Buddhism

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    About.com Buddhism

  • Syncretization Has Its Limits

    5 Nov 2009 | 3:37 am
    Earlier this week I wrote about a great post at the blog Enlightenment Ward, making the point that Buddhism is not psychology. I want to look at another point in the post today, about mixing Buddhism with other religions. NellaLou writes, Buddhism is a side-dish to one's main religious practice. There are a growing number of voices that insist Buddhism should be "compatible" with other religions. Although this has been historically apparent for quite a long time in the philosophical practices of say the Theosophists and other spiritual adventurers at the turn of the 20th century. The idea…

  • Boston Boy Is the New Gyalwa Lorepa Lama

    4 Nov 2009 | 7:51 am
    An 11-year-old Boston schoolboy,  Jigme Wangchuk, was enthroned today as His Holiness the Second Gyalwa Lorepa Lama of the Drukpa lineage.  As near as I can tell, this enthronement took place at the Druk Thupten Sangag Choling Monastery in Darjeeling, India, but I'm not going to swear to it. I'm having a terrible time getting clear information. The first Gyalwa Lorepa, 1187-1250, was an accomplished master of yoga who spent many years meditating. According to some accounts, Drukpa is part of the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism. The head of the Drukpas, or at least some of them, is the…

  • The Buddhist Middle Way: No Extremes

    3 Nov 2009 | 4:05 am
    Through the ages many Buddhist teachers have thought up new and improved ways to realize dharma. Some of these ways were passed on, becoming new traditions that helped many people. So I don't want to put down a new approach just because it's new. On the other hand, when someone is advertising a "fast track" approach to spirituality, a skepticism filter is warranted. And if they are advertising a "radical, rock-star, make-it-happen-now kind of spiritual path," slap a hand on your wallet and move on. On the third hand, when they've got Brigadoon on their list of films that enable fast-track…

  • Buddhism Is Not Psychology

    2 Nov 2009 | 12:24 am
    A post by NellaLou at the blog Enlightenment Ward has an imposing title -- "FLM: Dr. Feel-good and the Medicalization of Buddhism (with bonus book review of How to Become a Buddha in 5 Weeks-ouch)." But it's a serious, insightful piece that is well worth reading. Buddhism, says Nellalou, "is being dismantled whole-sale to serve the powerful purposes of the medical-psychiatric establishment. " There is Buddhism in the West that hasn't been dismantled yet, but I agree that's a real danger. Read more...Buddhism Is Not Psychology originally appeared on About.com Buddhism on Monday, November 2nd,…

  • Facing What Frightens Us

    31 Oct 2009 | 6:26 am
    Halloween is a celebration of scary things. Halloween is a time for making benign things appear frightening -- making a jack-o'-lantern out of a pumpkin; dressing up as zombies and mummies. It's all for fun because we know the zombies and mummies are children and the glowing, scowling face is a big squash with a candle in it. Buddhism teaches us that the things that really frighten us are just apparitions, also; not "real." But when the apparition is a life-threatening illness or financial ruin, it's hard to realize that. Read more...Facing What Frightens Us originally appeared on About.com…
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    Buddhism News

  • Buddhism 101: What is Tibetan Buddhism?

    7 Nov 2009 | 12:45 am
    Tibetans give the term 'eternal life' a completely different meaning. According to one's karma that is accumulated over their lifetime, the average person goes through a weighted system of rebirth, according to the reincarnation belief.

  • Thoughts On Virtue

    6 Nov 2009 | 4:35 pm
    "Virtue," is sometimes equated with chastity in western morality, but it can also be defined as a beneficial quality or power, a commendable quality or trait , or the capacity to act .

  • World preachers to attend Buddhism retreat

    4 Nov 2009 | 4:28 pm
    GULBARGA: The seven-day International Dhammakranti Retreat-2009 will be held in Siddharth Buddha Vihar in the outskirts of the city from November 29.

  • Feminism and religion part 3: Buddhism and Hinduism

    2 Nov 2009 | 7:20 pm
    The Buddha preached equality for all, even women. AP Photo/Hermann J. Knippertz This is part three in a series of posts about religion and feminism.

  • Tibetan buddhists awarded "doctorate" in Beijing

    2 Nov 2009 | 7:14 am
    Eleven Tibetan buddhists received the "Tho Ram Pa" degree, one of the highest academic degrees for the Tibetan Buddhism, here on Monday.
 
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    AmericanBuddhist.net

  • Texas Gov. Rick Perry Gives Remarks on Fort Hood Shooting Tragedy -- FOX News

    ABN
    6 Nov 2009 | 6:16 pm
    At around 17 seconds he says there were three shooters. ABN

  • Five held in China for dressing up like women to loot men

    Robyn
    6 Nov 2009 | 4:42 pm
    Shanghai Police have detained five Filipino men who allegedly disguised themselves as women to rob other men in bars, a media report said Friday. Police said the suspects are aged between 26 and 30, and look quite like women when they make an effort, the China Daily reported. LINK TO ORIGINAL

  • Buddhist Monks Attack Christian Church in Colombo

    Robyn
    6 Nov 2009 | 4:38 pm
    Protesters of Jathika Hela Urumaya party (JHU) including Buddhist monks attacked a Christian church over the death of two women at a religious event. Protesters stoned and throw petrol bombs at the church. The Pastor of the church said to media that protestor had threat to kill him if he is not shutting down the church. LINK TO ORIGINAL

  • Sri Lanka: Crime and religious values

    Robyn
    6 Nov 2009 | 4:34 pm
    The plethora of villainous and murderous conflicts and disastrous eruptions and disruptions raging all over the world would inevitably signify the general perception that religion in this age of technological advancement has failed to achieve its purpose to tame the animalistic impulses in man. Wherever we turn to in this wide world, we incessantly see and hear of fraud, conflict, thuggery, blatant brutality and beastly murder taking place in increasing numbers and spreading all over in turbulent waves. However, in our country, we see and hear everywhere at meetings, gatherings and numerous…

  • Gautam Buddha's ashes in Darjeeling

    Robyn
    6 Nov 2009 | 4:31 pm
    DARJEELING: It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the people of the Hills, especially the Buddhists. The ashes of Gautam Buddha have been brought to Darjeeling from Bodh Gaya and will be on display for the people from Saturday to Monday at the Gorkha Ranga Manch, near Mall Road. The Dharma Chakra Committee (DCC) of Darjeeling brought the casket containing the ashes of Buddha to the Druk-Sa-Ngag Choeling monastery near Dali on Friday. The ashes of his first disciples -- Sariputra and Maha Mogallana -- have also been brought. LINK TO ORIGINAL
 
 
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    The Buddhist Blog

  • What is This?

    4 Nov 2009 | 8:00 am
    ---This is a long post but I had a moment of realization in real time that I wanted to write out---In the Korean Zen tradition, there is a method of meditation that uses the question “What is this?” to cultivate concentration and inquiry together. As you sit or walk in meditation, you ask constantly, “What is this?” Repeating this question develops concentration because it returns you to the full awareness of the moment. As soon as you become aware of being distracted by past events, anxieties about the present, or future dreams, you ask “What is this?” This way, the power of…

  • The Compassion of Animals.

    29 Oct 2009 | 12:29 pm
    The November issue of National Geographic magazine features a moving photograph of chimpanzees watching as one of their own is wheeled to her burial. Since it was published, the picture and story have gone viral, turning up on websites and TV shows and in newspapers around the world. For readers who’d like to know more, here’s what I learned when I interviewed the photographer, Monica Szczupider. On September 23, 2008, Dorothy, a female chimpanzee in her late 40s, died of congestive heart failure. A maternal and beloved figure, Dorothy had spent eight years at Cameroon’s Sanaga-Yong…

  • Motivations for Becoming Buddhist.

    28 Oct 2009 | 3:32 pm
    Baseball player Alex Rodriquez is reportedly going to convert to Buddhism for his girl friend, actress Kate Hudson. I'm not a Religious Studies professor but I do know that converting to a religion out of a feeling of obligation or to please a person is a horrible reason. I was apart of a belief system growing up in which I remained for longer than I should have out of a feeling of obligation and It was gut-wrenching. I finally realized that I was living a lie and deceiving my parents into thinking I was a loyal member.I can't say whether A-Rod will stay with it or not but too often we do…

  • "The Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines."

    25 Oct 2009 | 3:06 pm
    Knowing this, a wise and learned bodhisattva, works not towards Arhatship, nor enlightenment, nor Nirvana. In the practice alone one trains for the sake of the practice.James: So goes the 22nd verse of, "The Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines." I hadn't heard of this treasure until now. However, hanks to the generosity, thoughtfulness and compassion of two people I've been given a great gift: My friend Jamie and the blog, "The New Heretics." Thanks Dharma buds. You should take some time and read the whole discourse because it's beautiful, insightful and an invaluable teaching. As…

  • Clinging to a Moment in Time.

    19 Oct 2009 | 11:52 am
    I wanted to add some additional thoughts about the current discussion bubbling up to the surface in the Buddhoblogosphere about sanghas and teachers, which I addressed in my last post found here. As you know I support both online sanghas and interactions with teachers as well as the traditional sanghas and teacher environments. I am somewhat bewildered by those who refuse to acknowledge the usefulness of iSanghas (online sanghas). Especially when there are those, which are run and administered by ordained monks!! We have to let go of this idea which bubbles up from time to time that online…
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    The Center for Buddhist Studies Weblog

  • CBSS Podcast: Dominic Steavu

    cdk2001@columbia.edu (Christopher Kelley)
    23 Oct 2009 | 8:05 am
    Dominic Steavu, currently a research fellow at the McGill University Centre for East Asian Research, presented his talk on "The Tao of Tea: Macrobiotic Hygiene in the 'Kissa yojo ki' of the Zen Master Eisai" on October 22, 2009 as part of the Columbia University Buddhist Studies Seminar series.Download Podcast >>

  • EcoBuddhism: A Buddhist Declaration on Climate Change

    cdk2001@columbia.edu (Christopher Kelley)
    13 May 2009 | 10:24 am
    Message from Bhikkhu Bodhi <venbodhi@gmail.com> Dear Friends,I am sending you the link to a Buddhist Declaration on Climate Change, which I helped to compose, along with David Loy and John Stanley, a British micro-biologist. If you agree with the statement, please sign it and return it to the Ecobuddhism website. Thank you. Please also pass it on to your own Buddhist friends and colleagues. Those involved with organizations should feel at liberty to post the declaration, or a link to it, on their websites.  www.ecobuddhism.org/buddhist-declaration.php   Ven. Bhikkhu BodhiChuang…

  • The Dalai Lama at the Beacon

    cdk2001@columbia.edu (Christopher Kelley)
    5 May 2009 | 7:22 am
    Despite ongoing rain showers yesterday, the Beacon Theatre was filled to capacity to welcome the 14th Dalai Lama-Tenzin Gyatso to New York City. The event was organized by Tibet House (US) and was a teaching on the "Quintessence of Compassion," a topic illuminated in the opening chapter of Chandrakirti's Entry Into the Middle Way. The teaching was originally intended to be two days, however, it was reduced to one on the cautionary advise of the Dalai Lama's medical team. (He has recently tapered back all his teachings after being hospitalized last August in Mumbai.) Nonetheless, the…

  • CBSS Podcast: Fredrick M. Smith

    cdk2001@columbia.edu (Christopher Kelley)
    3 May 2009 | 8:12 am
    Fredrick M. Smith from the University of Iowa presented his talk on "Indian Buddhist Sociolinguistics and Buddhist Notions of Possession: A Fragment from the Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa" on April 30, 2009 as part of the Columbia University Buddhist Studies Seminar series.Download Podcast >>

  • CBSS Podcast: Jongmyung Kim

    cdk2001@columbia.edu (Christopher Kelley)
    19 Apr 2009 | 8:01 am
    Jongmyung Kim from the Academy of Korean Studies, currently a visiting scholar at UCLA, presented his talk on "Buddhist World Heritage Properties in Korea: Thoughts and Significance" on April 16, 2009 as part of the Columbia University Buddhist Studies Seminar series.Download Podcast >>
 
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    FWBO & TBMSG News

  • Four women ordained in Spain

    lokabandhu
    28 Oct 2009 | 11:29 pm
    Four women were welcomed into the Western Buddhist Order on Tuesday 27th October 2009 at Akashavana, the WBO’s Women’s retreat centre in the Spanish mountains.Gillian Enlund becomes Aryashila (long first and last 'a', and long 'i'): 'She who has noble conduct or character'. (Private Preceptor: Vijayasri)Beverley Ellis becomes Jayakara (long second and last 'a'): 'She who has a multitude, or mine, of victories'. (Private Preceptor: Paramachitta)Seg Gaskill becomes Chandrika (long final 'a'): 'She who has the moon / moonlight' (poetic description: 'she who resembles moonlight; who sheds…

  • Youth Retreat in Bodh Gaya, part II

    lokabandhu
    27 Oct 2009 | 11:27 pm
    Here's a follow-up to yesterday's brief report on the recent NNBY Youth retreat at Bodh Gaya.Aruna Kornana from NNBY reports - The National Network of Buddhist Youth (NNBY) organized their first regional gathering at Bodhgaya, in Bihar.It was a great challenge - the first time for this event with an entirely new group of people, working in a new place - but so successful. Before the retreat the team went from one village to another, house to house, with the aim of educating the local people in the benefits of attending. Some places they could only reach on foot (almost 8-10 KM) and some on…

  • Indian Buddhist youth gather in Bodh Gaya

    lokabandhu
    26 Oct 2009 | 11:03 pm
    News is just in of the first-ever NNBY Youth retreat held at Bodh Gaya, place of the Buddha’s enlightenment some 2,500 years ago. NNBY stands for the Indian ‘National Network of Buddhist Youth’, a TBMSG project created some three years ago and now spread across India. 130 young Buddhist men and women came for 4 days from 6 states across India, creating between them a true ‘casteless society’ and giving many their first real taste of Sangha, or spiritual community. Organising the retreat was a major achievement for them given that Bodh Gaya, up in a remote corner of North-East India,…

  • Shakyajata and Priyadaka set off to support ex-Nagaloka trainees

    lokabandhu
    23 Oct 2009 | 10:04 pm
    Priyadaka reports - "We will be visiting several states in India over the next three months to follow up these young men and women, all graduates of TBMSG’s Nagarjuna Training Institute, helping them put their Dhamma and other skills training to full use in their communities. You can catch a fuller picture of this exciting project at:www.justgiving.com/YoungIndianFutures"We intend to help them establish Dhamma teaching; to learn fundraising; to improve their English and even set up a Buddhist materials shop, all in three months! This is ambitious, but we want to aim high and build this…

  • New Dharma materials at FreeBuddhistAudio

    lokabandhu
    22 Oct 2009 | 9:32 pm
    Candradasa writes from FreeBuddhistAudio with news of new on-line Dharma resources.  He says -Dear Friends,We're delighted to let you know that - after a wee summer hiatus - we have a rush of new modules just posted for the FWBO’s Dharma Training Course for Mitras. The permanent web address to bookmark for the new course is: www.fwbomitracourse.com. Latest up are most of the modules for Year 2 - Module 1 - Nature of Existence 1, Conditionality and the Middle WayModule 2 - What is the Sangha, Spiritual CommunityModule 3 - Vision & Transformation, the Buddha's Eightfold…
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    thinkBuddha.org

  • Sidling up to Things

    Will Buckingham
    2 Nov 2009 | 8:56 am
    The last few weeks have been fearsomely busy, and so I have not had the chance to update thinkBuddha very much of late. It is not that there are not any thoughts flying around that I want to explore here; it is only that they are still mid-air, and that I need a bit of time to wait for them to settle, rather than chasing after them with a butterfly net and risking knocking over all the furniture. So I’m going to content myself with just mentioning one of the things that is currently aloft, and that is providing me with a lot to reflect on, without attempting to pin it down and look at…

  • On (Not) Debating the Existence of God

    Will Buckingham
    18 Oct 2009 | 9:41 am
    A couple of weeks back, I received an unexpected request. Would I be willing, the email asked, to participate in a University debate about the existence of God? Now, I should say that the existence of God is not a subject upon which I am in any way an expert. In fact, it is not something I think about very much at all. Nor, for that matter, is the non-existence of God. There are a lot of things – whether it’s time for a coffee, what the cat is up to, where I have left my glasses, and so on – that I think about far more than I think about God’s existence. So it did not…

  • Questions we cannot go through

    Will Buckingham
    6 Oct 2009 | 7:28 am
    I remember a friend once saying to me that he thought there were, roughly speaking, two kinds of philosophers in the world. The first kind, when presented with a problem, is the type of person who says, “Hmm… how can we solve this one?”; and the second kind, when presented with a problem, is the type of person who says, “Oh, look, a problem, let’s see how we can make it bigger.” As with all such neat distinctions, whilst there is some truth in this, at the same time it is probably true that most of us, most of the time, do both of these things. There is a…

  • Scriptures, Seriousness & Sniggering

    Will Buckingham
    30 Sep 2009 | 3:12 am
    Just time for a quick post, amid the frenzy of the beginning of a new term at the university. A few months ago, I wrote a review of Ralph Flores’s book, Buddhist Scriptures as Literature, in the Western Buddhist Review. This morning I heard from Marcus over on marcusjournal.blogspot.com, who has posted a thoughtful response to my review, raising questions about orthodoxy, seriousness and sniggering. If you want to follow this up, then my original review is here, and Marcus’s blog can be found by following the link above. And, if you are truly serious, then you’ll want to…

  • Thinking About Free Will

    Will Buckingham
    23 Sep 2009 | 8:56 am
    I’m thinking once again about free will again (see my previous posts here, here and here), having recently read Sue Blackmore’s Ten Zen Questions. And once again, I am baffled. Free will is something that I have been puzzling over for a long time now, and as long-term visitors to the blog will know, I’m really not entirely sure that I have such a thing. No, it’s more complicated than that, because I’m really not entirely sure that, even if I do have “free will” – as many will insist that I do – I know what kind of a thing it is that I am…
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    Progressive Buddhism

  • Self, No-self, Psychology and Buddhism

    2 Nov 2009 | 9:48 am
    Ha! Thanks for that last post Shonin Justin. I just came across the same over at the Tricycle blog. I posted some comments there and then over at my blog, but figured it's good grist for the Progressive Buddhism mill as well.In the interview, Epstein says, roughly, that the self is real, it's just not really real. Tricycle editors picked up on that in their title:The self exists, it’s just not as real as you think.My response(s) follow, slightly edited.Hmmm… Is that like saying a creator God exists, it’s just not as real as you think? Sounds fishy. Perhaps skillful, but fishy…

  • Can Buddhism and Psychology Co-Exist?

    2 Nov 2009 | 7:33 am
    "Meet a doctor who thinks you can better understand the self by destroying it" After the confusion about 'annihilating the self' is cleared up this is a very interesting story. Can Buddhism and Psychology Co-Exist?Thank you from the Progressive Buddhism bloggers

  • Buddhists Need Love Too: The Dharma of Dating

    23 Oct 2009 | 3:55 pm
    Dan Brodribb is a writer and stand-up comic. His misspent past also includes stints as a pro-wrestling announcer, substitute teacher, video store clerk, martial arts instructor, crisis worker, and heavy metal musician. He is a lay member of the Order of Buddhist Contemplatives. Learn more about him at danbrodribb.blogspot.comBuddhists need love too.I mean, I realize I’m relatively new to the practice of meditation, but we can’t ALL be monks, right? Someone has to ensure the human race survives. That doesn’t mean I don’t take training seriously. I’m always looking for ways to reduce…

  • Conference on Contemporary Buddhism in the West

    23 Oct 2009 | 9:20 am
    For those with an academic penchant and transportation to the west coast of the US, there is a conference next March that should be of interest (from here):Buddhism without Borders: Contemporary Buddhism in the West at the Institute of Buddhist StudiesBerkeley, CaliforniaMarch 18 - 21, 2010 Conference Schedule* Thursday, March 18Early registration and check-in 11:00 - 2:00 Panel I: Buddhist Experiences: Expressions and Subjectivities, 2:00 - 5:00 p.m. Daniel Veidlinger, California State University, Chico "From Indra's Net to Internet: The Effects of Social Networking Websites on the…

  • Homeless Meditation Practitioners

    14 Oct 2009 | 11:23 pm
    I received the following request for help from Jon at Homeless Meditation Practitioners. Please help if you can. Hi Dharma-Friends, I recently went to work for a San Antonio Interfaith Ministry that provides services for the Homeless. I have been volunteering there for years. But now I am on the Payroll, which means I can hang around more often, without having to run off and do something else to pay my bills. So, as I look down the sidewalk at all the gentle spirits waiting for us to unlock the door...so that they can come in and get a hot shower and a hot meal...I think about my own Buddhist…
 
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    A Buddhist Podcast

  • A Buddhist Podcast – The Reluctant Buddhist – Chapter 8

    jason
    31 Oct 2009 | 5:21 am
    Welcome to another show! Tonight we have William Woollard reading Chapter 8 from his fantastic book, The Reluctant Buddhist. Whilst Jason was in Trets recently he was able to record an experience by the lovely Mary Mulligan from Brighton in the UK, who talks about how she began to practice. We have a beautiful poem from the great Bob Kemp and shoutouts that as usual criss cross the globe! Tonight we have music from the very talented Tracy Lyons who has a new track, Don’t You Know on the Podsafe Music Network. We also play the one and only Cat Malojian, we can’t help it, we love…

  • A Buddhist Podcast – Letter to Jakunichi-Bo

    jason
    18 Oct 2009 | 8:30 am
    Welcome to another episode of A Buddhist Podcast! Tonight we have a lecture from Jason based on a letter written by Nichiren Daishonin, called Letter to Jakunichi-Bo. Subjects include: What does it mean to practice Buddhism correctly? One to one support The power of appreciation What is the purpose of life? Practice for oneself and others Nam-myoho-renge-kyo embodies the four paramitas What is fundamental darkness? Illuminating the darkness of bullying Nichiren, Sun Lotus Leave nothing on the pitch Being known as a votary of the Lotus Sutra Noble envoys of Nichiren Daishonin Tonight we play…

  • A Buddhist Podcast – The Reluctant Buddhist – Chapter 7

    jason
    27 Sep 2009 | 12:19 am
    Hello Everyone! Tonight we are very glad to bring you William Woollard reading Chapter 7 from his book, The Reluctant Buddhist. The chapter is all about Karma, and its a very interesting listen. As usual we have global shout outs as well as a beautiful poem from Kim Seagrave in Australia. We play “Love is not Wasted” from the imminent Howard Jones album, Ordinary Heroes which debuts on November 3rd this year. We also play one of our favourite bands, they are Cat Malojian from Northern Ireland, a truly great band. They sing Pettigoe! If you have wondering about our tshirts, you can…
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    Buddhist Society of WA :: Dhamma Podcast

  • Looking forward with happiness: the 'excommunication' tape

    6 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm
    Introduction by Dennis Sheppard, President, Buddhist Society of Western Australia (22 min). Dennis gives a personal account of the circumstances of a formal meeting of Ajahn Brahm as Abbot of Bodhinyana monastery, accompanied by himself as President of the BSWA, with senior monks at Wat Pah Pong monastery in Thailand last Sunday 1st November 2009. The outcome was that Bodhinyana is no longer a branch monastery of Wat Pah Pong, as a direct result of Ajahn Brahm's recent ordination of four Bhikkhunis (fully ordained nuns). Ajahn Brahm gives a spirited talk on how to deal with the difficulties…

  • On relationships: Buddhist principles and practice

    30 Oct 2009 | 9:00 pm
    Ajahn Brahm applies Buddhist principles and practice to solving problems in relationships: with partners, friends, with yourself and with life itself. You can't change life, but you can change your relationship to it. Not my problem or your problem, but our shared problem. Put beautiful qualities between you and the other: peace, kindness, respect. In between is where the action is in life. The filter of mistrust. What you see in the other, what you pay attention to, grows in them; what you expect, you generate. The example of prisoners. If you water the flowers, flowers grow; if you water…

  • On courageous decision-making: Bhikkhuni ordination

    23 Oct 2009 | 9:00 pm
    This evening's extended and celebratory talk is introduced by Dennis Sheppard, President of the Buddhist Society of Western Australia. He gives the background to the historic occasion this week of the full ordination of four Bhikkhunis (nuns) in the Theravadin Buddhist tradition, the first in Australia: Venerable Ajahn Vayama Venerable Nirodha Venerable Seri and Venerable Hasapanna. Ajahn Brahm shows how this is a case study in how to make a courageous decision in Buddhism, and in life. The four factors or advices in making a right decision, the four agati, are: not out of selfish desire, not…

  • On suffering, the big picture

    16 Oct 2009 | 9:00 pm
    Ajahn Brahmali leads a half-hour guided meditation on quiet enjoyment and gratitude, on how to start it right. The Dhamma talk this evening is on the nature of suffering, the First Noble Truth in Buddhism. Without quiet reflection, we will not see through the many intoxications of life to the inherent suffering within. They are always there, so you can't see them. As you practice you start to see the problem. This is the motivation to keep investigating a solution. But the really big picture of suffering is rebirth. Being born again is the ultimate problem - don't you want to get out of it?

  • On dana, generosity

    9 Oct 2009 | 9:00 pm
    Ajahn Brahm leads a half-hour guided meditation on opening the door to your heart. His talk is on the same theme - how dana, generosity, can teach us the beauty and meaning of life, in giving not to get, but to express the energy of love, kindness and compassion. This softness of the heart makes you invulnerable. Hardness of the heart makes you brittle and easily hurt. Stories of the suicidal spider, the paper lotus, the blank cheque, the gift to a new-born daughter.
 
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    Numinous Nonsense

  • Advaita and Mature Expressions of Enlightenment

    Vince Horn
    1 Nov 2009 | 7:31 am
    When you know it is stupid to become something, this is enlightenment. – H.W.L Poonja I posted this quote from H.W.L Poonja, or “Papaji” as his students called him, on my twitter feed yesterday. The quote elicited an interesting comment from a dharma buddy, about whether this is a mature expression of enlightenment when compared to another Buddhist teacher, Joshu Sasaki Roshi. I would share some of the background with Joshu Sasaki Roshi, but I don’t think that it’s actually relevant to this post, insofar as what I want to say has nothing to do with the content of the argument,…

  • The Way of Tea

    Vince Horn
    12 Oct 2009 | 7:17 am
    If you’ve been following my lifestream lately, you’ll see that I’ve become pretty obsessed with tea. A good friend of mine, earlier this year, invited me over to try “real tea.” At the time, I asked how real tea was different from the loose leaf tea I’d have at a coffeeshop or the tea bags I got from the store? He kind of scoffed, as any tea snob would, and said, “You mean McTea?” Well, it turns out he was right. After having tea with him a few times, I was hooked. I bought several tea items–including the cups, gaiwan, and bamboo tea table…

  • Buddhist Geeks: Micropatronage Drive

    Vince Horn
    23 Aug 2009 | 6:11 am
    Last week I officially launched the first Micropatronage Drive for Buddhist Geeks. A micropatron is someone who supports Buddhist Geeks financially, in a small way, but with enough micropatrons we can really garner the financial support we need to take Buddhist Geeks to another level. The other level we’re planning has to do with launching two new projects, both of which have been percolating for a while. The first is a full-fledged digital magazine and the other is an in-person conference entitled BuddhaDharma 2.0. And the cool thing is, if we’re able to get the support we need, we’ll…

  • Secularizing Buddhism: Making it Accessible or Stripping the Roots?

    Vince Horn
    11 Aug 2009 | 1:42 pm
    The folks at the OneCity Blog on BeliefNet were kind enough to accept an article that I’d recently finished up on the potential downsides to making Buddhism completely secular. It’s entitled, Secularizing Buddhism: Making it Accessible or Stripping the Roots? Here’s a little snippet from the article: The problem with not seeing how Buddhism has evolved, and in not seeing ourselves as a part of Buddhism’s evolution, is that we can believe we are somehow the holders of the “essence” of Buddhism. But what is the essence stripped from the practices,…

  • The Buddha wasn’t a Buddha

    Vince Horn
    10 Jul 2009 | 6:39 am
    A nice fellow named Joel responded to my comment yesterday, and I decided to write another big chunk of material to try and clarify some of my current thinking around “enlightenment”. Here’s Joel’s original comment, followed by my response: I appreciate Vince Horn’s comments regarding the need to demystify enlightenment. I’d like to make a minor point here. While I think it is true that we often project ‘weird shit’ onto those we regard as enlightened teachers–a longtime Buddhist practitioner once said to me, with a straight face, ‘Tibetans aren’t like…
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    Loden Jinpa

  • Saving Zanskar and Repaying the Kindness of a Truly Compassionate Being

    Loden Jinpa
    22 Oct 2009 | 9:07 pm
    One of the blessings of my visit to India earlier this year was the chance to spend time immersed in Tibetan culture. What I truly believe is a culture of compassion. While there, I gave some lectures on English and computers to several Geshe’s. And became very close to one in particular – Geshe Lobsang Yonten,  pictured right. The photo was taken in Dharamsala, days before I was to leave. I think, if my memory is correct, Geshe-la and I were debating about something related to Tsongkhapa’s view of the ultimate truth and I cracked a joke part way through. Geshe-la thought it…

  • Climbing the Mountain One Nugget of Gold at a Time

    Loden Jinpa
    30 Sep 2009 | 8:26 pm
    It has been a while I know, and given that tomorrow is my weekly supervisory meeting, I should be working on my thesis. Yet I find myself thinking about compassion. So much for not “breakin the chain”. Actually I joke, because Jerry’s Chain method has, after almost 3 weeks, shown to be worth the effort. And as I have already completed today’s daily work, its all good. However, I did not want to talk about Jerry, big red crosses or any of that stuff. Instead I wanted to discuss the importance of what I like to call a culture of compassion. This rather simple, yet not…

  • Learning to be Consistent Using the Chain Method

    Loden Jinpa
    10 Sep 2009 | 4:27 pm
    Writing and Meditation Writing a PhD thesis is the largest project I’ve worked on. As I began writing I often found myself feeling slightly uncomfortable. At first I wasn’t sure what it was. Then I twigged! A PhD is a huge project, which is by and large self managed. Its size can lead to anxiety, which in turn can lead to procrastination as a coping mechanism. This, in fact is what I was doing. I was spending my time reading. Thinking I needed to know more, before the writing could start. Intuitively however, I knew something was off and so I Googled. I wondered if anyone else was…

  • News From Windy Ole Hobart

    Loden Jinpa
    1 Sep 2009 | 4:42 am
    Today is a good day. If only because a book I have been waiting on has arrived ahead of time. Published in 1964 The Self in Indian Philosophy is an scholarly survey of the different notions of self according to the various schools of…well…Indian philosophy, but I guess that was pretty obvious. As some of you may know, my thesis is focused on Personal Identity. In particular the tension between the Buddhist theory of selflessness and the givenness of first person experience. This book will help me better understand the different views on selfhood according to the non-Buddhist…

  • Bruises, News and a Scholarship

    Loden Jinpa
    22 Aug 2009 | 5:20 am
    Bruised Fingertips It has been a while, I know. I am sorry about that, really. So what have I been up to, you ask? Well, its a little like this…read some stuff on Buddhist thought, personal identity, cognitive science and what it means to have a sense of self. Write about what I read. Eat something then, sleep. Get up the following day and do it all again. Sound like fun? Well, I guess that depends on what your writing about. For me, I’m having a ball. Being a postgrad student is a real blast. I feel like I am doing something useful which allows me to continue being a Buddhist…
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    The Zennist

  • The different names for Mind

    Muni Butsu
    5 Nov 2009 | 5:56 am
    Throughout this blog I’ve used a variety of names for Mind, although generally I tend to stick with “pure Mind”.  This is a very important term, perhaps the most important of all terms in Buddhism from Theravada Buddhism, to Mahayana, Zen, and Tantra Buddhism—although it is seldom discussed in modern pop Buddhism.  Just recently, reading Robert E. Buswell’s excellent book on Zen master Chinul’s Korean way of Zen, Tracing Back the Radiance I came across this.  It’s about the different names for Mind. “Question: We have already given rise to right faith, but we…

  • To whom is the Buddha speaking?

    Muni Butsu
    4 Nov 2009 | 5:40 am
    For a few years I have been aware that Sutras (and Pali Suttas) are addressed to certain kinds of people, say for example, monks, disciples or Bodhisattvas.  Generally speaking, in the Pali canon many of the Buddhas discourses are simply addressed to monks which says nothing about their spiritual disposition whether or not the monks are ariyan (holy person, one who is spiritually developed) or a puthujjana (common worldling person) since monks, like non-monastics, can be either ariyan or puthujjana.   We also need to keep in mind that the bhikkhu-sangha (community of monks) is not…

  • Consciousness is not Mind

    Muni Butsu
    3 Nov 2009 | 5:21 am
    The fifth aggregate that belongs to Mara the Evil One is vijñana.  It can mean sensuous knowledge as opposed to gnosis or in Sanskrit, jñâna.  Often vijñâna is just translated as consciousness which cannot fully express all that is meant by vijñâna and in Pali, viññâna.  Nevertheless, consciousness, in most contexts, seems adequate for the job since it carries a wide latitude of possible meanings which is necessary for the purposes of translation. Consciousness can be looked at as a mode of Mind (citta) that is aware of its phenomena, but not of itself; which can…

  • The Mind before it is stirred

    Muni Butsu
    2 Nov 2009 | 4:53 am
    The task of defining language formally is almost like trying to explain what gravity is—not just describing it mathematically.  All in all, we can probably put language in the category of psychology insofar as there are psychological processes involved in languaging.  But this also means, in one respect, language has limitations.  While for Buddhism and, in particular, Zen the use of language is important and certainly fits within the realm of psychology, by no means can it take us to the tree of enlightenment.   In order to transcend language to reach the absolute,…

  • Zen the old fashioned way

    Muni Butsu
    1 Nov 2009 | 6:23 am
    If I were a Zen Buddhist monk in the Sung Dynasty I would have already attended a number of lectures on key Sutras like the Surangama, Mahaparinirvana, or the Avatamsaka.  As a result of this education, I would hopefully know in what general direction the great finger of Zen is pointing!  It would be pointing to intuition of pure or luminous Mind.  (When I use the term pure or luminous Mind it actually refers to the absolute which has many different names in Buddhism.) Knowing what I must intuit, meditation will therefore serve to make me familiar with my own vast mental…
 
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    Awake in This Life

  • Podcast: ISmile236 – Turning Spiritual Lead Into Gold | Infinite Smile

    Michael McAlister
    3 Nov 2009 | 7:35 am
    In this talk, Michael continues his discussion of the temporary nature of all things. As we begin to practice with this fundamental truth, we find that we can begin to accept what is and move from negativity into freedom. via ISmile236 – Turning Spiritual Lead Into Gold | Infinite Smile.

  • Big Sky Mind

    Michael McAlister
    30 Oct 2009 | 1:15 pm
    Big Sky Mind Originally uploaded by Michael G. McAlister

  • Q & A: When the Fire of Awakening Burns…

    Michael McAlister
    22 Oct 2009 | 1:52 pm
    Gotta’ love when the earthquake of Awakening rattles and rolls everything we’ve ever known to be true… Question(s): As I sit, all that comes within my attention, or where I choose to turn my attention, exists because I’ve turned my attention on it. Then, when I turn my attention on “the one” who is attending to everything [...]

  • Redux: Wisdom

    Michael McAlister
    22 Oct 2009 | 10:31 am
    The teachings surrounding wisdom have been popping up around Infinite Smile recently. So here’s a re-posting of part of the chapter on this subject from Awake in This Life: As the audience, or Witness, of the illusory and repetitious charade of ego on the Stage of Mind, we suddenly have an empowering choice offered to each [...]

  • Amazing Day, Amazing Weekend

    Michael McAlister
    22 Oct 2009 | 10:26 am
    Leading retreats for Infinite Smile can be very sweet at times. Of course I miss sitting myself, but it’s amazingly gratifying when I get to participate with practitioners who are working really hard to uncover Truth. In addition to some locals making the trip down to the Santa Cruz Mountains, people have flown in from Idaho, [...]
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    Wildmind Buddhist Meditation

  • Finding Wisdom from within

    Srimati
    6 Nov 2009 | 1:40 pm
    In this short video Srimati describes how she helps people to open up to their inner wisdom through dropping more deeply into their experience. Over and over again, she finds that people are able to bypass the superficiality of the mind and come up with deeper and more authentic guidance from within. Srimati is a freelance spiritual teacher, writer and co-founder of Thrivecraft Coaching, and a former member of the Western Buddhist Order. She is currently engaged in publishing her whole body of work via books, articles, CDs, films, and the internet. Her aim is to contribute accessible and…

  • Rest and Renewal Retreat, Dec 4-6, 2009

    Sunada
    2 Nov 2009 | 9:18 am
    Recharge your batteries with a weekend of calm and relaxation! Join retreat leaders Amala and Sunada on this residential retreat — where you can relax, be taken care of, and regain some perspective on your life. You’ll rejuvenate body and mind with wholesome vegetarian meals, meditation, yoga, and massage. You’ll also learn ‘take-home’ skills to help you manage stress and enhance self-care in your daily life at home. The retreat is open to anyone who is suffering from burnout, stress, overwork or who feels disconnected from their ability to enjoy life. Activities…

  • Online meditation courses start Nov 2

    Sunada
    30 Oct 2009 | 12:38 pm
    Wildmind offers four online courses on meditation. Starting Nov 2, 2009: The Path of Mindfulness and Love (4 weeks) Change Your Mind (4 weeks) Awakening the Heart (4 weeks) Entering the Path of Insight (4 weeks) More information about all of our courses is available on Wildmind. Related posts:Online meditation courses start May 4 Wildmind offers four online courses on meditation. Starting May 4,...Online meditation courses start January 5 Wildmind offers four online courses on meditation. Starting January 5,...Online meditation courses start June 1 Wildmind offers four online courses on…

  • “Living as a river” – an interview with Bodhipaksa

    Bodhipaksa
    29 Oct 2009 | 5:46 am
    Recently Wildmind’s founder, Bodhipaksa, was interviewed by Tami Simon, the owner of the renowned publisher of spirituality audiobooks. The interview is part of a series called “Insights at the Edge,” which also includes conversations with Buddhist teachers Sharon Salzberg, Thich Nhat Hanh, and Jack Kornfield. The interview includes a discussion of science and spirituality together can help us appreciate the interconnected nature of reality, and of Bodhipaksa’s forthcoming book on the Six Elements. Here’s how Sounds True describes the podcast: Bodhipaksa: Living…

  • Letting go, always letting go

    Renee Miller
    28 Oct 2009 | 6:45 am
    In the first of a series of articles, The Rev. Canon Renée Miller explores Buddhist practice from the perspective of her own Christian faith. The Dalai Lama says that meditation is the cure for every problem. That seems a bold claim to make. When we consider the various small and large problems in our lives, it doesn’t seem that meditation could resolve them. What can sitting in silence, counting our breaths do about the pain we feel in our bodies, or the fear we experience when we face death, or the lack of purpose we sometimes feel, or even the bread we baked that did not rise as it…
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    Daily Buddhism

  • Podcast Episode 60: Buddhism Once Again

    Brian Schell
    17 Oct 2009 | 5:21 pm
    Podcast Episode 60: Buddhism Once Again Welcome back, this is Daily Buddhism audio show number Sixty. My name is Brian Schell, and I am the your host for the show. You can find the text as well as all links mentioned in this program and all past episodes on the website at www.dailybuddhism.com. Announcements: Do we have anything [...]Post from: Daily Buddhism, by Brian SchellPodcast Episode 60: Buddhism Once Again

  • 12 Steps, Higher Powers, and Buddhism

    Brian Schell
    10 Sep 2009 | 5:50 am
    Question: I appreciate all the hard work that you spend in spiritually enriching the lives of myself and, I’m sure, countless others.  It is a matter of life and death for me, as I am on a path of recovery from addiction.  I am unable to embrace a “higher power” via the christian concept because of [...]Post from: Daily Buddhism, by Brian Schell12 Steps, Higher Powers, and Buddhism

  • Ambition

    Brian Schell
    9 Sep 2009 | 6:00 am
    Question: How do I let go of the constant striving for a higher paying job with more power and a title? The whole idea of making more money in order to buy more things is a way of thinking that is hard to break free from. I am a fifth grade teacher and I love teaching. I am  happiest when I am in the [...]Post from: Daily Buddhism, by Brian SchellAmbition

  • Aging and Suffering

    Brian Schell
    8 Sep 2009 | 7:14 am
    Question: Brian, I was asked to join Facebook by a friend. I really did not want to do it but I did. I now wish I never had. I have found lost friends but at a huge price. The first was a big strapping Marine who was one of the first kick boxers in the USA. [...]Post from: Daily Buddhism, by Brian SchellAging and Suffering

  • Poetic Impermanence

    Brian Schell
    2 Sep 2009 | 6:15 am
    Just a short post for today, but just a few words can hold a deep meaning. This is a short poem attributed to Li Bai, an 8th century Chinese poet, and expresses the Buddhist idea of impermanence perfectly. Just a reminder, zazen is a form of meditation where one just sits silently. “Zazen [...]Post from: Daily Buddhism, by Brian SchellPoetic Impermanence
 
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    the 12 Step Buddhist

  • Webcast 4:30 PM PST Today, November 4th

    Darren Littlejohn
    4 Nov 2009 | 4:09 pm
    Webcasts will be scheduled for 4pm Pacific Standard Time on Wednesdays. Today, November 4th, we’ll start at 4:30. For now we’ll use the Ustream.tv system. I’ve figured out how to turn off the requirement to log in to chat. Other sessions may happen spontaneously and will be announced on Twitter and Facebook. Group sessions [...]

  • Episode 010 – Create the Fellowship You Crave

    Darren Littlejohn
    15 Oct 2009 | 6:17 pm
    Create a 12-Step Meditation meeting, finding a Dharma teacher, learning more about Buddhism, integrating with 12-Step recovery.

  • Webcasts Beginning October 28th (not the 21st)

    Darren Littlejohn
    15 Oct 2009 | 1:39 am
    To log in to webcasts please click the Webcast tab. These free video webcasts will be scheduled for 4pm Pacific Standard Time on Wednesdays starting October 28th. I apologize for not being able to start them on the 21st but there were some technical issues with the Flash player. I’m going back to the ustream.tv [...]

  • Review by Siona van Dijk of Gaia.com

    Darren Littlejohn
    10 Oct 2009 | 4:01 pm
    the book is true genius--it manages to maintain a reverence and respect for the twelve steps, while allowing for an "atheistic" interpretation of the process.

  • the 12-Step Buddhist Book Tour Photo Gallery

    Darren Littlejohn
    1 Oct 2009 | 3:54 pm
    Pictures from the 15 city book tour for the 12-Step Buddhist
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    Infinite Smile

  • ISmile236 – Turning Spiritual Lead Into Gold

    Michael
    2 Nov 2009 | 4:13 pm
    Click on the player below, in order to listen to Michael’s talk. Get the most recent iTunes software and subscribe to this podcast from the Buddhist and/or Philosophy sections of the Religion &amp; Spirituality list. ____ In this talk, Michael continues his discussion of the temporary nature of all things. As we begin to practice with this fundamental truth, we find that we can begin to accept what is and move from negativity into freedom.

  • ISmile235 – How to Meet Total Fulfillment

    Michael
    8 Oct 2009 | 8:25 am
    Click on the player below, in order to listen to Michael’s talk. Get the most recent iTunes software and subscribe to this podcast from the Buddhist and/or Philosophy sections of the Religion &amp; Spirituality list. ____ In this talk, pulled from a half-day intensive, Michael discusses the gift of curiosity and how it frees us from feeling a sense of lack.

  • ISmile234 – On Death and Dying

    Michael
    1 Oct 2009 | 12:28 pm
    Click on the player below, in order to listen to Michael’s talk. Get the most recent iTunes software and subscribe to this podcast from the Buddhist and/or Philosophy sections of the Religion &amp; Spirituality list. ____ In this evening’s talk, Michael discusses the weighty topics of death and dying, and offers suggestions on how to let our inevitable end open us to Truth.

  • ISmile233 – Merging Intention With Surrender

    Michael
    23 Sep 2009 | 5:00 pm
    Click on the player below, in order to listen to Michael’s talk. Get the most recent iTunes software and subscribe to this podcast from the Buddhist and/or Philosophy sections of the Religion &amp; Spirituality list. ____ In this evening’s talk, Michael talks about how it’s so necessary to give spiritual practice everything we’ve got. It appears that the fire of intention and the peace of surrender are deeply opposed. While this is true for egos, awakening shows us that they are aspects of an undivided whole.

  • ISmile232 – The Roots of Anger

    Michael
    17 Sep 2009 | 4:30 pm
    Click on the player below, in order to listen to Michael’s talk. Get the most recent iTunes software and subscribe to this podcast from the Buddhist and/or Philosophy sections of the Religion &amp; Spirituality list. ____ In this evening’s talk, Michael talks about how we can free ourselves from anger if we can deeply recognize our fear.
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