Thought for the Day
I have been the Buddhist contributor to Thought for the Day on Radio 4 since 2006, and since 2010 I’ve done similar talks on BBC Radio Wales in the Weekend Word slot
We’re Vulnerable, So We Should Care for the World
We’re Vulnerable, as bad weather shows. Buddhism teaches that we suffer if we don’t acknowledge that. And as the UK debates it’s future energy supplies, that means we should consider deeply how our actions will affect the planet. Thought for the Day 24/12/2012
Hillsborough: Cover-up and Group Think
23 Years after the Hillsborough disaster, when 96 people were crushed to death in a UK soccer match, a government-commissioned independent report has concluded that police failures contributed to the tragedy; more lives could have been saved; and the police mounted a cover up. How does group pressure lead ordinary people to do wrong?
Buddhism and Drugs
New research shows that teenage cannabis use causes lasting damage. As well as the physiological damage, Buddhism suggests that drugs are about avoiding experience rather than engaging mindfully with it
The Olympic Honours Row: What Do We Value?
Should Olympic gold medallists automatically be recognised in the Honours System, or should honours should only go to athletes who have ‘given something back’ to society? The discussion means reflecting on what we value and who we should honour. Thought for the Day
Mindfulness vs Drugs in Managing Depression
The $3 billion fine against GlaxoSmithKline for mis-selling antidepressants and other medication reveals the commercialisation of mental healthcare. But an alternative to medication is learning to manage your states of mind. Mindfulness-based approaches that draw on Buddhist practice are making that a realistic alternative to Big Pharma
Aung San Suu Kyi & Freedom from Fear
As Aung San Suu Kyi addresses the UK parliament here’s a reflection on her political philosophy which emphasises the moral qualities and good sense rather than force or strategy
Connecting With Nature & Taking Responsibility
Human beings are a part of nature but with special power and responsibility. But we need to feel our connection with nature so we can feel our responsibility for it
The Buddha and The Scream
Edward Munch’s The Scream has just become the most expensive painting ever sold at auction. Meanwhile, Buddhists around the world are celebrating the Buddha’s Enlightenment by contemplating images of the Buddha. What is the mysterious power that images have over us? What do the express? And which should we choose to dwell on?
Visiting Auschwitz: Pilgrimage or ‘Dark Tourism’?
When I spent a week at Auschwitz Concentration Camp with a Buddhist-led interfaith group, I confronted the question, is such a visit meaningful or morbid? We may not be able to make sense of such places, but ‘bearing witness’ to their horrors has a mysterious power
Buddhist Rebels & Buddhist Despots in the Burmese Spring
Burma’s struggle isn’t between Buddhists and their opponents but between different kinds of Buddhists. The monastic establishment’s complicity with the generals’ Buddhist tyranny shows the need to reform Buddhism, freeing it from ancient practices that obscure its essential teachings
The Fall of a Banker
Fred Goodwin was a start of the banking world. His risks failed, the market turned and he’s been stripped of his knighthood. The worldly winds are blowing again: Weekend Word (Good Morning Wales, 03/02/12)
Belonging & Identity
There are jobs in the South East, but the regions and deprived areas are losing out as the recession bites. But people South Wales where I live have a sense of identity and belonging that can’t just be transplanted. Thought for the Day 24/12/2012
Buddhism’s Happiness Agenda
The UK government intends to shape its policies according to what promotes happiness and wellbeing. But what is happiness, and what are the factors, according to Buddhism, that develop it? Thought for the Day 17th January 2012
The Dharma of Dickens
Dickens’ moral vision mirrors the Buddhist teaching of karma: every character is a moral actor, whether they know it or now, inhabiting a fictional world that is imbued with a meaning and where every action has significance.
People power is the real deterrent
The UK is reviewing its spending on nuclear weapons. But if our nuclear policy undermines civil society, it makes us less secure. A Thought for the Day broadcast
Rugby Values
Welsh rugby is ascendent, English rugby’s in the doghouse. This talk on BBC Radio Wales teases out the underlying values this reveals
Giving Life
As the UK debates how much women should be paid to donate eggs to infertile couples for IVF this Thought for the Day explores the real value of altruism, placing it in the context of Mahayana Buddhist teachings.
Beyond the Driven Economy
In the grip of a recession we want economic growth, but we also fear its consequences. Is there an alternative and what light can Buddhism and mindfulness practice shed? Thought for the Day 13 October, 2011
Worldly Winds in the News
A man has risen to fame, riches and power, but things turn against him and he is facing disgrace. We must wait till the final act to discover if the fault’s his own or he’s a victim of injustice, but either is the material of tragedy. Strauss-Kahn, Gaddafi … This Thought for the Day reflects on the worldly winds as the news shows them blowing through the lives of those caught up in a maelstrom they never expected
Thought for the Day Archive
Here is the text and audio of talks for Thought for the Day on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, where I have been the Buddhist contributor since 2006 commenting on the affairs of the day from the perspective of the Buddha’s teachings.
Understanding karma shows why we need justice for war crimes
Ratko Mladic is on trial for war crimes. Is this justice … or karma? This Thought for the Day talk explores the real meaning of karma and how this teaching fosters the ethical awareness we need to confront violence.
As Riots Rage, an Act of Forgiveness
Thought for the Day. In the midst of the UK riots an act of forgiveness showed the way towards healing British society