Tag: buddha

Explore the power of words in democracy. Discover how the rhetoric of 'enemyship' undermines civic cooperation and peaceful coexistence and how mindfulness and Buddhist thought can minimize that.

Buddhist saints are often described as maternally compassionate, with the endless patience of a mother who feeds, cleans and cares for children around the clock. In fact, the Theravada branch of Buddhism holds mothers in such high esteem that two men among the Buddha’s chief disciples, Sariputta and Mogallana, are said to be “like the mother giving birth” and “the nurse raising a child.”

The Buddha taught we should show compassion to all sentient beings, not just humans. Initially it reminded me of the biblical commandment, “Thou shalt not kill,” which tended to focus solely on not killing human beings. Buddhism too, says not to murder, but breaks it down further, explaining that protecting human life is only possible by also protecting anything that lives.

Inspired by native beliefs and her own intuitions, Simard’s book "Finding the Mother Tree: Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest" is the result of over 30 years of research and her conclusions are not only controversial but astounding: “Trees and plants have agency. They perceive, relate, and communicate. They cooperate, make decisions, learn, and remember.”

This Memorial Day, I’m commemorating the life of Vietnamese monk Thich Nhat Hanh. In terms of recognition and admiration he is second only to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.

A long, long time ago as a bodhisattva, Maitreya specialized in the meditation on great love. He meditated on great love continually.

This well-written book, "Eat the Buddha: Life and Death in a Tibetan Town," describes the attempt to turn Buddhist Tibet into a province of China. The effort failed and led to the death of thousands of Tibetans who refused to give up their peaceful traditions.