You are not living unless youhave at least one crisis beforebreakfast. The crisis of adventure. The crisis of receiving supernatural aid. The crisis of not receiving it. The crisis of meeting with the Goddess and being spit on. Or being embraced likea child. The crisis of faith that is not knowinghow much faith is enough, and whenfaith becomes its […]
spiritual development
The Buddhist Practice of Right Intention
Right Intention is the second tenet of the Noble 8-Fold Path. It represents the strong resolve that practitioners develop to end suffering for themselves and others when they walk the Buddhist path. On the surface, this seems like a no-brainer. No one wants to suffer, and everyone hopes for a peaceful life. So, why is […]
Shortcomings and Spiritual Renewal
In the March of 2017, during a conference trip to Nalanda in India (the old site of this long-lost seat of Buddhist learning is particularly dusty during this time of year), I came down with a terrible hacking cough. I remember my diaphragm aching with each breath I took, even as I felt the overwhelming […]
Zen and the Art of Kindness
The second noble truth states that suffering is caused by desire. Generally this is understood to mean that the things we want cause us suffering either by not living up to our expectations or by causing us pain when they inevitably go away. This is an accurate assessment, and a good first step in understanding the […]
Straight-Edge Buddhism
The straight-edge movement started as part of the Hardcore Punk music scene in the early 80’s. At that time, drugs and alcohol were thought by many to be ruining the scene, and punks began to abstain from intoxicants in response. In fact, some adherents went so far as to abstain from promiscuous sex and eating […]
Getting the most out of summer
Nature’s first green is gold, Her hardest hue to hold. Her early leaf’s a flower; But only so an hour. Then leaf subsides to leaf, So Eden sank to grief, So dawn goes down to day Nothing gold can stay. – Robert Frost Once you realise this floating life as the perfect mirage of change, […]
Recognizing the future in a greater self
It is commonly understood that the final goal of Buddhist practice involves a realization of not-self, or no-self; the direct “seeing” that there is no substantial and lasting essence in “me” (or in “you” or in anyone else). In American society, this can conflict with our desire to have a “healthy self-image” or adequate self-esteem. […]
Be a Bystander
Master Jingzong; English translation by Foyuan, edited by Jingxing A proverb says, “[In a chess game], bystanders see the game better than the players.” The famous poet Su Shi also had this to say, “One cannot see the true shape of Mount Lu because one is in the mountain.” The [chess] player cannot see clearly […]
Give ’til It Hurts
Generosity doesn’t come easily to me. In fact, one of the hard truths that I’ve learned as a result of Buddhist practice is that there’s a lot of selfishness inside of me. I’m not sure why that is. Maybe it’s the result of being the oldest of 5 kids; constantly forced to share my possessions growing […]
Compromise Is Essential
Master Jingzong; English translation by Foyuan, edited by Jingtu Compromise is not just an important work method, but also an essential attitude towards life. Indeed, it is an art. Anything can be dealt with through compromise. To compromise means to admit our mistakes first, in exchange for the other party’s acknowledgment of theirs. Each takes a […]