Category Archives: Uncategorized
Celebrating Amitabha’s Power
The power of Amitabha Buddha, also called Amida Buddha, is a fascinating and important topic in Buddhism. Amitabha Buddha is one of the most popular and widely venerated figures in Mahayana Buddhism, and is especially revered in Pure Land Buddhism. … Continue reading
Fear Is Born From Arming Oneself.
A life filled with negativity is not created by bad luck or circumstances. It is created by a negative mind and beliefs. This mindset and belief was created by conditioning and habits of thinking both conscious and unconscious. If you … Continue reading
Knowledgeable Ignorance
Going To All the Wrong Places I am not complaining, I merely state an observation: most people are knowledgeably ignorant. The pseudo-spiritual say that in order to understand reality “you have to go inside” but they never tell you inside … Continue reading
Living With Fools
Asevana ca balanam panditanañca sevana, “Don’t associate with fools. Associate only with wise people.” “Fools” are people whose minds and actions are unskillful and “evil”. They are unskillful in their actions – killing, stealing, having careless sex – and unskillful … Continue reading
My Buddha Can Beat Up Your Buddha
Contemporary Pure Land Buddhism has come under much scholarly critique over the past two to three decades. This is especially true of the Japanese Jōdo and Jōdo Shinshū presentations. In fact, the entirety of the model of populist Buddhism in … Continue reading
On Counterfeit Buddha Quotes
For the past 3 weeks the Hongaku Jōdo Sangha in Chicago has been going over the “Short Medicine Sadhana” with a fine toothcomb — not literally, of course. An in depth study of any of the writings or practices making … Continue reading
Afterthoughts: Karma
Fourteen days ago I suffered a “massive heart attack”, whatever that might really mean. This was a cause to consider the often-mysterious workings of karma. During the past year I had been forced for many reasons to consider my karma … Continue reading
Counterfeit Buddha Quotes
For the past 3 weeks the Hongaku Jōdo Sangha in Chicago has been going over the “Short Medicine Sadhana” with a fine toothcomb — not literally, of course. An in depth study of any of the writings or practices making … Continue reading
What the Buddha Said About Emptiness
For the past three weeks we’ve been working with the Medicine Buddha Sadhana. Many people when entering into the Sadhana practice are looking for a magical remedy to their problems. That is not the point of the Medicine Buddha. The … Continue reading
On Being Overwhelmed
The Buddha taught that I person willing to hate is willing to commit any atrocity. He called it an “evil mind”. It corrupts all of our motivations, even those that are quite honorable. Hatred creates in us the ultimate narcissist. … Continue reading
Fists Full of Sand 