The Dalai Lama on Why We Need to Fight Coronavirus With Compassion

The Dalai Lama with another uplifting message regarding the COVID-19 pandemic:

This crisis shows that we must all take responsibility where we can. We must combine the courage doctors and nurses are showing with empirical science to begin to turn this situation around and protect our future from more such threats.

In this time of great fear, it is important that we think of the long-term challenges—and possibilities—of the entire globe. Photographs of our world from space clearly show that there are no real boundaries on our blue planet. Therefore, all of us must take care of it and work to prevent climate change and other destructive forces. This pandemic serves as a warning that only by coming together with a coordinated, global response will we meet the unprecedented magnitude of the challenges we face.

We must also remember that nobody is free of suffering, and extend our hands to others who lack homes, resources or family to protect them. This crisis shows us that we are not separate from one another—even when we are living apart. Therefore, we all have a responsibility to exercise compassion and help.

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Book Review - Living Buddha, Living Christ

“When you are a truly happy Christian, you are also a Buddhist. And vice versa.”

— Thich Nhat Hanh

I first added Thich Nhat Hanh’s book Living Buddha, Living Christ to my “Want to Read” list on Goodreads ten years ago but didn’t actually get around to reading it until earlier this year. I’m not sure exactly what enticed me about the book the first time I came across it, but something in me knew that I needed to eventually read it. I’m glad I followed that calling and gave it a try, even if it took me a decade to finish.

Living Buddha, Living Christ provides a high-level overview of the similarities and differences between Buddhism and Christianity. The book certainly isn’t a deep dive into either tradition, so if that is what you’re looking for then you should move on and continue your search.

But if you want to read a respectful, highly-digestible, thought-provoking take on the two spiritual paths, then look no further.

In the book, Hanh (the bestselling author of Peace Is Every Step) explores the teachings and practices brought to us by two of the most influential figures in the history of humankind. Jesus Christ and the Buddha have helped shape the lives of people and cultures for two millennia. Yet their followers do not always agree. Have you ever wondered what Buddha and Jesus would say (or do) to each other if they met on the road?

Something tells me that they wouldn’t kill each other, despite the sage advice from Zen master Linji Yixuan that is often repeated in Buddhist centers and temples throughout the world:

If you meet the Buddha on the road, kill him.

Instead, it’s likely that the two would engage in a friendly discussion similar to the one that Hanh has been having with Christians for several decades, where he has tried to build a bridge between the two contemplative traditions. Thankfully, the wisdom from that discussion has been skillfully translated for readers in Living Buddha, Living Christ.

The book explores several striking similarities between Buddhism and Christianity, like how the Buddhist idea of reincarnation lines up perfectly with “pre-incarnation”, a teaching from the third-century Christian theologian Origen that you’ve probably never even heard of. Or the ways that Buddhism’s notion of nirvana echo the sentiment of Jesus’ description of the Kingdom of God.

This book will help you see both Buddhism and Christianity in a different light, but also more clearly than you ever have before.

My completion of Living Buddha, Living Christ marks the 10th book by Thich Nhat Hanh that I have read. His books are incredibly simple yet they serve as powerful guides to live a better life, and this book is no exception. If you want to learn more about the intersections where Buddhism and Christianity overlap as well as where they diverge, I can honestly recommend that you give this book a read.

However, as one last note, I wouldn’t suggest Living Buddha, Living Christ as your introduction to Thich Nhat Hanh. Personally I think that Peace Is Every Step, The Art of Communicating, Being Peace, and Anger: Wisdom for Cooling the Flames are much better places to start. But if you’re really into the concept behind Living Buddha, Living Christ, then you surely won’t be disappointed.

Either way, be sure you check out Hanh’s body of work; it has the potential to change your life.

Click here to buy the book.

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A Special Coronavirus Message from the Dalai Lama

Solid advice from His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama:

No matter how difficult the situation may be, we should employ science and human ingenuity with determination and courage to overcome the problems that confront us. Faced with threats to our health and well-being, it is natural to feel anxiety and fear. Nevertheless, I take great solace in the following wise advice to examine the problems before us: If there is something to be done—do it, without any need to worry; if there’s nothing to be done, worrying about it further will not help.

The entire message is well thought-out and concise, and it is certainly worth a read. I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy out there.

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Pema Chödrön Steps Down as Senior Teacher at Shambhala

Matthew Abrahams, writing for Tricycle:

The American Buddhist nun and bestselling author Pema Chödrön has stepped down as an acharya (senior teacher) at Shambhala International in response to the group’s handling of the allegations of sexual abuse against Shambhala lineage holder Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche. Pema Chödrön, who had remained a part of the organization after the Sakyong stepped away from teaching and administrative duties, decided to resign after the Sakyong announced that he would resume teaching and a transitional board of directors invited him to lead an upcoming event in France.

In her letter to the board, released publicly on January 14, 2020, Pema Chödrön wrote, “I have decided to step down as an acharya. As you know, I haven’t actually served as an acharya for a long time, and I have been considering retiring for a few years. And now, the time has come.”

I haven’t followed Chödrön’s career closely, and still haven’t gotten around to reading her classic book When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times. But even though I’m not intimately familiar with her ideas or the alleged sex abuse that took place at Shambala, her reaction seems to be completely reasonable.

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Book Review - Buddhist Meditation

I’ve read a lot of meditation books on my quest in an effort to deepen my own practice, but Buddhist Meditation by Edward Conze is without a doubt the most scholarly text on the subject that I have come across thus far. Originally published in 1972, this book wastes no time at all before diving deep into the material. In the introduction, Conze briefly discusses the meaning and purpose of Buddhist meditation, its range and principal divisions, the literary sources from which the practice stems, and a comparison of this Eastern science of mind with modern-day Western psychotherapy.

From there, the book is broken up into four major sections. The first goes over devotional exercises that Buddhist meditators can work on while meditating. The other sections go over three aspects of the practice—mindfulness, trance, and wisdom. The book features advice on how to cultivate and maintain mental and physical awareness, which includes instructions on postures, breathing, rejection of the sensory world, and above all the recollection of the ultimate goal: nirvana.

Buddhist Meditation is considered by many to be a classic text. It’s included in the list of suggested books to read at the end of Ram Dass’ seminal spiritual book Be Here Now, which is where I probably first heard of it. Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I had hoped I would. It’s a very dry read. All in all I found it to be a bit esoteric and unhelpful, frankly, which was a disappointment because I think it probably contains helpful information that I would benefit from putting to use in my own meditation practice, but I just couldn’t get past the writing style to those nuggets of wisdom.

I did finish reading this book, and I even highlighted some of the pages. There were some parts that I really liked, and on the whole I have a positive opinion of it. Maybe it’ll be good review material in 20 years after I’ve learned more about these concepts from more entertaining authors and teachers. While I wouldn’t recommend Buddhist Meditation to most people, if you consider yourself to be really interested in Buddhism and want to learn more about the role of meditation in this tradition, then maybe you’ll appreciate it. Anyone else should probably steer clear and pick out a more accessible book on the topic.

3/5 stars. 192 pages.