Bob Thurman Podcast

In this podcast Professor Thurman leads a recitation from his translation of “The Tibetan Book of the Dead: The Great Book of Natural Liberation Through Understanding in the Between” of […]

In this podcast Professor Thurman explores the concept of fierce protector deities used in Buddhist practices found in the traditional “Tibetan Book of The Dead” teachings and end of life […]

In this episode Professor Thurman examines the twelve verse summary of the Buddhist path as found the 12th Century “Essence of Eloquence” transcribed to Jey Tsongkapa by Manjushri in 1396-1397. […]

In this podcast Professor Thurman examines the historical Buddha’s exploration of the nature of reality & dispels the common misunderstanding of his core discovery. Includes a detailed explanation of the […]

In this podcast Professor Thurman discusses how to use the practice for the post-election result. This podcast was recorded on November 11, 2016 by Professor Thurman at his residence in […]

Conventional terms for different types of Buddhism (Japanese, Chinese, American, etc) seem to imply that Buddhism was made in these countries, and that it is a product of Japan or […]

According to a Buddhist belief, we all have lived not just one, but many lives, an infinite amount of them. This means that every being has had a chance to […]

In this podcast Professor Thurman explains that Buddhism is not only a religion, but it is even more a science and a philosophy. He uses as an example the Buddhist concept of […]

Different actions bring about different results. Depending on these results, actions may be called skillful or unskillful, right or wrong, realistic or unrealistic. Positive types of actions (physical, verbal or […]

In this podcast Professor Thurman explains why karma is a biological theory. Karma doesn’t mean a fate, karma means causality. You shape how you are. You shape how you are […]

This episode is a continuation of last week’s episode on Shantideva’s Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life. In this episode, Professor Thurman reads from Shantideva’s verses, dedicated to anger and […]

Shantideva is the author of one of the most studied texts in the Buddhist canon — A Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life. In this episode, Professor Thurman reads from […]

In this episode Professor Thurman explains that a Buddhist concept of “emptiness” or “voidness” doesn’t mean a “no state” apart from everything, or “nothingness”. Emptiness means that everything is empty […]

In this podcast Professor Thurman discusses a famous Buddhist concept of the “four transcendences,” or the “four thoughts that change the mind”: 1. The preciousness of the human life of […]

In this podcast Professor Thurman explains how we can apply the tenfold path of positive/skillful evolutionary actions to shape our lives in a positive direction and improve our evolutionary conditions. […]

In this podcast Professor Thurman discusses the importance of right understanding of faith, the ability to apply doubt and skepticism on the Buddhist path without taking it to the extreme […]

In this podcast Professor Thurman explains how freedom in our choices depends on whether we are living consciously or unconsciously. There is no such thing as “meant to be”, however, […]

In this podcast professor Thurman introduces great Buddhist masters Vasubandhu and Dignaga. Vasubandhu was a brother of the famous Asangha, who met with the future Buddha Maitreya. Vasubandhu wrote a […]

In this podcast Professor Thurman teaches how each of us creates causes and conditions throughout our life, and how the consequences of those causes will go with us as our […]

In this podcast Professor Thurman reads a description of Buddha’s Enlightenment from his translations found in “The Jewel Tree of Tibet” providing historical & meditative context. Professor Thurman goes on […]