In my previous articles in this trilogy, I explained the philosophy of Tiantai Buddhism and why it appeals to me. Unlike the philosophically rich Huayan,
In the Plum Village community, we learn to apply the art of mindful living in daily life. My teacher, the Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh, (Thay)
Years ago, during a fundraising gala for the Chan Meditation Center, I met Master Sheng Yen’s first Western monastic disciple, Paul Kennedy, and we invited
The American cultural anthropologist Margaret Mead famously said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed it’s the only
The Zen-inspired activism of Hiratsuka Raichō
After two years of being unable to visit the Plum Village monastic community in southwest France for the Summer Opening Retreat, conditions were finally right
The first challenge I encountered during the first year of my monastic training as a postulant was overcoming the discomfort from the clothes we wore.
The city of Kamakura in Japan’s Kanagawa Prefecture is home to one of the most poetic and paradoxical works of Buddhist sculpture. The statue is
Inter-religious dialogue with the Order of Discalced…
According to the major sutras of Pure Land Buddhism, the Larger Sukhavativyuha and the Smaller Sukhavativyuha, Amitabha Buddha’s Pure Land (Skt. Sukhavati) lies beyond 10 billion Buddha-lands west
Bringing joy and happiness, and lessening the suffering of…
Crossroads, challenges, and dilemmas in the practice of…
