Rima Vesely-Flad: It has been a joy to be in conversation with Black Nichiren Buddhists in the first few months of 2025. Since beginning recording of this podcast series, we have watched our environment change at a rapid speed. Many of the groups with whom I stand are...
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Buddhists of African Descent on Creating a Just Society with Michael Belton Transcript
Rima Vesely-Flad [00:00:37] Welcome to the podcast series Uplifting Black Nichiren Buddhist Voices. In our final episode today, we explore the connection between self-improvement and creating a just society. Nichiren Daishonin, the founder of Nichiren Buddhism, made...
Buddhists of African Descent on “Nam Myoho Renge Kyo” with Jacci Thompson-Dodd Transcript
Rima Vesely-Flad [00:00:37] Welcome to the podcast series Uplifting Black Nichiren Buddhist Voices. In today's episode, we are exploring the role of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, the title of the Lotus Sutra, which is also called the Daimoku. Nam means devotion, or...
Buddhists of African Descent on Education in Nichiren Buddhism with Mahazi Roundtree Transcript
Rima Vesely-Flad [00:00:38] Welcome to the podcast series Uplifting Black Nichiren Buddhist Voices. Today's episode focuses on the emphasis on education, particularly study of texts within Nichiren Buddhist traditions. Nichiren Buddhists tend to do deep dives into the...
Buddhists of African Descent on Innate Buddhahood with Thembi Transcript
Thembi (Valerie Geaither) is professor emerita at Metropolitan State University in Minneapolis, where for 25 years she was a professor of Education Philosophy and Family Studies, as well as a co-director of the Center for Community Based Education, Learning and Research. She was also a catalyst in establishing the university’s School of Urban Education.
Compassion in Action with Bishop Myokei Caine-Barrett Shonin Transcript
Myokei Caine-Barrett Shonin is a bishop for the Nichiren Shu Buddhist Order of North America, and she is the principal teacher of Myoken-ji Temple in Houston, where she actively supports Buddhist practice for people who are incarcerated in Texas prisons.
Faith in Action with Ben Harris Transcript
Rima Vesely-Flad [00:00:37] Welcome to the podcast series, Uplifting Black Nichiren Buddhist Voices. The third episode of our series explores a tenet of Nichiren Buddhism that is known as faith in action. The word faith is not usually associated with Buddhism, but...
Manifesting Buddhahood in This Lifetime with Dr. Kamilah Majied Transcript
Rima Vesely-Flad [00:00:36] Welcome to the podcast series, Uplifting Black Nichiren Buddhist Voices. This second episode of our series centers one of the most compelling aspects of Nichiren Buddhism, the teaching that Buddha nature is inherently present in every...
Tina Turner’s Nichiren Buddhist Practice with Dr. Ralph Craig Transcipt
Rima Vesely-Flad speaks with Dr. Ralph Craig about the famous Black Buddhist singer Tina Turner, and her relationship to Nichiren practices such as chanting the Lotus Sutra.
Uplifting Black Nichiren Buddhist Voices Introduction Transcript
[00:00:00]Rima Vesely-Flad: Greetings, and welcome. My name is Dr. Rima Vesely-Flad. This is the first of a 10-part podcast series on Black Nichiren Buddhists. It is one prong of a larger project on Buddhism and Black liberation. Buddhism is a religious tradition...