Monthly haiku poetry from Sensei Alex Kakuyo
dharma
A Laywoman’s Calling: A Vocation in Teaching and Livestreaming
Part One of Gotami’s journey I believe that now, more than ever, we need to talk about the Dharma, and to spread a message of hope for all the people who are suffering during this pandemic. The idea of talking about Dharma, however, came about by chance. By May 2020, I had started writing about […]
The Lay Perspective: A Journey into the Dharma
Being Buddhist is wonderful, knowing the Dharma is even more so, and spreading it on social media, creating a small oasis of peace in a historical moment when these platforms have become places of pain, toxicity, and fake news, is a blessing. My name is Martina, but people call me Gotami, the Dharma name that […]
Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teachings about Taking Refuge in Amitabha
Amitabha Buddha’s light is infinite and boundless, illuminating all of the worlds in the boundless and endless universe. In terms of space, he can deliver sentient beings in any place. Amitabha Buddha is omnipresent, pervading in all Dharma realms throughout endless empty space. The vastness of Amitabha Buddha has no limit. There is no space […]
Gathering Nectar
In my life as a Buddhist practitioner, I have gone from early days with the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order (now Triratna) to primarily Geluk Tibetan teachings, to Vipassana, to a bit of a mix of a few parts Zen and a few parts Theravāda. I sometimes tell people about this and their expression […]
Master Huijing’s Dharma Words about Departure and Reincarnation
Art by ryky.deviantart.com Common people in the world want to pursue wealth, complete high education, and seek for boundless knowledge. However, no matter how high his academic qualification and how knowledgeable he is, the Buddha will call him a fool if he does not believe in retributions resulted from good and evil karma, and is […]
Spiritual Colossi: Buddhism and Christianity in China and America
As the United States launches its long-awaited trade war against China, I wonder whether something subtler, but just as significant, is bubbling under the already tumultuous surface. I pondered for a short while whether this observation held any water. After all, indirect pressures or persuasions, rather than outright pronunciations and their enforcement, characterize the influence […]
The Beauty of Buddhist Tradition: Celebrating Vesak with Hongkongers
On 27 May, I was in the Buddha-Dharma Centre of Hong Kong (BDCHK), Hong Kong, to celebrate Vesak. It was the weekend, with lay Buddhists from diverse backgrounds: including local Hongkongers, Mainland Chinese, Bangladeshis, Sri Lankans, and Thais. Devotees who came to BDCHK on this special day were dressed in white clothing. Twelve Buddhist monks […]
Facing the Loss of a Loved One
Master Jingzong; English translation by Jinghua, edited by Fojin Two objects, A and B are fastened together by a rope. When A drops, it will naturally affect B if B is not anchored. However, if B is rooted, it will be able to hold up A and not let it fall, and will eventually pull […]