Religion of the Month Club

It is the first day of the sixth month of the year 2564 of the Buddhist calendar. In this episode we discuss the Prajñāpāramitā Hṛdaya Sūtra, also known as the Heart of Transcendent Wisdom or the Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore. 

Key Question: what does it mean for your chosen path to be merely a vehicle to be discarded once you reach your destination?

It is the first day of Dhu al-Qa'dah, 1442 A.H. In this episode, we discuss the opening of the Qur'an, Sura Al-Fatiha.

Today marks the Feast of the Ascension, the 40th day of Easter in the Christian calendar, in the year 2021 anno Domini. In this episode, we discuss the first chapter of the Gospel according to Mark.

It is the first day of Vaisakha in the year 2078 in the Hindu calendar.  In this episode we discuss the second chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, the Song of God, from the Hindu epic, the Mahabharata.

This month, in the year 2564 of the Buddhist Era, we discuss the Buddha's first sermon in Varanasi, Setting the Wheel of Dhamma in Motion, or the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta.

Questions for consideration: 
- Have you ever felt like "life is suffering?" 
- What does "the middle path" mean to you?

Translations referenced:
- Piyadassi Thera - https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.harv.html
- Thanissaro Bhikkhu - https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html

Books referenced:
- God Is Not One by Stephen Prothero - https://www.stephenprothero.com/god-is-not-one

Happy Chinese New Year, everybody! It's the year of the Ox. In this episode we discuss the first chapter of the Tao Te Ching.

Questions for consideration: 

• What do you think of the two roles of "mother" as progenitor and nurturer? 
• Is it possible to see the world without desire?

It is Rosh Chodesh Sh'vat, the first day of the month of Sh'vat in the year 5781 of the Hebrew Calendar. In this episode we discuss the first chapter of the book of Genesis or Bereishit, the first book of the Torah, the first book of the Bible.

Answers the question, who are you? And why should I listen to you?

Welcome to the Religion of the Month Club, a new podcast where we discuss texts from the world’s scriptural traditions. In the episodes that follow, we will cover a variety of texts ranging from the Bible to the Bhagavad Gita, from the Quran, to the Daodejing.

Each of these texts originated on the Asian continent from 1,000 to 3,000 years ago, and each play a central role in one or more of the largest and most influential religious traditions on Earth today.