Genjokoan #6: Our Experience of Absolute and Relative
[From the Genjokoan:] In seeing color and hearing sound with body and mind, although we perceive them intimately, [the perception] is not like reflections in a mirror or the moon in water. When one side is illuminated, the other is dark. Personally, I prefer the...
Genjokoan #5: What is the Nature of Awakening?
[From the Genjokoan:] Those who greatly realize delusion are buddhas. Those who are greatly deluded in realization are living beings. Furthermore, there are those who attain realization beyond realization and those who are deluded within delusion. When buddhas are...
Genjokoan #3: Mahayana Teachings and Dogen’s Take on the Great Matter
[From the Genjokoan:] When the ten thousand dharmas are without [fixed] self, there is no delusion and no realization, no buddhas and no living beings, no birth and no death. Since the Buddha Way by nature goes beyond [the dichotomy of] abundance and deficiency, there...
Genjokoan #2: The Basic Buddhist Teachings
[From the Genjokoan:] When all dharmas are the Buddha Dharma, there is delusion and realization, practice, life and death, buddhas and living beings. Okumura explains that the first sentence here refers to the teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha - basic Buddhism, in other...
When Religion Refrains From Explaining “Why”
If religion’s purpose is to help people find peace and strength and to live good lives, which I believe it is, it makes sense that people would turn to religion to explain why terrible things happen in the world – particularly terrible things that happen to...
Everyone Is on a Path Toward Greater Wisdom and Compassion
A friend of mine has a saying, “It takes all kinds of people to make the world go ‘round. Unfortunately.” Other people are the most challenging aspect of our lives, particularly when we strongly disagree with their views, choices and behaviors. The ideal of...
Let’s Start a Global Movement!
Would you be willing to adopt the following Seven Principles and become a Global Citizen? I dream of a mass movement: People everywhere – regardless of nationality, race, faith, class, political party – committing to these core principles, or something...
Remembering There’s Nothing We Can Do to Prevent Change
Sometimes I notice stress sneaking into my life. It starts accumulating under the surface of everything, making me irritable and somewhat sad. Usually this has to do with anxiety about the future. It’s important to note this anxiety is pretty unspecific and...
My First Protest Rally
Just thought I’d write a little report about my first protest rally. I’m guessing my readers will fall into two basic categories with respect to protests: Either you have attended them before and they’re no big deal to you, or you haven’t...
Back to the Drawing Board with Meditation for the Homeless
I thought it would be a good idea to post an update on my efforts, chronicled earlier on this blog, to work up close and personally with people experiencing homelessness. My downtown Portland meditation group is on a hiatus as I go back to the drawing board to create...