Author Archives: EricKVanHorn

The Business of Buddhism

Posted on April 9, 2013 by EricKVanHorn

One of the things that I have always enjoyed about the Buddhist tradition is that from the time of the Buddha the teachings were always offered freely. India must have been quite something around 2400 B.C.E. when the Buddha lived. … Continue reading →

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Putting Your Story To Rest

Posted on April 3, 2013 by EricKVanHorn

Everybody has a movie, starring me, directed by me, produced by me, written by me… it’s all about me – Larry Rosenberg, Cambridge Insight Meditation Center Everybody has a story and we like to spend our time and energy telling … Continue reading →

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The Buddha Wasn’t Kidding – Really

Posted on March 28, 2013 by EricKVanHorn

When I first started to meditate it was in a Zen practice. We were told mainly to “just sit.” If any question or problem came up, the instruction was the same, to “just keep sitting”. To this day the words … Continue reading →

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The Buddha and His Son

Posted on March 18, 2013 by EricKVanHorn

There is a quite endearing discourse by the Buddha in the Majjhima Nikaya called Advice to Rahula at Ambalatthka (Ambalatthaka means “Mango Grove”). What makes it endearing isn’t so much the content as the context. Rahula was the Buddha’s son. … Continue reading →

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Zen and (the sad art of) Sex Abuse

Posted on March 7, 2013 by EricKVanHorn

When I went to the New York Times web site on February 11, 2013, the lead article was Zen Groups Distressed by Accusations Against Teacher. It isn’t often that the Times lead article is about something Buddhist, and sadly the … Continue reading →

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The Art of Bus Maintenance, India Style

Posted on March 1, 2013 by EricKVanHorn

March, 2004 We are on a Buddhist pilgrimage in India, traveling by bus on the road from Varanasi (Benares) to Sarnath. The roads in Bihar Province have to be experienced to be believed. The terrain is flat, but you would … Continue reading →

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