Thought for the Day

The following talks are taken from BBC Radio 4's "Thought for the Day" series. Most are by Vishvapani, a Triratna member and are given from a Buddhist perspective. Occasionally relevant talks by speakers from various other faith traditions are included.

"This brief, uninterrupted interlude has the capacity to plant a seed of thought that stays with listeners during the day. Thought for the Day is broadcast during the Today programme on BBC Radio 4 every morning at around 7.45am."

Saturday 24 November 2012

Storms

Vishvapani talks about the recent storms and how the "storms" in our own minds affect us.



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Thursday 13 September 2012

Hakuin Ekaku

The Rev Angela Tilby talks of the Archbishop of Canterbury Dr. Rowan Williams and the Zen monk Hakuin
Ekaku.

 “Is that so?” reflects the acceptance of what the moment brings. Acceptance in the sense that one responds appropriately to the situation with a calm mind and spirit. There are no calls of fairness or unfairness, of being experienced in the task or not, of complaining about a lost reputation, of wishing that it were different. The needs of present are simply addressed.



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Wednesday 29 August 2012

Meditation v. Cannabis

Vishvapani discusses the benefits of meditation and mindfulness. "The fundamental choice we all face is whether to inhabit a haze filled by dope smoke or some other form of sedative or distraction; or to engage with our lives wholeheartedly, with all their frustrations and all their beauty."



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Friday 24 August 2012

Vishvapani Considers Honour and who Deserves it

In the wake of the Olympics Vishvapani considers honour and who deserves it.

The Buddha concluded that true merit lies in a person’s state of mind, regardless of their social standing or achievements. The core virtues he identified include generosity, ethics, patience, energy, wisdom and loving-kindness. He suggested that we should honour people who possess such qualities above those who are merely attractive or successful, and that doing so is essential for a society’s health.



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Saturday 28 January 2012

How Much Money is Enough


Novelist, screenwriter and broadcaster Rhidian Brook on how it's not how much we earn but how we earn it and what we do with it.



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