Buddhist Modernism

I consider it my mission, my job if you will, to kick off and push forward the project of Buddhist Modernism. What is Buddhist Modernism? First, it's not the same as Modern Buddhism. Modern Buddhism is a religion of sorts, a philosophy, a spiritual practice, etc. a religion. Buddhist Modernism is an aesthetic, a [Post-, …

Dalai Lama: Reincarnation is not important…

Here again is the 14th Dalai Lama saying what many secular and modernist Buddhists have been saying all along--Reincarnation (rebirth) is not important. What is important are the teachings of the Buddha and the dharma and the integrity of the institutions that preserve and teach the dharma. Secular and modernist Buddhists, like myself say what …

Suzanne: There is no Awakening

Once again, Suzanne speaks to me most powerfully about 'the path.' In this video, she tries to explain what has been said many times in certain Zen teachings: there is no awakening, because there is no 'self' or person who awakens. There is no awakened state to which we can aspire or achieve. There is …

The Eightfold Path of Sustainability

Gabriel Durham is an expert in ecological sustainability (not 'corporate sustainability', although he's well aware of that alternate reality) and a Buddhist. His video explains how he uses the Eightfold Path to describe a transition away from dependence on fossil fuels. https://youtu.be/zYSpIQclA_s

Dharma [Un]Truths

I've come to realize that Buddhism doesn't have a unified doctrinal structure. There are many versions of Buddhism some ancient, some modern. There are many dharma cultures within the scope of what we call 'Buddhism', and they were nurtured within many different cultures and languages, under many different historic conditions. That's why I've come to …

Not For Nothing: Nondualism and the Middle Way

I came across (in the usual internet algorithm way) a new young teacher of non-duality, Suzanne. I found her video talks to be intriguing because she really grapples with the full implications of the non-dual way, its paradoxes and contradictions. In this video, she talks about the seeker's longing for non-suffering, and its contradictions--that not …

Cyberpunk Buddhism: Lo tech, Hi life

Cyberpunk's defining mantra is "high tech, low life". Neon Dystopia is probably the best cyberpunk blog on the net right now, and it has a whole page dedicated to "What is cyberpunk?" which says basically that. Androids, robots, rogue scientists, criminals and corporate agents employ high-technology for their street-life adventures. If you've seen Blade Runner …

ADR: Applied Dharma Research

Today I begin a new writing project: an exploration of cybernetic dharma, beginning with the Dharma of Ghost in the Shell. This is highly experimental and exploratory, so at times, it won't even seem to make sense. But that's what happens when you are pioneering new ideas, new modes of thought, flights of imagination, observation …

Modern Buddhism for a Techno-dystopian World

Lately I've been getting more adamant about practicing secular Buddhism, a modern Buddhism. I'm not saying that Buddhism is not a religion. Yes, it's a religion, but that's not what I practice. I practice Buddhism as a cosmology, a worldview, and an ethical way of life. I'm going to go out on a limb here …

Notes on the Transition

I've spent the last twenty years of my life studying climate change, biodiversity loss, and major impacts on the environment caused by the way humans live on this planet. Like many of you, I was hopeful about the possibility of 'transitioning' to a low-carbon society, to 'electrify everything': electric cars, work-from-home via telecommuting, and recycling. …