Archives: BD Articles
Excerpt: Nagarjuna’s Precious Garland
Read a brief of Nāgārjuna's Precious Garland: Ratnāvalī by Sara McClintock and John Dunne, and an exclusive excerpt courtesy of its publisher, Wisdom Publications.
Excerpt: The Jhanas, by Shaila Catherine
Read a brief of The Jhānas: A Practical Guide to Deep Meditative States by Shaila Catherine, and an exclusive excerpt courtesy of its publisher, Wisdom Publications.
Excerpt: The Blue-Cliff Record, translated by David Hinton
Read a brief of The Blue-Cliff Record by David Hinton, and an exclusive excerpt courtesy of its publisher, Shambhala Publications.
Excerpt: A History of Uyghur Buddhism
Read a brief of A History of Uyghur Buddhism by Johan Elverskog, and an exclusive excerpt courtesy of its publisher, Columbia University Press.
Excerpt: Lotus Girl, by Helen Tworkov
Read a brief of Lotus Girl by Helen Tworkov, and an exclusive excerpt courtesy of its publisher, St. Martin’s Publishing Group.
Dukkha as a Doorway to Liberation
Scott Tusa on how Buddhist ethics transcend mere morality and help us to realize awakening.
Concentrating on the Work at Hand
In this excerpt from The Gift of Work (originally published as Skillful Means), the prolific Nyingma teacher Tarthang Tulku shares a plain-language exercise for concentration, as developed over his five decades interacting with Americans from various business backgrounds.
What Is Harmful? What Is Helpful?
Chan teacher Guo Gu on how, through practice, we awaken to the best in others and ourselves.
Understanding the Vinaya
Amy Paris Langenberg on the history, evolution, and modern manifestations of the training rules followed by Buddhist monastics.
How the Three Tenets Help Us Live Wisely
Roshi Joan Halifax reflects on the guiding principles of the Zen Peacemaker Order, and why we all might benefit from putting them to the test.
Opening to the Joy of Work
Making a living while living our values can be easier said than done, but Maia Duerr has discerned six keys for cultivating the qualities and conditions for doing abundant, cheerful, sustainable work.
Discernment Guided by Compassion
Ryuei Michael McCormick on right speech: When should we use forceful words, or gentle ones? Or none at all?
All-Encompassing Compassion
Heidi Nevin remembers her teacher Chatral Rinpoche’s inspiring commitment to vegetarianism as part of the dharma path.
Is Our Practice Enough?
Clair Brown on how Buddhists’ vow to end suffering must go beyond the individual to a global understanding of how our suffering—and happiness—is connected to all living beings on our planet.
How Right Action and Loving-Kindness Work Together
Nikki Mirghafori on why the cultivation of good will can lead to wise action—and vice versa.
Moving Through the Three “Karma Doors”
Vanessa Zuisei Goddard on how understanding our gateways to the world — body, speech, and mind — is key in our practice of sila.
Blazing Inner Fire
Read an excerpt from From The Blazing Inner Fire of Bliss and Emptiness by Ngulchu Dharmabhadra, translated by David Gonsalez, courtesy of its publisher, Wisdom Publications.
What does it mean to understand Buddhism through the body?
Roxanne Dault, Meido Moore, and Lopön Charlotte Z. Rotterdam discuss what it means to understand Buddhism through the body — the heart of the Buddhist path.
Bringing Death Into Clear Light
Lama Karma Wall, Buddhist teacher and lead designer and facilitator of aNUma — a virtual reality experience joining Buddhist principles and technology — talks about how VR can help us relate to the unknown by bringing death into awareness.
Luminosity: The Heart of The Six Dharmas of Naropa
Across the major Buddhist traditions, the mind’s basic condition is described as luminous, naturally free from afflictions or karmic imprints, which are merely adventitious, like clouds covering the sky. The Buddha refers to this naturally luminous mind in the Nikayas, the Perfection of Wisdom sutras, and the tantras. Dzogchen and Mahamudra teachings also emphasize natural…