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Going Deeper

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Zen Is Not Just Staying in the Moment

The essence of Zen is not just being in the moment. Here is an intimate look at Zen from a long-time student.

The Bodhisattva's Thousand Arms

Why bodhisattvas are sometimes are pictured with multiple arms and heads.

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Vesak Is the Observance of the Buddha's Birth, Enlightenment and Death

What is Vesak? Vesak is a major Buddhist holiday observing the historical Buddha's birth, enlightenment and death (Parinirvana). Learn how it is observed.

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The Faith of Buddhism - Trust the Practice, Trust Yourself

In Buddhism, the word faith does not refer to belief. Instead, it means trust or confidence, in oneself and in the dharma.

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What Do Buddhists Mean When They Say Someone Is Enlightened?

Westerners may think "enlightenment" is a blissful, transformative experience. But this is not necessarily so. How do Buddhists understand enlightenment?

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Why Do Buddhist Dharma Centers Ask for So Much Money?

Here is a frank discussion on the issue of Buddhist centers asking for fees for retreats and teachings.

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What Buddhism Teaches About Romantic Love and Marriage

What does Buddhism say about issues related to romantic love, including marriage and divorce? And are same-sex marriages okay?

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What Is a Buddha? And Is There Just One Buddha, or a Lot of Buddhas?

The Buddha is pictured in many ways, and the word Buddha is used to mean many things. Just what is a Buddha, anyway? And which Buddha is the Buddha?

Miaoxin, Woman Master of Flag, Wind and Mind

Miaoxin (840-895), a Chinese Ch'an nun, was a student of Yangshan Huiji whose understanding of dharma has been remembered through the centuries.

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Why Are Buddhists Killing Muslims in Burma?

Why are Buddhists killing Muslims in Burma? Background on the violence between Muslims and Buddhists in Burma (Myanmar)

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The Zen Art of Haiku

When is a haiku not a haiku? And what makes haiku a Zen art? Learn to write authentic Zen haiku, even in English.

The Panchen Lama Is Still Missing

These week Tibetan Buddhists are observing the 25th birthday of His Holiness Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, 11th Panchen Lama, who hasn't been seen since 1995. Tibetans

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D.T. Suzuki, Scholar Who Explained Zen to the West

For much of the 20th century, D.T. Suzuki was Zen's ambassador to the West.

Barbara O'Brien

Barbara Hoetsu O'Brien is a journalist and student of Zen Buddhism currently residing in the Zen Center of New York City in Brooklyn. She can be reached at barbara@rethinkingreligion-book.info .

Buddhism in Burma, Part 1

Part 1 of Buddhism in Burma provides a brief overview and history.

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11 Famous Buddhist Temples and Their Legends

From the 5th through the 11th centuries Nalanda was the dominant learning center of Buddhist Asia. Its destruction was a tragedy for civilization.

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How Did the Buddha Enter Nirvana?

At his death, the historical Buddha entered complete Nirvana, also called Parinirvana. This is the story of the Buddha's final days.

A Look Back at "Beat Zen, Square Zen, and Zen"

Alan Watts may have been the best salesman Zen Buddhism ever had. Here is a look back at his famous 1958 essay, "Beat Zen, Square Zen, and Zen."

The Feminist Future of Buddhism?

March is almost over, and I have failed to acknowledge that March is Women's History Month. It's a good time for some reflection on the role of women in

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The Mindfulness Controversy - Buddhism vs. Psychology?

The Buddhist practice of mindfulness is becoming a common part of psychological therapy. Now there are claims mindfulness can be dangerous.

Buddhist News Updates

There is a settlement in the case of the boy allegedly harassed by his Louisiana public school for being Buddhist. I say "allegedly" because the school has not

Buddhist Meditation and the Dark Night of the Soul

A "dark night" in this case is a disturbing or damaging meditation experience. How do these happen?

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Chado: Zen and the Tea Ceremony

The Japanese tea ceremony -- chado or chanoyu -- began as a Zen Buddhist practice.

Dhamekh Stupa, where the Buddha gave the first sermon on the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path to his five disciples after attaining enlightenment at Bodh Gaya. Also seen behind the stupa in the left corner is the yellow-coloured spire of Digamber Jain temple, dedicated to 11th Jain Tirthankar, Shreyansanath, known to be his birth place. - Ken Wieland/Wikimedia Commons

Can You Name the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism?

The 4 Noble Truths are the foundation of Buddhism. The Buddha's first sermon after his Enlightenment centered on these Four Noble Truths

About Time

According to Buddhist teaching, time doesn't necessarily march in linear lockstep from past to future.

A "Siege Mentality" in Burma?

Last week I looked at Buddhist violence in Sri Lanka, and this week I want to say something about our other "problem" sangha, in Burma. We've all read the news

A Great Cast of Characters

One of the many things I love about writing about Buddhism is that I've gotten to know some great people from history. Yesterday a news item from Sri Lanka

Parinirvana

Some Mahayana schools commemorate the death and Parinirvana of the Buddha on either February 8 or 15. I think the 15th is the more common date. The Buddha's

A Star at Dawn; a Bubble in a Stream

My Zen teacher, Jion Susan Postal, died late Friday of cancer. It is a testimony to her teaching that our sangha has pulled together in strong support of each

Ritual and Modernity

I've been reading about ritual and its importance in many religions (or spiritual traditions, if you will). Long ago, in many traditions, people weren't

Gudo Wafu Nishijima, 1919-2014

Just today I learned that Gudo Wafu Nishijima, a Soto Zen teacher especially known in the West for his translations (with Chodo Cross) of Dogen's Shobogenzo,

The Mahadeva Controversy

As I mentioned in the last post about early Buddhist history and why it gives me a headache, one of the stories about what was either the Second Second Council

Unraveling Early Buddhist History

Early Buddhist history is a mess. I have a number of history books at hand, none of which agree with each other. It seems every lineage tradition came up with

Buddhists Not Welcome in Louisiana Public Schools?

The American Civil Liberties Union has filed suit against a public school on behalf of a Louisiana couple because their Buddhist son allegedly was harassed by a

Karma Is Not a Cosmic Reciprocity Agreement

Thinking more about karma, I've been cruising around looking at talks and articles on the Web about it. I like this one by Josh Korda of Dharmapunx NYC +

Collective Karma?

On his blog Dhamma Musings, Shravasti Dhammika has a thoughtful post up addressing the idea of collective karma. I've heard some respected teachers promote the

That Old Dark Road

I regret that there are new reports of violence in Burma. News stories (unconfirmed by the government) say that just a few hours ago a Buddhist mob attacked an

Please Empty Your Cup Before the Tea Freezes

My local part of the globe is experiencing what the television weather people are cheerfully calling a "cold snap." The temperature is stuck in single digits,

Things Are Not What They Seem

We had some snow a few days ago, and the next morning someone on a riding snowblower was busily clearing the parking lot behind my apartment building. My

Acknowledgment of Shift in Arbitrary Time Designation

Or, happy new year! It sometimes seems that the new year should be some kind of cosmic reboot that brings us good fortune. And, I hope it does, for all of you.

Asceticism and the Middle Way

Zen teacher Dosho Port says a student once asked him, "What is the minimum amount of asceticism required?" This seems like a good question for Hungry Ghost

The Single, Creative, Ongoing Effort

The book How to Raise an Ox by Francis Dojun Cook was first published, I think, about 35 years ago, but I'm just now getting around to reading it. And as I read

Time Running Out for the Temples of Mes Aynak

Buddhist Fundamentalism?

Visions and Hallucinations

What Buddha Didn't Say About God

Buddha's Last Request

Empty Your Cup

Who Are the Hungry Ghosts?

Buddhism and Violence

National Media Asks If Diamond Mountain Is a Cult

If you missed last night's Nightline on ABC television, you can watch the segment on Ian Thorson's death online. The word "cult" crops up frequently. ABC News

Crazy Wisdom: What It Is, What It Isn't

Wisdom and Foolishness in Social Media

Sad News From Arizona

What Is Virtue in Buddhism?

Encouraging Words

Letting Go of Loved Ones

China Plays With History

Acid Buddhas?

Buddhism and Same-Sex Relationships

Suicide and Suffering

Buddhism and Organ Donations

Here's a subject I don't think we've discussed before -- what does Buddhism have to say about donating organs after death? My understanding is that in some

The Mae Chi of Thailand

Although there are many Buddhist monks in Thailand, there are no nuns. The "establishment" monastic institution of Thailand, the Sangha Supreme Council, does

Trusting Yourself

Several years ago, when I was very new to Zen practice, I was facing a difficult decision about a job. I took the question with me into dokusan, the private

Groundhog Day

Today, February 2, is Groundhog Day, which is also the name of the great Buddhist film, Groundhog Day. OK, so maybe it wasn't intended to be a "Buddhist" film,

Buddhism and Individualism

How do western ideas about individualism and Buddhist teachings of anatta go together? This apparent contradiction isn't a problem for long-time practitioners,

Being Good, Religiously

One of the more self-evidently stupid arguments that anyone could make on behalf of religion is that people need religion to be moral. Given that most of

The Brad Warner Paradox

I finished Zen teacher Brad Warner's new book, Sex, Sin, and Zen. Now I feel obligated to write a review, since the publisher sent me a review copy, but to tell

Fasting and Buddhism

An article on the Washington Post's

When It's Time for Them to Go

This morning I read a news story about a New Zealand man who was charged with animal cruelty for failing to get veterinary care for a severely injured cat.

China Plans to Name the 15th Dalai Lama

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama is 75 years old today. He appears to be in good health for a man his age, but all compounded things are impermanent. The

Good Zen, Bad Zen, Everyday Zen

The Buddha taught that different people have different capacities for understanding, and so when he presented his teachings he did so in a way that was

Buying Respect for Ikeda?

I defend Soka Gakkai International (SGI) from accusations that it is a cult whenever I see them. I sincerely do not think it is a cult, and SGI members I have

Raising Buddhist Children

The question of how to raise Buddhist children in a non-Buddhist culture is asked by Eileen Flynn at the Austin Statesman. As she says, it's a question that

Sins and Buddhism

I wrote earlier this week,

Gandhi, King, and ... Ikeda?

I hope not to offend the SGI members who come here, but this is just odd. There's a traveling exhibition titled "Gandhi, King, Ikeda: A Legacy of Building

Is Western Buddhism Shallow?

I have to admit this is funny, if painful. Christian Lander writes about Stuff White People Like, and in his new book he writes that among the things White

Why Buddhism Is a Religion, and Why It Matters

Religious historian Karen Armstrong was interviewed by Steve Paulson for Salon in 2006. This is an interview I recommend highly, particularly to people who want

To Drink, or Not to Drink?

There has been recent cross-blog discussion about the role of morality in Buddhism, the Precepts in particular, and although I'm late to the party I'd like to

Zen Moon

Today is the 40th anniversary of the blastoff of Apollo 11, which landed on the moon. July 20 is the anniversary of the famous moon walk itself. This gives me

About the Turtles

Following up the last couple of posts -- I have been looking for the "universe-toting turtles" mentioned by Athena Andreadis as a reason to distrust Buddhism.

Burning Monk Shot by Police in Sichuan

Maureen Fan reports for the Washington Post that today a young Tibetan monk was shot by police after setting himself on fire. This occurred in a market in Aba

Darwin and Buddhism

Today is Charles Darwin's 200th birthday. In the Vancouver Sun, Douglas Todd writes of the 150-year-old conflict between religion and evolution science.

Vegetarian Haggis, and Other Wonders of the Web

Yes, vegetarian haggis (via). But ... why? I'm bookmarking this one -- Treeleaf Zendo has an interactive meditation timer, complete with virtual incense.

God, No God, and Buddhism

Ed Halliwell has a must-read essay at The Guardian on God and Buddhism. As he says, in the current debates between theists and atheists, we Buddhists find

Blog Love

The Rev. Danny Fisher sent blog love to the About.com Buddhism Blog, and now it's my turn to spread the love by calling out some especially good blogs. Of

What's in a Translation?

If you've had any exposure to Zen at all, you've probably heard this one -- The senior monk of Hong-jen's monastery wrote a poem on a wall that went like this:

Eight! Eight! Eight!

The date is August 8, 2008 -- 08/08/08. I figured this confluence of eights deserves special observance. And since this is a Buddhism blog, let's make a list.

The Cracker Case, Update

I blogged last week about science professor and blogger PZ Myers and his threat to commit "profound disrespect and heinous cracker abuse" on a communion wafer.

Why Palden Lhamo Ate Her Son

Late last night I finished compiling a list of the Eight Principal Dharmapalas, or dharma protectors, of Vajrayana Buddhism. Vajrayana is most closely

Pain and Buddhism

The last two posts -- Pain and Suffering and Suffering and Clinging -- explained Buddhist teachings on suffering and pain. In this third post in the series I

Pain and Suffering

Full disclosure: I'm a wuss about pain. I do not bear pain silently and stoically. My dentist can confirm that the mere anticipation of pain makes me squirm.

Buddhism and Politics

Paul Harrison, professor of Buddhist studies at Stanford University, discussed Buddhism and the acceptable role of monks in politics with Jayshree Bajoria of

Gay Marriage for Buddhists?

The Pennsylvania Senate is considering an amendment to the state constitution that would ban same-sex marriage. In response, the Rev. Kyoki Roberts, head priest

Into the West

Last month, Tibetan lama and filmmaker Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche spoke at Yale about "Projecting the Dharma: Film and the Transmission of Buddhism to the

Did the Dalai Lama Just Endorse Same-Sex Marriage?

His Holiness the Dalai Lama just told Larry King that gay marriage is "OK" -- "I think it's individual business. If two people--a couple--really feel that way

What Would You Ask the Dalai Lama?

The big news is that I'm going to be attending a "media meeting" with His Holiness the Dalai Lama next week. This will be in New York City, so there will be a

After Irene

Lhasa Lockdown

[Update: New protests in China; click Read more below for details.] The streets of Lhasa have been empty today except for baton-wielding police, say several

Monks Disrupt Propaganda Tour of Lhasa

A carefully orchestrated reception for foreign journalists in Lhasa today was disrupted by shouting Buddhist monks. Charles Hutzler reports for the Associated

Monks Ordered Out of Earthquake Zone

The Associated Press is reporting that China has ordered monks out of the earthquake zone in Qinghai Province. "Now the Buddhist monks who responded first are

Dalai Lama in the U.S. Senate

The Associated Press reports that His Holiness the Dalai Lama said a prayer in the U.S. Senate today. This is good; the U.S. Senate needs all the help it can

Counting the Cars

The Wide World of Buddhism doesn't always sort itself neatly into diagrams and outlines, which makes the search for some kind of sensible organizational

Effort, Mindfulness, Concentration

For a long time I found the Eightfold Path confusing, because several of the "rights" sounded so much alike. For example, how is Right Effort (the sixth

The Pitfalls of Positive Thinking

There's an article by Adam Alter on the New Yorker website that debunks the claim that "positive thinking" is the key to happiness and success in all things.

What's the Matter With Sri Lanka?

Recently seven Buddhist monks in Sri Lanka were arrested and charged with leading a mob attack on a couple of Christian churches, the Calvary Free Church and

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