Dharma Teachings

In this session, spiritual director John Bruna gives a very helpful teaching to clarify the differences and grey areas of aspiration versus attachment. He describes scenarios that may be a subtle form of attachment that actually serve as a temporary motivator for our journey to Enlightenment. This teaching goes right to the heart of one…

In this session, spiritual director John Bruna continues his commentary on the text “Samsara, Nirvana, and Buddha Nature” by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Venerable Thubten Chodron. John gives clarity on how to identify mental afflictions and how specifically misperception, anger, and attachment impact our experience.

Spiritual director of the Way of Compassion Dharma Center, John Bruna, gives a commentary on the origins of duhkha or dissatisfaction based on a section of text from the book “Samsara, Nirvana, and Buddha Nature” by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Venerable Thubten Chodron. John talks about how our habits driven by misperception can…

Spiritual director of the Way of Compassion Dharma Center, John Bruna, offers a teaching on the four attributes of the third noble truth or true cessation of suffering. By using this model of understanding, John clarifies the meaning of Nirvana as complete freedom from all mental afflictions rather than a temporary state of bliss, luminosity,…

In this session, spiritual director John Bruna gives a teaching on the 4 attributes of the Second Noble Truth, as presented in the text “Samsara, Nirvana, and Buddha Nature,” by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Venerable Thubten Chodron. John discusses the various ways ignorance, craving and karma create suffering in our lives. He emphasizes…

In this session, spiritual director John Bruna continues teaching on the 16 attributes of the Four Noble Truths, as presented in the Text “Samsara, Nirvana, and Buddha Nature” by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Venerable Thubten Chodron. This session focuses on the second attribute of the first noble truth; the unsatisfactoriness of conditioned existence….

In this session, spiritual director John Bruna begins teaching on the 16 attributes of the Four Noble Truths, as presented in the Text “Samsara, Nirvana, and Buddha Nature by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Venerable Thubten Chodron. He discusses the truth of impermanence and explains how understanding and accepting impermanence can relieve much suffering…

In this session, spiritual director John Bruna speaks on 4 different methods of cessation as presented in the Text “Samsara, Nirvana, and Buddha Nature by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Venerable Thubten Chodron. Additionally, John talks about the 5 hindrances and how they obstruct our progress on the path to awakening.

In this session, The Way of Compassion Dharma Center spiritual director John Bruna, continues his commentary on the Text Samsara, Nirvana, and BuddhaNature with a discussion on the Buddhist view of Duhkha which is translated as suffering. He offers practical advice on engaging with a path that leads to the removal of this suffering by…

In this episode, John begins his commentary on a new text that was written as a collaborative effort by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Venerable Thubten Chodron. John offers helpful ways to understand the Buddhist view on the Self by investigating these two questions: Does the self exist and is there a beginning to…