On Being

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Hear the Music

» On Being Playlist ¦ hear full-length tracks of each song played in the program

About the Image

A street vendor in the city of Sarnath peddles posters of pop culture film stars and religious icons.
(photo: Pankaj Mishra)

Unheard Cuts

» Unedited Interview with Mishra (mp3, 1:21.29)

Our podcast of the finished program is a highly polished product with a lot of tight production elements. But, sometimes it's fun — and informative — to listen to a rawer, uninterrupted version of Krista's conversation with her guests. Take a listen and tell us what you think.

» Backdrop of the Buddha (mp3, 18:06)

Mishra describes some of his discoveries about the life of the historical Buddha, a man of a particular time and place — details that add substance and nuance to stereotypical images of the Buddha in popular imagination.

Pertinent Posts from the On Being Blog

» Repossessing Virtue: Pankaj Mishra on the Dangers of Progress
Mishra continues his critique of the ideologies of progress and globalization, refreamed for the current global economic situation.

» "Fresh Blood From an Old Wound"
Mishra writes in the New York Times in response to the violence in Mumbai — and on how Kashmir can be a starting point for healing old wounds.

» "At War with the Utopia of Modernity"
A Guardian op-ed by Pankaj Mishra about the March 2008 violence in Tibet.

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On Being First Person

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Tell us and other audience members what this program meant to you.

Voice on the Radio

Pankaj Mishra

Pankaj Mishra is an Indian journalist and author of several books, including An End to Suffering: The Buddha in the World. He is also a regular contributor to the New York Times and the British newspaper The Guardian.