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# Rethinking Religion

Finding a Place for Religion in a Modern, Tolerant, Progressive, Peaceful and Science-affirming World

## Posts

- [9/11: The Story, The Shrines, The Smell, The Scandal, The Meaning](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/9-11-the-story-the-shrines-the-smell-the-scandal-the-meaning/) - The Story When I meet someone who says he was in lower Manhattan on September 11, I apply a little test. Yes, I was watching from an office building on West 17th Street, I say. A high-rise. We had a clear view. Where were you, exactly? If the answer is vague -- standing on a
- [The Panchen Lama: Hijacked by Politics](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/the-panchen-lama-hijacked-by-politics/) - The Panchen Lama is the second-highest lama in Tibetan Buddhism, second only to the Dalai Lama. Like the Dalai Lama, the Panchen Lama is of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. And like the Dalai Lama, the Panchen Lama has been tragically impacted by China's subjugation of Tibet.The current Panchen Lama, His Holiness Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, is missing and
- [Self, No Self, What's a Self?](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/self-no-self-whats-a-self/) - Philosophers eastern and western have wrestled with the concept of self for many centuries. What is the self? The Buddha taught a doctrine called anatta, which is often defined as no-self, or the teaching that the sense of being a permanent, autonomous self is an illusion. This does not fit our ordinary experience. Am I
- [Tendai Buddhism in Japan](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/tendai-buddhism-in-japan/) - The establishment of Tendai Buddhism in Japan would prove to be one of the most significant events in Japanese Buddhist history, but it didn't look that promising at first. Tendai is the Japanese form of Tiantai, a Chinese school of Mahayana Buddhism founded by Zhiyi (538-597). Tiantai was the first school of Buddhism to consider the Lotus Sutra to be
- [Anagarika Dharmapala: Buddhist Revivalist and Modernist](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/anagarika-dharmapala-buddhist-revivalist-and-modernist/) - Anagarika Dharmapala (1864-1933) was a Buddhist modernist who deeply influenced the early development of Buddhism in the West. He also played a leading role in the revival of Buddhism in his native Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and other parts of Asia. Ceylon had been partly or entirely controlled by European nations since the early 16th century,
- [The Chinese Mahayana Buddhist Canon](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/the-chinese-mahayana-buddhist-canon/)
- [Christian-Buddhist Tension in South Korea, Part I](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/christian-buddhist-tension-in-south-korea/) - Buddhism has been practiced on the Korean peninsula for more than 16 centuries (see "Buddhism in Korea"). It survived long centuries of repression under a Confucian dynasty and also challenges to monastic rules during the Japanese occupation in the 20th century. But in recent decades it has faced its biggest challenge yet -- militant Christianity.
- [Christian-Buddhist Tension in South Korea, Part 2](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/christian-buddhist-tension-in-south-korea-part-2/) - As explained in Part 1 of "Christian-Buddhist Tension in South Korea," South Korea is the only nation in east Asia in which the largest religion is not Asian. The population of South Korea is about 29 percent Christian and 23 percent Buddhist. About 46 percent of South Koreans claim no specific religious affiliation. As also explained in
- [Wonhyo: Beloved Patriarch of Korean Buddhism](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/wonhyo-beloved-patriarch-of-korean-buddhism/) - Wonhyo (617-686) was a major patriarch of Korean Buddhism. Wonhyo is credited with bringing Pure Land Buddhism to Korea, but his written commentaries made an impact on many schools of Buddhism throughout eastern Asia. Background Buddhism reached Korea in 372 CE, when a Chinese monk arrived bearing sutras and images of the Buddha. At that time, Korea was
- [Henry Steele Olcott's Unlikely Life](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/henry-steele-olcotts-unlikely-life/) - Henry Steel Olcott (1832-1907) lived the first half of his life the way a respectable gentleman was expected to live in 19th century America. He served as a Union officer in the U.S. Civil War and then built a successful law practice. And in the second half of his life he traveled to Asia to promote and
- [The Cula-Saccaka Sutta: The Buddha Wins a Debate](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/the-cula-saccaka-sutta-the-buddha-wins-a-debate/) - The Pali Tipitika, the scriptural canon of Theravada Buddhism, isn't famous for its humor. But at least one story in the Sutta-pitaka still inspires chuckles. The Cula-Saccaka Sutta (Majjhima Nikaya 35) describes a debate between the Buddha and a character named Saccaka, who is addressed as Aggivessana, a reference to his family. Saccaka was famous for his debating skills; he
- [A Look Back at "Beat Zen, Square Zen, and Zen" by Alan Watts](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/a-look-back-at-beat-zen-square-zen-and-zen-by-alan-watts/) - Alan Watts (1915-1973) possibly did more to popularize Zen Buddhism in the West than anyone else. His many books on Zen are still in print, and people still look to him for inspiration and insight. A large part of the West got its first impressions of Zen from Watts. Western Zen regards Watts with some ambivalence today,
- [After the Axial Age: From Alexander to Ashoka](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/after-the-axial-age-from-alexander-to-ashoka/) - (This post follows the last post, on the Axial Age. Some of this post was condensed and adapted from my book, The Circle of the Way: A Concise History of Zen from the Buddha to the Modern World [Shambhala, 2019].) Although it wasn’t his intention, Alexander the Great (356–323 BCE) touched off a series of
- [The Axial Age and the Origins of Religion](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/the-axial-age-and-the-origins-of-religion/) - The Axial Age was a period of history between about 800 and 200 BCE, roughly. It’s called “Axial Age” because it was a pivotal time in world religion and philosophy. I acknowledge that the Axial Age was a trendy thing a few years ago but is widely dismissed in academia today as being too “woo.”
- [Stephen Batchelor's Confession](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/stephen-batchelors-confession/) - [This review of Confession of a Buddhist Atheist was originally published at About.com in 2011.] The Buddha said, Though a fool may associate with a wise man, he no more understands dhamma than a spoon tastes the soup. I don't think Stephen Batchelor is a fool, but I admit I've been tempted to title this review
- [Sudden and Gradual Enlightenment in Zen](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/sudden-and-gradual-enlightenment-in-zen/) - This is mostly the text of a talk I gave to the Open Mind Zen Meditation Center in Melbourne, Florida, via Zoom on July 12, 2020. I say mostly because I chickened out on pronouncing the Chinese name Hongren and instead used the Japanese name Konin for the Fifth Patriarch. But here I use Hongren.
- [Zen History; Our History](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/zen-history-our-history/) - This is the prepared text of a talk I gave on Zoom at Treeleaf Zendo, June 21, 2020. There is a video recording here. I want to speak today about why I think it’s important for Zen students to know something about Zen history. My first Zen teacher, the late John Daido Loori, used to
- [Buddhist Teachings About Food](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/buddhist-teachings-about-food/) - You may have heard that Buddhists are supposed to be vegetarians, which isn't strictly true. But it might surprise you there are warnings in Buddhist sutras about eating garlic and onions. And drinking alcohol may or may not be allowed, depending on your particular school of practice. So what are the diet rules for Buddhists?
- [Anathapindika, the Great Benefactor](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/anathapindika-the-great-benefactor/) - Anathapindika was a lay disciple and benefactor of the historical Buddha. His generosity toward the Buddha and his monks became the ideal of lay support of the monastic sangha. His original name was Sudatta. To appreciate Anathapindika's role in Buddhist history, one must understand the way the first Buddhist monks lived. They took shelter in
- [The Arya-Bodhisattva-gocara-upayaisaya-vikurvana-nirdesa-nama-mahayana-sutra](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/the-arya-bodhisattva-gocara-upayaisaya-vikurvana-nirdesa-nama-mahayana-sutra/) - A Buddhist "Just War" Theory? The generously titled Arya-Bodhisattva-gocara-upayaisaya-vikurvana-nirdesa-nama-mahayana-sutra -- Arya-Satyakaparivarta for short -- is a Mahayana Buddhist Sutra written some time before the 5th century CE, possibly earlier. It appears to be canonical only within Tibetan Buddhism. As literature it's not in the same class as the great Mahayana sutras -- the Lotus, the Heart, the Diamond, the Flower Garland, the Vimalakirti,
- [The Disciple Angulimala: From Serial Killer to Enlightened Monk](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/the-disciple-angulimala-from-serial-killer-to-enlightened-monk/) - Angulimala's story is found in two places in the Pali Sutta-pitaka. It in in the Angulimala Sutta, which is the 86th sutta in the Majjhima Nikaya, and the story is also told in the Theragatha, which is part of the Khuddaka Nikaya. Here is the story as told in the Angulimala Sutta. Angulimala's Story Once when the
- [Protestant Buddhism](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/protestant-buddhism/) - You may stumble into the term "Protestant Buddhism," especially on the Web. If you don't know what that means, don't feel left out. There are lots of people using the term today who don't know what it means, either. In the context of a lot of current Buddhist criticism, "Protestant Buddhism" appears to refer to
- [Buddhism in Korea](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/buddhism-in-korea/) - Buddhism in Korea has a long and distinguished history, but not always a smooth one. Today Korea is divided, North and South. Secretive North Korea is officially an atheistic state, although there is a Korean Buddhist Federation that is part of the government. Buddhist clergy are, in effect, public employees Estimates of the number of
- [Liu Tiemo, the "Iron Grindstone"](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/liu-tiemo-the-iron-grindstone/) - According to legend, Liu Tiemo (ca. 780-859) was born into a Chinese peasant family that lived near Mount Hua, in north central China. She was a short, plain girl who grew up helping her father farm a rich man's plot of land. The family was poor and often hungry. When she was old enough to
- [Shantideva's Lecture](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/shantidevas-lecture/) - Shantideva (ca. 685-763; sometimes spelled Santideva) is best known as the author of the Bodhisattvacharyavatara, or The Way of the Bodhisattva. This accomplishment marks him as one of the patriarchs of Mahayana Buddhism. He was also the author of a lesser-known work, the Siksasamuccaya ("Training Anthology"). For all of his importance to Mahayana Buddhism, however, we don't know that much about him.
- [The Way of the Bodhisattva: An Introduction to the Bodhisattvacharyavatara](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/the-way-of-the-bodhisattva-an-introduction-to-the-bodhisattvacharyavatara/) - The Bodhisattvacharyavatara, or "Way of the Bodhisattva," by Shantideva is a seminal text of Mahayana Buddhism and a treasure of the world's religious literature. Today it is primarily associated with Tibetan Buddhism, but its significance to all of Mahayana cannot be overstated. The Bodhisattvacharyavatara, written about 700 CE, is said to present the entire spectrum of Mahayana teachings. His Holiness the Dalai Lama said,
- [Do We Really Make Our Own Reality?](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/do-we-really-make-our-own-reality-2/) - The claim that "we make our own reality" pops up frequently in Buddhism, and the claim often is repeated in mind-body-spirit circles. But what does "make our own reality" really mean? From a Buddhist perspective, it doesn't mean that once you're enlightened you can fly or step in front of speeding trains without harm. Whatever
- [The Ten Suchnesses: A Teaching From the Lotus Sutra](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/the-ten-suchnesses-a-teaching-from-the-lotus-sutra/) - The Lotus Sutra is one of the most revered scriptures of Mahayana Buddhism. The sutra is known for its sumptuous allegorical imagery and its promise that all beings will realize Buddhahood. Believed to have been written in the 2nd century CE, in 6th century China the Lotus Sutra was recognized as the supreme sutra by the Chinese monk Zhiyi
- [The Emperor Ashoka, Patron of Buddhism](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/the-emperor-ashoka-patron-of-buddhism/) - One of the most important figures in Buddhist history was not a monk or sage, but an emperor. The Emperor Ashoka Maurya (304–232 BCE) is credited with making Buddhism a major religion throughout Asia. Ashoka ruled a vast empire that spread from modern-day Afghanistan to the Bay of Bengal, including most of modern-day India. Through his patronage,
- [The Mahabodhi Temple](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/the-mahabodhi-temple/) - The Mahabodhi Temple at Bodh Gaya marks the place thought to be where the historical Buddha realized enlightenment. It is arguably the most important of the holy sites related to the life of the Buddha. In spite of its significance, however, much about the temples history has been lost to time. And the temple today
- [Awakening of Faith in the Mahayana](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/awakening-of-faith-in-the-mahayana/) - The Mahayana Sraddhotpada Sastra, or "Awakening of Faith in the Mahayana," is a synthesis of Mahayana Buddhist doctrines that was enormously influential in the development of Buddhism in east Asia. The text is credited with resolving hotly debated issues of its time involving Buddhist metaphysics and enlightenment. Origin of the Mahayana Sraddhotpada Sastra The sanskrit word sastra, sometimes
- [Self-Power and Other-Power: A Beautiful Paradox](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/self-power-and-other-power-a-beautiful-paradox/) - One of the delicious paradoxes of the Buddhist path is found in the phrases "self power" and "other power."
- [The Mustard Seed Parable](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/the-mustard-seed-parable/) - The story of Kisagotami and the mustard seed is one of the most famous in Buddhist literature. The story was found in the paracanonical Pali texts, which is a story in itself. But first, let's learn about Kisagotami. The Story of Kisagotami Kisagotami was born into a poor family of Savatthi, also called Shravasti, which
- [The Story of Bhadda Kundalakesa](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/the-story-of-bhadda-kundalakesa/) - Bhadda Kundalakesa was one of the historical Buddha's female disciples. Although she lived 25 centuries ago, many modern women can relate to her story, beginning with her terrible judgment in men. Bhadda was the protected and pampered daughter of a wealthy family of Magadha, in what is now northern India. She was a lovely girl,
- [The Story of Khema](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/the-story-of-khema/) - Khema was a beautiful woman and one of the principal wives of King Bimbisara of Magadha, a large kingdom in what is now northern India. It is said that Queen Khema loved beauty above all things, especially her own. King Bimbisara admired the Buddha, and he cared enough about Khema to want her to appreciate
- [His Holiness Ogyen Trinley Dorje, the 17th Karmapa](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/his-holiness-ogyen-trinley-dorje-the-17th-karmapa/) - On a December night in 1999, 14-year-old Ogyen Trinley Dorje quietly slipped out of a window of Tolung Tsurphu Monastery in central Tibet. For the next two days he rode in a car driven by monks, nonstop, until they reached a rugged and isolated area bordering Nepal. From there, going by foot, horseback, helicopter, train
- [Who Were the Buddhas Before Buddha?](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/who-were-the-buddhas-before-buddha/) - Shakyamuni Buddha sometimes called Gautama Buddha, is said to be the Buddha of the current age. According to early Buddhist scripture, there were Buddhas in earlier ages as well, and there will be other Buddhas in future ages. For example, ancient sources say that Maitreya Buddha will be the Buddha of the next age. But
- [Tibet's Declaration of Independence](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/tibets-declaration-of-independence/) - In 1913, His Holiness the 13th Dalai Lama issued what many call a "declaration of independence" for Tibet from the Republic of China. The 13th Dalai Lama's position was that the Gelugpa leadership of Tibet had a relationship with (but were not subjects of) the the Manchu Emperors of China, not the nation-state of China. When
- [The Fifth Dalai Lama](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/the-fifth-dalai-lama/) - The Dalai Lama is a high lama of the Gelug school (also called Gelugpa) of Tibetan Buddhism. Before the birth of the 5th Dalai Lama, the Gelug school had suffered a blow. Some years earlier central Tibet had split into two small, warring kingdoms, U and Tsang. The rulers of U were patrons of Gelugpa,
- [China's Outrageous Reincarnation Policy](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/chinas-outrageous-reincarnation-policy/) - Since beginning his long exile from Tibet in 1959, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama has served as the voice for Tibetans, both the 7.5 million governed by China and the roughly estimated 275,000 who have fled Tibet. He also has called for the preservation of Tibetan culture and the restoration of at least some
- [How to Address a Buddha](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/how-to-address-a-buddha/) - It's unlikely you'll ever write a letter to a Buddha. But if you did, how would you address her or him? "Dear Buddha" might do. But maybe it should be "Dear Your Holiness" or "Dear Venerated One" or something formal. What follows is a traditional list of ten epithets, or titles, for a Buddha. These
- [The First Buddhist Council](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/the-first-buddhist-council/) - After the historical Buddha's death and parinirvana, it is believed that a meeting of senior monks was convened to discuss how to maintain the Buddha's teaching. This First Buddhist Council was a pivotal event in Buddhist history that, legend says, impacts how Buddhism is remembered and taught to this day. The First Buddhist Council is
- [Eight Common Meditation Mistakes](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/eight-common-meditation-mistakes/) - There are many different ways to meditate. Even within Buddhism, the various meditation schools don't all approach meditation exactly the same way. Further, the "best" way to meditate varies from one person to another; there isn't necessarily any "one size fits all" practice. However, having participated in a number of "introduction to meditation" classes and
- [Buddhism in Cambodia](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/buddhism-in-cambodia/) - The population of Cambodia is approximately 95 percent Theravada Buddhist, as high a percentage as anywhere in Asia. Cambodian Buddhism is associated with the historic Ankgor Wat temple, a jewel of Khmer civilization. The Khmer, who have lived in what is now Cambodia since the 9th century, are the dominant ethnic group in Cambodia. Buddhism
- [Modern Buddhist Myths](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/modern-buddhist-myths/) - The historical Buddha lived 25 or so centuries ago, in a time before the concept of "history" had been separated from mythology. For this reason, the Buddha's life story preserved through the ages is more myth than biography. This is not to say the story isn't true. As Joseph Campbell said, "Mythology is the penultimate truth--penultimate
- [Finding Your Spiritual Path](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/finding-your-spiritual-path/) - In truth, finding your spiritual path is simple. Just look down and see where your feet are. There's your path. The cartoon cliché about finding a guru on the top of a mountain and asking for the meaning of life is just that -- a cartoon cliché. The genuine spiritual path has no geographical boundaries.
- [Paying for Teachings](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/paying-for-teachings/) - People are sometimes astonished when Buddhist teachers and dharma centers require a payment for teachings and retreats. Shouldn't the dharma be free? Christian ministers don't expect fees for sermons, do they? In the West, we're accustomed to attending services, Sunday schools, scripture study and prayer groups without being asked to pay an entrance fee. Unless you
- [Dedication of Merit](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/dedication-of-merit/) - The dedication of merit is a spiritual practice that, as far as I know, is unique to Buddhism. Further, it appears to be a practice found in all schools of Buddhism. However, it's often a practice overlooked by westerners who may find the whole idea of "merit" confusing. The English word "merit" means to be
- [The Four Reliances](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/the-four-reliances/) - The Four Reliances, sometimes called the Four Reliables, are a list of guidelines for a student of the Buddha Dharma. Versions of the Reliances can be found in several Mahayana Sutras. The Sanskrit word translated into English as "reliance" or "reliable" is pratisarana, which means "leaning or resting upon." The root word sarana means "refuge,"
- [Amitabha, Buddha of Boundless Light](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/amitabha-buddha-of-boundless-light/) - Amitabha Buddha is one of the most prominent "celestial" Buddhas of Mahayana. In China and Japan he is the principal Buddha of the Pure Land school and one of the most commonly represented figures in Buddhist iconography. He is also a popular object of devotion in Vajrayana Buddhism. The name Amitabha is a compound of
- [Taking Refuge in Dharma](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/taking-refuge-in-dharma/) - Taking Refuge in DharmaThe ceremony of Ti Samana Gamana (Pali), or "taking the three refuges," is believed to have been established by the Buddha himself. According to the Pali Tipitika, the Buddha asked that this ceremony be used to ordain new nuns and monks into the monastic sangha. In most schools of Buddhism, taking the refuges and
- [Review: A Death on Diamond Mountain](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/review-a-death-on-diamond-mountain/) - There are few things I enjoy more than an engrossing book, and I want to thank Scott Carney for writing this one. A Death on Diamond Mountain: A True Story of Obsession, Madness and the Path to Enlightenment kept me thoroughly engaged from beginning to end. Carney has written an in-depth account of the 2012 death
- [Review: The Making of Buddhist Modernism](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/review-the-making-of-buddhist-modernism/) - Anyone trying to make sense of contemporary western Buddhism would do well to read The Making of Buddhist Modernism by David McMahan (Oxford University Press, 2008). McMahan, associate professor of Religious Studies at Franklin & Marshall College in Pennsylvania, provides a clear and readable story about how "modern" Buddhism came to be the way it
- [What Buddhists Mean by Lineage](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/what-buddhists-mean-by-lineage/) - Lineage is a word that comes up a lot in discussions of Buddhism, but the word is not always used to mean the same thing. What are Buddhists talking about when they are talking about lineage? There are ordination lineages and teacher/transmission lineages, which are especially important in Zen. Sometimes in Tibetan Buddhism "lineage"
- [Buddhists Don't Have to Be Nice: Avoiding Idiot Compassion](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/buddhists-dont-have-to-be-nice-avoiding-idiot-compassion/) - "Buddhists are supposed to be nice." How many times have you heard that one? Buddhists are stereotyped as always being pleasant, soft-spoken and calm, and we aren't always. Of course, the Buddha taught us to cultivate loving kindness and compassion. The practice of Right Speech requires abstaining from rude and abusive language. Isn't that the same
- [Attachment to Buddhism, and Why It's a Problem](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/attachment-to-buddhism-and-why-its-a-problem/) - Occasionally when Buddhist talk about the problem of attachment, someone will raise a hand and say, "Is it bad to be attached to Buddhism?" Yes, it is unskillful, in fact. Then, often, the next comment is, "Well, then, I'll stay away from dharma centers and not get attached!" Um, "staying away" also is attachment, sorry.
- [Taking Refuge in Buddha](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/taking-refuge-in-buddha/) - Possibly the oldest and most widely performed ceremony in Buddhism is called Ti Samana Gamana (Pali), or "taking the three refuges." In most schools of Buddhism, taking the refuges is the first step in formally becoming a disciple of the Buddha. Most basically, the ceremony consists of reciting these lines: I take refuge in the
- [Dogen's Shobogenzo and Other Works](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/dogens-shobogenzo-and-other-works/) - Eihei Dogen (1200-1253), the founder of Japanese Soto Zen, left us a large body of written work celebrated for its beauty, depth and subtlety. However, the way Dogen's writing is organized can be confusing. Often most of Dogen's written work is lumped together under the title Shobogenzo, or "Treasury of the True Dharma Eye." However,
- [The Buddha's Teachings on Tranquility](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/the-buddhas-teachings-on-tranquility/) - The Buddha spoke often of the importance of calmness and tranquility. Tranquility -- passaddhi in Pali -- is one of the Seven Factors of Enlightenment, or mental states that support the realization of enlightenment. Spiritual masters often are caricatured as being unceasingly tranquil, floating serenely in some blissed-out state detached from the edgy, messy world.
- [Glossary of Defilements: Introduction to the Klesas](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/glossary-of-defilements-introduction-to-the-klesas/) - Klesa (Sanskrit, also spelled klesha; in Pali, Kilesa) are the afflictions or defilements that keep us from seeing reality as it is. You could think of the klesas as mental disturbances or unhelpful psychological habits. The three primary klesas are the Three Poisons -- greed, hate and ignorance. All the other defilements flow from those.
- [Investigating Dharma](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/investigating-dharma/) - The Buddha taught that there are seven factors that support awakening, or enlightenment. The second of these is, in Pali, dhamma vicaya. Vicaya refers to examination, analysis or investigation; dhamma is the Pali for dharma. In Buddhism, the word "dharma" most often refers to the teaching of the Buddha, but it can also refer to
- [Advice for Struggling Meditators: Avoiding the Potholes on the Road to Nirvana](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/advice-for-struggling-meditators-avoiding-the-potholes-on-the-road-to-nirvana/) - There are several forms of Buddhist meditation, and a great many books, videos and websites provide beginning instruction. My advice here is for people who already are meditating but are getting frustrated with it. Not all of this advice will apply to everyone, but if you are struggling, perhaps some of these suggestions will help
- [The Role of Karma in Buddhist Morality](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/the-role-of-karma-in-buddhist-morality/) - What is morality? How do we determine what actions are moral and which are not? These are questions philosophers and religious scholars have debated for centuries. What does Buddhism teach about the basis of morality? Within the world's religions, the basis of morality can be understood on many levels. At the most common -- and
- [Three Kinds of Mind: Understanding Citta, Vijnana and Manas](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/three-kinds-of-mind-understanding-citta-vijnana-and-manas/) - For English speakers, one of the challenges of learning about Buddhism comes from the shortcomings of English translations of Asian texts. And this is not necessarily because the translators are doing a bad job. Especially in the older commentaries and sutras, many words are used that have no simple English equivalent. Dukkha is a good
- [Mind and Buddhism: Lost in Translation](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/mind-and-buddhism-lost-in-translation/) - Buddhist scriptures and commentaries are richly stocked with references to "mind" and its affiliates -- consciousness, thoughts, awareness, and so on. Indeed, cultivating the mind is the primary focus of some schools of Buddhism. Buddhists of other schools will tell you there is nothing but mind, and phenomena are merely projections of mind. So, mind
- [Perfection of Knowledge](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/perfection-of-knowledge/) - We don't talk about knowledge all that much in Buddhism. The emphasis is on wisdom, which is something else. But in the Mahayana Ten Perfections, the Perfection of Knowledge -- Jnana Paramita -- is number ten. Before we plunge into a discussion of jnana, let's clarify the difference between wisdom and knowledge. In his book What the Buddha Taught,
- [Perfection of Determination](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/perfection-of-determination/) - Adhitthana is a Pali word that usually is translated into English as "determination" or sometimes "persistence." It is composed of Pali root words that mean "foundation," "will," or "resolve." As the eighth of the Ten Perfections of Theravada Buddhism, it describes the determined resolve to walk the Buddha's path. Determination is sometimes called the backbone of
- [The Perfection of Truthfulness](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/the-perfection-of-truthfulness/) - The Perfection of Truthfulness goes beyond merely not telling lies. It is better described as a lifelong practice of being open to truth, including truth about ourselves. And it's a lifelong practice of expressing truth for the benefit of all beings. The Perfection of Truthfulness (Sacca Parami in Pali) is the seventh of the Ten
- [The Perfection of Discerning Wisdom: A Theravada Buddhist Teaching](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/the-perfection-of-discerning-wisdom-a-theravada-buddhist-teaching/) - Both Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism have lists of "perfections" (paramitas or paramis) that are important guides for spiritual development and practice. The lists have many items in common, including the Perfection of Wisdom. However, in this case, what is meant is slightly different. This article will be about the Theravada perfection, Panna Parami. For the
- [Dhyana Paramita: Perfection of Meditation](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/dhyana-paramita-perfection-of-meditation/) - Even if you know nothing else about Buddhism you probably associate Buddhism with meditation. Dhyana Paramita, the fifth of the Mahayana Six Perfections, is the perfection of meditation. The Sanskrit word dhyana, or jhana in Pali, means "concentration" and is nearly synonymous with samadhi. Another Sanskrit word for "meditation," bhavana, is more literally translated "mental
- [Zen's Northern and Southern Patriarchs](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/zens-northern-and-southern-patriarchs/) - Some very old Zen texts refer to the "northern and southern schools," or sometimes to the "northern or southern patriarchs." This refers to a doctrinal split that came to a head in 7th and 8th century China. The resolution of this disagreement determined Zen's development from that time on, making this a genuinely critical moment
- [Mindfulness of Dharma](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/mindfulness-of-dharma/) - Right Mindfulness is the part of the Eightfold Path of Buddhism, which means it is an essential part of Buddhist practice. Mindfulness is a whole-body-and-mind awareness of the present moment. To be mindful is to be fully present, not lost in daydreams, anticipation or worry. The Buddhist practice of mindfulness has four foundations: Mindfulness of
- [The Fetter of Views](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/the-fetter-of-views/) - The Buddha spoke often of the danger of clinging to views. For example, in the Sabbasava Sutta (Pali Tipitika, Majjhima Nikaya 2), he said that a person can be lost in "a thicket of views, a wilderness of views, a contortion of views, a writhing of views, a fetter of views," and such a person
- [The Third Noble Truth: The Cessation of Craving](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/the-third-noble-truth-the-cessation-of-craving/) - The study of Buddhism begins with the study of the Four Noble Truths. You might think of the Four Truths as a basic outline of all the Buddha's teaching. The First Noble Truth is about dukkha, a word that means stressful, painful, and unable to satisfy. Life is dukkha, the Buddha said. The Second Noble
- [Dayi Daoxin: Fourth Patriarch of Zen](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/dayi-daoxin-fourth-patriarch-of-zen/) - The Six Zen Patriarchs are the first six masters of Zen Buddhism. Every Zen teacher alive today counts them as her or his dharma ancestors. Dayi Daoxin (or Tao-hsin; 580-651 CE) is recognized in all schools of Zen as the Fourth Patriarch. Daoxin's life as a master teacher of Zen came at the very beginning
- [Do We Really Make Our Own Reality?](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/do-we-really-make-our-own-reality/) - The claim that "we make our own reality" pops up frequently in Buddhism, and the claim often is repeated in mind-body-spirit circles. But what does "make our own reality" really mean? From a Buddhist perspective, it doesn't mean that once you're enlightened you can fly or step in front of speeding trains without harm. Whatever
- [The Mindfulness Controversy: Work and War](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/the-mindfulness-controversy-work-and-war/) - There is real concern about making mindfulness into a way to get ahead in the corporate world, which is very far removed from its roots in Buddhism.
- [Practical Zen: An Approach to Secular Ethics](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/practical-zen-an-approach-to-secular-ethics/) - Civilization requires agreed-upon guidelines for ethical behavior. The question is, who gets to make these guidelines, especially in a secular society?
- [The Latter-Day Dimwits of Televised Religion](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/the-latter-day-dimwits-of-televised-religion/) - In the mid-20th century, people like W.H. Auden and C.S. Lewis spoke for Christianity. Now it's Ann Coulter and the guy from Duck Dynasty. How did that happen?
- [Western Buddhism and Cultural Appropriation](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/western-buddhism-and-cultural-appropriation/) - Is western Buddhism "cultural appropriation"? And why do people assume western Buddhists are flakes? A look at the messiness of Buddhism in the West.
- [New Jersey Just Poked China](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/new-jersey-just-poked-china/) - And now for something completely different ... New Jersey just released a list of approved religious holidays, meaning holidays that give a child a legitimate excuse for being out of school. A number of Buddhist holidays showed up, which of course is nice. But one jumped out at me -- April 25 The 11th Panchen
- [Winks](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/winks/) - You might have heard about the juvenile frat boys who were disciplined by Old Dominion University for this: Freshman women at Old Dominion University were given a very special welcome last week when they arrived on campus: Large banners that read “Rowdy and fun/Hope your baby girl is ready for a good time,” “Freshman daughter
- [When Righteousness Kills - The Massacre in Paris](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/when-righteousness-kills-the-massacre-in-paris/) - Your righteousness never trumps anyone's life.
- [The Boxes We Live In](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/the-boxes-we-live-in/) - We have become so accustomed to civilization that we don't see it.
- [Rituals? Really?](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/rituals-really/) - Shortly after I began writing the Buddhism section of About.com, a reader named "Ernie" contacted me to complain about rituals, among other things. He was interested in Buddhism, he said, but he was turned off by the rituals. When I explained that the rituals have a purpose and suggested he give them a try, he
- [What's With the War on Christmas?](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/whats-with-the-war-on-christmas/) - The Christmas television commercials preceded Halloween this year, and I see some of my neighbors have their Christmas decorations up already. Yes, folks, the annual War on Christmas season has begun. At Patheos, Zen teacher and Unitarian Universalist minister James Ford writes "Why I’m Afraid of Christians: Or the Briefest Meditation on Wishing Happy Holidays
- [Dark Nights and Dukkha Nanas](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/dark-nights-and-dukkha-nanas/) - Westerners have been playing with eastern mysticism, and now some of them have had "bad trips" being called "dark nights of the soul.
- ["Religious Violence" Isn't Just Religious](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/434/) - I recommend Sean McElwee's article at Salon, "What we really talk about when we talk about religion." Citing the recent Harris-Maher-Affleck "debate" on the culpability of Islam in violence, McElwee writes, At the core of this debate is the extent to which the religion of Islam is responsible for the violence of ISIS, and other
- [The Christian Right's Pitiful Rearguard Action](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/the-christian-rights-pitiful-rearguard-action/) - The cause du jour among some conservative Christians is maintaining their sacred entitlement to discriminate against people of unauthorized sexual orientation -- LGBT -- in public matters. And if they aren't allowed to discriminate as they please, they honestly believe this amounts to discrimination against them. Let us be clear, much hysterical rhetoric to the
- [Buddhas and Buddhas](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/buddhas-and-buddhas/) - In the last few posts I've been looking at Master Dogen's Vow. Please note that a dharma master could probably write about this text for weeks. I'm just beginning to look at it myself. But I'm happy that several of you have found this text inspiring. So here's a little more of it: The Chan
- [Atonement](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/atonement/) - Still looking at Master Dogen's Vow -- the last post was on the third paragraph, and now I want to go back to the second -- Past negative actions accumulate and cause the arising of many obstacles to the practice of the Way. May all Buddhas and Ancestors who have realized the Way extend their
- [Buddhas and Ancestors](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/buddhas-and-ancestors/) - I want to say a little more about Master Dogen's Vow. And I'm going to skip over the second paragraph for right now and go to the third one, because the third paragraph helps me understand the second one. The third paragraph goes -- Buddhas and Ancestors of old were as we. In the future,
- [Master Dogen's Vow](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/master-dogens-vow/) - Master Dogen's Vow is part of the common chanting liturgy of Japanese Soto Zen. Dogen is the 13th century master who brought Soto Zen to Japan, and in Soto Zen he's a big deal. But you might enjoy the vow also, even if you aren't into Soto Zen. This is just the first verse: From
- [Are We Not Who We Are?](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/are-we-not-who-we-are/) - I read recently that success in today's world requires that we all be brands. As in products that are packaged, marketed and sold. The right "personal brand" will help you present yourself and create a good impression, the article said. If you've practiced for awhile, you may already have dug through several layers of conditioning,
- [Religion and Science: Four Perspectives](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/religion-and-science-four-perspectives/) - The 14th Dalai Lama is said to have said, "If science proves some belief of Buddhism wrong, then Buddhism will have to change." I agree with the quote, but I also think it's not that revolutionary. Buddhism has made a lot of adjustments to science in the past couple of centuries without being traumatized about
- [Sam Harris vs. Islam](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/sam-harris-vs-islam/) - Why Sam Harris is not the go-to guy for dealing with religious violence.
- [Saying Too Much](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/saying-too-much/) - In Zen -- and I'm sure this is true of other Buddhist traditions as well -- students are sternly warned not to talk about a kensho or "enlightenment experience" to everyone and his uncle. It's fine to discuss these things with a teacher, but not to others. I know of at least three reasons for
- [Names and Labels](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/names-and-labels/) - If designations for tangible things (in a relative sense) such as [your name], computer, chair, cat, friend, whatever, designate things that actually are not present, how much more so is something intangible not present?
- [The Christian Conceptual Box](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/the-christian-conceptual-box/) - The way most Christians or other monotheists conceptualize religion is alien to me, and beside the point. Here's why.
- [The Limits of Language](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/the-limits-of-language/) - If I tell you something is ineffable, please don't demand that I explain it anyway.
- [Have Some Fries With the McJesus](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/have-some-fries-with-the-mcjesus/) - Victoria Olsteen stepped in a big ol' mess o' heresy.
- [ Killing the Spiritual but Not Religious Buddha](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/killing-the-spiritual-but-not-religious-buddha/) - The dogmas of Sam Harris.
- [Surrender Has No Goal](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/surrender-has-no-goal/) - Ultimately, it's up to us as students to be very honest with ourselves about what we're doing.
- [Submission or Surrender?](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/submission-or-surrender/) - Masochistic submission seems to be a common spiritual trap.
- [Stuck in the Void ](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/stuck-in-the-void/) - It's possible for a student to take a nose dive straight into sunyata that leaves his inner demons/neuroses/issues unexamined and untouched.
- [What We Don't See](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/what-we-dont-see/) - We all view the world through a lens of cognitive bias and conditioned assumptions, and we lack respect for other people's experience of life that are unlike ours.
- [Amazon Reviews!](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/amazon-reviews/) - Just announcing that my book is up to seven customer reviews at Amazon, three five-star and four four-star ...
- [Don't Settle for Explanations](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/dont-settle-for-explanations/) - Until the explanation has been tested by experience, then accept it only provisionally.
- [Why China Rewrites History](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/why-china-rewrites-history/) - Beijing generates phony history to support the fiction that ethnic minorities, such as the Tibetans and Uighurs, have always belonged to China.
- [Ryutan Blows Out the Candle](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/ryutan-blows-out-the-candle/) - Is this space that is navigable by words and intellect all there is to reality? Candlelight illuminates some things, but leaves other things in the dark.
- [The Mystic Eye](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/the-mystic-eye/) - What happens when you learn to see beyond seeing?
- [Is a Kinship of Faith Possible?](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/is-a-kinship-of-faith-possible/) - Is is possible to genuinely respect religious beliefs different from our own? Or do other beliefs make us uncomfortable?
- [Trust and the Kalama Sutta](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/trust-and-the-kalama-sutta/) - Did the Buddha really advise us to not believe what we read in scriptures? Yes, but there's more to what he said you might not have heard.
- [Religion Doesn't Need Miracles](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/religion-doesnt-need-miracles/) - This so-called "mundane" world is a bleeping wonder that few of us see as it really is.
- [Notes on the Other Shore](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/notes-on-the-other-shore/) - About the Buddhas Raft Parable as found in the Diamond Sutra.
- [The Raft Parable](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/the-raft-parable/) - You've heard the one about not needing the raft any more when you get to the other shore. Here's the longer version.
- [Silence, Noble and Ignoble](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/silence-noble-and-ignoble/) - Right speech doesn't mean keeping silence in the face of atrocity.
- [Taking the Path of Woo: Jesus in Tibet?](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/taking-the-path-of-woo-jesus-in-tibet/) - Some people believe Jesus traveled to India or Tibet to study Buddhism in his youth. Sorry, but no, he didn't.
- [Deluded About Enlightenment](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/deluded-about-enlightenment/) - Some of the late roshi's former students refuse to acknowledge he did anything wrong.
- [How Evil Happens](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/how-evil-happens/) - The Gaza War is giving us a classic example of how good people persuade themselves to do bad things.
- [Flaws and Zen Teachers](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/flaws-and-zen-teachers/) - The passing of Joshu Sasaki Roshi and western Zen's disproportionate number of sex scandals.
- [The Basis of Morality](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/the-basis-of-morality/) - Both religious and secularist moralists assume that "morality" is mostly about living by a moral code. It doesn't. It never did.
- [My Heresy on Spiritual but Not Religious](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/my-heresy-on-spiritual-but-not-religious/) - In many circles "spiritual but not religious" has become just another orthodoxy one is not allowed to question.
- [Why Law Shouldn't Be Based on Morality](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/why-law-shouldnt-be-based-on-morality/) - Sometimes use of law to enforce morality causes other forms of immorality.
- [Empty Your Cup](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/empty-your-cup/) - Sometimes you have to let go of old assumptions and views before you can learn something new.
- [Why the U.S. Christian Right Is Dangerous](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/why-the-u-s-christian-right-is-dangerous/) - The U.S. Christian Right shows all the symptoms of becoming violent.
- [Ritual, Modernity and Citta](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/ritual-modernity-and-citta/) - People today dislike religious rituals, but that's because they don't understand what rituals are for.
- [The Misuse of Mindfulness](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/the-misuse-of-mindfulness/) - There's a difference between living for the moment and living in the moment.
- [Fanatics of Faith](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/fanatics-of-faith/) - Does religion fuel violent aggression? Or does violent aggression come from a deeper place and corrupt religion?
- [What Is Faith?](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/what-is-faith/) - Having faith in doctrines is not the same as "believing in" doctrines.
- [You Can't Kill Intolerance With More Intolerance](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/you-cant-kill-intolerance-with-more-intolerance/) - Why Jesus-bashing billboards won't make American society more accepting of atheism.
- [Faithless Faith](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/hello-world/) - The Faith and Freedom Coalition's "Road to Majority" conference in Washington DC ended a few days ago. An annual event, this year's shindig turned into a contest over which potential 2016 Republican presidential nominee could blow the loudest dog whistles. The biggest headlines from the event so far told us that some genius put Obama
- [America on Buddhism -- More Popular Than Evangelicals](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/america-on-buddhism-more-popular-than-evangelicals/) - The Pew Research Religion & Public Life Project has a new poll out revealing how Americans feel about various religious traditions. The "mean thermometer rating," meaning how groups ranked among all respondents, was: I take it from this that Protestant Christians who are not evangelicals are now officially chopped liver. But congratulations to Judaism! Notice

## Pages

- [About the Author](https://rethinkingreligion-book.info/sample-page/) - Barbara O'Brien has a background in both Christianity and Buddhism. She is the resident expert in Buddhism for About.com.

## Categories

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## Tags

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