It’s when we lose the illusion of control—when we’re most vulnerable and exposed—that we can discover the creative potential of our lives. Pema Khandro Rinpoche explains four essential points for understanding what it means to let go, and what is born when we do. We are always experiencing successive births and deaths. We feel the death of loved ones most acutely—there is [...]
Forum: What Does Mindfulness Mean for Buddhism?
Diana Winston, Barry Boyce, Melissa Myozen Blacker, and Trudy Goodman address Buddhists' questions about secular mindfulness: Where are the ethics? Does it go deep enough? Will it help or hurt Buddhism? Introduction by Jenny Wilks. In my dog-eared 1956 edition of Nyanaponika's The Heart of Buddhist Meditation, the preface by Graham Howe makes a prescient observation: Founded [...]
Wake Up to the Revolution
Only when we recognize our connectedness to the earth, says Thich Nhat Hanh, can real change begin. We can all experience a feeling of deep admiration and love when we see the great harmony, elegance, and beauty of the earth. A simple branch of cherry blossom, the shell of a snail, or the wing of a bat—all bear witness to the earth's masterful creativity. Every advance in our [...]
On Awakening Through Race, Sexuality, and Gender
I was hungry when I attended my first Nichiren Buddhist meeting in 1988. I mean that literally. I wanted to go out to eat at a restaurant with two friends of mine, but they insisted that I first attend a Buddhist meeting with them that evening before we ate. With some irritation and a good deal of resistance I sat through the meeting with the group as they [...]
Inside the Spring 2015 Buddhadharma magazine
Sangha, or community is one of Buddhism's Three Jewels -- along with the Buddha and the dharma -- and much of the current issue of Buddhadharma deals with just that. Judith Simmer-Brown kicks off the issue by inviting us to consider that “the only true enlightenment comes from the enlightenment of societies." Thich Nhat Hanh encourages communities to take up activism. [...]
James Myoun Ford and Ejo McMullen discuss obstacles on the path to ordination
James Myoun Ford and Ejo McMullen discuss why it's becoming harder and harder to get young people to ordain, from the current issue of Buddhadharma. [gard group='4'] [...]