Lion's Roar

  • Subscribe
  • Store
  • Our Magazines
    • Bd Buddhadharma
    • LR Lion’s Roar magazine
  • Teachings
  • Life
  • How to Meditate
  • News
  • About Us
  • Store
  • Subscribe
    • [Custom]
    • [Custom]
    • [Custom]
    • [Custom]

Lion's Roar

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Our Magazines
    • Bd Buddhadharma
    • LR Lion’s Roar magazine
  • Teachings
  • Life
  • How to Meditate
  • News
  • About Us
  • Store
  • Subscribe
    • Buddhadharma cover
    • Deepen your practice with the only quarterly journal for committed Buddhists.

      Subscribe

      Renew

      Give a Gift

    • Lions Roar-Cover
    • Buddhist wisdom for our time from today’s best teachers and writers.

      Subscribe

      Renew

      Give a Gift

In honor of “Character Day,” a Buddhist guide to character strengths

by Rod Meade Sperry| September 13, 2017

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
"The Periodic Table of Character Strength" via the Character Day website.

The “Periodic Table of Character Strength” via the Global Character Day website.

Wednesday, September 13, marks the fourth annual Global Character Day, which was launched by filmmaker and Webby Awards founder, Tiffany Shlain. The idea of the day is to get us all talking about “the importance of character building in today’s increasingly distracted and overly-connected world.” Sounds to us at Lion’s Roar like a very good thing to do. Perhaps the place to start is to ask, What are the characteristics of the Buddhist view of a positive character?

Global Character Day literature notes a number of positive characteristics; for example, grit, curiosity, courage, temperance, and so on. A couple of these, Buddhists would identify immediately with, like “wisdom” and “gratitude.” But we’d add to those (at least for starters): compassion, kindness, clarity, confidence, responsibility, equanimity, and courage. So, in the spirit of the day, we’ve compiled a great resource-list of articles all about fostering these qualities in ourselves. Read on, and happy #CharacterDay2017 to you!

Wisdom & Compassion

Living the Compassionate Life — This teaching by the Dalai Lama explains how the Buddhist teachings of mindfulness and compassion lead inevitably to feelings of self-confidence and kindness.

Compassion and Wisdom — A society based upon peace, harmony, wisdom and compassion is possible, says Venerable Khandro Rinpoche—but we must all begin with ourselves.

Kindness

Kindness Changes Everything — When we practice loving-kindness, says Noah Levine, we change for the better—and so does our world.

Kindness to Ourselves and Others — Suffering is more than the first noble truth of Buddhism. To see our own and others’ suffering is the first step on the path, the birthplace of compassion. Judy Lief offers guidance on the journey.

Clarity

See Things Clear Through — In this practical and pointed meditation instruction, Upasika Kee Nanayon, the foremost woman dhamma teacher in twentieth-century Thailand, shows us how to combine concentration and clear-seeing to penetrate the “mass of deceit” that is the mind.

Buddhist Meditation is Relaxing With the Truth — It is only when we begin to relax with ourselves as we are, says Pema Chödrön, that meditation becomes a transformative process. The pith instruction is, Stay. . . stay. . . just stay.

Confidence

Ready, Steady, Go — One of the crucial qualities of the bodhisattva warrior, says Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, is the steadiness of mind that fosters strength and confidence. We harness the energy of mind through the practice of meditation.

Ask the Teachers — How Do I Deal With Doubt? — Narayan Helen Liebenson, Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, and Grace Schireson answer a reader’s question about “dealing with a lot of doubt regarding my practice, my sangha, and even my teacher.”

Responsibility

Life Is Tough. Here are Six Ways to Deal With It — An ancient set of Buddhist slogans offers us six powerful techniques to transform life’s difficulties into awakening and benefit. Zen teacher Norman Fischer guides us through them, most notably here, “Drive All Blames Into One.”

The Bodhisattva — Taking the bodhisattva vow, says Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, “implies that instead of holding our own individual territory and defending it tooth and nail, we become open to the world that we are living in. It means we are willing to take on greater responsibility, immense responsibility.”

Equanimity

Sit Like a Mountain: An Image of Equanimity — Sharon Salzberg teaches on why equanimity is important, and how to foster it.

Ask the Teachers — How do I retain passion while accepting all of life equally? Narayan Helen Liebenson, Zenkei Blanche Hartman, and Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche respond.

Courage

Smile at Fear — Pema Chödrön on Bravery, Open Heart & Basic Goodness

The Warrior Tradition: Conquering Fear — Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche on fearlessness and how to recognize and conquer real enemies in the world outside.

For much more, visit the Character Day website, watch their films, and get involved.

What Have We Become? A Q&A with filmmaker Tiffany Shlain

The Four Highest Emotions

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
Rod Meade Sperry

About Rod Meade Sperry

Rod Meade Sperry is Editorial Director of Lion's Roar's Special Projects and of LionsRoar.com. He is the editor of A Beginner’s Guide to Meditation: Practical Advice and Inspiration from Contemporary Buddhist Teachers, and co-author, with Miguel Chen, of I Wanna Be Well: How a Punk Found Peace and You Can Too, which comes out in Spring 2018.

Topics: Global Character Day, Tiffany Shlain

Related Posts...

Dalai Lama compassion Buddhism Child Shambhala Sun Lion's RoarLiving the Compassionate Life
by The Dalai Lama
Watch “Engaged,” a new cloud-sourced short film from “Connected” filmmaker Tiffany Shlain
by Rod Meade Sperry
tiffany shlainWhat Have We Become? A Q&A with filmmaker Tiffany Shlain
by Rod Meade Sperry
Lion's Roar Subscription Ad

Popular

  • Shikantaza is Understanding Emptiness What is shikantaza? Suzuki Roshi, the great ...
  • Emptiness and Existence His Holiness the Dalai Lama takes us ...
  • What Are the Four Noble Truths? These four truths are called noble because ...
  • Just When You Think You’re Enlightened Temporary spiritual experiences can be helpful signs ...
  • The Key to Zen Zen teachings by Sekkei Harada Roshi

Welcome to LionsRoar.com

By Lion's Roar Staff

We’re glad to have you here. But first: who are “we”? You may very well know us as the publishers of two Buddhist magazines, the Shambhala Sun and Buddhadharma. Then again, you may not know us at all. Either way, please allow us to re-introduce ourselves: We’re the Shambhala Sun Foundation. We [...]

  • Contact
  • Donate
  • Advertise
  • Subscriber Services
  • Privacy
  • BUDDHIST DIRECTORY
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
TEACHINGS
  • Theravada & Insight
  • Tibetan & Vajrayana
  • Zen & Mahayana
  • Pan-Buddhist
  • Guides
LIFE
  • Love & Relationships
  • Practice in Everyday Life
  • Wellness & Psychology
  • Wisdom for Difficult Times
HOW TO MEDITATE
  • Why Meditate
  • Getting Comfortable
  • Getting Started
  • Other Meditations
  • Learn about Buddhism
NEWS
  • Buddhist News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Current Events
  • Reviews
  • Teachers & Centers

© 2018 Lion's Roar | Email: [email protected] | Tel: 902.422.8404 | Published by Lion's Roar Foundation

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.