Question: How do we retain passion in life and still follow the teaching that we should accept all of life with equanimity? Narayan Helen Liebenson: I don’t think there is an inherent conflict between living passionately and living with equanimity. Not only can passion and equanimity coexist, they can work together harmoniously. When I use the word “passion,” I am referring [...]
Ask the Teachers: How can I accept the suffering of others?
Question: In dharma talks, the causes of suffering are often discussed, as is the cessation of suffering. I have been a Buddhist for about eighteen years, and while I feel I have an understanding and acceptance of the causes of personal suffering, I find it difficult to understand the causes of suffering when we suffer for others. Such suffering is not due to ignorance or [...]
Ask the Teachers: Should I meditate for short or long periods?
Question: Some teachers say that if you're having difficulty with your meditation you shouldn't force yourself to stay on the cushion. How do you know when you're forcing your meditation, instead of applying proper effort? Should you continue with the practice if you're feeling a lot of resistance and your mind is racing? Do you recommend short periods of meditation or longer [...]
This Life, Which is Wonderful and Evanescent
"One of the Buddha's most significant teachings is impermanence. But actually that is just how things are—anything, anytime, anywhere. To live in harmony with this truth brings great happiness." A teaching by the late Zen pioneer Zenkei Blanche Hartman, who died in May 2016. If you think about it, it's awesomely, amazingly wonderful just to be alive! It's a wonderful [...]
Forum: Are Kleshas Obstacles or Opportunities for Enlightenment?
A forum on kleshas and their role on the path to enlightenment, with an introduction by Barry Boyce. Buddhism has plenty of words for what human beings do wrong—defilements, neurotic behavior, obscurations, obstructions, evil deeds, kleshas, and so on. The beauty of Buddhism, though, is that it doesn’t focus on blame. The focus of Buddhism is samsara, which is not a sin but [...]
How does a meditator deal with episodes of major depression?
Question: How does a meditator deal with episodes of major depression? Narayan Helen Liebenson: Major depression is one of the more difficult situations one can encounter. My experience is that meditation can be beneficial, if practiced under the supervision of a skilled therapist or teacher. I recommend The Mindful Way through Depression by Mark Williams, John Teasdale, [...]
Good Evening, Bodhisattvas
She was a force in American Buddhism—as a pioneering practitioner, a dharma teacher, and the first female abbot of San Francisco Zen Center. (Read about her life and passing here.) In this excerpt from her book, Seeds from a Boundless Life, Zenkei Blanche Hartman reflected on “The Great Matter” that drove and sustained her. Just Being Alive Is Enough In 1989 I had a heart [...]
Do Buddhas think?
Question: Do buddhas think? Narayan Helen Liebenson: As I understand it, the awakened mind includes thinking; it’s just that the thinking is necessary, functional, and discerning rather than indulgent, unnecessary, and addictive. Without attachment to thinking, silence and peace are available. In not grasping after thoughts and taking them to be me and mine, there is freedom [...]
Ask the Teachers: How can we practice when dealing with dementia?
Question: Is there a Buddhist perspective regarding practitioners who become afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia? Since the mind is the primary tool with which we work toward the realization of buddhanature and enlightenment, what does it mean if one loses that mind, or loses the capacity to practice, long before one dies? I’ve been able to find teachings and [...]
Ask the Teachers: How can I engage with emotions in a way that turns me towards the Dharma?
Question: It seems that sometimes I can’t tolerate interruptions to my self-absorption. Irritations, big and small, intruding on my desire to settle into the false comfort of ego, can seemingly produce a “me” that is argumentative, difficult, and short-tempered. I’m guessing that I’m not alone in this. How can we engage emotional provocations and self-centeredness in ways that [...]