So now Andrew Sullivan, who has touched on meditation in his videoblog before, is now going on at some length about Buddhism in a new installment.
The person who made me aware of the video’s existence criticizes Sullivan’s take as “shallow.” He goes on: “Again with the ‘extinguishing of the individual,’ the nihilist error. The point being, of course, that *no* independent self can be identified or proven as having *ever* existed as an entity beyond false concepts imputed on the dependently arisen, temporarily-hung-together, psychophysical array – i.e., there’s nothing to extinguish except erroneous ideas that keep us in cycles of dissatisfaction. Who wouldn’t want to extinguish those? All Buddhism asks is that we give up false ideas. But don’t expect a political commentator to embrace that any time soon. [...] I do agree with him that Merton’s cool, though.”
What do you think?
UPDATE: The same person who commented above now writes with this update:
“A reader has followed up with Andrew, quite intelligently and gently. I don’t know what’s the matter with me. Maybe my perception of his attitude set me off. Also I said ‘nihilist’ when I should have said ‘eternalist.’ Now who’s the dope?” Click here to read the followup post.
You may have seen this photo (or others like it) going around, posted on Facebook, etc, with a note that it’s of Burmese monks praying for world peace. That’s not quite accurate.
The actual story is that this is from a photoset of what some call a cult, based out of Thailand, whose “mass ceremonies are inspired by the head abbot’s fascination with the Muslim hajj gatherings and Nazi parades…” That description and the photoset itself — called “Close Encounters of the Buddhist Kind” — come from Foreign Policy. These photos really do beg to be seen. Only, in context.
Following the smashing success of the Wu-Tang Name generator, here comes “My Buddhist Name,” which seeks to, well, generate a Buddhist name for you.
Obviously, this is for silly/parody/entertainment purposes only. As for me? I got “The Monk Great Name.” That is not nearly as cool as “Tha Eurythmic King of Nowhere” (my Wu name) but if you want to try it yourself, click here. (And let us know what you got in the comments here.)
Hat-tip to my main man Barry Boyce.
The literary web-world has been abuzz about the death of writer Derek K. Miller. Why? Miller was a formidable writer in general, there’s no doubt. But it was the work of his final days, and the unflinching way in which he documented them — leaving us to ponder our own — that has struck the loudest chord. If you value honest, fearless writing, you’ll want to know who Derek K. Miller was.
And Miller, it can be said, loved honestly, too. You’ve got to admire that, as well. (more…)
A parody by Bob Odenkirk, of the Dalai Lama’s “tour rider” — a la Van Halen and their infamous, unreasonable “brown M&Ms” demand — has just been published by the often quite funny and smart and worthwhile Vice.
Now: am I pointing to this because [I think] it’s funny and smart and worthwhile, or because it, um, exists?
Well, whaddya know? The Worst Horse has received a “Best Achievement in Design” nomination in this year’s Blogisattva Awards. (And an Honorable Mention for Best “Life” Blog.)
Thank you!
The main thing about these Awards is to get a chance to be exposed to some of the best Buddhist bloggers out there. So check out all the finalists; winners to be announced this coming Sunday.
As a former weird teen who read Zap Comix (in reprints) and today, a weird adult who meditates, I loved seeing this by-the-panels video of R. Crumb’s famous Mr. Natural, brought to my attention by the big-hearted Konchog Norbu, who writes: “Wow. You have GOT to watch the whole sequence of ‘Mr. Natural’s 719th Meditation’ set to the Mississippi Sheiks. May all our meditation sessions be like this! ‘Now to git down to it!!’”
Well, you heard the man: You have GOT to watch it. (Not really, but I enjoyed it and you might too.)
Thanks, as always, Konchog.
Peter Rowan was just on NPR — he’s a big deal in the bluegrass (and wider) music world. Did you know he is Buddhist? And even has a song, “Across the Rolling Hills,” with a Buddhist chant in it?
Hear it here, and get the story on it, in Fresh Air’s wonderful interview with him.
I’m pretty sure you’ll be glad you did. And for more about Peter Rowan, visit his website.
(And: Happy Thanksgiving.)
…and no, not just because the figure portrayed here is actually Hotei and not the historical Buddha. (A common mistake.) It’s more because…. well, see for yourself.
The Local East Village has just published a new interview with Dharma Punx’ Josh Korda.
Hey, any meditation teacher who loves Mastodon and the Wu-Tang Clan is my kinda meditation teacher.
Check out the interview here.
And thanks to the mighty Sam DeWitt for the heads-up on this one.
