Generation X Inheriting American Buddhism.

PHOTO CREDIT: Buddha Statue in Thailand by chok photoFrom, "The Buddhist Channel": Buddhism in America is at a crossroads. The best-known Buddhist leaders, mostly white converts who emerged from the counterculture and protest movements of the Vietnam era, are nearing retirement or dying. Charlotte Joko Beck, a pioneer of Zen practice in America, passed away in June.The next generation of teachers is pushing in new directions, shaped by the do-it-yourself ethos of the Internet age and a desire to...

Read More

iLivelihood: Steve Jobs and Right Livelihood.

PHOTO CREDIT: "Green Apple" by Suat Eman. It is true that the inventor of the iPhone, Steve Jobs, was a genius and a true visionary. His inventions revolutionized modern society, which rightfully gives him a place among legends such as Thomas Edison and Henry Ford. It is also true that he dabbled in Zen Buddhism but I feel it goes too far when Lama Surya Das describes Steve Jobs as exemplifying the Buddhist teaching of "Right Livelihood."Right Livelihood is one of numerous teachings by Buddha on...

Read More

The Dalai Lama: Buddhism's Teddy Bear.

When my world-weary eyes fall upon the aura of the Dalai Lama, it has the same effect as a light dose of the anti-anxiety medication I take. It is so powerfully calming and soothing to meditate upon his image that I can't imagine the energy that must warm the space when in his presence. Yet, truly he seems to regard everyone with the same reverence as we regard him. It's always a dicey endeavor to speak of someone as "enlightened" because it's simply a word, whereas the pure state of enlightenment...

Read More