Category: Teachings
The Bodhisattva Vow
Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche explains; those who take the bodhisattva vow make one simple commitment: to put others first, holding nothing back for themselves.
What are Kalpas?
In traditional Buddhist cosmology, kalpas are unfathomably long periods of time.
When Thich Nhat Hanh Met a French Soldier
In Vietnam during the French Indochina War, Thich Nhat Hanh made an unlikely connection with a French soldier.
It! It! It!
Forty years after his first sesshin, actor and writer Peter Coyote finally gets the point of Zen.
Do Buddhists believe in heaven and hell?
Do Buddhists believe in heaven and hell? We answer your questions about Buddhism & meditation.
Nagarjuna’s Tetralemma: Zen Math Will Never Add Up
Nagarjuna’s four propositions tell us that something may be what it is or it may not; it may be neither or it may be both. This is Zen math.
Buddhists bring meditation to the streets and subways of NYC
A new and quickly growing organization called Buddhist Insights is helping New Yorkers meditate in all manner of surprising places.
Pain Is My Built-in Buddha
Bhikkhu Bodhi on the stern but eloquent teachings of chronic pain.
What does it mean to call yourself a Buddhist?
What does it mean to call yourself a Buddhist? Are there specific things you have to do or believe, or is it up to you?
Between Arhat and Bodhisattva
Ajahn Amaro examines the arguments for and against the arhat and bodhisattva ideals that define and too often divide the Buddhist traditions. He suggests a way out of the polarizing debate.
What is the Rakusu?
Have you ever wondered about that bib-like garment that Zen priests and some lay practitioners wear around their necks? (It was also worn by three people on the cover of the first issue of Lion’s Roar.) Called a rakusu, it’s a miniature version of the Buddha’s monastic robe. Since the Buddha’s robe was said to…
The Power of a Two-Inch Circle
With a little pink ink, tattoo artist Amy Black helps breast cancer survivors reclaim their bodies.
What Do Buddhists Mean When They Talk about Karma?
What do Buddhists really mean when they talk about karma? We answer your questions on Buddhism and meditation.
What Actually Happens in the Lotus Sutra?
Donald S. Lopez, Jr. unpacks the Lotus Sutra, one of the most famous Buddhist scriptures, explaining how it came to be and how its influence has grown.
Playing With Buddha
At age seven, Ira Sukrungruang believed that the Buddha was more than a bronze statue. The Buddha was his best friend.
Forum: The Road Ahead
Gen X teachers from across traditions are transforming the vision and landscape of American Buddhism.
How do I develop insight through Buddhist practice?
We suffer, according to Buddhism, simply because we misunderstand the nature of reality. Sylvia Boorstein on developing insight into how things really are.
Trusting the Three Treasures
Taking refuge in the Buddha, dharma, and sangha, says Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, involves taking a leap forward with a deep sense of trust in our own basic nature and the natural wisdom of all phenomena.
Ordinary Buddha
Master Linji, better known in the West as Rinzai, shook up the Buddhist world by telling his students to drop their enlightenment agenda and simply be their true, ordinary selves. Thich Nhat Hanh examines Master Linji’s teachings on the “businessless person,” who has nothing to do and nowhere to go.
When You Greet Me, I Bow
When a couple sees their relationship as practice, their love is grounded in a deeper knowing of one another. Even if there are tough times, says Norman Fischer, practice brings them back to appreciation and affection.