Archives: BD Articles
Satipatthana and the Field of Relationship
Most practitioners, says nico hase, understand the Buddha's Satipatthana Sutta as a framework for individual practice. But the instructions are more layered than that. The Buddha directs attention internally, externally, and both internally and externally. That third mode is almost never emphasized in contemporary teaching — and it maps uncannily onto the actual work of relationship.
The Story of Buddhist Reformer Venerable Ādicca Vamsa
Hein Htet Kyaw offers a profile of a monk, author, and hero of Buddhism deserving of true appreciation.
Reclaiming Our So-Called “Cultural Baggage”
Asian American Buddhist communities have for years been dismissed by “convert” Buddhists for carrying “cultural baggage.” Nalika Gajaweera says the response should not be to let it go but to claim it as a mark of cultural responsibility.
A Translator’s Journey Into the Tibetan Language
Ana Carla Vergara Calvar on how she found her way into translating the dharma — and how you might, too.
Tassajara Zen Mountain Center’s zendo destroyed by fire
No one was injured but the zendo was completely lost to the fire, as well as some of the library.
Death and the Practice of Love
Dharma teacher and author nico hase on how death contemplation can transform the everyday frictions of partnership into a field for practicing impermanence.
Community joins together after Buddhist Church of Sacramento vandalization
"One never fully realizes the strength of community until a time of need," writes the BCS in response to the care of its sangha and neighbors.
Creating Buddhism-informed Spiritual Care on College Campuses
The Maitreya Association’s co-founder and president explains the creation of the first-ever professional network of Buddhist college chaplains and its impact on American Buddhist higher education ministry.
Celebration of Life for Venerable Dr. Pannavati is now online
"Everything that she did was for the Dharma and for saving sentient beings," writes her community.
The Dark Side of Buddhism
If you think Buddhism is free of the religious nationalism and violent extremism that plague other religions, think again. Editor-at-large Melvin McLeod talks to journalist Sonia Faleiro about her new book, The Robe and the Sword: How Buddhist Extremism Is Shaping Modern Asia (Columbia Global Reports).
David Chadwick, chronicler of San Francisco Zen Center Community, has died
He was the author of the classic biography, Crooked Cucumber: The Life and Zen Teaching of Shunyru Suzuki, as well as Thank You and OK: An American Zen Failure in Japan, and, most recently, Tassajara Stories.
Making Sense of Buddhism’s “Six Realms”
“Here,” writes Timothy Addison in this piece adapted from Turning the Mind, the second book in his new series, Like Honey Amidst Bees, “is what helped me understand the six realms in a way that felt both intellectually honest and transformative.”
Shinchi Linda Galijan to be installed as first female abbot of Berkeley Zen Center
The ceremony will be viewable by livestream via the BZC website.
The Inspirational Example of Venerable Jotika
Hein Htet Kyaw profiles Venerable U Jotika of Maha Myaing Forest monastery — monk and advocate for democracy, interfaith and multi-culturalism.
Three Buddhist Nunneries Dance a New Chapter of Empowerment and Opportunity
For over a thousand years, mostly monks performed the sacred cham dances of Vajrayana Buddhism. Then in 2014, the 17th Karmapa made a significant move by inviting nuns to learn and perform these dances before a crowd of over ten thousand. Karen Greenspan spent four years following these pioneering practitioners, revealing a story of tradition, transformation, and the ongoing movement toward gender equality in Tibetan Buddhism.
Atlanta exhibit features Rima Fujita’s works on the Dalai Lama
The exhibit will run from February 13 through June 7, featuring imagery of the Dalai Lama, whom Rima Fujita considers her principal teacher.
Bringing Yidam Practice to Human/AI Encounters
Deborah McGlauflin wades into the “virtual buddhafield” — and asks us to consider joining her there.
We’ve Been Here All Along
Funie Hsu says it’s time we recognize Asian American Buddhists and address the racism that marginalizes their ongoing role in the dharma in the West.
Toward a More Skillful Mode of Buddhist Political Speech
"Knowing that so many are engaged in resisting the current violences and attacks on democracy in our nation," writes Gregory Snyder, "my hope is that our Buddhist communities will continue to work to develop a place that encourages our political voices."
What “Integrated Meditation” Is, and Why It Matters
Amma Thanasanti explains how her program functions to "restore the relational ground required for deeper healing — and for meditation itself — to function."