214 - Skillful Means (10-Year Anniversary Episode)

214 - Skillful Means (10-Year Anniversary Episode)

Author: Noah Rasheta December 19, 2025 Duration: 25:26

In this episode, I celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the Secular Buddhism podcast by announcing a new AI-powered website, EightfoldPath.com, which serves as a modern application of the Buddhist concept of skillful means. Skillful means, or upaya, is the idea that teachings should adapt to meet individuals where they are, using whatever tools or methods are most effective for reducing suffering and cultivating wisdom. Throughout history, technologies like writing, the printing press, and the internet have served as skillful means for transmitting Buddhist teachings, and now artificial intelligence is the latest iteration. The new website features "Noah AI," a tool trained on all my past content, acting as a conversational thinking partner to make these ancient insights more accessible and interactive for modern learners, emphasizing that the technology is simply a vehicle for the teachings, not the teachings themselves. Learn more at eightfoldpath.com


  • The podcast celebrates its 10-year anniversary, marking a decade of making Buddhist teachings accessible through modern technology.
  • The concept of "skillful means" (upaya) is central, emphasizing the adaptation of teaching methods to individual needs and situations, a principle applied throughout Buddhist history with the advent of writing, printing, and digital media.
  • A new AI-powered website, EightfoldPath.com, has been launched, featuring "Noah AI," a tool trained on all of Noah Rasheta's content to serve as a conversational thinking partner for exploring Buddhist teachings.
  • The website offers free access to transcribed podcast episodes, courses, and the AI tool, with additional benefits for supporters, aiming to make wisdom and compassion more accessible.
  • The shift to EightfoldPath.com signifies a broader scope beyond "secular Buddhism," focusing on the universal "Eightfold Path" as the core of the teachings, regardless of labels.

Explore more at eightfoldpath.com: full transcripts, guided meditations, courses, and Noah AI, an AI you can chat with about any episode or teaching.


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Noah Rasheta hosts Secular Buddhism, a podcast that explores Buddhist philosophy, mindfulness, and meditation from a non-religious, practical perspective. The discussions are grounded in everyday life, focusing on how ancient ideas can address modern challenges in relationships, work, and personal growth. Rather than promoting conversion, the core idea is to use these insights to become a more mindful and compassionate version of yourself, whatever your background may be. Episodes often weave together themes from philosophy, psychology, and culture, examining concepts like impermanence, non-attachment, and suffering in an accessible way. Listeners will find a thoughtful, conversational tone that demystifies complex topics, making them relevant for anyone interested in spirituality, ethics, or simply living with greater intention. This isn't about rituals or dogma; it's about actionable wisdom. The Secular Buddhism podcast consistently returns to that central, liberating premise: take what is useful to deepen your own human experience, leaving the rest behind.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 222

Secular Buddhism
Podcast Episodes
168 - Signlessness [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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167 - Aimlessness [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:20
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166 - Welcoming The Unwanted [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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165 - Unlearning [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:06
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164 - Thrown Out Of The Nest [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:00
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163 - Sticks And Stones [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:00
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162 - The Games We Play [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:30
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161 - The Backwards Law [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:03
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160 - Gratitude And Patience [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:10
In a culture that tends to feel gratitude for only the pleasant things in our life, the Buddhist approach is to feel gratitude for all things, even the unpleasant ones. Gratitude develops patience and patience is an anti…
159 - When Things Fall Apart [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:00
The nature of reality is that things come together and things fall apart and then things come together and things fall apart and that cycle goes on and on. Instead of running from the difficulties and the pain, the Buddh…