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 […]
insight
Show me the Truth
This poem on insight and illusion was translated from Portuguese to English by Daniela Boeira. Show me the truth Honey is sweet by nature Offer me the most precious treasure The lamp that dissipates the darkness Within my hesitant mind Small and slow steps Your enlightened compassion does not waver While cutting sharply through illusions I […]
Mother of the Dharma Body
This poem on the feminine infinite is offered in its Portuguese original and its English translation. Drolma Dharmakaya Mother Space of the beginningless end Ineffable and ever present Your touch is my very skin Free us from the imprisoning mind From the coarse eyes that only perceive lies I hear with delight the melody of life […]
Postcard from Raymond: What is Dharma?
Dharma is the cosmic law of reality. It is simultaneously the Buddha’s teaching, meaning two very important things. First, it means that the Buddhist teachings and reality itself are one and the same; they correspond to each other. The Dharma is the fount of all things which lies beyond the universe and the wheel of […]
Weaving Stories of Dharma and Joy
Raymond Lam Stories have been a beloved pastime of mine since I learned to read. In my childhood I devoured fiction of all kinds: from fantasy novels based on pop culture franchises to my favourite genre of world myths and legends retold in modern prose. Odin, Hathor, and Trickster Raven were my companions as much as my high school friends […]