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 disruptive nature of structures supporting a class of life long dedicated practitioners of mind transformation, wisdom studies and material renunciation.
Professor Thurman concludes this podcast by framing the mendicant's asceticism to be a logical declaration of the interconnected, inter-relational nature of reality, "The Invention of the Americas: Eclipse of "the Other" and the Myth of Modernity" by Enrique Dussel & The Stamford Prison Experiment & with a "Mad Scientist" meditation.
Freedom of Asceticism: Buddha's Free Lunch Podcast Thumbnail by Andrea Kirkby via www.flickr.com.
In this questions and answers session Professor Thurman and Sharon Salzberg discuss the interconnected nature of emptiness, compassion, and loving-kindness and the use of...
Using the Guhyasamāja Tantra as a jumping off point Professor Thurman leads a discussion with Richard Freeman on the value of studying Esoteric philosophy...
Dr. Mark Epstein M.D. and Robert A.F. Thurman, in this two part podcast discuss the Buddhist & Alcoholics Anonymous perspectives on addiction, depression, and...
