Master Jingzong; English translation by Foxin, edited by Jingtu An honest man speaks from his conscience. An Amitabha-reciter, though, speaks not only from conscience but from his Buddha-mind. In either case, it is not easy and requires courage; it may even offend people. This is because the consciences of worldly people are askew and their […]
Buddha
Homage to Prajnaparamita
Prajnaparamita is the Buddhist goddess of wisdom, a personification of knowledge, revealed in the Prajnaparamita Sutras that laid the foundations of Mahayana Buddhism. The term combines the Sanskrit words prajna (wisdom) and paramita (perfection). Paramita is interpreted as having reached the opposite shore of samsara, and prajnaparamita is translated as “perfection of wisdom” or “transcendental […]
Pop Culture: The Case for A Greater Buddhist Presence
I never bought the argument that sacred stories, figures, and themes should not be brought to pop culture media like films or novels. Some of our more powerful and compelling pieces of modern fiction (and indeed, fiction from any era) was informed by not just the author’s spiritual identity or values, but by their intentional […]
Love in the Cave of the Buddhas
The cave roof was high enough to tower Over the trees in the forest that had Grown around these medieval refuges. We were two ghosts – wandering in abandoned Land, apparitions from the future. For we were dying. They, languid and still, The buddhas, gazed down at us, their eyes Gentle, free of judgement, seeing […]
Bodh Gaya
A poem about the life of the Blessed One. By Tom Donovan It is a place and nothing more, No different to behold despite particulars Than any village in the district. Still it is here, In the public park, Under the pipal tree, On my mat of kusa grass, I have apprehended the sorrow Of […]
The Middle Way in Love
The doctrine of the Middle Way (Skt. madhyama-pratipad, Tib. ume lam) is one of the fundamental teachings of Buddhism. According to Theravada Buddhism, the term “Middle Way” is used for the first time in Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, which is perceived as the first teaching that Buddha Shakyamuni delivered after his awakening. In this text the Buddha […]
No Matter What
By Master Huijing; English translation by Jingtu No matter what, Amitabha’s Fundamental Vow Is like diamond, never changing. No matter what, Amitabha thinks of me Like a mother remembers her child, never abandoning it. No matter what, Amitabha is with me Every moment, never letting me go. No matter what, sinful sentient beings Need Amitabha and […]
Postcard from Raymond: The Gaze of the Divine
“Look at me. Behold, encounter, and meet me.” Two of my favourite expressions of sacred art can be found in Cave 148 at the Mogao Grottoes at Dunhuang, along the Chinese route of the Silk Road, and the beloved icon of the Holy Trinity in the Orthodox Church. While all art forms of the holy […]
Fathers and Sons: The Buddha and King Suddhodana
This Sunday will be Father’s Day in Hong Kong. Most young people, luckily, will get to enjoy the 18th with their old men. In the grand scheme of things it’s not uncommon for kids to lose their father (or both parents) earlier in life. In the end, we all are destined to be orphans. We […]
Postcard from Raymond: Pax Buddhica
Apparently it had only been a few centuries, a mere heartbeat in the eternally present minds of the holy men he had been hosting. How did one fellow – one gentle, wandering teacher – found this new religion? How did he establish a movement so great that long after his death, lords and kings would […]