Bad Buddhist Radio: The Complete Collection
The complete collection of the Bad Buddhist Radio podcast .mp3 files in zip format. Featuring the all new BBR Zero: The Final Episode.
Here we are in 2024. Seventeen years ago, when podcasts were kind of a new thing, I decided to try doing my own about something I knew that meant a lot to me: Buddhism.
But like I've said multiple times, I'm just some guy who'd done a lot of reading and self study on the subject, and there were things that had helped me get over some pretty rough patches in my life, and there were things that I found less than helpful - and in some cases downright harmful!
So I came up with a name and a title and a log and started the podcast, which took off beyond anything I expected. Some people were thrilled to hear something that helped them, and some people were angered by my interpretations, my irreverance, and my sense of humor.
I hope that there were more of the first than there were of the second.
READ MOREAt any rate, people have been asking for a while to have access to the old podcasts, so here they are in a collection along with this: the introduction to the collection and the official final episode of the podcast - which is mostly just me answering some questions I thought people might have.
1. Are you still a Buddhist?
I'm sure a lot of people would say that I never was one. I still recognize the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path, and the Four Efforts - because I think those are important life lessons for all time - and I still follow the Middle Way as a way to live a relatively happy and trouble-free life, but I never accepted most of what is considered Buddhist doctrine. So I'm sure there are a lot of people who will be happy to hear that I no longer consider myself a Buddhist; Bad or otherwise.
2. Do you still stand by these podcasts.
Yes I do. They are a product of who I was at the time they were created. Yes, looking back at them, some of what I said makes me cringe a bit, and some of the things I said I would probably say differently now (if I said them at all), but that's life. When we look back at things we said or did and we go "Uuuuuggggghhh!", then that means we have grown and matured as people. That's the way we're supposed to be as we grow and learn and progress.
3. Will you be doing any more podcasts?
Nah. That time of my life is over. I think our current era is one of rampant extremism with little room for moderates or the middle way. Plus, I've come to go deeper into the idea that sometimes Right Speech means no speech at all. In a world of too many people speaking who probably shouldn't be, I think now is a perfect time for a big, steaming cup of shut the fudge up.
Maybe it's some wisdom earned from getting close to unlocking the "old dude" achievement, but I've gotten to a point of: there are so many people screaming out there right now, and I don't feel the need to be one of them. I just want to chill out, live my life, work some metal, and be happy without battling through it. And it seems to me that the best way to do that right now is to do some work, write some books, and just SHUT the EFF up. Especially when it seems like there are so many people who just seem to want to attack and argue over every little thing, and I'm just not going to do that.
4. Will you answer my questions or discuss the things you said in your podcast?
No. See Number 3.
5. "But I don't like what you said about 'X'" or "I'm offended by something you said in your podcast."
Okay. That's your prerogative. See Number 4.
6. I demand you apologize for something you said in your podcast!
No. See Number 5.
7. You're a pompous, arrogant $%*@##!!.
You know, you're probably right. See Number 3.