Category: Buddhist Wisdom
Zen in Vietnam: The Making of a Tradition
A century ago, Buddhists in Vietnam—and in much of Asia—started rewriting their traditions, and in some cases even their history. Alec Soucy explains how what we think we know of Vietnamese Buddhism points to a much more complex reality.
Wisdom Seeks for Wisdom
In this teaching from 1965—taken from the oldest extant recording of his talks—Shunryu Suzuki Roshi explains what it means to understand your true nature.
Buddhadharma Book Briefs for Summer 2022
Joie Szu-Chiao Chen reviews Through the Forests of Every Color by Joan Sutherland, Renunciation and Longing by Annabella Pitkin, The Dharma in DNA by Dee Denver, and more.
We Cannot Ignore Buddhist Extremism
If we don’t allow our practice to include the political, asks Brenna Artinger, then how can we stand up to those who do?
Listen, Contemplate, Meditate
These instructions, which appear across traditions, sound so simple that we may imagine they’re self-explanatory. Lama Karma Yeshe Chödrön invites us to look deeper.
Is Buddhism about ethics or enlightenment?
Bhante Sumano, Jisho Sara Siebert, and Gaylon Ferguson explore the meaning of ethics and enlightenment on the Buddhist path.
Black Buddhists, Black Buddhisms
Rhonda Magee reviews "Black Buddhists and the Black Radical Tradition," by Rima Vesely-Flad.
Forum: BIPOC Buddhism
La Sarmiento, Margarita Loinaz, and Carol Iwata discuss the experiences of BIPOC Buddhist practitioners—the obstacles they face, and the contributions they are making. Moderated and with an introduction by Mariana Restrepo.
Grandmother Mind
Grandmothers care about others and shed tears for their suffering. That’s why Dogen said having Grandmother Mind is the most important thing of all. Zen teacher Susan Moon contemplates her own journey as a grandmother and her responsibility as an ancestor-to-be.
Adapting Buddhism’s Five Precepts for Reconciliation
Patrice Clark Koelsch reimagines the five precepts to apply when engaging in morally-charged activist settings.
Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Enlightenment
Things to see, do, and enjoy in three American Buddhist hotspots.
Meditation Only Goes So Far
If you want to connect with the open, spacious quality of mind, says Willa Blythe Baker, at some point you have to stop trying to meditate.
The Best Souvenir
In the opening editorial from our July 2022 issue, Deputy Editor Andrea Miller reflects on her time in Morocco, and the feeling of connection we experience through travelling.
The Search for Light
Koans, Shakespeare, working with suffering — Bonnie Nadzam looks at new books offering different insights into Buddhist practice today.
Meet a Teacher: Jan Chozen Bays
An interview with Jan Chozen Bays from our “Meet a Teacher” series in the July 2022 issue of Lion’s Roar magazine.
How to Practice Zen Koans
John Tarrant demystifies Zen koan practice. Yes, it’s paradoxical, poetic, and totally personal. And so is life.
Reimagining School Through a Buddhist Lens
Susan Yao explores how Buddhist principles could help us reimagine the American school system.
I Never Gave Up on Dharma: Ngakpa Kalzang’s Journey from Tibet
Dhondup T. Rekjong tells the story of Ngakpa Kalzang, an exile of Tibet and experienced tantric Buddhist practitioner working as a landscaper on Canada's Vancouver Island.
She Who Hears the Cries of the World
In Buddhism, compassion is embodied in the bodhisattva Kuan Yin, who is said to manifest wherever beings need help.
When We Do Harm
Avery Grace reflects on what to do when we harm others, how we can move forward, and the compassion we need for ourselves to do better.