Category Archives for Dharma study

The four noble truths – an online study course

By Ramsey Margolis | Published May 11, 2017

In this six-week online programme, participants will explore in depth this foundational framework of the Buddha’s teaching from the perspective of early Buddhism. Drawing on the discourses of the Pali canon rather than later commentarial texts, emphasis will be given to the application of these teachings in today’s world. Equal attention will be given to the contemplative and ethical practice of these four truths.

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Introduction to secular dharma – a study group

By Derek LeDayn | Published March 26, 2017

What is secular Buddhism, or a secular dharma? Recently, Wellington’s secular dharma practice community, One Mindful Breath, ran a successful study group which investigated this question. This is what we did.

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Awakening community – a weekend workshop

By Ramsey Margolis | Published November 2, 2016

The workshop Awakening Community which will be taking place in Sydney on November 12 & 13 will look at the contemporary relevance of Buddhist practice. The SIM newsletter editor spoke with Winton Higgins, one of the workshop teachers, to find out how he sees the relevance of the dharma in our current context.

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De-Mystifying Mindfulness – an online course

By Ramsey Margolis | Published October 9, 2016

Mindfulness is big business; for millions of people around the world it has become a lifestyle choice, enhancing and enriching everyday experience. The University of Leiden in the Netherlands has put together a course in English and made it available free online through coursera.org.

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Being Completely Human – a study course in secular Buddhism

By Ramsey Margolis | Published September 11, 2016

A group of people from Simply Meditation will shortly be holding the first of eight discussions around a series of talks by Stephen Batchelor and Roshi Joan Halifax from a retreat titled Being Completely Human, Secular Buddhism and Beyond.

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Good snowflakes

By Jim Champion | Published August 15, 2016

Using the koan ‘Good snowflakes: they don’t fall anywhere else’, Stephen Batchelor goes on to expand on it – trying to resist attempts at explaining it – using examples from modern, Western culture, specifically from the natural sciences.

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Why I think the pali canon is relevant

By Leon Frampton | Published June 5, 2016

I have decided to read the Pali canon, albeit in English, from front to back as available translations permit. I have a number of reasons for doing this, but the one that stands out most pointedly right now, is that this is the ground on which the modern secular interpretation of buddhism has to be based.

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3 useful articles

By Ramsey Margolis | Published May 29, 2016

The March 2016 Bodhi College newsletter contains links to longer articles by three of the four core members of the college faculty, Ancincano M. Weber, John Peacock and Stephen Batchelor. As there’s no facility to discuss them on the Bodhi College website, feel free to comment on them here.

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Glossary of dharma terms

By Ramsey Margolis | Published January 27, 2016

The glossary of dharma terms on this website has been updated. It sets out to explain terms commonly used in dharma (‘Buddhist’) circles in plain English, in particular those which newcomers may find difficult to grasp. Your thoughts are most welcome.

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Heidegger for dharma wallahs

By Winton Higgins | Published November 15, 2015

Well, you asked for it: a commissioned talk on that notoriously impenetrable philosopher, Martin Heidegger, whom I’ve mentioned on various occasions as someone who can help us express something that’s foundational to the dharma, but rarely articulated.

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