Is Buddhism a Religion?

In the March 2018 issue of Lion’s Roar magazine, there is a very interesting discussion on “Is Buddhism a religion.” I am presenting these arguments because I am a Buddhist and have two religious brothers who are orthodox Jews. I am also curios to hear whether you would consider the Plum Village tradition of Zen […]

Garry Shandling was a Buddhist

I did not know that Garry Shandling was a Buddhist until I read this story on the Lion’s Roar website in an article titled, “He Never Said No” – The inside story of Garry Shandling’s Buddhism. It turns out that Garry Shandling was a friend of Brother Phap Hai, a monk in the Plum Village […]

What the World Needs Now

What the world needs now is generosity instead of greed, kindness, gratitude and compassion instead of aggression, wisdom instead of delusion, and most of all, unconditional love instead of hatred. These were the conclusions we came to last night at our dharma discussion in the Mindfulness in Healing sangha. The discussion was sparked by the […]

Dalai Lama Turned 80!

The Dalai Lama turned 80 yesterday and the whole world is celebrating. Roshi Joan Halifax sent out an announcement saying, “Yesterday, His Holiness the Dalai Lama—great model of compassion—turned 80. Join us in wishing him a happy continuation!” I’m glad to see that Roshi Joan wrote “Join us in wishing him a happy continuation” because […]

The Science of the Sacred Lotus

The lotus has been a major symbol in Buddhism for centuries. The lotus thrives in the mud and produces some of the most beautiful flowers in the world. Now scientists are discovering the science of the sacred lotus. They named them the “lotus effect” after them because of their ability to be water resistant and […]