Category: Dharma & Society
The Meaning of Barack Obama
Even before he was president, Obama was a 21st global citizen, helping us to transcend parochialism, tribalism, and that most pernicious of fictions — race.
Buddhist Views on the Practice of Politics
Buddhist practice is inherently political, so here are eight views on how to move society along the path to liberation from political suffering.
Listen: Nepal’s rock star Buddhist nun, Ani Choying Drolma
Listen to the music of Nepalese musician and Buddhist nun Ani Choying Drolma.
The Elephant in the Meditation Room
Does Buddhism mean you have to be a liberal? No, says Buddhist and lifelong Republican Christopher Ford.
Recalling Bob Dylan’s Buddhist “Monk”
Bob Dylan’s just won the Nobel Prize for Literature — for his body of songwriting. Seems about right; this is, after all, a person of many talents. Which leads us to recall one less-appreciated Dylan art pursuit: painting. In October 2011, the exhibition Bob Dylan: The Asia Series, was mounted at New York’s Gagosian Gallery.…
Tomoji Ito’s Kitchen Sermons
For, Shinso Ito, being a good citizen comes down to how we behave in our daily interactions and personal relationships.
Watch the beautiful short film, SIT — plus a bonus clip
SIT is a new, short documentary film by Yoko Okumura, daughter of the Bloomington, Indiana-based Japanese Soto Zen priest Shohaku Okumura.
Uncovering the Buddhist lessons in Alan Moore’s “Swamp Thing” comics
More than thirty years ago, famed comics auteur Alan Moore put a Buddhist spin on DC Comics’ Swamp Thing.
Watch the heartwarming “Love Has No Labels” — the first PSA to win an Emmy
In this beautiful PSA about implicit bias, we're reminded of love's power to cross any perceived boundaries.
Bhikkhu Bodhi talks “Four Noble Truths of the Climate Crisis” at White House
In this video from a gathering of Buddhists at the White House, Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi addresses climate change and related issues through a Buddhist lens.
Watch the trailer for the new Benedict Cumberbatch-narrated documentary about Thich Nhat Hanh
The trailer for Walk With Me — a "journey into the world of mindfulness... and Thich Nhat Hanh," narrated by Benedict Cumberbatch — has been released.
Coming Home: A Buddhist transitions genders
In 2010, at fifty-three, I surgically transitioned from male to female. It happened after years of therapy, soul-searching, and grudging self-acceptance.
New animated film “Kubo and the Two Strings” introduces kids to Buddhist concepts
Kubo and the Two Strings, a new animated film that hits theaters today, takes kids on an adventure with strong Buddhist themes.
The Buddha in Obama’s pocket
A small Buddha statuette, given to him by a monk, is often found on Barack Obama's person.
What does Neil deGrasse Tyson have to say about “Buddhistic” astrophysics?
Famed astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson has a hypothesis about science and Buddhism.
A Buddhist psychoanalyst puts our divided country on the couch
Psychoanalyst Robert Langan traces the current climate of demonization to the three poisons: greed, aversion, and the ignorance of self-righteous certainty.
Jaimal Yogis’ documentary “Saltwater Buddha” teaches the samsara of surfing
For surfer, journalist, and Zen practitioner Jaimal Yogis, his documentary film, "Saltwater Buddha," has been the ultimate lesson in letting go.
Beyond Privilege: a Q&A with angel Kyodo williams
To make diversity real, says Zen teacher angel Kyodo williams, Buddhists must look deep into their own hearts.
The Frontier Zen of Philip Kapleau and Rochester Zen Center
As Rochester Zen Center celebrates its 50th anniversary, Zen teacher James Ishmael Ford reflects on its unique importance.
Revisiting a classic, cringe-tastic Dharma-Burger
This week, "New York" magazine revisited a classic conflation of Buddhism and marketing.