Category Archives: Teachings of the Buddha

Metta, Syrian Refugees and Dazzle

Posted on December 10, 2015 by EricKVanHorn

I am reading the Itivuttaka (“This Was Said (by the Buddha)“), which is a small volume of discourses from the Pali Canon. The literary quality of this volume is particularly striking. Each discourse begins with a short prose passage, which is … Continue reading →

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The Three Poisons

Posted on March 15, 2015 by EricKVanHorn

I heard a Dhamma talk this week in which the idea that there is such a thing as an “appropriate poison” was proffered. He was speaking of the Three Poisons: greed, hatred and delusion. He gave an example of “appropriate … Continue reading →

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Reverse Engineering the Buddha’s Enlightenment

Posted on March 3, 2015 by EricKVanHorn

I was dumpster diving through my hard disk the other day and found a paper that I wrote a few years ago called “Reverse Engineering the Buddha’s Enlightenment.” I have posted it to the “Papers and Projects” section of the … Continue reading →

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Additional Resources

Posted on February 15, 2015 by EricKVanHorn

Dharma Talks Demystifying Non-Self: The Joy of Disappearing

Posted in Buddhist history, Buddhist meditation, Buddhist practice, Teachings of the Buddha | 10 Comments

Pseudo-scholarship in Buddhism

Posted on February 15, 2015 by EricKVanHorn

Sometimes I feel a little self-conscious about the fact that I spend so much time debunking what I hear other Buddhist teachers saying. However, I feel a little bit better about this since I heard Thanissaro Bhikkhu point out that … Continue reading →

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New Meditation Section

Posted on February 2, 2015 by EricKVanHorn

I have added a new tab to the web site called Meditation. It currently has two entries, an “Introduction” and a description on “Establishing a Sitting Posture.” The goal is over time to develop a comprehensive guide to meditation and indeed … Continue reading →

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The Cascading Four Noble Truths

Posted on January 2, 2015 by EricKVanHorn

Many teachers emphasize the non-linear nature of the eightfold Noble Path. Each step in the path helps to reinforce all of the others. And of course that it’s true. However, there is also a method behind the order in which … Continue reading →

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A Single Excellent Night

Posted on October 1, 2013 by EricKVanHorn

There is a lovely sutta (discourse) in the Majjhima Niaya called “A Single Excellent Night”. In it, the Buddha offers these verses: Let not a person revive the past Or on the future build his hopes; For the past has … Continue reading →

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The Diamonds Under the Coal

Posted on July 12, 2013 by EricKVanHorn

I often encourage serious students of the Dhamma to read the Buddha’s discourses. This can be something of a hard sell. The language is repetitive, the cultural references are – of course – 2400 years out of date, and the concepts … Continue reading →

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Oh, What A Tangled Web….

Posted on July 9, 2013 by EricKVanHorn

A dear Dhamma sister of mine just got back from a retreat at the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies. It was a retreat nominally devoted to learning how to do jhana (tranquility) practice, although it is not limited to jhana. … Continue reading →

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