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Contemplative psychotherapy for individuals, couples, and groups in New York City.
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Himalayan Buddhist Art 101: The Buddha
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 will make sense of this rich artistic tradition by presenting a weekly image from the Himalayan Art Resources archives and explaining its role in the Buddhist tradition. This week we explore the image of the Buddha.The Buddha is the most iconic visual form found in Buddhist art in general and this is also true for Tibetan and Himalayan Buddhist art in particular. More » -
Buddha Buzz: AIDS Activist Buddha
Found this funny Buddhist bumper sticker on chron.com, amid many Christian ones. As the post says, there's something about expressing your religion publicly, for all to see; it's a clear identity statement. But the thing is, I'd hazard a guess that unless you're Buddhist yourself or know something about Buddhism, this bumper sticker wouldn't mean a thing to you—not a lot of non-Buddhists know the word "mahayana." So...what does that make this? A non-identity statement? (A Buddhist bumper sticker, then, indeed!) In any case, unidentified Ford owner, I like your sticker. More » -
Jataka Tales: The Birth Story of the Great Monkey (Mahavanarajatakam)
This story is from the Jataka tales, stories of the Buddha's past lives. Though not from the Pali Canon, The Birth Story of the Great Monkey was written in Sanskrit by the poet Aryashura. It's taken from the Garland of the Buddha's Past Lives (Jatakamala), a collection of 34 stories. Enjoy! More » -
9 Minute Enlightenment
How can we really address the issue of awakening as lay people caught up in our day-to-day activities? Joseph Goldstein has come up with a plan: "The nine-minute-a-day turbo-charged path to enlightenment!"* It consists of three 3-minute meditation sessions throughout the day, based on the following exercises: 1) Who is knowing? 2) Breaking Identification with the Body and 3) As the Thought Arises… He writes about it in the current Insight Newsletter for the Insight Meditation Society. More » -
Mahaparinibbana Sutta: Four Places of Pilgrimage
"There are four places, Ananda, that a pious person should visit and look upon with feelings of reverence. What are the four?"'Here the Tathagata was born!' [Lumbini] This, Ananda, is a place that a pious person should visit and look upon with feelings of reverence."'Here the Tathagata became fully enlightened in unsurpassed, supreme Enlightenment!' [Bodhgaya] This, Ananda, is a place that a pious person should visit and look upon with feelings of reverence."'Here the Tathagata set rolling the unexcelled Wheel of the Dhamma!' [Sarnath] This, Ananda, is a place that a pious person should visit and look upon with feelings of reverence. More » -
Week 2 Roundup: The Buddha's Original Ideas
We're finishing up week 2 of Rita Gross's Tricycle Retreat, "Buddhist History for Buddhist Practitioners," today. This week Gross discussed India's spiritual scene at the time of the Buddha. She reminds us that the Buddha didn't come up with his philosophy all on his own, that he made use of many of the ideas popular with his spiritual contemporaries. For example, the Buddha did not invent notions of karma, rebirth, and a vast cosmos.Gross has been wonderful at responding to comments left by retreat participants, especially ones that have to do with history. One participant comments that she thought of the Buddha's leaving home as a metaphor. More »
