Buddhism
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Food and interdependence: Responsibility in food donation
Giving food to monks and nuns is a form of practicing generosity (dāna) and this is a custom still present today in Theravāda Buddhist countries. It is a practice that originates from ancient Indian Buddhism, which in turn retained this practice from the Brahmanical traditions of the time of the historical Buddha, where the person renounced or left the social obligations of caring for the family, property, and all social responsibilities to dedicate their lives exclusively to religious practices. This type of contemplative life doesn’t allow for work or an activity that allows you to support yourself, so you depend on the support of other people to feed yourself and…
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My Friend, Siddhartha
I wish I had read Hermann Hesse’s Siddhartha when I was a teenager, but I’m so glad I picked it up at 25. While browsing through the clearance section of a Barnes and Noble,–a great place to find collections of ancient myths, story books depicting the lives of sacred figures, and modern spiritual inspirations–I picked up a coloring book that advertises itself as an aid for meditation. I must have been leaning into my artistic side that day because another little book caught my eye among the disheveled stacks: an Illustrated Edition of Hermann Hesse’s Siddhartha. It felt as if the gold lettering on the book’s spine was illuminating my…
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BIAPT Conference 2023, Practical Theology Hub Event: S.H. Cedar, S. Horne, and Patricia Palazzo Tsai (Video)
Today we are thrilled to release the video of the Practical Theology Hub Event on hospitality which was held at BIAPT’s annual conference 2023 and features S. H. Cedar, Steven Horne, and Patricia Palazzo Tsai. Please note that parts of the video have been edited in order to protect the identities of non-speaking participants. Check it out below or on our YouTube Channel.
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Cats don’t have names: Does Neil Gaiman’s black cat teach emptiness?
‘Please. What’s your name?’ Coraline asked the cat. ‘Look, I’m Coraline. OK?’ The cat yawned slowly, carefully, revealing a mouth and a tongue of astounding pinkness. ‘Cats don’t have names,’ it said. ‘No?’ said Coraline. ‘No,’ said the cat. ‘Now, you people have names. That’s because you don’t know who you are. We know who we are, so we don’t need names.’ Neil Gaiman, Coraline (2002), p. 42. Neil Gaiman’s brilliant book entitled Coraline. The reader trying to make sense of this article may ask why the character Coraline is talking to a cat, they may be in awe trying to understand how a cat can engage in conversation, or…
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The Truth of Suffering: Dealing with the Coronavirus Pandemic
Just over two years ago we faced an alarming revelation: a new disease had emerged, characterized by its high transmission rate and lethal potential. At that time, we had neither knowledge of treatment nor a vaccine. Our sole defenses were lockdowns, quarantines, masks, hand sanitizer, and social distancing. Every day, news outlets would broadcast the mounting death toll worldwide. Fear permeated our lives as we confronted the chilling prospect of losing ourselves or our loved ones. This was the stark reality during the COVID-19 pandemic. With the advent of vaccines and treatments, life began to regain some semblance of normalcy. But this relief was short-lived. Humanity found itself threatened by…
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Exchanging self for others: the ongoing process of hospitality in Mahāyāna Buddhism
Before we begin, I would like to propose a brief exercise. Please consider this as an invitation to experience something different, but feel free to not engage in it if you do not feel comfortable with it. Let us imagine ourselves, with all the conditions we currently have at our disposal: food, drink, a roof over our heads, education, access to health system, a community we are part of, and also our abilities to benefit other beings. Even though we have all that, our minds are focused on the problems we have in our daily lives – papers to write, our jobs to keep, taxes and debts, conflicts with family…
