The Spokesman-Review in Spokane, WA, writes about my friend and past interviewee Geshe Thupten Phelgye. Take a look.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
The Spokesman-Review on Geshe Thupten Phelgye
The Spokesman-Review in Spokane, WA, writes about my friend and past interviewee Geshe Thupten Phelgye. Take a look.
Shodo Harada Roshi in Conversation with Michael Lerner in San Francisco on September 13th
This from our good friend and past interviewee Kobutsu Malone:
In Conversation with
Michael Lerner
On
Finding Wisdom in Our Lives
Sunday, September 13th, 2009
3:00 PM to 4:30 PM
with reception following
Main Sanctuary
The First Unitarian Universalist Church
Corner of Franklin and Geary Streets
San Francisco
For Additional information call:
(415) 271-7773
Nick Vail Writes for elephant journal about Pema Chödrön's Visit to Seattle
My friend Nick Vail (who blogs at 2nd Wave American Buddhism) writes for elephant journal about Acharya Ani Pema Chödrön's recent visit to Seattle. Check it out!
The Interfaith Alliance Mourns the Passing of Its Honorary Chair
Via our friend Jesse F. Tanner at Progressive-Practical Christianity:
(Click on the image to visit the tribute.)
Friday, July 17, 2009
"The Happiest Man in the World"...
...is Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. For the full story, check out Daniel Goleman's post for the New York Times blog Happy Days.
The 2009 International Conference for Buddhist Sangha Education
MahaSangha News reports on the 2009 International Conference for Buddhist Sangha Education:- To celebrate the birthday of Ven. Master Wu Yin, her disciples organized a two day conference on monastic education, followed by a two day temple tour. The conference was held in Taipei, Taiwan, May 30-31, and drew 400 people. Bhikshunis (Buddhist nuns) and university professors spoke on a variety of topics centering on Buddhist Sangha Education.
[Ven. Master Wu Yin. Image via Snow Lion Publications.]
Sponsor a Child in Bodh Gaya Through the Maitreya Project
This from the Maitreya Project in Bodh Gaya, Bihar, India:- Dear Friend of Maitreya Universal Education School,
We realise this is a difficult economic time for all of us - and that includes our extraordinary school and its 500 students in Bodhgaya, India.
We are writing to you urgently because the school depends on your kindness and generosity to function during this time of global economic trouble.
[...]
Until the last few months we have managed to cover the costs with about 300 individual Child Sponsorships and further donations from major sponsors, but due to the global economic crisis sponsorship levels have dramatically fallen since 2008, for example:
- Only 30 out of 300 Child Sponsors have renewed in 2009.
Even following our April '09 appeal only 22 new Child Sponsors have come onboard.
Although we are doing our utmost to minimise costs, we remain very far short of our requirement and feel we have to advise all our supporters that we face some difficult and dire decisions without your help.
The cost of a Child Sponsorship is minimal when compared to the cost of sending a child to school almost anywhere else in the world.
Please, if you have not done so already, kindly reconsider and donate whatever you can to assist us so we can continue providing education to the children of Bodhgaya in Bihar, the poorest part of India.
Sponsor the education of a child:
As well as knowing deserving children are benefiting from your generosity, you will receive:
Other ways to support the children's education:
- Sponsor nutritious lunches for 1 year:
Sponsor books for 1 year:
Sponsor school uniforms (shirt/pants/sweater for boys and blouse/skirt/sweater for girls)
[...]
Please note: sponsorship amounts are shown in US Dollars. All currencies will be automatically converted to the equivalent dollar amount at the time of the donation.
Thank you for your kindness!Donate here.
Burma News (7.17.09)
Here are today's headlines about Burma:
Thursday, July 16, 2009
"Shiny, Happy People"
Tiffany Stanley at the Religion News Service Blog reports on a new commercial from the Chinese government that depicts "happy Muslims and Han Chinese, donning matching yellow polo shirts and singing: 'We are all part of the same family.'"
- This ad brought to you by China's "relentless propaganda campaign" to gloss over the ethnic rioting in Xinjiang, the Associated Press reported.
"Colorado Dharma Odyssey"
My old pal Nick Vail over at 2nd Wave American Buddhism posts some beautiful pictures from his and his girlfriend Colleen's recent tour of several major Tibetan Buddhist centers in Colorado. Take a look!
Burma News (7.16.09)
Here are today's headlines about Burma:
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
The Tricycle Editors' Blog Looks at My Anger Post, and Asks Readers for Responses to Their Questions about Practicing With Anger
Over at the Tricycle Editors' Blog, Rachel Hiles kindly posted on my recent post about contemplating anger at the grocery checkout. In writing about my post, she took the opportunity to ask readers the following:
In other news related to that post, my mother, The Quilted Librarian, sent me a must-read poem on anger. Take a look.
- Has anyone out there had an experience in which you chose to be proactive rather than reactive? Did it bring about a change in those around you?
In other news related to that post, my mother, The Quilted Librarian, sent me a must-read poem on anger. Take a look.
Burma News (7.15.09)
Here are today's headlines about Burma:
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Justin Whitaker's Visit to University of the West
My friend Justin Whitaker, of the great blog American Buddhist Perspective, was on the campus of University of the West (where I work) yesterday to deliver a lecture entitled "A Buddhist Reading Kant, a Kantian Reading the Buddha". It was great to see Justin again--we roomed together at the American Academy of Religion's 2008 Annual Meeting in Chicago--and he gave what I thought was a brilliant lecture. (I tend to be wary of attempts at systematic work in Buddhist Studies, but Justin may have turned me around on the whole thing!)
Luckily, our magnificent Extended Studies Coordinator Bil Owen was on hand to record Justin's lecture for Open Campus--UWest's free, open Buddhist Studies e-learning platform. Hopefully, it will posted soon, and I'll be sure to point you all to it when that happens. In the meantime, you can check out other lectures at Open Campus from such Buddhist Studies luminaries as Lewis Lancaster, Robert Buswell, John McRae, and Robert Scharf. (I know I work for UWest and I'm biased, but really: Open Campus is way, way cool.)Thanks, Justin! We were so glad to have you on campus to teach us!
Tibet News (7.14.09)
Here are today's Tibet-related headlines:
Trouble at Bat Nha Monastery
Members of Thich Nhat Hanh's Order of Interbeing have started a new blog called Help Bat Nha Monastery to raise awareness about a worsening situation taking place at a monastery in Vietnam. Monastics from Plum Village currently staying at the monastery write the following appeal:- Dear Brothers and Sisters and Friends of Plum Village from around the world,
We are writing this letter to inform you of the urgent situation in Prajna Monastery, one of the practice centers in the Plum Village tradition in Vietnam, and ask that you help save this monastery so that the four hundred young monks and nuns there may have a safe place to practice.
As many of you were aware of, Thay (Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh) was allowed to go back to Vietnam for the first time in 2005, after having been in exile for 39 years. Although Thay could only give Dharma talks in temples and not in public places, tens of thousands of people came to listen to Thay. Most notably were the benefits and transformations that took place amongst the Vietnamese young people. Consequently, many youth expressed their deep inspiration to continue the practice in their daily lives, and they feared that they would be at a loss after Thay and the delegation left Vietnam. At that time, the Venerable Abbot of Prajna Temple also requested that Thay accept his temple and turn it into a monastery that trains monastic and lay friends solely in the Plum Village tradition. Having considered the young people’s real needs for a spiritual practice, Thay accepted the Venerable Abbot of Prajna’s requests, with one condition that he would continue to be the Abbot there. Thay ordained over twenty young people during his first return to Vietnam, and these young monks and nuns subsequently moved to Prajna Temple to receive further training. Since then, over three hundred young people have been ordained in the Plum Village tradition in Vietnam. Elder monastic brothers and sisters from Plum Village have been sent back to Vietnam to train these young practitioners. Over a period of three years, from mid of 2005 to 2008, with the loving supports and generous donations from members of the International Sanghas of Plum Village in North America, Europe, Australia and Asia, meditation halls, living quarters, dining halls and kitchens were built and plots of land in the surrounding area were purchased, in order to accommodate this rapidly growing population of monastic and lay practitioners.
When Thay returned to Vietnam in 2007, our young Vietnamese monastic brothers and sisters already proved to be so grown spiritually. Their tireless service, joy and freshness helped the three Grand Requiem Ceremonies throughout the country to be a deeply moving and healing experience for the Vietnamese people as well as to all of us who were able to accompany Thay to Vietnam (these ceremonies prayed equally for all people who died in the Vietnam War). During this trip, we also heard talks about the change of heart in the Venerable Abbot of Prajna; he became increasingly discontent because the monastics focused too much on the practice and on Mindfulness retreats and too little in charity works and in the expansion of Prajna Monastery as well as in other places. Thay’s approach was clear: “We want to help build human beings, not establishments.” In 2008, Thay and the Plum Village delegation returned to Vietnam to help with the International Vesak Celebration in Hanoi. We also had several retreats before this grand event. Again, it was the Vietnamese monastic practitioners who were the main organizers in this occasion. After the Vesak Celebration, Thay went to Prajna Monastery to be with the young monastic brothers and sisters. Thay offered them deep teachings every day during those three weeks. The Venerable Abbot was absent most of the time that Thay was there. Once in a Question and Answer session, a young nun asked the Venerable Abbot directly, “Respected Teacher, we heard about talks that you would ‘take back Prajna’ and ‘kick’ all of us out. Is that true? Please tell us. We are very afraid….” The Abbot replied that “as long as you practice sincerely, no one is going to kick you out.”
Unfortunately, since October 2008, many acts of hostility and violence have taken place. Groups of men were ordered to throw the belongings of the young monks out in the hallway. Gates to the monastery have been locked so that lay friends could not enter for the Day of Mindfulness. Chanting from the Pure Land tradition was played on the speakers throughout the day, even while the young monastics practice sitting meditation. Police have come to search and interrogate monks and nuns at any hour of the day and night. Some monks and nuns have been chased with life-threatening objects. Electricity, water and phone lines have been turned off and food deliveries have been prevented…. The message is clear: the Venerable Abbot no longer wants to sponsor the young monks and nuns in the Plum Village tradition at Prajna. They are to go home or to go to other temples. However, the more severe implication is that: this is a joined effort of certain political and religious leaders to ban the mindfulness practice of the Plum Village tradition in Vietnam. Despite the angry threats and severe violations of human rights and religious freedom, almost 400 young monks and nuns continue to stay steadfast at Prajna; only about 10 have left the monastery during these past turbulent two years, while young people continue to come ask for ordination. If you have ever come to practice with us, you would understand that we only practice non-violence and compassion; when the tension is unbearable, our young brothers and sisters practice Noble Silence and fasting.
The Venerable Abbot has long left Prajna to stay in a discreet place, but his elder monastic disciples remained in Prajna to help conduct these incidents. We are aware that the Venerable Abbot is also only a victim. We do not doubt that in the beginning, he had a sincere aspiration to provide a practice center for the young people in Vietnam. As the Venerable Abbot had shared publicly many times, Thay’s pioneering vision about engaged Buddhism and his social work during the Vietnam War inspired the Abbot since he was a novice and helped him to persist on his monastic path even during the most trial times. However, during the thirty nine years of practice in the West, Thay’s understanding of Buddhism and his approach to service have deepened and changed drastically. This divergence in ideal and focus caused the Venerable Abbot tension and reaction. As Prajna Monastery became more developed and well respected, the seeds of ambition and envy stirred further discontentment in him… However, the Abbot alone would not have been able to design and sustain all of these ongoing hateful and destructive acts. With certainty, Prajna Monastery would not have been able to manifest and function these past four years if it were not for the deep appreciation and silent support from certain important political and religious leaders in Vietnam. At the same times, there have also been those leaders who are strongly against Thay. Every time Thay was in Vietnam, he addressed honestly the real problems that the country was facing. He met directly with the former Prime Minister and the current President of Vietnam and offered concrete proposals to the government, to the Communist Party, and to the National Buddhist Church of Vietnam, etc. Thay even advised that Vietnam should deepen her relationship with other countries and to lessen her dependency on China… Some argue that Thay could have remained silent about those issues, and perhaps Prajna Monastery would have been left in peace. Thay had the power, the position and the courage to speak up and to be listened to. If Thay did not, who could and who would? It is not just about Prajna. It is the deepening of our practice as a spiritual tradition and the strengthening of our sovereignty in the spirit of brotherhood and sisterhood that we should all together work towards.
The mindfulness practice in the Plum Village tradition has proven to be applicable and effective to all people of our time. Since Prajna Monastery came to existence, thousands of young and educated Vietnamese people have come to take refuge in it. Even Sangha members from Hong Kong and Australia make yearly trips to Prajna to practice. Prajna is symbolic of our aspiration and our hope for a better future of Vietnam. Let us help each other let go of personal interests, misunderstandings and resentments. Let us help ensure the human rights and the religious freedom for all people, in particular for these young monks and nuns at Prajna Monastery. If you are in the position to help, please do so. If you can contact friends, religious and political figures who can help, please ask them to help us. The collective awareness and our international voice can help protect the monastic lives of these young men and women and ensure a safe place for them to practice together. Our practice is to “go as a river.” Drops of water would evaporate mid-way, but a river can arrive at the ocean. We want to be able to live and practice together as a spiritual family. We want to offer a place of refuge for everyone who is in search for peace. At this moment, we cannot just find another place to relocate, since there are almost 400 monks and nuns all together. Moreover, it is not likely that the monks and nuns would be left in peace to practice, even if we were to relocate. Thus, we entrust our protection in our spiritual ancestors and in you.
To you our humble request,
Monastic Brothers and Sisters of Prajna Monastery
The postal address of Bat Nha Monastery:
Thôn 13 Xa Dam Bri, Bao Loc district, Lam Dong Province (half way Saigon-Dalat)
Contact persons:
Dharma Teacher Brother Phap Hoi or Phap Tu email phap tu [sinh...@gmail.com]
Telephone: 011 (84) 633911724)
or Sister Than Nghiem: (063- 3763 944)
In the case you cannot reach them because the electricity has been cut and their cell phone has run out of battery, please call our contact person in Ho Chi Minh City: Xuan 08 3978 78 22 or Nghiem 0907373504 (please note they only speak Vietnamese). If you are currently in Vietnam, they will be glad to escort you Bat Nha Monastery by car.
Upaya's Buddhist Chaplaincy Program Now Accepting Applications for the 2010 Cohort
The Upaya Buddhist Chaplaincy Program (on whose advisory council I serve) is now accepting applications for its third cohort, which starts in March 2010.- The Upaya Buddhist Chaplaincy Program, founded by Roshi Joan Halifax, is a comprehensive two-year program for a new kind of chaplaincy intended to serve individuals, communities, the environment, and the world.
[...]
The program focuses on altruistic and compassionate applications of Buddhism in settings such as health care, hospices, prisons and jails, the environment, and peace work. It is rooted in the premise that those doing ministerial work are endeavoring to serve and heal not only individuals, but also environments and social systems. This approach, based on complexity and systems theory and Buddhist philosophy, is radically innovative and is the theoretical and practical basis of the training.
"The Top Ten Buddhist Twitter Tweeters"
Well, there are more than ten names, actually... Our friend William Harryman of Integral Options Cafe writes for elephant journal (a publication for which I am a columnist) about the "Top Ten Buddhist Twitter Tweeters." I was honored to be included among the more-than-ten. Take a look at William's other picks here.
Oh, and you can follow me on Twitter here.
Oh, and you can follow me on Twitter here.
Tricycle Editor/Publisher James Shaheen's Essay "Gay Marriage: What Would Buddha Do?" at The Huffington Post
Our friend James Shaheen, editor and publisher of Tricycle: The Buddhist Review, writes for The Huffington Post on the subject "Gay Marriage: What Would Buddha Do?" Give it a read.
James talks a bit about some of His Holiness the Dalai Lama's comments about homosexuality in the piece. I wrote a lengthy post on this subject in response to a reader question some time ago.
I've also posted on my feelings about gay marriage. I am an enthusiastic supporter of same-sex marriage for a number of reasons. For one thing, the constitutionality of a ban on same-sex marriage is questionable at best: although I am not a lawyer, it seems obvious to me that legislation such as the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act violates the Full Faith and Credit Clause and probably other crucial parts of the Constitution.
It is also certainly an extraordinarily uncompassionate thing to dehumanize others and deny them their civil rights. I would certainly not like it if I were denied equal protection under the law. How about you? To clarify: Civil unions offer many of the same rights and privileges of marriage, but exclusively at the state-level--they are not recognized by the United States Federal Government the way that marriages are. Furthermore, under the U.S. Defense of Marriage Act of 1996 (DOMA), other U.S. states are not obliged to recognize these unions (nor are they required to recognize legal gay marriages in other states). The General Accounting Office lists over 1,100 benefits and protections for married couples--which relate to things like Social Security and VA benefits, health insurance and visitation rights, family leave, immigration law, taxes, and more--and civil unions protect only some of these rights. Because civil unions are not recognized by the federal government, this means, among many other things:
If you want to be an ally to the LGBTQI community and support rights for all, then support for civil unions simply doesn't cut it. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I support same-sex marriage as a Buddhist, a chaplain, and a citizen of the world. To show your support for the legalization of same-sex marriage, follow this link.
James talks a bit about some of His Holiness the Dalai Lama's comments about homosexuality in the piece. I wrote a lengthy post on this subject in response to a reader question some time ago.
I've also posted on my feelings about gay marriage. I am an enthusiastic supporter of same-sex marriage for a number of reasons. For one thing, the constitutionality of a ban on same-sex marriage is questionable at best: although I am not a lawyer, it seems obvious to me that legislation such as the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act violates the Full Faith and Credit Clause and probably other crucial parts of the Constitution.
It is also certainly an extraordinarily uncompassionate thing to dehumanize others and deny them their civil rights. I would certainly not like it if I were denied equal protection under the law. How about you? To clarify: Civil unions offer many of the same rights and privileges of marriage, but exclusively at the state-level--they are not recognized by the United States Federal Government the way that marriages are. Furthermore, under the U.S. Defense of Marriage Act of 1996 (DOMA), other U.S. states are not obliged to recognize these unions (nor are they required to recognize legal gay marriages in other states). The General Accounting Office lists over 1,100 benefits and protections for married couples--which relate to things like Social Security and VA benefits, health insurance and visitation rights, family leave, immigration law, taxes, and more--and civil unions protect only some of these rights. Because civil unions are not recognized by the federal government, this means, among many other things:
If you want to be an ally to the LGBTQI community and support rights for all, then support for civil unions simply doesn't cut it. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I support same-sex marriage as a Buddhist, a chaplain, and a citizen of the world. To show your support for the legalization of same-sex marriage, follow this link.
The Dharma Realm Buddhist Young Adults
Arun over at Angry Asian Buddhist points us to the Dharma Realm Buddhist Young Adults, who describe themselves this way:
- The Dharma Realm Buddhist Young Adults (DRBY) consists of college students and young adults who are interested in applying Buddhist principles to their daily lives. DRBY is a community of young people who are searching for wisdom and are committed to helping others while advancing on their own spiritual path. This community provides support for each other's spiritual cultivation and inquiry into life's deeper meaning in a friendly and open atmosphere.
Japan Lifts Ban on Children Donating Organs
The Associated Press reports that Japan has "lifted a ban on organ donations from children, reversing a restriction that created such a dearth of small organs in the country that young patients were forced to seek transplants abroad." The report states:
- The law will allow children, defined as those under 15, who are brain dead to donate their organs - a sea change in this country, where organ donation is sensitive because of Buddhist beliefs that consider the body sacred and reject its desecration.
Shaquille O’Neal Visits Shaolin Temple
Our main man Rod Meade Sperry over at The Worst Horse has the story.
Obon in Utah and New Jersey
Items in the Salt Lake City Tribune and the Daily Journal offer a glimpse at Obon festival celebrations by Japanese-American Buddhists in Utah and New Jersey, respectively. Take a look.
Burma News (7.14.09)
[This post has been updated as of 5:05 p.m. P.S.T. on 7.14.09.]
Here's the latest on what's happening Burma:
"Motorcades and Dictator Disneyland"
The New York Times offers a video report from U.N. Bureau Chief Neil MacFarquhar, who "shares his ambivalence about covering the exotic global travels and diplomatic efforts of Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, particularly to closed nations like Myanmar":
U.S. Congress Advances Legislation to Fund Programs to Help Tibetans Inside Tibet and In Exile
Our friends at Shambhala Sun Space have the story.
National Guard Units Strained By Chaplain Shortages
Our good buddy Jesse F. Tanner over at Progressive-Practical Christianity posts about a piece at Faith in Public Life about how National Guard and other military units are struggling with chaplain shortages. Jesse notes the important statistics:
- Currently, there are about 200 positions are open in the Army National Guard and 45 in the Air National Guard.
California Prison Chaplains' Roles Threatened by Proposed Regulation
Tidings Online reports on the furor of proposed regulations in California that would violate inmates' rights and threaten the roles of prison chaplains.
- If a new lethal injection regulation is approved, chaplains will lose the right to keep the confidentiality of information provided by death row inmates by having to submit a written report to the warden, including an assessment of the "inmate's spiritual and emotional well-being and determining the inmate's religious preferences and needs."
The proposed protocol also includes elimination of psychological support for the victims' families, and state and media witnesses.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Bangladeshi Buddhism
Over at Angry Asian Buddhist, Arun posts about Bangladesh's efforts to "incorporate its Buddhist heritage sites as part of regional Buddhist tourism." He also points readers to some good resources about contemporary Bangladeshi Buddhism. Take a look.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Contemplating Anger at the Grocery Check-Out
Earlier today, I was at the grocery store to pick up a small sauce pan and a package of whole wheat pasta. I stood in line behind two sets of customers: a man with several small children, and a middle-aged couple. The man with the small children was in the process of checking out when the middle-aged couple noticed me right behind them. Seeing that I had only the pan and pasta, they invited to jump ahead of them in line. They pushed the divider between their purchases and the man's back towards them, and then placed another divider against the last of the man's purchases. I thanked them profusely as I put my things between theirs.We were standing there quietly for a few moments before the man turned and noticed the new arrangement. "Hey," he yelled. "Hey!" He grabbed his bag of chips and bunch of bananas from alongisde the newly-placed divider. "Look at this!" he said angrily to the couple. "You crushed my chips and bruised my bananas when you made way for this guy!" In reality, they hadn't at all: they just placed the divider next to his food, with no pushing at all. If anyone's things got smushed, it was theirs, when they pulled the divider into their pile. But he continued to loudly berate them: "You should be more considerate of other people's things!" Kindly, salt-of-the-earth people, they hung their heads regretfully for something they didn't even do. "And you," he said to the dumbstruck cashier, "should be keeping an eye on things like this!"
Why he let me off the hook, I don't know. I'm not a very threatening-looking fellow, but still a good head or two taller than him, and maybe that had something to do with it. At any rate, he finished his transaction and then began explaining to his confused children why he was so angry. ("Because they don't care about other people's things.") We all stood there for a moment, stunned by the whole interaction. Looking at the faces around me rocked by irrational, stupid anger, I said (loud enough for the man to hear me), "You know, there's an old saying: 'no good deed goes unpunished.'" The couple and the cashier started laughing, and things shifted back to normal.
As I left the store, I wondered about my reaction. What else, if anything, should I have done? Should I have said something more directly? Was there any virtue in my snarky response, or was it just snark, plain and simple? Eventually, I found myself thinking about anger and Buddhism, and I remembered a teaching of Lama Surya Das' that I read once:
- Ultimately, I believe that anger is just an emotion. We needn't be afraid of it or judge it too harshly. Emotions occur quickly; moods linger longer. These temporary states of mind are conditioned, and therefore can be reconditioned. Through self-discipline and practice, negativity can be transformed into positivity and freedom and self-mastery achieved.
A clue to anger is that a lot of it stems from fear, and it manifests in the primitive "fight or flight" response. I have noticed that when I am feeling angry, asking myself, "Where and how do I hurt? What am I afraid of?" helps clarify things and mitigate my tempestuous reaction. After cooling down, I ask myself, "What would Buddha do; What would Love do in this situation?" This helps me soothe my passions, be more creative and proactive instead of reactive. In that state, I can transcend blame, resentment, and bitterness.
As Thich Nhat Hanh has written, "Our attitude is to take care of anger. We don't suppress or hate it, or run away from it. We just breathe gently and cradle our anger in our arms with the utmost tenderness."
"Human Rights in China After the Olympic Games" by Human Rights Without Frontiers International
Human Rights Without Frontiers International (Brussels) has announced the publication of "Human Rights in China After the Olympics". It can be purchased on Amazon.com. Edited by Willy Fautré, with contributions by Susi Dennison, Emmanouil Athanasiou, Marie Holzman, Mamtimin Ala, Vincent Metten, David Matas, David Kilgour, Leah Strauss, Reggie Garcia Littlejohn, Sang Hun Kim, and Jonathan Holslag, the volume is "an assessment of human rights in China after the 2008 Olympic Games. [It] covers the death penalty, freedom of religion or belief, environmental issues, the one-child policy, North Korean refugees, Tibetan issues, and the Uyghurs." If you get a look at it, let us know what your thoughts are.
The Springfield News-Leader Reports on a Soka Gakkai International Chapter in Springfield, Missouri
This via Barbara's Buddhism Blog: The Springfield News-Leader offers an in-depth report on a Soka Gakkai International Chapter in Springfield, Missouri. Take a look.
James Ishmael Ford Reports on the 2009 Gathering of the American Zen Teacher's Association
Our friend and past interviewee James Ishmael Ford reports on the 2009 Gathering of the American Zen Teacher's Association at his Monkey Mind blog. Take a look.
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