Category Archives: Dhamma

A thicket of views

By Paul | Published: February 25, 2010
My father is a kind, generous, and helpful man. He has a good sense of humor and seems always to be happy. He’s also very conservative. I’d always known from the way he lived he that he was religiously conservative. “Devout Catholic” is an apt description. But I was well into my adult life before I [...]
Also posted in Buddhism | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Discernment along the Middle Way

By Paul | Published: January 15, 2010
My last post asking “What is Enlightenment?” drew some good comments and questions, and I respond to them here, in a rambling sort of way, beginning with a story about soap. Many years ago Robin worked for Colgate-Palmolive. She worked in the quality-control department at a plant where they made, among other things, Fresh Start [...]
Also posted in Buddhism, Change, Delusion, Dukkha, Nibbana, Truth | 2 Comments

What is enlightenment?

By Paul | Published: January 5, 2010
It’s not an original question. Immanuel Kant asked “What is enlightenment?” in an essay published in 1784. I don’t think Kant had Buddhism in mind, but still, it’s a question worth considering. In a previous post I wrote about The Island: An Anthology of the Buddha’s Teachings on Nibbana, by Ajanhs Pasanno and Amaro. Nibbana/nirvana is [...]
Also posted in Buddhism, Delusion, Eightfold Path, Four Noble Truths, Nibbana, Practice, The Buddha | 4 Comments

I think, therefore I doubt – sometimes

By Paul | Published: October 31, 2009
In my previous post I talked about the bit of insight I had into anatta, no-self. Two questions arose. What does it mean? which I have addressed, and how has it changed things? The answer to the second question is, I don’t know. Maybe it hasn’t or won’t change anything. Already the memory of the experience [...]
Also posted in Anatta, Buddhism, Change | 1 Comment