When I read the following:

Once, a Buddhist teacher’s controversial lifestyle was brought to the attention of the Dalai Lama by a group of Western Buddhist monks.

“What would be his advice?” they wondered.

The Dalai Lama’s reply was profound and unmistakable:

“One’s view may be as vast as the sky,” he said, “but one’s regard for cause and effect should be as finely sifted as barley flour.”

I’m a bad Buddhist

I drink, I smoke, I cuss, I fight, I fart

Yeah, I’m a bad Buddhist

But I got the good Buddha in my heart.

Bernie Glassman has a blog on Elephant Journal now. I never forget hearing his dharma talk on prajna, wisdom, at the Greyston Monastery, and writing poetry at the Greyston Bakery, both in Riverdale, while I was a student at Manhattan College. Later I would read his book Instructions to the Cook (1997),  a simple treatise in engaged Buddhism. While @ZenDirtZenDust (Jack Daw) tweets “Shit. There goes the neighborhood” (pretty sure he’s kidding), I look forward to reading his posts.

Zen Master Bernie Glassman is a world-renowned pioneer in the American Zen Movement. He is a spiritual leader, published author, accomplished academic and successful businessman with a PhD in Applied Mathematics. He is the founder of the Zen Peacemakers. Having entered his 70’s, he is focussing on the promotion of Socially Engaged Buddhism, the development of Dharma Centers (Zen Houses) in impoverished areas to serve the local population and in nurturing communication and interaction between affiliates of the Zen Peacemakers Sangha. He has an intensive inter-national schedule of workshops, lectures and tours. Read more: http://www.zenpeacemakers.org/about/bios/bernie_bio.htm

read his first post

Due to Western influence, Segaki is often held around Halloween. My brother has spoken to me of “inviting the hungry ghosts” in his sangha’s practice.

Via John Pappason Oct 24, 2010

The ceremony of Segaki is when we, as Buddhists, take time to offer compassionate respite to the restless spirits or “hungry ghosts” that surround us through the offering of chants, prayer or physical items. The Halloween season seems to provide the requisite amount of spirits, energy and atmosphere so it is as good a time as any to practice.  Also with a tidal wave of candy-snacks rolling in, perhaps feeding my pretas beforehand may lead to less gorging.

According to Buddhist myth, hungry ghosts are creatures with large distended stomachs, small mouths and pencil-thin throats that are never able to satisfy their hunger or thirst.  While these sorrowful and troublesome entities can be taken in the literal, figurative or metaphysical, I see the hungry ghost as symbolizing my own karma of the past, present and (probably) future.  Whether by hook or crook, actions taken in the past have a tenacious ability to show up again in the present.  By participating in this ceremony, I am able to engage my willingness to atone, bring resolution to and work towards a peaceful acceptance of the actions on which I stand.

What frightens me most about his time of year?  More so than ghosts, goblins, spooks, specters and naughty maids are the actions that I have taken in the past that have caused some harm to others.  But it is not a simple correspondence.  It isn’t that one foul equals one harm.  Like interest on a defaulted loan, my actions have the potential to continue to cause harm to others and to myself.  One statement or action, while fleeting in my memory, may not be so transient for someone else.  Like a worm burrowing deep into the heartwood of a tree, one time harmful actions or words are easily forgotten but continue to rot away at the substance around them.

And a hungry ghost is manifested, to forever haunt your periphery.

read more

Grateful for the lesson…

ombuddha:

Talking about Zen all the time is like looking for fish tracks in a dry riverbed.

Wu-Tzu.

 Photo by Mahmoud Shalabi.

buddhaffections:

DALAI LAMA BIRTHDAY PHOTOS

In celebration of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s 75th birthday at his residence in Dharamsala, India, on July 6th, 2010.

Photos by Tenzin Choejor/OHHDL