“Are we witnessing the second coming of the Buddha?” asked Stephen Colbert in the opening tease of Monday night’s Report. “I’ll believe it when I see it in my grilled cheese sandwich.”

So, Nation, what was it that Colbert was talking about? A run-down and video follow. (more…)

Thanks to previous contributor Norbert Hübner for this take on the Japanese word for enlightenment. He writes:

“I’ve heard tales about people being struck by satori in a supermarket aisle, but I never expected it to happen to me. While strolling through the local food discounter, mulling over the mystical experiences of the weekend, I suddenly found the fruits of years of zazen practice right within reach: Satori! I grabbed four packs, so I can have satori each day for the rest of the week. ”

Have you seen it? It takes place in a sort of stand-in for the Potala Palace, completing the scene with prayer wheel, devotees and a levitating semi-Dalai Lamaesque figure. Meditation, it seems, is not necessary when you have Red Bull.

I can’t find the video online yet, but will post here when I do. You can see a screenshot, thankfully, thanks to good ol’ Many Flakes, One Bowl.

(BTW, “Many Flakes, One Bowl” has to be the best Buddhist blog name, no?)

Yep. That’s the slogan.

“Enlightenment” may mean many things to different people, but — funny or not — this sort of thing isn’t likely to help people to have a real grasp of any of those meanings.

Is that ok?

Big thanks to  the reader (who shall remain anonymous) who sends this one on:

“[I met this guy who] started a new tequila company called Karma Tequila. I played dumb and asked him what karma was, and he said, ’cause and effect.’ And I asked what cause and effect had to do with a name for a tequila brand, and he just said that it was the only name that they all agreed sounded great. So no reason, really. He did mention that, in the name of karma, the company gives back some of their proceeds to causes.

“I exercised a lot of control trying to keep my trap shut when he was going off about the name: ‘Imagine it branching out into branded cocktails: the Karmatini, the Karmapolitan, and get this … the Karmarita!’ I almost keeled over!”

…Yes, folks: “Karma Tequila.” Of course, right? …and you can see it on their site, here. I particularly like the “store” which includes the simple selling-line, “Buy Karma.” (Okay, maybe “like” isn’t the right word…)

So many commercials — car ads, insurance ads, fast food chain ads — are pretty much interchangeable. Everyone’s pretty, the sun is always shining, and no one gets older and loses their hair. (Unless, of course, what’s being pitched has to do with the avoidance of aging, or is a medication for the management of senility.) So kudos to Wendy’s (!) for their new spot. Watch:

Buddhism is of course unafraid to confront aging, sickness, and death. But the advertising industry? Well, let’s just say: not so much. So when Wendy’s chose to run this ad, they may just have broken a little teensy bit of ground. Addressing your customers’ mortality, even in so lighthearted a way, is somehow refreshing. It certainly caught my eye and jarred me a little.

But then, maybe that’s because I’m in the balding-youngish-guy-getting-older demographic. (Not that I’ll be going to Wendy’s any time soon… or, ever.) But what do you think?

Thanks to new reader Alan F for this one:

“Hi,

“I just discovered The Worsthorse, and have a Dharma-Burger for y’all. There’s a small Japanese fast-casual restaurant chain here in Austin, Texas, called ‘Zen.’ Of course, they do the whole Buddhist bit, but I thought the sign today was fun. I suspect the Little Buddha meal is supposed to be the kids meal, but it seems to me that the sign is also suggesting bhikkhus and bhikkhunis can get their alms from Zen on the weekends!

“Enjoy!”

Thanks much, Alan…!

I think I’ve covered this before, but after a couple of pushes, from Nate at Precious Metal and reader Jacqui M., here it is again.  As Jacqui writes:

“I’ve been enjoying the site for quite awhile… thanks for the giggles!

“I don’t know if you’ve covered this before, but Time magazine this week has a feature on ‘intentional’ food, including the company Intentional Chocolate. Thought you might find it interesting… The Buddhist link is in this paragraph:

Intentional Chocolate, founded in 2007 by chocolatier Jim Walsh, uses a special recording device to capture the electromagnetic brain waves of meditating Tibetan monks; Walsh then exposes his confections to the recording for five days per batch.

Gimmickiness aside, this one seems to me to be an example of the more sincere manifestation a Dharma-Burger might take. The Tibetan monks who meditate “for” Walsh’s chocolate are at Deer Park Buddhist Center, and include Geshe Lhundub Sopa. And as far as I’m concerned, if Geshe Sopa’s down with it, it’s pretty much gotta be a good thing.

And, it would seem, it works. Scroll to the bottom of this scientific abstract.

Thanks, Jacqui and Nate!

So many Dharma-Burgers, so little time. So let’s just jump in and see some of what’s come into the Horse’s in-box over the past few days:

The ever eagle-eyed Sam DeWitt sends this shot from the current Snickers campaign, and writes:

“Really? Nutvana™? With a trademark and everything? Will I get sued if I try to start being hip and dropping ‘nutvana’ in casual conversation?… As the kids say – Whatever!”

Alice of the great NOT2W0 blog writes to share two new Burgers
1) Seat Karma: Live entertainment ticketing search engine and broker.

Company Profile:
http://seatkarma.com/company.php

2) Zendals: Sandals with massage balls at the sole. I saw this on someone yesterday in the locker room at the gym. Link here.

And here’s one from the always mighty (and often moving) blogger, monk, and relentless friend of the Horse, Konchog Norbu:

“Oy gevalt. It’s endless. You could have a separate blog just for Zen-Burgers. Latest arising. I think I’m supposed to know who Tara Stiles is, but I really don’t.”

Lastly — for now, that is; there are still plenty more in the ol’ in-box to get to — Clint B. sends a link to the “Birdvana” shirt, (main graphic picture here; not picture is some writing that says “The duck seeks only bread.”) writing, simply, “Rod, I just don’t know what to make of this one.”

Me neither. I was about to say I kinda liked it, actually, until I just started thinking: “Oh, gee, a graphic of a cartoon animal, meditating? That’s pretty goofy.”

(Whatever you do, readers, please don’t scroll to the top of this page right now.) ; )

Thanks, everyone. Keep ‘em coming, and I’ll do my best to keep up!

Thanks to reader Karen B. for sending this new Dharma-Burger. She writes:

“I found this inside my Dove Milk Chocolate Promise. Apologies for the fuzziness, my cell phone’s camera’s not the best.

“The verse says: ‘Think lovingly, speak lovingly, act lovingly.’ I guess ‘compassionately’ didn’t fit on the wrapper.”