Buddhadharma: Deepen Your Practice & Study of Buddhism

Spiritual Friendship Is the Path Each one of us, says David Viafora, can be a kalyana mitra, or “spiritual friend.” Here’s how.

“Just as the dawn is the forerunner of the sunrise, so good friendship is the forerunner for the arising of the noble eightfold path,” the Buddha stated.

Dhammananda Bhikkhuni Hosts Groundbreaking Conference for Thai Bhikkhuni Sangha Cindy Rasicot, author of This Fresh Existence: Heart Teachings of Bhikkhuni Dhammananda, shares a report from this historic event.

For the first time ever, 92 bhikkhunis (fully ordained female monastics) came together to connect and support each other. Venerable Dhammananda: “The key word is unity. We must be united and strongly rooted in the Dhamma Vinaya to sustain the bhikkhuni sangha in the future.”

The Practice of Wonderment When your life takes the shape of a question, says Guo Gu, then you have entered the practice of huatou.

The monk asked, “Does a dog have buddhanature?” Zhaozhou responded, “Wu [No]!”

It’s a puzzling exchange. All beings have buddhanature, so why did Zhaozhou say no?

Year of Compassion to kick off with Compassion Shift event and Tibet Week | Emory University | Atlanta GA The unveiling of a new digital learning platform will usher in Emory College’s Year of Compassion, aiming to promote the education of both heart and mind. The launch also coincides with Emory’s Tibet ...

The Compassion Shift Global Launch, Sept. 30 and Oct. 1, will consist of free talks, panels and workshops highlighting the work and reach of Emory’s Compassion Center.

Speakers include Daniel Goleman; Samdhong Rinpoche (virtually), and more.

Opening to the Joy of Work Making a living while living our values can be easier said than done, but Maia Duerr has discerned six keys for cultivating the qualities and conditions for doing abundant, cheerful, sustainable work.

“Each of these six keys is easily worth a lifetime of practice; they invite us to grow in our professional lives as well as in the whole of our lives.”

Are You Ready for Death? What we see as the worst crisis of our lives is actually an opportunity to discover enlightened mind, says Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche.

"...from the Buddhist point of view, we have a choice: to direct our story of living and dying now, or to wait, closing our eyes to the message of impermanence, until death itself opens them. Since we value happy endings, why choose to gamble with the Lord of Death?"

“Negation After Negation You Attain Liberation”: Shosan with Suzuki Roshi In a pivotal moment for Zen in America, Tassajara Zen Mountain Center was founded in 1967, the first Zen monastery established outside Japan. David Chadwick’s new book, Tassajara Stories (Monkfish Pre...

Sit in on the Q&A session with Shunryu Suzuki Roshi at the end of the second sesshin ever at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center. An excerpt from David Chadwick’s new book, Tassajara Stories.

www.lionsroar.com/negation-aft...

Diana Mukpo, widow of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, dies As Trungpa’s partner, Mukpo played an active role in shaping Buddhism’s presence in the English-speaking world.

Diana Mukpo, known as Lady Diana to the Shambhala International Buddhist community for whom she was considered a leader, died at her home in Florida on September 10 at the age of 71.

You Don’t Have to Fear Death — But You Should In the new book How to Live and Die: The Transformative Power of Meditating on Impermanence (Wisdom Publications), Lama Zopa Rinpoche says death is just a mental construct, but it’s helpful to fear it...

"There is no real death that exists inherently, from its own side. It is merely a convenient label, ultimately unreal. ... The real death that we so fear — that real independent death — is merely labeled by the mind."

The Problem of Personality We believe deeply in ourselves as personalities, says Ajahn Sumedho, each committed to the reality of our own personal history and distinctive traits.

"Explore. Investigate. By investigating you are actually getting to notice the way it is, the Dhamma. You come to recognize that there is actually no person who is being aware. Nevertheless, awareness will include what seems personal."

See Things Clear Through Upasika Kee Nanayon, shows us how to combine concentration and clear-seeing to penetrate the "mass of deceit" that is the mind.

"If the mind keeps its balance, stopping to watch and know itself, it realizes these things for what they are. When it does that, it lets them go automatically without being attached. This is the knowledge that comes with true mindfulness and discernment."

The Clarity Aspect Emptiness without wisdom can lead to nihilism, explains Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche. That's why we have the teachings on buddhanature.

"Is enlightenment a total negation, like the exhaustion of a fire or the evaporation of moisture? Is it something like that? No, we’re talking about something that is a result of elimination."

Commentary: Embrace the Queerness of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha Transgender Buddhist monastic and social justice worker Ven. Tashi Choedup on Buddha as their teacher, dharma as their guardian, and sangha as their guide.

"One might argue that these are just Buddha’s skillful actions, and even if they seem queer, that doesn’t make Buddha queer. But what makes a person queer, if not their thoughts, choices, actions??"

Founding Editor-in-Chief Melvin McLeod becomes Lion’s Roar’s First Editor at Large After more than 30 years with Lion’s Roar, our editor-in-chief Melvin McLeod is stepping into the role of editor at large.

Since becoming editor of the then-Vajradhatu Sun in 1992, Melvin has guided us from a small community publication to the largest English-language Buddhist media voice, publishing across traditions for the benefit of all.

Dropping Body and Mind In her new book, Meeting the Myriad Things (Shambhala Publications), American Zen teacher Shinshu Roberts unpacks Dogen’s famed text Genjokoan (“Actualization of Reality”). Here she dives into Dogen’s...

"When we are able to manifest this practice, which is not different from studying the Buddha Way, we have forgotten the self. A forgotten self is the self that no longer perceives itself as the center of the universe but rather as one of the many elements of the universe."

I Will Follow in the Direction of Hope Larry Ward looks at the path of leadership, and how we get entangled along the way.

"Leadership is about the humility of knowing that my practice must continue. I’m never set; I’ve never arrived; I’m always empty." A reflection from the late Dr. Larry Ward, from the Buddhadharma archives.

Larry Ward, senior Buddhist teacher in the Plum Village Tradition, has died Buddhist teacher, author, and co-founder of The Lotus Institute, Dr. Larry Ward, passed away on August 19 at his home in Rhode Island, leaving behind a legacy of peace and advocacy for healing individ...

Dr. Ward was co-author with his wife Peggy Rowe-Ward, of Love’s Garden: A Guide To Mindful Relationships, and the author of America’s Racial Karma. Dr. Ward also held a PhD in Religious Studies, specializing in Buddhism and the neuroscience of meditation.

Amida Buddha Welcomes All Refugees Jeff Wilson explains how the Jodo Shinshu school of Pure Land Buddhism emerged from the refugee experiences of its two Japanese founders.

"Studying the teachings of Shinran, it’s clear that the persecution, displacement, and poverty he experienced led him to feel solidarity with the neglected, the abused, and the refugee."

Laughter Through the Tears: Kosho Uchiyama Roshi on Life as a Zen Beggar Kosho Uchiyama Roshi on the bittersweet life of a Zen beggar, translated by Daitsu Tom Wright and Jisho Warner.

"For Uchiyama Roshi, leading a truly rich spiritual life meant leading a life grounded in zazen and following a lifestyle of material minimalism. He saw how the very abundance that people seek confuses them and becomes the cause of so much suffering."

When Sadness Rages Like Fire Pema Khandro Rinpoche shares the life of the Tibetan yogi Shabkar, whose practice and teachings were inseparable from loss and grief.

"Witnessing how a Buddhist master mourns can shed some light on how we can navigate our own grief and demystify any fantasies we might have about a peace that negates sadness."

Moving Beyond Subjectivity to Awakening According to Shin Buddhist priest Rev. José M. Tirado, we must transcend our regular subjective-objective perspective in order to awaken and see things as they truly are.

"We 'attain' the Pure Land each moment subjectivity is transcended. And yet, the great paradox is that we ultimately transcend nothing. This is because we are released here and now, as we are, no longer grasped by duality."

Buddhadharma Newsletter Deepen your practice and study of Buddhism

The new Buddhadharma email newsletter goes out early next week. Sign up now if you haven't:
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Help When Your Heart Breaks Caring for people who are suffering is a loving, even heroic calling, but it takes a toll. Roshi Joan Halifax teaches this five-step program to care for yourself while caring for others.

Happy Birthday to Roshi Joan Halifax!

Pure Perception – How Poison Becomes Medicine This article, part of Mingyur Rinpoche’s new year-long teaching series, Blueprints of Awakening, explores how pure perception and the wisdom of buddhanature can transform even our deepest suffering in...

“The practice in Vajrayana isn’t about creating something new, but about removing all the mental and emotional habits that keep us from experiencing our buddhanature.”

What If Buddhists Engaged AI as Part of Practice? Deborah McGlauflin offers a dharma-grounded reflection on how our everyday interactions with AI can shape its moral and emotional tone. Drawing on her experience with a custom chatbot named Skywalker,...

“The key question isn’t whether or when AI will become sentient or conscious, which are matters of great uncertainty and endless debate. The question is: what are we teaching it now?”

buddhistcoalitionfordemocracy.org will hold a virtual
Mindful Town Hall on Wed, Aug 6, from 7:00-8:30 PM EDT. Attendees will be able to "speak mindfully and personally about how they’re experiencing and responding to this fraught political moment." Register for free at: lu.ma/m04j962h?tk=....

The Power of Buddhist Tantra Gaylon Ferguson on how tantric view and practice help us turn confusion into clarity and wisdom.

"We see things not as they are but as we are. If we cleanse the doors of perception, we can see what is otherwise hidden."

Establishing Theravada Buddhism in Cuba Marajina Bhikkhuni talks about her path to monastic life, her work to help the Theravada tradition take root in Cuba, and the inspiring growth of dharma communities across Latin America.

This new video interview offers a glimpse into the challenges and profound resilience of Buddhist communities emerging in new cultural landscapes.

Sisterly Support for Our Becoming: The 19th Sakyadhita International Conference in Malaysia The 19th Sakyadhita conference held in Malaysia in June brought together hundreds of Buddhist women to share practice, scholarship, and sisterhood. Pamela Ayo Yetunde reflects on the gathering.

Pamela Ayo Yetunde shares reflections on this year's gathering.

The Dharma of the Second Bell Rev. Joan Amaral recalls “Operation Bring John Home” — an effort to break through the bureaucracy that kept a married couple apart — while living one’s values and remaining unbowed.

Happy Birthday to Myozen Joan Amaral!