Category: Buddhist Wisdom
If Siddhartha Didn’t Leave Home
As A. Jesse Jiryu Davis meditates on the anniversary of the Buddha's enlightenment, he finds a tender connection to the young man who said goodbye to everything.
Heart of the Dalai Lama
In this exclusive and heartfelt essay, Pico Iyer reveals the simple human secret that makes the Dalai Lama the most beloved spiritual figure in the world.
Inside the Winter 2015 Buddhadharma magazine
In this Buddhadharma, we look at the Buddha's life story, Buddhist-Catholic dialogues at the Vatican, and how Gen X teachers are changing Buddhism.
Book Briefs for Winter, 2015
Rory Lindsay reviews "A Historical Atlas of Tibet," "The Buddha on Wall Street," "Buddhisms: An Introduction," "The Chan Whip Anthology," and more.
What is Buddhist Salvation?
In Buddhism, says Zen teacher Koun Yamada, we find salvation by experiencing our true nature as human beings.
“What kind of Zen teacher has panic attacks?”
Recently, for the first time in my life, I had a full-blown panic attack.
How to Love Donald Trump — Even If You Don’t Like Him
Zen chaplain Phyllis Coletta ran her husband's Congressional Tea Party campaign. In doing so, she was reminded of the power of loving unconditionally.
Karma Is Not Fate
You can't deny your karmic inheritance, said the late Traleg Rinpoche, but that doesn't mean you can't change.
You Already Understand!
There’s no better example of Zen’s direct, penetrating spirit than these exchanges between the late Zen master Seung Sahn and his students.
The Taste of Liberation: The Jhanas
Bhante Henepola Gunaratana, author of the classic meditation manual Mindfulness in Plain English, explains the jhanas and how they can be reached.
Where Are You Now?
When Ben Gallagher's partner, Zoe Nudell, was hit and killed by a drunk driver, he was left asking himself the agonizing question, "Where are you?"
Neuroscience and Buddhism converging on the inconstant self
An increasing number of scientific researchers are referencing and drawing on Buddhism in their studies, especially in the field of neuroscience.
Why Is It Important to Give up Attachment?
Jack Kornfield said it really well in a recent tweet: “Everything that has a beginning has an ending. Make your peace with that and all will be well.”
What does it mean to be devoted to one’s guru?
Buddhadharma ask three teachers about a complex issue at the heart of tantra practice: guru devotion.
Ambedkar’s Vision for India’s Dalits
The Buddhist revival in India has brought millions of the country’s most impoverished and marginalized people to the Buddhist path.
The Beat of Philip Whalen
Steve Silberman reviews "Crowded by Beauty: The Life and Zen of Poet Philip Whalen," by David Schneider.
Inside the Fall 2015 Buddhadharma magazine
Features When Illness Is Our Path Meditation can help us deal with illness when it strikes, says Norman Fischer. But even more important, practicing with illness reveals what is beyond sick and not sick. The Doors of Concentration Entering the jhanas is not easy—the harder you try, the more difficult it is. Instead, as Leigh…
Am I doing myself a disservice by practicing Buddhism without a guru?
The teachers are asked about practicing without a guru, following the death of a teacher.
Is it a problem that I don’t identify with any one Buddhist tradition?
The teachers tackle the issue of unaffiliated buddhists and whether having a set tradition and teacher is necessary to practice buddhism genuinely.