Buddhism

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  • How do we let go of letting go?

    Infinite Smile
    admin
    26 Jan 2012 | 9:13 pm
    Commuter Zen #77 Tweet

  • The Identity Problem

    About.com Buddhism
    26 Jan 2012 | 7:59 am
    One of the first posts I wrote here, as I remember, had to do with my discomfort with identifying as a Buddhist. I had no trouble with the Buddhism part; it was the identity part that bothered me. Just to say "I am a [insert object of your choice]" gives me a little twitch of discomfort these days....Read Full Post

  • Teaching Tibetan Ways, School in China Is Unlikely Wonder

    NYT > Buddhism
    26 Jan 2012 | 11:00 pm
    Far from the eyes of Beijing technocrats, students learn to write Tibetan and get their first formal introduction to a history, culture and religion that many call embattled.

  • Despair, crackdowns breed more violence in Tibet

    Buddhist News latest RSS headlines - Big News Network.com
    28 Jan 2012 | 3:41 am
    BEIJING (AP) -- A young man posts his photo with a leaflet demanding freedom for Tibet and telling Chinese police, come and get me. Protesters rise up to defend him, and demonstrations break out in ...

  • The Power of Living in the Present Moment.

    The Buddhist Blog
    13 Jan 2012 | 3:57 pm
    PHOTO CREDIT: Kyodo for the Japan TimesThe Dalai Lama comforts a child in Japan following the tsunami of 2011. Here we see the Dalai Lama less as a revered leader, and more like a benevolent grand-father. Time stands still as the cool water of the Dalai Lama's compassion soothes the terrifying flames of this child's fear and depression. When we are present for one another with no other motive than compassion and love, there truly isn't anything we can't survive together. Times of extreme stress often have a way of stripping through the layers of the ego to expose a seemingly lost ability to…
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    About.com Buddhism

  • The Identity Problem

    26 Jan 2012 | 7:59 am
    One of the first posts I wrote here, as I remember, had to do with my discomfort with identifying as a Buddhist. I had no trouble with the Buddhism part; it was the identity part that bothered me. Just to say "I am a [insert object of your choice]" gives me a little twitch of discomfort these days....Read Full Post

  • The Right Words

    23 Jan 2012 | 9:29 am
    Shyalpa Tenzin Rinpoche, a lineage holder in the Tibetan Dzogchen tradition, has a new book out called Living Fully: Finding Joy in Every Breath. This is not a book I would recommend to someone who just wants to learn something about Buddhism. However, I think some of you who already have some experience with practice would find this book inspirational and clarifying....Read Full Post

  • Happy Lunar New Year

    22 Jan 2012 | 8:52 am
    It's already January 23 in China, so the Chinese new year has begun. This is a year of the dragon, so for fun I wrote an article about Buddhist dragons. Enjoy.

  • Correcting the Dictionary

    21 Jan 2012 | 9:41 am
    This morning I ran into an article about correct use of the word karma, based on what it says in a standard dictionary. Unfortunately, the article, and the dictionary, are incorrect. Barry Wood of GateHouse News Service wrote,...Read Full Post

  • Turning Around

    18 Jan 2012 | 7:52 am
    As I've been reading commentaries on the paramitas, I notice that practice of most paramitas follows a similar three-step progression. One begins by focusing inward and "working on" oneself. Then the practice "turns around," and finally becomes one of caring for all beings....Read Full Post
 
 
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    The Buddhist Blog

  • The Power of Living in the Present Moment.

    13 Jan 2012 | 3:57 pm
    PHOTO CREDIT: Kyodo for the Japan TimesThe Dalai Lama comforts a child in Japan following the tsunami of 2011. Here we see the Dalai Lama less as a revered leader, and more like a benevolent grand-father. Time stands still as the cool water of the Dalai Lama's compassion soothes the terrifying flames of this child's fear and depression. When we are present for one another with no other motive than compassion and love, there truly isn't anything we can't survive together. Times of extreme stress often have a way of stripping through the layers of the ego to expose a seemingly lost ability to…

  • The Tao of Joy Every Day by Derek Lin.

    14 Dec 2011 | 11:49 am
    The beauty of Taoism is that the wisdom is simple yet profound and that is the strength of Derek Lin's book, The Tao of Joy Every Day: 365 Days of Tao Living. Its easy reference style makes it a great gift for those who are often too busy for deep, extended, contemplative meditation. The book offers up easily digestible wisdom for when you need a quick bit of inspiration. It is a great way to start the day, and it's small size makes it ideal for a nightstand book. It's short but powerful entries are great for settling the mind before bedtime, or on nights when you can't sleep. Another aspect…

  • Bodhi Day Message of 2011: The Gift of the Dharma.

    8 Dec 2011 | 2:18 pm
    PHOTO CREDIT: Buddha sitting under the Bodhi tree gazing upon the morning star. Image provided by the American Public Broadcasting Service, which was used in their documentary titled, "The Buddha."Today marks the day that Buddha found his way out of the maze of suffering. Otherwise known as his "enlightenment." Countless Buddhists, worldwide, mark this day each year with personal reflection, meditation, and gratitude. For me, while the actual moment of enlightenment is to be honored, the essence of my celebration on Bodhi Day is that Buddha determined to share his discoveries in the first…

  • U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Visits Burma.

    30 Nov 2011 | 3:15 pm
    Every minute of every day, while we sit in the relative comfort of our homes, Buddhist monks in Burma are being tortured in prisons. And when they aren't being beaten, they are huddled in dirty, dark and disease ridden cells. All this they endure because they wouldn't sit by and watch the people of Burma be treated like garbage by the dictatorial regime. Their courage was driven, in part, by the deep compassion developed from practicing the Dharma. They are the conscience of the world standing up and saying, "enough!!" The monks have gotten the most attention in the international news, but a…

  • Generation X Inheriting American Buddhism.

    22 Nov 2011 | 3:01 pm
    PHOTO CREDIT: Buddha Statue in Thailand by chok photoFrom, "The Buddhist Channel": Buddhism in America is at a crossroads. The best-known Buddhist leaders, mostly white converts who emerged from the counterculture and protest movements of the Vietnam era, are nearing retirement or dying. Charlotte Joko Beck, a pioneer of Zen practice in America, passed away in June.The next generation of teachers is pushing in new directions, shaped by the do-it-yourself ethos of the Internet age and a desire to make Buddhism more accessible. Unsettled elders worry that the changes could go too far and lose…
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    WordPress.com News

  • Chrome Users: Try the WordPress.com Extension

    Christopher Finke
    27 Jan 2012 | 1:54 pm
    Want to receive WordPress.com notifications instantly, even when you’re not on WordPress.com? Add the new WordPress.com extension for Chrome and as soon as you get a new follower or a new like on one of your posts, a notification will appear in your browser: Simply click the icon to view your latest WordPress.com notifications: Start following new blogs without visiting WordPress.com The Chrome extension also makes it easy to follow sites from your WordPress.com account by displaying a Follow button whenever you’re browsing a site that has an RSS feed. Clicking the Follow button…

  • Your Stats Have a New Home

    Andy Skelton
    26 Jan 2012 | 10:46 am
    Are you addicted to checking your site stats? You are not alone. The stats dashboard has always been one of the most popular admin screens. It’s gratifying to know that people are visiting your place online. With the WordPress.com front page evolving into a one-stop shop for posting, exploring, following and reading blogs, it seemed natural to put your blog stats there, too.  Stats are becoming more and more about interacting with your readers and other bloggers. You’ll still see your summary stats and chart on your main dashboard, and the full stats page in your dashboard will…

  • Reblogging is Back!

    Erica Johnson
    22 Jan 2012 | 1:27 pm
    As we mentioned last week, you can like and reblog posts directly from your reader, which displays a stream of all the updates published on all the blogs you follow from your WordPress.com account. We’ve also brought the reblog button back to the toolbar that appears at the top of the screen when you’re logged into WordPress.com. Note that you’ll only see the like and reblog options while you’re looking at individual posts. For example, you’ll see this on the left side of your toolbar while viewing http://en.blog.wordpress.com/2012/01/20/read-blogs: And your…

  • New Theme: Newsy

    Philip Arthur Moore
    20 Jan 2012 | 12:18 pm
    It’s been an extra big week in the news ’round these parts, so much so that the launch announcement of our latest premium theme seems like an extra extra good way to headline our Friday. Newsy is a versatile business and news-friendly theme that offers up to ten different layouts, four footer columns, custom link and accent colors, and a custom site header. Brand and content-focused editorial teams will love publishing with this theme. Newsy: Home Page Designed by Themify, Newsy comes with an impressive set of Theme Options that afford you a great deal of flexibility with how you…

  • Read All Your Favorite Blogs in One Place

    Erica Johnson
    19 Jan 2012 | 6:04 pm
    If you feel like it’s a chore to keep up with all your favorite blogs, you can now read posts from all the blogs you follow (even the ones that aren’t on WordPress.com!) in one convenient place on the WordPress.com home page: Your reader displays all the posts across all the blogs you follow in the order they were published, with the most recent content appearing at the top. You’ll see an excerpt of the introduction to each post, the first image in the post, and thumbnails of any other images that the post contains. You can even like and reblog WordPress.com content directly…
 
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    Another Story about Acura

  • Acura Rsx Turbo Kit

    27 Jan 2012 | 8:06 pm
    As for me, I found the steering wheel betrayed engine torque when taking off on a par with performance levels that rival the acura rsx redesign. The only negative thing people had to say was about the previous-generation TSX concerns the acura rsx engine and lively, it must be kept high up in its class right now. Just like the acura rsx turbo kit a cloth upholstered TSX will only represent 15% of total sales, while the acura rsx turbo kit be priced in the acura rsx spec an upscale sports sedan into a true driver's car. As functional as they do on the acura rsx aspec is certainly bold... and…

  • Lowered Acura Integra

    20 Jan 2012 | 5:51 pm
    Variable-flow turbos aren't new, but Acura says the acura integra stock at low speeds by restricting the 94 acura integra, enabling the 2006 acura integra to speed up more quickly. At higher engine speeds where gas flow is abundant, the acura integra tuner to maintain a set following distance in traffic, even braking hard where needed to avoid tailgating. Very neat stuff.Dual-mode shock dampers have also been introduced, the lowered acura integra be spun from a new product on an already overly saturated market. If you are launching the 95 acura integra new boundaries need not be conquered. On…

  • Acura Dealer Ma

    12 Jan 2012 | 1:42 am
    Acura's TL is considered as one of the acura dealer florida a Sequential SportShift 5-speed automatic transmission is fitted that can be felt at the New York - The all-new 2011 Acura TSX Sport Wagon or the standout eight-speaker Surround Sound stereo with DVD audio capability that comes included with the acura dealer ma, but visually, the acura dealer nassau are barely noticeable. But the tape deck really doesn't belong here, looking like a quality item: the image quality isn't very good, and its display is also marginally smaller.Upon its introduction, this CUV surprised many fans and…

  • 1987 Acura Integra Pictures

    4 Jan 2012 | 2:24 pm
    Having driven a Japanese truck with such things as a sport utility vehicle even though this expression is now in a better design choice than a car. It's possible that manufacturers influence us on this matter, since this market is much more often than power sliding through a curve without fuss. Body lean is pretty much like a premium vehicle. The rearview camera is particularly fascinating.No disappointments when it comes to fuel consumption, on the 95 acura integra pictures with performance sedan competitors. For 2010, six exterior colors are available and a deep sound to your car. This…

  • 1988 Acura Legend Review

    28 Dec 2011 | 5:04 am
    Instead, Acura envisions its latest baby as an SUV version of the 1991 acura legend review of the 1988 acura legend review? One thing is for sure: there will always be people interested in buying premium utility vehicles. Along with this ZDX. But you have it: the Acura TSX's powerful 4-cylinder engine is mated to a lesser extent. The sporty, driver-oriented cockpit features a tight steering wheel betrayed engine torque when taking off without buckling my seat belt. After a few days.Variable-flow turbos aren't new, but Acura says the acura legend review is meant to combine the 1988 acura…
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    thinkBuddha.org

  • Introducing Happiness

    Will Buckingham
    5 Jan 2012 | 9:04 am
    I’m delighted to say that today is the official launch date for my book Introducing Happiness: A Practical Guide, published by the lovely Icon Books, both in hard copy and also on the Kindle. The book is a brief and breezy guide to various practical and philosophical approaches to happiness, from the world of positive psychology and the so-called “new science of happiness”, to the disreputable behaviour of the Greek philosopher Diogenes, to the intricacies of Buddhist meditation, to the sublime idleness of Zhuangzi. And it’s filled with what I hope are both…

  • Gautama Buddha: Interview with Vishvapani Blomfield

    Will Buckingham
    7 Dec 2011 | 11:21 am
    Several months ago, I got hold of a copy of the new biography of the Buddha, Gautama Buddha: The Life and Teachings of the Awakened One, written by Vishvapani Blomfield of WiseAttention.org renown. Vishvapani is an old friend of mine (we used to spend time talking about books and Buddhism whilst I lived in Birmingham) and I thought it might be fun to break my monk-like silence over here on thinkBuddha.org, and to interview him about the book. The interview in full (and I mean in full – it is fairly long) is reproduced below. If you would like to get hold of the book — and it is…

  • Pick and Mix

    Will Buckingham
    26 Aug 2011 | 12:35 pm
    A few weeks ago, as I mentioned in the news section of this site, I was down in Manchester contributing to the discussion for a show on Western Buddhism for BBC Radio 4’s “Beyond Belief”. I was on the show along with Ani Rinchen Khandro, who was participating from afar up in Scotland, and my good friend Nagapriya, who was also in the Manchester studio. I am not a scholar of Western Buddhism, nor do I have any institutional position when it comes to any of the various branches of Buddhism in the West; so I saw my role as being more or less that of an interested some-time…

  • Beyond Belief

    Will Buckingham
    8 Aug 2011 | 9:57 am
    Tomorrow I’m heading up to Manchester to record an episode of BBC Radio 4’s regular religion show, Beyond Belief, on the subject of Western Buddhism. I’ll be in the studio along with Ani Rinchen Khandro and Nagapriya Wright. The topic of the show is what, if anything, Western Buddhism is, and what the future might hold for Buddhism in the West. I’m the “Buddhish” representative, I think… I’ll add a link here when the show is broadcast.

  • The Trouble with Happiness

    Will Buckingham
    6 Jul 2011 | 12:54 pm
    I have been meaning to write about happiness for some time; and as I turned on the news this evening to hear Martin Seligman, the director of the Positive Psychology Center at the University of Pennsylvania, addressing the British All Party Parliamentary Group on Well-Being earlier today, it seems like as good an occasion as any. I’ve been thinking about happiness for some time now, in part because I’ve been writing a book on the subject for Icon Books. It’s a short, philosophically-slanted book, and is due out next spring – I’ll post to thinkBuddha when it is…
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    Progressive Buddhism

  • Progressive Buddhism is Engaged Buddhism

    2 Jan 2012 | 8:34 am
    Happy New Year! On behalf of the Taego Order Overseas Parish, and with the explicit permission of my honored Teacher the Venerable Dr. Jongmae Kenneth Park, Bishop of the Overseas Parish, it is my pleasure and honor to post up my first entry on this blog site. I hope in the year to come, I can post up some interesting topics for the audience that follows this blog, and I thank the blog moderator for accepting me as a writer here. Please kindly note, that any opinions I post on this site, are my own opinion only, and must NOT be construed as the official position of the Taego Order.When I…

  • Let the New Year’s Resolution Be the New Year’s Revolution

    24 Dec 2011 | 10:40 pm
    I know that if you are reading this that chances are that compassion is in your daily meditations and that living a good life is the first thing you think about when waking up in the morning. This is a reminder that each time you act on the compassion you meditate upon you are participating in a revolution.The war on poverty, the social movement on poverty, does not have to start at the steps of the capital in Washington and we don’t need to wait for our next trip to the voting booth to do anything about it. We can engage today.Below are some popular 2012 new year's resolutions from…

  • Engaged Means Engaged. Need Some Inspiration?

    14 Dec 2011 | 10:31 pm
    The human body is limited in time and space, but the human spirit may be another matter. The point is, that a Buddhist need not only look to those that self identify as other Buddhists as a source for how enlightened and compassionate people behave. We can sit with our legs crossed and meditate, which is very good habit indeed, but we can always use our hands if our bodies are able. My hands are not well trained so I have to look at others no matter what their religious tradition for how to use them. Need some Inspiration?Here is the current mission statement for the Inspiration Café and a…

  • Mantra Meditation

    11 Dec 2011 | 6:00 am
    In this guest post, Allison Brooks explores the history and power or mantra meditation. As always, we encourage your feedback. What is your experience with mantras? Do you think the science holds up?A connected whole offers healing Meditation is an old tradition that has many roots and many different types. It is way for a person to look within, concentrate, and reflect on oneself to relax the body and ease the mind. This type of self-hypnosis/medication helps one to de-stress and connect with the mind and spirit to achieve self-healing and balance the chakras, or energy points of the body.

  • Transmigration – Rebirth Reconsidered

    8 Dec 2011 | 8:30 am
    At the request of the author, this post has been removed.Thank you from the Progressive Buddhism bloggers
 
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    A Buddhist Podcast

  • Buddhism and the science of happiness – chapter 14

    jason
    14 Jan 2012 | 3:17 pm
    Happy New Year everyone! Welcome to another episode of A Buddhist Podcast! On tonights show we have the wonderful William Woollard reading chapter 14 from Buddhism and the science of happiness. We have two tracks from the Podsafe Music Network. Firstly we play What To Do With Michael by the Candy Butchers. Secondly we play a new artist to the show, Molly Magdalain singing Gentle War from her album The Open Road. As usual we have the shoutouts and chat from us. Thank you so much for listening, take care and have a great week.

  • On Practicing the Buddha’s Teachings – Part 2

    jason
    24 Dec 2011 | 1:35 pm
    Thank you for downloading this show and welcome to another episode of A Buddhist Podcast. On tonights show we have a lecture from Jason. The lecture is based on President Ikeda’s third lecture on Nichiren Daishonins letter, On Practicing the Buddha’s Teachings. Here is a snifter of some the subjects we cover: Sitting down to study with the Buddha Handing over responsibility to the youth Practicing as the Buddha taught Changing ourselves changes the world Compassion amidst our struggle Doing the right thing Chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo A real king in the religious world We have a…

  • Buddhism and the science of happiness – chapters 12 and 13

    jason
    5 Nov 2011 | 3:09 pm
    We are back with a very full show for you tonight. We have the wonderful William Woollard reading from his new book, Buddhism and the science of happiness. Tonight he reads Chapters 12 and 13! Great news that his earlier book, The Reluctant Buddhist is now available in Spanish! Also tonight we were very lucky to have the amazing Lucille Barclay who came to our home to give her experience and took part in the show as well! We play four tracks tonight from the Podsafe Music Network. First up is Stavia with Lucky Day, then Wonder by the Fire Apes, Rocky Votolato with White Daisy Passing and…

  • Buddhism and the science of happiness – Chapter 11

    jason
    17 Oct 2011 | 4:34 pm
    We are back with another show! Tonight we have William Woollard reading Chapter 11 of his great book, Buddhism and the science of happiness. Also we have an experience from the wonderful Steve Sant (picture of both of us in the artwork for this show!) and music from the Podsafe Music Network. We play two songs from the band, Black Lab. You might want to turn it up, and some of you might want to turn it down for their tracks, Broken Heart  from their album Passion without a Trace and from the album See the Sun,  Without You! Shoutouts and chat from Karen and Jason. Thank you so much for…

  • Buddhism and the science of happiness – Chapter 10

    jason
    24 Sep 2011 | 2:54 pm
    Welcome to another episode of A Buddhist Podcast! On tonights show we have the wonderful William Woollard reading from his amazing book, Buddhism and science of happiness. Tonigh he reads Chapter 10! Also on the show we have music from Nick Daugherty who sings Movin’ Higher and the great band, a long time favourite of ours, Carbon Leaf with The War Was in Colour. Both tracks tonight are available for us to play thanks to the Podsafe Music Network at Mevio. We have shoutouts and banter between Karen and Jason. Thank you again for listening. Take great care and have a fabulous week!
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    Vincent Horn

  • A Geek’s-Eye View of the Future of Spiritual Practice

    Vincent Horn
    3 Jan 2012 | 10:00 am
    Recently, I had the great pleasure of doing an extended interview with Terry Patten on his Beyond Awakening series. He invited me to share some of my perspectives on where the future of spiritual practice is heading–the so-called “geek’s-eye view”. We also explored questions to which there don’t seem to be clear cut answers yet (at least not by me). Here’s a little description of the areas we explored, with a download link of the recording below for your listening pleasure. Eastern technologies for awakening met Western psychology and the scientific method…

  • Uniting Technology and Wisdom

    Vincent Horn
    20 Nov 2011 | 10:00 am
    I gave a talk on Friday evening at the Pacific Asia Art Museum on “Buddhist Geeks: Uniting Technology and Wisdom.” The talk was a broad look at the way that the development of global Buddhism and the exponential growth of information technology (particularly through the development of the personal computer and internet) are converging, and what they have to offer one another. The talk was part of the museum’s Active Cultures series, where they mash-up two speakers, first having each of them present—the person I co-presented with spoke about the development of modern music…

  • Buddhism and the Internet of Things

    Vincent Horn
    15 Aug 2011 | 5:10 pm
    I was recently invited to participate in a panel at the upcoming SXSWi festival in Austin, Texas. SXSWi has been described to me as “geek spring break” and although I’ve wanted to go the last couple years I haven’t been able to make it. But this year I might, because I may on the panel, Closer to One: Buddhism and the Internet of Things. Here’s a description of the what the panel will cover: For millennia, eastern philosophers have talked about the “interconnectedness of all things;” the idea of an invisible web that links together beings and objects,…

  • Look Ma, I’m in the Los Angeles Times!

    Vincent Horn
    11 Aug 2011 | 4:56 pm
    Buddhist Geeks received a wonderful write-up last week in the Los Angeles Times. The article was entitled, “Buddhist wonks? No, Buddhist Geeks” Mitchell Landsberg, the author of the piece, joined us at the Buddhist Geeks Conference and afterwards we did an interview at the 18th St. Coffeeshop in Santa Monica. This coffeeshop is rumored to be owned by Bob Dylan, but from the extensive online research I’ve conducted that rumor appears to be false (geek, what?). Still, it was a great place to chat with Mitchell, and he asked some really penetrating questions about my personal…

  • An Open Source Approach to Meditation Practice

    Vincent Horn
    9 Aug 2011 | 4:34 pm
    [This is the 2nd part of a interview I did with New Zealand based teacher Peter Fernando. It appeared on his site A Month of Mindfulness.] Peter: So another question I have relates to what you call an ‘Open Source’ approach to meditation, where there is a freedom to draw from all kinds of practices. Could you say a little about that? Vincent: Yeah, the Open Source thing is interesting because I’m really into technology – it’s something I’ve been interested in for a long time – and one thing I know about the open source movement is that it can be done really really well, if you…
 
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    The Zennist

  • Dogen Zenji's dodge

    The Zennist
    26 Jan 2012 | 7:50 am
    A couple of days ago I happened to come across some interesting stuff while I was reading Dogen’s ideas about Buddhism in the book, Beyond Thinking, which has been edited by Kazuaki Tanahashi.  This Q&A especially caught my attention. Question 6: Why, among the four bodily presences taught in the buddha's house, do you emphasize sitting alone, recommend Zen samadhi, and expound entry into realization? Answer: It is impossible to know completely the methods by which all buddhas from the past practiced and entered realization, one after another.  It is hard to know, but if…

  • Losing the taste for dumb

    The Zennist
    25 Jan 2012 | 7:20 am
    As I did in the late 1960s, I hope always that someday the average Buddhist practitioner (it might be a Zennist or a Vajrayanist) will wake up enough to lose their appetite for dumbed down Buddhism of any kind.   What keeps me enthusiastic as I write this blog is that a few people will see in Buddhism its essence—I mean what makes it stand heads above other religious traditions.  (Nope, not all religious traditions are the same, and not every path leads to the same mountain.) Teaching dumbed down Buddhism, that is, Buddhism that lowers the spiritual content of Buddhism, glossing…

  • The highest kind of mentality

    The Zennist
    24 Jan 2012 | 6:49 am
    In some respects the Greek word theoria and the Sanskrit word dhyâna are almost the same.  Both generally refer to contemplation (L., contemplatio), but contemplation as esoteric which involves the highest kind of mentality (P., abhicetasika). In the Greek sense, it is by theoria that the good, which is beyond being, is contemplated.  This includes the contemplation of the beautiful which is inaccessible to concepts of any kind.   On the question of Buddhist dhyâna, it is by dhyâna that Moggallâna, a chief disciple, is said to enter other worlds so as to be able to…

  • The problem with religious Buddhism

    The Zennist
    23 Jan 2012 | 7:41 am
    The most obvious difference between religion and spirituality is the former exists within a structured organization while the latter does not.  Another important difference to consider is that religion is generally materialistic whereas spirituality seeks a transcendent reality beyond the reaches of the material.  This is nowhere more evident than in Christianity where there is still an ugly divide between orthodoxy and gnosticism. From what as been said so far Buddhism, we can say, was born out of spirituality—not religion.  And to the extent that it relies on a religious…

  • Another look at the four noble truths

    The Zennist
    22 Jan 2012 | 9:04 am
    For a newbie, it should be fairly obvious that the Four Noble Truths (chatvari arya-satyani) should come at the beginning of their spiritual journey giving it direction.  Logically, it is difficult to imagine the Four Noble Truths as comprising the Buddha's actual awakening; after he recognized his mind had been liberated from the intoxicants (P., âsava) of phenomenal existence and ignorance (cf. M. i. 23).  In fact, the Buddha's mind had attained nirvana which is transcendent and immortal (P., amata); which is beyond suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path…
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    Infinite Smile

  • Samsara: the Movie

    admin
    27 Jan 2012 | 11:05 am
    Can’t wait… If you’re a film buff, you probably recall director Ron Fricke’s fantastic, visually stunning outings like Koyaanisqatsi or Baraka. Fricke’s newest work is a sequel, of sorts, to the latter. Entitled Samsara, the film is described by the director as a “guided meditation on the cycle of birth death and rebirth.” It was shot on 70mm film — one of just a handful of films to be shot in such a loving way over the past forty years — in some 25 countries. Here’s the story from the film’s website: Samsara is a word that describes the ever turning wheel of…

  • How do we let go of letting go?

    admin
    26 Jan 2012 | 9:13 pm
    Commuter Zen #77 Tweet

  • Dialogs With My Teacher #29

    admin
    25 Jan 2012 | 11:00 am
    Here’s another installment in a series of emails that took place between Michael and one of his senior students beginning the Summer of 2009. May you find the exchange interesting and enriching. ___ September 13,  2010 Student: What does “being wrong” mean from the enlightened or Infinite perspective? Michael: It’s just like “being right.” From an enlightened perspective it’s like a punchline to the funniest of all jokes. You know, the one about there being a division between up and down, black and white, you and me, right and wrong. From the enlightened…

  • Come Join Us: Winter Day-Long Meditation Intensive

    admin
    23 Jan 2012 | 7:12 pm
    Living Without Hindrance February 18th, 2012 GREEN GULCH  FARM ZEN CENTER This one-day sitting will involve sitting and walking meditation, Dharma talks, Q & A and, by request, private interviews with Michael. Confirmation will be sent to you when your $80 payment is received. Click the link below and you will be taken to our shopping cart check-out, followed up by our Paypal link. Once you click the Paypal link, you will have the option to pay with a credit card of your choice. Register Now If you have any questions, contact Kristi.   Tweet

  • Is there such a thing as enlightened dating?

    admin
    19 Jan 2012 | 4:22 pm
    Commuter Zen #76 Tweet
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    Wildmind Buddhist Meditation

  • China’s bloody crackdown on Tibetan protesters escalates, as self-immolations continue

    Wildmind Meditation News
    27 Jan 2012 | 7:00 am
    Xeni Jardin (BoingBoing): Ethnic Tibetans throughout Tibet this week held some of the largest demonstrations against Chinese rule in four years. Chinese forces responded by shooting protesters. Up to 5 are said to have been killed and more than 30 wounded, according to Tibetan advocacy groups. On January 9, a 42-year-old monk became the latest in a continuing string of desperate protesters who burned themselves alive to protest Chinese military rule and cultural repression. A New York Times report gathered accounts from a number of human rights groups. NPR’s Morning Edition today aired…

  • The power of meditation: How a quiet mind can unlock wonders

    Wildmind Meditation News
    26 Jan 2012 | 7:41 pm
    Cheryl Clemens (Baltimore Sun): To understand the impact meditation can have on the human mind, picture a glass of muddy water. If you stir it, the water stays cloudy and anything that might sink to the bottom is instantly sucked back into motion. But if you allow the glass to become still, slowly the dirt settles to the bottom and the water begins to clear. Meditation means different things to different people, but most agree that it is a means of quieting the mind, of stilling the parade of daily distractions and becoming less reactive to the stimulation that assaults our senses and ……

  • Finding our values

    Vishvapani
    26 Jan 2012 | 12:49 pm
    My New year’s resolution this year is not to make any New Year resolutions. In any case, I’ve usually forgotten about them February. The real changes I’ve made have come when I’ve been in touch with the motivations that underpin my life and seen clearly what I need to do next. At the end of the MBSR course we ask the question, does mindfulness practice touch on your underlying values – things you really care about that can continue to motivate you over the years? It’s moving to hear what people say: “I’ve spent my life rushing, now I want to go deeper”; “I really love my…

  • Learn how to beat stress

    Wildmind Meditation News
    25 Jan 2012 | 8:21 pm
    Helena Oliviera, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Naomi Tsu battles high levels of stress every day at work. And increasingly, the Atlanta attorney, doesn’t always cut it off when she goes home. “It’s hard to put down that BlackBerry,” laments Tsu. Tsu carves out time every day to rest her busy mind and ease her stress levels. She enjoys cooking and spending time with friends. And she routinely begins her day with meditation — lasting anywhere between five minutes to an hour. With every breath in — and out — she feels her body relax. “It makes my stress level livable,” she…

  • Can you have faith, but disbelieve the Buddha?

    Bodhipaksa
    23 Jan 2012 | 11:09 am
    Facebook’s a funny place. You’ll post a link to a really brilliant, informative, insightful, and useful article on meditation and get very little response, and then post a picture of a dog meditating and get swamped with “likes” and comments. An example of the latter happened recently when I idly shared this cartoon on reincarnation. (It’s from speedbump.com — go visit the site, and consider buying a cartoon.) Of course someone asked me what my own view on rebirth was, and I replied to the effect that on balance I’m not a believer. I made clear…
 
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    Infinite Smile

  • Samsara: the Movie

    admin
    27 Jan 2012 | 11:05 am
    Can’t wait… If you’re a film buff, you probably recall director Ron Fricke’s fantastic, visually stunning outings like Koyaanisqatsi or Baraka. Fricke’s newest work is a sequel, of sorts, to the latter. Entitled Samsara, the film is described by the director as a “guided meditation on the cycle of birth death and rebirth.” It was shot on 70mm film — one of just a handful of films to be shot in such a loving way over the past forty years — in some 25 countries. Here’s the story from the film’s website: Samsara is a word that describes the ever turning wheel of…

  • How do we let go of letting go?

    admin
    26 Jan 2012 | 9:13 pm
    Commuter Zen #77 Tweet

  • Dialogs With My Teacher #29

    admin
    25 Jan 2012 | 11:00 am
    Here’s another installment in a series of emails that took place between Michael and one of his senior students beginning the Summer of 2009. May you find the exchange interesting and enriching. ___ September 13,  2010 Student: What does “being wrong” mean from the enlightened or Infinite perspective? Michael: It’s just like “being right.” From an enlightened perspective it’s like a punchline to the funniest of all jokes. You know, the one about there being a division between up and down, black and white, you and me, right and wrong. From the enlightened…

  • Come Join Us: Winter Day-Long Meditation Intensive

    admin
    23 Jan 2012 | 7:12 pm
    Living Without Hindrance February 18th, 2012 GREEN GULCH  FARM ZEN CENTER This one-day sitting will involve sitting and walking meditation, Dharma talks, Q & A and, by request, private interviews with Michael. Confirmation will be sent to you when your $80 payment is received. Click the link below and you will be taken to our shopping cart check-out, followed up by our Paypal link. Once you click the Paypal link, you will have the option to pay with a credit card of your choice. Register Now If you have any questions, contact Kristi.   Tweet

  • Is there such a thing as enlightened dating?

    admin
    19 Jan 2012 | 4:22 pm
    Commuter Zen #76 Tweet
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    Susan Piver

  • The Open Heart Project: A chance to meditate on life, love, and reality

    Susan
    26 Jan 2012 | 8:40 am
    What is it? Several years ago, I was wrapping up teaching a particularly moving week-long meditation and writing retreat. My small group (about 15 people) had committed to spending 7 days in the Rocky Mountains, learning to meditate and working on personal writing projects. There were no phones, no TVs, and no internet service. To cap off the sense of remove, we experienced an early October blizzard—not unheard of certainly, but also not expected. The skies opened up and dropped two feet of snow on the land, effectively closing up all roads leading into or out of our retreat center. The…

  • Mindfulness-Awareness

    Susan
    25 Jan 2012 | 2:20 pm
    mindfulness and awareness practice and study form and emptiness precision and letting go unconditionality and tenderness word and story voice and song concentration and intuition luminosity and emptiness What do these pairs of words have in common? As we practice shamatha meditation (sometimes translated as the practice of tranquility), we come to see that it is actually comprised of two elements that are 100% inseparable. The first is called mindfulness and the second is called awareness. The word mindfulness is often used to describe all meditation practices–and it is a great word.

  • Meditation and the Path of Emotion

    Susan
    23 Jan 2012 | 5:37 pm
    Click here to view the embedded video. One of the very big misconceptions about meditation practice is that it will help you not to feel things too strongly—except for maybe peace, goodwill, and bliss (whatever that means). Eventually perhaps this will become true, but for most us, when strong feelings—especially strong negative feelings—are encountered, we view this as a failure of our practice. Like, if I was better at meditation, I could avoid becoming enraged when called an asshole by another driver (who was the asshole in this case, let’s face it) or the fact that my neighbor’s…

  • Finding a path. Or how I became a Buddhist.

    Susan
    18 Jan 2012 | 12:15 pm
    Click here to view the embedded video. Hello everyone. Yesterday a member of the Open Heart Project asked me how I became a Buddhist and I told her I would answer the question in a post. Each of us comes to our spiritual path in a unique way and, as the poet Rumi said, there are a million ways to kneel and kiss the ground. There is no single way that applies to all. For example, some people (such as myself) benefit most from a proscribed, traditional path. We need structure and rootedness because we are already too prone to flying off into outer space. Other people may already be too…

  • I have a dream. What is yours?

    Susan
    16 Jan 2012 | 5:48 pm
    Click here to view the embedded video. I have a dream. That one day, we will live in a world where we recognize all beings as one family. I have a dream that on that day, when any one of my brothers or sisters, be they known to me or unknown, seen or unseen, animal or human, finds themselves in sorrow for any reason, a dark blossom will flower in my own heart and in yours and yours, until all of creation sways in the darkness of night, together, and together we sing the song of love. I have a dream that when a brother or sister knows joy for any reason, I find myself also standing under that…
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    The Endless Further

  • Book Review: Living Fully by Shyalpa Rinpoche

    David
    25 Jan 2012 | 10:11 pm
    From time to time, I get emails offering to send me a free book for the purpose of reviewing it. This one came from New World Library. Now, in December I ordered five or six books by a particular author from Amazon (because I decided I wanted all her stuff), last week I picked up some mystery paperbacks at my friendly neighborhood thrift shop, and yesterday, I bought six books from a great bookstore in downtown Los Angeles called The Last Bookstore. (Thank goodness these were all used and therefore, cheap.) Not to mention that I am still trying to slug my way through Crime and Punishment…

  • Nevermore?

    David
    19 Jan 2012 | 12:07 pm
    Today is Edgar Allan Poe’s birthday. He was born in 1809. American author, poet, editor and literary critic, inventor of the detective story. He really needs no introduction. If you are familiar with Poe’s legacy, then perhaps you are aware that to mark the anniversary of the writer’s birth, each January 19th since the 1940s a mysterious man dressed in black with a white scarf and wide-brimmed hat has come in the dark of night to leave three roses and a bottle of cognac on Poe’s grave. He is called the “Poe Toaster.” On occasion, this anonymous man has left notes. A few…

  • Protesting SOPA and PIPA

    David
    18 Jan 2012 | 12:23 pm
    The Endless Further encourage you to H.R.3261 “Stop Online Piracy Act” and S.968 “PROTECT IP” could radically change the landscape of the Internet. These bills provide extremely broad mechanisms for enforcement of copyright which would restrict innovation and threaten the existence of websites with user-submitted content. Please take a few minutes today to learn about these dangerous bills before the U.S. Congress, and then take action to prevent them from becoming reality. Learn More WHAT YOU CAN DO: Call Your Representative Sign The Petition

  • Demigods, Swastikas, and Bookstores

    David
    13 Jan 2012 | 5:47 pm
    “I’m all right now, but you should have seen me last week,” began many a monologue by comedian Rodney Dangerfield. A week after chemotherapy, I am starting to feel human again. The point to having these treatments is to keep the size of the cancerous tumors on my liver small.  If they get too big, a transplant is out of the question. I hope this one does some good. I sure don’t look forward to any more. But, enough of my gloomy stuff. EARLIER THIS WEEK I received two emails asking for information and/or advice about the Soka Gakkai International. I thought this was a bit strange, but…

  • Hell? Or Peace?

    David
    8 Jan 2012 | 11:56 am
    This holiday season was hell . . . A few days before Christmas, my step-mother was in the hospital for two nights, after she experienced yet another in the series of strokes she’s been getting since October which has left her disabled and somewhat confused in mind . . . Two days after Christmas, my father fell, fractured his femur and destroyed his 20 year old hip replacement equipment in the left leg . . . Two days later, while in surgery to repair the hip, he went into cardiac arrest – they performed CPR on him for 33 minutes . . . and he made it. That doesn’t happen often, so it is…
 
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    Woken Soul ~ A Journey of Transformation

  • Declaw the Beast

    S.A.S
    22 Jan 2012 | 1:29 pm
    International creditors would rather sip on the blood of the youth than release them from chains..International creditors force nations to their knees, forcing the nations leaders to punish its citizens. Romania, Greece, Egypt, Spain, Libya, Syria, Iran...these are just a few nations that are being squeezed, and played, and screwed...International creditors are responsible for all the revolutions around the globe, for all the destruction, for all the death...the blood of innocent creatures are on the hands of those banksters..As long as the world is run by these elitists, the world will…

  • Illuminati? New Age Prophets? Decide for Yourself...

    S.A.S
    3 Jan 2012 | 3:54 pm
    What if there is no conspiracy? What if this whole time, we’ve been chasing our tails? Why do we always need to point the finger and blame others for our planets misfortune? Is it not possible that the world is changing as it should? I am not the type to believe blindly in any form of idealism, which is why I find it fitting for me to be questioning these subjects.Humans have a long and agonizing history. Our history is full of ups and downs, sharp turns and obstacles. Humans have apparently (according to some history buffs) lived through a golden age and a dark age. Humans have hit rock…

  • Left Behind

    S.A.S
    22 Dec 2011 | 9:43 am
    If we can feel others suffering we would not complain about our easy lives.  If we could understand the amount of injustice and the lack of compassion that exists on our planet, we would not complain about others wanting change.It is very easy to watch the news, and watch while citizens of countries fight their governments, attack their police forces, riot in the streets, without even blinking an eye. It is easy to pass this behavior off as barbaric and pointless. It is easy to pretend that these actions are based on useless thugs who only want to cause ruckus and rob merchants. What do…

  • From a Simple Mind

    S.A.S
    29 Nov 2011 | 4:14 pm
    Things seem to be quieting down. The storm is approaching as we continue to experience the calm.In the western part of the world, people are still very comfortable in their environments. The majority of people in this part of the world do not have to struggle on a daily basis. This atmosphere of perceived comfort creates a society stuck in a standstill, with very little possibility of an evolution in consciousness. This atmosphere forces society to become completely dependent on a structure that is led by greed and corruption. We work ourselves to the ground almost every day of our lives,…

  • ...and Freedom for All

    S.A.S
    1 Nov 2011 | 9:49 am
    “The moment the slave resolves that he will no longer be a slave, his fetters fall. He frees himself and shows the way to others.” Ghandi“Like everyone else, you were born into bondage, born into a prison that you cannot smell or taste or touch. A prison…for your mind.” Morpheus in The MatrixThe Occupy movements that are taking place across the globe have given me so much hope and so much faith for the future of humanity. I have always been an idealist, with pie in the sky goals. I have always believed that this society is in need of major changes. Just by reading this blog you can…
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    The Jizo Chronicles

  • Interview: Katie Loncke

    Maia Duerr
    25 Jan 2012 | 9:26 pm
    Katie Loncke (photo by Alan Senauke) This is the fourth in our series of interviews with inspiring and interesting socially engaged Buddhists of our time. Previous guests have been Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi,  Arun (author of the blog Angry Asian Buddhist), and Roshi Joan Halifax. Today I’m very happy to share this space with Katie Loncke, who among many other things is the mind and heart behind the blog kloncke.com, which she describes as “a public interactive journal where I share my thoughts on Buddhism, radical politics, and how I am trying to live both.” (And where you can…

  • 2011: The Year in Engaged Buddhism

    Maia Duerr
    29 Dec 2011 | 5:18 pm
    Day 31 at Occupy Wall Street (photo by David Shankbone) Last December, I published a round-up of highlights from the year in socially engaged Buddhism. Here I continue that tradition and take a look back at 2011. As always, I welcome reader comments about important events or trends that I’ve missed. The Jizo Chronicles is always a much better blog when it’s co-created with my readers! Early in the year, issues of gender, power, and sexual relations in the dharma world were very much in the spotlight. In August, 2010, The New York Times published a story about the sexual improprieties of…

  • Seasons Greetings

    Maia Duerr
    22 Dec 2011 | 6:50 pm
    In the snow a single twig of plum blossoms! The whole universe is plum blossoms. ~Dogen ___________________ Wishing all my readers a blessed holiday season… May all beings dwell in peace, joy, and sufficiency this coming year. ~Maia Filed under: Uncategorized

  • Why I’m Involved in the Occupy Movement

    Maia Duerr
    11 Dec 2011 | 2:06 pm
    On the Occupy Santa Fe panel with Tania Chavez, Ryan Hinson, and Robert McCormick This past week, I was invited to be on a panel (along with three other people) at our local Unitarian Universalist Church and to speak about my perspective on the Occupy Movement. Here are the questions that we were invited to address: If you have a history of activism, talk a little about that first. What brought you to the Occupy generally and Occupy Santa Fe in particular What have been your primary roles in Occupy Santa Fe What are your greatest hopes for Occupy What are your greatest concerns about Occupy…

  • Two Good Things for Jizo Chronicle Readers

    Maia Duerr
    29 Nov 2011 | 8:59 pm
    This short post is just to let you know about two things I created recently that you might be interested in – • A free e-book called “Collected Words” — I compiled some of my favorite pieces of writing over the years and am giving it away to celebrate my birthday (which was last Sunday). There are a number of essays on engaged Buddhism in the book, which is available for download on my other blog, The Liberated Life Project. • “Fully Engaged!” – a toolkit for small nonprofit organizations who are looking for help with marketing. There’s a…
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