Tricycle - Awake in the World

Compassionate Gift Giving Ideas: Zen Hospice Project

Emma Varvaloucas — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 21:39:24 +0000

One way to give compassionately and intelligently this holiday season is to widen the net of those who receive the benefit of your generosity by donating to charities and nonprofit organizations. You can forego traditional presents and instead make a donation in your loved one's name, or you can pledge to donate the amount of money you spend on holiday gifts this year to a worthy cause.

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Himalayan Buddhist Art 101: Portraits

Alex Caring-Lobel — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 18:52:55 +0000

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Buddhist practice and Buddhist art have been inseparable in the Himalayas ever since Buddhism arrived to the region in the eighth century. But for the casual observer it can be difficult to make sense of the complex iconography. Not to worry—Himalayan art scholar Jeff Watt is here to help. In this "Himalayan Buddhist Art 101" series, Jeff is making sense of this rich artistic tradition by presenting weekly images from the Himalayan Art Resources archives and explaining their roles in the Buddhist tradition.

This week Jeff describes the history of portraiture in Himalayan art.

Himalayan Buddhist Art 101: Portraits

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Tricycle Talk with Shamar Rinpoche

Emma Varvaloucas — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 05:00:00 +0000

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Welcome to the latest installment of Tricycle Talks, our audio interviews with prominent Buddhist voices.

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Treasury of Lives: Gyelse Zhenpen Taye Ozer and the Founding of Sri Simha College

Emma Varvaloucas — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 18:45:16 +0000

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Biography and autobiography in Tibet are important sources for both education and inspiration. Tibetans have kept such meticulous records of their teachers that thousands of names are known and discussed in a wide range of biographical material. All these names, all these lives—it can be a little overwhelming. The authors involved in the Treasury of Lives are currently mining the primary sources to provide English-language biographies of every known religious teacher from Tibet and the Himalaya, all of which are organized for easy searching and browsing. Every Tuesday on the Tricycle blog, we will highlight and reflect on important, interesting, eccentric, surprising and beautiful stories found within this rich literary tradition.

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Compassionate Gift Giving Ideas: Rolling Jubilee

Alex Caring-Lobel — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 17:07:22 +0000

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One way to give compassionately and intelligently this holiday season is to widen the net of those who receive the benefit of your generosity. Every Tuesday here on Tricycle's Buddhist Holiday Survival Guide, we'll be posting about organizations that could use your help this holiday season.

Rolling Jubilee: The People's Bailout

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Behind the Scenes Look at Tricycle Artist Beppe Giacobbe

Emma Varvaloucas — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 20:40:32 +0000

Beppe Giacobbe

The artist behind our striking cover this issue is Beppe Giacobbe, an artist from Milan. One of the Tricycle staffers found this whimsical, behind-the-scenes video of his work on YouTube last week. Whether he's doing work for us or for Chevy Spark, who sponsored the video, it seems like Giacobbe's style remains the same. As he says in the beginning of the video, "My art in three words? White, red, and black."

Healing Oneself, Healing the Earth - Second Week of David Loy's Retreat

Andrew Gladstone — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 05:00:00 +0000

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In this second week of David Loy's retreat, he discusses how we can understand the parallels between personal and collective dukkha. By examining the ways that we construct an individual "I" that is separate from those around us, he explains how modern civilizations have separated themselves from the biosphere.

He offers a history of where this distinction between 'construction' and nature began, tracing it back to the ancient Greeks, and suggests this may be an origin for a very important aspect of modern dukkha, which is characterized by an anxiety that grows out of a sense of not knowing one's place or role in this world.

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Generosity as Practice: A Buddhist Holiday Survival Guide

Emma Varvaloucas — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 05:00:00 +0000

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A very Happy Hanukkah to all of the JuBus out there!

So it's one week into the holiday season. How's it going for everyone? Me, I've gone on a holiday decorating rampage in my apartment, which means that even my Buddhist paraphernelia has undergone the Christmas treatment (example at right).

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Buddha Buzz: Buddhist News from Around the World, Week of December 3

Emma Varvaloucas — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 18:19:30 +0000

Romney Team

Frolicking around the Buddhist interwebz today, I stumbled upon the very cool new project Radio Buddha. It's an Internet radio station that streams multi-tradition Buddhist dharma talks, sutras, and prayers 24/7. 24/7! And it's all free! Right now the line-up is leaning heavily on the Tibetan side, but perhaps as they gather more audio content the schedule will become more well-rounded.

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Walking Meditation ("How to Get the Shpilkes Out")

Emma Varvaloucas — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 22:55:59 +0000

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Walking is a perfect form of meditation for those of us who are not sitters. I beat myself up about not being a sitter with thoughts like: I should sit. I should sit. I should sit.

The Dalai Lama sits. Stillness would be a good quality to cultivate in the world…are thoughts I think until the baggage of my thoughts about sitting gets so big I cannot fit it in the overhead compartment. I must pay extra to have it checked to my final destination, if you know what I mean.

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A Buddhist Holiday Survival Guide: Compassionate Gift Giving Ideas

Emma Varvaloucas — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 19:16:25 +0000

Peace on the Street

One way to give compassionately and intelligently this holiday season is to widen the net of those who receive the benefit of your generosity by donating to charities and nonprofit organizations. You can forego traditional presents and instead make a donation in your loved one's name, or you can pledge to donate the amount of money you spend on holiday gifts this year to a worthy cause.

read more

Himalayan Buddhist Art 101: The Thirty-five Confession Buddhas

Alex Caring-Lobel — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 19:03:00 +0000

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Buddhist practice and Buddhist art have been inseparable in the Himalayas ever since Buddhism arrived to the region in the eighth century. But for the casual observer it can be difficult to make sense of the complex iconography. Not to worry—Himalayan art scholar Jeff Watt is here to help. In this "Himalayan Buddhist Art 101" series, Jeff is making sense of this rich artistic tradition by presenting weekly images from the Himalayan Art Resources archives and explaining their roles in the Buddhist tradition.

This week Jeff takes a look at varying depictions of the Thirty-five Confession Buddhas in the Mahayana tradition.

Himalayan Art 101: Confession Buddha Paintings

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Tricycle Pilgrimage: Young Monks in Bumthang

James Shaheen — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 16:31:12 +0000

Young Bhutanese monks

These young Bhutanese monks, at Thamshing Monastery in Jakar, Bumthang, spent the morning memorizing texts by reciting them aloud. Neither the cold nor a nearby pack of barking dogs seemed to distract them.

Tricycle Pilgrimage: Self-arising talisman

James Shaheen — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 15:59:09 +0000

Shop Phallus

Phalluses are a common sight in Bhutan. They're thought to ward off evil spirits. They are often nailed to trees or posts, or painted onto the outside walls of houses and shops. At Chimey Lhakang, or the Temple of the Divine Madman, in Bumthang, visitors are tapped on the head with a phallus, which is thought to bring fertility to those hoping to have children. Our guide referred to the sacred object as "the mighty flaming phallus of discerning wisdom of the Divine Madman." The Divine Madman, or Drukpa Kungley, remains a revered historical figure in Bhutan and is remembered as a great master of Vajrayana. After the visit, one witty Tricycle pilgrim let the rest of us know that she had morning-after pills on hand should anyone feel the need.

World Buddhist Leaders Response to the Growing Ethnic Violence Against Muslims in Myanmar

Emma Varvaloucas — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 15:29:52 +0000

Burma statement

In response to the recent ethnic violence against Muslims in Burma's Rakhine state, which has often been supported and perpetuated by the area's Buddhists, international Buddhist leaders have produced this statement, due to be published in Burmese newspapers this week:

WORLD BUDDHIST LEADERS RESPONSE
TO THE GROWING ETHNIC VIOLENCE AGAINST MUSLIMS IN MYANMAR

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Treasury of Lives: Kagyu Founders Part 2, Gampopa and Barompa

Alex Caring-Lobel — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 21:31:14 +0000

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Biography and autobiography in Tibet are important sources for both education and inspiration. Tibetans have kept such meticulous records of their teachers that thousands of names are known and discussed in a wide range of biographical material. All these names, all these lives—it can be a little overwhelming. The authors involved in the Treasury of Lives are currently mining the primary sources to provide English-language biographies of every known religious teacher from Tibet and the Himalaya, all of which are organized for easy searching and browsing. Every Tuesday on the Tricycle blog, we will highlight and reflect on important, interesting, eccentric, surprising and beautiful stories found within this rich literary tradition.

read more

A Buddhist Holiday Survival Guide: Compassionate Gift Giving Ideas

Emma Varvaloucas — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 20:12:53 +0000

Bhutan Nuns Foundation

One way to give compassionately and intelligently this holiday season is to widen the net of those who receive the benefit of your generosity by donating to charities and nonprofit organizations. You can forego traditional presents and instead make a donation in your loved one's name, or you can pledge to donate the amount of money you spend on holiday gifts this year to a worthy cause. Every Tuesday here on Tricycle's Buddhist Holiday Survival Guide, we'll be posting about Buddhist organizations who could use your help this holiday season.

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Neuroscience Fiction in the New Yorker

Alex Caring-Lobel — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 20:59:00 +0000

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Since Alissa Quart's "neuro-critical" Times op-ed, which we covered on the blog last week, The New Yorker has followed suit. On The New Yorker's News Desk blog, Gary Marcus reports on the recent history of the preponderence of neuroscientific explanations in the mainstream media despite several setbacks within the field and a number of overlooked books which seriously undermine neuroscience's most sensational claims. This brief history extends up to the publication of Quart's op-ed last week, which Marcus announces as the entry of these concerns into the mainstream.

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A Buddhist Holiday Survival Guide

Alex Caring-Lobel — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 05:00:00 +0000

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'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.

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New Online Retreat: Transforming Self, Transforming Earth: A Buddhist Ecology

Andrew Gladstone — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 05:00:00 +0000

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It's possible that Hurricane Sandy was an anomaly. Or maybe, just maybe, the Earth is trying to tell us something. As more resources in both the public and private sectors are being put toward sustainable technology and awareness initiatives, our new retreat with professor and Zen teacher David Loy offers yet another way to contemplate the pressing eco-crisis.

Often it seems like a rather daunting task— can an individual actually change the trajectory of our planet? Our December retreat, "Transforming Self, Transforming Earth: A Buddhist Ecology" offers insights into how we can (and must) take responsibility for our individual attitudes that have repercussions on much larger scales.

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