Do you want to learn how to practice one-minute mindfulness? I’ve been reading 8 Mindful Steps to Happiness, one of the most accessible and lucid guides to cultivating awareness, by the beloved Buddhist teacher Ven. Bhante Henepola Gunaratana. In the chapter titled “Beginning a Practice of Mindfulness,” in discussing what beginners can do to be … Read more
How do Buddhist monks handle insults? I recently came across an answer to this question while reading the book Manual of Insight by Mahasi Sayadaw (July 29, 1904–August 14, 1982). In the chapter titled “The Purification of Conduct,” he outlines the four kinds of morality for Buddhist monks: observing monastic precepts, pursuing a pure … Read more
“We survive and thrive only in an environment of concern, affection, and warmheartedness — or in a single word, compassion,” wrote the Dalai Lama in reflecting on how to live a more purposeful and meaningful life. “The essence of compassion is a desire to alleviate the suffering of others and to promote their well-being. … Read more
What are the twelve links of dependent origination in Buddhism? A better question to ask, in my opinion, would be, “Why do we suffer?” In Buddhism, the main source of our suffering is traced to our boundless cravings, contained in the Second Noble Truth. We crave many things but the most powerful among them … Read more
“The present is what your life is,” Mary Oliver famously wrote in her meditation on living in the now. Annie Dillard (b. April 30, 1945) echoes this sentiment in her Pulitzer-winning book Pilgrim at Tinker Creek. It’s a meditative read that can pull you out of your head and into the present moment. A few … Read more