Tricycle | Awake in the World

In a Huffington Post article published yesterday, religion reporter Jaweed Kaleem offers an insightful look into POC sitting groups in the American dharma scene. The article, "Buddhist 'People Of Color Sanghas,' Diversity Efforts Address Conflicts About Race Among Meditators," examines the need for minority sanghas alongside the seemingly "un-Buddhist" intention to form exclusive communities and courses for people of color. Kaleem writes, More »

Echoes of the Past: The Buddhist Cave Temples of Xiangtanghsan, buddha sculptures and digital reconstructions, on New York’s Upper East Side.The great Buddhist reliquaries of the world—be they caves, mountainside monasteries, summit stupas, or ancient monuments—remain inaccessible to most due to their remoteness. Though great leaps in transportation technology have closed vast distances, both the pillaging of artifacts and the limiting of exposure in the interest of preservation continue to make visits to these far-flung sites difficult. Two alternatives act as windows that provide virtual access to these otherwise inaccessible environs: the removal of objects of worship into private collections and museums, whereby they can be admired by the privileged elite and the general public, respectively, or the creation of immaterial or easily transportable renderings—primarily photography, but also painting and, more recently, digital modeling. More »

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 explains the common depiction of Padmasambhava set amid a copper-colored mountain. Himalayan Art 101: Padmasambhava and the Copper-Colored Mountain More »

If you’ve perused the current issue of Tricycle, you’ll have seen the beautiful and intricate artwork that illustrates our article about the convergence of Buddhism and neuroscience, “A Gray Matter,” by Columbia University professor of Japanese religion Bernard Faure. If these images seem hauntingly familiar, it’s for a reason. They’re of the neurons in our brains! The artist behind them, Greg Dunn, graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a doctorate in neuroscience last year. Since then, he’s been focusing on painting in his easily identifiable style: a modern, science-based twist on the ancient East Asian brush painting technique of sumi-e. More »

Tricycle board president Werner Doyle dropped by the office today with what may very well be the world's first Shakyamuni Buddha created by a 3D printer. He's made from a corn-based material—and he's rockin' that Tricycle red! We've found this video of a 3D printer making a Buddha head, but for now we're going to claim that Tricycle is in possession of the world's first 3D printer version of the Buddha's whole figure. (Of course, we're sure that it will be only a matter of time before our discerning readers prove us wrong.) Here's to history being made! More »

This Thursday acclaimed director Pema Tseden will be screening his documentary film The Weatherman's Legacy at Trace Foundation. Made for Discovery Channel Asia in 2004, the film was made in Pema Tseden's hometown, where it follows a Tibetan shaman who wants to pass down his hailstorm-stopping and rain-making skills to a son who would rather run a video-rental business in the village instead. Worried that his reputation in the village is slipping, the shaman's last hope lies with his grandson, who is beginning to learn the ancient incantations. More »

(RNS) Congress will become a shade more religiously diverse this January, after Tuesday's (Nov. 6) election of the first Hindu representative and first Buddhist senator.Tulsi Gabbard, a Democrat from Hawaii, will become the first Hindu-American congresswoman, after defeating her Republican rival on Tuesday.Ami Bera, a California doctor who was raised Hindu but now identifies as a Unitarian Universalist, according to the Hindu American Foundation, narrowly leads the race for California's 7th congressional district. More »

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 teaches us how to differentiate between deities exhibiting peaceful appearances. Himalayan Art 101: Differentiating Among Peaceful Appearances More »

We know, we know: death isn't all that much fun to think about. But since when has Buddhism ever shied away from sharing the bad news? So here at Tricycle, we won't either. The truth of the matter is, we're all going to die someday. And as our new retreat leader Caroline Yongue, a Soto Zen minister from North Carolina, puts it, why not prepare for death now, while you are still able to do so? It's been said in some circles that the Buddha was the ultimate pragmatist. Our November retreat, "How a Buddhist Can Prepare for Death," is just about as practical as you can get about it. Over the next four weeks, Yongue will share with you her insights about planning for your own death, from phowa practice to preparing advance care directives. More »