionary & cultural dis...

Freedom of Asceticism: Buddha's Free Lunch - Ep. 10

Introduction to the asceticism as created by the historical Buddha in the original mendicant community of male & femal followers of his teachings. Professor Thurman discusses the difference between Theravada and Universal Vehicle (Mahayana) Buddhism, comparing the Nirvana aspiring mendicants and Enlightenment aspiring Bodhisattvas — the variances in their ways of thinking and the impacts they have on the societies they live among.

Lucid Dying : Buddhist Inner Sciences 101 – Ep. 9

Professor Thurman discusses the experiential and physical parallels between the process of sleep and the process of dying. He explains also the similarity between this experience and enlightenment, and how sleep yoga and death yoga can be used therefore on the path to enlightenment. This episode is an excerpt from recordings of a weekend retreat that Professor Thurman led at Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health in February 2015, titled “Living the Evolutionary Life: Through Death and Beyond.” I...

Lucid Dying: Buddhist Inner Sciences 101 – Ep. 9

Professor Thurman discusses the experiential and physical parallels between the process of sleep and the process of dying. He explains also the similarity between this experience and enlightenment, and how sleep yoga and death yoga can be used therefore on the path to enlightenment. This episode is an excerpt from recordings of a weekend retreat that Professor Thurman led at Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health in February 2015, titled “Living the Evolutionary Life: Through Death and Beyond.” I...

Lucid Dying: Buddhist Sciences 101 - Ep. 9

Professor Thurman discusses the experiential and physical parallels between the process of sleep and the process of dying. He explains also the similarity between this experience and enlightenment, and how sleep yoga and death yoga can be used therefore on the path to enlightenment. This episode is an excerpt from recordings of a weekend retreat that Professor Thurman led at Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health in February 2015, titled “Living the Evolutionary Life: Through Death and Beyond.” ...

Rebirth & Reincarnation Stories : Buddhism 101 – Ep. 8

In this podcast Robert Thurman discusses the motivational and inspirational value of examining rebirth stories first hand on the spiritual path no matter what one’s background is.  Providing examples from Non-Buddhist communities Professor Thurman details the process of dying, death and rebirth, and the contraindications found within our modern relationship with it. Podcast concludes with a discussion on the relationship that both Christianity and Materialism have with the idea of rebirth a...

Rebirth Stories : Buddhism 101 - Ep. 8

In this podcast Robert Thurman discusses the motivational + inspirational value of examining rebirth stories first hand on the spiritual path no matter what one's background is.  Providing examples from Non-Buddhist communities Professor Thurman details the process of dying, death and rebirth, and the contraindications found within our modern relationship with it. Podcast concludes with a discussion on the relationship that both Christianity and Materialism have with the idea of rebirth an...

Tibetan Uprising Day March 10th: My Appeal to the World – Ep. 7

In this podcast Robert A.F. Thurman discusses the significance of March 10th in Tibetan history & in the context of the English translation of Sofia Stril-Rever’s book, “My Appeal to the World”, which is a collection of transcripts of 50 speeches given by His Holiness The Dalai Lama on March 10th between 1961 and 2011, with commentary by Robert Thurman, published by Tibet House US. Professor Thurman further discusses the Tibetan Freedom rally in front of the United Nations this year, and el...

Tibetan Uprising Day March 10th : My Appeal to The World - Ep. 7

In this podcast Robert Thurman discusses the significance of March 10th in Tibetan history & in the context of the English translation of Sofia Stril-Rever’s book, “My Appeal to the World”, which is a collection of transcripts of 50 speeches given by His Holiness The Dalai Lama on March 10th between 1961 and 2011, with commentary by published by Tibet House US.   Professor Thurman further discusses the Tibetan Freedom rally in front of the United Nations this year, and elaborates on the ...

Universal Vehicle : Buddha, Einstein & Wittgenstein – Ep. 6

In this podcast Professor Thurman discusses the role of the Buddha, Einstein & Wittgenstein in modern philosophic perspectives & scientific methods.  Using humorous stories & close translation of Tibetan Buddhist texts Robert Thurman discusses the impossibility of objective reality, and the influential role of the subject in a relational object’s status. Continues with a discussion of why this is key to the path of transcendence in Universal Vehicle Buddhism (Mahayana). This episode is an ...

Royal Reason of Relativity: Buddha, Einstein & Wittgenstein – Ep. 5

Professor Thurman discusses the progression in theories of relativity in the west from Einstein to Wittgenstein, and shows how the Buddha set forth a perhaps more complete version of the same insight 2500 years earlier with what was later called “the royal reason of relativity. “ Podcast includes an introduction to emptiness, non-duality and the Buddha’s radical and blissful discovery. This episode is extracted from Professor Thurman’s Winter 2015 lecture series at Tibet House US  “Essenti...

Royal Reason of Relativity: Buddha, Einstein & Wittgenstein - Ep. 5

Professor Thurman discusses the progression in theories of relativity in the west, and shows how the Buddha set forth a perhaps more complete version of the same insight 2500 years earlier with what was later called “the royal reason of relativity. “ This episode is extracted from Professor Thurman’s Winter 2015 lecture series at Tibet House US  “Essential Tibetan Buddhism, and its Context in Tibet and the World.” To watch the full recordings from this + other past events please consider...

Nagarjuna’s Teaching of Evolutionary Skill & Biology – Ep. 4

In a reading of Nagarjuna’s Jewel Rosary (Ratnāvalī), Professor Thurman discusses the skillful paths of evolutionary action performed by body, speech, and mind, presenting that these paths of evolutionary actions shape an individual’s personal evolution or devolution in an evolutionary matrix similar to that of Darwin but, adding to it voluntary individual evolution through infinite multiple lives. This is an extract from Professor Thurman’s Spring 2013 lecture series at Tibet House US – t...

Nāgārjuna’s Teaching of Evolutionary Skill & Biology – Ep. 4

In a reading of Nāgārjuna’s Jewel Rosary (Ratnāvalī), Professor Thurman discusses the skillful paths of evolutionary action performed by body, speech, and mind, presenting that these paths of evolutionary actions shape an individual’s personal evolution or devolution in an evolutionary matrix similar to that of Darwin but, adding to it voluntary individual evolution through infinite multiple lives. This is an extract from Professor Thurman’s Spring 2013 lecture series at Tibet House US – ti...

The Truth of Bliss: No Genesis Nor Final Destination – Ep. 3

In this podcast Professor Thurman discusses the Buddhist Twelve Links of Relativistic Origination it’s perspectives on Bliss, Causation, Theism, Kingship, Ignorance, Emptiness & nirvana. Includes an introduction to David B. Gray’s Translation of “The Cakrasamvara Tantra (The Discourse of Sri Heruka) Śrīherukābhidhāna: A Study and Annotated Translation” Published by American Institute of Buddhist Studies, dialog with trip participants and an elaboration of the Buddhist concept of Bliss and i...

Buddhism 101: Buddhist Belief in Past & Future Life – Ep. 2

In this podcast Professor Thurman examines the modern scientific perspective on reincarnation (the Buddhist Belief in Past & Future Life), the work of Hermann von Helmholtz on the vital principle and their context within Western religious doctrine. Analyzing the idea of non-existence after death and prior to conception, Robert A.F. Thurman discusses the requirement to re-calibrate one’s understanding of life in order for the mind training practices of the Buddha to become useful.Buddhism 10...

Buddhism 101: Buddhist Belief in Past & Future Lives Ep. 2

In this podcast Professor Thurman examines the modern scientific perspective on reincarnation (the Buddhist Belief in Past & Future Life), the work of Hermann von Helmholtz on the vital principle and their context within Western religious doctrine. Analyzing the idea of non-existence after death and prior to conception, Robert AF Thurman discusses the requirement to re-calibrate one’s understanding of life in order for the mind training practices of the Buddha to become useful. Photo by ...

Bob Thurman Podcast Debut : My Early Years – Ep. 1

In the debut episode of the Bob Thurman Podcast Professor Thurman talks about his formative years & his own introduction to Buddhism. Includes personal stories about meeting Geshe Ngawang Wangyal a Kalmyk-Mongolian lama at his Tibetan Buddhist Learning Center Labsum Shedrub Ling in Central New Jersey in the 1960’s. Recorded at the 2014 Translation & Transmission Conference hosted by the Tsadra Foundation in Keystone, Colorado. In 2014 Tsadra Foundation launched a series of large-scale conf...

Bob Thurman Podcast Debut: My Early Years - Ep. 1

In the debut episode of the Bob Thurman Podcast Professor Thurman talks about his formative years & his own introduction to Buddhism. Includes personal stories about meeting Geshe Ngawang Wangyal  a Kalmyk-Mongolian lama at his Tibetan Buddhist Learning Center Labsum Shedrub Ling in Central New Jersey in the 1960’s. Recorded at the 2014 Translation & Transmission Conference hosted by the Tsadra Foundation in Keystone, Colorado. In 2014 Tsadra Foundation launched a series of large-scale co...