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Not Giving Up on Burma
Well, you gotta hand it to Washington. Our government, which has given up on combatting (or even admitting) human-influenced climate change, is not giving up on Burma, at least rhetorically (It helps that Iran seems to be off the table for now.) Congress is finally pushing a bill through the gridlock that will cut off some finances for the junta. About time! And Bush promises more sanctions. On another note Danny Fisher points out we can sign a petition to tell the world we don't support the Bush administration's obstruction vis a vis the Bali talks. More » -
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Atheism, Vietnam, Sarkozy, and Holiday Stress
Why is atheism so hot right now? The Nation's Katha Pollitt: There's no question in my mind that horror at militant Islam and fear of Muslim immigration lie behind at least some of the current vogue for atheism--you don't make the bestseller list by excoriating the evils of Lutheranism or Buddhism. The problem is that the more scorn one feels for religious belief, the less able one is to appreciate "reformed" or "moderate" variants of the faith. After all, pro-gay Episcopalians and liberation theology Catholics still believe in Christ, the afterlife, sin; reformed Jews still find wisdom in the Old Testament. Strictly speaking, an atheist should have no truck with any of it. But if all you can offer people is reasons to quit their religion--which also often means their community, their family, their support system and their identity--you're not going to have many takers. More » -
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Gil Fronsdal, Aung San Suu Kyi, the Dalai Lama on Parade, and Meditation Tips
Insight meditation teacher Gil Fronsdal has answered the top three questions from visitors to tricycle.com. They're here. BURMA: A very brief piece says Aung San Suu Kyi is ready to cooperate with the government "in the interest of the nation." Boycott Chevron. More » -
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Trouble in Thailand continues; Who's meditating now?
BURMA: Imprisoned leader Aung San Suu Kyi is set for talks with UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari. What will they talk about? She reportedly has some health problems. The junta will gladly let her leave for treatment, but getting back in might be a little trickier. More » -
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Meditation: What do the numbers tell us?
Kudos to Jeff Wilson, whose blog post at the end of December continues to inspire lively discussion. It’s a good bit of information to keep in mind that most Buddhists do not meditate; just like many of our Asian counterparts, we are often ignorant of other forms of Buddhist practice. Tibetans never referred to their dharma as “Tibetan dharma”; nor did Sri Lankans consider their dharma anything but dhamma. It is Western historical scholarship that began the study of comparative religion, and it is in the West where we find most forms of Buddhism thriving side by side. So it’s an excellent point Jeff makes: The forms of Buddhism most common among Western converts make up only a very thin slice of the global Buddhist pie. But do numbers matter? More » -
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What makes a Buddhist?
By view or practice Over the last decade, there has been a fascinating discussion about Buddhism for the West -- whether the Buddha's teachings should be adapted or imported with all the cultural trappings, whether we should all dressed up as Tibetans, Burmese monks and Zen masters, or whether it is our duty to create a new brand such as "American Buddhism." Since I'm supposed to be a spokesperson here for the Tibetan tradition, it brings up an interesting point: was there really a "Tibetan Buddhism"? I wonder. That branding sounds a bit like it was made by early explorers and travelers who simply described what they saw -- from the outside. You probably heard names like Lamaism, the Yellow and Red Hat Sect. Over three decades of spending time with Tibetan Buddhist teachers, I've never heard then use those names even once, except to make fun. More »
