Within most Mahayana countries today, the 15th of February, is observed as Parinirvana, the anniversary of Gautama Siddhartha’s death. For those who like to think about such things, the principal text addressing this moment is the Mahaparinibbana Sutta. It is, at least by my reading, fairly obviously a digest of his teachings composed with an eye to the continuation of the community he led. Whether directly from his mouth or put together, as is more likely, by his... Read more

  MYSTERIES OF THE INTIMATE WAY The Zen Priest’s Buddhist Meditation for Valentine’s Day James Ishmael Ford Empty Moon Zen Tomorrow, you may have noticed, is Valentine’s Day. It is well known that this festival is largely the creation of a conspiracy amongst the greeting card association, the national confectioners association, and the national alliance of floral associations. I’m pretty sure we have a solid paper trail on this one, including hotel bills and photographs of smoke-filled rooms. Yes, this... Read more

  Today, the 12th of February is Charles Darwin’s birthday. Were he alive he would be two hundred and twelve years old today. Me, I always consider this day one to celebrate. I mark it out most years here on this blog. And it turns out I’m not alone in this wish to celebrate all things Charles Darwin. Wikipedia notes how his birthday has been observed as something special since his death in 1882. But in 1909 on the centenary... Read more

      (My apologies. As I sit with this small essay a couple of days out I realize the problem with it, is that it touches on two related but different issues. The one is my ongoing consideration of Buddhism, and how it is I am a Buddhist, and what that means. I think it a worthy project. And possibly of use to other people. The other is the more intimate exploration. My real time, if you will, encounter... Read more

      I have a fondness for books collecting the wisdom of the ages, and more specifically anthologies of quotations regarding the spiritual life. I recall when Stephen Mitchell’s anthologies, Enlightened Mind and Enlightened Heart were published. His “Zen eye” informed the curation of wisdom from the world’s traditions. And informed by that eye he presented something compelling. And helpful. His selections were satisfying by themselves. And they opened doors for further reading down the line. In my view... Read more

    I’ve been distracted a bit, of late. And, I missed that yesterday was Thomas Merton’s birthday. If I got the number right on my fingers and toes, it was the 106th anniversary of his birth. Merton is very much a part of my consciousness. In 2013 the Unitarian Universalist General Assembly was held in Louisville. And so for me that UU convention became a Thomas Merton pilgrimage. I drove out to the Abbey of Gethsemani twice, once with... Read more

    So. What is Zen meditation? We know it is the practice of a Buddhist spiritual tradition that, while it claims Indian roots, seems to have sprung up within the rich soil of ancient China. It has spread and has adapted variations in Vietnam, Korea, and Japan. And from these different places, it has begun to spread to the West. What we can say is that it is not Vipassana, nor is it Samatha. Although it shares some family... Read more

      SHELTER FOR THE BIRDS OF HEAVEN A Sermon for the Religious Left James Ishmael Ford   What a wild ride it’s been! To be frank, in the race for the Democratic nomination, Joe Biden was not my choice. Then the African American community decided to go for him and go big. And I thought, okay. I was content to support him when he won the nomination. But even then, I was really mostly thinking about ending the... Read more

OCEANS FLOWING IN YOUR BODY A Communion Hymn James Ishmael Ford Perhaps you’ve noticed. It’s all falling apart. *** The Republic has been shredded. The Empire is quickly overtaken. (You might want to brush up on your Mandarin.) *** Of course, we know this. No center holds forever. The sages sing: everything changes. Icecaps recede. Seas rise. We know the planet doesn’t really need us. And somewhere along the way we all will be a lost mountain’s dream. *** The... Read more

    WHAT ROUGH BEAST The Zen Priest Reflects on the New Year, And Makes Some Resolutions James Ishmael Ford The year 2020, of lamentable memory, is now gone. Happy New Year, 2021! And. New Years are traditionally times to take stock and maybe make some resolutions. In that spirit, I have been considering this moment. Of course, thinking about all those memes on social media, most all pretty much cursing this past year, what is most obvious is how... Read more