Tricycle | Awake in the World

Though the term "Zen Monster" may bring to mind the Buddha-on-Godzilla image from Brad Warner's Sit Down and Shut Up, Zen Monster is actually a new magazine full of politics, religion, criticism, poetry, fiction, book reviews, and art. It's described as "a voice for independent poets, artists and writers outside of any hierarchical or ecclesiastical Buddhist affiliation." It's very pretty, too, thanks to designer Charles Rue Woods, a longtime friend of Tricycle. Contributors to the first issue include Norman Fischer, Philip Whalen, Susan Bee, Ann Waldman, Gary Snyder, and many more. More »

[Author’s note: It’s been my observation that the deepest compassion often arises from worst adversity, abandonment and neglect. It is those who suffer most who understand suffering best.] The year was 1954 and I’d been drafted into the Army and sent to Germany as part of the occupation forces. I met Ditha through a friend of hers who contracted with the Army to manage the mess hall at Friedberg Kaserne where I was stationed. As time went on, I learned something of Ditha’s past. She remembered being left one day at her aunt’s apartment in Frankfurt because, as it was explained to her, her Mother and Father had “business” somewhere that day. But they never came back to pick her up, and that’s the last she knew of them or their whereabouts. Later the Nazi’s came and took her aunt away, and Ditha became a ward of the state, housed in an orphanage. More »

From Mikel Dunham's website. More »

Here they are. More »

Danny Fisher points us to Wildmind's excellent Tibet turmoil round-up. More »

China defends its role in the Tibet crisis. There were even demonstrations in Beijing. And of course, China blocked YouTube. 49 people reported killed in fighting in Sri Lanka over the weekend. More »

Our friend Sharon Salzberg sent us an email with the following: Statement of Senator Barack Obama on the situation in Tibet Chicago, IL, March 14-- "I am deeply disturbed by reports of a crackdown and arrests ordered by Chinese authorities in the wake of peaceful protests by Tibetan Buddhist monks. I condemn the use of violence to put down peaceful protests, and call on the Chinese government to respect the basic human rights of the people of Tibet, and to account for the whereabouts of detained Buddhist monks. These events come on the 49th anniversary of the exile of the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhists, the Dalai Lama. They demonstrate the continuing frustration of the Tibetan people at the way in which Beijing has ruled Tibet. There has been an informal dialogue between Chinese leaders and the Dalai Lama's representatives over the past six years. More »

All eyes are on the Dalai Lama, who, though accused of instigating by some, says he feels helpless as he watches, as we all do, the events unfold. Dalai Lama video, courtesy of Precious Metal. More »

Burma's long nightmare continues. More »