Category Archives: Teachings of the Buddha

Sex and the Buddhist Cosmology

Posted on October 7, 2024 by EricKVanHorn

A real hot button issue with me are so called Buddhist teachers who coerce their female students into having sex with them. Some of them are quite famous, like Richard Baker, Chogyam Trungpa, Joshu Sazaki, Dainin Katagiri, and Surya Das. … Continue reading →

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Perception

Posted on September 30, 2024 by EricKVanHorn

One of the things that I love about Dharma practice is how it unfolds. On one hand, you must expend energy. You must be diligent. You must persevere. On the other hand, you must let go. You must be patient, … Continue reading →

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Perspective Redux

Posted on September 16, 2024 by EricKVanHorn

In my last post, I gave an overview of the Buddhist cosmology. If you have not read it, you might want to. It will give you a good context for this post. Here is a summary. In the Buddha’s Dharma, … Continue reading →

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Perspective

Posted on September 12, 2024 by EricKVanHorn

Most of us—even as Buddhists—live with our minds in the weeds. There is nothing wrong with that, but at a certain point it is useful to get out of the weeds, to soar up to 10,000 feet, and to look … Continue reading →

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Peace

Posted on August 29, 2024 by EricKVanHorn

I heard a Dharma talk recently by Ajahn Brahmali—the vice-abbot of Bodhinyana Monastery—in which he discussed how simple and accessible the Buddha’s teachings are. To be sure, that is not always the case. The teaching on dependent origination is particularly … Continue reading →

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Wesak 2022

Posted on May 16, 2022 by EricKVanHorn

Today is Wesak day, which is the most important day in the Buddhist calendar. It is the first full moon day in May. According to the Buddhist tradition, the Buddha was born on this day, he attained enlightenment on this … Continue reading →

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Turning 70

Posted on January 25, 2022 by EricKVanHorn

I turn 70 next month and this seems like a particularly auspicious birthday. Of course, for me that is not saying much. Birthdays have not had much meaning for me in the past. I remember one year I was at … Continue reading →

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Thich Nhat Hahn

Posted on January 25, 2022 by EricKVanHorn

Thich Nhat Hahn—“Thây” to his students—died a few days ago on January 22. He was one of the great Buddhist monks and figures of the 20th century. And I was very blessed to have had him as one of my … Continue reading →

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Killing in Self Defense

Posted on January 27, 2019 by EricKVanHorn

“For this cause I am prepared to die. But there is no cause for which I am prepared to kill.” – Mahatma Gandhi A friend of mine who teaches meditation had a student ask her this past week what the … Continue reading →

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Racism and the Dharma

Posted on December 21, 2018 by EricKVanHorn

There is an article in today’s Washington Post about a bizarre incident that took place at Lehigh University last year. A student from China was the roommate of a black man from the U.S. During their senior semester, there were a … Continue reading →

Posted in Buddhist ethics, Buddhist history, Buddhist institutions, Teachings of the Buddha, Uncategorized | 3 Comments