Archives: BD Articles
“Negation After Negation You Attain Liberation”: Shosan with Suzuki Roshi
In a pivotal moment for Zen in America, Tassajara Zen Mountain Center was founded in 1967, the first Zen monastery established outside Japan. David Chadwick’s new book, Tassajara Stories (Monkfish Press) describes the early days of this historic center, including the question-and-answer session with Shunryu Suzuki Roshi at the end of the second sesshin ever held at Tassajara.
Diana Mukpo, widow of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, dies
As Trungpa’s partner, Mukpo played an active role in shaping Buddhism’s presence in the English-speaking world.
You Don’t Have to Fear Death — But You Should
In the new book How to Live and Die: The Transformative Power of Meditating on Impermanence (Wisdom Publications), Lama Zopa Rinpoche says death is just a mental construct, but it’s helpful to fear it anyway.
Commentary: Embrace the Queerness of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha
Transgender Buddhist monastic and social justice worker Ven. Tashi Choedup on Buddha as their teacher, dharma as their guardian, and sangha as their guide.
Dropping Body and Mind
In her new book, Meeting the Myriad Things (Shambhala Publications), American Zen teacher Shinshu Roberts unpacks Dogen’s famed text Genjokoan (“Actualization of Reality”). Here she dives into Dogen’s most quoted teaching.
We’re Not Who You Think We Are
Chenxing Han examines the stereotypes marginalizing Asian American Buddhists and reports on the diversity and depth a new generation of practitioners.
Pure Perception – How Poison Becomes Medicine
This article, part of Mingyur Rinpoche’s new year-long teaching series, Blueprints of Awakening, explores how pure perception and the wisdom of buddhanature can transform even our deepest suffering into a path of liberation.
What If Buddhists Engaged AI as Part of Practice?
Deborah McGlauflin offers a dharma-grounded reflection on how our everyday interactions with AI can shape its moral and emotional tone. Drawing on her experience with a custom chatbot named Skywalker, she invites us to treat digital dialogue as a form of mindful speech and karmic imprint
Establishing Theravada Buddhism in Cuba
Marajina Bhikkhuni talks about her path to monastic life, her work to help the Theravada tradition take root in Cuba, and the inspiring growth of dharma communities across Latin America.
Catch a Glimpse of “Blessings: The Tsoknyi Nangchen Nuns of Tibet”
Watch an exclusive clip from the original documentary, now being screened and appreciated anew.
Not a Compromise —Bridging Latinx Culture and Dharma
Sanathavihari Bhikkhu and Carlo Carranza speak with Buddhadharma’s Mariana Restrepo about the evolving presence of Buddhism in Latinx communities, exploring the unique intersections of culture, language, and lineage in sharing the dharma.
What should you do when a dharma book is no longer needed?
Theravada monk Bhante Sanathavihari, Siddhartha’s Intent instructor Arne Schelling, and Briana Quick, editor at Wisdom Publications, explain how you might best care for, and dispose of, your Buddhist texts and other materials.
The Living Art of Thangka Painting in Nepal
From sacred geometry to spiritual intention, this traditional art form continues to serve as a vital tool for Buddhist practice and preservation. Buddhadharma deputy editor Mariana Restrepo explores the living tradition of Tibetan Buddhist thangka painting in Nepal by way of conversation with Raju Yonjon of Enlightenment Thangka.
Nova Scotia’s Thousand Harbours Zen holds historic ceremonies
The community's temple, Sensouji, will be the first in Canada to hold these ceremonies, which will be attended in person by about twenty Soto Zen priests from Canada, the US, and Japan.
The Practice of Breathing Mindfulness
Breathing mindfulness is the most popular meditation practice in Southern Buddhism, but its history and methods are often unknown. This excerpt from Breathing Mindfulness by Sarah Shaw provides an introduction to the history of breathing meditation traditions and how they developed.
Reclaiming Chinese Buddhism’s Modern Story
Despite its foundational role in East Asian Buddhism, Chinese Buddhism has long been marginalized in the West. This excerpt from Buddhist Masters of Modern China: The Lives and Legacies of Eight Eminent Teachers, edited by Benjamin Brose, explores how 20th-century Chinese monks and nuns defied extinction and sparked a powerful renewal.
Breathing Mindfulness: Discovering the Riches at the Heart of the Buddhist Path
Read a review of Sarah Shaw’s Breathing Mindfulness: Discovering the Riches at the Heart of the Buddhist Path, published by Shambhala Publications.
Buddhist Masters of Modern China: The Lives and Legacies of Eight Eminent Teachers
Read a review of Buddhist Masters of Modern China: The Lives and Legacies of Eight Eminent Teachers edited by Benjamin Brose, published by Shambhala Publications.
Scott Tusa on Pilgrimage, Parenting, and Practice in Nepal
Mariana Restrepo, deputy editor of Buddhadharma, speaks with dharma teacher Scott Tusa while on pilgrimage in Nepal, reflecting on the intersections of practice, pilgrimage, and parenting—from shared monastic roots to the realities of everyday life.
Embodying the Sacred: Charya Nritya, the Sacred Dance of Nepal’s Newar Vajrayana Buddhist Tradition
While in Nepal, Buddhadharma deputy editor Mariana Restrepo met with Punya Sagara, a devoted practitioner of Charya Nritya, to explore how this meditative practice endures as both a spiritual path and a living cultural heritage.