Busy Bodhi: Nibbling on Nibbida

Busy Bodhi: Nibbling on Nibbida

by | May 10, 2016

I learned an important Pali word: nibbida, which literally means “without finding”, but is usually translated as “disenchantment”.  Buddhist texts compare it to a dog that discovers a bone that’s been exposed to the sun for so long it no...
Meng-key Business

Meng-key Business

by | May 9, 2016

So my friends call me “Meng”.  My full name is actually Chade-Meng Tan. (My folks gave me that name because of a famous Chinese legend.) I started using the nickname “Meng” when I came to America and realized that many Americans can’t manage names with...
Busy Bodhi: How to Get Rid of Distracting Thoughts

Busy Bodhi: How to Get Rid of Distracting Thoughts

by | May 9, 2016

When trying to meditate, do you get distracted by “bad” thoughts (e.g., greed, hatred, etc)? In the Vitakkasaṇṭhāna Sutta (Majjhima Nikaya 20), the Buddha gives 5 suggestions to get rid of them…   First, try to replace the bad thought with a good...