Yes indeed. Check it out.

As FullContactEnlightenment.com’s TMcG says, “Nominate now! Nominate often!” (And while you’re at it: TMcG deserves a nomination or two herself!)

Thanks to the fine people behind the BA’s latest incarnation. This is a great way to explore the Buddhist blogosphere.

I rarely look at Bing; for better or for worse I’m generally a Google guy. But today, the Bing homepage’s cover star again hails from the Buddhist world.

It’s the stunning Thousand Temples of Bagan in Burma. You may have seen them in filmmaker John Bush’s also-stunning film, Journey into Buddhism: Dharma River, part of his three-part trilogy of films that reveals ancient Buddhist lands.

The Thousand Temples are really worth knowing about. Thankfully, Bing links to a short video, which you can see here. (But also, don’t miss the Bush films!)

This is cool: Over at Shambhala SunSpace I just posted three samples from the forthcoming CD, Dhamma Gita: Music of Young Practitioners Inspired by The Dhamma.

In addition to the three tracks, you’ll find a link to hear more, order the CD, or buy a direct digital download.

Check it out here.

This was posted here a couple of weeks ago:

Well, Lost, my favorite current TV show just got, um, favoriter.

Don’t know how I missed this initially, but one of the newly-returned show’s newest characters, a Japanese guy who is “Master” of the mysterious, rebirth-granting temple recently found by the Losties, is named Dogen. As in “Eihei Dogen,” founder of the Japanese Soto school of Zen Buddhism.

This is probably not insignificant, not on a show whose characters are named things like “John Locke,” “C.S. Lewis,” and “Daniel Faraday.” Also, of course, the whole thing centers around an enigmatic organization called “The Dharma Initiative.”

My eyes will be on the show and on Hiroyuki Sanada, who plays Dogen, for more. The second episode of the season is on tonight. Get caught up with last week’s premiere here.

But now, in a new interview with the New Yorker’s Vulture blog, Sanada denies a Buddhist connection:

Dogen translates roughly to “the temple of eternal peace.” Also, Dogen was a thirteenth-century Buddhist teacher. Any significance to your character?

Yeah, he’s not a Buddhist. Dogen’s name is inspired by a famous Buddhist in Japan a long time ago. He’s not a Buddhist, per se; it’s just a name. And also he has another real name from growing up in Japan.

Hey, fellow Worst Horses. I’ll be taking a week and a half or so to explore other pastures — real ones, off-line.

Just wanted to give you a heads-up, and also to again say thanks for making this site so much fun.

In the meantime, if you’re looking for more Buddhism-and-culture stuff, you couldn’t do better than to see what my colleagues at Shambhala SunSpace are cooking up, nor the many awesome people who make up the ever-vibrant, increasingly diverse Buddhist blogosphere. (The Horse’s blogroll, marked “Graze,” on the right side of this page, might be a good place to start.) And then there’s always the Horse’s archive of features including Dharma-Burgers, Buddhist tattoos, and more from recent days gone by.

‘Til next time: May the road rise with you!

Rod Meade Sperry
Editor of The Worst Horse

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?)

“Think different.” Or, don’t.

Via ComputerWorld: “Apple appears to have blocked iPhone applications related to the Dalai Lama in its China App Store, making it the latest U.S. technology company to censor its services in China. [...] At l

east five iPhone apps related to the Dalai Lama are unavailable in the China store. Some of those apps — named Dalai Quotes, Dalai Lama Quotes and Dalai Lama Prayerwheel — 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.”

Love this video from Rev. Koyo S. Kubose of the Bright Dawn Institute for American Buddhism — on the meaning of one of Japan’s most pervasive (and cool) Dharma-Burgers, the Daruma (or Bodhidharma, or Damo) doll. In his series of videos — some are just for young kids, all are playful — the camera is static, but the good reverend makes up for that by being so animated himself.

More videos from Rev. Koyo here.

This one also comes from the mighty Konchog Norbu. Seems that Yuttadhammo, the monk behind Truth is Within, has left Second Life for greener dharmic pastures online. Hence, his new “Buddhaverse.net” You can see a sneak preview of it here.

BTW: Yuttadhammo writes: “If you are interested in helping to build the platform, either on the 3D grid or in some other way (we also need web designers, programmers, etc.), please let us know. If you are interested in teaching or facilitating some sort of Buddhist practice and think that our platform can help, please let us know as well.”

CNN.com has just posted a story called “Prison inmates go Zen to deal with life behind bars.” See? When dharma seeps into the mainstream, good things can happen!