The Institute of Buddhist Studies provides graduate level education in the entirety of the Buddhist tradition with specialized instruction supporting Jodo Shinshu Buddhist ministry.
A Buddhist Holiday Survival Guide
'Tis the season to be jolly—and to grit your teeth and run through the gauntlet of what is commonly known as the holiday season. Whether it's gift shopping or socializing with your relatives that's got you down, Tricycle's month-long Buddhist Holiday Survival Guide is here to help.
Throughout the month, Zen monk Brad Warner will be answering all of your practice questions, and midway through December, Zen teacher Ezra Bayda will be leading a discussion on dealing with those difficult relationship situations—in-laws, new partners, old family resentments—that tend to crop up over the holidays.
On the Tricycle blog we'll be featuring dharma talks on generosity by Buddhist teacher Gil Fronsdal, articles from our archives on family and relationships, Buddhist gift ideas, and more to awaken your spirit of generosity, patience, and forbearance. So make sure to check back for something new each day.
It’s the season of practicing generosity, and in honor of the holidays we're offering our Tricycle Teachings: Generosity e-book free to Supporting and Sustaining Members, featuring articles by Joseph Goldstein, Thanissaro Bhikkhu, Robert Aitken Roshi, and Judy Leif.
You can also help a loved one through this holiday season by giving them the gift of dharma with a Tricycle Community Gift Sustaining Membership.
Together, we just might make it to January 1st!
To start things off today, here's Gil Fronsdal, the primary teacher for the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, California, speaking on "Generosity in the Teachings of the Buddha."
It's Christmas time. I love buying gifts, and I also know that our planet does not benefit by the commercial extremity that Christmas has become.
My solution has been to donate one dollar for every dollar I spend on gifts. Shopping at places like Ten Thousand Villages, where profits go directly to the world wide artisans' collectives, is one strategy for me.
If I get consumerist at Christmas, a lot of families - not just my own - eat and live better. Another strategy is buying goats, chickens, school supplies, baby health kits from groups like Unicef or Oxfam. My granddaughter took no time at all to enjoy the fact that the pig was not living with her but with friends overseas who needed it.
Thank your for the idea of Ten Thousand Villages, I love the idea of giving gifts to my friends/family and helping others. I give donations to charity of choice to adults, but the kiddo's like something to play with!
thank you for giving us your experiences and thoughts on generosity ~ for me a timely message
Thank you for this presentation as well as all the great teachings onTRICYCLE.