What We’re Listening To

AUDIOBOOK

A Trackless Path by Ken McLeod

Senior teacher and translator of Tibetan Buddhism Ken McLeod offers a close look at an 18th-century Dzogchen poem by Jigme Lingpa (1730–1798), pairing his meticulous translation with unembellished commentary. This poem from the Nyingma tradition explores how conceptual thinking disrupts awareness and points toward a direct, ineffable freedom. Published in 2016 and newly available as an audiobook narrated by McLeod himself, this meditative reading invites listeners into a quiet space of questioning where words dissolve and practice begins.

DHARMA TALK

“Boundless Light: Make Your Heart a Solar-Powered Super-Charger” by Ajahn Kovilo

Seattle’s Clear Mountain Monastery, led by Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho, is a growing Theravada sangha with aspirations to build a monastic center. In this talk, Ajahn Kovilo discusses manifesting the light of wisdom in our lives. “If one speaks or acts with a bright mind, a light mind, then happiness or pleasure can follow one like a shadow that never leaves.” Learn more on their website and listen to weekly dharma talks from various teachers on the Clear Mountain YouTube channel.

DOCUMENTARY

Gate of Sweet Nectar: Feeding Hungry Spirits in an American Zen Community produced by Peter N. Gregory and Lesley J. Weaver

Marking the recent death of scholar Peter N. Gregory, we revisited this documentary on a popular Asian ritual and its adaptation by the Zen Peacemaker Order. Bernie Glassman, Wendy Egyoku Nakao, and Michael O’Keefe explain the ritual significance and dedicate the merit back to the world: “When you offer food to the hungry spirits . . . it’s one way for a person or a group of people to address what they think are the needs of the world around them.” Watch it on YouTube.

AUDIOBOOK

What Is Happiness? A Korean Monk’s Guide to Life by Pomnyun Sunim

Pomnyun is a Korean monk, peace activist, and founder of the Jungto Society, a Buddhist organization focusing on environmentalism, human rights, and interfaith dialogue. Known for providing humanitarian aid to North Korean refugees and receiving the Ramon Magsaysay Award, Pomnyun teaches ethical living, social engagement, and cultivating a clear perspective beyond fixed views. Published in 2016 in Korean, this recent audiobook translation brings Pomnyun’s down-to-earth reflections on living with clarity and compassion to an English audience.