Once, again the internet archive comes through with something wonderful and unexpected!

Here is a link to the first book of the Theravada Abhidhamma Pitaka.

Recently, I've been in contact with some of the local Mormons. There are two of them: an Elder Cruz, an immigrant from Mexico, and his companion in the holy life, the serene Elder Nichols. Their presence, though we disagree of course on fundamental points of doctrine, is a comforting affirmation of the call to renunciation present in many ( Read more... )

This topic has been done to death, I know, but it's still a valuable and fruiful topic of conversation.

Here are my thoughts, inspired by Bhikkhu Aggacitto's post on the subject ( Read more... )

Hello everyone, I'm Bianfu. Growing up in a spiritually open household, I was always drawn towards Buddhism but it has only been in recent years that I have come to call myself a "Buddhist". Buddhism just seems to click with my personal views on life. But there is one brickwall that stands between me and my continued growth. It's this inner ( Read more... )

A long time ago my teacher, Zen Master Ko Bong, gave the five precepts to Chung Dong Go Sa Nim. Everything in the ceremony went smoothly until the part where the preceptor recites the precepts. Suddenly the man stood up and said "If I cannot drink, I die!" So, now there was a problem. Immediately Ko Bong Sunim said "Then you take only four precepts ( Read more... )

( On Idiot Compassion )

Strange to me, the justification granted a man to kill a man.
    "Ohh, no no, you can't take someone's life."
    "What about in war?"
"Well, that's all right. That's a necessary evil."
          It's necessary  to kill innocent people, simply because they are of another culture?!?! Christ, civilians weren't even targeted until World War 2.
    If ( Read more... )

I'm very self-conscious of being an American white guy practicing Zen Buddhism. Cultural appropriation and all that. I try to be self-aware and not fetishize it or pursue it as a kind of identity. I drink crappy American beer instead of sake, or lift weights instead of sitting yoga. I have this irrational fear that I'm just a couple cups of green ( Read more... )

( Sorry this is so long and rambling )

I'm getting a little frustrated with apathy lately, both on my part and others. I realize this comes from a certain expectation of involvement by people, so it seems wrong to justify the frustration. Yet, isn't there an expectation of personal involvement by all people that Buddhism sets?