.:.A VOCABULARY LESSON FOR TODAYHere's a valuable word that crops up, from time to time, in Buddhist discourse:ehipassiko.[ Sanskrit: Ehipaśyika "which you can come and see" -- from the phrase ehi, paśya "come, see!" ]It's considered one of the traits of the Buddha's teachings, that you can see for yourself. All beings are welcome to put them to the test and see for themselves.No miracles. No divine messengers. No text written in stone.No coercion. No fanaticism. No bigotry. … [Read more...]
Happy Birthday!
May 28, 2010 by 142 Comments
In many lands, the full moon of May is celebrated as Vesak.This is not yet a Hallmark card holiday, yet it's celebrated around the world, as Buddha's day. (Many consider it a triple celebration: day of his birth, of his enlightenment, and of his final transformation unto ultimate nirvana.) Wikipedia notes : Celebrating Vesākha also means making special efforts to bring happiness to the unfortunate like the aged, the handicapped and the sick. To this day, Buddhists will distribute gifts in ca … [Read more...]
News from EcoBuddhism
May 26, 2010 by 226 Comments
I'm reminded that both ecology and economy begin with "Eek!" Meanwhile — some news landed in our InBox today from EcoBuddhism whom I am passing along to you — as of possible interest. (¿Perhaps there's more to it than "Eek!" ? ! )Their site is an abundant cornucopia of educational and activist resources. Newly available are an array of videos — as a "carefully chosen multi-dimensional learning tool" — in each of ecobuddhism's four domains:science wisdom solutions mindEcobuddhism is … [Read more...]
Cyber-Buddhism : A Monk’s Report from Malaysia
May 24, 2010 by 1 Comment
[ This week being devoted to science at Patheos, this news item caught my eye. Today, science and technology go hand-in-hand. In fact, the tools themselves often upstage the science. You might compare your own use of computers to that of Master Zhong Hong, in general, and consider the role of computers to your own spiritual life. — GG] Promoting Buddhism online MySin Chew, May 20, 2010 Ipoh, Malaysia -- We can hardly survive without computers in this technology age these days, as a matter of … [Read more...]
Recipes for an Ordinary Happy Life :: Interview with Karen Maezen Miller (Part 2 of 2)
May 21, 2010 by 3 Comments
Continuing from Part 1, Karen Maezen Miller here addresses meaning, meditation, and the sacred in the mundane.:.You write, "The search for meaning robs our life of meaning" Are you saying there is no meaning? And if there is meaning, what is it, in your view?It is the search that leads us astray. The meaning is always at hand in this moment. This moment right now is the fruit of an infinite past and the seed of a limitless future. How can you find more meaning than that? You can't.A … [Read more...]
ALL LIVES ARE SACRED : A plea for peace & reconciliation in Bangkok
May 18, 2010 by 3 Comments
Thailand (formerly "Siam") is the only country to declare in its constitution that Buddhism is its national religion. (It is commonplace for boys there to ordain as monks as their rite of passage into manhood.) Little wonder the monastics are concerned with the unrest in their land. I cannot speak first-hand. I've read The New York Times' backgrounder and reports. This week, Agence France-Presse (AFP) published a moving piece featuring the monks' prayer for peace. Today, the International Ne … [Read more...]
Sites Along the Way :: Buddhist E-Cards
May 17, 2010 by 7 Comments
Along with health, holy, and whole, in the tree of language the word hale shares a common root. It's universal. Hello. Greetings.Case in point: In 1910, a man named Joyce Hall bet that the postcard craze of 1903 would be outclassed by greeting cards. A century later, his company, Hallmark Cards, is worth ±$3 billion.I'm not aware of any Buddhist products in the vast Hallmark list. But you don't have to be Buddhist to send a Buddhist greeting ... nor use paper! Here are some sites offer … [Read more...]
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