Author Archives: faran

The Buddha came from the oligarchic republic of the Sakyan people. This state was actually the vassal of the larger and more powerful Kingdom of Kosala. Though subjugated under Kosala, the Sakyans proudly enjoyed the honor and privileges of being of a higher caste than the Kosala King Pasenadi. In order to increase his prestige,Continue reading “Racism, Exceptionalism, and the Demise of the Sakyans”

Karma (intentional action) is not always easy to write about. I, as an ordinary person, don’t know the full extent of the result of karma. However, there are very concrete examples being demonstrated in the consequences of state violence. On Monday, George Floyd, a black man from Minneapolis was killed by Derek Chauvin, a whiteContinue reading “State Violence and Karma”

The Buddhas need no reason to love me. They don’t consider my faith. They don’t consider my practice. They don’t consider my morality. They don’t consider my foolishness. They don’t consider my Buddha-nature. They just love me. It’s a love that depends on nothing. A love that springs forth Without justification. Like flowers raining fromContinue reading “The Love of the Buddhas”

Taitetsu Unno (1998) once wrote about the symbolic nature of gold and lotuses in relation to Pureland Buddhism. He discussed Dharmakara’s vow that all beings in his pure land would be of the color of gold, signifying their enlightenment and their equality. Unno also notes that the lotus is a metaphor for the uniqueness ofContinue reading “Golden Lotuses”

The Buddhadharma if full of amazing characters who, in there own way, contributed much to the tradition. Other than Shakyamuni himself, few figures have had as much influence over the evolution of Buddhism as Ananda. He might also be one of early Buddhism’s more relatable figures. Ananda was a cousin of the Buddha who isContinue reading “Ananda’s Spirit”

In Just As You Are: Buddhism for Foolish Beings, Rev. Satyavani Robyn writes that when exploring something new, like Pureland Buddhism, we can take from it the things that we like and set the rest aside. We can then later explore the tradition more deeply in our own time (Thompson & Robyn, 2015). I findContinue reading “Little By Little”

“There is no secret about calling upon the sacred name except that we put our heart into the act, in the conviction that we shall be born into the Land of Perfect Bliss.” (Honen the Buddhist Saint, 2006) In the Dharma, intention is important. It colors a particular action, giving it a certain quality. ForContinue reading “Put Your Heart Into It”

Honen emphazised that, in regard to Pureland, oral teachings are just as important as the written teachings. He said that because, the Buddha was talking to an audience of “good” people in the sutras, one might “deprecate themselves” and have doubts about their own ability to realize the Pure Land. Honen found it important forContinue reading “Skillful Means”

On the morning of Sunday the 11th of September 2016, I was waiting outside the Homewood Friends Meeting house where the Baltimore Dharma Group met for their weekly Zen practice. It was then that I got a call from my mother’s partner, Judy, that Mom had died in the night at the nursing home thatContinue reading “When Mom Died”

Prayer has many aspects. It also has many meanings for many people. Growing up, I understood it as some special way of speaking to God. Nowadays, I have a different understanding. Sometimes, prayer is used as a means to gain protection. For instance, there are many instances when Buddhist may pray to protect themselves, theirContinue reading “Prayer”