Stephen Batchelor and Ven Brahmali debate in Melbourne 2014

Stephen Batchelor and Ven Brahmali debate the relevance of the early Buddhist texts for the modern world at event hosted by Melbourne Insight Meditation Group in conjunction with the BSV. The event took place at the Augustine Centre in Melbourne, VIC, Australia on 14 Feb 2014.

Opening the Eyes

A short video of a Nepalese sacred-art master and his journey of patience and time. Shot in Nalanda Monastery, a monastery of a Tibetan Buddhist tradition in the southern part of France, it shows the final steps in completing statues of followers of the historical Buddha, and especially reveals the crucial point and rarely seen of opening the eyes…

G. Yamazawa - "Elementary"

In this powerful slam performance, award-winning poet George Yamazawa recounts his earliest memories of teasing classmates by calling them “gay,” and the reaction he got from his Buddhist father. In rhythmic verse, Yamazawa talks about the power of words as insults and poetry, and the love that Buddhism inspires.

As the Zombie Population Rises

Population Matters (previously known as the Optmum Population Trust) have launched a three-minute video about overpopulation for Halloween. The humorous, faux-documentary style provides a number of key statistics and includes references to population dynamics, biodiversity loss, climate change and water, energy and housing constraints.

Simon Ross, chief executive of Population Matters, said, “We believe that zombies are a perfect metaphor for humanity’s blind growth in numbers and heedless exploitation of resources. The film is set in London but references global population growth and could be set anywhere. It is our first foray into filmmaking for young people, who are a key audience for our message of the benefits of small families. We hope that it will be well received and are planning to produce more short films in the near future.”

Samsara - Anicca

The word "more" has never carried more weight or sadness than in this beautiful animated short from Alan Holly. This was shortlisted for the Academy Awards and nominated for the Annies — watch and you'll know why.

What if the Homeless Gave You Money?

"Let's see how people feel about themselves when someone who is classified as "lesser" than them on societies class ladder offers them money."

(As always, appologies for the advert, skip as soon as you can.)

Generosity by Gil Fronsdal

This was recorded at the Insight Meditation Centre in Redwood City, CA in October 2011.



Part 2



Part 3



Part 4