These lyrics were written by Rev. Master Seikai in 2019 for the Wesak Festival held at Pine Mountain Buddhist Temple. They have been set to music by Rev. Helen of the Redding Buddhist Priory in Redding, California. Thus have I … Continue reading →
From Portobello Buddhist Priory Newsletter, September – December 2019. It has been recommended that when we sit in Zazen, we bring to mind the question: What is this? Not as a mantra to continually repeat or as a question to … Continue reading →
I have always enjoyed Mel Tormé’s version of the Cole Porter song, “What is This Thing Called Love.” In his version of the song, after a bit of ‘scat singing’, he and a handful of background vocalists ask in close … Continue reading →
This writing was adapted from a talk and discussion given at Shasta Abbey offered for lay residents and local sangha members. I’ve tried to retain the informal style of the original talk. I wish to talk about and discuss four … Continue reading →
A transcript of a talk given at the Segaki Retreat at Throssel Hole Buddhist Abbey in 2019. Don’t we all experience grief? For me there are times when grief is very powerfully felt, yet even then, I watch it coming … Continue reading →
It began on election night in the United States – my looking at joy – and with the words of a Philadelphia pastor, “When there’s so much hate and so much resistance to truth and justice, joy is itself an … Continue reading →
In part one of this article I talked about how the Awakening of Faith saw the Mahayana, and dealt especially with the question of ‘what do we take refuge in when we follow the Mahayana?’ The three refuges of Buddha, … Continue reading →
This article was first published in this Journal in Winter 2001, just three months after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre. Published here with thanks to the anonymous author. With the recent terrorist attacks in the U.S., all … Continue reading →
A transcription of a talk given at Shasta Abbey on Oct 18 2020. Homage to the Buddha Homage to the Dharma Homage to the Sangha Today I’m going to talk about something that is relevant to our current times which … Continue reading →
Whilst we are on this earth, it is unlikely that we will find or create a sort of heaven realm for ourselves. As the young Shakyamuni realized, suffering exists inherently in this samsaric realm that we inhabit. The pains of … Continue reading →