Nara, the capital city of Japan’s Nara Prefecture, is one of Japan’s most popular tourist destinations. In March 2018, when I was in Japan for a second time (I was attending a conference), I had an opportunity to visit this ancient capital. On 25 March, three of my friends came to Kobe from Tokyo to […]
Author: Teahouse
Your True Face
Original story in Chinese by Prof. Lee Chack-fan; retold by Raymond Lam Abel Dubois liked taking his Lamborghini to Pierre’s Car Repairs. He would sometimes stop there, on the outskirts of Paris, before driving into his favorite nightclub district on hilly Montmartre. The service was crisp and efficient, his car always emerged as if it […]
Impermanence
The lies in my mind are so many From the complete denial of impermanence To my weak and superficial recognition We claim the right to express our personality as sacred. This so-called freedom, this is a false kindness. It’s the big modern samsaric hoax. I see in myself so much rebelliousness in applying the methods […]
Liberating Animals Destined for the Dining Table
Master Jingzong; English translation by Foyuan, edited by Jingxin Mahatma Gandhi of India once said, “The most terrible weapons are the knives and forks on one’s dining table.” Hundreds of millions of lives are snuffed out by these weapons every day. Yet, most people are unaware of the scale of the daily slaughter for food; in fact, […]
Dharma Dispatch, 2-11 April 2018: World Buddhist Forum, Vajrayana International Center, and Plastic-free Supermarkets
Good morning! The China Religious Culture Communication Association (CRCCA) has announced that the fifth session of the World Buddhist Forum will be held at the coastal city of Putian, in China’s Fujian province. The announcement was made by Chen Zongrong, vice chairman of the CRCCA, at a press conference, on 8 April in Beijing. Several senior […]
Plastic-free Friday
(Photo by Brett Stanley Photography) “Do we need anything from the shops?” I ring home from Waitrose, half way through my shopping. “Maybe some tomatoes and salad leaves. Remember it’s plastic-free Friday.” Today is the first Friday since we joined the campaign run by Friends of the Earth, highlighting the impact of plastic on the environment. Every […]
Dharma Dispatch, 26-30 March 2018: Bhutan, Xuanzang’s Translations, and Celebrations in Kolkata
Good morning! The Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan is hosting the second international Vajrayana Conference in the capital Thimphu. The three-day Buddhist conference opened on Tuesday and ran from 28–30 March. The event offered practitioners, researchers, and academics from around the world a platform upon which to share and exchange their research, findings, and experiences related to Vajrayana […]
Wine
I am not a saint I used to live as a drunk From sip to sip Allowed myself to be absorbed In the daily poisons I sank in descending spirals I once touched the ground Where there is no more Gambling As I lost all of it Pride, desire, aversion… Envy… Even delusion itself Nothing […]
Mindful Birth, Mindful Motherhood
“This existence of ours is as transient as autumn clouds. To watch the birth and death of beings is like looking at the movements of a dance. A lifetime is like a flash of lightning in the sky, rushing by, like a torrent down a steep mountain.” – The Buddha Buddha Shakyamuni gave 84,000 different teachings […]
Precious Guru
Master of my being I am longing for the day To see your gentle face Once more To touch your hair and smell the sandal fragrance in your curls Tears drop when I remember you Your skin is golden and soft And there is no place compared to your arms Being close to you is […]