MJD’s Comments (group member since Aug 18, 2018)

MJD’s comments from the Secular Sangha: A Secular Buddhist Group group.

I think that Oriental Mythology is a good companion read to this book.

I think that A History of Indian Philosophy, Volume 1 is a good companion read to this book.

Use this thread to discuss 7 Treasures of Awakening: The Benefits of Mindfulness by Joseph Goldstein.

Use this thread to discuss Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics: A 10% Happier How-to Book by Dan Harris.

Use this thread to discuss Oriental Mythology by Joseph Campbell.

I have found this online version of value as it contains commentary on individual verses that could assist in the study of the text. Also, there are illustrations that may aid in contemplation.
http://www.buddhanet.net/dhammapada/

I would also like to advocate for the podcast "Waking Up" by Sam Harris as a lot of the content deals with the nature of human consciousness, meditation, and ethics.

https://samharris.org/podcast/

Here is the first chapter of the book, with both the text and audio of the author reading it: https://samharris.org/podcasts/chapte...

Use this thread to discuss A History of Indian Philosophy, Volume 1 by Surendranath Dasgupta.

Use this thread to discuss Wisdom of the Buddha: The Unabridged Dhammapada.

Use this thread to discuss Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion by Sam Harris.

I have found the following websites on secular Buddhism interesting:

http://secularbuddhism.org/

http://www.thesecularbuddhist.com/

https://secularbuddhism.com/

As this book questions the viability of a secular Buddhism I think that this article is a good companion piece: http://aristocratsofthesoul.com/secul...

As the writer of the article states: "My intent in this post is not to demean secular Buddhism in any way, but simply to point out the vast divergences of worldview that comprise this modern movement, and to educate those who might not be familiar with the many differences between modern secular Buddhism and more traditional Buddhist beliefs."

I have read a few books on the following book recommendations by Sam Harris, and all of them have become personal favorites.

https://samharris.org/recommended/?ta...

While I enjoy a wide rang of philosophy, I am particularly drawn to a secular reading of Buddhism. I mainly like the exploration how to achieve a state of personal equanimity, but I also like the ethics and other components of it. Apart from the pure philosophy that has come out of the Buddhist tradition, I also like exploring the mythology in a Joseph Campbell-like manner. Overall, to make matters short I would say that I generally agree with the approach that is taken in After Buddhism: Rethinking the Dharma for a Secular Age.

In terms of Buddhist practice, I would say that I am fully committed to incorporating meditation into my daily life. While I have read a number of books on the subject, the book that really convinced me to get serious about meditating was Altered Traits: Science Reveals How Meditation Changes Your Mind, Brain, and Body.

I recently completed An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding by David Hume together with Meditations on First Philosophy by René Descartes. I think that it is a good pairing for those interesting in philosophical skepticism.

I am currently reading Being and Time by Martin Heidegger. It is rather dense and requires a close reading, but it has been rewarding so far.

In order to produce a calm state of mind I sometimes make use of a mala (Buddist prayer beads), using the beads to count breaths before I start my meditation session. I have found this method to be helpful at times when I have a bad case of "monkey mind." I would recommend giving it a try to supplement your practice.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhis...

Use this thread to discuss Food for the Heart: The Collected Teachings of Ajahn Chah by Ajahn Chah.

Use this thread to discuss Altered Traits: Science Reveals How Meditation Changes Your Mind, Brain, and Body by Daniel Goleman and Richard Davidson.