The Motley Bodhisattva by John Ching Hsiung Wu (I was taken with this brief article in John Wu’s Golden Age of Zen. It offers a taste of the teacher Fudaishi. He is credited with the invention (some articles make sure we understand this is highly unlikely) of a library table for ease of access to the Tripitaka. In Buddhist mythology he becomes the patron and protector of libraries. He was a householder practitioner and a master of... Read more

        Toward the One, the Perfection of Love, Harmony, and Beauty, the Only Being, United with all the Illuminated Souls, Who form the Embodiment of the Master, the Spirit of Guidance. When I lived in the Zen monastery in Oakland, I served on the jisha team responsible among other things for hosting guests. So, no surprise when the roshi told me we were getting a VIP visitor. His name was Samuel Lewis, and while he was mostly... Read more

      THE GOOSE IN THE BOTTLE Exploring the Possibilities of Interspiritual Dialogue A Sermon delivered at the First Congregational Church of Long Beach United Church of Christ 20 November 2022 James Ishmael Ford First, thank you so much for welcoming me into your community. If you don’t know we Unitarian Universalists and especially the Congregationalist roots of the United Church of Christ share a history. And even today you might imagine a Venn diagram for the UCC and... Read more

    It was on this day, the 19th of November, at the dedication of a graveyard at Gettysburg, after the keynote speaker the remarkable Unitarian clergyman Reverend Edward Evertt held forth for two hours; that President Abraham Lincoln stood and spoke two hundred and eighty five words… Read more

        Last year on this day, the 16th of November, the anniversary of the death of Alan Watts in 1973, I wrote a small appreciation of Alan. And I find it not a bad time to pause and consider him, his life, and his contributions again. Watts remains an important figure in my life. And, more important I think he stands as a significant figure in the meeting of psychology and Eastern religions, as well as the... Read more

    In this world there have always been many opinions about faith and salvation. You need not think alike to love alike. There must be knowledge in faith also. Sanctified reason is the lantern of faith. Religious reform can never be all at once, but gradually step by step. If they offer something better, I will gladly learn. The most important spiritual function is conscience, the source of all spiritual joy and happiness. Conscience will not be quieted by... Read more

    It was on this day, the 14th of November in 1890 that the remarkable and almost too amazing to be believed, but carefully documented so so very much real Nellie Bly embarked on her famous trip around the world. Her journey was measured against the fictional Phileas Fog’s trip around the world in 80 days. She arrived home after a seventy-two day race, besting the fictional Fogg by eight days. Elizabeth Jane Cochrane, who wrote under the name... Read more

      The Five Ranks of Dongshan Liangjie Comments by Thomas Cleary Five Ranks, Three Roads, Three Falls, Three Leaks, Four Types of Different Kinds The Five Ranks The five ranks may be viewed as a progression of stages of development or an analysis of different degrees of integration. In the first, called the relative within the absolute one practices detachment and interruption of mental habits, thereby gaining a measure of freedom and rest from compulsion and confusion. Detachment alone, however,... Read more

    On Social media there’s a meme that’s going around, at least in my small corner of that world. I’ve seen a couple of versions. One is part of a larger poem by Damien Barr: I heard that we are in the same boat. But it’s not that. We are in the same storm, but not in the same boat. your ship can be shipwrecked and mine might not be. Or vice versa. The poem is longer and addresses... Read more