Buddhism

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    About.com Buddhism

  • Being Lamps Unto Ourselves

    19 Nov 2009 | 4:29 pm
    I finally worked up the nerve to write an introduction to the Heart Sutra -- a very brief, beginner-level introduction. I recall that I had committed the sutra to memory before anyone explained any part of it to me. I hate to think how long it took for me to figure out who that guy "Shariputra" was. The Heart Sutra is part of the much larger Prajnaparamita (perfection of wisdom) Sutra, which is a collection of about 40 sutras. Various legends claim these sutras were spoken by the historical Buddha and lost to mankind for centuries. According to one story I've heard, the sutras were guarded by…

  • When Monks Attack: Anti-Christian Violence in Asia

    18 Nov 2009 | 2:42 am
    A few days ago some photos popped up on the Web that allegedly shows Buddhist monks in Sri Lanka attacking a Christian church. I can't tell what they're doing from the photos, but eyewitness accounts say that protesters threw stones and petroleum bombs at the church after two women died at an evangelical faith healing service. No one was hurt, and the local Buddhist temple denies any involvement. But this episode points to an increase in violence against Christian churches in Asia. The National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka complained in 2004 that more than 140 churches had been…

  • Virtual Dharma War

    16 Nov 2009 | 4:22 pm
    At Tricycle, Zenshin Michael Haederle writes about online bickering among Buddhists. In particular, there have been a few online flame wars that involved Buddhist teachers. For example, a couple of Zen teachers used their blogs to challenge each others' teaching credentials. Sad. [Update: See Jaime McLeod's comment that Haederle misrepresented this specific situation.] Anyone who has ever participated in online discussions has seen them melt down into nasty personal attacks. Buddhist online discussions seem about as likely to do this as any other, unfortunately. Online culture can be so nasty…

  • Shaolin Temple Website Hacked

    15 Nov 2009 | 2:49 pm
    Twice this month, critics of Shi Yongxin, the abbot of China's fabled Shaolin Temple, have hacked the temple's website. The critics accuse the abbot of running a commercial enterprise instead of a Buddhist temple. Shaolin, first built in the 5th century CE,  is thought to be the birthplace of Chinese Kung Fu as well as Ch'an (Zen) Buddhism. The temple was sacked in the late 1960s during the Cultural Revolution, but martial arts clubs around the world donated money to bring it back to life. Critics complain today's Shaolin is more a commercial enterprise than a temple, and that the abbot is…

  • I'm Off to Sesshin

    12 Nov 2009 | 10:06 pm
    I'll be on retreat until Sunday night. In the meantime, please check out the Buddhism forum! Also, check out "Cultivating Her Faith" by Zen T.C. Zheng in the Houston Chronicle. It's a profile of the Rev. Myokei Caine-Barrett, the first woman Nichiren Shu priest in North America. I'm Off to Sesshin originally appeared on About.com Buddhism on Friday, November 13th, 2009 at 06:06:15.Permalink | Comment | Email this
 
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    AmericanBuddhist.net

  • Museum: Galileo's Fingers, Tooth Are Found

    ABN
    20 Nov 2009 | 12:31 pm
    Florence Museum: Lost Galileo Relics, A Tooth And 2 Of Astronomer's Fingers, Found Again LINK TO ORIGINAL

  • Rain may put pumpkin pie in peril, Nestle say

    Robyn
    20 Nov 2009 | 12:30 pm
    PORTLAND, ORE. — The holidays may not be so sweet this year. Nestle — which sells nearly all the canned pumpkin in the U.S. — says poor weather hurt its harvest, creating a potential shortage of its Libby's pumpkin pie products through the holidays. LINK TO ORIGINAL Not only is preparing a fresh pumpkin for pie ridiculously easy, it is also more nutritious than canned. Plus, you will not be exposed to all those spooky chemicals they line cans with these days. Sugar pumpkins should be available in abundance pretty much anywhere, but many varieties of winter squash make fine substitutes…

  • American stockbroker sets record for cannabis consumption with 115,000th joint (and it's all legal)

    ABN
    20 Nov 2009 | 12:28 pm
    An American stockbroker has one of the world’s most prolific cannabis smokers – thanks to a constant supply of the drug to treat a rare bone disease. Fort Lauderdale stockbroker Irvin Rosenfeld will tomorrow smoke his 115,000th joint - and it’s all legal. The 56-year-old has been provided with cannabis by the government since 1982, when he became a patient in the Federal Drug Administration’s Investigational New Drug Programme. LINK TO ORIGINAL

  • AP Exclusive: Muslim countries seek blasphemy ban

    ABN
    20 Nov 2009 | 12:11 pm
    GENEVA — Four years after cartoons of the prophet Muhammad set off violent protests across the Muslim world, Islamic nations are mounting a campaign for an international treaty to protect religious symbols and beliefs from mockery — essentially a ban on blasphemy that would put them on a collision course with free speech laws in the West. LINK TO ORIGINAL

  • No reply this Christmas as US blocks Santa mail

    ABN
    20 Nov 2009 | 12:06 pm
    No matter if children are naughty or nice, they won't get a reply from Santa this year, as the US Postal Service has blocked mail to a tiny Alaska town that answered Christmas letters for decades. Since 1954, thousands of volunteers in the Christmas-crazy town of North Pole have run the heart-warming tradition of replying to letters addressed "Santa Claus, The North Pole" forwarded to them by the USPS. But no more. LINK TO ORIGINAL
 
 
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    BuddhismNews

  • Prayer Wheels

    10 Nov 2009 | 10:00 am
    Hand made prayer wheels with reels of mantras from H.H. the Dalai Lama.For centuries prayer wheels have been used for praying, meditation, healing, purifying karma and protection from negativities. Some of the most advanced Buddhist Masters such as Padmasambhava, Marpa and Mahasiddhas such as Tilopa, Naropa and Nagarjuna used and distributed prayer wheels to benefit sentient beings and to protect the environment especially of sincere Dharma practitioners.Turning a prayer wheel creates extensive benefits for all beings because prayer wheels are the manifestation of the Chenrezig, Buddha of…

  • Building of Seat of Honor for Dalai Lama in Boston

    26 Apr 2009 | 10:44 am
    Read more about Building of Seat of Honor for Dalai Lama in Bostonom mani peme hung

  • H.H. 17th Karmapa in Europe - 2009

    24 Apr 2009 | 10:29 am
    His Holiness the 17th Karmapa Trinlay Thaye Dorje will visit Europe in the summer 2009.The schedule of the 17th Karmapa's visit to Europe.om mani peme hung

  • Spring Sale At The Tibetan Incense Shop

    9 Apr 2009 | 8:11 am
    Tibetan Incense Shop offers The Spring Sale - more than 20 kinds of incense, from all price categories, from the cheapest to the most expensive ones.Simply jump to the Hot Sales section of the shop - and enjoy the variety of their items on sale.Sample discounted incense:See more samples here.om mani peme hung

  • Buddhist Art Exhibition in San Francisco

    28 Feb 2009 | 3:47 am
    A rare opportunity to view the Buddhist arts of the mystical kingdom of Bhutan – “The Last Shangri-La”.At the Asian Art Museum through May 10th.Located in the Himalayas to the east of Mount Everest and Nepal, Bhutan is unique as a sovereign nation that has maintained its culture, arts, and religious and political traditions intact. Bhutan is one of the few countries in Asia that was never colonized by its neighbors or Western powers. The exhibition provides an exceptionally rare opportunity to view some of the most sacred and beloved Buddhist arts of Bhutan. Many of the objects remain…
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    The Buddhist Blog

  • Throwing Mud.

    19 Nov 2009 | 10:05 am
    I was recently mentioned in Tricycle magazine in not the best light and since I wasn't given a chance to respond to these charges in the article, I'll do so here. I was criticized for defending myself when attacked by commenters -- especially when they level that criticism with rudeness. I can listen to advise and criticism but not when it is done with rudeness and anger. Here is the article, Dharma Wars. Below is my response to the article:I am the author of "The Buddhist Blog" mentioned in the article and I would have hoped for the author to have contacted me before using my words. As well…

  • Obama Calls for Aung San Suu Kyi to be Released.

    16 Nov 2009 | 1:48 pm
    Pro-Burmese Democracy leader and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi (right) with her former spiritual adviser, The Venerable Buddhist monk Thamanya Sayadaw who is now deceased).By VIJAY JOSHI, Associated Press Writer Vijay Joshi, Associated Press Writer – Sun Nov 15, 9:11 am ET SINGAPORE – President Barack Obama on Sunday told Myanmar's junta to free pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi during an unusual face-to-face interaction with a top leader of the ruling military. Obama delivered the strong message during his summit with leaders of 10 Southeast Asian nations, which…

  • Reggae Koan.

    14 Nov 2009 | 10:33 am
    This guys is one of my favorite artists. Matisyahu is a Hasidic Jewish Reggae/hip-hop artist. I'm a big fan of reggae and find the rhythms especially soothing, inspirational and enlightening. The lyrics in reggae are often about social justice, peace, love, spirituality and harmony and like a lot of music it brings about a sort of musical satori. Music is a powerful force in my life and one that often acts as guide along the middle-path between somethingness and nothingness. I especially like this lyric from Matisyahu's version of this Bob classic, which is a kind of reggae koan:Everyman…

  • Be fully Alive. Buddhism and Multi-Tasking.

    10 Nov 2009 | 9:55 am
    How can you be alive when only your body is there and your mind still wanders in the past or in the future? You are not really alive. You are not available to you. You are not available to your beloved ones. So come home to yourself in the here and the now; be fully alive and your true presence profits yourself and profits your beloved ones.~Venerable Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh.James: My A.D.D. makes me good at multi-tasking, however, multi-tasking means my attention and awareness is split. That means that I'm not really present for either task. As a consequence I often find it takes me…

  • Heart Sutra Mantra.

    9 Nov 2009 | 5:29 pm
    Om gate gate paragate parasamgate bodhi svaha!! This is from the Heart Sutra mantra, which speaks of transcending thoughts and concepts to reside in the pure essence of being at peace and at one with all. Oneness that is beyond all dualities. In my understanding, to be able to reside in that place of balance between somethingness and nothingness, regardless of circumstances is tasting the enlightenment of Nirvana.~Peace to all beings~
 
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    The Center for Buddhist Studies Weblog

  • CBSS Podcast: Michael Walsh

    cdk2001@columbia.edu (Christopher Kelley)
    20 Nov 2009 | 7:25 am
    Michael Walsh, Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Religion at Vassar College, presented his talk on "The Intimate Religious Life of the Nation: Visions of Buddhism in Colonial Missions to China" on November 19th, 2009 as part of the Columbia University Buddhist Studies Seminar series.Download Podcast >>

  • 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 >>
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    FWBO & TBMSG News

  • New Russian Dharma website launched

    lokabandhu
    19 Nov 2009 | 3:55 pm
    Suvannavira, a Russian-born Order Member writes with news of a major new Dharma resource for Russian speakers. He says -“I do have one news item for you from Russia. There is a new Russian FWBO website -www.buddhayana.ru - which has just gone live. It is a stylish and substantial site with four complete books translated into Russian plus 300 or more pages of the first year of the new mitra study course.“The site joins tow other FWBO websites in Russian - the main “fwbo.org” site introducing the FWBO, at http://russian.fwbo.org; and the Russian version of Wildmind meditation teaching,…

  • Death of Dhammachari Silendrabodhi in India

    lokabandhu
    18 Nov 2009 | 3:56 pm
    Amrutdeep, one of the Indian Order Convenors, writes to say - “I am very sorry to inform you that Dhammachari Silendrabodhi passed away at his home in Ulhasnagar, India, on Saturday 14th November at 11.30 a.m. His death was due to old age - he was 92 years old. “Silendrabodhi was ordained in 1987. He contributed a lot to establishing the Ulhasnagar centre and was Kalyanamitra for so many Order members and well respected amongst the whole Order here.“His funeral took place evening of 14th November 7.30 p.m. and before that his body was kept in the shrine hall at Ulhasnagar…

  • On-line survey - your help please!

    lokabandhu
    17 Nov 2009 | 10:03 pm
    Maitrisara writes from Oxford with a reqeust for all FWBO News readers - "The FWBO's Karuna Trust and Clear Vision are working together to develop a projectabout Buddhist-inspired social action in Asia (eg Tibet, India, Cambodia,Sri Lanka)"The idea of the project is to support Buddhists in the UK to explore theirown practice in terms of the relationship between personal and socialtransformation. Part of it will involve the development of online videoclips and study materials available through the Clear Vision website."It would help us if you would complete this survey - it only takes…

  • Sheffield launch 'Still Learning' schools project

    lokabandhu
    16 Nov 2009 | 9:48 pm
    The FWBO’s Sheffield Buddhist Centre have recently launched a new Right Livelihood business - their ‘Still Learning’ education service for schools. You’ll find it at www.fwbosheffield.org/schools.html. The project is the brainchild of two Sheffield mitras, Allan Kirkman and Kate Arrowsmith, who’ve teamed up to create a complete spectrum of activities, tours and workshops for schools. Among their repertoire are introductions to - • Stilling Exercises• Artefacts and Shrines• Story-telling• Questions and Answer sessions• Drama/role-play• Information about Buddhism• The…

  • Letting go of letting go: a report from Sudakini and Vajralila

    lokabandhu
    14 Nov 2009 | 9:58 pm
    11 months ago Sudakini and Vajralila, two women Order Members from the FWBO’s Norwich Buddhist Centre, sold all their possessions and went forth into the homeless life. Their travels have taken them across the UK, to India, back, and over to America - from where they’ve posted a last report on their blog ‘The Cosmic Adventure’ .We reproduce below some excerpts, focusing on the reflections that have arisen for them as they contemplate leaving the homeless life (despite their love of it) and returning to a more ‘conventional’ existence. For the full story, check their blog…They…
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    thinkBuddha.org

  • A Brief Note on Looking at Water

    Will Buckingham
    15 Nov 2009 | 1:17 pm
    This morning, I realised that I had been sitting at my desk far too long, and – looking out of the window and seeing that it was one of those luminous late autumn days – I switched off the computer and we headed out for a walk by the river, which runs not far from where we live, in a pocket of wildness that cuts through the city. It was a truly glorious morning – a heron flapping away from the pond as we passed, horses ambling around the fields, and the river full and fast-flowing. As we stood by the river, I found myself recollecting a line that I stumbled upon in Sarah…

  • Donkey Work

    Will Buckingham
    14 Nov 2009 | 8:40 am
    Last night, I packed up my belongings, loaded them on the back of my trusty donkey, and moved the entire contents of thinkBuddha.org (and various other sites as well) to a new server. Now that the donkey-work is done, I’m now settling in to my new home. Hopefully this hasn’t caused any problems, and the change seems to have gone smoothly, although there may have been a small glitch or two in the transfer period. The move allows me to add a few extra bits and pieces to the various sites that I run, and first up has been Twitter integration. So now you can look in the sidebar here…

  • 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…
 
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    Progressive Buddhism

  • Saving the world by sitting on our butts

    19 Nov 2009 | 1:31 am
    My wife (who has a sensitive and anxious disposition) desperately wants her first child. She is in her mid-30s now. In the course of the last year she has miscarried three times and three times I have seen her heart break. There is no instruction manual given out for how best to support someone going through something like that and it has been a real learning curve for me. Even her normally-very-supportive best friend told her she could no longer support her and they are no longer firends. I know that I'm far from perfect but also know that I've been invaluable to someone who was dependent on…

  • We've Come a Long Way: 30 years of American Buddhism

    13 Nov 2009 | 9:35 am
    Charles Prebish has a great commentary in the latest issue of BuddhaDharma, discussing his observations of American Buddhism over the past 30 years. The main theme of the commentary is that we've come a long way since the late '70s and things are generally looking very good.He speaks about our growing connections here in the U.S., not only through greater numbers and more centers, but the internet and great books. One of the things that caught my eye was his statement that American Buddhism:... has developed, I think, in large part because of the ecumenical cooperation between practitioners…

  • 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…
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    A Buddhist Podcast

  • A Buddhist Podcast – Pete Morris and the Gohonzon

    jason
    15 Nov 2009 | 12:55 pm
    Welcome to another episode of A Buddhist Podcast. On tonights show we have a special guest, the wonderful Peter Morris! Peter talks about a fundamental aspect of Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism, the Gohonzon. Karen reads an amazing experience from the lovely Erica Holding who lives in California! We have great music as well! Tonight we have Howard Jones playing Love Never Wasted from his new album Ordinary Heroes. From the Podsafe Music Network we have Bobby Gentry singing Goldie Hawn. We also have, by special permission from the Lovespirals, their brand new track called Shine from their…

  • 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…
 
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    Buddhist Society of WA :: Dhamma Podcast

  • The Law of Kamma

    13 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm
    Ajahn Dhiravamso from Bodhinyana Monastery talks about the law of kamma.

  • 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?
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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

  • Thank You Geshe Thubten Loden

    Loden Jinpa
    16 Nov 2009 | 3:38 pm
    This is a copy of a letter I wrote to my teacher–Geshe Thubten Loden–a few days before leaving for Tasmania. I am publishing it here now as a means to create the merit for Geshe la to continue to stay with us. Please Geshe-la do not leave us now. Please continue to remain with us, to help, guide and protect us. Dear Geshe la, This letter is to say thank you for the kindness you have shown me over the past 14 years, in particular the teachings, initiations and daily guidance I received from you over that time. You have been more than a father, more than a mother, more than a best friend.

  • Why Socially Engaged Buddhist?

    Loden Jinpa
    8 Nov 2009 | 10:46 pm
    Below is a stream-of-consciousness thought and I mean no disrespect to Socially Engaged Buddhists. Today, I heard someone call themselves a socially engaged Buddhist. Isn’t all Buddhist theory socially engaged? As many have already had a lot to say along this line of argumentation, I will desist hereto. Instead, I want to discuss the follow this line of argument: If you are calling yourself a socially engaged Buddhist, you do so, because you are motivated by the wish to help others, regardless of who they are and you want to do so directly, as you see this as a good thing to do. By no…

  • 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…
 
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    The Zennist

  • No practice without Sutras

    Muni Butsu
    19 Nov 2009 | 5:28 am
    Continuing from the previous blog, i.e., What practice entails, let me first quote Zen master Tsung-mi on the importance of using the Sutras correctly. “If one just depends on the sayings of the Buddha and does not infer for himself, his realization will be no more than a matter of baseless faith.  If one just holds on to direct perception, taking what he perceives for himself to be authoritative without comparing it to the sayings of the Buddha, then how can he know whether it is true or false.” First, in a nutshell, what is Tsung-mi saying as regards the Sutras in the context of…

  • What practice entails

    Muni Butsu
    18 Nov 2009 | 5:32 am
    While we in the West are hesitant to admit it, the recordings of the heart of Buddhism still lie hidden within its texts.  These texts are essentially thousands of different maps and fingers pointing to the Buddha's recondite Dharma that he realized under the Bodhi-tree.  If we truly intend to practice Buddhism we will need these maps and fingers because the territory where the Bodhi-tree grows is not in our all-too-human world.  It lies quite beyond it. I just finished watching Edward A. Burger’s documentary film, Among White Clouds, who, by the way, is himself a…

  • Finding itself

    Muni Butsu
    17 Nov 2009 | 5:51 am
    The immediacy of being we call the 'now' or self or sensory consciousness, is an immediacy that is nascent and undeveloped.  We have not awakened (bodhi), in other words.  Moreover, unbeknownst to us this same immediacy is the absolute, but one that has no knowledge of itself; which still abides in a state of avidya.  As paradoxical as this seems, this absolute as Mind is, but it is not yet an object of itself.  What still stands before it is the dissimilarity between its immediate being and its full awakening which has not been completed. Thus there remains a…

  • Beyond physicality

    Muni Butsu
    16 Nov 2009 | 6:33 am
    The idea of disembodiment is not outside the purview of Buddhism although one might believe otherwise.  Although strange to a Western Buddhist’s ears, to recognize a part of us that isn’t ‘all flesh and blood’ is not, in itself, foreign to Buddhism.  Simply put, when the Buddhist adept sees and identifies completely with pure Mind, he is disembodied.  This would especially follow after studying and knowing all that constitutes the body made up of the Five Aggregates or, the same, the psychophysical.   In disembodiment, following this out, physicality is…

  • Not to identify with the aggregates

    Muni Butsu
    15 Nov 2009 | 6:30 am
    For a long time there as been too much focus on whether or not the Buddha actually denied the self or atman.  It is not even clear from the Pali canon that the Buddha was on a mission to eradicate the so-called Hindu notion of Atman as many Buddhists naively believe.  On this same track, there is hardly any evidence that the Buddha was on a mission to destroy Brahmanism.  by all accounts, the Buddha appears to be a reformer of Brahmanism.   What is more pertinent to attend to and, I dare say, a more answerable question is did the Buddha tell the serious Buddhist adept…
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    Awake in This Life

  • Podcast: ISmile237 – On Greed and Karma

    Michael McAlister
    20 Nov 2009 | 12:32 pm
    In this talk, Michael weaves his talk around the issues of greed and karma in our daily lives. via ISmile237 – On Greed and Karma | Infinite Smile.

  • Sisters

    Michael McAlister
    17 Nov 2009 | 6:33 am
    Sisters Originally uploaded by Michael G. McAlister

  • The Littlest Buddha

    Michael McAlister
    13 Nov 2009 | 2:53 pm
    The Littlest Buddha Originally uploaded by Michael G. McAlister Miss Mave Harper Storm McAlister

  • 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
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    Wildmind Buddhist Meditation

  • Act Normal: The making of…

    Bodhipaksa
    20 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am
    Robert T. Edison was born and raised in Nottingham, England. When he was fourteen years old he began to practice Buddhism. At eighteen he became a monk and went to Thailand where, for a decade, he spent his time in monasteries as Bhikkhu Dhammanando. He became the first Buddhist monk in Iceland when he moved there in 1994 and founded a Buddhist sect. Here director Olaf de Fleur talks about the 10-year making of his documentary, Act Normal, as he followed the progress of Robert/Dhammanando from monasticism to lay life and back again. Related posts:Act Normal: The cultural confusions of an…

  • Act Normal: The cultural confusions of an English monk in Thailand

    Bodhipaksa
    19 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am
    Robert T. Edison was born and raised in Nottingham, England. When he was fourteen years old he began to practice Buddhism. At eighteen he became a monk and went to Thailand where, for a decade, he spent his time in monasteries as Bhikkhu Dhammanando. He became the first Buddhist monk in Iceland when he moved there in 1994 and founded a Buddhist sect. In the title sequence from the documentary, Act Normal, directed by Olaf de Fleur, Dhammanando shares an amusing story about mistaking the Thai national anthem for an advertisement. Act Normal can be purchased from Poppoli Pictures. Related…

  • Act Normal: The origin of suffering

    Bodhipaksa
    18 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am
    Robert T. Edison was born and raised in Nottingham, England. When he was fourteen years old he began to practice Buddhism. At eighteen he became a monk and went to Thailand where, for a decade, he spent his time in monasteries. He became the first Buddhist monk in Iceland when he moved there in 1994 and founded a Buddhist sect. In this clip, from the documentary, Act Normal, directed by Olaf de Fleur, Edison, at that time a monk in Thailand, contrasts the Buddhist explanation of the cause of suffering with the explanations from theistic religion. Act Normal can be purchased from Poppoli…

  • Meditation ‘eases heart disease’

    Meditation News
    17 Nov 2009 | 5:40 am
    BBC: Heart disease patients who practise Transcendental Meditation have reduced death rates, US researchers have said. At a meeting of the American Heart Association they said they had randomly assigned 201 African Americans to meditate or to make lifestyle changes. After nine years, the meditation group had a 47% reduction in deaths, heart attacks and strokes. The research was carried out by the Medical College in Wisconsin with the Maharishi University in Iowa. It was funded by a £2.3m grant from the National Institute of Health and the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.

  • Act Normal: Is Buddhist monasticism escapist?

    Bodhipaksa
    17 Nov 2009 | 4:00 am
    Robert T. Edison was born and raised in Nottingham, England. When he was fourteen years old he began to practice Buddhism. At eighteen he became a monk and went to Thailand where, for a decade, he spent his time in monasteries. He became the first Buddhist monk in Iceland when he moved there in 1994 and founded a Buddhist sect. In this clip, from the documentary, Act Normal, directed by Olaf de Fleur, Edison, at that time a monk in Thailand, is asked whether his life is escapist. Act Normal can be purchased from Poppoli Pictures. Related posts:Act Normal: The origin of suffering Robert T.
 
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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

  • ISmile237 – On Greed and Karma

    Michael
    19 Nov 2009 | 8:29 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, Michael weaves his talk around the issues of greed and karma in our daily lives.

  • 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.
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