Find someone special to share your life...and your Dharma. Meet local singles who share your beliefs & values. Safe, private, anonymous. In-depth profiles and photos.
Buddhism |
-
0 comments
Monks R Us
Buddhist temples outside Japan's cities are struggling. Dwindling membership and an aging population have forced resident monks to head to the cities for weekend work to support their temples, officiating at funerals and weddings. A few hundred such monks, for instance, are registered with the Grand Religion Co. and work as "dispatch monks," taking on what amounts to temp work for clerics. In the case of Grand Religion, the agency takes a near 25% cut. Prices vary enough to confuse the public, who aren't clear on exactly what they should expect to pay for the monks' services, which can cost as little as 30,000 yen (about $320) and as much as 1.8 million yen (just over $19,000). According to Akihiko Yoshino, the head of one dispatch service, funerals can serve as an introduction to Buddhism. He charges a flat 84,000-yen fee (roughly $900) for his monks, though more if a monk from a specific Buddhist sect is requested. More » -
1 comment
Realization through one's own effort
Laypeople live in the realm of sensuality. They have families, money, and possessions, and are deeply involved in all sorts of activities. Yet sometimes they will gain insight and see dharma before monks and nuns do. Why is this? Well, why? Read Ajahn Chah's "Meeting the Dharma Alone" here. More » -
2 comments
Why Pema Chodron became a Buddhist
"I became a Buddhist because I hated my husband," Pema Chodron tells us with a laugh. I always like to hear how people came to the dharma and this YouTube video doesn't disappoint. It wasn't until she read about the "power of negativity"—now a chapter in Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche's classic The Myth of Freedom—that Ani Pema began to see a way out—or through—the wreckage of her life. Take a watch, she tells us why she eventually became a nun, too. The clip has been up for quite a while (30,000 views) but if you haven't yet seen it (I hadn't), it's worth it. [Image: gampoabbey.org] More » -
5 comments
Falling off the cushion
It happens all the time. Life gets hectic. A meditator falls off the cushion. Here's a story about one who tried to find his way back on. [Image: © Jean-Paul Bourdier, land art, no title] More » -
Russia's Buddhist Revival
Russian Buddhists received political acknowledgment yesterday when President Dmitry Medvedev announced his support for a revival of Buddhism during a visit to Buryatia, Siberia. Addressing Russian Buddhists at the Ivolga Datsan Monastery, Medvedev recognized the historical significance of Buddhism in Russia: Russia is in a special position in the sense that it is the only country in Europe in which Buddhism is recognised as one of the traditional religions. For more than three centuries now this, one of the world’s oldest religions, has been practised by peoples native to this country: the Buryats, Kalmyks, Tuvans and other peoples. Buddhism’s philosophy and spiritual practice have had a deep-reaching influence on the customs and traditions of all who live here and all who follow this religion. More » -
US Army's first Buddhist chaplain
He has left his boots at the door of the temple, but in the temple room he wears a standard Army camouflage uniform. Instead of a cross or crucifix on the right chest his uniform bears the "dharma wheel" insignia as a symbol of the Buddhist faith. This is a description of Thomas Dyer, 43, of Memphis, Tennessee. Dyer is the US Army's first Buddhist chaplain, according to the commercialappeal.com (Memphis Online). His conversion to Buddhism at first caused waves in his family, but his wife finally made peace with his decision: "I actually thank God in a way because I wouldn't have gone as deep in my own faith if I hadn't been challenged," she said. More »
