Category Archives: Buddhism

Vol. 9. November 9, 2020 On March 4, 1865, with the end of the Civil War in sight, Abraham Lincoln addressed the nation: “With malice toward none, with charity for all … let us … bind up the nation’s wounds.” It seems as if America has been through another Civil War. The Election of 2020Continue reading “Has the Age of American Cruelty ended?”

Vol. 8. October 9, 2020 Euripides once wrote, “When one with honeyed words but evil mind persuades the mob, great woes befall the state.” My friends, a presidential election is upon us. The result is sure to cause suffering for some, and happiness for others. But the result of the election has already been decidedContinue reading “Presidential Election Karma”

Vol. 7. September 2, 2020 Shakespeare described an image for this time of year: “The whining schoolboy, with his satchel, and shining morning face, creeping like snail, unwillingly to school.” If Shakespeare were to update his school supply list, he would add a face mask and hand sanitizer. One issue facing Americans today is shouldContinue reading “Back to School with the Buddha”

Vol. 6. August 6, 2020 P. G. Wodehouse once wrote, “It was a lovely day of blue skies and gentle breezes. Bees buzzed, birds tootled, and squirrels bustled to and fro, getting their suntan in the sunshine. In a word, all nature smiled.” Ah, Summer! What is it about summer that causes artists to rhapsodize?Continue reading “The Six Harmonies”

Vol. 5. July 5, 2020 Any transition is difficult. I recently got married, about a year ago. The transition from bachelorhood to married life has been not a bed of roses. Adjusting to new sights, new smells, and new messes tests the limits of patience and forgiveness. For a tidy guy to see wet towelsContinue reading “Transitions Are Difficult”

Vol. 4. June 10, 2020 Tennessee Williams once wrote: “Life is an unanswered question. But let’s still believe in the dignity and importance of the question.” The most lethal conflict in American history was the Civil War. 620,000 citizens died in four years. In the current pandemic, more than 100,000 citizens have died in aboutContinue reading “Diamond Graveyard Samadhi”

Vol. 3. May 9, 2020 Well, here we are, cooped up in Corona Town. There is no sports, little entertainment, no contact with friends. What have we gotten ourselves into? We’re boxed up in four walls, dreading our neighbors, fighting fake news, fearing for our lives. Is that any kind of life? We are …Continue reading “We are The Lonely”

Vol. 2. April 13, 2020 Thoreau (d. 1862) once wrote: “Read not The Times. Read the Eternities.” I live in the city. I’m a city mouse, not a country mouse. I prefer the hustle and bustle. But every once in a while, I like to cut out of the city and walk alone in theContinue reading “Read Not The Times. Read The Eternities.”

Vol 1. March 29, 2020 Jack Kerouac (d. 1969) once wrote, “I’ll found a BuddhistUniversity and put up this frieze in front: “HERE LEARN THAT LEARNING IS IGNORANCE.” I live across the street from a grade school. Most mornings schoolchildren line up and wait for the doors to open. Their bright faces chirp eagerly likeContinue reading “Learn Here that Learning is Ignorance”