Essays on Buddhism
I have studied broadly from both the Western and Eastern traditions. My mind was deeply satisfied by the philosophy of Buddhism. I don’t have a strong formal practice right now but I continue to enjoy reading and exploring the teachings of Buddhists from throughout the world and the ages. Some of my essays are long and some are very short. I start with a question that interests me and see where it goes. They are essays in the true sense of the word - to try. I simply try to answer the question and see what happens.
I sometimes have a hard time answering even very basic questions about Buddhism. A recent study confirmed that if you take all forms of Buddhism into account, there is not a single practice or teaching that runs through them all. How is this possible? What is Buddhism really?
When people first meet Buddhism, they often feel that it’s approach to life is dark. If all life is suffering, how do we escape nihilism? Here, I present Buddhism as a response to nihilism, an authentic way forward.
Buddhism is often described as “beautiful in the beginning, beautiful in the middle and beautiful in the end?” What does this phrase mean and how does Buddhism’s starting point set us up for success?
In this essay, I explore the major differences between Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism