Last Sunday, we attended Sebastian Baker’s 70th Continuation Day (aka Birthday) party. My wife made the birthday cakes – enough for 60 people and it got devoured! To show his appreciation for Mala’s cakes, he gave us a gift of a book of his photographs called, Portals: Images and Verse. He is an accomplished photographer as the […]
The Five Remembrances
June 24, 2013 by
The Five Remembrances help us to embrace the realities of life. We all will grow old, get sick, and die. There is no escape. When we contemplate them daily, we get a perspective on life that is skillful and wholesome. Many versions exist. This version is from the Plum Village Chanting Book by Zen Master […]
Practicing Right View – Thich Nhat Hanh
June 22, 2013 by
The following quote is from my teacher, Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. He talks about practicing right view in order to relieve our suffering. Right View is one of the elements of the Eightfold path along with Right Speech, Right Thought, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Diligence, Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration. As the first […]
Stories We Tell Ourselves
June 19, 2013 by
This quote is from Sharon Salzberg, a renowned teacher of vipassana meditation and co-founder of the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies with Joseph Goldstein. She is especially known for her teachings on loving kindness meditation. Mindfulness helps us get better at seeing the difference between what’s happening and the stories we tell ourselves about what’s happening, stories that […]
To Desire What You Don’t Have…
June 16, 2013 by
Happy Father’s Day! I once attended a weekend retreat led by Ken Keyes. He is the founder of the Living Love method and author of Handbook to Higher Consciousness. It was at that retreat in 1974 that I first set eyes on Mala, my wife now of 32 years. Mala was the chef at the Living […]
Rejoice In What We Do Have
June 15, 2013 by
Dr. Rick Hanson authors a weekly newsletter which I subscribe to called Just One Thing. His posting this week is titled, “Feed the Mouse.” If you got cheese, feed the mouse! Dr. Hanson was the host for the Sounds True series, The Compassionate Brain and the author of Buddha’s Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and […]
Pearl Of Wisdom
June 13, 2013 by
This pearl of wisdom was written by Tao-hsuan in the early part of the seventh century. He was an important Chinese Buddhist scholar and the founder of the Lu-Tsung disciplinary school of Chinese Buddhism. One of the major teachings of the Buddha was written down as the Vinaya, which are the rules of conduct monastics living […]
Depth Of Enlightenment
June 9, 2013 by
This quote is taken directly from The Dude and the Zen Master by Roshi Bernie Glassman and Jeff Bridges on page 108. Bernie talks about how the depth of enlightenment of a person is related to whom they serve. BERNIE: Shakyamuni Buddha said that everything and everyone, as they are, are enlightened. On the other […]
Meditation Is The Stream Of Life
June 3, 2013 by
Gary Snyder, in “Just One Breath,” shows us how meditation is the stream of life. His words, repeated here, are the weekly words of wisdom chosen by Lama Surya Das for this week. When we become one with the stream of life, we feel the flow of peace and tranquility. We recognize our interbeing with all […]
Comments On The Bodhisattva Vows
Yesterday, I presented the Vows of the Bodhisattvas in two versions. One of the versions was from the San Francisco Zen Center and their founder, Zen Master Shunryu Suzuki Roshi. It goes like this: Beings are numberless. I vow to awaken with them. Delusions are inexhaustible. I vow to end them. Dharma gates are boundless. […]
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