The Bob Thurman Podcast

#59 The Bob Thurman Podcast

bobthurmanpodcast@gmail.com (Bob Thurman) — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 15:17:02 GMT

In this audio-only podcast, Bob guides a 20+ minute meditation on Vimalakirti's teaching entitled, "The Consolation of The Invalids." Bob goes on to explain how we must "accept the challenge" of losing our sense of an absolutized-self if we wish to experience the true nature of reality.

#58 The Bob Thurman Podcast

bobthurmanpodcast@gmail.com (Bob Thurman) — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 12:16:33 GMT

Bob explains the three types of wisdom according to the Mahayana tradition of Buddhism; And why Buddha was a scientist, not a prophet.

#57 The Bob Thurman Podcast

bobthurmanpodcast@gmail.com (Bob Thurman) — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 14:58:43 GMT

Bob explains the meaning of Vimalakirti's name; And how our "health" isreally the balancing of our illnesses.

#56 The Bob Thurman Podcast

bobthurmanpodcast@gmail.com (Bob Thurman) — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 11:51:01 GMT

Bob leads a meditation on viewing the teachings of Vimalakirti as a work of art; And why being asleep is a good way of being in the moment.

#55 The Bob Thurman Podcast

bobthurmanpodcast@gmail.com (Bob Thurman) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 01:06:36 GMT

Bob explains how Vimalakirti describes the ultimate nature of non-duality; And what Buddhas have in common with coneheads.

#54 The Bob Thurman Podcast

bobthurmanpodcast@gmail.com (Bob Thurman) — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:40:39 GMT

Bob explains how Buddhism is more akin to realism than a religion; and how doubting everything is the key to understanding.

#53 The Bob Thurman Podcast

bobthurmanpodcast@gmail.com (Bob Thurman) — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 18:27:44 GMT

Bob explains how blind faith is considered irrational in Buddhism because it contends with our common sense; And why our convictions can keep us from being critical of reality.

#52 The Bob Thurman Podcast

bobthurmanpodcast@gmail.com (Bob Thurman) — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 02:17:59 GMT

Concluding the first chapter of Vimalakirti, Bob explores how Buddhism as a philosophy can explain why a being as powerful as the Buddha can't magically make the world perfect.

#51 The Bob Thurman Podcast

bobthurmanpodcast@gmail.com (Bob Thurman) — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 01:33:54 GMT

Continuing with the teaching of Vimalakirti, Bob explains how the Buddhist theory of evolution is similar to Darwin's; but differs greatly on a personal, karmic level.

#50 The Bob Thurman Podcast

bobthurmanpodcast@gmail.com (Bob Thurman) — Tue, 27 May 2008 15:42:28 GMT

Continuing with the teaching of Vimalakirti, Bob introduces Shari Putra, who delineates the differences between Vedanta, dualistic, and Mahayana, non-dual, traditions of Buddhism.

#49 The Bob Thurman Podcast

bobthurmanpodcast@gmail.com (Bob Thurman) — Mon, 12 May 2008 02:31:15 GMT

Continuing his translation of the teaching of Vimalakirti, Bob explores what he calls the 'Buddhaverse,' who created it and what happened when Buddha met Brahma.

#48 The Bob Thurman Podcast

bobthurmanpodcast@gmail.com (Bob Thurman) — Thu, 01 May 2008 09:38:48 GMT

In introducing his translation of the teaching of Vimalakirti, Bob tells a story of the Buddha; When he made a planetarium out of parasols to show others the nature of reality. Recorded at Tibet House U.S., March, 2007.

#47 The Bob Thurman Podcast

bobthurmanpodcast@gmail.com (Bob Thurman) — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 19:13:11 GMT

Bob explains how, to an enlightened being, nirvana is now, both present and future. As he has yet to reach that state, he reveals to us his consolation prize. Recorded at Menla Mountain Retreat Center, July, 2006.

#46 The Bob Thurman Podcast

bobthurmanpodcast@gmail.com (Bob Thurman) — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 21:47:52 GMT

Bob explains how our closely held concepts of 'what we know' are what separates us from the experience of becoming more enlightened. Recorded at Menla Mountain Retreat Center, July, 2006.

#45 The Bob Thurman Podcast

bobthurmanpodcast@gmail.com (Bob Thurman) — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 07:33:54 GMT

Bob explains how all artists teach the dharma by opening our awareness to the beauty of the ordinary and showing us how extraordinary we can be. Recorded at Menla Moutain Retreat Center, July, 2006.

#44 The Bob Thurman Podcast

bobthurmanpodcast@gmail.com (Bob Thurman) — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 20:41:32 GMT

Bob explains how Buddha is both the artist and the art; empowered with the ability to tame the egotistical mind and realize the borderless nature of reality. Recorded at Menla Mountain Retreat Center, July, 2006.

#43 The Bob Thurman Podcast

bobthurmanpodcast@gmail.com (Bob Thurman) — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 02:38:06 GMT

Bob explains the significance of Dharmachakra, the day the Buddha began his teachings, and how it is unique among all other teachings in history. Recorded at Menla Mountain Retreat Center, July, 2006.

#42 The Bob Thurman Podcast

bobthurmanpodcast@gmail.com (Bob Thurman) — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 18:04:48 GMT

In this podcast, Bob explains that when our negative emotions get the better of us, we can help ourselves by realizing our relative nature and deny our absolutized view of the "I." Recorded at Menla Mountain Retreat Center, July 2006.

#41 The Bob Thurman Podcast

bobthurmanpodcast@gmail.com (Bob Thurman) — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 03:55:24 GMT

Bob explores the Buddhist virtue of forgiveness as taught by Shanti Deva; how one can use injury for their own spiritual enlightenment. Recorded at Menla Mountain Retreat Center, July 2006.

#40 The Bob Thurman Podcast

bobthurmanpodcast@gmail.com (Bob Thurman) — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 18:29:38 GMT

Bob reveals how the Tibetan Buddhists use dreams to explore different worlds and how one can sleep their way to Buddhahood. Recorded at Menla Mountain Retreat Center, July 2006.

#39 The Bob Thurman Podcast

bobthurmanpodcast@gmail.com (Bob Thurman) — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 15:33:42 GMT

In this podcast, Bob gives a 25-minute guided meditation introducing this series on the self and selflessness. Recorded at Menla Mountain Retreat Center, July 2006.

#38 The Bob Thurman Podcast

bobthurmanpodcast@gmail.com (Bob Thurman) — Mon, 21 May 2007 04:44:49 GMT

In this podcast, Bob explains how the 1st vehicle, the individual vehicle taught in Theravāda Buddhism, lays the foundation for the 2nd vehicle, the universal vehicle taught in Mahayana Buddhism. Recorded at Tibet House US, NYC, February 2007.

#37 The Bob Thurman Podcast

bobthurmanpodcast@gmail.com (Bob Thurman) — Wed, 09 May 2007 03:20:01 GMT

In this podcast taken from a lecture to his undergraduate class, Bob discusses the non-existence of "nothing" and how we are all apart of the "quantum soup." Recorded at Columbia University, September 2006.

#36 The Bob Thurman Podcast

bobthurmanpodcast@gmail.com (Bob Thurman) — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 14:15:23 GMT

In this podcast taken from a lecture to his undergraduate class, Bob explains how Buddha's 'reincarnation' in Hollywood is Neo in the first Matrix film. Recorded at Columbia University, September 2006.

#35 The Bob Thurman Podcast

bobthurmanpodcast@gmail.com (Bob Thurman) — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 14:31:02 GMT

In this podcast taken from a lecture to his undergraduate class, Bob explains the shift in the meaning of the words, "karma" and "dharma," that came about during the Buddha's time. He continues to explain how taking refuge in the dharma is really taking refuge in reality. Recorded at Columbia University, September 2006.