Okay, this one might be more an accidental Dharma-Burger, but…: readers and fans of John Daido Loori may recall that the late Zen Roshi was fond of using the phrase “skin-bag” to refer to our bodies. More than just another way to say “this mortal coil,” this phrase (which seems to be adapted from a previous Zen master’s usage or two) was meant to instead to aid us in shuffling off our attachments to our bodies in the here and now.

And now, there’s “SkinBag” — the product (as found on the Vice website), which seems timely given Lady Gaga’s already infamous “meat dress“:

From the SkinBag website:

SkinBag is a material created by Olivier Goulet, a french transmedia artist whose vision is in the crossroads of activism and human design.

The SkinBag family is made up of synthetic skin, bags, accessories and overgarments with distinctive folded texture, flexible material, and seamless organic appearance. You can view the SkinBags as bodily extensions; external organs which serve as holdalls for items we have around us.

A carrier of mutation, SkinBag symbolizes the ambivalence between the natural and the artificial, the instinctive and the optimized, and foresee the fusion between the digital and the organic.

and, from elsewhere on the site…

The SkinBag material distinguishes itself by its pleated aspects, its wrinkles, pimples, and its ocacasionel [sic] spots. Its texture provokes attraction and turmoil, it prompts one to touch and caress.

Whether or not SkinBag is informed by Daido’s usage is unclear, but in ways — “You can view the SkinBags as bodily extensions; external organs which serve as holdalls for items we have around us” — there’s some conceptual resonance here, not just with Daido’s usage of the word, but also, for example, the Theravadin Buddhist practice of working with awareness of the body in all its beautiful, mysterious, and putrid manifestations.

For more about SkinBag, see their website. I think it’s safe to say you’ll be surprised by the breadth of their offerings.

There’s no shortage of ads and merchandise that play off the (unfortunate?*) use of the word “Buddha” as slang for weed.  Hence this one, above, sent by Alex of Dharma Bums, who writes:

Saw this ad in the back of Citybeat Magazine here in San Diego. They have a ton of ads for Medical Marijuana dispensaries and this was one of them. As usual, the Buddha is tokin’.

Thanks for sending it on, Alex.

* Whether or not the slang term is unfortunate, actually depicting the Buddha smoking has got to be. At the very least, it sure is hacky. Plus, it’s not even a Buddha, but a Buddha statue. Duh.

A new piece from the editor of the Sweden-based Asian Tribune (published by the World Institute for Asian Studies) makes no bones about the Tribune’s feelings about the phenomenon of the Dharma-Burger. (I can only imagine how they might react to that term in and of itself.)

A couple of excerpts:

Internet companies, institutes for massage, restaurants, resellers of furnishing, and breeders of exotic cats all adopt Buddha in their uninhibited capitalist interests. As well as leaching the symbolic meaning which adherents of Buddhism ascribe to the Enlightened One. Some resellers of these, as they are marketed, oriental objects, also advertise that their Buddha statues are traded fairly or subscribe to the criteria for fair production.

And:

The commercialization of Buddha is an insult to all adherents of the Buddhist tradition. And can be seen as an expression of the prevailing relation between the so called Third world and the postcolonial powers.

Some would say that this is just plain true.

Some would say you have to look at such things in a matter of context.

There’s certainly an argument that different views might largely be the result of fundamental cultural differences. But then it can be fairly said that certain aspects of certain of cultures have to be more conducive to practicing what the Buddha taught than others. After all, wasn’t the Buddha ultimately offering a path to a different kind of culture, one fueled not by outward, material pursuits but by the best of what resides inside us all?

Or is a “Buddha for Sale” maybe not so bad, because we need reminders everywhere we go, not least of all the marketplace?

And hey, each Buddha for Sale is one less Snuggie or Big Mouth Billy Bass or whatever.

Maybe, though, it’s becoming more like one more Big Mouth Billy Bass. (Or whatever.)

(Yikes!)

Anyway, what do you say? Check it out.

Comments welcome.

Hey, Buddhists, and yogis! Sure, you know about Nike’s appalling contributions to human suffering.

But now they have Dharma-clothing.

What’s so “dharma” about it? Well, nothing. Just the name.

But doesn’t that name just speak to you?

In China, and interested in the Dalai Lama? There’s no app for that.

What disappointing (but somehow not surprising) news for those, like me, who support the Dalai Lama and also love their iPhone. Apple — which famously used the image of His Holiness in its “Think Different” campaign, back in the day — has seen fit to censor Dalai Lama-related iPhone apps in China. Reports Apple Hot News:

“At least five iPhone apps related to the Dalai Lama are unavailable in the China [App] store. Some of those apps display inspirational quotes from the Tibetan spiritual leader. Another, Paging Dalai Lama, tells users where he is currently teaching. A fifth app, Nobel Laureates, contains information about Nobel Prize winners including the Dalai Lama.” (more…)

Now back online: comedian Arj Barker’s video’d skewering of spiritual materialist Buddhists. It’s not always spot-on, but still…

Thanks to Jesse from Shambhala Sun for the tip!

Ethan Nichtern also posted his thoughts about “The Sickest Buddhist” over on the One City blog, when the video first debuted. Check that out here.

Believe it or not, the Dalai Lama is serving as a guest editor for the Vancouver Sun.

And believe it or not, THIS is the way they’re advertising that fact:

…and, too, is “Buddha.” For, again, Hotei has been mistaken as the Buddha.

Via FoolishGadgets.com:

Forget about rubbing Buddha’s rotund tummy for some good fortune – here’s a totally different take on this legendary man as all you need to do is stick a straw through his belly button and imagine that smiling face is emitting a whole string of non-stop guffaws. $6.99 is all they’re asking for one totally hilarious drinking accessory for those who love hosting parties and like to be in the center of attention at all times.

Lots more Dharma-Burgers to come. Thanks, everyone, for all the emailed submissions; it’s a real challenge keepin’ up!

Big thanks to reader Derek, who sends notice that you can now put Dainichi Nyorai — a.k.a. the Buddha of Cosmic Light and Truth, a.k.a. Mahavairocana — on your butt, thanks to these jeans.

As Derek notes, they even come “complete with seed syllable!”

For a little more on Dainichi Nyorai (including a truly beautiful rendering), check out this page from the artist Yasutaka Horie. His work is incredible.

Well, probably no more than he’s a fan of any other team — or any of us, for that matter.

But he did pretty much wear a Pats cap throughout his entire public talk at Gillette Stadium the other day.

Pix and links to more coverage at Shambhala Sunspace.