All posts by TCN

25Nov/14

Making a Difference in Each Instance with Non-Discrimination

discrimination, equality, Ferguson, inequality, Michael Brown, partiality, race relations, racism, , , , , , , , ,
Everyone is a loser in the destructive aftermath of the Ferguson jury decision. We have contributed to this decision by building an unjust system, by exacerbating racial discrimination consciously, unconsciously, or subconsciously, and more importantly to me as a Buddhist, by being unaware as we attribute virtues, kindness, intellect, or leadership in those who are more attractive, more privileged, and more fair.
26Oct/14

Meditating on Sounds: Listening Your Way to Enlightenment

avalokiteshvara, Avatamsaka, buddhism, Chengguan, dharma realm, guanyin, Huayan, huayen, listening, meditation, qingliang, shurangama, zen
Part III Am I Listening Correctly? Sounds cannot be eliminated. No matter where you are or how quiet it is, there are sounds that cannot be eliminated. The “sound of silence” can therefore be acknowledged as an impossible-to-eliminate sound, the sensory object of quietude. Knowing the different types of sounds,…
14Oct/14

Part II of Meditating on Sounds: Listening Your Way to Enlightenment

avalokiteshvara, Avatamsaka, buddhism, Chengguan, dharma realm, guanyin, Huayan, huayen, listening, meditation, qingliang, shurangama, zen
With What We Do Not Listen  First of all, “the nature of hearing” is not in or with the physical ears. This nature of hearing is fundamentally the sea-like consciousness that stores all karmic interactions. It is the single entity with six functions, of which include the seeing of the eyes,…
03Oct/14

Meditating on Sounds: Listening Your Way to Enlightenment

avalokiteshvara, Avatamsaka, buddhism, Chengguan, dharma realm, guanyin, Huayan, huayen, listening, meditation, qingliang, shurangama, zen
PART I According expert meditator and teacher Jiaoguang of China’s Ming dynasty, meditators must get to know our illusions well before we may experience bursts of insight.With regard to the types of sounds for those who practice hearing as a form of meditation, Jiaoguang elaborates: There are sound categories of…
08Aug/14

The Avatamsaka Four Dharma Realms and the Shurangama Meditation of Listening Intersect in Zen

avalokiteshvara, Avatamsaka, buddhism, Chengguan, dharma realm, guanyin, Huayan, huayen, listening, meditation, qingliang, shurangama, zen
Preview of Upcoming Presentation Seen as stages of practice, Chinese preeminent monk Chengguan’s theory of the Four Dharma Realms and Guanyin’s perfected meditation method via one’s ears inevitably meet complementarily to enhance our understanding of meditation as a practice. More than mere philosophy, the teaching of the Four Dharma Realms…
24Jul/14

Admonitions: Part II

buddhism, Buddhism Buddhist teachings sutra scripture, buddhist, disciple, instruction, relationship, sangha, student, teacher
More from Buddhist monastic teachers. With instructions from different people, pronouns shift.Again, as explained more fully in “Admonitions: Part I“, these instructions were directed at monks and nuns and excerpted from my translation of Admonitions for Monastics 緇門警訓. — Even monastics perpetrate grave errors . . . . behavior that can be…
16Jul/14

Admonitions: Part I

buddhism, Buddhism Buddhist teachings sutra scripture, buddhist, disciple, instruction, relationship, sangha, student, teacher
The Buddha Shakyamuni never established any rules for his Order until problems developed. Most of the Buddhist proscriptions were established as individual cases occurred. For instance, it was not until several dozen monks committed suicide by their own or another’s hands due to extreme (and excessive) disgust for their bodies,…
27Jun/14

Buddhist Persecution Past and Present

blame the victim, buddhism, Buddhist teachings, controversy, disciple, history, master, monastic order, monasticism, oppression, persecution, real story, religions, religious, sangha, scandals, tyranny, westward
Whereas Shakyamuni Buddha accepted students from all walks of life, including the Untouchables who were born into the lowest echelon of the hierarchical Indian caste system, some so-called monastic teachers have told other monastics that they are ill suited for the monastic life.  Political infighting in Buddhist monastic orders past…
23Jun/14

Chinese-English Buddhist Translation Theory Proposed

abe, bible, Buddhism Buddhist teachings sutra scripture, canon, Chinese, English, nida, sacred text, translation, translation studies, translation theory
The Dynamic Possibilities Theory One Possibility As a result of pondering sacred text translation discourses east and west, four aspects of Buddhist philosophical views of language and texts, I have developed one possible theory for the translation of Buddhist sacred texts from Chinese to English. I balance American Bible Society…