Way of Compassion Dharma Center
Traditional Buddhist teachings that are practical and relevant for everyday life in the modern world.
Episodes
122 episodes
Samsara, Nirvana and Buddha Nature 26 - Three Types of Laziness
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna illuminates the three types of laziness that are obstacles to our flourishing in dharma practice. He not only offers clarity in how we can be lazy when it comes to prioritizing dharma, but also off...
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Season 5
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Episode 26
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41:29
Samsara, Nirvana and Buddha Nature 25 - Invigorating a Dry Dharma Practice
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna offers commentary on invigorating a dry dharma practice by maintaining a balance of being responsible for our practice but not pushing too hard. He offers a way forward through integrating our dhar...
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Season 5
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Episode 25
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52:54
Samsara, Nirvana and Buddha Nature 24 - Relating with Our Feelings
In this session, John gives a dharma talk on the Buddhist notion of feelings which are the pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral feelings that occur in relation with physical stimulus or mental phenomena. Different than our modern understanding of ...
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Season 5
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Episode 24
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52:03
Samsara, Nirvana and Buddha Nature 23 - 12 Links of Dependent Origination
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna explains the 12 links of dependent origination, which is a Buddhist model of understanding the cycle of suffering within samsara. John spends this session bringing this elaborate and precise model ...
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Season 5
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Episode 23
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55:38
Samsara, Nirvana and Buddha Nature 22 - Misperception
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna begins a series of teachings that will give an in-depth view of the 12 links of dependent origination. He spends this session talking about the first link, defined as ignorance or misperception, th...
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Season 5
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Episode 22
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50:57
Samsara, Nirvana and Buddha Nature 21 - Question and Answer Session
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna gives a recap of the refuge and bodhicitta verse that was discussed over the past two weeks. He then takes time to answer a variety of questions from the sangha. This episode was recorded on August...
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Season 5
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Episode 21
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1:07:16
Samsara, Nirvana and Buddha Nature 20 - The Six Perfections
In this episode, Spiritual Director John Bruna talks about the path of a bodhisattva as the six perfections of generosity, ethics, patience, joyous effort, concentration, and wisdom. He also translates these perfections into a variety of differ...
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Season 5
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Episode 20
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57:02
Samsara, Nirvana and Buddha Nature 19 - Taking Refuge in the Truth
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna offers an in-depth perspective of the Buddhist notion of taking refuge. He describes how we are taking refuge in the truth and the supportive structures that allow us to nurture a path of increasin...
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Season 5
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Episode 19
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54:41
Samsara, Nirvana and Buddha Nature 18 - The Medicine of Buddha Dharma
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna digs into the heart of the Buddha’s teachings on the removal of all suffering. He intertwines commentary on Buddha Nature and the Bodhisattva path while showing us steps along the way for removing ...
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Season 5
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Episode 18
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50:16
Samsara, Nirvana and Buddha Nature 17 - Auxiliary Afflictions
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna goes to the very heart of awakening by giving an in-depth discussion on root and auxiliary mental afflictions. He describes how from the root afflictions of misperception, anger, and attachment ari...
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Season 5
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Episode 17
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55:06
Samsara, Nirvana and Buddha Nature 16 - The Three Marks of Existence
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna offers a clarifying discussion about the three marks of existence. He describes practical ways to engage with these three realities that will lead to less suffering in our lives. John also answers ...
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Season 5
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Episode 16
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50:16
Samsara, Nirvana and Buddha Nature 15 - The Seven Forms of Arrogance
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna discusses various forms of arrogance and shows how these mental factors are harmful to ourselves and others. He also offers a perspective about the subtle differences of self-importance versus self...
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Season 5
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Episode 15
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53:33
Samsara, Nirvana and Buddha Nature 14 - The Mental Affliction of Anger
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna gives an in-depth teaching on the root affliction of anger. He describes the Buddhist view of anger as a very destructive mental state for us, and how it also leads to harmful behaviors toward othe...
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Season 5
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Episode 14
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57:44
Samsara, Nirvana and Buddha Nature 13 - Aspiration Versus Affliction
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna gives a very helpful teaching to clarify the differences and grey areas of aspiration versus attachment. He describes scenarios that may be a subtle form of attachment that actually serve as a temp...
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Season 5
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Episode 13
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1:00:32
Samsara, Nirvana and Buddha Nature 12 - The Six Root Afflictions
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna continues his commentary on the text "Samsara, Nirvana, and Buddha Nature" by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Venerable Thubten Chodron. John gives clarity on how to identify mental afflictions and...
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Season 5
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Episode 12
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1:05:21
Samsara, Nirvana and Buddha Nature 11 - The True Origins of Dissatisfaction
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna gives a commentary on the true origins of dukkha or dissatisfaction. John talks about how our habits, driven by misperception, can be quite sneaky in that they may seem to bring happiness, when in ...
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Season 5
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Episode 11
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1:02:52
Samsara, Nirvana and Buddha Nature 10 - Four Attributes of True Cessation
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna gives a teaching on the four attributes of the Third Noble Truth: true cessation. By using this model of understanding, John clarifies the meaning of Nirvana as complete freedom from all mental aff...
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Season 5
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Episode 10
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44:23
Samsara, Nirvana and Buddha Nature 09 - Four Attributes of the Second Noble Truth
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna gives a teaching on the 4 attributes of the Second Noble Truth, as presented in the text “Samsara, Nirvana, and Buddha Nature,'' by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Venerable Thubten Chodron. John d...
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Season 5
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Episode 9
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53:12
Samsara, Nirvana and Buddha Nature 08 - Summary of the First Noble Truth
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna continues teaching on the 16 attributes of the Four Noble Truths, as presented in the text “Samsara, Nirvana, and Buddha Nature,'' by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Venerable Thubten Chodron. John...
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Season 5
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Episode 8
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1:02:16
Samsara, Nirvana and Buddha Nature 07 - Four Attributes of the First Noble Truth Continued
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna continues teaching on the 16 attributes of the Four Noble Truths, as presented in the Text “Samsara, Nirvana, and Buddha Nature by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Venerable Thubten Chodron. This ep...
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Season 5
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Episode 7
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49:40
Samsara, Nirvana and Buddha Nature 06 - Four Attributes of the First Noble Truth
In this session, spiritual director John Bruna begins teaching on the 16 attributes of the Four Noble Truths, as presented in the Text “Samsara, Nirvana, and Buddha Nature by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Venerable Thubten Chodron. He discuss...
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Season 5
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Episode 6
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51:08
Samsara, Nirvana and Buddha Nature 05 - Methods for Eliminating Suffering
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna speaks on 4 different methods of cessation as presented in the text “Samsara, Nirvana, and Buddha Nature" by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Venerable Thubten Chodron. Additionally, John talks abou...
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Season 5
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Episode 5
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43:08
Samsara, Nirvana and Buddha Nature 04 - Suffering and The Path to Cessation
In this session, The Way of Compassion Dharma Center spiritual director John Bruna, continues his commentary on the text "Samsara, Nirvana, and Buddha Nature" with a discussion on the Buddhist view of Duhkha which is translated as suffering. He...
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Season 5
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Episode 4
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55:30
Samsara, Nirvana and Buddha Nature 03 - The Nature of the Four Truths
In this session, spiritual director John Bruna takes us deeper into the Buddhist truth of Duhkha or suffering, and the true causes of suffering that all sentient beings experience. He speaks about our fundamental misperception that leads to our...
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Season 5
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Episode 3
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1:00:17
Samsara, Nirvana and Buddha Nature 02 - The Four Truths
In this session, the spiritual director of the Way of Compassion Dharma Center, John Bruna, goes right to the heart of the Buddha's first teaching on the four truths. John gives commentary and a practical understanding of these truths and illus...
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Season 5
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Episode 2
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59:45