His Holiness the Dalai Lama holding a interactive session with Buddhist practitioners from
various Buddhist temples at a hotel in Nagano

On June 20, at an informal discussion with over 200 Buddhist priests in Nagano, Japan, His Holiness the Dalai Lama said Japan with its highly developed scientific knowledge combined with its ancient Buddhist tradition can produce Buddhist scientists.

He said Japanese Buddhist practitioners should engage in dialogues with scientists to explore areas where science and religion can find a common ground i understanding universal values like compassion and kindness.

Meditation is a healthy way to develop a calm mind. You don’t have to use injections or drugs to achieve peace of mind,” he said. Interests in Buddhist science, which has little to do with abstract and esoteric notions of religion like after-life, has grown over the past years as scientific findings increasingly point to the inherent connection between physical and emotional well-being, he said.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama meeting Japanese children

In the United States, universities of Stanford, Wisconsin, and Emory have already established programs to study the development of a peaceful life. Tibetan monks in India now study modern science in addition to regular Buddhist curriculum. All western scientists interested in Tibetan Buddhism were either Jews, Christians or non-believers, he said, but Japan with its background in Nalanda tradition of Buddhism that emphasizes logic and investigation in reaching the ultimate reality has the potential contribute a lot in such secular dialogues.

According to Ven. Yukai Shimizu, an official with Zenkoji Temple, this exchange of ideas between His Holiness and Japanese priests on Buddhism which was held at the convention hall of Kokusai Hotel is a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” because not many Japanese priests get such forums to discuss and debate. “It’s a great opportunity for them to learn from His Holiness,” he said.

READ MORE AT TIBET CUSTOM...

The Worst Horse is doing some of the best work on the Buddhist blog roll lately (The Worst Horse has been on our blog roll from the beginning).

I have to relay some posts that we found interesting this week following his mention in the Winnipeg Free Press article.

First, the Worst Horse linked us to an interesting article on Slate, titled "You've Come a Long Way, Buddha."

The Slate article refers to two events in the mainstream media this week, that may create an interest in Buddhist teachings. The article asks to consider "With a little help from Tiger Woods and PBS, Buddhism may finally shake its counterculture image."

The second blog post is a fun one from this week's episode of the Simpsons. Watch it before Fox takes it down.

Keep up the great work at The Worst Horse!

Sensei Ulrich is quoted in a recent article in the Winnipeg Free Press. Other notable names and blog roll members include Rod Meade Sperry of the Worst Horse and Scott Mitchell from the Institute of Buddhist Studies.

Although it seems that Mitchell does not recall doing an interview for the article.

Buddha statue at Wat Muang in Angthong, Thailand, for Macha Bucha Day ceremonies.
(DAVID LONGSTREATH / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVE - ACCOMPANYING PHOTO FROM ARTICLE

Here is an excerpt from the article:

Have you heard about the Buddha Bar?

According to an ad in the Free Press, people who patronize Winnipeg's newest drinking establishment can expect to find "chic interiors" and "exotic electronic beats" to go along with the usual cocktail, beer and wine specials.

Winnipeg's Buddha Bar is just one more example of what has come to be called "Dharma Burgers," a phrase made popular by Rod Meade Sperry of the Buddhist pop and culture website The Worst Horse. According to Perry, it refers to "any example of Buddhist ideas or imagery in the marketing or production of (usually non-Buddhist) services and consumables."

How do Buddhists feel about "Dharma Burgers"-- seeing their religion used to sell stuff? I posed that question to Sensei Fredrich Ulrich of the Manitoba Buddhist Temple. "Most Buddhists don't relish them, but seldom take offence," he says.

He did draw the line a few years ago when Victoria's Secret introduced a "Buddha bikini," with an image of a Buddha-like figure on the crotch.
"Using the Buddha to sell erotic garments is a misuse of the Buddha image," Ulrich states.

As for all the other "Dharma Burgers," Ulrich is resigned to seeing more businesses using his religion to make money. "As Buddhism becomes more popular, such things will become more numerous," he says.

READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE ON THE WINNIPEG FREE PRESS...
READ THE WORST HORSE...
READ SCOTT MITCHELL AND THE BUDDHA IS MY DJ...

While Tiger Woods claims that Buddhism is an important part of his road to recovery. There are some other A-List Buddhists according to The Daily Beast.

The web magazine is run by former Vanity Fair and New Yorker editor, Tina Brown.

CHECK OUT WHO ELSE MADE THE A-LIST OF BUDDHISTS...

"One hundred years ago tonight, 58 brave men lost their lives in a single avalanche at the summit of Rogers Pass, in the Selkirk Mountains northeast of Revelstoke. This evening, we are assembled to honour their memory, to reflect on our relationship with the mountains, and to hope for the safety of all those who travel in the mountains in the winter,"

Those were the words of Karen Tierney, Superintendent of Mount Revelstoke and Glacier National Park and Rogers Pass National Historic Site, as she addressed a crowd of over 500 people at a special commemorative service held in Revelstoke, B.C. this week.

Thirty-two of those men were Japanese immigrants and were most likely Buddhists. So, as part of the ceremony, their names were read and a short service was performed by Bishop Fujikawa of the Jodo Shinshu Buddhist Temples of Canada.

There is another event planned for August 15, 2010. CPR and Parks Canada will be designing a memorial monument at Roger's Pass. The 1910 Avalanche Committee wish to have an Obon Service and Bon Odori to be part of the centennial events. Sensei Doctor Leslie Kawamura of Calgary will be in Revelstoke to perform the service.
 
Should you be planning your holidays around this time, please try to include a trip to Revelstoke and take in this event.

-With information from Roy Inouye

GO TO THE REVELSTOKE TIMES-REVIEW TO SEE A SLIDE SHOW, VIDEO AND ARTICLE OF THE EVENT...

Socho Koshin Ogui, Bishop of the Buddhist Churches of America

Living in San Francisco, Socho Koshin Ogui is the writer of the popular column “Nyozegamon,” which appears in the Hokubei community newspaper and website.

The English translation for "Nyozegamon" is "I have heard it in this way". This refers to the passing down of stories from generation to generation.

Recent column topics include "Finding Happiness in the Midst of Misfortune" and "Why Does She Say She Has Nothing When She Has Plenty?".

Upon his appointment as Bishop of the the Buddhist Churches of America, Ogui was asked what his goals were as Bishop. Ogui said that his personal goal is to convey the wonderful nature of Buddhist tradition in the U.S. Further adding, "To do this, we must convey the traditions in a manner that is convincing to Americans."

Nyozegamon is a wonderful way of communicating these ideas.

READ BISHOP OGUI'S COLUMNS...

Great article from Oakland North, a website created by U.C. Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism.

The page focuses on the Oakland Buddhist Church, its history and how the temple serve as a "point of community" for Japanese-Americans. It also serves as primer on Jodo Shinshu Buddhism.

Members stroll in early to Dharma Family Service, which takes place on Sundays in the hondo.

The gong-like sound of a bell called a Kansho reverberates throughout the hondo. The conversations in the room begin to trail off. After a few more strikes and silent pauses, the bell is hit rapidly. The chatter fades to a silence and the only sound left in the room is the lingering ring.The bell stops.Three ministers, all men, are dressed in long black robes. Around their necks, they each have a kesa, tightly folded cloth made from the robes that Buddhist monks traditionally wear. They sit in chairs on the sides of the altar and begin to chant. Their voices together create a drone that engulfs the room.

The item goes on to explain the 108 year history of the congregation and how the temple has evolved as the community around it has changed. The current minister at the Oakland Buddhist Church is Rev. Harry Bridge.

It features some great photos and sound, a recording of Nembutsu chanting.

READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE FROM OAKLAND NORTH...

Here is a nice blog posting from Communications students at Pacific Lutheran University. They write about a recent visit to the Seattle Betsuin Temple. The article has some interesting observations and interviews....

“It’s a laid back Buddhist. That’s the way I like to say it, laid back Buddhist, because traditional Buddhist you are really trying to improve yourself and you’re working towards your enlightenment. Then as you move in that direction you find out how difficult it is to obtain enlightenment on your own. As you find that out Jodo Shinshu Buddhism then you realize that we all are enlightened. We are all working in that direction. But we do it with the help of the other power which is known as Amida Buddha, which is what our whole shrine is dedicated to. Amida Buddha is not really a person per say, it’s a personification of an ideal or concept which is love, wisdom and passion all rolled into one,” said Rev. Jim.

“That’s what life really is because every time something good happens there is kind something bad is lurking or just happened. The best example of this is when the Buddha was out during a ceremony for planting the crops in the spring when he was a young child or teenager they were ploughing out the fields and this was important to the village, because this provided crops for the rest of the year. They were ploughing the fields and the Buddha noticed you know were getting all this good stuff but there is also bugs and plants and animals dying out there because all the sudden they were exposed. The birds come down and eat the bugs, the lizards jump on the birds and it goes on. So even during this great time and celebration there is this stuff going on that isn’t so good and that’s was it really is. Things aren’t going to be perfect, and the more we want them to be perfect the more frustrated we are going to become. If we just accept things as they are then life kind of makes sense,” said Rev. Joe.

Rev. Jim and Rev. Joe refer to Jim Warrick, and Joe Schwab, who are both Certified Minister’s Assistants . They work with Rev. Don Castro at the Seattle Betsuin Temple.

READ THE ENTIRE POSTING AT PACIFIC LUTHERAN UNIVERSITY WEBNEWS...
GO TO THE SEATTLE BETSUIN TEMPLE WEBSITE...

Tricycle magazine has made space on their website for a brief retrospective of articles on Shinran Shonin and the teachings of Jodo Shinshu. The links are posted on the Tricycle Editor's Blog. Here's a sample:

Beyond Religion: An interview with Rev. Dr. Alfred Bloom
by Jeff Wilson

How has Shinran made an impact on you personally?
I see Shinran as a towering figure. He took Buddhism, turned it upside down, and made it something that could illuminate people’s personal experience in a new way. Even though it comes out of medieval Japan, I believe his teaching is universal. And so he intrigues my imagination.

I think it’s the right time to explore a deeper interpretation of Shinran, because I think it might help those who are racked by guilt, by distinctions of flesh and spirit, and by the other dualisms of Western culture.


Born Again Buddhist
by Clark Strand

One morning not long ago, I was born again. Though unexpected, this was never outside the realm of possibility. According to the teachings of Pure Land Buddhism, all who call Namu Amida Butsu, Amida Buddha’s name, may be reborn in the “Land of Utmost Bliss,” provided they truly believe that he will save them. That, of course, had been the problem. Try as I might to finesse my way into the Pure Land, it didn’t matter as long as I didn’t believe.

DISCOVER MORE LINKS TO JODO SHINSHU ARTICLES ON TRICYCLE....

What does it mean to say Namu Amida Butsu? Rev. Gregory Gibbs explores this question in an article at the Shambala SunSpace blog. Gibbs is the minister at the Oregon Buddhist Temple in Portland. A former Catholic and Zen Buddhist, Gibbs also reflects on his experience to also answer how far the practise of meditiation can take you in an article for the Shambala Sun blog page.

READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE AND SEE LINKS TO OTHER JODO SHINSHU LINKS AT SHAMBALA SUN...

It's one of our favorite movies of all-time. And while many religious groups have claimed it as their own, the question many ask, is "Groundhog Day" a Buddhist movie?

Shambala Sun magazine went to the source. In the July issue, writer Howard Garfinkel talks to Filmmaker Harold Ramis about his movie "Groundhog Day."

“The primary rule of Buddhist humor is that you never laugh at someone else’s expense. But, rather, laughter arises when we realize our futile attempts to escape the first noble truth. Pointing to our common bumbling deluded nature—with humor—apparently relieves some of the suffering. Ramis has done that in most of his films, but especially in Groundhog Day, where he seems to be saying, ‘This is what it’s like. Every day is the same thing; we make the same mistakes over and over.’ Ramis is always trying to shatter our ordinary take on reality, to reveal hidden dimensions. He is trying to create what Buddhists would call ‘beginner's mind.’”

READ THE ARTICLE AT SHAMABALA SUN....
READ THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS ACCORDING TO "GROUNDHOG DAY"...

A birthday cake for Myanmar's detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi at a ceremony in Kuala Lumpur.
Photo by Saeed Khan for the Agence France-Presse.

Campaigners across the globe are honoring the birthday Friday of Burma's detained democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The Burmese pro-democracy leader spent her 64th birthday at Rangoon's notorious Insein prison, where she is on trial and facing up to five years behind bars. Activists and politicians are marking Aung San Suu Kyi's 64th birthday with gatherings of support from Thailand to Europe and the United States. In addition, a coalition of 23 Burma rights groups has formed "64forsuu.org", a website where supporters can post messages urging her release from detention.

READ MORE FROM THE "VOICE OF AMERICA"...
SHOW SUPPORT FOR AUNG SAN SUU KYI...

The Buddhist Temple of Southern Alberta is the talk of the town. While the casino just across the street might be a bigger draw. The right choice might be the new Lethbridge Buddhist temple.

This week the temple was the focus of the local TV newscast and a chance for many to see the temple without leaving home.

SEE A SHORT VIDEO OF THE CHIGO PARADE AND DEDICATION SERVICE...
VISIT THE WEBSITE OF THE BUDDHIST TEMPLE OF SOUTHERN ALBERTA...

Many of us, pass by Roy's Florist on our way to and from the temple. So it was a shock to hear about this weekend's fire at 710 Notre Dame Ave. We know the building from its landmark neon sign and the Japanese-Canadian mural on the side of the building. But, we also know the shop as the place where the Kaita family has worked for and supported members of our community for many years.

courtesy Winnipeg Free Press

Roy's Florist has provided flowers the Manitoba Buddhist Temple since the store opened in 1962. The flowers you see on the hondo are often donated from Roy's. They also supply bouquets for funerals, weddings and other special occasions.

We hope the Kaita family can recover from this terrible incident. Customers who want to reach current owners, Michael and Kathy Kaita can email rfltd@mts.net.

READ MORE ABOUT THE FIRE AT THE WINNIPEG FREE PRESS...

"Fifty years after Chinese rule began, Tibet's leader is still in exile, and many fear chaos will erupt if the conflict with China isn't resolved within his lifetime." -HEADLINE FROM GLOBE AND MAIL ARTICLE

So where does that leave the people in Tibet and in the future, for Buddhism in the west? Read this comprehensive article from Canada's national newspaper. Here are some short excerpts:

In the minds of many, the Tibetan struggle and the current incarnation of the Dalai Lama, 73-year-old Tenzin Gyatso, are inextricably linked. Which is why — after a series of health scares in recent months — this year's anniversary of the Tibetan uprising is accompanied by rising concern over what might happen if the spiritual and political leader of Tibet were to die or become incapacitated before he has the chance to return home to the official residence in Lhasa he fled with his followers in 1959.

The spiritual and political ruler of Tibet through the years. First as a four-year-old peasant child about the time he was chosen Dalai Lama, as a 15-year-old wearing a gold peaked cap that is his crown and during a 1956 visit to India. Photo: Associated Press

"There's no doubt that life without the Dalai Lama, in the current state we're in, would be a terrible blow," said Lhadon Tethong, executive director of Students for a Free Tibet, one of an array of Tibetan exile groups opposed to Beijing's rule. "It's going to be awful if things are not resolved in his lifetime."

READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE FROM THE GLOBE AND MAIL...

In the spring issue of Tricycle magazine, Jeff Wilson interviews Taitetsu and and his son, Mark Unno.

Both men are ordained minsters in the Jodo Shinshu sect of Buddhism. They are also teachers and writers. Mark Unno is a professor of Buddhism at the University of Oregon. Taitetsu Unno is a professor emeritus of religious studies at Smith College and the author of "River of Fire, River of Water: An Introduction to the Pure Land Tradition of Shin Buddhism" and "Shin Buddhism: Bits of Rubble Turn into Gold." Both books are have helped many people discover the riches of this major Buddhist tradition.

The Unnos help to sort out the subtle differences between the various sects and forms Buddhism takes. Here are a couple of quotes from the interview:

In Asia, laypeople generally relate to Buddhism devotionally. But in America, when laypeople engage in these traditions they most often want to relate to them solely as a yogic path, beyond devotion. The problem is that they have all of the problems that lay Buddhists have always had. Trying to force yourself into the yogic path while living with all of the distractions, complications, and follies of the lay life may not always work so well. In order to ease some of the strain on this artificial image of what a Buddhist life might be, it could be very helpful to bring in the Shin emphasis and recognition of our blind passions and our natural limitations as laypeople.

In some approaches to Buddhism, you try to get rid of emotional attachments, but not in Shin. We want to treasure the blind passions, the defilements, because they are the fertilizer for realization. It’s hard to make the passions disappear, but they can be deepened into wisdom and compassion. Some people use the word “transform,” but I don’t like it myself. The passions don’t become something else; they become more pungent. Pungent dharma. That’s Shin Buddhism.

READ THE ARTICLE ON THE TRICYCLE WEBSITE...

More connections to Barack Obama and Buddhist philosophy. Quotes are from an article in the Bangkok Post examining his leadership qualities.

In Buddhism, people who are transformed become selfless and dedicated to serving others. This is what many people felt when they watched the broadcast of Obama giving his somber, determined victory speech in Chicago on election night.

It may seem incredible that a person with such a humble beginning as Obama could have made it this far. Yet, when looking through the lens of Buddhism, it should not come as a surprise. This is a mindful and humble candidate with a deep understanding of dhamma running a thoughtful and honourable campaign, encouraging people to be selfless and join forces to create good karma for the purpose of lifting others out of suffering.

READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE FROM THE BANGKOK POST...
GREAT PHOTOS AT THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE...

The recent marriage of George Takei and Brad Altman grabbed headlines recently. Foremost as news of "Proposition 8" rose to the forefront, but probably more notably on the fame of the former star of "Star Trek."

Takei,and Altman exchanged vows at a Buddhist ceremony pre­sided over by Rev. William Briones, Nishi Hongwanji Buddhist Temple.

But, it also brings into light, the subject of gay marriage from a Buddhist perspective. Jodo Shinshu Ministers have been performing same-sex marriages for thirty years. Rev. William Briones is the first Mexican-American Jodo Shinshu Minister in America. He is also the person who officiated the marriage of Takei and Altman. He writes in November's BCA newsletter that Amida's Primal Vow does not discriminate.

"Within our teachings of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism, there are no doctrinal grounds that exist the prohibits neutral-gender marriage. Within the compassionate light of the Amida Buddha, all beings are equally embraced."

READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE OF REV. BRIONES FROM THE BCA NEWSLETTER...
READ "SENSATIONAL AS ONE" AT THE RAFU SHIMPO ONLINE FROM THE LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS....

This week, my wife asked my daughter what she did at recess. Her response was that she "meditated." This practice probably came to her after Sensei Ulrich began introducing children's meditation into our weekly Sunday service.

"Think of your head shooting like a fountain, watering the flowers and grass around you."

A couple of the most popular internet searches that bring people to this website are "Eightfold Path for Children" and "Buddhist Stories for Children." This just shows the growing popularity of parents and teachers looking for Buddhist lessons for their kids.

In the fall 2008 issue of Tricycle magazine, a special section titled "Bringing Up Buddhists" explains some of the interest that exists in North America. It is a sampling of how Buddhists in the United States are teaching the dharma to children. The contents of the section includes an article on a Florida family trying to live a Buddhist life, a Dharma School in Portland and a meditation teacher working in the New York public school system. There is also information and inspiration for those who want their children to have a Buddhist educational experience.

Originally modeled after Christian Sunday Schools, Jodo Shinshu Temples in Canada and the United States have been offering a "Dharma School" children's program for decades.

The Level 8 Buddhist's blog has a great posting about bringing up a child in a Buddhist family. He also has many nice things to say about the Jodo Shinshu tradition that captures its "family friendly" culture.

Jodo Shinshu, among Buddhist sects, is among the most family-friendly. It emphasizes gratitude and humility, and is geared toward working-class people given its roots as a lay-Buddhist organization from 12-13th century Japan. So, we take her to the Sunday School there, and she plays on the slide, eats snacks and occasionally makes crafts. The themes are not overtly Buddhist, but just being in a wholesome Buddhist environment works wonders. She learns to be thankful for the food she receives, she learns to speak kindly to others, and to be nice to other children. That’s the real secret of raising Buddhist children. -Level 8 Buddhist

In the "Traditions" section of this web site, we have written, "In teaching small children, we should convey a feeling of reverence and gratitude. Children will learn through the examples set by parents and teachers."

Reciting the Nembutsu will live with them forever.

READ THE INTRODUCTION TO THE TRICYCLE ARTICLE ONLINE...
READ "RAISING BUDDHIST CHILDREN" AT THE LEVEL 8 BUDDHIST...

An ominous calm settles in Myanmar, as people return to the squalor and inflation that brought them to the streets in protest.

It's been one year since saffron draped monks marched through the city of Yangon, formerly Rangoon. They took to the streets, in peace, to show strength for the people who came to them for help. The whole world watched. And, despite all the media coverage, the government crackdown that followed still continues today.

One year later, the monks and others who stood up, are still on the run. Nightly house-to-house searches take place looking for dissidents who have, or are willing to continue the fight for their rights. One year later, the democratic leader of the country, Aung San Suu Kyi is still under house arrest. One year later, the military regime still rules this Buddhist country with an iron fist.

Meanwhile, eight Nobel Peace Prize laureates, including Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama, released a joint-statement this week marking the anniversary of the “Saffron Revolution” by urging the people of Burma to “maintain nonviolence, determination and vigilance—despite the odds.”

Let's all hope that the rules of karma lead to freedom for the people of Myanmar and the end of their oppression.

READ MORE IN THE NEW YORK TIMES...
WATCH A SLIDE SHOW FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES...
READ MORE AS THE BUDDHIST CHANNEL PAYS HOMAGE TO THE SANGHA OF BURMA...

Photo by Ko Sasaki for The New York Times
Ryoko Mori, a Buddhist priest, visited a household, marking the anniversary of a forbear’s death.

Here is an excerpt from an interesting article from the New York Times. It suggests that interest in Buddhism is declining in Japan.

When it comes to funerals, though, the Japanese have traditionally been inflexibly Buddhist — so much so that Buddhism in Japan is often called “funeral Buddhism,” a reference to the religion’s former near-monopoly on the elaborate, and lucrative, ceremonies surrounding deaths and memorial services. But that expression also describes a religion that, by appearing to cater more to the needs of the dead than to those of the living, is losing its standing in Japanese society.-New York Times

And that may be true for North America as well. Many Jodo Shinshu temples in the west are struggling with declining memberships.

“If Japanese Buddhism doesn’t act now, it will die out,” he said. “We can’t afford to wait. We have to do something.” -Ryoko Mori, Chief Priest at the 700-year-old Zuikoji Temple in northern Japan

Temples throughout North America are constantly trying to find the balance of cultural traditions from Japan, while at the same time, trying new ideas to make Buddhist practice more relevant in today's world. Some temples now have ministers who are more fluent in English and have begun to introduce meditation (not a true Jodo Shinshu practice).

During its path around the world and over time, the dharma remains the same. Let's just hope the journey continues.

READ THE ARTICLE FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES...

May 18, 2008
THE SUNDAY TIMES

New York -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in his Vesak Day message said the Buddha’s timeless teachings of peace, compassion and love for all living beings should inspire the efforts to address the broader challenges confronting our world -- in peace and security, in development and in the protection of our environment.

“In these areas, we have to rise above our perceived narrow self-interests, and think and act as members of one global community. This is the path to enlightenment, and it is the foundation of a better world for all,” he said.

The Secretary General recalled that this year, the observance of Vesak falls at a time of profound loss.“Cyclone ‘Nargis’ has devastated Myanmar, while a massive earthquake has ripped through southwest China.

READ MORE ON THE BUDDHIST CHANNEL...

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP THE PEOPLE OF CHINA AND MYANMAR...

May 05, 2008
THE CANADIAN PRESS
OTTAWA – Canada has granted honorary citizenship to Aung San Suu Kyi, the legendary crusader for democratic reform in Burma. Suu Kyi's first cousin Sein Win accepted the honour Monday on her behalf as the coastal nation in Southeast Asia reels from a deadly cyclone.

It's feared that up to 10,000 people died in the devastating storm, and thousands of people desperately need clean drinking water, food and shelter. Win thanked Canada for the tribute on Parliament Hill and for a $2-million donation to help cyclone survivors.
READ MORE IN THE TORONTO STAR...

He's having an incredible year so far and the Masters is just around the corner. Tiger Woods is on par to win his fifth green jacket in Augusta, Georgia.

So what's his secret?

Meditation. This is an excerpt from an article from the UK Times web site:

Woods does not talk much about the fact that he meditates, something he learnt from Kultida, his mother, who is a Buddhist. “In the Buddhist religion you have to work for it yourself, internally, in order to achieve anything in life and set up the next life,” he said. “It is all about what you do, and you get out of life what you put into it. So you are going to have to work your butt off in every aspect of your life. That is one of the things that people see in what I do on the course.”

READ MORE IN THE TIMES...

"Since China wants to join the world community," the 14th Dalai Lama said as I was traveling across Japan with him for a week last November, "the world community has a real responsibility to bring China into the mainstream." The whole world stands to gain, he pointed out, from a peaceful and unified China—not least the 6 million Tibetans in China and Chinese-occupied Tibet. "But," he added, "genuine harmony must come from the heart. It cannot come from the barrel of a gun."
READ MORE FROM TIME MAGAZINE...

If you're Buddhist in the United States, you're most likely a white convert who lives in the American West.

That's one of the findings of a the U.S. Religious Landscape Survey, released Monday (Feb. 25), by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life reports what many of the Jodo Shinshu community in Canada are already experiencing. It says that Buddhists are among the faiths with the lowest retention rates of childhood members and that many Buddhists have married someone of a different religion.

A study also concludes that of more than 35,000 adult Americans that were interviewed, .07 percent consider themselves followers of Buddhism.

Hindus Thrive as Buddhists Struggle to Pass on the Faith
by Andrea Useem, Religion News Service

For Buddhists, the data show "convert Buddhist communities face a significant challenge in engaging their children and keeping them in the tradition," said Thomas Tweed, a professor of religious studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Many Buddhist converts "didn't really attempt to bring their children into Buddhism," added Robert Seager, a religious studies professor at Hamilton College in Clinton, N.Y. "They said, `I don't want to lay my trip on my kids."

There is good news, 44 percent of Americans say they're no longer tied to the religious or secular upbringing of their childhood. They've changed religions or denominations, adopted a faith for the first time or abandoned any affiliation altogether which could lead to more people looking into Buddhism as a choice for religious beliefs.

Luis Lugo, director of the Pew Forum predicts that as world religions such as Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism will continue to grow in the USA through immigration and conversion, workplaces, schools and eventually the courts will face increasing challenges over religious accommodation.

SEE THE SURVEY...

courtesy Winnipeg Free Press

The Interfaith tour began on Thursday, January 17 at our own Manitoba Buddhist Temple. The turnout was overwhelming. Over 200 people filled the temple to observe how a Buddhist service is performed. The enthusiastic crowd showed a genuine interest by participating in the meditation and chanting exercises.

The series is organized by the Winnipeg Free Press "Faith Columnist", Brenda Suderman. She describes the tour as "prying open our comfort zones, experiencing each other at worship, prayer and other rituals, and learning just a bit more about ourselves and our neighbours in the process." She wrote in her column following the session:

Last Thursday night, more than 150 people packed the 60-year-old Buddhist Church near the Health Sciences Centre for an introduction to Buddhism, the first stop on a six-session interfaith course co-sponsored by the University of Winnipeg and the Manitoba Interfaith Council. That enthusiastic response astounded organizers, and proves to (Sensei) Ulrich that people are convinced of the need for interfaith dialogue and co-operation.

"You're here because there's a grassroots interest in this, it's a lay movement," the former Methodist minister turned Buddhist sensei told the audience during the three hours of chanting, singing, explanations, and questions. "In a pluralistic, multi-faith society, we end up with pluralistic, multi-faith individuals."

Sensei Ulrich enjoyed sharing this vision of a more multi-faith community. He told the audience that sometimes lay people are ahead of the clergy and religious leaders because they are already living the multi-faith experience in their own families. He said that many families are already dealing with religious issues that often come in mixed racial marriages.

WATCH A SLIDESHOW...
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE TOUR...
READ MORE IN THE WINNIPEG FREE PRESS...
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MANITOBA INTERFAITH COUNCIL...

CBC Radio and CBCNews.ca are exploring the question "Where is God today?" Commentators, religious thinkers and ordinary Canadians give their thoughts. Among the particpants is our own Sensei Ulrich. He was interviewed about how he came to become a Jodo Shinshu Minister and was featured in a photo slideshow.
LISTEN TO THE CBC REPORT...
WATCH THE SLIDESHOW (Sensei Ulrich is the fourth person presented)...

Also in the series is Bonnie Tittaferrante from Thunder Bay. Bonnie is the Lay Leader of the Jodo Shinshu Buddhists of Thunder Bay. Here is part of the essay she wrote for CBC.CA:

Following the Path in a Northern Town
Gold, red, mahogany and marble Buddhas from various sects fill my home. But a single statue of my Buddha, Amida, graces the home shrine (butsudan), his fit physical features a mixture of many races. He stands with one hand upward and one reaching down to me. After chanting and readings of the Dharma (Teachings), the welcoming smell of sandalwood incense permeates my home, as it does Jodo Shinshu temples and homes worldwide. Once a predominately ethnic Japanese-based sect, Jodo Shinshu Buddhism (also called Shin) is slowly growing among those of non-Japanese descent.
READ MORE ON CBC.CA/WHATISGOD...

In Japan, Jodo Shinshu Buddhists are reaching out with a fashion show and rap music.

Tsukiji Hongwanji Temple held an innovative and very extraordinary event called Tokyo Bouz Collection. This event is supposed to introduce Buddhism more casually to today’s people to make them feel that Buddhism is relevant by showing live music which is a mix of sermon and rap, bonzes’ costume display and meditation.

Japanese monks try to promote Buddhism through fashion, rap music
International Herald Tribune
December 15, 2007

In the "Tokyo Bouz (monk) Collection" held at Tsukiji Honganji, nearly 40 monks and nuns from eight major Buddhist sects joined in the event aimed at winning back believers.

Following a rap version of a Buddhist sutra, five monks from each school walked on the runway, then chanted prayers and wrapped up in a grand finale with confetti resembling lotus petals.

"We wanted to show the young people that Buddhism is cool, and temples are not a place just for funerals," said Koji Matsubara, a chief monk at Tsukiji.

More than 1,200 years after it first arrived from mainland Asia, Buddhism in Japan is in crisis, priests say. Almost three-quarters of Japan's population of 120 million are registered as Buddhist, but for many, the only time they enter a temple is to attend a funeral. That has sent many of the country's 75,000 temples into financial trouble.

"Many of us priests share the sense of crisis, and a need to do something to reach out to people," said priest Kosuke Kikkawa, 37, one of the organizers of Saturday's event. "We won't change Buddha's teachings, but perhaps we need a different presentation that can touch the feelings of the people today."

The Tsukiji Honganji offers theological seminars in English for foreign visitors, and has fitted its main hall with a pipe organ for Western-style weddings to attract young couples. Some other temples have also introduced cafes, art galleries and other innovations to reach out to young people who are interested in a different lifestyle.

Japan's aging population has meant more funerals, but the declining population and birth rate means fewer young people to share the bill to keep temples afloat.

Buddhist monks traditionally wear simple black robes. But to appeal to more fashion-conscious youth, the monks wore green and yellow clothes, some with gold embroidery. Others wore elaborate, multilayered robes.

"Their robes were gorgeous," said Sayaka Anma, one of the audience in her 20s, after the monks' show. "I was a bit surprised in the beginning, but it was very moving."
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November 10, Winnipeg Free Press
By Joe Paraskevas

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have received all the inspiration they should need to win their playoff game Sunday. The Dalai Lama, one of the world's holiest figures, has emerged as a surprise Big Blue booster. "Victory to the Blue Bombers," he scribbled in Tibetan with a black Sharpie marker on some Winnipeg Blue Bomber equipment, adding his name to the lore of this city's Grey Cup-seeking CFL team.

Allan Nimmo/Special to the Winnipeg Free Press

The Bombers play the Montreal Alouettes in the East Division semifinal in Winnipeg on Sunday. The exiled Tibetan leader signed the helmet and an official CFL football as he flew to Ottawa two weeks ago.
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October 17, New York Times

Over furious objections from China and in the presence of President Bush, Congress on Wednesday bestowed its highest civilian honor on the Dalai Lama, the exiled spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhists whom Beijing considers a troublesome voice of separatism.
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September 30, New York Times

As they marched through the streets of Myanmar’s cities last week leading the biggest antigovernment protests in two decades, some barefoot monks held their begging bowls before them. But instead of asking for their daily donations of food, they held the bowls upside down, the black lacquer surfaces reflecting the light. It was a shocking image in the devoutly Buddhist nation. The monks were refusing to receive alms from the military rulers and their families — effectively excommunicating them from the religion that is at the core of Burmese culture. That gesture is a key to understanding the power of the rebellion that shook Myanmar last week.

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At our Sunday service today, Sensei Ulrich wanted to discuss the situation in Burma. He wanted to hear our thoughts on religion and politics. Are church and state separate? Sensei told us some of the background on the how monks fit into Buddhist societies. As the monks beg for food in the streets, he described a relationship that evolves between the people, the monks, and the rulers (government). The monks count on the people for food. The people rely on the monks for dharma. The monks listen to the people. The monks become the voice of the people. The government listens to the monks so that they understand what is required of them. Their relationship is a triangle of interdependence and is well explained in the classic "The Buddha" by Trevor Ling (Penquin, 1973).

Unless you have a situation that is corrupt. (See wedding video of multi-million dollar wedding of Thandar Shwe, daughter of Burmese dictator Than Shwe)

The Burmese monks needed to help the people and make a stand. Sensei Ulrich ended our talk by asking us another question, how far we would have to be pushed before we took action?

Show support for the people of Burma.

Bonnie-Blake-Tittaferrante of the Jodo Shinshu Buddhists of Thunder Bay sent us this link to an online petition on Amnesty International web site.

Monks’ Protest Is Challenging Burmese Junta
New York Times
BANGKOK, Monday, Sept. 24 — The largest street protests in two decades against Myanmar’s military rulers gained momentum Sunday as thousands of onlookers cheered huge columns of Buddhist monks and shouted support for the detained pro-democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

Buddhist monks led an protest through Yangon, Myanmar. The Associated Press estimated the crowd to be as large as 100,000 people.

The Buddhist Channel website has created this online petition:

A Petition Campaign for Buddhist Solidarity with the Monks and Nuns of Burma

"Love and kindness must win over everything"

We, the Buddhists of the world, implore the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC, the official name of the military regime of Burma (Myanmar)) to refrain from taking any actions that:

1. Physically harm the Buddhist monks and nuns participating in the protest marches currently taking place in major cities and towns in Burma
2. Infiltrate the protesting groups by pretending to be monks and nuns (via having the head shaven and dressing in monks' robes) and then instigitating violence from within through such pretension
3. Offer poisoned foods as alms (Dana)
4. Arresting and beating up people or persons who offers food and water (dana) to the monks
5. Arresting the protesting monks and treating them like criminals, such as catching the monks by lariats and ropes, tying them up with wires and strapping them onto electrical poles, slapping their cheeks, kicking them with military boots and hitting their heads with rifle butts.

We appeal to the members of the military regime to act in accordance with the sacred Buddha-Dharma, in the spirit of loving-kindness, compassion and non-violence.

We implore the millitary regime to accede to the wishes of the common people of Burma, to establish the conditions for the flowering of justice, democracy and liberty.

We wish to convey our admiration and support to the large number of Buddhists monks and fellow Dharma practitioners for advocating democracy and freedom in Burma, and would like to appeal to all freedom-loving people all over the world to support such non-violent movements.

We pray for the success of this peace movement and the early release of Nobel Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.

Show your support to the Burmese Sangha!

Please copy and print the above and galvanise a signature campaign within your community. Collect your list of signature and together with the message above, send it to the nearest Burmese Embassy in Ottawa.

Embassy of the Union Of Myanmar
Sandringham Building, 85 Range Road, Suite 902-903, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 8J6
Office hours: (Mon - Fri)
Tel: 00-613-232-6434
Fax: 00-613- 232-6435
E-mail: meott@magma.ca

This article by Jeff Wilson was found on the Tricycle Blog:

One aspect of aging that many Japanese greatly fear is memory loss. To combat this scourge, a number of Buddhist options have appeared. A popular one is pillow covers blessed by Buddhist monks to ward off dementia. These items are purchased at temples and taken home to be put on your bed pillows. As you sleep on them, the power of the Dharma helps ward off senility and other mental problems. Perhaps this is the religious equivalent of students putting their textbooks under their pillows so they'll pass a test the next day.
The Japan Times carried a story about another strategy. Some temples, such as Honjuin, a Tendai temple in Tokyo, offer Sutra copying to visitors in order to prevent memory loss. This is an ancient practice: laypeople have been sponsoring the copying of Sutras or doing it themselves for centuries in an effort to bring about all sorts of results, medical and otherwise. But now there seems to be some science to back the practice up. Dr. Kawashima Ryuta of Tohoku University discovered that copying Sutras promotes brain activity in senior citizens.

Want to try it out yourself? You don't even have to go to temple. Higashi Honganji, one of the largest Buddhist denominations in Japan, offers English-speakers the chance to copy a holy text online. Technically, it's a commentary, not a Sutra, though the text itself (Tannisho) is revered above many Sutras in the Jodo Shinshu tradition. Higashi Honganji doesn't promise memory retention, only that it can help settle your mind.

Jeff Wilson is a contributing editor to Tricycle magazine and the web site, Killing The Buddha. A Ph.D. candidate in Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he is dual-trained in Buddhist Studies and American Religious History. Jeff is a certified Lay Teacher in the Jodo Shinshu Buddhist tradition.

May 23, 2007 The Kansas City Star

Talk about a test of faith.

Eight Tibetan monks spent two days cross-legged on the floor at Union Station, leaning over to meticulously create an intricate design of colored sand as an expression of their Buddhist faith. They were more than halfway done. And then, within seconds, their work was destroyed by a toddler.

Video from the Associated Press

Monks are bald, so they couldn’t rip their hair out. But were they angry? Did they curse?
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Great report by the BBC on whaling in Japan. The article tells us how Jodo Shinshu Buddhism explains the tolerance for this act which some Westerners find inhumane. It also helps us to understand the love, compassion, and reality, we face in our daily lives.

The writer goes to the Koganji Temple in Nagato, Japan. He speaks to Buddhist monk, Kensai Matsumura to explain the history of whaling and Buddhism in this fishing village.

This tells a story concerning Shinran Shonin (the founder of the sect). "He was in a fishing village in 1207. A fisherman and his wife approached him and told of their worries, saying 'we live on catching fish and eating them and selling them - would we go to hell after we die?' "And monk Shonin said, 'if you thank them and give proper service to them, praying for the resting in peace of those fish, then there will be no problem at all'. The husband and wife listened and cried with relief on hearing this."

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Imagine a high school that has a curriculum based on Jodo Shinshu Buddhist teachings. Its more than an idea. In Hawaii, they are about to graduate their first class of students.

INCENSE drifts through this small school overlooking a white Buddhist temple in Nuuanu. Students and faculty bow their heads before and after class, and misbehaving children must do yoga and meditation as an alternative to suspension. Four years after opening, the Pacific Buddhist Academy, the only Shin Buddhist high school in the country, will graduate its first class Friday. Fourteen seniors will get their diplomas and chant in a ceremony at the Honpa Hongwanji Hawaii Betsuin temple, just steps away from a college preparatory school that taught them as much about math and science as it did about respect, gratitude and peace.

READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE FROM THE HONOLULU STAR BULLETIN...