Author Archives for Tricycle Blog
All Composite Things Are Subject to Change
Exciting news: Tricycle has expanded its stable of bloggers to include Stephen Batchelor, Sharon Salzberg, and Lin Jensen (and look for more in the future as well). A hearty welcome to these new Buddhist bloggers.
This means changes for this blog as well. From now on, updates will occur at this a ...>
Communist Chinese Buddhist Publicity Stunt
This blog has been predicting that the World Buddhist Forum, just completed in the People's Republic of China, would turn out to be a cynical ploy at using Buddhism to improve the Communist powers' image, while simultaneously failing to deliver additional religious freedoms for China's hundreds of ...>
Buddha’s Schnoz Haiku
Issa Kobayashi was a Shin Buddhist priest of the Tokugawa era, and a master haiku poet. For your enjoyment, here are a handful of his poems about, of all things. . . Buddha's nose!
From the great Buddha’s noseA swallow emerges!
At the tip of honorable Buddha’s nose--A fart bug.
Wiping sootFr ...>
Communist China Says Buddhism Can Help the Country
According to People's Republic of China State Administration for Religious Affairs director Ye Xiaowen, Buddhism is uniquely positioned to contribute to a harmonious society. This statement was made in the run-up to a large state-sponsored Buddhist conference previously discussed on this blog. Mr ...>
Buddha’s Big Break
Doyle Redland of the Onion Radio News files a shocking report:Calling the theological giant’s stranglehold on the religious industry “blatantly anticompetitive” a U.S. district judge has ruled that God is in violation of antimonopoly laws and ordered Him to be broken up into several less power ...>
Dalai Lama, Gazing West
"It is fascinating," he says, speaking in slightly stilted English. "In the West, you have bigger homes, yet smaller families; you have endless conveniences --yet you never seem to have any time. You can travel anywhere in the world, yet you don't bother to cross the road to meet your neighbours; yo ...>
Interview Exclusive: Buddha “Happy,” Watching Lots of TV
Scranton, PA. This reporter was granted a rare five minute interview with Shakyamuni Buddha today, April 1, when the Buddha unexpectedly turned up at the T.G.I. Friday's Restaurant off of Route 6. "Sure, why not, we can talk for a minute while my buddy's using the bathroom," he said, gesturing t ...>
Don’t Pray For Me
A new study, the most comprehensive and rigorous research into the alleged health benefits of prayer yet undertaken, concludes that prayer by strangers does not have a positive effect on the health of heart patients. In fact, there is statistically significant evidence that it may actually be harmf ...>
Turning the Light Inward
Next weekend, April 7-9, there will be a retreat for People of Color at the Zen Community of Oak Park, a Zen center in the White Plum lineage. The retreat is being led by Rev. Hilda Ryumon Gutierrez Baldoquin, editor of the recent anthology Dharma, Color, and Culture: New Voices ...>
The Opiate of the People
China's officially atheistic Communist ruling powers are getting into the religion racket. Concerned about growing tensions and disatisfaction with repressive one-party rule, Chinese leaders have hit upon Buddhism as a partial solution to their problems--both with pesky citizens who insist on havin ...>