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Bright On Buddhism

Bright On Buddhism

Written by: Nicholas Bright Haight
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About this listen

Welcome to Bright on Buddhism, a podcast where we discuss and explain topics of Buddhism in a casual, conversational, question and answer setting. My name is Nick Bright, scholar of East Asian Buddhism. I am currently studying for my Master’s degree in Religion at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, where I am specializing in pre-modern Japanese Buddhist architecture history. I have researched topics such as Japanese Buddhist responses to the Covid-19 pandemic, Buddhist Haiku poetry, and the Japanese history of science and religion. I will be joined by my friend Proven Paradox.Nicholas Bright Haight Spirituality
Episodes
  • Who is Budai?
    Jan 23 2026

    Bright on Buddhism - Episode 130 - Who is Budai? What are some stories about him? How is he depicted in iconography and why?

    Resources:

    Leighton, Taigen Dan (1998). Bodhisattva Archetypes: Classic Buddhist Guides to Awakening and Their Modern Expression. New York: Penguin Arkana. pp. 260–261.

    Levine, Gregory (2007). Awakenings: Zen Figure Painting in Medieval Japan. Japan Society.

    Faure, Bernard (1991). "Six: The Thaumaturge and Its Avatars (II)". The Rhetoric of Immediacy: A Cultural Critique of Chan/Zen Buddhism. Princeton University Press. p. 115. doi:10.2307/j.ctv1j666xp.11. ISBN 978-0-691-07374-3. JSTOR j.ctv1j666xp. S2CID 243553565. (also available at https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Rhetoric_of_Immediacy/sskkEAAAQBAJ?gbpv=1&pg=PA115)

    https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-keiths-daughters-after-tragedy

    Do you have a question about Buddhism that you'd like us to discuss? Let us know by emailing us at Bright.On.Buddhism@gmail.com.

    Credits:

    Nick Bright: Script, Cover Art, Music, Voice of Hearer, Co-Host

    Proven Paradox: Editing, mixing and mastering, social media, Voice of Hermit, Co-Host

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    18 mins
  • Who is Tārā?
    Jan 16 2026

    Bright on Buddhism - Episode 129 - Who is Tara? What are some stories about her? How is she depicted in iconography and why?

    Resources: Beer, Robert (2003). A Handbook of Tibetan Buddhist Symbols. Boston: Shambhala. ISBN 978-1590301005.

    Blofeld, John (1992). The Tantric Mysticism of Tibet: A Practical Guide to the Theory, Purpose, and Techniques of Tantric Meditation. Penguin. ISBN 0-14-019336-7.

    Blofeld, John (2009). Bodhisattva of Compassion: The Mystical Tradition of Kuan Yin. Shambhala Publications. ISBN 978-1-59030-735-9.

    Conze, Edward, ed. (1964). Buddhist Texts Through the Ages. Translated by Isaline Blew Horner. Harper & Row. ISBN 978-0061301131.

    Dalai Lama (1st) (September 2000). "A Short Sadhana of Green Tara" (PDF). Gaden for the West. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 September 2012. Retrieved 26 May 2012.

    Getty, Alice (1998). The Gods of Northern Buddhism: Their History and Iconography. Courier. ISBN 978-0-486-25575-0.

    Ghosh, Mallar (1980). Development of Buddhist Iconography in Eastern India: A Study of Tārā, Prajñās of Five Tathāgatas and Bhṛikuṭī. India: Munshiram Manoharlal. OCLC 8029740.

    Kunsang, Erik Pema; et al. (2003). Rangjung Yeshe Tibetan-English Dictionary of Buddhist Culture, Version 3 on CD ROM. Nepal: Rangjung Yeshe Publications. ISBN 9627341347.

    Norbu, Thinley (1999). Magic Dance: The Display of the Self-Nature of the Five Wisdom Dakinis. Shambhala Publications. ISBN 0-87773-885-8.

    Sherab, Palden; Dongyal, Tsewang (2007). Tara's Enlightened Activity: Commentary on the Praises to the Twenty-one Taras. Boulder, CO: Snow Lion. ISBN 978-1-55939-287-7.

    Stevens, Rachael (2022). Red Tara: The Female Buddha of Power and Magnetism. Shambhala Publications.[ISBN missing]

    Thondup, Tulku (1999). Masters of Meditation and Miracles: Lives of the Great Buddhist Masters of India and Tibet. Shambhala Publications. ISBN 1-57062-509-3.

    Willson, Martin (1996). In Praise of Tara: Songs to the Saviouress. Wisdom Publications. ISBN 978-0861711093.

    Do you have a question about Buddhism that you'd like us to discuss? Let us know by emailing us at Bright.On.Buddhism@gmail.com.

    Credits:

    Nick Bright: Script, Cover Art, Music, Voice of Hearer, Co-Host

    Proven Paradox: Editing, mixing and mastering, social media, Voice of Hermit, Co-Host

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    22 mins
  • Kālāma Sutta
    Jan 9 2026

    Bright on Buddhism - Kālāma Sutta - Join us as we read and discuss the Soma Thera translation of the Kalama Sutta in its entirety

    Resources:

    Root texts

    Pali text at SuttaCentral (available in five scripts, including Roman and Devanagari)

    Translations

    With the Kālāmas of Kesamutta, translation by Bhikkhu Sujato

    Kesaputtiya, translation by Bhikkhu Bodhi

    Essays

    The wisdom of Kalama Sutta

    Knowledge and Truth in Early Buddhism Dharmachari Nagapriya Archived 2018-12-08 at the Wayback Machine from Western Buddhist Review

    Help! The Kalama Sutta, Help! by Buddhadasa Bhikkhu.

    https://www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-local-foodbank

    Do you have a question about Buddhism that you'd like us to discuss? Let us know by emailing us at Bright.On.Buddhism@gmail.com.

    Credits:

    Nick Bright: Script, Cover Art, Music, Voice of Hearer, Co-Host

    Proven Paradox: Editing, mixing and mastering, social media, Voice of Hermit, Co-Host

    Show More Show Less
    52 mins
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