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Samadhi Cushions and Store: Meditation cushions and benches made here in Vermont. A nonprofit carrying incense, gongs, books, cds, and other meditation supplies.
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Storms, Now in 3D - A Review of Life of Pi
As we are consistently told throughout the opening scenes of Fox 2000’s new release, The Life of Pi (adapted from the 2001 best-selling novel by Yann Matel), the story about to unfold “will make you believe in God.” Though that is hardly the case, the spectacular visual landscapes, animated beasts, and terrifying storm sequences, imagined and rendered masterfully in 3D by director Ang Lee (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) will certainly cause a stir in your stomach, if not in your faith. The story follows Pi Patel (played well by acting newcomer Suraj Sharma), told in a series of increasingly extended flashbacks from an older Pi (Irrfan Khan) to a dumbfounded Canadian writer (Rafe Spall) who is inquiring into his legendary story of surviving 227 days at sea—with a Bengal tiger. More » -
Real Buddha / Virtual Buddha: A Review of "Echoes of the Past: The Buddhist Cave Temples of Xiangtangshan"
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 » -
What does it mean to have a spiritual practice in the contemporary world?
Robert Bellah, who is widely considered to be North America's foremost sociologist of religion, has been featured previously in Tricycle. In the current issue of the magazine, contributing editor Linda Heuman reviews his long-anticipated magnum opus, Religion in Human Evolution. The book has generated high praise and enthusiastic endorsements from reviewers and scholars, including such intellectual heavyweights as Charles Taylor and Jurgen Habermas, and in scope and importance is being compared to the work of the greatest thinkers in the field, most notably that of Max Weber and Emile Durkheim. To give just one example, Hans Joas of the University of Chicago writes: More » -
Zen Monster #3
Zen Monster is a new-ish magazine (it first appeared in 2008 but only recently released its third issue) with the following manifesto: “We commit ourselves to art, poetry, fiction, and subversive political commentary by buddhist, non-buddhist and trans-buddhist writers, artists, and essayists. Zen Monster is committed to mature achievements, beginnings, half-steps, younger artists, older artists, and any ‘fumblings by the way.’” Then, tacked on at the end, a quasi-mission statement: “No inherent limits.” Zen Monster #3 is just as funky, passionate, and raw as the first two issues. More » -
The Fall 2011 issue of Tricycle: Letters and Reviews
We're always pleased to see letters to the editor, and our recent issues have brought us some good one for the Fall 2011 issue of Tricycle. Here's one response to Linda Heuman's "Whose Buddhism is Truest?" from the summer issue: More » -
The Bodhisattva’s Embrace: Dispatches from Engaged Buddhism’s Front Lines
The Bodhisattva’s Embrace: Dispatches from Engaged Buddhism’s Front Lines (Clear View Press, 2010, 244 pp., paper, $15) is a collection of personal essays written by Alan Senauke over the last twenty years. Senauke, former director of the Buddhist Peace Fellowship and advisor to the International Network of Engaged Buddhists, is a Zen priest who writes with authority on the topic of engaged Buddhism, from Israel and Palestine to the streets of Burma. He takes on difficult subjects to invite readers to “bear witness” to them, holding the belief that the deep suffering of the world naturally inspires compassionate action. Throughout his essays, Senuake’s words are like rocks: simple and strong. It’s a no-nonsense, sober approach to the truth of suffering, and Senuake’s message is clear: we’re all in this together, so let’s help each other out. More »
