Waka is the classical poetic form of Japan. Each poem is in the syllabic form 5-7-5-7-7. This is the form that was used by the famous Japanese poet Saigyo. He usually wrote a short prose introduction to explain the setting of the poem.
Here is a poem
Read more…QUESTION: In one of your recent posts, you made the statement: "12. Nonduality is a dualistic theory." I was hoping you could elaborate a bit more on this statement, or perhaps point to a sutra or previous work where this is discussed. It is definite
Read more…1. Buddhism only values 'self-awareness' insofar as it cultivates humility and compassion.
2. It is not necessary to create a 'self' before you abandon it.
3. It is not true that believing that all people are part of one another will necessarily make
Read more…Honen Shonin has been one of the ancestral teachers most important to me. I love his humanity. He talks about how he learnt Buddhism and learnt that pure contempation depended upon pure moral conduct and that wisdom depended on pure contemplation. he
Read more…QUESTION: Other traditions talk a lot about generating metta for our friends, acquaintances and enemies. How would we talk about this in the Pureland tradition?
SHORT ANSWER: Nembutsu is gratitude for Buddha's metta toward all beings.
LONGER ANSWER:
Read more…Q: People suffer from any different kinds of issues. Although they are different and each, perhaps, needs a different remedy or therapy, all seem to involve attachment. How should we understand this?
A: There is a Chinese story about a man who goes s
Read more…Q: How can one attain illumination?
A: How can one expect to receive more teachings when one has not yet put into practice those that one already has? The angels are queuing up to provide more wisdom, but just as a waiter does not serve the dessert u
Read more…Q: What do the wisdom traditions say about equality?
A: Individual karma being unique in each case, it is self-evident that no two people come into the world identically equal in any respect. Therefore, to expect that competition between them shall b
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