A Buddhist Podcast

December 23rd, 2009

A very merry christmas to you! This last weekend we recorded tonights lecture in the kitchen of the amazing Jackie Evans from Gower and Swansea West District in West Wales. We had a wonderful welcome and met some great people! On our return we finished the show and are delighted to bring you tonight, a lecture on Nichiren Daishonin’s writing, Letter from Sado.

The lecture is quite long and was recorded very late at night, so you might want to listen to it in parts! Subjects include:

Time is the biggest contribution we can make

I solemnly swear that I want to do good

Temples were an investment

The loss of each individual life matters

Clinging on to life

An ungrudging spirit

Use problems to become happy

Earnest resolve

Refuting mistaken teachings

Doing the right thing

The heart of a lion king

We play two tracks from the Podsafe Music Network, Panacea by Bill and Merry Christmas Angel by the wonderful Vittoria Conn.

Thank you so much for your continued support of the show, we really are very grateful.

Have a truly wonderful new year!

The lecture is quite long and was recorded very late at night, so you might want to listen to it in parts! Subjects include:

Time is the biggest contribution we can make
I solemnly swear that I want to do good
Temples were an investment
The loss of each individual life matters
Clinging on to life
An ungrudging spirit
Use problems to become happy
Earnest resolve
Refuting mistaken teachings
Doing the right thing
The heart of a lion king

We play two tracks from the Podsafe Music Network, Panacea by Bill and Merry Christmas Angel by the wonderful Vittoria Conn.

Thank you so much for your continued support of the show, we really are very grateful.

Have a truly wonderful new year!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (64.4MB)

15 Comments »

Dear Jason and Karen

Words cannot say how much I appreciate your podcasts – THANK YOU SO MUCH – it’s like having a home visit anytime I need one! Love to you all and have a Xmas and New Year!

Comment by Gill Cooke — December 23, 2009 @ 1:48 pm
Hey Jason, Karen & family. Well I’ve finally found the site and listened to this month’s podcast. What a wonderful way to study, relaxing wrapped up in my quilt, mug of hot chocolate in my hand listening to you guys as the rain pattered on my window!
It was so good to meet you again Jason. I feel so grateful for your (and the family’s) presence in Swansea. You are all wonderful ambassadors for Kosen Rufu!
Big Hugs!
Big Love!
Big Jon!

Comment by Jonathan Davies — December 24, 2009 @ 1:03 pm
Wonderful podcasts for Kosen Rufu! I am a group leader in the Victory Bridge District in South Amboy, New Jersey, SGI-USA. I try to listen regularly to your uplifting discussions and studies.

nam myoho renge kyo
nam myoho renge kyo
nam myoho renge kyo

Cheers,

Brian Kearns

Comment by brian kearns — December 26, 2009 @ 8:59 pm
Merry Christmas, Jason, Karen & family! Thank you for these 2 blissful tunes, and especially, Jason for a really really really good lecture. I’m better aware now that I have some self-examination to do about my own cowardice in the face of unjust behavior. Thank you for making such excellent connections with daily life in our current existence. Much food for chanting about.

Comment by Donna — December 28, 2009 @ 3:05 am
Hi Jason, Karen and family. We hope you have all had a good Christmas and like us, are looking forward to the start of a New Year. For me (Monica), 1st January 2010 is very special as I become a Member of SGI-UK. Thanks to Peter’s unending encouragement and immense patience, I am, now, realising benefits from practicing. It’s amazing the unusual places you find yourself chanting NAM-MYOHO-RENGE-KYO isn’t it? Your encouraging Podcasts are a great help to me also, as I am facing some deep rooted insecurities at the moment, which is a result of past issues. Poor Peter has had to endure some very difficult times, but I am so lucky he believes in me, he is a wonderful man and a true Buddha. We are to be married in May 2010 and I know after all the obstacles/struggles we have endured along the way, we will have a wonderful future together. Our advice to any couple going through any struggle within their relationship is to keep talking, always say “goodnight” on a happy note and keep chanting.

With our very best wishes for the year ahead.

Monica.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Thanks Monica for your kind words. Please read “Happiness in this World” Gosho and may the rest of your life be a wonderful event with no regrets.

Jason, I plan to attend the Men’s Division Meeting next year where I shall wear your tee-shirt with pride.

May 2010 be a great year for everyone reading this.

Peter

Comment by Peter de Groot & Monica Petty — December 28, 2009 @ 8:21 am
Happy New Year Jason, Karen, and family. Hope you had a great Xmas.

Realy enjoyed this podcast, a lot of powerful stuff in it. I’m going to have to listen to it again a couple of times to take it all it!

I had the Reluctant Buddhist for my birthday (just before Xmas) and I have to say it was a great read. Please pass on my best wishes and thanks to William 🙂

Have a great 2010, and keep up the good work.
Thanks
Marc

Comment by Marc F — January 2, 2010 @ 2:15 pm
hello happy 2010.

a big divine wow…thanks so much…my second time visiting site…introduced by gabriel in ireland…

namaste
sally
nyc

Comment by sally assante — January 7, 2010 @ 6:14 am
Hello Jarretts – I can’t thank you enough for your podcasts. I’ve become somewhat estranged from my local SGI chapter for various reasons, so I find great comfort in your podcasts. I truly enjoy the mix of resources you use in constructing your lectures and feel that they are more like conversations of which I am a welcome part. One of the problems I had with my local chapter is that our meetings were solely discussions on President Ikeda’s lectures and I was actively discouraged from reading the Lotus Sutra myself. I was actually told “Don’t bother, it’s too complicated!” by a leader and while I have a lot of respect for President Ikeda, I also felt that I wanted a more comprehensive discussion of the entire philosophy, of the entire body of work from all aspects of the SGI. I also had and am having a hard time feeling President Ikeda as my mentor. I just don’t feel it and was often somewhat chastised for that questioning during meetings. It’s something I explore daily. I feel much more connected to the two of you. You have kids, you have jobs, you live life as I know it and I find great comfort in that. I had great affection for my chapter, but in the end, it just didn’t feel like a welcoming space and I decided to stop going. I continue to chant daily and have faith that this will be resolved. So your podcasts sort of take the place of that for me.
I also wanted to suggest some music for you! Please find The YOGOMAN BURNING BAND and the RYAN MONTBLEU BAND as well. They both have Myspace pages and I think you will enjoy their music quite a bit. Very positive and very nice people as well.
Cheers and good tea to you and yours,
Dawn – Humboldt County, CA

Comment by Dawn Watkins — January 7, 2010 @ 7:07 am
Hi Jason and Karen,
Thanks for another fantastic lecture. I downloaded it onto my ipod and listened to it between lectures at Trets(My first visit!)on the New Year Course.
Wishing you and you family a terrific year!!!
Tracy (Canterbury District)

Comment by Tracy — January 10, 2010 @ 5:13 pm
Hi Karen and Jason,

Another great podcast. It is every good way to enhance my practice but it keeps my teenage son engaged and keeps him interest at the beginning of his practice.

hope you had a merry christmas.. and your new year is going well.

thanks…

vimala, fremont,ca

Comment by Vimala Mark — January 22, 2010 @ 4:49 am
Deeply grateful, thanks so much

Comment by Krishinda — January 24, 2010 @ 2:32 pm
Hi Jason & Karen.

Once again all encouragement to your podcasts which help us all with Buddhist study and understanding in a very clear and normal un-highfaluting way.

William’s readings are wonderful I remember him when he was a tv documentary maker always coming up with an interesting angle on whatever subject he was portraying.

On the subject of ‘Happy New Year’, unfortunately I broke my leg during the heavy ice and snow we had in Europe during January and am using this enforced rest to read William’s ‘The Reluctant Buddhist’ after enjoying his reading of chapter ten.

I’m sure William’s book will help healing on all fronts. The plaster comes off on 10th Feb. ‘His book is made for walking’!

Happy New Year, love to all your family. Looking forward to many more podcasts in 2010.

Best wishes Christopher.
Amsterdam.

Comment by christopher. — January 29, 2010 @ 11:44 pm
Studying ‘Letter from Sado’ at the moment for our next HQ course. This is very useful and helping me to deepen my practice, very grateful to you both. Thanks also to Peter and Monica for recommending Gosho ‘Happiness in this World’. I am trying to work out how to encourage my (separated) husband to practice, or at least realise the benefits of the practice. Wish me luck. Best to all of you! NMRK

Comment by Sue — February 2, 2010 @ 11:47 pm
Thank you so much for the great lecture. I am assisting with the lecture in April: Letter from Sado. East Haringey HQ. I wasn’t aware of this website. by chance i clicked on the lecture. I love the music.

Comment by Frederick Jacques — March 5, 2010 @ 10:29 pm
hi Karen and Jason 14.12.12 just found your lecture on letter to Sado heard half at present …it’s great, thankyou…will listen to the rest tomorrow.
so inspiring

Comment by phyllis holmes — February 14, 2012 @ 6:01 pm