Buddhability – Details, episodes & analysis

Buddhability Shorts is a monthly series where we break down a Buddhist concept or common life challenge we’ve touched on in an interview. Today we’re talking about quality versus quantity when it comes to chanting.

To ask a question about the basics of Buddhism, you can email us at connect@buddhability.org

Resources:

Which is more important for chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo: quality or quantity?
The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 1, revised edition, pp. 123–24, 130.

The gap between our dreams and reality can sometimes feel impossible to close. Especially when our dream means pursuing a field that’s less traditionally “easy” to make a career from like art. 

In today’s episode we sit down with two full-time artists to discuss how Buddhism helped them become full-time artists without compromising their vision. Our guests are sculptor Brian Enright, of Oakland, and animator and director Leo Matsuda, of LA. We dig into their journey and the many ways Buddhism informs their work.

Watch today's episode on our YouTube Channel

Whether we like it or not, we don’t exist in isolation. The interconnection of life means that when we change, our environment changes as well. Today’s guest, Heidi Hayashi, of Stratford, Conn., shares how finding the courage to live true to herself improved and deepened her family relationships.

References:

The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 2, revised edition p. 270

Buddhism Day by Day: Wisdom for Modern Life, p. 315

The Wisdom of the Lotus Sutra, vol. 4, p. 20

Unlocking the Mysteries of Birth & Death

The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 1, revised edition

Here’s today's question, ”Can I be angry when I chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo?” It’s actually a combination of a few questions we received. One person asked, “Some days I feel powerful and determined. Some days I feel sad and cry. But lately, I've been furious and angry. Is it okay to be furious and angry in front of my Gohonzon?” And another person asked, “Is there a way I can use my anger for good?” So let's talk about anger and chanting.

References:

• https://buddhability.org/practice/what-should-i-think-about-when-im-chanting/
• https://buddhability.org/purpose/how-to-transform-your-anger-into-positive-action/ 
• https://www.worldtribune.org/2022/resolving-conflicts-as-buddhists/ 

Here’s today’s question, “I’m starting a new job soon and I’m wondering if you could talk a little bit about stressful transitions in life?”  We actually got quite a lot of questions about work stress or challenging professional situations. We’ll answer the question and touch on what Buddhism says about work.

Here’s today’s question: I’m dealing with a really stressful relationship with someone close to me. Do you have any advice on what to do when someone just keeps getting under your skin?

Well first of all, who can’t relate to this one? Stress is an inevitable part of daily life, but when it manifests through a person, it tends to bring with it a whole host of other emotions – anger, frustration, blame, hopelessness, and feeling stuck in a cycle.

But Buddhism does offer some great perspective on relationships like this. Buddhist philosopher Daisaku Ikeda writes, “Our human relationships are like a mirror. So if you’re thinking to yourself, ‘If only so-and-so were a little nicer to me, I could talk to them about anything,’ then that person is probably thinking, ‘If only such-and-such would open up to me, I would be nicer to them.’ ... Therefore, you should make the first move to open the channels of communication.”

References:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKeAERp90-o&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.worldtribune.org%2F&feature=emb_imp_woyt
• https://www.worldtribune.org/2023/buddhism-is-the-clear-mirror-that-reflects-our-lives/ 
• https://buddhability.org/purpose/10-ways-to-improve-our-relationships-in-2022/ 

Today we have two exciting announcements. First, we’re launching a new 7-day series called “Change Your Relationship with Stress.” From July 24 to August 1, you'll receive inspiration in your inbox each day about how to transform stress in nearly every area of your life from relationship stress and financial stress to work and family stress. Visit us at Buddhability.org and sign up for our email newsletter to be a part of it. 

Our second announcement: We’re launching a new summer podcast series, where we’ll answer your questions about Buddhism and life in mini podcast episodes. If you'd like to ask a question, just email us at connect@sgi-usa.org, or message us on Instagram. Feel free to send us a voice memo too! We might anonymously include it on the show. We'll kick off the series with this question, which inspired the stress series too: How can Buddhism help me deal with stressful relationships?

“Tips & Insights” is an episode series in which we introduce one Buddhist concept each month and share how it can be applied to your life!

Today’s episode is about suffering, an inescapable fact of life for all living beings, but one that Buddhism offers a refreshing and concrete perspective on.

References:

• https://www.daisakuikeda.org/main/philos/essays-on-buddhism/buddhist-view-of-life-and-death.html
• https://www.worldtribune.org/2023/faith-is-the-compass-for-victory-in-life/
• https://www.worldtribune.org/2021/chanting-in-both-suffering-and-joy/ 

This week we're airing a rerun of one of our most popular episodes from June, 2021 with lawyer Dan Foley. On June 26, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court ratified same-sex marriage, a monumental achievement after a more than 25-year battle across the country.

Recently, journalist Sasha Issenberg published a riveting, comprehensive history of that struggle, titled The Engagement: America’s Quarter Century Struggle Over Same-Sex Marriage, tracing it back to 1990, when the political movement took off with a case in the Hawaii Supreme Court.

At that point, Issenberg explains, no significant gay rights group had endorsed marriage as an objective. But, in 1990, when three same-sex couples applied for marriage licenses in Honolulu and were denied, they turned to a lawyer named Dan Foley. Less than three years later, the Hawaii Supreme Court became the first court in the world to conclude that queer couples’ freedom to marry was a basic civil right. The rest is a fascinating and groundbreaking history of the national journey toward June 26, 2015.

Today, we’re talking about how Buddhism can help you find the wisdom to overcome anything in life. In particular, the challenges that sometimes come with love and relationships. Our guest is Bryant Ríos-Niño, of Connecticut. He shares his parallel journeys of developing his Buddhist practice and learning what love, relationships and supporting your family truly takes.