Samadhi Cushions and Store: Meditation cushions and benches made here in Vermont. A nonprofit carrying incense, gongs, books, cds, and other meditation supplies.
Random Notes |
-
3 comments
the Dha-ha-ha-harma
I remember reading somewhere a while back (it's pretty foggy) about what a modern-day Zen teacher (or he might have been Tibetan) said when asked about the skillfulness or use of laughter. His response was something to the effect of "I love laughter, because you can't think conceptual thoughts when you're laughing." The room full of eager students no doubt broke down in side-splitting non-conceptual thought. It's an interesting point, but I'm not sure I agree with it. Concepts, some gross (in both senses of the word), some more subtle, are so often the basis of what is making us laugh that I have trouble believing that it just shuts off with the rising of the first giggle. I like the quote mostly because it is proof that Buddhist teachers aren't against laughter (and it is short enough to more or less remember). Personally, the dharma and humor have always been highly complementary, and I believe both cultivate the same healthy perspective on life. More » -
1 comment
Buddhist Self-Love and Blessed Contraceptives
From the department of Wasting Your Time on the Web: Jef Poskanzer has a page on his site reproducing a chart that supposedly appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle in December 1994. The chart, titled "Religion and Sexual Ethics," lists a variety of (mostly) sexual topics, and says how these topics are viewed in various religions. The topics may be categorized under these headings: Blessed Morally Acceptable in Most Cases Neutral or No Clear Position Morally Unacceptable in Most Cases, and Condemned The Chronicle is said to have made the chart "based on official reports and expert advice." So how does Buddhism do? More » -
0 comments
Of Pizza Hut and Enlightenment.
A truly spectacular benefit of working here at Trike is having the opportunity to take time off for extended retreats. I just returned from a month in the desert, and can't thank my colleagues enough for allowing me to disappear as we were closing the Spring issue and shouldering the extra burden while I was gone. Without going into detail, I'll just say that all sorts of interesting work was done, and I only hope that it will turn out to be for the benefit of all sentient beings, as they say, my coworkers included. That said, I am still struggling to reenter normal life and the old nine-to-five after twelve hours in the shrine room every day for four weeks. As I imagine almost any retreatant will tell you, even the shortest weekend retreats can cast the modern world in any number of new lights, from the horribly jarring to overwhelmingly beautiful. More » -
0 comments
Some Buddhist Crowing
I'm happy to let you all know that Tricycle was awarded first prize in the Historical Travel category by the North American Travel Journalists Association (NATJA) for "Fearsome Roots in a Quiet Forest" by David Taylor. The article covered David's trip to North Carolina's Smoky Mountains in search of the elusive ginseng plant. It ran in the summer 2006 issue. Sharing first prize was Travel + Leisure; National Geographic Travel was runner up. Tricycle's managing editor, Ian Collins, did a great job editing the piece. Congratulations to him and David both! And while we're beating our chests, I can't forget to mention that this year, Tricycle received the Folio Silver Award for best spiritual title. More » -
1 comment
Running on Emptiness
Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, spiritual and secular leader of Shambhala International and president of The Shambhala Sun, the Canadian bimonthly, has a new music video out. A wearer of many hats, the Sakyong is also a marathon runner. He completed the New York City Marathon last year in a very respectable 3 hours, 26 minutes. You can't say he's running on empty. - Philip Ryan, Webmaster More » -
0 comments
Crawling to Bodh Gaya
The Hindustan News reports that Gyansen Lama, a Tibetan monk in his 20s, is crawling all the way from Tibet to Bodh Gaya, the site of the Buddha's enlightenment beneath the Bodhi Tree. He has already cleared Nepal and, as of January 3, 2007, is about 110 kilometers from his goal. (He reportedly covers about 7 kilometers a day on average.) Curious crowds have gathered along the route to watch the spectacle of a monk wrapped in sackcloth with woolen gloves moving along the road "at a snail's pace." It is not clear how Gyansen Lama and his entourage of two monks crossed the border out of Tibet, but the ground in India must certainly feel softer and warmer than the roads in Tibet, where wool gloves seem like faint protection. - Philip Ryan, Webmaster More »
