In today’s episode, Gen Rabten explores one of the biggest questions we can ask about our lives: what is the point? He explains how modern life can leave us feeling increasingly purposeless, whether through anxiety about the future, the pressure to achieve success, changing ideas about work and wealth, or the realization that the things we thought would make us happy often fail to provide lasting fulfilment.

Drawing on the teachings of Buddha and the wisdom of Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, he examines why we can become trapped in repeatedly chasing temporary sources of happiness while overlooking the deeper sources of peace within our own mind. Referencing The New Eight Steps to Happiness and How to Understand the Mind, he explores how wisdom, compassion, kindness, and training the mind can give our lives a genuine sense of meaning.

The conversation also considers how we can make a difference in the world by changing the way we respond to conflict, difficulty, and the people around us. Ultimately, this episode offers a powerful perspective on finding purpose not through what we achieve or acquire, but through developing inner peace and using our life to benefit others.

00:00 The Search for Life’s Meaning


07:02 Searching Philosophy for Answers


13:00 Why We Chase False Happiness


19:02 Understanding Real Happiness


25:04 Finding Meaning Through Kindness


30:00 Guarding the Doors of the Senses


35:12 What Actually Matters in Life


40:01 Transforming Conflict Through the Mind


45:02 Testing Buddhist Teachings in Life


50:01 Living to Benefit Others


Book References


by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

📖 The New Eight Steps to Happiness: https://kadampa.org/book/eight-steps-to-happiness

📖 How to Understand the Mind: https://kadampa.org/book/how-to-understand-the-mind

📖 How to Transform Your Life: A Blissful Journey: https://kadampa.org/book/how-to-transform-your-life

Want More?

Find a meditation center near you
: https://kadampa.org/nkt-center-search/?lang=en

Listen to teaching clips
: https://open.spotify.com/show/5QPCFEyZz74nOHZbQr1B4z

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#KadampaBuddhism #Buddhism #Meditation #InnerPeace #Happiness #MeaningOfLife #PurposeInLife #Mindfulness #Compassion #Wisdom #MentalPeace #SpiritualGrowth #BuddhistWisdom #GesheKelsangGyatso #GenRabten

In today's episode, host Rebecca Gauthier interviews Buddhist monk Gen Kelsang Dragpa.

Gen Dragpa shares his journey from a discontented youth to finding deep purpose through Kadampa Buddhism. Reflecting on his personal struggles with anger, expectations, and a painful relationship separation, he explains how Buddha's teachings function as a supportive mirror - helping us understand our own minds rather than blaming external circumstances. He discusses the power of simple meditation practices, the transformative experience of meeting his spiritual guide Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, and the reality of navigating inner challenges even after ordination.

Through candid reflections on avoiding perfectionism and resisting instant gratification, this conversation highlights how working on inner peace creates genuine, positive change in the world around us.

00:00 Early Discontentment and Quest for Freedom

05:54 Reggae, Relationships, and Searching for Control

11:15 Discovering the Practical Science of Meditation

16:44 Using Buddha's Teachings as a Mirror

22:00 Meeting Geshe Kelsang and Requesting Ordination

27:30 Real Monk Challenges and Inner Kindness

32:44 Facing Fear and Becoming a Resident Teacher

38:02 Countering Distraction to Find Lasting Meaning

In today’s episode, we explore the deeply personal and transformative practice of forgiveness - and why letting go of resentment is ultimately about changing our own mind rather than waiting for someone else to apologize or make things right.

The guest explains how our experience of hurt can become tied to blame, self-blame, and the mistaken belief that our faults or painful experiences define who we are. Drawing on Buddhist teachings and the advice of Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, including teachings from The New Eight Steps to Happiness, she explores how we can learn to recognize our faults without identifying with them, understand the perspectives and suffering of others, and develop a healthier relationship with our own mistakes.

The conversation examines betrayal, neglect, difficult childhood experiences, anger, resentment, and the expectations we hold about how life and other people should have treated us. Through the practice of patient acceptance, we can begin to let go of the painful idea that things should have been different and instead work with the reality we actually face.

This episode offers a practical and compassionate approach to forgiveness - one that does not excuse harmful behavior or depend on receiving an apology, but helps us release our own pain, develop compassion, and gradually create the freedom to respond differently.

Timetable

00:00 Losing a Father & the Root of Blame

05:32 Seeing Your Own Role: A Cultural Story

12:01 No One to Blame: Self vs. Delusions

18:19 Karma, Conditions, and Feeling Neglected

23:43 When Neglect Is Real: Learning to Forgive

31:28 The Journey to Genuine Forgiveness

39:51 Forgiveness, Compassion, and Self-Compassion

46:07 Preventing Relapse on the Forgiveness Path

Book References

by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

📖 How To Transform Your Life: ⁠https://howtotyl.com/⁠

📖 The New Eight Steps to Happiness: ⁠https://kadampa.org/book/eight-steps-to-happiness⁠

Want More?

Find a meditation center near you: ⁠https://kadampa.org/nkt-center-search/?lang=en⁠

Listen to teaching clips:⁠ https://open.spotify.com/show/5QPCFEyZz74nOHZbQr1B4z⁠

Follow the Modern Buddhism Podcast

Subscribe to get notifications of new episodes.

#Kadampa #KadampaBuddhism #Buddhism #Forgiveness #SelfForgiveness #LettingGo #InnerPeace #MindTraining #Meditation #PatientAcceptance #Compassion #AngerManagement #EmotionalHealing #BuddhistWisdom #GesheKelsangGyatso