Bob Thurman Podcast: Buddhas Have More Fun! (Robert A.F. Thurman)

Opening this week’s episode with an introduction to the epic poem “Gita Govinda”, Robert Thurman uses the work of Jayadeva to guide listeners through the spiritual and linguistic history of India, Buddhist philosophy and the inner and outer yogic sciences.

Describing India as “the original melting pot”, Professor Thurman shares his personal reflections on the wise and compassionate perspectives and tools to be found in Buddhism on the global Corona pandemic, the climate crisis, political polarization, voter disenfranchisement and online social distancing that can empower those of any background, faith, or religious affiliation.

This episode includes: a short re-telling of the “Song of the Cowherd”, or the love story of Krishna and Radha, an in-depth exploration of the Four Noble Truths, the Eight Fold Path, and other essential concepts taught by the historical Buddha, easy to understand introductions of non-duality, karma and the subtle body systems of the inner mind sciences, and a teaching on the tenfold karmic evolutionary path found throughout Indian and Asian traditions.

This week’s episode concludes with an extended “Counting Your Blessings” guided meditation.

“Celebrating Love and Poetry During the Coronapocalypse” is a part of “Turning the Wheel of Time An Online Retreat” with Jai Dev Singh and Robert A.F. Thurman, now available online through the Life-force Academy. To learn more about this Seven Part Series, please visit: www.jaidevsingh.com.

Tracing the cultural and mythological history of solstice celebrations across the globe, Robert Thurman in his annual holiday message shares his positive vision for thriving even in the darkest of seasons, times and situations.

Examining the common practice of cultures centering winter and end of year holidays around the moment the north pole is farthest from the sun, Thurman opens this episode with a teaching on the astronomical, etymological and spiritual history of winter solstices for those of all backgrounds, faiths and traditions..

Podcast includes: an introduction to “The Edge of History” by William Irwin Thompson founder of Lindisfarne Association; a short exploration of Albert Schweitzer’s perspective on human and animal souls; discussion of the connections between the wise men visiting Jesus in the New Testament and the nomadic cultures of Asia; and a personal reflection on the lure of holiday marketing, consumerism, messiahs and messianic movements

This week’s episode concludes with a special invitation to “Envisioning 2021: Celebrate the New Year with Dharma, Yoga, Music, Meditation, & Astrology” hosted by Tibet House US Menla Online happening Dec 29th, 2020 – Jan 3rd, 2021.

Exploring the preciousness of America and its positive impact upon the digitally interconnected world, Robert A.F. Thurman discusses and provides a road-map for re-evaluating the complex historical relationship with indigenous and enslaved African peoples’ cultures and societies it was built upon.

Opening with a heart-to-heart message to his listeners about the impact of global pandemic safety precautions, Thurman gives a teaching on the inclusive nature of the Buddha’s non-violent movement and calls on all voting-aged citizens of the world to become engaged in the New Year.

Podcast includes: a discussion of the innovative nature of American arts, culture, and politics; a yogic perspective on the influence of Jazz, Rock and Roll and popular dance; an introduction to “The Edicts of Ashoka”; an extended exploration of the nature of corruption; the rise of fascism in Western democracies and the dangers of continued corporate political influence upon the Earth’s ecosystems.

Episode includes a call to action for the creation of a network of political lobbying groups for and by the rainbow of marginalized groups and peoples of America and for the immediate payment of reparations for Native and Black Americans.

This week’s episode includes with a special invitation to “Envisioning 2021: Celebrate the New Year with Dharma, Yoga, Music, Meditation, & Astrology” hosted by Tibet House US Menla Online happening Dec 29th, 2020 – Jan 3rd, 2021.

Crazy Horse National Monument image via www.unsplash.com.

In a conversation spanning the top of Mount Everest to the front-lines of parenting during a global Pandemic, Professor Thurman is joined by Kiri Westby for a dialog on human rights, activism and the history of Tibet and Tibetan Buddhist culture.

Opening with a discussion of Kiri Westby’s “Fortune Favors The Brave: An Extraordinary Memoir” and work with communities in Nepal, The Democratic Republic of Congo, Colombia, and in the United States, Robert Thurman uses her page turning book as guide, exploring the history of modern grassroots movements, feminism and the rise of second generation Buddhists in the West.

Recounting her part in the historic “One World, One Dream, Free Tibet” 2008 Beijing Olympics Protest action and her time spent in Chinese custody, Kiri Westby shares her perspective on the role of the individual and value of direct action, continuing education and community engagement in creating sustainable positive change.

Podcast includes: discussions of birth, re-birth and reincarnation and the history of Non-Violent political movements.

This podcast is apart of the Tibet House US Conversations series of dialogues between Bob Thurman & the leading hearts, minds & personalities bringing the ancient wisdom of Buddhism and Tibet into the modern mindful and compassionate revolution. The Tibet House US Menla Online (THUS MO) Conversations are produced through the generous support of it’s membership community and are a part of the digital member archive made available as a part of becoming a monthly supporter.

In this episode Professor Thurman is joined by actor and musician Jessica Pimentel for an intimate conversation on Buddhism, creativity and how they both discovered the Dharma growing up in and around New York City.

Jessica Pimentel is a practitioner of Tibetan Buddhism in the Gelugpa tradition and studied under the former abbot of Sera Mey Monastery, H.E. Sermey Khensur Rinpoche Lobsang Tharchin. She is also a graduate of the High School for the Performing Arts in New York City and the prestigious American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City, where she was a member of the professional acting company. She has traveled around the United States and Japan as both a classical violinist and lead singer of metal band Alekhine’s Gun. She was in the American Stage production of the Pulitzer prize winning play Anna in the Tropics and in the Shakespeare Theater’s production of a A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings adapted by Nilo Cruz.

This podcast is apart of the Tibet House US Conversations series of dialogues between Bob Thurman & the leading hearts, minds & personalities bringing the ancient wisdom of Buddhism and Tibet into the modern mindful and compassionate revolution. The Tibet House US Menla Online (THUS MO) Conversations are produced through the generous support of it’s membership community and are a part of the digital member archive made available as a part of becoming a monthly supporter.

Joined by dear friend and author Andrew Holecek during the introduction to their on-going online “Death and the Art of Dying” retreat series, Robert A.F. Thurman leads a dialogue exploring the materialist and spiritual perspectives on subtle states of consciousness before, during and after life.

Opening with a discussion of Charles Eisenstein’s essay “The Coronation” and the impact of the Covid-19 global pandemic, this episode is an all levels introduction to clear light and dream yoga, bardo states and the practical lessons passed down through the “Liberation Through Understanding in the Between: Tibetan Book of the Dead” teachings and by wisdom traditions across the ages.

Focusing on the transformational teachings of Buddhist inner sciences, Professor Thurman and Dr. Holecek share personal stories from their time studying Buddhism with His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, Dr Nida Chenagtsang,Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche, and Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, providing practical advice for anyone of any background, faith or religion.

Episode concludes with a guided Menla clear light sleep meditation.

Mindfulness, Responsibility and The Middle Way: Tibetan Book of the Dead with Andrew is excerpted from the “Journey into the Bardos of Life and Beyond” with Robert A.F. Thurman and Andrew Holecek introductory talk, originally broadcasted May 2020 from Phoenicia, New York. To learn more about the on-going “Death and the Art of Dying” Tibet House US Menla Online series, please visit: www.thusmenla.org.

Joined by Duncan Trussell, comedian and creative genius behind “The Midnight Gospel” animated series, Robert A.F. Thurman leads a deep dive into popular culture, science fiction, spirituality, and the wisdom of the Nalanda tradition as preserved and transmitted down through the ages by Tibet’s people, culture and inner sciences.

Opening with reflections on the Covid-19 pandemic, Professor Thurman and Duncan in this extended conversation, share stories, teachings and insights from their time on and off the stage and from their encounters with exceptional beings such as His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, Ram Das, their wives and families.

Episode includes: A discussion of the role of mentors and aspirational figures on the spiritual path, a short overview of the history of Tibet, Buddhism and mindfulness practice in the West, an introduction to non-duality, Buddhist inner mind sciences and a frank conversation on the historical use of mind and body altering substances found across world traditions.

Podcast includes a short “Consolation Prize” guided meditation led by Robert Thurman.

Andrew Holecek, author and expert on lucid dreaming and the Tibetan yogas of sleep and dream, joins Robert A.F. Thurman for another module in their on-going online “Death and the Art of Dying” retreat series, continuing their dialogue exploring the subtle states of consciousness before, during, and after life.

Opening with a discussion of Andrew’s perspective on lucid dreaming, this episode explores the bardo states, terminology of meditative states and the practical lessons passed down through the “Liberation Through Understanding in the Between: Tibetan Book of the Dead” teachings and by wisdom traditions across the ages.

Focusing on the transformational inner and outer yoga teachings and blissful states of everyday life, Thurman and Holecek share personal stories from their time studying, teaching and writing about Buddhism, providing practical advice for people of all backgrounds, faiths and religions.

The episode concludes with an interfaith “everyone loves enlightenment” teaching by Bob, plus recommendations for adapting the visualization practices, descriptions when reading the mis-titled “Tibetan Book of the Dead”.

Everyone Loves Enlightenment: Lucid Living, Dying and Dreaming is excerpted from the “Journey into the Bardos of Life and Beyond” with Robert A.F. Thurman and Andrew Holecek. This introductory talk was originally broadcasted May 2020 from Phoenicia, New York. To learn more about the on-going “Death and the Art of Dying” Tibet House US Menla Online series, please visit: www.thusmenla.org.

Led by author and mentor Dr. Nida, Robert A.F. Thurman journeys though the Medicine Buddha’s garden, exploring the tools, techniques and transformative technologies of Sowa Rigpa (Traditional Tibetan Science of Healing) as found in Mandalas, Buddhist Thangka iconography, and in the The Blue Beryl paintings.

Recorded during the annual Tibet House US | Menla New Year’s gathering, this episode is an extended teaching on Tanaduk-the Medicine Buddha’s Pure Land and the symbolism of Buddhist healing sciences intended for those of any background or tradition.

Opening with a short introduction to “The Four Tantras” the root text used by Traditional Tibetan Medical colleges, this episode includes: introductions to Mandala practice and creation, to Buddhist Sutras and Tantras and in-depth discussions of the specific imagery found within The Blue Beryl. Used as a memorization tools, The Blue Beryl: Atlas of Tibetan Medicine paintings were commissioned by the 5th Dalai Lama‘s Spiritual son Ghamtso Gyatso (1645-1705), and illustrate the physical symptoms, disease, treatment, medicinal herbs & plants used by Tibetan doctors.

To learn more about the work of Dr. Nida and Tanaduk, The Medicine Buddha’s Pure Land, please visit www.purelandfarms.com.

To enjoy the full video teaching, streamed January 3rd, 2020 as part of the Tibet House US | Menla Online virtual retreat “Envisioning 2021”, please visit: www.thusmenla.org.

Using the writings of Fintan O’Toole, Michelle Alexander and Heather Cox Richardson, Robert A.F. Thurman gives a teaching on the roots of the political, economic and environmental crises being faced by Americans and those in the developed modern world.

Opening with a discussion of Fintan O’Toole’s “To Hell with Unity” New York Review essay on the political dead lock being faced by President Biden, Professor Thurman explores the history of the Transatlantic Slave Trade, the economic underpinnings of the American Civil War, the legacy of the failed Reconstruction efforts afterwards in Jim Crow laws, mass incarceration and systemic racism.

Podcast Includes: An overview of Buddhist history and introduction to Buddhism’s inner sciences, a discussion of the need for Loyal Opposition in modern Democracies, an exploration of Constitutional originalism and textualism used by Conservative and Right-Wing politicians, and a recommendation of Michelle Alexander’s “The New Jim Crow” and on-going work of Heather Cox Richardson.

This episode includes a call to action for all individuals to develop their own innate wisdom and fierce compassion to stand up to division, inequality, erroneous statements, false claims and “fake news” when ever they are encountered. 

Robert Thurman welcomes Dharma pioneer, Author and founder of The Tara Mandala Retreat center Tsultrim Allione for an intimate and thought provoking conversation about their experiences studying, learning and teaching Buddhism.

Opening with an introduction to Tsultrim Allione’s “Wisdom Rising: Journey into the Mandala of the Empowered Feminine” Professor Thurman leds an exploration of her ground breaking work and of the female reincarnate Machig Labdrön tradition it arises from. This extended conversation includes stories from their time with H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama, H.H. the 16th Karmapa, Trungpa Rinpoche, Sapchu Rinpoche, Lama Thupten Yeshe, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Geshe Wangyal & Anam Thubten Rinpoche and from their many years of personal practice.

Podcast includes discussions of: Reincarnation, Re-Birth and the Rinpoche or Tulku system, the effect of the Chinese invasion of Tibet upon the availability and longevity of Tibetan Buddhist wisdom teachings, and of the central role of women within Tanta and in societies across the ages.

Episode concludes with a recommendation of the work and writings of Elaine Pagels and of “The Tara Tantra” Translated by Susan A. Landesman.

Audio Updated: April 29th, 2021

Continuing his conversation with Dharma pioneer and author Tsultrim Allione, Robert Thurman leads an in-depth discussion of esoteric Buddhism and the central role of the feminine and of women in carrying the Buddha’s teachings into the 21st Century.

Opening with an exploration of Yab Yum & Yum Yab iconography, this podcast includes personal reflections on translating and practicing Dzogchen and Vajrayana.

Episode concludes with a recommendation of the work and writings of Elaine Pagels and of “The Tara Tantra” Translated by Susan A. Landesman.

This podcast is a continuation of “A Tibet House US Menla Conversation with Tsultrim Allione & Bob Thurman” – Episode 258 of the Bob Thurman Podcast. To enjoy the full converation, please visit: www.bobthurman.com

In this first part of their extended conversation Robert Thurman and His Holiness the Second Kalu Rinpoche share personal stories from their years of studying and practicing Buddhist Vajrayana meditation exploring the impact of Tibetan Buddhism in exile and the global influence of the Buddha’s teachings of wisdom & compassion.

To enjoy the full video please visit: www.bobthurman.com.

In this second part of their extended conversation Robert Thurman and His Holiness the Second Kalu Rinpoche share personal stories from their years of studying and practicing Buddhist Vajrayana meditation exploring the impact of Tibetan Buddhism in exile and the global influence of the Buddha’s teachings of wisdom & compassion.

To enjoy the full video please visit: www.bobthurman.com.

In this inspiring talk recorded at Menla Retreat and Dewa Spa in Phoenicia, New York Robert A.F. Thurman discusses the importance of happiness in every day life, in spiritual traditions and it’s central place in the life, work and vision of His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama of Tibet.

Robert A.F. Thurman is joined in this episode by Non-Sectarian Vajrayana Master Khentrul Jamphel Lodrö Rinpoche for a dialog on everyday spirituality and the value of practicing and preserving the esoteric traditions of Tibetan Buddhism.

Opening with a recommendation of Khentrul Rinpoche’s “The Realm of Shambhala A Complete Vision for Humanity’s Perfection” Professor Thurman interviews the third incarnation of the Kalachakra adept Ngawang Chözin Gyatso about his personal experiences as a reincarnate Tulku teaching and leading the inspiring non-sectarian movement of Buddhism down under in exile in Australia.

Podcast includes: a short overview of Kalachakra translations and practice, an introduction to the myth and symbolism of the Kingdrom of Shambhala, a discussion of Bodhichitta and the difficulty of translating Western materialist concepts of spirituality, religion and creator gods into Tibetan.

In this episode Robert Thurman share’s his thoughts on the First Turning of the Wheel of Dharma, the holiday celebrations that mark the occasion of the Buddha’s initial public teachings and the inherent fun and friendly nature of the wisdom and compassion found in the Four Noble Truths.

Recorded on Chokhor Duchen to celebrate the Buddha’s Heart Sutra or Prajnaparamita teaching, The Four Noble Truths they contain, and the launch of Professor Thurman’s new book “Wisdom Is Bliss: Four Friendly Fun Facts That Can Change Your Life” Available from Hay House on August, 3rd, 2021.

This episode explores the Four Noble Truths as a joyful exploration into the nature of reality through Buddha’s threefold curriculum of “super-education” and the Eight Fold Path.

From the book:

“Buddha had to be an educator, rather than a prophet or religion founder, since he had achieved his goal of exact and complete understanding of reality by using reason, experiments to open his own mind, and vision to do so. From his own experience, he could help [others] as a teacher by streamlining the process. He could not just transplant his realization into their minds. They could not get their own realizations just by believing whatever he said. He could only provide them with a prospect of full realization along a path of learning and experiencing they could follow-they would have to travel on their own.

This book is your invitation to travel that same road. Deeply felt and bracingly direct, it doesn’t teach about the teaching-it is the teaching. Get ready to get real, and have fun along the way, as you chart a path to reliable, lasting happiness.”

To learn more about “Wisdom is Bliss”, Available as a Kindle E-Book and in hardcover through Hay House, Please visit www.bobthurman.com.

Four Fun Friendly Facts: Four Noble Truths Thumbnail via www.himalayanart.org.

In this extended episode, Professor Thurman is joined by Ayurveda pioneer, author and translator Dr. Robert E. Svoboda for an in-depth dialog on the inner and outer yogic sciences and their experiences studying with Indian, Tibetan and Himalayan adepts, yogis and scholars.

The podcast includes: an exploration of the history of holistic healing in the West and its relationship to Yoga, Ayurveda and Tibetan Medicine; a discussion of the interrelationship of Vajrayana, tantra and the ancient wisdom traditions of India, Tibet, China, Japan, and South East Asia; and personal stories from their encounters with His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Yeshi Dhonden, Geshe Wangyal, and the Aghori Vimalananda.

Dr. Robert E. Svoboda is the first Westerner ever to graduate from a college of Ayurveda and be licensed to practice Ayurveda in India. During and after his formal Ayurvedic training Robert was tutored in Ayurveda, Yoga, Jyotish, Tantra and other forms of classical Indian lore by his mentor, the Aghori Vimalananda. The author of more than a dozen books, including the bestseller “Ayurveda: Life, Health and Longevity and Ayurveda for Women”, he lived in India for more than a decade, after which he has continued to spend much of each year there and in other lands.

To learn more about the work and teachings of Dr. Robert Svoboda, please visit his website: www.drsvoboda.com.

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.” It is a continuation from last week’s episode, titled “Rebirth Stories“.

Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health is a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to empowering people and communities to realize their full potential through the transformative wisdom and practice of yoga.

To learn more about Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health + about upcoming events with Robert AF Thurman please visit: www.kripalu.org.

“Inner science focuses on the soul, spirit, and mind as embodied in the physical body in its environment. It is not simply a name for religious mind control through belief and ritual. It develops various theories but is primarily an experimental science, proceeding by contemplative observation of the mind, senses, emotions, and intellectual faculties. Its laboratory is the mind-body complex itself, as well as the whole range of mental states experienced in waking, dreaming, sleep, meditative trance, and even out-of-body, virtual reality situations. Its technology is yoga, the yoking of conscious attention to empirical exploration, transformative discovery, and healing modification.”

Robert A.F. Thurman

This podcast is apart of the Buddhist Inner Sciences 101 Podcast Series taken from the Bob Thurman & Tibet House US archives which are intended to provide an introduction to the yogic, meditative & theoretical practices of the tradition. These recordings are intended to be general overviews & one should be studying with a qualified teacher before attempting or engaging in the practices.

In this fast paced teaching recorded at the New York Open Center, Professor Thurman introduces the Buddha’s teachings through an exploration of Buddhist Mandalas and their counterparts across history and in Western culture.

Opening with an overview of the architecture used in the design of Buddhist Tantric mandalas Robert Thurman uses personal stories, popular culture and world history to demystify the intricate tools of inner and outer transformation they contain.

“Mandala is an ancient Sanskrit word meaning “sacred circle that protects the soul.” It also refers to the sacred cosmograms that serve as core symbols of all cultures. Westerners have been fascinated for centuries about the mandalas of the Hindu-Buddhist cultures of Asia, most often painted geometric diagrams of great beauty and sophistication, that draw the viewer into a realm of balance, harmony, and calm. But such diagrams are actually architectural blueprints of the purified realm of bliss that we can only realize through enlightenment. They represent three-dimensional spaces of personal and communal exaltation, palaces for the regal confidence of love, compassion, and universal satisfaction of self and other. Understanding their role in anchoring the world-picture of a culture or a person provides a new insight into the “mandalas” of our own culture – the national space anchored by the Washington monument and its environs, or the personal cosmological space anchored by the models of the solar system, the DNA double-helix molecule, and the atom.”

-Robert A.F. Thurman

This episode is an excerpt from “World Mandala” by Robert A.F. Thurman, Available via www.betterlisten.com.

Dr. Eric Rosenbush has devoted his life to the study of the traditional sciences of Asia, their botanical treasures, ancient texts and living transmissions. For over 20 years, he has studied with masters of Tibetan, Chinese, and Ayurvedic medicines, and currently maintains a clinical practice in California. Eric frequently teaches courses on Sowa Rigpa and other ancient sciences in many locations around the world, and translates medical texts from the Tibetan and Sanskrit languages.

Under Dr. Nida Chenagtsang and other senior Tibetan doctors in the US and Asia, Eric learned the practice of Sowa Rigpa, Traditional Tibetan medicine. In addition to Masters and Doctoral university studies in acupuncture and Chinese medicine, Eric studied with senior practitioners working with classical traditions of Chinese herbal medicine and pulse diagnosis. He also lived in India for many years, studying and practicing Ayurveda, Jyotish, and Hindustani music.

In additional to clinical practice and teaching, Eric is also involved with various charitable projects, directing the Ngakmang Foundation, a nonprofit organization working in Tibet to preserve the lineage of Ngakpas – Tibetan yogis, supporting Sowa Rigpa education in Nepal, and other projects in the Himalayan regions. In 2006 with Dr. Nida he founded what would become the Sorig Institute of Tibetan Medicine in the San Francisco Bay Area. From 2015, Eric mostly lived in tropical and alpine areas of India, working with the Dunagiri Foundation cultivating threatened medicinal plants and treating patients.

For more information about Eric please visit: www.gunanatha.com.

Spiritual disciplines often seen remote from the realities of our daily lives. Yet there is a Mahayana Scripture which presents a model of enlightened practice in the midst of urban living, the Vimalakirti Sutra. This teaches a nondualistic wisdom and reconciliation of dichotomies. It challenges ordinariness and reveals systematic and effective ways of tapping higher potentials while upholding one’s usual responsibilities and enriching long-term relationships.

Robert Thurman examines one of the most sacred texts of Mahayana Buddhism, The Vimalakirti-nirdesha Sutra. To any Buddhist practitioner, particularly those of Vajrayana Buddhism and Zen, this sutra is of the utmost importance. Unlike most sutras, its central figure is not a Buddha, but an ordinary man, who, in his mastery of the doctrine and religious practice, personifies the ideal lay believer, assuring commoners that they can reach levels of spiritual attainment comparable to those accessible to monks. The sutra teaches, among other subjects, the meaning of non-duality Thurman discusses the background of the sutra, its place in the development of Buddhist thought, and the profundities of its principal doctrine: emptiness.

This episode is an excerpt from “The Yoga of Ordinary Living” by Robert A.F. Thurman, Available via www.betterlisten.com.

In this episode Robert Thurman is joined by Tenzin Metok, founder of the Medicine Buddha App, which allows you to book online consultations with Tibetan doctors and wellness practitioners.

Through THUS | Menla’s sponsorship, this app will allow you to make donations to directly sponsor the medical training of aspiring Tibetan doctors at the Men-Tsee-Khang in India!

Men-Tsee-Khang is the largest and oldest Tibetan Medical & Astro-science Institute, established in Tibet by HH the XIII Dalai Lama in 1916 and re-established by the XIV Dalai Lama in India in 1961.

To educate each doctor it costs $5000, plus $500 in administrative and other fees. When you choose to use the Medicine Buddha app you are supporting a 100% Tibetan employed team and helping to expand the influence and reach of Tibetan culture internationally.

We thank you for your generous support, if you cannot donate, please share this podcast episode and download the free ap.

Every share, download, mention and donation helps!

Opening with a reading of the mind expanding descriptions of the multitude of Gods, Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Divine Creatures found in “The Vimalakirti Sutra”, Robert Thurman gives a concise teaching on the nature of Dharma as taught by Shakyamuni Buddha.

“The Vimalakirti Sutra teaches a nondualistic wisdom and reconciliation of dichotomies. It challenges ordinariness and reveals systematic and effective ways of tapping higher potentials while upholding one’s usual responsibilities and enriching long-term relationships.

Robert Thurman examines one of the most sacred texts of Mahayana Buddhism, The Vimalakirti-nirdesha Sutra. To any Buddhist practitioner, particularly those of Vajrayana Buddhism and Zen, this sutra is of the utmost importance. Unlike most sutras, its central figure is not a Buddha, but an ordinary man, who, in his mastery of the teaching and spiritual practice, personifies the ideal lay believer, assuring commoners that they can reach levels of spiritual attainment comparable to those accessible to monks. The sutra teaches, among other subjects, the meaning of non-duality Thurman discusses the background of the sutra, its place in the development of Buddhist thought, and the profundities of its principal teaching: emptiness.”

In The Garden of Amrapali: Buddhism and the Multiverse is excerpted from “The Yoga of Ordinary Living” by Robert A.F. Thurman, Available via www.betterlisten.com.

Using “The Vimalakirti Sutra” as a guide Robert Thurman gives an introduction to the historical Buddha’s insight into the blissful nature of reality and to the practical tools of positive transformation found through out his teachings.

“In this passionate, incisive, and often hilarious joyride of the mind and spirit, Thurman explores: mindful communities as “enlightenment factories” and how they have sparked “inner” revolutions throughout history; the Buddha’s philosophy of life, liberty, and the pursuit of real happiness; how compassion and nonduality spur social action; the vision of sacred texts for the future of humanity; and much more.”

Podcast includes a short history of the Three Vehicles of Buddhism and to the Four Noble Truths.

Recorded during the San Francisco Zen Center’s Buddhism at Millennium’s Edge year long series, Millennial Consciousness: Bliss & Buddhaverses – Ep. 271 of the Bob Thurman Podcast is excerpted “Making the World We Want” by Robert A.F. Thurman, Available via www.audible.com.

In this episode Robert Thurman invites all sensitive beings to explore the Buddha’s discovery of the interrelated blissful nature of reality through a close line reading of The “Dharmacakrapravartana Sutra” or First Turning of the Wheel of Dharma.

Podcast includes an in-depth exploration of the eight-fold fold path and four noble truths, an introduction to Professor Thurman’s book “Wisdom Is Bliss: Four Friendly Fun Facts That Can Change your Life” and his “Vajra Yoga Practice Through the Buddha’s Three Vehicles: 18 Week Immersion” presented by the Yoga Space and Tibet House US | Menla Online.

From the course description:

“During the days of Patāñjali, the Buddhist mendicant and lay Sangha Community was omnipresent in his neighborhood, as witnessed by the many practices and concepts shared by the Buddhist Sutras and his own amazing, famous Yoga Sutra.

Understanding the essence of the Buddha’s practical teachings and their contributions to the universal values based on the general Indian Inner Science (adhyātmavidyā) enables today’s yogi/nīs to connect to Patāñjali’s wisdom, more easily integrating its vision with the compassionate mindset it automatically unfolds. It also helps contextualise the teachings of the Great Adepts (mahāsiddha) of India, the many non-sectarian master yogi/nīs of Buddhism, Jainism, Shaivism and Vaishnavism.

Fully aligned with His Holiness’s the Dalai Lama commitments in life, this course will show how practical the Buddha’s teachings are, how closely they relate to the wisdom of yoga, and how compassion can be an effective and efficient tool in re-building contemporary societal structures.

This Master Class will support the teachings in the Teacher Training course and allow an inclusive exploration of spirit, mind, and body yoga to develop true inner wisdom and help on the path to enlightenment.

This is an extensive 18 Week Fall/Winter course, which will include guided meditative talks and transmissions from Tenzin Bob on the inner wisdom found in the Individual, Universal, and Vajra Clearlight Vehicles of Buddhism. It can be also be taken as a stand-alone introduction to the advanced Vajra Yoga course sequence.

Course includes 12 seminal talks and guided meditations on each vehicle, accessible on Mondays and Wednesdays, paralleled by concise readings, for students to meditate on and study the yogic insights on each level. Students will meet each Thursday with Tenzin Bob for a Live Zoom Q&A.

To learn more about this online offering, please visit: www.bobthurman.com.

The Four Noble Truths & Buddha’s Three Vehicles with Robert Thurman photo by Raimond Klavins.

Opening the imaginative gateways using the miss-titled “Tibetan Book of the Dead” as his guide, Robert Thurman in this episode gives a teaching on the Buddhist perspective on the origins of the universe, emptiness, and selflessness.

Using stories from his time teaching at Columbia & Amherst Universities, and from his time studying with Geshe Wangyal, Tara Tulku, and His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Bob Thurman discusses the value of developing critical wisdom, intuition and compassion and supportive behavior during the death process and in our daily lives.

Starting with defining what a Buddha is from a Non-Buddhist perspective, podcast includes a guided meditation on emptiness and an in-depth examination of causality.

“Chicken and the Egg: Bardos, Buddhas and Buddhist Cosmology”  – Ep. 273 of the Bob Thurman podcast was recorded during the on-going Tibet House US | Menla Online “Bardo” teachings with Andrew Holecek, available via www.teachable.com.

To learn more about Robert A.F. Thurman’s classic retreat audio recordings, please visit www.soundstrue.com or new audio book version of “Liberation Through Understanding in the Between: Tibetan Book of the Dead” by Penguin Audio, please visit: www.bobthurman.com.

Chicken and the Egg: Bardos, Buddhas and Buddhist Cosmology Photo via www.gratisography.com.

In this heart centered conversation spanning from the remote Arctic communities of Norway to the compassionate wisdom contained in everyone, Robert Thurman is joined by author and explorer of inner and outer landscapes, Laura Galloway, to discuss the creative inspiration of interdependence found in nature, our world and in every day relationships.

Opening with a recommendation of Laura’s book “Dálvi: Six Years in the Arctic Tundra“, Robert Thurman leads a dialog exploring the value of contemplation, study, writing, and why supporting the remaining nomadic cultures of Tibet, Mongolia, Russia, and Scandinavian is vital to planetary survival in the face of the climate crisis.

Drawing inspiration from their time studying languages, time spent communing with nature through hiking, wilderness exploration and animal care giving, Bob and Laura in this podcast explore the rich traditions of the Sámi, The First Peoples of Canada, and the indigenous cultures of Tibet and the Americas.

To learn more about “Dálvi: Six Years in the Arctic Tundra“, and the work of Laura Galloway, please visit: www.authorlauragalloway.com.

Opening with a recommendation of “Spiritual Practice for Crazy Times” by Philip Goldberg, Robert Thurman in this episode sits down with its author for a far ranging discussion on Western Spirituality, Meditation, climate change, Paramahansa Yogananda, and Tibet’s Fourteenth Dalai Lama.

In this episode Robert Thurman and Philip Goldberg share reflections on: the San Francisco Renaissance, the effect of the counter culture of the 1950s on modern spirituality and stories from their time in India, and lessons from studying Buddhist and Transcendental meditation.

Podcast Includes a discussion of the 75th publication anniversary of Paramahansa Yogananda’s “Autobiography of a Yogi“, a short history of The Esalen Institute and the value of personal study and reading to any spiritual tradition or path of transformation.

Episode concludes with an extended dialogue on the connections between Buddhism, Vedanta, and writings of the Transcendentalist and Beat Poets, and the Dalai Lama’s Four Aims in Life.

Philip Goldberg is the an author, public speaker and workshop leader; a spiritual counselor, meditation teacher and ordained Interfaith Minister. A Los Angeles resident, he co-hosts the Spirit Matters podcast, leads American Veda Tours, conducts online courses and workshops, and blogs regularly on Elephant Journal and Spirituality & Health.

To learn more, please visit: www.philipgoldberg.com.

In this episode Robert Thurman shares an inspirational message of gratitude, compassion and hope for listeners of all faiths, backgrounds, and situations.

Opening with an introduction to the Bodhisattva’s Path, Professor Thurman gives an extended teaching on generosity using his book “Wisdom Is Bliss: Four Friendly Fun Facts That Can Change Your Life”, detailing its connection to political and personal activism, ethics, ecology, and creative expression.

Podcast includes: A discussion of nature of dictators, fascism and materialism, a recommendation of the work of Heather Cox Richardson, and an invitation to discover the blissful, interconnected and interdependent nature of reality through everyday acts of kindnesses.

Using the sixth and eighth chapters of Shantideva’s “A Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life” as a guide Professor Thurman in this episode gives a teaching on the development of compassion and explores the interrelated history of Buddhism, Hinduism and of the Bhakti yogic wisdom traditions of India and the Himalayas.

Recorded during the “Devoted to Wisdom” in-person and online gathering with Krishna Das this episode opens with a question from Nina Rao about Thurman and the Padma Shri civilian award of the Republic of India given to him by the President of India for his lifelong exploration of the teachings of Buddhism, Hinduism and Shantideva.

Podcast includes an extended guided meditation on the practice of loving-kindness and the equal exchange of self and other.

Illustration from “Shantideva: How to Wake Up A Hero” by Dominique Townsend & Tenzin Norbu by Wisdom Publications. All rights reserved, Used with Permission.

This episode is an excerpt from “Devoted to Wisdom: Celebrating Buddhism and Bhakti Wisdom Online Retreat” with Robert Thurman & Krishna Das. To enjoy the full digital offering, please visit: www.thusmenla.org.

Beginning this episode with a reading from “The Tibetan Book of the Dead: The Great Book of Natural Liberation Through Understanding in the Between” Professor Thurman uses his translation as a guide to the rich spiritual and emotional tools found in the end-of-life traditions of Asia and in the Vajrayana sciences and practices of India and Tibet.

Podcast includes: an invocation of and teaching on the greatly compassionate beings found Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and globally in the indigenous traditions of the Shamans, an introduction to the subtle body system of the yogic sciences for transmuting the three poisonous addictions, an overview of the eight dissolution states of death and their relationship to birth and life, sleep and dream yogas, and a discussion of the inter-relationship of particle physics, quantum entanglement, emptiness, and the psycho-physical experiences of bliss.

Episode concludes with an in-depth explanation of the channels, winds and drops of the subtle body and mind as taught in esoteric Buddhism, as in the mis-titled “Tibetan Book of the Dead”.

Hey Noble Ones: Jesus, Avalokiteshvara and All Buddhas – Ep. 279 of the Bob Thurman podcast was recorded during the on-going Tibet House US | Menla Online “Bardo” teachings with Andrew Holecek, available via www.teachable.com.

To learn more about Robert A.F. Thurman’s classic retreat audio recordings, please visit www.soundstrue.com or new audio book version of “Liberation Through Understanding in the Between: Tibetan Book of the Dead” by Penguin Audio, please visit: www.bobthurman.com.

Sharing insights from his study of “The Flower Ornament Sutra” and his exploration of the Bhakti devotion tradition with Krishna Das, Robert Thurman gives a teaching on the value of generous, selfless intention when developing spiritual understanding and compassionate abilities using the body, breath, and mind through regular yoga study and practice.

Opening with the Dalai Lama’s four aims in life and an introduction to the Vajra Yoga teacher training, this episode includes: an everyday, middle way approach to stress and anger for those of any background, a short history of the Nalanda Tradition, and an in-depth exploration of the connections between Shantideva’s “Guide to the Bodhisattva Way of Life” and the Bhagavad Gita.

Podcast also includes: a discussion of the evolution of the terminology and understanding of karma, moksha and of the self-identifiers of those in Buddhist communities and students of the yogic inner sciences of transformation, an overview of Buddhist Tantra and its relationship to Hinduism, Vedanta, and Shamanism, and a teaching on the non-dual discovery of the blissful nature of reality by Buddha and enlightened beings across all time and traditions.

The Vajra Yoga series of trainings is an intensive online and in-person program that includes study and contemplation of traditional texts and practices from Indian and Tibetan traditions, including but not limited to The Yoga Sutras of Patañjali and selected Pāli Suttas, and the Vimalakirti and Flower Ornament Sutras, the Bhagavad Gita and the Hatha Yoga Pradipika and the Mañjushrī-nāma-saṁgītī, the Tibetan Book of the Dead, and various works by Nāgārjuna, Paadmasambhava, Naropa, Yutok Yonten Gonpo, Jey Tsong Khapa and the Dalai Lama.

To learn more about this on-going offering, please visit: www.thusmenla.org.

Bridging Body, Mind & Breath with Yoga Wisdom – Ep. 280 of the Bob Thurman Podcast Image via www.himalayanart.org.

In this episode Robert Thurman is joined by fellow Tibetan language translator, author, and inner-science adventurer, Dr. David Kittay for a conversation on bliss, everyday ethics, contemporary Buddhism, the Eightfold Path, and the Four Noble Truths.

Opening with an introduction of Professor Kittay and his translation of The Vajra Rosary Tantra, Dr. Thurman uses his Wisdom Is Bliss: Four Friendly Fun Facts book as a roadmap for an exploration of their work together presenting and preserving Tibetan Culture through their teachings at Tibet House US, Menla Retreat and Dewa Spa, Columbia University and during time spent teaching general audiences across New York City and the world.

Dr. David Komodo Kittay teaches philosophy, religion, and technology at Columbia, where his courses are called life changing, translates exoteric and esoteric Buddhist texts, serves as a Tibet House US Board member, and founded The Harlem Clemente Course for the Humanities at the Drew Hamilton Houses on 143rd St. His latest publication is The Vajra Rosary Tantra, available from Wisdom Publications.

A Tibet House US | Menla Conversation with David Kittay – Ep. 281 of the Bob Thurman podcast was recorded at the Tibet House US Menla Online hybrid talk “Wisdom Is Bliss” with Robert Thurman and David Kittay, December 2021 in New York City.

To watch the full video version and to learn about upcoming events with Dr. David Kittay, please visit: www.thus.org.

Image by Amanda Sage. All Rights Reserved via www.amandasagecollection.com.

In this episode Robert Thurman gives a teaching on impermanence and the power of contemplating one’s mortality to inspire action, nurture gratitude, transform relationships, and prioritize what truly matters.

Opening with a refutation of Buddhism as a life-rejecting philosophy, this podcast includes a short explanation of the Buddha’s “supreme contemplation” with guided meditations on embracing transience and death and an exploration of how considering death to be a good thing can help simplify life and re-set your priorities.

The podcast also includes: an overview of the concept of reincarnation as understood across traditions, an introduction to the Buddhist perspective on emptiness and the interconnected, blissful nature of reality, a recommendation of the work, writings and teachings of Andrew Holecek, and a personal invitation to their on-going “Death and the Art of Dying Bardo” series of online teachings via Tibet House US | Menla Online at www.thusmenla.org.

This episode is an excerpt from Bob’s talk, “Facing Death to Come Fully Alive in the New Year” recorded with Andrew Holecek during the Tibet House US | Menla New Year’s gathering. To watch the full video discussion, please visit: www.teachable.com.

To learn more about Robert A.F. Thurman’s classic retreat audio recordings, please visit www.soundstrue.com or new audio book version of “Liberation Through Understanding in the Between: Tibetan Book of the Dead” by Penguin Audio, please visit: www.bobthurman.com.

“Supreme Contemplation: Facing Death to Come Fully Alive” Podcast Photo via www.gratisography.com.

In this episode Robert Thurman shares personal stories and a historical perspective on the life, work and writings of Thich Nhat Hanh.

Opening with the Buddhist perspective on death and the bardo states outlined in the “The Tibetan Book of the Dead: The Great Book of Natural Liberation Through Understanding in the Between” this episode of the Bob Thurman podcast includes: a short history of non-violent philosophy and social action, an explanation of the central role of Thich Nhat Hanh’s personal interactions and friendships with Christian Theologians were to modern culture and interfaith dialog, and a discussion of the importance of monastic communities to the sustainability of traditions in the West and to the development of any new forms of a future American Buddhism.

Episode concludes with a humorous story of Thich Nhat Hanh’s time visiting Columbia University in New York City with a group of happy monks and a timeless guided gratitude meditation and contemplation of peace by Professor Thurman.

Thich Nhat Hanh – Podcast Photo of Teaching children to read and write using a song about the Bodhisattva of Great Compassion, Early 1960s via Plum Village, All Rights Reserved.

To lean more about the life and work of Thich Nhat Hanh please visit: www.plumvillage.org.

“Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh was a global spiritual leader, poet, and peace activist, renowned for his powerful teachings and bestselling writings on mindfulness and peace. A gentle, humble monk, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. called him “an Apostle of peace and nonviolence” when nominating him for the Nobel Peace Prize. Exiled from his native Vietnam for almost four decades, Thich Nhat Hanh was a pioneer bringing Buddhism and mindfulness to the West, and establishing an engaged Buddhist community for the 21st Century.”

Opening with a question by Traditional Tibetan medicine pioneer, author and fellow popularizer of the Buddhist inner and outer sciences, Dr. Nida Chenagtsang, Professor Thurman explores the delicate translation of mind science terminology and details the Five Aggregates as taught by the historical Buddha.

This podcast includes a recommendation of the work and teachings of Dr. Nida, personal reflections on translating and practicing Dzogchen and Vajrayana, and concludes with an in-depth explanation of the Five Aggregates.

Dr. Nida Chenagtsang is a traditional Tibetan physician and lineage holder of the Yuthog Nyingthig, the unique Vajrayana Buddhist spiritual healing tradition of Tibetan Medicine. He has published several books and articles on Tibetan medicine, meditation, and yoga, and his extensive research and revival of ancient Tibetan healing methods has earned him great acclaim in both East and West. Founder and Medical Director of the Sowa Rigpa Institute: School of Traditional Tibetan Medicine; Co-Founder of the International Ngakmang Institute, established to preserve and maintain the Rebkong ngakpa non-monastic yogi/ini culture within modern Tibetan society; and Co-Founder of Pure Land Farms: Center for Tibetan Medicine, Meditation and Rejuvenation in Los Angeles, California. In addition to his work as a physician, he trains students in Sowa Rigpa and the Yuthog Nyingthig tradition in over forty countries around the world.

Dzogchen’s Great Perfection & The Five Aggregates – Episode 284 of the Bob Thurman Podcast was recorded during Tibet House US | Menla’s “The Great Connection: The Mahāsandhi Supreme Yoga of Dzogchen’s Great Perfection” online course with Dr. Nida Chenagtsang and Robert A.F. Thurman, available via www.thusmenla.org.

Recounting his early days studying with Geshe Ngawang Wangyal, Robert Thurman in this episode gives a teaching on practicing meditation and the Buddhist perspective on mindfulness through a close line reading of the The Mahāsatipatthāna Sutta.

The four focuses of mindfulness in the sutta are the body, the sensations, the mind, and the mental objects, among which the last is the longest and most elaborated. In addition to meditating as directed, many of the elements used by the Buddha to aim and structure the meditations, such as the five aggregates, the eighteen elements, and the twelve sense-mediums, need to be explained and incorporated in mind, in order to be able to meditatively follow the guidance effectively.

“My Early Years: Exploring The Mahāsatipatthāna Sutta – Episode 285 of the Bob Thurman Podcast was recorded during Tibet House US | Menla’s “Mindfulness & the Mahayana: An In-Depth Exploration of the Mahasatipatthana Sutta” online course with Sharon Salzberg and Robert A.F. Thurman, available via www.thusmenla.org.

In this special episode, Robert Thurman pays tribute to the heroic citizens of Ukraine and their president Volodymyr Zelenskyy during the invasion and attempted occupation by Russia.

Celebrating President Zelenskyy’s former career as a comedian, Robert Thurman makes a call to action for a world with more leaders with humor – and joy- based artistic and creative backgrounds, interconnecting recent world history, modern politics, climate science and the common sense compassion-based teachings of Buddha and all spiritual traditions.

This episode includes a recommendation of Bill Mckibben’s recent article in The Guardian, an introduction to Buddhist history, cosmology, meditation practice and the concept of enlightenment, a discussion of mother earth as Bodhisattva, and a deep dive into the absolute and the relative.

It concludes with a teaching on the Buddhist and philosophical perspectives on: joy, love, bliss, and the infinite possibility of creating compassionate communities worldwide through developing inner and outer peace.

Ukraine, Russia & The Buddha’s Wisdom – Ep. 286 of the Bob Thurman podcast photo by Elena Mozhvilo on Unsplash.

In this extended podcast Robert A.F. Thurman discusses the significance of March 10th in Tibetan history, it’s connections to the Ukraine and gives a teaching on the historical Buddha’s perspective on conflict and engaging in defensive wars.

Opening with a deep dive into the historical context of the invasion of Tibet, Thurman details the mouse trap laid out by China in 1959 which led directly to His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama and the Tibetans fleeing into exile in India.

This episode concludes with an in-depth exploration of the qualities of ethical enlightened beings and Bodhisattvas and a call to action for solidarity for Tibet, Ukraine, Russia, China and the world’s democracies for dealing with the rise of petrol-based oligarchies fueling climate change.

Bodhisattvas & The Buddha On Defensive Wars: Remembering Tibet & The Ukraine – Ep. 287 of the Bob Thurman “Stand with Ukraine” Podcast image by Students for a Free Tibet.

In this episode Robert Thurman discusses the world premiere of the film “Never Forget Tibet: The Dalai Lama’s Untold Story”, happening worldwide March 31st, as well as the historical connections to the current Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The feature-length documentary from Compassionate Films will celebrate its world premiere in partnership with Fathom Events on March 31 at 800 participating theaters across the US. The date of the world premiere is very significant, as March 31 is the 63rd anniversary of the Dalai Lama’s escape from occupied Tibet in 1959.

The World Peace Prayer starts at 6.30pm for the special opening ceremony, prayers and short films, which will set the scene for what promises to be a powerful cinematic event unlike any seen before. Never Forget Tibet will premiere at 7pm.

To learn more about “Never Forget Tibet: The Dalai Lama’s Untold Story”, please visit: www.neverforgettibet.com

In this extended episode, recorded at Menla during the online conference “The Art of Dying and Living: An Exploration of Life, Death, and the Afterlife”, Robert Thurman shares insights and lessons from his study of Buddhism and translation of the mis-titled “Tibetan Book of the Dead”.

Joined by Eben Alexander, Sierra Campbell, Dr. Nida Chenagtsang, Deepak Chopra, Terri Daniel, Joan Halifax, Andrew Holecek, Lucy Kalanithi, Jussara Korngold, Simcha Raphael, Richard Martini, Gabor Maté, Frank Ostaseski, Mingyur Rinpoche, Therese Schroeder-Sheker, Alberto Villoldo, Henry Fersko-Weiss, and Jessica Zitter, this online event explores ancient and modern understandings of the art of dying and living through the lenses of different traditions, including Tibetan and Zen Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Judaic, and Shamanic.

To learn more about this historic event and to enjoy the study at your own pace archive course, please visit: www.thusmenla.org.

In this episode Tibet House US | Menla President & Co-Founder Robert A.F. Thurman sits down for a heart-centered talk about Buddhist perspectives on the environment, Earth Day and the importance of rallying the modern environmental movement’s understanding of the too often overlooked crisis on the Tibetan plateau, the Hindu Kush, and the Himalayas, known as “the Third Pole,” due to its containing the world’s largest collection of glacial ice after the Arctic and Antarctic poles.

The Third Pole crisis comes from the ice melting four to six times faster than other global overheating sites, due to widespread mismanagement and exploitation, threatening the water resources flowing down the Yellow, Yangtse, Mekong, Irawaddy, Brahmaputra, Ganges, and Indus rivers, among others, the lifelines of over a billion people during long dry seasons between annual monsoons

Using personal anecdotes, statistics from Al Gore’s Climate Reality Project, as well as insights from the historical Buddha’s teachings and life story, Thurman weaves an inspiring call to action for intelligent beings of all faiths, backgrounds, political beliefs and stances.

This podcast includes: an extended re-telling of the Buddha’s enlightenment under the Bodhi tree, introductions to the histories of Earth Day, The Climate Reality Project and Tibet House US | Menla, as well as simple ways anyone, anywhere can employ to shift their perspective to begin making a difference both in their own lives and in their communities.

The episode concludes with an invitation to the Third Pole Hybrid Online & In-Person Conference, happening in the Fall of 2022 at Menla Retreat and Dewa Spa as well as a frank discussion on the importance of direct engagement and democratic participation in saving the planet for this and all future generations.

About Earth Day:

Every year on April 22, Earth Day marks the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970.

In the decades leading up to the first Earth Day, Air pollution was commonly accepted as the smell of prosperity. Until this point, mainstream America remained largely oblivious to environmental concerns and how a polluted environment threatens human health.

However, the stage was set for change with the publication of Rachel Carson’s New York Times bestseller Silent Spring in 1962. The book represented a watershed moment, selling more than 500,000 copies in 24 countries as it raised public awareness and concern for living organisms, the environment and the inextricable links between pollution and public health.

Senator Gaylord Nelson, the junior senator from Wisconsin, had long been concerned about the deteriorating environment in the United States. Then in January 1969, he and many others witnessed the ravages of a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. Inspired by the student anti-war movement, Senator Nelson wanted to infuse the energy of student anti-war protests with an emerging public consciousness about air and water pollution. Senator Nelson announced the idea for a teach-in on college campuses to the national media, and persuaded Pete McCloskey, a conservation-minded Republican Congressman, to serve as his co-chair.

They recruited Denis Hayes, a young activist, to organize the campus teach-ins and they chose April 22, a weekday falling between Spring Break and Final Exams, to maximize the greatest student participation.

Text via the official Earth Day website: www.earthday.org.

To learn more about The Climate Reality Project, please visit:

In this episode Robert Thurman opens with a recitation from Shakespeare’s play “Macbeth” to set the stage for an impassioned discussion of the global climate crisis, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the recent horrendous direct action protest by Wynn Bruce in front of the the U.S. Supreme Court.

Bob discusses the historical and philosophical context of the use of offering one’s body via fire to raise awareness, a positive reading of the symbolism of the yellow and blue of the Ukrainian national flag, the color use in Buddhist meditation practices and artistic iconography, and gets into the deep topic of nihilistic ideologies and their support of the way scientific materialist thought fuels the rapid industrial destruction of our planet’s life-sustaining environment. He also shares a humorous reevaluation of the MAGA acronym.

This podcast concludes with an extended discussion of the under-reported and mostly ignored-by-the-mainstream-media body-immolation by climate activist Wynn Bruce, providing simple tools and teachings to remain positive during the many challenges individuals, communities and entire countries are facing all around them.

In this episode Robert Thurman leads a close line reading of the sixth chapter of “The Holy Teachings of Vimalakirti”, giving an all-levels teaching on the inconceivable nature of the Buddha’s enlightenment, Buddhist emptiness and the nature of love as taught throughout Buddhism.

Using personal stories from his time teaching in academia and studying with His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, Thurman reflects on the way that emptiness creates a space for love and compassion to flourish. This episode also includes an examination of the the term “womb of compassion” as found in Nāgārjuna’s “Jewel Rosary” connecting Buddha’s revolutionary physical discovery of emptiness/relativity with the wisdom that empowers the positive emotions of selfless love and compassion.

The Vimalakirti Sutra’s Inconceivable Liberation chapter (#6) is said to be a drop from the ocean of this multilevel set of presentations by the Buddha and many bodhisattvas, in which he demonstrates his permeation of the enlightened cosmos and the glory of the bodhisattva realms. For any Buddhist practitioner, particularly those of Vajrayana Buddhism and Zen, this Vimalakīrti-nirdesha Sūtra. is of the utmost importance. Unlike most sutras, its central figure is not a buddha, or even a monk, but an ordinary man, who, in his mastery of the teaching and spiritual practice, personifies the ideal human being, assuring regular people that they can reach levels of spiritual attainment comparable to those accessible to monks. The sutra opens the door to the meaning of non-duality. Thurman discusses the background of the sutra, its place in the development of Buddhist thought, and the profundities of its principal teaching: emptiness the womb of compassion.

“To any Buddhist practitioner, particularly those of Vajrayana Buddhism and Zen, this sutra is of the utmost importance. Unlike most sutras, its central figure is not a Buddha, but an ordinary man, who, in his mastery of the teaching and spiritual practice, personifies the ideal lay believer, assuring commoners that they can reach levels of spiritual attainment comparable to those accessible to monks. The sutra teaches, among other subjects, the meaning of non-duality. Thurman discusses the background of the sutra, its place in the development of Buddhist thought, and the profundities of its principal teaching: emptiness.”

-Text from “The Yoga of Ordinary Living”

Inconceivable Liberation and The Womb of Compassion – Ep. 292 is excerpted from “The Yoga of Ordinary Living” by Robert A.F. Thurman, Available via www.betterlisten.com.

“We are empty of any isolated essence, of any non-connected essence.We are free of such non-connected, isolated, alienated essence. That is what it means. Enlightenment is realizing that freedom at the deepest level. And therefore, enlightenment is realizing our inexorable interconnectedness. The vast space of reality is nothing but the surface of the interrelations of all things. All of the interconnected things are the reality of emptiness. Therefore emptiness, voidness, freedom are the womb of compassion, the sensitivity and will that refuses to accept anyone’s suffering, that automatically wills everyone’s happiness.

Emptiness is the womb of compassion, means that in realizing emptiness we are free of the illusion that we have carried from the beginning of time that I am the one.”

-Robert Thurman

Womb Realm Mandala, Shingon Tantric Buddhist school, Heian period (794-1185), Tō-ji, Kyōto, Japan, via www.wikipedia.org.

In this episode Robert A.F. Thurman gives a historical introduction to Buddhism, it’s creation, development and refinement in Tibet using the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment teachings and the text “Guru Puja,” or “The Devotion to the Mentor” by the Fourth Panchen Lama.

Opening with a discussion of the nature of spiritual retreats, Thurman in this episode presents an all levels overview of the Buddhist path, enlightenment and a short presentation of the life story of the Buddha.

“Tibetans call their cherished tradition of Buddhism a wish-fulfilling jewel tree for its power to generate bliss and enlightenment within all who absorb its teachings. This path to enlightenment, it is taught, requires more than a sitting meditation practice alone. With “The Jewel Tree of Tibet”, honored scholar and teacher Robert Thurman brings these insights to you as they were meant to be transmitted through the spoken word.”

– Text from “The Jewel Tree of Tibet”

This episode is an excerpt from “The Jewel Tree of Tibet: The Enlightenment Engine of Tibetan Buddhism” 12-Part audio retreat by Robert Thurman, available from www.soundstrue.com.

The Jeweled Treasure of Tibet: An Introduction & Overview of Buddhism – Ep. 293 of the Bob Thurman Podcast Image of Lobzang Chokyi Gyaltsen, The Fourth Panchen Lama via www.himalayanart.org.

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 episode Robert Thurman gives an impassioned and direct call to action for Americans to immediately address the decades of school shootings and senseless gun violence happening across the country, highlighting the forces behind the political deadlock preventing sensible legislation as well as simple direct democratic ways of creating a safer and better future for those on both side of the debate.

Opening with a discussion of the Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde, Texas, Thurman uses the statistics and background provided in Heather Cox Richardson’s Substack.com newsletter as a jumping off point to detail the history behind the dark money and organizations preventing sensible gun law reform in America.

This episode includes discussions of: the lack of loyal opposition in America’s two party system, the history behind Grover Norquist’s Taxpayer Protection Pledge and the Americans for Tax Reform political lobbying organization, the Buddhist perspective on fierce compassion and non-violence, an eye-opening explanation of the rise of fascism in modern America, and a recommendation of “Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right” by investigative journalist Jane Mayer.

The episode concludes with a heartfelt cheerful and vigorous plea for mass media consumers to see through the persuasive propaganda delivered via right wing and conservative news channels like Fox News and ways to counter the “big lie” technique originally developed by Joseph Goebbels and leveraged by the Nazi party in Germany.

“Gun Violence in America: A Buddhist Perspective” Podcast Thumbnail by Andrii Koval, via www.shutterstock.com, All Rights Reserved.

In this message celebrating the full moon day of celebration of the birth, enlightenment and passing of the historical Buddha, Professor Thurman gives an extended teaching on how Saka Dawa is celebrated by Tibetans across the world.

Saka Dawa, named for the star, Vishakha, prominent during the fourth month in the Tibetan lunar calendar, is almost the same as the Theravadin observance of Vesak. It is considered the most sacred month for remembering the great achievement of Shakyamuni Buddha in the 6th BCE century (earlier in the Tibetan calendar). H. H. the Dalai Lama and all Tibetan Buddhist monks and laity celebrate this holiday.

In this podcast Thurman gives an overview of the Buddhist holiday, a detailed accounting of the Buddha’s Enlightenment as revealed by Indian Buddhist Sanskrit literature and Tibet’s yogic tradition, and an explanation of the global impact of his wise compassionate teachings across history in modern culture.

Using the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment teachings and the text “Guru Puja,” or “The Devotion to the Mentor” by the Fourth Panchen Lama, Robert A.F. Thurman leads listeners through the practice of “taking refuge”, giving an in-depth teaching on the three jewels of Buddhism and how the lessons of the historical Buddha can transform and improve the life of any sensitive being, no matter their background, faith or religious association.

Opening with a line-by-line reading of the “Refuge Prayer” recited at the start of Buddhist teachings and practices, Thurman explains the nature of faith and how to develop one’s compassion and inner wisdom through the study of Buddha Dharma and the Buddha’s life story.

This episode includes a short history of Buddhism in India & Tibet and an extended Jewel Tree Refuge guided meditation.

“Tibetans call their cherished tradition of Buddhism a wish-fulfilling jewel tree for its power to generate bliss and enlightenment within all who absorb its teachings. This path to enlightenment, it is taught, requires more than a sitting meditation practice alone. With “The Jewel Tree of Tibet”, honored scholar and teacher Robert Thurman brings these insights to you as they were meant to be transmitted through the spoken word.”

– Text from “The Jewel Tree of Tibet”

This episode is an excerpt from “The Jewel Tree of Tibet: The Enlightenment Engine of Tibetan Buddhism” 12-Part audio retreat by Robert Thurman, available from www.soundstrue.com.

Taking Refuge Under the Jewel Tree of Tibet – Ep. 296 of the Bob Thurman Podcast Refuge Field Image via www.himalayanart.org.

In this episode Robert A.F. Thurman discusses the ongoing effects of the Trump presidency on American civil rights, constitutional protections, health care, women’s reproductive access, and sensible gun laws, as well as the Buddha’s revolutionary redefinition of Dharma.

Opening with a discussion of the writings and work of Patrick Olivelle, Thurman gives a traditional Buddhist Dharma teaching on the interconnected blissful nature of reality, exploring the nurturing and transformative qualities of seeing the world as it actually is and the potential of all beings to end suffering through wisdom and compassion as the historical Buddha did.

This podcast includes recommendations of Kim Stanley Robinson’s hard science fiction book, “The Ministry of the Future”, and Heather Cox Richardson’s Substack.com newsletter as starting points for understanding the current climate crisis and the history behind the political roadblocks to sustainable change in America and by modern democracies.

This episode concludes with a four-point plan by Thurman for dealing with America’s current social and political chaos, the rise of fascism, and to transform the corrupting influences of oligarchies and petro-paths.

Opening with a detailed definition and explanation of the Tibetan terminology used for the Dalai Lama, Robert Thurman gives a close line reading of “Song of Immortality: Prayer for the Long Life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama” using the text to give a teaching on the history of the Avalokiteshvara great compassion Bodhisattva reincarnation tradition and on its importance to our modern global society.

Recorded to celebrate the 87th Birthday of Tenzin Gyatso, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, Thurman begins with a linguistic exploration of the title of Dalai Lama to give an introduction to the rich history and culture of Tibet, of Buddhism and of the gods and divine pantheon used in the art and spiritual teachings of wisdom and compassion in Buddhist philosophy.

Song of Immortality Prayer for the Long Life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama

OM May all be well!

O our gurus, and your line of lamas, for whom we have the deepest gratitude, You who are the repository of the three: secret powers of body, speech, and mind of innumerable buddhas, Who manifest in a miraculous way to each devotee according to his capacity, To you, who are the wish-fulfilling gems, the source of all virtues and good qualities, We offer our prayers with intense devotion That our protector of the great land of snows, Tenzin Gyatso, upholder of the Dharma, the great ocean, May he live for a hundred eons. Pour on him your blessings That his wishes may come true!

The dharmadhatu, the inexpressible reality, which pervades all things like the heavens, Immaculate, full of great bliss and transcendental wisdom, Manifests like a cloud the numberless abodes of the higher divinities, The mandalas of the heavenly beings. To all the higher forms of the divine ones, the yidams. We offer our prayers with intense devotion That Tenzin Gyatso, protector of the great land of snows, May live for a hundred eons. Pour on him your blessings That his wishes may come true!

O you numberless buddhas of the past, present, and future, Who are the masters of the ten powers and teachers of the gods, Whose attributes of perfection, free from defilements and born of realization, Are the source of the buddha-activity Which appears for all time in the ocean of the suffering of the world For the sake of all sentient beings. To you we offer our prayers with intense devotion That Tenzin Gyatso, protector of the great land of snows, May live for a hundred eons. Pour on him your blessings That his wishes may come true!

O sacred Dharmas of the three yanas That liberate us from the sufferings of the three worlds, Supremely calm, the jewel treasure of the fully enlightened ones, Without impurities, unchanging, eternally good, the peak of virtues, To you we offer our prayers with intense devotion That Tenzin Gyatso, protector of the great land of snows, May live for a hundred eons. Pour on him your blessings That his wishes may come true!

O all you arya Sangha, awakened and unsullied, Of highest valor in conquering the suffering of the wheel of life, With the transcendental wisdom that directly intuits the deeper truth Never departing from the indestructible vajra abode of nirvana, To you we offer our prayers with intense devotion That Tenzin Gyatso, protector of the great land of snows, May live for a hundred eons. Pour on him your blessings That his wishes may come true!

In this episode Robert A.F. Thurman uses the Mahāsatipatthāna Sutta, the Buddha’s direct instructions on practicing meditation and developing mindfulness, as a gateway to give a teaching on the intersection of Buddhism & Psychotherapy and the Buddhist perspective on non-duality.

Joined by Dr. Mark Epstein, Thurman discusses the Mahāsatipatthāna Sutta’s connection to the Heart Sutra, the four focuses of mindfulness, the legacy of Wilhelm Reich, the practice of circumambulation of stupas and sacred sites, and the concept of the “good enough mother” as presented by D.W. Winnicott.

The four focuses of mindfulness in the sutta are the body, the sensations, the mind, and the mental objects, among which the last is the longest and most elaborated. In addition to meditating as directed, many of the elements used by the Buddha to aim and structure the meditations, such as the five aggregates, the eighteen elements, and the twelve sense-media, need to be explained and incorporated in mind in order to be able to meditatively follow the guidance effectively.

This podcast includes an in-depth exploration of Nirvana and the terminology used by Buddhist translators and concludes with a guided mindfulness meditation by Robert A.F. Thurman. “Mindfulness & The Mahasatipatthana Sutta – Ep. 299” podcast photo of Mueang Chiang Mai, Thailand by Robert A.F. Thurman from 2019 GeoEx Trip, All Rights Reserved.

Recorded and streamed online live from Tibet House US in New York City on March 22, 2019, this podcast is an excerpt from the “Force For Good” class series available as part of the Tibet House US | Menla Member Archives. To listen to the first half of this talk with Dr. Mark Epstein, please visit: www.thusmenla.org.

Opening with a meditation on the Greek myth of Atlas, the Titan condemned to hold up the earth, heavens and sky for eternity, Robert Thurman gives a teaching on the power of letting go and developing self compassion in meditation in order to change our relationship to our mind, our thoughts and to the world around us.

This episode includes a short overview of the Buddhist perspective on spiritual evolution, instructions on developing the transcendent attitude as taught in the Tibetan Lam Rim tradition, and an introduction to the seven limbs of communion or ways to connect with jewel refuge tree, and it concludes with an extended guided Jewel Refuge Tree meditation.

“Tibetans call their cherished tradition of Buddhism a wish-fulfilling jewel tree for its power to generate bliss and enlightenment within all who absorb its teachings. This path to enlightenment, it is taught, requires more than a sitting meditation practice alone. With “The Jewel Tree of Tibet”, honored scholar and teacher Robert Thurman brings these insights to you as they were meant to be transmitted through the spoken word.”

– Text from “The Jewel Tree of Tibet”

This episode is an excerpt from “The Jewel Tree of Tibet: The Enlightenment Engine of Tibetan Buddhism” 12-Part audio retreat by Robert Thurman, available from www.soundstrue.com.

Atlas, Buddha & Letting The World Go: The Jeweled Treasure of Tibet Episode 300 of the Bob Thurman Podcast Image of Atlas via www.shutterstock.com.

In this episode Robert Thurman discusses his early years studying Buddhism with the Kalmyk-Mongolian lama Geshe Ngawang Wangyal at the Tibetan Buddhist Learning Center Labsum Shedrub Ling in central New Jersey, meeting his wife Nena von Schlebrügge at Millbrook, and his encounters with psychedelic psychonauts Timothy Leary and Ram Dass in the 1960s.

Using his classic book The Life and Teachings of Tsongkhapa (now available in a new edition by Wisdom Publications), Thurman discusses emptiness, non-duality, the myth of the Kali Yuga and coming of Shambhala, reincarnation and the Buddhist perspective on the soul.

This episode is excerpted from Thurman’s “Meditation and Psychedelics Series” interview with Dr. Philip Wolfson, MD. To learn more about the work of Dr. Wolfson and to watch the full talk, please visit: www.philwolfsonmd.com & www.youtube.com.

Opening with a short introduction to the first two stages of the Lam Rim (Path to Enlightenment), the preciousness of human life endowed with liberty and opportunity, and awareness of the immediacy of death, Robert Thurman gives a teaching on the inexorability of the cause and effect of evolutionary action.

This episode includes a recommendation of “Be Here Now” by Ram Dass and an in-depth exploration of non-duality, karma, causation and the Buddha’s evolutionary theory of biology.

“Tibetans call their cherished tradition of Buddhism a wish-fulfilling jewel tree for its power to generate bliss and enlightenment within all who absorb its teachings. This path to enlightenment, it is taught, requires more than a sitting meditation practice alone. With “The Jewel Tree of Tibet”, honored scholar and teacher Robert Thurman brings these insights to you as they were meant to be transmitted through the spoken word.”

– Text from “The Jewel Tree of Tibet”

This episode is an excerpt from “The Jewel Tree of Tibet: The Enlightenment Engine of Tibetan Buddhism” 12-Part audio retreat by Robert Thurman, available from www.soundstrue.com.

The Truth of Karma & Being Here Now Under The Wish Fulfilling Jewel Tree of Tibet – Ep. 302 of the Bob Thurman Podcast Image of Atlas via www.shutterstock.com.

In this episode Robert A.F. Thurman is joined by Machiel Klerk, social entrepreneur, licensed mental health therapist, international speaker, dream worker, author, and founder of the Jung Platform, an organization focused on providing quality programs for personal development from a soul-centered perspective.

Using Machiel Klerk’s book Dream Guidance: Connecting to the Soul Through Dream Incubation, published by Hay House as a jumping off point, Machiel and Thurman in this episode engage in a discussion of lucid dreaming, dream yoga and how one from any faith, religion or background can explore one’s creativity and transform one’s relationship to their subconscious and to the world around them through mindfulness and compassion. Machiel’s recent book emerges as a must-read to pursue these amazing experiences and skills for one’s own spiritual growth.

Podcast includes an exploration of the Buddhist concept of the soul, emptiness and the nihilistic materialism driving the climate crisis.

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 underlying, sustaining support of our aiming at inherent existence fall apart, then we have entered the path pleasing to the Buddhas.

When we understand voidness, we will no longer have cognition aimed at inherent existence. In this way, the basis for these mistaken cognitions to arise – their sustaining support, which is our grasping for inherent existence – will have fallen apart or disappeared.

When we have gained understanding of renunciation, bodhichitta and voidness, through the power of listening to correct teachings on them and then thinking about and analyzing them until we gain conviction their meaning, we then need to devote ourselves single-pointedly to meditating on and realizing them.

We need to do with great joyous perseverance as the famous masters of the past have done, for instance the well-known Milarepa (Mi-la Ras-pa), the great Gyalwa Ensapa (rGyal-ba dBen-sa-pa) and his spiritual sons, Kedrub Sanggye Yeshe (mKhas-grub Sangs-rgyas ye-shes), Tsongkhapa’s close disciple, Ngawang Dragpa, and so on. Then we can reach the immemorial goal of enlightenment.”

HH Dalai Lama

This “Meditation & Realization” podcast is apart of the ‘Buddhism 101’ Series using classic teachings from Robert Thurman to elucidate basic concepts of the tradition.

The Heart Sutra is one of the most profound and widely studied texts in the Buddhist canon. It is recited at the start of teachings, events & as a blessing. In this podcast Robert A.F. Thurman leads a recitation of The Heart Sutra and gives a teaching for all audiences on its connections to the Four Noble Truths and the Buddha’s Eight Fold Path of liberation.

Professor Thurman begins this podcast with an explanation of the Heart Sutra focusing on the the dialog between Shāriputra and Avalokiteśvara in the Buddha’s samadhi field, and it’s connection to Clear Light, Bliss, Relativity and how one can avoid absolutism when thinking about emptiness.

Podcast concludes with Professor Thurman explaining how the practice of reciting The Heart Sutra is the key to understanding its teaching as a tool for mind transformation. He also offers a reading of a passage introducing Samantabhadra Bodhisattva from the third book of The Flower Ornament Sutra, translated by Thomas Cleary.

“The Transcendent Wisdom Heart Sutra, known as The Heart Sutra in all Mahayana Buddhist countries, and The Heart of Wisdom in Tibet, is a concise expression of the profound vision of reality that is the root of liberation from suffering. Tibetan religious all know this by heart and chant is solemnly at the beginning of every ceremony. In addition to a prescription for enlightenment, they consider it the most powerful exorcism, purifier, and developer of merit as well of wisdom.”

Robert A.F. Thurman from Essential Tibetan Buddhism

Professor Thurman’s translation of the Heart Sutra can be found in his book, Essential Tibetan Buddhism, on page 171, under the chapter heading, “Practicing the Liberating Wisdom” though it has evolved a bit since then.

Opening with a guided “Jewel Tree” meditation, Robert Thurman gives an introduction to the Buddhist concepts of bodhisattvas, bodhichitta–the spirit of becoming perfectly awakened–and to the role of motivation in Buddhism and in everyday interactions.

Using the classical imagery of the covered, leaky and poisoned vessels, Thurman gives a teaching on the qualities needed to be an open-minded, determined and well-intended student of Buddha Dharma and of life.

“Tibetans call their cherished tradition of Buddhism a wish-fulfilling jewel tree for its power to generate bliss and enlightenment within all who absorb its teachings. This path to enlightenment, it is taught, requires more than a sitting meditation practice alone. With “The Jewel Tree of Tibet”, honored scholar and teacher Robert Thurman brings these insights to you as they were meant to be transmitted through the spoken word.”

– Text from endorsement of “The Jewel Tree of Tibet”

This episode is an excerpt from “The Jewel Tree of Tibet: The Enlightenment Engine of Tibetan Buddhism” 12-Part audio retreat by Robert Thurman, available from www.soundstrue.com.

Opening with an introduction to the two kinds of Bodhichitta, Robert Thurman gives an in-depth teaching on wisdom, compassion, love and their connection to the Buddhist understanding of emptiness.

This podcast includes a discussion of nirvana and the emanation body (nirmanakaya) which is the form of the Buddha that appears in the world to teach people the path to liberation.

The episode concludes with an introduction to the Seven-Fold Precept of Mother Recognition and The Exchange of Self and Other and an extended Jewel Tree guided meditation using both.

“Tibetans call their cherished tradition of Buddhism a wish-fulfilling jewel tree for its power to generate bliss and enlightenment within all who absorb its teachings. This path to enlightenment, it is taught, requires more than a sitting meditation practice alone. With “The Jewel Tree of Tibet”, honored scholar and teacher Robert Thurman brings these insights to you as they were meant to be transmitted through the spoken word.”

– Text from endorsement of “The Jewel Tree of Tibet”

This episode is an excerpt from “The Jewel Tree of Tibet: The Enlightenment Engine of Tibetan Buddhism” 12-Part audio retreat by Robert Thurman, available from www.soundstrue.com.

Developing Bodhichitta – The Spirit of Enlightenment: Tibet’s Wish Granting Jewel Tree – Ep. 306 Photo by Prakash Y via www.unsplash.com

In this episode Robert Thurman re-tells Shakyamuni Buddha’s life story and gives an in-depth teaching on the nature of enlightenment for those of all backgrounds, faiths and traditions.

“Robert Thurman’s Basic Buddhism is a collective series of five lectures he has given on Buddhism. In these lectures, Thurman patiently takes apart each jewel of Buddhism: the Buddha as the teacher of enlightenment, the Dharma as the teaching, or enlightenment itself, and the Sangha as the historical and current community of learners seeking to become Buddhas.”

-Text From Better Listen Basic Buddhism

This episode is an excerpt from the Better Listen “Basic Buddhism” Audio Course. To learn more and to enjoy the full recording, please visit: www.betterlisten.com.

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 Wisdom in Tibet, is a concise expression of the profound vision of reality that is the root of liberation from suffering. Tibetan religious all know this by heart and chant is solemnly at the beginning of every ceremony. In addition to a prescription for enlightenment, they consider it the most powerful exorcism, purifier, and developer of merit as well of wisdom.”

Robert A.F. Thurman from Essential Tibetan Buddhism

Professor Thurman’s translation of the Heart Sutra can be found in his book, Essential Tibetan Buddhism, on page 171, under the chapter heading, “Practicing the Liberating Wisdom.”

Buddhism 101: Reciting the Heart Sutra – Episode Twelve of the Bob Thurman Podcast Heart Sutra Puzzle Photo by Yu-Chan Chen via www.flickr.com.

This podcast is apart of the ‘Buddhism 101’ Series using classic teachings from Robert Thurman to elucidate basic concepts of the tradition.

This episode is an extract from a lecture that Professor Thurman gave at Tibet House US on April 15th, 2015, as part of a lecture series there titled, Essential Tibetan Buddhism, And its Context in Tibet and the World.

To watch + listen to more recordings of past events with Robert AF Thurman please consider becoming a Tibet House US member. Learn about joining the Tibet House US Membership Community with a monthly tax-deductible donation by visiting: www.tibethouse.us.

Full Access starts at $2 a month.

The song ‘Dancing Ling’ by Tenzin Choegyal from the album ‘Heart Sutra‘ (2004) by Ethno Super Lounge is used on the Bob Thurman Podcast with artist’s permission, all rights reserved.

Opening with a guided “Seven Limbs of Practice” meditation Robert Thurman in this episode gives an all levels teaching on the Four Noble Truths and the transformational practice of the exchange of self for others or Lojong.

Episode includes an explanation of the yoga of positive evolutionary action and how acting transcendentally and shift our understanding of reality and emotional interrelationship with all beings, friend, foe, and neutral ones.

Concludes with an overview of the Bodhisattva vow as taught by Shantideva for those of all backgrounds, faiths and traditions.

“Tibetans call their cherished tradition of Buddhism a wish-fulfilling jewel tree for its power to generate bliss and enlightenment within all who absorb its teachings. This path to enlightenment, it is taught, requires more than a sitting meditation practice alone. With “The Jewel Tree of Tibet”, honored scholar and teacher Robert Thurman brings these insights to you as they were meant to be transmitted through the spoken word.”

– Text from endorsement of “The Jewel Tree of Tibet”

This episode is an excerpt from “The Jewel Tree of Tibet: The Enlightenment Engine of Tibetan Buddhism” 12-Part audio retreat by Robert Thurman, available from www.soundstrue.com.

Mind Reform: Becoming the Engine of Happiness for All – Ep. 308 via www.shutterstock.com.

Opening with guided meditation on searching for the self, Robert Thurman gives a teaching on self, selflessness and how to understand what clearlight means from the Buddhist perspective.

“Robert Thurman’s Basic Buddhism is a collective series of five lectures he has given on Buddhism. In these lectures, Thurman patiently takes apart each jewel of Buddhism: the Buddha as the teacher of enlightenment, the Dharma as the teaching, or enlightenment itself, and the Sangha as the historical and current community of learners seeking to become Buddhas.”

-Text From Better Listen Basic Buddhism

This episode is an excerpt from the Better Listen “Basic Buddhism” Audio Course. To learn more and to enjoy the full recording, please visit: www.betterlisten.com.

In this episode Robert Thurman discusses the power of positive thinking in troubling times and gives a teaching on the Buddhist perspective of love and enlightenment for those of all backgrounds and traditions.

This podcast includes discussions of: the importance of the 2022 mid-term elections in the United States, the value of democratic institutions across the globe, and a short introduction to Thurman’s book, “Wisdom is Bliss: Four Friendly Fun Facts that Can Change Your Life”, now available from Hay House Publications.

In this episode Robert Thurman details the concept of emptiness, giving a teaching on the power of the mind to develop transcendent wisdom in order to understand reality as it is using critical thinking, debate, direct experience and meditation.

This podcast includes discussions of: the scientific nature of the Buddha’s teachings, the illusion-like nature of the appearance of reality, the three types of wisdom (wisdom born of learning, critical reflection, and meditative insight), and an explanation of the differences between Objective Selflessness and Subjective Selflessness.

Thurman concludes this episode with a guided Four Keys of Selflessness meditation weaving in the modern understanding of quantum physics and the scientific method.

“Tibetans call their cherished tradition of Buddhism a wish-fulfilling jewel tree for its power to generate bliss and enlightenment within all who absorb its teachings. This path to enlightenment, it is taught, requires more than a sitting meditation practice alone. With “The Jewel Tree of Tibet”, honored scholar and teacher Robert Thurman brings these insights to you as they were meant to be transmitted through the spoken word.”

– Text from endorsement of “The Jewel Tree of Tibet”

This episode is an excerpt from “The Jewel Tree of Tibet: The Enlightenment Engine of Tibetan Buddhism” 12-Part audio retreat by Robert Thurman, available from www.soundstrue.com.

Transcendent Wisdom, The Root of Liberation: Jewel Tree of Tibet – Ep. 311 of the Bob Thurman Podcast Image via www.shutterstock.com.

In this episode Robert A.F. Thurman shares his Thanksgiving message and gives a powerful teaching on how compassion for all beings can transform one’s relationship to the mind, heart, the environment and all situations.

Opening with a brief history of the original Thanksgiving festivals in Plymouth, this episode includes a deep dive into the nature of compassion from a Buddhist perspective and a call to action to develop wisdom and kindness in everyday life no matter what one’s background, faith or tradition might be.

Opening with a discussion of idolatry and Buddhist ethics, Robert Thurman gives a teaching on karma and the causality of action as understood in Tibetan and Vajrayana Buddhism.

This episode includes a short history of Buddhist ethics and schools across Asia and the establishment and development of Vajrayana Buddhism in Tibet.

“Robert Thurman’s Basic Buddhism is a collective series of five lectures he has given on Buddhism. In these lectures, Thurman patiently takes apart each jewel of Buddhism: the Buddha as the teacher of enlightenment, the Dharma as the teaching, or enlightenment itself, and the Sangha as the historical and current community of learners seeking to become Buddhas.”

-Text From Better Listen Basic Buddhism

This episode is an excerpt from the Better Listen “Basic Buddhism” Audio Course. To learn more and to enjoy the full recording, please visit: www.betterlisten.com.

Opening with a recommendation of “Angels in My Hair” by Lorna Byrne, Robert Thurman sits down with its author for a far-ranging discussion of faith, angels, materialism, climate change and the power of positive thinking and prayer.

This podcast includes: a discussion of the commonalities of all faiths and religions, an in-depth exploration of the divine beings and protectors found in Christian and Buddhist traditions, and a heart-opening dialogue on love, the soul, the afterlife, and the non-dual nature of reality.

The episode concludes with an extended discussion of guardian angels and a guided meditation led by Lorna.

Spiritual teacher, international bestselling author and philanthropist Lorna Byrne has dedicated her life to remind humanity of the spiritual potential within us all. She is the author of seven best-selling books, including “Angels in My Hair”, “A Message of Hope From the Angels”, and “Angels at my Fingertips” and she has been published in more than 50 countries and 30 languages around the world.

To learn more about the work of Lorna Byrne, please visit her website: www.lornabyrne.com.

Opening with an extended “Jewel Tree of Tibet” guided meditation, Robert Thurman gives a teaching on using Vipassana and transcendent intelligence to understand the role of philosophical thought in Buddhism.

This episode concludes with an in-depth discussion of Vipassana (Insight) & Samatha (Calm Abiding) meditation methods for those of all backgrounds and traditions.

“Tibetans call their cherished tradition of Buddhism a wish-fulfilling jewel tree for its power to generate bliss and enlightenment within all who absorb its teachings. This path to enlightenment, it is taught, requires more than a sitting meditation practice alone. With “The Jewel Tree of Tibet”, honored scholar and teacher Robert Thurman brings these insights to you as they were meant to be transmitted through the spoken word.”

– Text from endorsement of “The Jewel Tree of Tibet”

This episode is an excerpt from “The Jewel Tree of Tibet: The Enlightenment Engine of Tibetan Buddhism” 12-Part audio retreat by Robert Thurman, available from www.soundstrue.com.

Opening with a definition of Buddha-lands, Robert Thurman gives a teaching on Buddhist Tantra and its interrelationship with Zen, Vajrayana, and all other schools of Buddhism.

“Robert Thurman’s Basic Buddhism is a collective series of five lectures he has given on Buddhism. In these lectures, Thurman patiently takes apart each jewel of Buddhism: the Buddha as the teacher of enlightenment, the Dharma as the teaching, or enlightenment itself, and the Sangha as the historical and current community of learners seeking to become Buddhas.”

-Text From Better Listen Basic Buddhism

This episode is an excerpt from the Better Listen “Basic Buddhism” Audio Course. To learn more and to enjoy the full recording, please visit: www.betterlisten.com.

Podcast Thumbnail photo by Samuel Austin on Unsplash.com

Opening with a discussion of selflessness, Robert Thurman gives a teaching on the nature of Buddhist Tantra and the central roles of reason, bliss and meditation in constructing a positive self identity in order to develop one’s own Buddha nature, free of suffering and ignorance.

“Robert Thurman’s Basic Buddhism is a collective series of five lectures he has given on Buddhism. In these lectures, Thurman patiently takes apart each jewel of Buddhism: the Buddha as the teacher of enlightenment, the Dharma as the teaching, or the enlightenment reality itself, and the Sangha as the historical and current community of learners seeking to become Buddhas.”

-Text From Better Listen Basic Buddhism

This episode is an excerpt from the Better Listen “Basic Buddhism” Audio Course. To learn more and to enjoy the full recording, please visit: www.betterlisten.com.

Podcast Thumbnail Photo by Martijn Vonk on www.unsplash.com.

Opening with a discussion of the symbolism of the wheel of Dharma, Robert Thurman gives a teaching on the three jewels of Buddhism, focusing on the community of followers of Buddha and his teachings, known as the Sangha.

“Robert Thurman’s Basic Buddhism is a collective series of five lectures he has given on Buddhism. In these lectures, Thurman patiently takes apart each jewel of Buddhism: the Buddha as the teacher of enlightenment, the Dharma as the teaching, or the enlightenment reality itself, and the Sangha as the historical and current community of learners seeking to become Buddhas.”

-Text From Better Listen Basic Buddhism

This episode is an excerpt from the Better Listen “Basic Buddhism” Audio Course. To learn more and to enjoy the full recording, please visit: www.betterlisten.com.

Podcast Thumbnail Photo via www.shutterstock.com.

Opening with a discussion of the goddess Tara, Robert Thurman gives a teaching on the differences between Buddhas and Bodhisattvas and the role and place of women in the early Buddhist Sangha, the community of followers of the Buddha and his teachings.

This podcast includes an extended discussion of the symbolism of the Wheel of Dharma and the value of developing selflessness on the spiritual path.

“Robert Thurman’s Basic Buddhism is a collective series of five lectures he has given on Buddhism. In these lectures, Thurman patiently takes apart each jewel of Buddhism: the Buddha as the teacher of enlightenment, the Dharma as the teaching, or the enlightenment reality itself, and the Sangha as the historical and current community of learners seeking to become Buddhas.”

-Text From Better Listen Basic Buddhism

This episode is an excerpt from the Better Listen “Basic Buddhism” Audio Course. To learn more and to enjoy the full recording, please visit: www.betterlisten.com.

Podcast Thumbnail Photo via www.shutterstock.com.

Opening with a discussion of the disappearance of Buddhism in India, Robert Thurman gives a teaching on the history of the Buddhist community and the flowering of the Buddha’s teachings in Tibet.

This podcast includes an extended discussion on the influence of China and Chinese Communism upon Buddhism in Tibet and on Tibetan culture.

“Robert Thurman’s Basic Buddhism is a collective series of five lectures he has given on Buddhism. In these lectures, Thurman patiently takes apart each jewel of Buddhism: the Buddha as the teacher of enlightenment, the Dharma as the teaching, or the enlightenment reality itself, and the Sangha as the historical and current community of learners seeking to become Buddhas.”

-Text from Better Listen Basic Buddhism

This episode is an excerpt from the Better Listen “Basic Buddhism” audio course. To learn more and to enjoy the full recording, please visit: www.betterlisten.com.

Podcast Thumbnail Photo via www.shutterstock.com.

Opening with a discussion of transcendence in Buddhist science and philosophy, Robert Thurman gives a teaching on selflessness, transcendent wisdom, and the key of how to develop freedom from absolutism in order to cultivate altruism and interconnection with all beings and reality.

This podcast includes a discussion on how understanding selflessness leads beyond space-like equipoise samadhi to natural focus on universal love and compassion, intensifying the desire to be of benefit to oneself and all others.

The episode concludes with a line reading of the first chapter of “The Holy Teaching of Vimalakirti Sutra,” with a discussion of the infinite multiverse and Buddha Lands (or Buddhaverses) as taught by the historical Buddha in his Mahayana Sutras, disclosing his Universal Vehicle of Buddhism.

“Robert Thurman’s Basic Buddhism is a collective series of five lectures he has given on Buddhism. In these lectures, Thurman patiently takes apart each jewel of Buddhism: the Buddha as the teacher of enlightenment, the Dharma as the teaching, or the enlightenment reality itself, and the Sangha as the historical and current community of learners seeking to become Buddhas.”

-Text from Better Listen Basic Buddhism

This episode is an excerpt from the Better Listen “Basic Buddhism” audio course. To learn more and to enjoy the full recording, please visit: www.betterlisten.com.

Podcast thumbnail photo via www.shutterstock.com.

Opening this episode with a line reading of the first chapter of “The Holy Teaching of Vimalakirti Sutra,” Robert Thurman gives a teaching on nirvana, non-duality and the nature of enlightenment, and the bodhiasattva’s building of a buddhaland or buddhaverse.

This episode includes overviews of chapters two through five of “The Holy Teaching of Vimalakirti Sutra” introducing the central figures, themes and setting of the sutra.

“Robert Thurman’s Basic Buddhism is a collective series of five lectures he has given on Buddhism. In these lectures, Thurman patiently takes apart each jewel of Buddhism: the Buddha as the teacher of enlightenment, the Dharma as the teaching, or the enlightenment reality itself, and the Sangha as the historical and current community of learners seeking to become Buddhas.”

-Text from Better Listen Basic Buddhism

This episode is an excerpt from the Better Listen “Basic Buddhism” audio course. To learn more and to enjoy the full recording, please visit: www.betterlisten.com.

Manjushri Podcast thumbnail photo via www.shutterstock.com.

In this episode Robert Thurman is joined by Geshe Dangsong Namgyal, author, teacher, and founder of the Kunsang Gar Wisdom program in Santa Cruz, California.  

“Geshe’s primary intention is to bring the ancient teachings of Bön and Buddhism to light, helping students reduce suffering and attain realization. His Kunsang Gar Wisdom program incorporates foundational philosophy and psychology, mental development, and the quintessential Dzogchen view. Developing an understanding of ancient scripts, Geshe is uniquely able to decipher and translate rare spiritual texts. It is his intention to preserve as many texts as possible. Geshe has published numerous books in Tibetan and has now begun making his teachings available in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.”

-From Geshe Dangsong Namgyal’s website

Opening with an introduction to Geshe Dangsong Namgyal’s teaching activities, this episode includes an in-depth dialogue on Bön, Dzogchen, and Rime.

To learn more about the work and teachings of Geshe Dangsong Namgyal, please visit: www.dangsongnamgyallama.org.

In this celebratory episode, Robert Thurman discusses the Christian holiday Easter, giving a teaching on Jesus the Rabbi and Christianity’s role in modern-day politics and everyday life in the West.

Opening with a short history of early Christianity, this episode includes discussions of: the value of interfaith dialogue, the New Testament, the role of non-violence in conflict resolution, the Russian occupation and invasion of Ukraine, and how those of all backgrounds can find insight and inspiration in the story and lessons of Jesus Christ.

In this episode Robert Thurman discusses the recent viral video of the Fourteenth Dalai Lama of Tibet with a young boy addressing the context and background behind the edited attack campaign.

To learn more and to watch the full video, please visit: https://youtu.be/bT0qey5Ts78.

Photo of His Holiness the Dalai Lama via www.shutterstock.com.

In this episode Robert Thurman celebrates summer solstice by sharing updates about his latest book, “Wisdom Is Bliss: Four Friendly Fun Facts That Can Change Your Life”, Tibet’s Fourteenth Dalai Lama, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi recent visit to the United States, and about the on-going conflict in Ukraine.

Image via Shutterstock.com

Opening with a recommendation of the upcoming online event with Jai Dev Singh, “Treasure Teachings from the Naga Dragons: Mahayana Tantra and Kundalini Yoga“, this episode is a heartfelt exploration of non-violence in light of the recent conflict in Ukraine.

A special personal  invitation to the upcoming online & in-person initiation and retreat, “Vajrayoga Yamantaka Intensive with His Eminence the 11th Lelung Rinpoche“, from Robert A.F. Thurman. This podcast includes a brief biography of Lelung Rinpoche and explanation of the Yamantaka practices being taught at the hybrid event held at Menla Retreat and Dewa Spa, Summer 2023.

In this episode Robert Thurman discusses the first turning of the wheel of Dharma on Cho-khor Duchen, the day of the Tibetan calendar celebrating the historical Buddha’s first teachings after gaining enlightenment. This episode includes a discussion of his latest book, “Wisdom Is Bliss: Four Friendly Fun Facts That Can Change Your Life” and the Four Noble Truths.

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 there and do your own bodhisattva deeds and become a Buddha.

“In the Tantric and esoteric teachings, the guru figure, which in Tibetan is translated as the “Lama,” is brought back into play. In Tantra you’re dealing with the unconscious; therefore you need someone upon whom to project different things to help you work out new relationships, like you do in psychotherapy. Also, there’s the initiatory practice of seeing the guru as the living embodiment of the Buddha when the teachings are transmitted to you.

The Tibetans have a proverb: “The best guru is one who lives at least three valleys away,” which means you receive the teaching and some initiatory consecration—and then you don’t hang out with that person to see how ordinary they are!”

Robert A.F. Thurman via www,tricycle.org.

Professor Thurman also continues with a reading of a humorous anecdote about Śhāriputra from the Vimalakīrti Sūtra to illustrate some common misconceptions about meditation.

Professor Thurman’s translation of the Vimalakīrti Nirdeśha Sūtra can be found in his book The Holy Teaching of Vimalakīrti  online: www.read.84000.co.

Meditation & Mistaken Guru Yoga with Gelek Rimpoche – Ep. 13 of the Bob Thurman Podcast is an excerpt from a retreat led by Gelek Rimpoche and Professor Thurman at the Omega Institute in 1987, called Tibetan Love and Compassion.

To listen to more archive recordings from from past Robert A.F. Thurman teachings + public events please consider becoming a Tibet House US member. To Learn about the benefits of Tibet House US Membership please visit: www.tibethouse.us.

Previews are available on the Tibet House US YouTube Channel + Full Archive Recordings from the 2016 + 2017 Annual Retreat at Menla in the THUS Member Archives.  Tibet House US Member Access starts at $2 a Month.

The song ‘Dancing Ling’ by Tenzin Choegyal from the album ‘Heart Sutra‘ (2004) by

In this episode Robert A.F. Thurman discusses the 14th Amendment of the Constitution of the United States as a way for dealing with the political chaos now being created in the House of Representatives and uses it as a launching point to address the wars in Ukraine & Israel. 

David H. Rosmarin PhD is the author of Thriving with Anxiety: 9 Tools to Make Your Anxiety Work for You (Harper Collins). He is an associate professor at Harvard Medical School, a program director at McLean Hospital, and founder of Center for Anxiety, which provides services to over 1,000 patients/year in multiple states. Dr. Rosmarin is an international expert on spirituality and mental health, whose work has been featured in Scientific American, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, and the New York Times. He can be reached via his website www.dhrosmarin.com

In this podcast Robert A.F. Thurman discusses Shambhala, Politics & Climate Change and shares a Thanksgiving 2023 message of hope & gratitude with his listeners.

In this podcast Robert A.F. Thurman sits down to have an extended conversation with Chandra Easton author of the new book “Embodying Tara: Twenty-One Manifestations to Awaken Your Innate Wisdom”.

In this episode Robert A.F. Thurman discusses the importance of democracy and democratic processes to help fight the current challenges being faced globally from climate change to wars in Ukraine and Israel. 

Impromptu talk given at Menla Retreat and Dewa Spa on Easter Weekend 2024 to a gathering of Yogi/nis.

Henry Shukman is a teacher in the Sanbo Zen lineage and has trained in various other meditation schools and practices. After a spontaneous spiritual awakening at the age of 19, he embarked on a long journey of healing and deeper awakening, guided by Roshis John Gaynor, Joan Rieck, Ruben Habito, and Yamada Roshi, international abbot of Sanbo Zen, who ultimately appointed him a teacher in 2010. Since then he has been leading a growing number of practitioners on the path of awakening, in Europe and the US. He has also been authorized to teach Mindfulness by Shinzen Young, and is a certified dreamwork therapist. He is the Spiritual Director Emeritus of Mountain Cloud Zen Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico. To learn more please visit: www.henryshukman.com.

Matteo Pistono is a writer, meditation teacher, and conscious breathing guide. His Breathe How You Want to Feel: Your Breathing Tool Kit for Better Health, Restorative Sleep, and Deeper Connection is a how-to book for upgrading your nervous system to live your optimal life physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Matteo has authored numerous books including, Meditation: Coming To Know Your Mind, Fearless in Tibet and In The Shadow of the Buddha. He teaches conscious breathing and meditation to individuals and groups in-person as well as online. 

Matteo began his spiritual journey over 30 years ago while living in Nepal and Tibet. Informed by his study of Buddhism, Vedanta, and Hatha Yoga, extensive periods of solitary meditation, and pilgrimages across sacred Himalayan landscapes, Matteo offers an engaged approach to ancient wisdom traditions. Matteo maintains a daily yoga asana, pranayama, and meditation practice.  

Matteo earned a Masters in Indian Philosophy from the University of London, and his writings have appeared in The Washington Post, BBC, Buddhadharma, Tricycle, Men’s Journal, Kyoto Journal, and HIMAL South Asia.

Matteo and his wife surf and ride mountaiin bikes from their home in Southern California. 

In this podcast Robert A.F. Thurman continues his extended conversation with Chandra Easton author of the new book “Embodying Tara: Twenty-One Manifestations to Awaken Your Innate Wisdom”.

In this episode Robert A.F. Thurman is joined by Osprey Orielle Lake for a far ranging conversation on mindfulness, meditation, shamanism and Osprey’s book The Story is in the Bones.

Founder and executive director of the Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN), Osprey Orielle Lake works internationally with grassroots, BIPOC and Indigenous leaders, policymakers, and diverse coalitions to build climate justice, resilient communities, and a just transition.

She sits on the executive committee for the Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature and on the steering committee for the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty. Osprey’s writing about climate justice, relationships with nature, women in leadership, cultural transformation and other topics has been featured in The Guardian, Earth Island Journal, The Ecologist, Ms. Magazine and many other publications. She is the author of the award winning book, The Story is in Our Bones: How Worldviews and Climate Justice Can Remake a World in Crisis.

In this episode Robert A.F. Thurman is joined by Tamala Floyd for a far ranging conversation on psychotherapy, meditation, ancestors and Tamala’s book Listening When Parts Speak.

Tamala Floyd, LCSW, is a psychotherapist, IFS lead trainer, consultant, author, and speaker with over 25 years of experience.

She received a master’s degree in social work from the University of Southern California and an undergraduate degree in psychology from California State University–Long Beach. She has taught at the University of Phoenix and the University of Southern California in human services and social work.

Her work focuses on women’s trauma, mothering, and relationship issues, helping women identify and heal emotional wounds that impede their success and coaching them in achieving fulfilling life goals.  

Tamala leads workshops in the US and around the world.  She enjoys living as a Nomad – going with the flow.   For further information, go to:  tamalafloyd.com

In this episode Robert A.F. Thurman is joined by Ganden Thurman, his son, for a conversation on the work and mission of Tibet House US.

Ganden Thurman is the Executive Director of Tibet House US and its upstate retreat and conference center, Menla. He has served in this capacity since 2014 after working as THUS’ Director of Special Projects from 1996-2013.

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 (4) communion.

This episode is an excerpt from a lecture given at Tibet House US on April 22, 2015, as part of a lecture series there called “Essential Tibetan Buddhism, and its Context in Tibet and the World.”

Buddhism 101: How Vajrayana & Tantra Works Photo by Manuel Bauer from www.dalailama.com.

Listen to more archive recordings from from past Robert A.F. Thurman teachings + public events please consider becoming a Tibet House US member. To learn about the benefits of Tibet House US Membership please visit: www.tibethouse.us.

The song ‘Dancing Ling’ by Tenzin Choegyal from the album ‘Heart Sutra‘ (2004) by Ethno Super Lounge is used on the Bob Thurman Podcast with artist’s permission, all rights reserved.

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 Essence of True Eloquence (drang nges legs bshad snying po), published as The Central Philosophy of Tibet.

This episode is an extract from a lecture given by Professor Thurman at Tibet House US on September 10th, 2014, in a lecture series called Profound Wisdom and Vast Compassion, which was a series of preparatory lectures given to prepare people for an event hosted by Tibet House US in NYC with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, also called Profound Wisdom and Vast Compassion.

Tsongkhapa : Father Philo & Mother Sophia - Ep. 15 of the Bob Thurman Podcast Photo by Manuel Bauer, All rights reserved from www.dalailama.com.

Listen to more archive recordings from from past Robert A.F. Thurman teachings + public events please consider becoming a Tibet House US member. To learn about the benefits of Tibet House US Membership please visit: www.tibethouse.us.

The song ‘Dancing Ling’ by Tenzin Choegyal from the album ‘Heart Sutra‘ (2004) by Ethno Super Lounge is used on the Bob Thurman Podcast with artist’s permission, all rights reserved.