Two Competing Narratives
There is another world. It is a world of contribution. This is where we experience infinite opportunities and possibilities. It is a universe where we can find everything in abundance. Rather than focusing on achievements, we look for ways we can contribute. Rather than doing it on our own, we become part of something bigger than our selves.
Gratitude: A Path to Awakening
Rev. Dr. Kenji Akahoshi shares some of the common Western misunderstandings of Shin Buddhism, and the traditions behind the practice. He explains the everyday benefits of waking up everyday.
The Dharma of Shogun
Paul Daisuke Goodman on what one critically acclaimed TV show teaches us about right view, right action, and deep listening. Spoiler warning.
The Art of Slow Looking
When we slow down, when we really engage in the moment, we find a deep richness. Our perceptions change. Slow looking is an exercise commonly found in the art world. Let's see what happens when we combine slow looking with Buddhism.
Mahayana Bodhisattva Path
We are along with Dharmākara in a journey together toward complete spiritual liberation. It is like a “three-legged race.”
The Smaller Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra mentions that Bodhisattva Dharmākara becoming Amida Buddha has been guiding us to perfect enlightenment for the past ten kalpas.
How to Hold a Grudge that Nobody Cares About but Me
Leave criticism behind? I don’t know, I seem to really enjoy hanging on to at least what I consider abuse. It seems to come naturally to me. This a tough one and easier said than done. Letting go is not as easy as it sounds. A lot of the Buddha’s teachings seem simple to understand, but are difficult to put in to practice.
Two Rivers, a White Path, and the Hotel California (Part 2)
I’ve heard the two rivers parable a number of times but I really came to understand it through a classic song that popped up on one of my playlists the other day. It’s a song about another traveler trying to escape the beasts and brigands, fire and water in his life, who was trying to escape a place you’ve all heard of before: “Hotel California.”
Two Rivers, a White Path, and the Hotel California (Part 1)
I’ve heard the two rivers parable a number of times but I really came to understand it through a classic song that popped up on one of my playlists the other day. It’s a song about another traveler trying to escape the beasts and brigands, fire and water in his life, who was trying to escape a place you’ve all heard of before: “Hotel California.”
Navigating Through Crisis
Crisis is accompanied by uncertainty. We wish we could know what's going to happen. We wish we could know that the situation will turn out OK. We wish we had some assurance that there is no need to worry. But the only assurance we have is that things will change and that worrying will have little impact on the situation.
Batman and Buddha
In a world that often feels like Gotham, we can choose to be Batman. We can also find wisdom in the compassion of Amida Buddha, choosing lovingkindness over retaliation. We can transform our pain into wisdom, our struggles into strengths. We learn that vulnerability isn’t a weakness, but a bridge to human connection, to compassion, to understanding. We have a choice in how we view our difficult moments.
Floating on Faith
I had it in my mind I knew what practice I needed to take to get to enlightenment – the path of the sages. This isn’t a practical path for me, a householder with everyday responsibilities. It took me a bit to understand and embrace the Shin path.
“The Right Time is Now”
The BCA theme for 2024 is “The Right Time is Now”, a quotation from Rennyo Shonin. How do I understand this theme? It is only five words on paper, but in life, it can drive one to make impacts one cannot imagine. After being diagnosed with cancer, I had to shift my views from my future ambitions to the present moment. I could not worry about what the future held, I had to worry about making it there.
Engaged Shin Buddhism
We live in an era of climate change, social unrest, injustice, and confusion. The teachings of Shinran Shonin, the founder of Shin Buddhism, provide guidance for living and engaging with the social challenges we face. This talk discusses six principles that we can apply to our work to transform suffering and build a stronger, more compassionate sangha and society.
Happiness in 3, 2, 1
Have you ever had one of those times in life where you feel like happiness and peace just aren’t within your grasp? Or maybe these moments are few and far between? This post is all about finding happiness, especially when things are tough. The good news is happiness isn’t down the road. It isn’t out of our grasp. Happiness is here, but we have to learn how to find it. The even better news—it’s not as hard as you think.
Shin Buddhism Really Is Buddhist - Part 2
Discover Nagapriya and his path to Pure Land Buddhism. In part 2 of “GSS | Shin Buddhism Really Is Buddhist,” Nagapriya and Jon Sensei delve into Nagapriya's background and his journey to discovering Shinran. Throughout their conversation, Nagapriya shares his perspectives on Shinran, highlighting who he was both as a person and a practitioner. Tune in as these two esteemed practitioners explore the advantages of practice and the advancement along the Buddhist path.
Fluke: Chance, Chaos, and Why Everything We Do Matters
This is the idea of interdependence taken to its logical conclusion. As Joseph Campbell says, we may not like it but this is just the way it is. Everything is the results of an infinite number of causes and conditions. Reality is infinitely deterministic. Every action or thought is conditioned, dependent on everything that has come before.
Connected Through Music
This talk will explore how we can find Buddhist values in our everyday lives, such as music. Can we find Buddhist values in contemporary music, such as in Hip Hop and R&B?
Shinran as an Innovative Pure Land Master (Part 3)
Shinran’s teachings are not just an important part of Buddhist history; they carry profound relevance for contemporary society. In a world that continues to grapple with issues of inequality, exclusion, and division, Shinran’s message of universal accessibility to awakening offers a beacon of hope and transformation.
Shinran as an Innovative Pure Land Master (Part 2)
Shinran recognized the importance of Eshinni not only as his wife but also as a fellow practitioner who was capable of achieving spiritual awakening. His decision to marry, and his public acknowledgment of Eshinni’s spiritual contributions, challenged traditional notions of gender roles in religion and established a progressive model for women’s involvement in the spiritual community.
Shinran as an Innovative Pure Land Master (Part 1)
Prior to Shinran, Pure Land practices were often reserved for monks and other elite religious practitioners, and the recitation of the nembutsu was considered a spiritual tool primarily for those with high levels of discipline and moral conduct. However, Shinran’s innovation was in his emphasis that spiritual awakening was accessible to all.