The Bodhisattva as Artist

What is the connection between the life of an artist and the way of the bodhisattva? What can exploration of koans teach us about being fully engaged on the Buddhist Path? How does responding to a koan help us embody the Dharma?

Throughout July and August we’ll be talking about Buddhism, art, and creativity.


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Dreaming on the Dharma

image from flckr by peekaboop

Special Guest Post by Joan Sutherland, Roshi

As the Buddhadharma takes root in many lands outside Asia, we can expect the unexpected.  Are we dreaming the Dharma afresh, or is it dreaming us in ever-new directions?

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Seeing the Dharma Through Western Eyes

There’s the wisdom of the Buddha’s teachings, and there’s the Asian cultural form in which we learn about them. It’s not always easy to see which is which. But if we’re to evolve a Western Buddhism, we’ll have to take a closer look.

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American Buddhism & Psychotherapy: Building an Intimate Partnership

If one of the goals of Rebel Buddha is to have a true merging of ancient wisdom with the modern world, how can we not talk about psychotherapy? How can American dharma students learn from American psychotherapists to create healthy and sustainable communities?

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Figuring it Out – Reflections on a Long Journey

Where does the spiritual journey begin? When does it end? How can we stop war until we heal the anger in our own heart? On the road to freedom, how do I find my teacher?

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Dharma Practice and Language

Can I really practice dharma in my own language? Won’t something get lost in translation? What language did the Buddha actually speak?

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Buddha on the Road

A reflection on the dharma as it was brought to the West by Buddhist teachers in the late 50s and 60s, and some questions we might ask ourselves as we consider this path to the truth as applied to our modern lives.

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Born to Be Free

The true meaning of freedom, the difference between dharma and drama, and how our rebellious intelligence — our rebel buddha — challenges all illusions that stand between us and the truth.

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Backpacking East to West

How important is it to get free of the Asian baggage we may have picked up along with our meditation practice? How can we tell if we’re clinging to the familiar for its own sake, or if we’re revering the truth? How do we evolve a Buddhism that works for Westerners without creating new obstacles for ourselves?

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