Chapter 10 of The Destructivists by William Collins, in which he explains why the 'elites' - the privileged, the established, the influential, the powerful - have most to gain from the imposed Moral Infantilism of society.
8 May 2023
Posted in: Politics
Latest Articles
Calls for 'Social Justice' seem to be getting shriller, and the demands made in its name stranger. Vidyaruchi explains what the terms have come to mean, where the ideas underlying their current use originated, and why they are so dangerous.
- 3 May 2023
Posted in: Politics
A message from the editorial board on the occasion of Apramada's second anniversary, explaining something of what motivated us to start a new online publication, and what we hope to achieve.
- 3 May 2023
Posted in: Buddhism
Ratnaguna discusses the rise of offence-taking in our culture and argues that, just because someone gives offence, doesn't mean you have to take it.
- 23 April 2023
An extract from Nagapriya's book The Promise of a Sacred World, in which he argues that cultivating a sense of gratitude for all we've received is transformative.
- 23 April 2023
Posted in: Buddhism
Politics
Chapter 7 of The Destructivists by William Collins, in which he explains how supposed moral rectitude functions as a form of power.
- 24 February 2023
Posted in: Politics
Many people, including some Buddhists, now believe that black lives are 'systematically and intentionally targeted for demise' by the police. In the second instalment of 'An Immoral Panic', Subhamati examines the evidence.
- 22 January 2023
Posted in: Politics
Chapter 2 of The Destructivists by William Collins, in which he ascribes the divisions in our society to a form of moral corruption which must be countered in moral terms.
- 11 January 2023
Prajnanandi read ‘a good heart is not enough’, and wrote to the author to say, 'I absolutely agree with the principles you outlined, but when I applied the principles, I came to the opposite conclusions. Can we talk?’
- 28 November 2022
Psychology
Ratnaguna interviews Advayacitta about how recognising and transcending various patterns from the past is an important aspect of psychological and spiritual development.
- 24 December 2022
Ratnaguna explains what a spiritual community is and is not, and makes a case for spiritual communities changing the world for the better.
- 23 October 2022
Posted in: Psychology
Advayacitta, a clinical psychologist, explores how political ideologies can undermine psychological functioning, thereby harming individuals and whole societies.
- 23 September 2021
Cass Sunstein argues that groups, and society, need dissenters to prevent them from making bad decisions
- 16 September 2021
Posted in: Psychology
Culture
In this very stimulating interview Thomas Hamilton-Shaw talks about two books by David Goodhart: The Road to Somewhere and Head Hand Heart. Tom is a friend of David and was his research assistant for the second book.
- 6 January 2022
Posted in: Culture
Ratnaguna asks guitarist Nick Gauntlett about his love of progressive rock music, and what it has to do with his Dharma practice. We also hear some of the music he has recorded, including a song he wrote as part of a concept album on the Buddha.
- 13 September 2021
Posted in: Culture
Maitreyabandhu is an award-winning poet, and in this illuminating interview he tells Ratnaguna about his latest volume of poetry, After Cézanne.
- 10 July 2021
Posted in: Culture
Director and conductor of the New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra, and member of the Triratna Buddhist Order Sravaniya (Mark Latham), tells Ratnaguna why he thinks classical music is important.
- 9 June 2021
Posted in: Culture
Philosophy
Vidyaruchi considers the limitations of Popper's political thought, and argues that the liberalism that he espoused needs a framework of higher values such as is found in Buddhism.
- 30 October 2021
In this interview - the first in the new series Books Worth Reading - Ratnaguna interviews Jñanavaca on The Master and His Emissary by Iain McGilchrist, and finds out why he thinks it is a book well worth reading.
- 6 October 2021
Posted in: Philosophy
An account of Popper's thinking on politics, including his critique of 'historicism', his demolition of Marxism, and his own theory of how to bring about social change.
- 18 August 2021
Posted in: Philosophy
Karl Popper is arguably one of the foremost philosophers of the 20th century. Here, Vidyaruchi considers his theory of scientific method, and attempts to formulate a Buddhist response.
- 23 June 2021
Posted in: Philosophy
science
In this article Advayacitta describes the process of how he came to alter his opinion about climate change.
- 15 March 2023
Posted in: Science
In this second article on Buddhism and physics, Advayacitta explores an important parallel between Relativity Theory and the Buddhist doctrine of śunyata.
- 26 January 2022
Posted in: Science
In ‘The Burning House’, a Buddhist shares his Dharma insights, promising practical resources for those moved to respond to a perceived climate emergency. This review explores the author’s depiction of the problem, and his solutions.
- 14 December 2021
Posted in: Science
In this interview Silavadin discusses the materialist view of evolution and, following the philosopher Thomas Nagel, proposes a different paradigm: that there is a cosmic predisposition to the formation of life, consciousness and value.
- 5 August 2021
Posted in: Science
Buddhism
Another in our series Thus Have I Heard: Brief Essays on Buddhism, this one explores an apparent contradiction in the Buddha's teaching
- 24 February 2023
Posted in: Buddhism
An exploration of the crucial twofold distinction of the Dharma into doctrine and method, as found in A Survey of Buddhism and Sangharakshita's later thought.
- 9 October 2022
Posted in: Buddhism
Another in the series Thus Have I heard, about facing danger, and how we should resist attempts from our risk averse culture to shield us from it.
- 12 September 2022
Posted in: Buddhism
An examination of Sangharakshita's teaching on the progressive trend within reality, especially as regards its implications for the doctrinal unity of the Buddhist tradition.
- 24 June 2022
Posted in: Buddhism
Articles
Ratnaguna asks guitarist Nick Gauntlett about his love of progressive rock, and what it has to do with his Dharma practice.
The powerful have most to gain from the imposed Moral Infantilism of society
Advayacitta interviewed about the importance and meaning of music in general, and in particular of the chanting of mantras.
This review explores ‘The Burning House’, a response to a perceived climate emergency.
Are black lives 'systematically and intentionally targeted for demise' by the police?
Ratnaguna looks at instances from ancient texts of the Buddha debating, and draws out lessons that we can learn from him.
A conversation on the series 'A Good Heart is not enough'.
What is the root of our suffering and how can it be quenched? What did the Buddha discover?
The first article in a series on Sangharakshita's magnum opus A Survey of Buddhism.
Vidyaruchi argues Popper's political thought needs a framework of higher values such as is found in Buddhism.
Why the Modern Left Loathes the Working Class
Vidyaruchi examines Popper's thinking on politics, his critique of 'historicism' and his demolition of Marxism.
Ratnaguna marks Apramda’s first year by discussing why the objective truth is crucial for the health of society
This is the first in a new series we're calling Thus Have I Heard: Brief Essays on Buddhism.
Advayacitta describes the process of how he came to alter his opinion about climate change.
Thomas Hamilton-Shaw talks about two books: The Road to Somewhere and Head Hand Head Hand Heart.
Another short Dharma essay, Gotama, Mole, and the Wild Wood.
A Buddhist response to Karl Popper’s theory of scientific method.
What is ‘racial equality’? What should Buddhists make of it?
Apramāda has been accused of trying to 'delegitimize and derail racial justice work'.
The importance of Buddhists transcending political ideologies.
Ratnaguna argues that if someone gives offence you don't have to take it
In this article Ratnaguna makes a case for spiritual communities changing the world for the better.
Advayacitta begins to explore interesting parallels between two core Buddhist principles, and modern physics.
Whole societies can split into mutually unintelligible ‘tribes’.
Maitreyabandhu's latest volume of poetry, After Cézanne.
Subhamati takes a closer look at Stephen Batchelor's Tricycle article on Brexit.
In this second article based on his celebrated 'Eros and Beauty' talks, Subhuti examines the nature of aesthetic experience.
How can we really know anything, and how often are our opinions based on a lack of real knowledge?
Subhuti explores the pursuit of beauty as a spiritual path. Part 1 of 2 parts.
Silavadin discusses the materialist view of evolution and, following the philosopher Thomas Nagel.
Vidyaruchi explores what 'Social Justice' has come to mean.
The Buddha was aware of the dangers of engaging in debates, and he had some observations about how to conduct discussions.
Aryajit interviews Ratnaguna on Walking with the Wind by the Civil Rights activist John Lewis
Ratnaguna interviews Advayacitta about the nature of consciousness, and how this relates to the question of rebirth.
Ratnaguna and Advayacitta discuss aspects of Buddhism and psychological therapy - their similarities and differences.
In this short but powerful piece Nagapriya argues that gratitude is transformative.
Political ideologies can undermine psychological functioning.
The second part of Vidyaruchi's series on A Survey of Buddhism.
This article is intended for those who are curious about Buddhism but as yet knows little about it.
Cass Sunstein argues that groups, and society, need dissenters to prevent them from making bad decisions.
Devamitra's account of his treatment of prostate cancer. Inspiring, and thought-provoking.