Comedian, Duncan Trussell, and mindfulness teacher, David Nichtern, join Raghu to explore the intersection of Bhakti and Buddhism.
In this special live recording from the LSRF 2022 Summer Mountain Retreat in Boone, North Carolina, Mindrolling favorites, Duncan Trussell and David Nichtern, join Raghu for a deep and hilarious discussion spanning the variant and connected nuances of the spiritual paths of Bhakti and Buddhism.
Take an online course with David at Dharma Moon & check out Duncan Trussell’s podcast The Duncan Trussell Family Hour
Bhakti & Buddhism
David, Duncan, and Raghu talk about Duncan’s journey on the path of Bhakti and Buddhism. Duncan describes Buddhism as being a pragmatic counterpart to his devotional Bhakti practice. Raghu explores his relationship to the deity Hanuman. Duncan shares how if we can walk into a temple in front of a Hanuman statue with a clear mind from meditating, we can be more deeply in that momentary experience.
“The reason I’m meditating is so that the next time I’m sitting in front of a Hanuman statue, experiencing some sort of transcendent bliss, I’m not drowning it out with a machine gun rattle of seventy questions regarding what that is.” – Duncan Trussell
Termas, Tantra, & Gurus (22:59)
Next, the group dives into the Buddhist concept of ‘termas’ – treasure teachings which are hidden by great teachers to be discovered at the right moment in future ages. From here, David discusses how Tantric Buddhism connects to the path of Bhakti through the use of Guru as a vehicle to liberation.
If you’d like to hear recordings from another retreat, check out: True Generosity Day 1: Open Your Heart in Paradise Retreat 2018
The Will to Make Others Happy // Practice, Community, & Offering Love (41:28)
Raghu outlines how when we have the will to make others happy—setting an intention to be present and offer love to others rather than being absorbed in our own stories—we are able to escape from the ‘addiction of me.’ Highlighting how to do do this, they bask in the importance of practice, community, and offering love.
“We should do that regularly as a group, make sure that we are leaving some space to just be, experience each other, the warmth of getting together as friends and as sangha. That transcends anything we are going to characterize here.” – David Nichtern
