Category: Buddha Nature

The Sagacious Buddhist Blog.
practical dharma teachings. questions|answers. essays.

answering your questions and teaching on buddhism, dharma, and enlightenment

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update: I did it! :)

In the Spring of 2021, I resigned and gave away all of my worldly possessions and left for Southeast Asia to renounce and ordain as an ascetic forest monk, scholar, and teacher in the Theravada Buddhist tradition, with a special emphasis on Early Buddhist doctrine and discourse (a.k.a., Pre-sectarian Buddhism).

Summer 2021 Update: I had to leave Asia and my ordination is temporarily on-hold due to the uncontrolled nature of the COVID19 situation in SE Asia. I am currently taking on new students until I can resume my path. My teachings are donation-based.

(for those wishing to contribute for the purposes of food, clothing, shelter, or medical care.)

What is Karma and What isn't Karma? And Why It Matters. [UPDATED]

9/12/2021

5 Comments

Perhaps one of the most widely misunderstood concepts in all of buddhism and eastern philosophy: karma explained.

What is Karma really? Is our life predetermined or do we have agency? And what does it have to do with who we are or what we experience?

In this short article, we will cover what Karma is and what it isn't; how it relates to destiny and free-will; and, its relationship to your happiness and your peace-of-mind.

Before I start, let me get this out of the way right upfront: Karma is not a universal morality system; it's not a bad behaviour boomerang. In Buddhism, there is no deity watching over anyone, rewarding do-gooders and smiting wrong-doers.

So, what is Karma then?

5 Comments

How to Nurture Your "Buddha Nature" to Develop a Strong Sense of Happiness.

3/8/2021

12 Comments

Each one of us has the seed to be unshakeably happy and peaceful; and you don't have to be a Buddhist to have it.
(Alt. Title: Recognising and connecting with your inner-goodness cultivates happiness)

In this article, we will cover what Buddha Nature is, how to recognise it, nurture it, cultivate it, and leverage it for happiness and Enlightenment.

Buddha nature is not extensively covered in most popular Dharma books and many practitioners have only a loose understanding of the topic.

As with all of the "big" topics in Buddhism, Buddha nature is deep and profound and entire volumes are written on this topic. This article serves to introduce and re-enforce the concept for those who are newer to the idea or would like to learn a bit more about it and how it can benefit their practice. The more you practice, the more you will come to recognise the qualities of Buddha nature flowing from you and the clearer and more practical your Buddha nature will be to you.

So what is "Buddha Nature"?

12 Comments

The Altruistic Intention: What People Get Wrong About Buddhism, Enlightenment, and Bodhisattvas.

11/2/2020

7 Comments

Dispelling a very common myth about the Altruistic Intention and the Mahayana Bodhisattva Path; and how it applies to your practice and attaining enlightenment.

In this article we will (1) learn about the Buddhist Altruistic Intention: what it is, what it isn't, and how it applies to Bodhisattvas and to your practice. We will also briefly (2) review what Buddhist enlightenment is and what it means to be "enlightened."

Before we start, let's knock down some misbeliefs right now.

Mahayana Bodhisattvas and Nirvana: What People Get Wrong

Three Common Misbeliefs I Hear About Mahayana Bodhisattvas and/or the Mahayana Dharma:

Belief #1: Bodhisattvas vow not to enter into nirvana until they have helped all beings to liberation. This is not true.
Belief #2: Mahayana Buddhists must not directly pursue stream-entry or enlightenment. This is not true.
Belief #3: Being motivated to attain enlightenment-in-this-life is both selfish and Hinayana. This is not true.

These are remarkably common misunderstandings of the Mahayana Bodhisattava Path and the Altruistic Intention to guide others, and spending some time to understand the root texts and commentaries can help us to better understand the intent and esoteric meanings of the teachings on this concept that hold us back from true progress along the Path.

But short of doing that—and before we jump into the concept of the Altruistic Intention—it's helpful to understand at a very high-level what enlightenment is to a Buddhist practitioner and what the implications are of attaining it, even partially.

So let's jump right in and begin!

7 Comments

Forgiveness: it's about our relationship with ourself.

4/6/2020

1 Comment

Forgive others, not because they deserve forgiveness, but because you deserve peace.

Forgiveness is really not about someone else’s harmful behavior; it’s about our relationship with our own past. When we begin to work on forgiveness, it's firstly a self-care practice for ourselves.

Forgiveness and patience are critical to being able to cultivate your ability to develop inner peace-of-mind and happiness.

1 Comment

Author.

Mike Turner Photo Buddhist Analytical Meditation Trainer

Hi! My name is Mike Turner. I'm a Buddhist Ariyapuggala and I've spent over 25 years learning and cultivating what I do, and what I do goes far beyond meditation and dharma.

I work with dedicated Buddhist practitioners to help them attain measurable spiritual progress. This kind of one-on-one training isn't readily available to lay practitioners and I hope to do my part as I prepare to leave lay-life for monastic ordination.

My teachings are donation-based and I'm available for advanced and intermediate practitioners of meditation-and-dharma to help them significantly advance their practice and their progress toward Buddhist enlightenment.

Please visit my home page to see what my streamentry and enlightenment training can do for you.

"The only thing that prevents people from attaining Enlightenment and experiencing Nirvana directly is insufficient instruction and/or practice."

The Sagacious Buddhist Blog.
practical dharma teachings. questions|answers. essays.

What is Karma and What isn't Karma? And Why It Matters. [UPDATED]

How to Nurture Your "Buddha Nature" to Develop a Strong Sense of Happiness.

The Altruistic Intention: What People Get Wrong About Buddhism, Enlightenment, and Bodhisattvas.

Forgiveness: it's about our relationship with ourself.

Subscribe.

Categories.
(Spring 2020 and newer only.)

Archives.
(Spring 2020 and newer only.)

Author.

The Sagacious Buddhist Blog.practical dharma teachings. questions|answers. essays.

What is Karma and What isn't Karma? And Why It Matters. [UPDATED]

How to Nurture Your "Buddha Nature" to Develop a Strong Sense of Happiness.

The Altruistic Intention: What People Get Wrong About Buddhism, Enlightenment, and Bodhisattvas.

Forgiveness: it's about our relationship with ourself.

Subscribe.

Categories.(Spring 2020 and newer only.)

Archives.(Spring 2020 and newer only.)

Author.

The Sagacious Buddhist Blog.
practical dharma teachings. questions|answers. essays.

Categories.
(Spring 2020 and newer only.)

Archives.
(Spring 2020 and newer only.)