The recent dharma series from Danadasa is now available on our website and podcast:
In a 3-part series, Danadasa covers the “Three Great Turnings” of the wheel of the dharma that resulted in the Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions.
In Part 1, Danadasa touches on Theravada perspectives, emphasizes the original teachings of the Buddha from the Pali canon, such as the concept of the “two darts”: physical pain as inevitable (the first dart) and the additional suffering we create through our mental reactions (the second dart). He explains that liberation lies in recognizing these reactions as echoes from the past rather than intrinsic truths, allowing us to let them naturally fade. This practice shifts our perspective from intellectual understanding to embodied wisdom.
Part 2 explores how Mahayana Buddhism builds on early Buddhist teachings to emphasize interconnectedness and engagement with the world. He contrasts embodied imagination—a tool for liberation—with fantasy, which is mere escapism. Through imagination, we can transform harmful narratives into those fostering peace and well-being. Danadasa highlights the Mahayana method of creating archetypal symbols, like Amitabha Buddha, to inspire and guide practitioners, encouraging reliance on higher wisdom rather than individual control.
In the final talk, he explores the Vajrayana tradition’s emphasis on holistic self-acceptance and using all aspects of experience—including anger—as part of the spiritual path. He discusses the contrast between early Buddhism’s emphasis on self-liberation, Mahayana’s interconnectedness, and Vajrayana’s transformative approach that integrates even difficult emotions. By reframing anger as energy that can be directed toward wisdom or compassion, Vajrayana encourages acceptance and the practice of self-love as a pathway to freedom.
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You can watch or listen to the full series on our website or YouTube:
To Polarize is to Suffer (Part 1 of 3-part Series) – Danadasa
The Embodied Imagination: Doorways to Freedom (Part 2 of 3-part series) – Danadasa
Everything is Perfectly Imperfect (Part 3 of 3-part series) – Danadasa
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