Disseminating the Dhamma

This is a resource page, containing various articles I have written on Examiner about basic and advanced points of the Buddhist Dhamma. Please enjoy, and feel free to pass the links around!

The questions everyone asks about Buddhism After reading or hearing about some basic concepts, the same series of questions arise. In this article, I answer questions like: I’m pretty happy, I don’t feel like I suffer. Why should I bother trying to eliminate ignorance for something I can’t understand anyway? and Are you saying the ego is a bad thing?

What is karma really, and how does it work? Settling the myths and assumptions about ‘karma’ or ‘kamma’ once and for all. Teaser: It’s not fate.

Ego trip- Growing up human The intricacies and relationships of the development of ego is a fascinating subject, and far underrated by psychologists, teachers, parents, and Americans in general. this article is a step-by-step evaluation of this development and is by far my favorite work.

The ultimate question- Why are we here? Perhaps we are simply examining this from the wrong perspective- or rather, an unskillful perspective. This is a simplified version of the Buddhist view on the ultimate question.

Are there Buddhist “Commandments”? No, but the Eightfold Path and precepts are the guidelines Buddhists follow to learn how to live skillfully.

Is There a Buddhist Bible? While there is a book written in the last hundred years by this title, there is an amazing collection of texts for Buddhists to study. The basics are reviewed and the most popular explained (though it can take a lifetime to really understand).

What is consciousness? There are six consciousness bases, including mind- but in some systems there are more, and various stages of development. The basic six are explained in this article.

Buddhist Hell and reincarnation Here is a profile of the Six States of Existence that is pretty much universally agreed upon in Buddhism. Culturally, there is a LOT of variation about the afterlife amongst Buddhists.

Why should I meditate? For the ‘just curious’ crowd, or the experienced meditator. This may help you find or renew your inspiration and motivation to practice.

The Dependent Origination series The complex process of building and diminishing of various factors, which is exemplified by all change, arise together (dependent origination).

Buddhist MP3′s: Chants, Dhamma talks, and guided meditation Buddhist ‘Dhamma talks’ and other resources in MP3 format are fast becoming the best way to get your Dhamma fix in the modern age.