I slogged through snow and slosh to catch the bus out to Midway Airport, picked up my one way rental from Alamo, drove back, then thanks to the mercies of a half dozen friends from the seminary quickly packed up and was on the road by noon. Made it out of the storms and just past Cleveland when I felt I’d done all I could and spent the night in a motel. The next day I just gutted on through… Read more

Once there was a disciple of a Greek philosopher who was commanded by his Master for three years to give money to everyone who insulted him. When this period of trial was over, the Master said to him: Now you can go to Athens and learn wisdom. When the disciple was entering Athens he met a certain wise man who sat at the gate insulting everybody who came and went. He also insulted the disciple who immediately burst out laughing…. Read more

Over at Peacebang’s wonderful blog there’s a thread on humanism, buddhism-lite & UU Buddhism. I couldn’t help but contribute to the confusion…The specifics are found athttp://peacebang.blogspot.com/2006/08/humanists-or-vague-buddhists.htmland continued athttp://peacebang.blogspot.com/2006/08/humanism-or-vague-buddhism-part-ii_10.htmlThat’s where I added some thoughts… Read more

Sam Allis, Boston Globe columnist writes on the 26th of November that he opposes the legislative maneuvers at the Massachusetts’ Constitutional Convention which prevent a ballot initiative creating a constitutional amendment baring same sex marriage from going forward. He asserts his reason for this objection is that he is a “process liberal.” I have some sympathy with his position. We want it fair and square. That’s what our democracy is about. Mr Allis adds how he is uncomfortable to find… Read more

I want to assert I’ve thought Buddhadharma the best of the current crop of North American Buddhist magazines for ages. And not just because they quote me extensively in Barry Boyce’s insightful essay on the Unitarian Universalist Buddhist Fellowship. It’s also in the same issue that has my review of Isabel Stirling’s Zen Pioneer: The Life and Works of Ruth Fuller Sasaki. I was a little surprised at the numbers Mr Boyce says I give to UU Buddhists (50,000). Now… Read more

Doris Kearns Goodwin writes in her Team of Rivals:In 1908, in a wild and remote area of the North Caucasus, Leo Tolstoy, the greatest writer of the age, was the guest of a tribal chief “living far away from civilized life in the mountains.” Gathering his family and neighbors, the chief asked Tolstoy to tell stories about the famous men of history. Tolstoy told how he entertained the eager crowd for hours with tales of Alexander, Caesar, Frederick the Great,… Read more

and with my own eyes! I took an early afternoon walk around the neighborhood and after spending a half hour in the Oriental Institute Museum (what a neighborhood!) I walked across the street to the Seminary Co-op Bookstore. And there it was. My first sighting of Zen Master Who? for sale in the real world! Read more

It has come time for me to admit I’m not up to the trip to India. My back has been paining me for three months and I don’t know what I’d do if I suffered a herniation in Bodhgaya. I’ve set up an appointment with my primary physician and expect a series of referrals which will eat up some significant part of the conclusion of my sabbatical. Although I hope to indulge a couple of smaller adventures before it all… Read more

Well, yesterday I awoke with a headache, scratchy throat and a runny nose.I have to admit election results proved quite a tonic, so I went to morning meditation and then after a quick nap took off to a luncheon meeting with two colleauges in the UU world.Then back to my little Hyde Park apartment where I slept right through early evening chapel.Today I’ve awakened with the cold settled into my chest. The headache, scratchy thorat & runny nose continue, as… Read more

Well the time has come, or nearly. For once I wish I didn’t live in our beloved Newton, MA, arguably the bluest of the bluest communities in our great country. Thank God for our congressman Barney Frank. But I would like to cast my precious vote in another state, one where it might tip one race or another.While it is probably too much to hope for a sweep of both Senate & House, despite years of gerrymandering and other manipulations,… Read more