Category Archives: Buddhism

Vol. 18. Bonus Issue. August 1, 2021 Milwaukee hasn’t felt this good in 50 years. After waiting five long decades, Milwaukee Bucks fans everywhere tasted the sweetness of winning an NBA championship. The ebullience was palpable. Tens of thousands of cheering fans packed the Deer District on the evening of July 20, then lined theContinue reading “We Did It Baby!”

Vol. 18. August 1, 2021 All summer long, Buddhist wisdom has been oozing off the courts, out the gyms and from the pools of our athletes. It’s time to shine the Buddhist spotlight on these pearls of wisdom and incorporate them into our own championship endeavors. The basic message gets inflected, but the wisdom says theContinue reading “Wisdom from the Wide World of Sports”

Vol. 17. July 5, 2021 Shortly after the Declaration of Independence was signed, sealed and delivered to King George of England, Patrick Henry reflected on the consequences. The Founding Father said, “The distinctions between Virginians, Pennsylvanians, New Yorkers and New Englanders are no more. I am not a Virginian, but an American!” Before July 4,Continue reading “Duck Boat to Identity”

Vol. 16. June 8, 2021 Amy Poehler had a great opening line for a commencement speech. To a raucous crowd at Harvard in 2011, the comedienne said, “Friends, Romans and countrymen: Lend me your beers.”  Steve Jobs was a bit more sober. For a commencement speech at Stanford in 2005, the Apple founder offered graduatesContinue reading “This Year’s Commencement Speaker: The Buddha!”

Vol 15. May 8, 2021 When asked if she did any household chores like spring cleaning, comedienne Phyllis Diller put it this way.  “Housework can’t kill you, but why take a chance?” Yes, my friends, it’s that pesky time of year when we throw open the windows, vacuum the carpets, dust the shelves and cleanContinue reading “Spring Cleaning”

Vol. 14. April 9, 2021 In April 1896, the poet A.E. Housman took a carriage ride in a woodland park. He captured the beauty of the moment in verse. Loveliest of trees, the cherry now Is hung with bloom along the bough, And stands about the woodland ride Wearing white for Eastertide. One hundred andContinue reading “Cherry Blossoms”

Vol. 13. March 10, 2021 Bob Dylan put the pandemic in perspective when he sang, Every step of the way, we walk the line.  Your days are numbered. So are mine.Time is piling up. We struggle and we scrape.  We’re all boxed in, nowhere to escape. Time indeed is piling up. One year in captivity.Continue reading “The Timeless Time-Out”

Vol. 12. February 9, 2021 Jack Kerouac wrote, “Happiness doesn’t come from coddling the senses, but from cultivating the mind. Buddhahood is the way. I’m not gonna be fooled anymore. I’m here to stick to my sweet tathagata.” How do we achieve happiness? How do we cultivate the mind? Here’s some advice from a 9thContinue reading “Buddhahood is the Way”

Vol. 11. January 9, 2021 The Washington Post summarized the events of January 6, 2021 in a memorable headline: Pro-Trump Mob Storms Capitol.  The rioters disrupted congressional lawmakers who were mulling over the counting of Electoral College votes.  The violence left five people dead and a nation in shock.  Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.),Continue reading “The Insanity of Ignorant Humanity”

Vol. 10. December 8, 2020 And lo! the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were afraid. And the angel said unto them, “Fear not. For behold, I bring you tidings of great joy. For unto you was born this day in the cityContinue reading “’Tis the Season of the Virgin Birth”