Archives: LR Articles
Book Briefs – Summer 2014
Brief summaries of Buddhist books from the Summer 2014 issue of the Buddhadharma magazine.
Off the Bridge and Onto the Cushion
Brandon Dean Lamson recalls how he turned away from his decision to commit suicide, and went to go sit zazen instead.
I Did Not Lose My Mind
It took an illness of the brain for Meg Hutchinson to discover the inherent sanity of her own mind. Her breakdown was actually a breakthrough.
The World Catches Us Every Time
A mysterious beast captures your attention. Is it distracting you or calling you? It can be hard to tell, says Zen teacher John Tarrant, what’s distraction and what could have real meaning for your life. Either way, there’s no going back.
Run for Freedom
Freerunning, or parkour, isn’t merely a daredevil’s game. It’s a way to reappropriate our urban spaces as training grounds for body and mind. Vincent Thibault on how running, jumping, and climbing can beautify our cities—and our lives. With photos by Andy Day.
George Saunders on Kindness
The famed writer talks abou a failure of kindness and a convocation speech that went viral.
It’s for You
Sometimes after a phone call, nothing is ever the same. But if you let it, says Douglas Penick, the bad news can come to feel a little like falling in love.
May All Beings Be at Ease!
In the Metta Sutta, the Buddha teaches his monks how to live a moral and upright life, with metta at its center.
Openly gay Thai Buddhist monk concerns censors after TV appearance
One of Thailand’s only openly gay Buddhist monks who has been willing to discuss his life and choices publicly was censored.
The Distortions We Bring To The Study of Buddhism
Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse calls on Westerners to acknowledge the distortions we may bring to the study of Buddhism—through our cultural arrogance, the deceit of ego, and simple ignorance. The successful transplant of such a subtle and challenging practice as Buddhism, he says, depends on thorough study and clear recognition of our habitual patterns.
ACLU warns of “religious coercion” in Tennessee bill; Buddhist man in Texas alleges he was fired for refusing to disseminate Bible verses
ACLU is objecting to a Tennessee bill that would allow students in that state to be subjected to unwanted proselytizing in school settings.
Global economics: what would Buddha do?
Can we imagine a Buddhist model for economic organization?
Dalai Lama to Larry King: Same sex marriage OK
The Dalai Lama has no problem with same sex marriage, saying such matters are more the business of government and consenting adults.
Pema Chödrön on 4 Keys to Waking Up
As Ani Pema Chödrön sees it, walking the walk is about being genuine; that is, not being a fake spiritual person.
About a Poem: Ruth Ozeki on Ono no Komachi
How do we remember a woman’s life? Can we piece her together from a few lines of poetry?
Losing Katherine
Katherine was the sort of person who might suddenly ask, “How do you know love?” Natalie Goldberg recounts what she learned from this friend.
Empty Graves & Empty Boats
At her grandfather’s grave, Rachel Neumann’s anger erupted, but who was there to yell at in those long-buried remains?
The Bearable Lightness of Being
When we honor life but don’t make it a big deal, we become more joyous. The fancy name for that, says Pema Chödrön, is enlightenment.
What’s Your Retreat Password?
Disentangling from the modern world to go on a meditation retreat, says author Anne Cushman, can be a little complicated.
Hesse’s “Siddhartha” still inspires, in unexpected ways
Nearly 70 years after earning Herman Hesse the Pulitzer Prize for Literature, his novel Siddhartha continues to provide inspiration.