Author Archives: EricKVanHorn

Endless School Shootings

Posted on February 16, 2018 by EricKVanHorn

Those of you who follow this blog know that I am working my way through the 547 Jātaka Tales, editing and illustrating them. One of the things that strikes me as I go through this exercise is that these stories … Continue reading →

Posted in Buddhist ethics, Teachings of the Buddha | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Joy and Happiness

Posted on January 13, 2018 by EricKVanHorn

Those of you who follow this blog may have noticed a new tab, the one labeled Jātaka Tales. I am taking the time to edit and illustrate the 547 stories from that collection. I hope that you will read through … Continue reading →

Posted in Buddhist meditation, Buddhist practice, Teachings of the Buddha | 2 Comments

Right Speech/Wrong Speech

Posted on October 28, 2017 by EricKVanHorn

I was talking to a friend of mine this past week, and he told me something quite astonishing. He said that Mahatma Gandhi was in favor of the caste system in India, and that he defended it. Further, he said, … Continue reading →

Posted in Buddhist ethics, Buddhist practice, India, Teachings of the Buddha | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Basic Kindness

Posted on September 18, 2017 by EricKVanHorn

When I first moved to New Mexico I attended a meditation group here. They have a people of color program there. This has become popular lately in some Buddhist organizations, to try and attract people of color and people from … Continue reading →

Posted in Buddhist ethics, Buddhist institutions, Buddhist practice, Teachings of the Buddha | Comments Off on Basic Kindness

Beacons in the Darkness

Posted on August 18, 2017 by EricKVanHorn

There continues to be a lot of angst about the current political situation, particularly after the events in Charlottesville last weekend. Charlottesville holds a special place in my heart because when I was in the fourth grade, my family took … Continue reading →

Posted in Buddhist ethics, Buddhist meditation, Buddhist practice, Teachings of the Buddha | Comments Off on Beacons in the Darkness

Serenity, Insight, and Lovingkindness

Posted on August 13, 2017 by EricKVanHorn

Credit for this story goes to Ajahn Brahm. There are two people who decide to go for a hike up Meditation Mountain. One of them is named “Samatha” and the other one is named “Vipassana.” They take with them their … Continue reading →

Posted in Buddhist meditation, Buddhist practice | Comments Off on Serenity, Insight, and Lovingkindness

The Dance of Existence

Posted on July 30, 2017 by EricKVanHorn

I think one of the hardest things to wrap your mind around in the Buddha’s teaching is that everything is a process. There are no “things.” A “thing” is just a momentary manifestation of current conditions. In the physical world … Continue reading →

Posted in Buddhist ethics, Teachings of the Buddha | Comments Off on The Dance of Existence

Saṃsara, Nirvāṇa, and Saṃvega

Posted on July 1, 2017 by EricKVanHorn

I would like to discuss three (Pāli) words that I think are often misunderstood in the Buddha’s teachings. These are saṃsara, nirvāṇa, and saṃvega. They are closely related. Saṃsara is sometimes defined as a place. It literally means “wandering” or … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

The Way in to the Fortress

Posted on June 18, 2017 by EricKVanHorn

I have been working my way through all of the books that I have written, reviewing what I wrote, double checking everything with what the Buddha taught, making minor stylistic changes to make everything uniform, and making occasional content changes … Continue reading →

Posted in Buddha's Enlightenment, Buddhist meditation, Buddhist practice, Teachings of the Buddha | Comments Off on The Way in to the Fortress

The Allure

Posted on June 7, 2017 by EricKVanHorn

It is always amazing to me how nuanced meditation is, and it gets more nuanced the deeper your meditation practice gets. That is why a) you have to keep at it, and b) it is very important, I think, to … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on The Allure