Adventures in Buddhism

In this episode, Sensei Morris talks about how to get the most from the holiday season (and other emotion-laded times) by practicing gratitude and generosity as dharma gates.

The Zen koan on Not Knowing is a core teaching in some schools of Buddhism. In this talk, Sensei Morris Doshin Sullivan talks about some of his encounters with Not Knowing and suggests ways the listener might use it for their own awakening.

In this talk, Sensei Morris discusses a saying by one of his teachers, Ven. Khai Thien--"Every step of the journey is the journey." He shares thoughts on how to make use of this saying, and also how to transcend it, to experience the "no journey" that the instruction ultimately embodies.

You often hear that the objective of Buddhist practice is enlightenment. But there are a lot of different views of what constitutes enlightenment. In this episode, Sensei Morris talks about the idea of enlightenment in a way that can help us direct our practice and live more enlightened lives.  

Many newcomers to Buddhism wonder how their spiritual practice might relate to the spiritual practices of others. In this episode, Sensei Morris Doshin Sullivan talks about the Buddhist king, Ashoka, and his commitment to cooperation between religions. Sensei Morris will also share a short story about a time when King Pasenadi went on a diet. 

The first factor of the Noble Eightfold Path is Right View. But what does this mean? Do we need to "hold" certain views in order to consider ourselves Buddhist? And is it enough just to believe in the right thing? In this talk, Sensei Morris Doshin Sullivan talks about Right View and the importance of practice in developing wisdom. 

You hear this saying a lot: "When the student is ready, the teacher appears." But what does it mean to teach the dharma? How can you tell if the teacher who "appears" is one worth following? In this episode, Sensei Morris Doshin Sullivan talks about teaching the dharma and seeking a teacher. 

Soon after his awakening, the Buddha spoke to 1,000 ascetic fire-worshippers, and explained to them how to stop the cycle of mental actions that lead to stress and pain. 

In this episode, Sensei Morris Doshin Sullivan talks about a parable from the Lotus Sutra in which the Buddha explains that the practice is the ultimate way, the way to Buddhahood. He then shares a discussion of an earlier discourse, in which the Buddha explains the factors of the Noble Eightfold Path. 

In the modern world, we have access to countless religious and otherwise spiritual traditions and teachers. Some of these teachings can sound pretty good. But how can we tell if a teaching is going to take us down the path we want to travel? In this episode, Sensei Morris shares a conversation the Buddha had with his own stepmother about that topic. 

In this episode, Sensei Morris continues the series of essential elements of Buddhist practice with a discussion of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. 

In this episode, Sensei Morris continues his discussion of the day-to-day usefulness of the Buddha's key teachings, with an emphasis on the discourse on anatta--the not-self characteristic--and the factors of dependent origination. 

Want a gift that will last forever, won't wear out, and that you won't have any desire to exchange? In this episode, Sensei Morris Doshin Sullivan offers you some gifts you can give yourself that will also benefit others: kindness, gratitude and purpose.