On depression and “Buddhist science”
Not depressed: HHDL’s call for “Buddhist science” may make sense. Image source: buddhachannel.tv Several years ago I went on antidepressants. It was one of the most difficult, drawn-out, painful decisions I have ever made. When I finally did, though, there was very little pain and a lot of relief. Several days before my first prescription [...]
Buddha’s back
Image source: introductionbuddhism.info Pray allow me me a little self-disclosure. I am Christian in faith and practice. Nine hundred ninety-nine days out of a thousand, I don’t give serious thought to religions outside my own. I have had several opportunities to learn about Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, etc., some of them firsthand, but my understanding of [...]
The only way out is through
Madelene Purdie, Stations of the Cross. Purdie, an Australian aboriginal artist, follows the minority convention of placing a resurrected Christ in a 15th panel When in seminary I had a New Testament professor who said something I will always remember. He said that of all the world’s religions he preferred Buddhism and Christianity because these [...]
Jesus and Buddha are alive and well in suburban Tokyo
Buddha and Jesus wait for the train during rush hour in suburban Tokyo. The two spiritual masters leave Paradise to spend some time in the 21st century in Nakamura Hikaru‘s manga Seinto oniisan, which, roughly translated, is Saint Young Men. In Japanese the title carries overtones of brotherliness. You can download a number of episodes [...]
Buddhadharma and the vision thing
Detail of a Tibetan Buddhist mandala. Source: Wikimedia Commons This article first appeared at Religion Dispatches Two or three small pieces of this article have appeared in previous posts, so if you begin to feel some déjà vu, that’s why. A few weeks ago I spent an hour listening to His Holiness the 14th Dalai [...]
HHDL on Buddhadharma and science
HHDL speaking during his 2007 visit to Emory University. Photo by Brett Weinstein For an hour on Monday I sat within about 3 meters of greatness. I’m hoping some of it rubbed off. It was thrilling to be with Tenzin Gyatso, known also as His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, and listen to him talk [...]
Om mani padme hum, y’all: HHDL visits Atlanta
Karmym, Open Hearted (2009). Used with permission of the artist. What a dream of a painting. The Tibetan flag‘s sun radiates from his head, the wheel of dharma appears on his chest, and those words! Have you ever seen its equal? While you think about that, here’s HHDL on the Tibetan Buddhist chant Om mani [...]
Behold the Void
The Zen enso, a symbol of the interplay between Form and Void Sitting meditation is not, as is often supposed, a spiritual “exercise,” a practice followed for some ulterior object. From a Buddhist standpoint, it is simply the proper way to sit, and it seems perfectly natural to remain sitting so long as there is [...]
Dogs and cats living together! Mass hysteria! Or not
Christina Varga, Jesus and Buddha, Neobyzantine Triptych, 2001 (detail). I think that if these two fellows had ever met, they would’ve gotten along swimmingly. But can they get along in one person’s theology? I mean, really nicely? For years I have been a practicing Christian with a kind of background interest in Buddhism. But I’m [...]
Dalai Lama: Shambhala not in Canada
The Dalai Lama hosting a private audience at his residence in Dharamshala. This is not my photograph but shows almost exactly the view from my seat on Friday. Image source: www.dalailama.com Dad and I were the recipients of a great honor last Friday: we took part in a private audience with the Dalai Lama at [...]
