Monkey Mind

As all things are buddha-dharma, there is delusion and realization, practice, and birth and death, and there are buddhas and sentient beings. As the myriad things are without an abiding self, there is no delusion, no realization, no buddha, no sentient being, no birth and death. The buddha way is, basically, leaping clear of the many of the one; thus there are birth and death, delusion and realization, sentient beings and buddhas. Yet in attachment blossoms fall, and in aversion weeds … [Read more...]

Well, pretty early tomorrow morning, Jan & I and our friend Chris who has been staying with us while he and I've been working on a book project, pack up the car and drive to Walpole, New Hampshire for our July Boundless Way sesshin.Sesshin means to touch the heart mind.It is the deep retreat of the Zen tradition.I'll probably not be able to post anything until I return next weekend.At each service there is a dedication, what is technically called an eko. We use ancient and modern ones. … [Read more...]

On this day in 1948, one of my favorite minor Looney Toons characters was "born."A Chuck Jones & Mel Blanc classic, no doubt... … [Read more...]

This morning in 1846 Henry Thoreau left his cabin on Walden pond to go into town. There he was arrested for refusing to pay his poll tax as an ongoing protest against what he felt to be an unjust war. He spent the better part of two days and a night in jail before an anonymous friend paid the tax - over Thoreau's objections.Inspired directly by this experience, a year and a half later he would give a talk.It would later be published by Elizabeth Palmer Peabody as Resistance to Civil Government, … [Read more...]

The gangster and pop icon John Dillinger was shot dead on this day in 1934. … [Read more...]

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Yusuf Islam was born on this day in 1948... … [Read more...]

http://www.theonion.com/content/themes/common/assets/onn_embed/embedded_player.swf?image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theonion.com%2Fcontent%2Ffiles%2Fimages%2FCHINESE_ROONEY_article_0.jpg&videoid=90421&title=China%E2%80%99s%20Andy%20Rooney%20Has%20Some%20Funny%20Opinions%20About%20How%20Great%20The%20Chinese%20Government%20IsChina’s Andy Rooney Has Some Funny Opinions About How Great The Chinese Government Is … [Read more...]

So, I'm making a small pot of coffee listening to the BBC news spot on my local NPR station when they do a story about a football hero, that is soccer, of course, who is currently the highest paid athlete in, I didn't quite get it, perhaps all of Europe, maybe it was the world...His name is Cristiano Ronaldo.What caught me, however, and the reason for the post is that the BBC correspondent and presumably other media folk were trying to get him to say a few words. He walked past them.He can do … [Read more...]