Diggin' the Dharma
Jon Aaron and Doug Smith
Diggin' the Dharma with Jon Aaron and Doug Smith is a relaxed discussion of the Buddhist dharma between friends. Jon's interest centers around practice, while Doug's centers around scholarship of the early material, so their approaches balance practice with study. Their discussions will be approachable to a broad audience of Buddhists and those curious about Buddhism, and they welcome questions and comments. Jon is a teacher at Space2Meditate and NY Insight Meditation Center and a well known teacher and trainer of teachers of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction. Doug has a PhD in Philosophy and runs Doug's Dharma on YouTube and the Online Dharma Institute, where he gives courses on early Buddhism. Find them at: https://digginthedharma.com/
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jun 15, 2025 • 27min
Practice as Refuge and Recharge
Send a textThese are difficult times, and our practice can be a true refuge and an opportunity to recharge. However, it’s also possible for meditation to become a means of escaping or bypassing what’s happening in the world or our personal experiences. Ideally, true refuge recharges us and increases our capacity to face the world and with what Bhikkhu Bodhi calls “conscientious compassion.” Jon and Doug have a lively discussion about how our practice supports us in these times.Link to Bhikkhu Bodhi's Commentary on Protecting Human Dignity and the Threat of Moral Nihilism: https://www.lionsroar.com/commentary-protecting-human-dignity-from-the-threat-of-moral-nihilism/Support the showGo to our website to leave a comment, buy us a coffee, or see further notes and links: https://digginthedharma.com/
Jun 8, 2025 • 28min
Practicing Acceptance
Send a textJon and Doug discuss the Buddhist practice of acceptance. How would the Buddha have framed it? How can we work with acceptance today, and how might an attitude of acceptance make our lives better?Support the showGo to our website to leave a comment, buy us a coffee, or see further notes and links: https://digginthedharma.com/
Jun 1, 2025 • 29min
Guarding the Sense Doors and Practicing with Social Media
Send a textThe Buddha taught that guarding the sense doors is an essential part of practice. Of course, social media didn’t exist 2500 years ago. These days it’s so easy to get caught in the vortex of social media. Jon and Doug discuss how they guard (or not) the sense doors in the current media reality.Support the showGo to our website to leave a comment, buy us a coffee, or see further notes and links: https://digginthedharma.com/
Apr 27, 2025 • 28min
The Role of Faith or Confidence in Our Practice
Send a textJon and Doug discuss the role of faith or confidence in Buddhist practice, how it can be useful and also how it can be misused.Support the showGo to our website to leave a comment, buy us a coffee, or see further notes and links: https://digginthedharma.com/
Mar 9, 2025 • 28min
Silence and Solitude
Dive into the realms of silence and solitude as two practitioners share their experiences from retreats. Discover how external quiet can amplify internal peace while grappling with mental distractions. They discuss the transformational power of collective silence and the vital role community plays in navigating solitude. Their travel tales and reflections on the value of mindful moments enrich the conversation, making it a heartfelt exploration of spiritual practice in today's chaotic world.
Feb 23, 2025 • 26min
Finding Joy Through Practice
Send a textJoy is an essential aspect of Buddhist practice. And boy do we need joy right now! Jon and Doug discuss how joy can arise for us, and what attitudes and practices can help joy to arise.Jon's Talk on Joy for TricycleSupport the showGo to our website to leave a comment, buy us a coffee, or see further notes and links: https://digginthedharma.com/
Feb 16, 2025 • 30min
Pilgrimage and Spiritual Seekers
Send a textJon has been on pilgrimage in India over the last few weeks. He reports in about all he's been experiencing at various Buddhist and other sites. Links:Jon's blog posts: JonAaron.net/musingsWhere Are You Going: Ajahn Sucitto and Nick Scott https://whereareyougoing.podbean.com/Doug's video: King Asoka: Buddhism's Great Political Modernist -- https://youtu.be/V4894Ug8Y3c Support the showGo to our website to leave a comment, buy us a coffee, or see further notes and links: https://digginthedharma.com/
Jan 12, 2025 • 28min
It's About Time in Buddhism
Send a textHow do we perceive time, and what can we learn from Buddhist teachings about it? How do we frame the past and the future, not to mention the present? Jon and Doug discuss this topic, inspired by the fact that Jon is currently in India, which is 9.5 hours ahead of the East Coast of the U.S., where Doug is.Support the showGo to our website to leave a comment, buy us a coffee, or see further notes and links: https://digginthedharma.com/
Dec 22, 2024 • 33min
Dharma Chat with Stephen Fulder-- Practicing in Challenging Times
Send a textJon and Doug have a wide-ranging chat with the dharma teacher and peace activitist, Stephen Fulder, founder of Tovana, the Israel Insight Society. We discuss his work in Israel and his new book, How to Thrive in Hard Times.You can find his book here on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/How-Thrive-Hard-Times-Buddhist/dp/1915672740/Support the showGo to our website to leave a comment, buy us a coffee, or see further notes and links: https://digginthedharma.com/
Dec 15, 2024 • 28min
Refuge in Practice: Self or Sangha?
Send a textWhat is the role of community in our practice? The sangha is one of the traditional three refuges or jewels of Buddhism. The Buddha also advised at the end of his life to hold the self as our island and refuge, with the dharma as our island and refuge. Jon and Doug discuss how we reconcile these ideals.Support the showGo to our website to leave a comment, buy us a coffee, or see further notes and links: https://digginthedharma.com/
