American Buddhist Perspectives
Today is the 77th Birthday of H.H. the Dalai Lama (or 78th if you count time in the womb as many Buddhist traditions do).
In a world so fraught with difficulties: war, hatred, greed, climate change, poverty, and so on, the Dalai Lama has been a consistent beacon of peace, reconciliation, harmony, and hope. Such beings are rare and we are all fortunate to witness the examples they set as humans.
In honor of His Holiness, I’ve set up a fundraising page in support of Buddhist Global Relief, aiming to raise $1080. I will be running the Bristol Half Marathon again this year and it roughly corresponds with BGR’s “Walk to Feed the Hungry” so I hope these funds can contribute to this activity and to the overall mission of Buddhist Global Relief, which has truly spanned the globe, from Haiti to Africa to Vietnam as well as India, Sri Lanka, and the United States. Click here to donate.
In addition to the inspiration of the Dalai Lama and Bhikkhu Bodhi (founder of Buddhist Global Relief), I should also note the great efforts of Prof. Christopher Queen, who I met last month in Thailand and who spoke of Engaged Buddhism as a unifying force across Buddhist traditions, specifically mentioning Bhikkhu Bodhi and Buddhist Global Relief as an example of what can be done. Also Prof. Robert Thurman, who has long championed engagement of various sorts, including this speech at last year’s Occupy Wall Street. And lastly, two fellow patheos bloggers: Rev. James Ford, whose efforts on the ground have brought to light some of the injustices in our own back yard, and my friend, Rev. Danny Fisher, whose recent fundraising effort for Burma helped encourage me to set my sights as high as I have.
So please help out. I’m sure that over the next 3 months my pleas will reach over 1000 people. If each of you gave just a dollar we’d be there without a worry. Everyone who gives (non-anonymously) will be mentioned here with notes of gratitude. Donate early and you’ll be mentioned lots of times. Donations over $20 can add a link in the donation comment box (to your blog, business, or charity of choice) that I’ll put in each time I say thanks.
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