An influential voice in a new generation of Buddhist teachers, Owens is respected for his work focused on social change, identity and spiritual wellness.

ROME, Ga (AP) Instead of traditional maroon and gold Tibetan Buddhist robes, Lama Rod Owens wore a white animal print cardigan over a bright yellow T-shirt with an image of singer Sade, an Africa-shaped medallion and mala beads the most recognizable sign of his Buddhism.

Being a Buddhist or a spiritual leader, I got rid of trying to wear the part because it just wasnt authentic to me, said Owens, 44, who describes himself as a Black Buddhist Southern Queen.

For me, its not about looking like a Buddhist. Its about being myself, he said at his mothers home in Rome, Georgia. And I like color.

The Harvard Divinity School-educated lama and yoga teacher blends his training in the Kagyu School of Tibetan Buddhism with pop culture references and experiences from his life as a Black, queer man raised in the South by his mother, a pastor at a Christian church.

Today, he is an influential voice in a new generation of Buddhist teachers, respected for his work focused on social change, identity and spiritual wellness.

On the popular mindfulness app Calm, his wide-ranging courses include Coming Out, Caring for your Grief, and Radical Self-Care (sometimes telling listeners to shake it off like Mariah Carey). In his latest book, The New Saints, he highlights Christian saints and spiritual warriors, Buddhist bodhisattvas and Jewish tzaddikim among those who have sought to free people from suffering.

Saints are ordinary and human, doing things any person can learn to do, Owen writes in his book, where he combines personal stories, traditional teachings and instructions for meditations.

Our era calls for saints who are from this time and place, speak the language of this moment, and integrate both social and spiritual liberation, he writes. I believe we all can and must become New Saints.

But how? Its not about becoming a superhero, he said, stressing the need to care for others.

And its not reserved for the canonized. Harriet Tubman is a saint for me, he said about the 19th century Black abolitionist known for helping enslaved people escape to freedom on the Underground Railroad. She came to this world and said, I want people to be free.

Owens grew up in a devout Baptist and Methodist family. His life revolved around his local church.

When he was 13, his mother, who owns a baseball cap that reads: Gods Girl, became a United Methodist minister. He calls her the single greatest impact in his life.

Like a lot of Black women, she embodied wisdom and resiliency and vision. She taught me how to work. And she taught me how to change because I saw her changing.

He was inspired by her commitment to a spiritual path, especially when she went against the wishes of some in her family, who like in many patriarchal religions believed a woman should not lead a congregation.

Im very proud of him, said the Rev. Wendy Owens, who sat near her son in her living room, decorated with their photographs and painted portraits.

He made his path. He walked his path, or he might have even ran his path, she said. Dont know how he got there, but he got there.

A life devoted to spirituality seemed unlikely for her son after he entered Berry College, a nondenominational Christian school. It didnt deepen his relationship with Christianity. Instead, he stopped attending church. He wanted to develop a healthy sense of self-worth about his queerness, and was dismayed by conservative religious views on gender and sexuality. He felt the way that God had been presented to him was too rigid, even vengeful. So, in his words, he broke up with God.

His new religion, he said, became service. He trained as an advocate for sexual assault survivors, and volunteered for projects on HIV/AIDS education, homelessness, teen pregnancy and substance abuse.

Even though I wasnt doing this theology anymore, what I was definitely doing was following the path of Jesus: feeding people, sheltering people.

After college, he moved to Boston and joined Haley House, a nonprofit partly inspired by the Catholic Worker Movement that runs a soup kitchen and affordable housing programs.

There, he said, he met people across a range of religious traditions from Hinduism to Christian Science to all the denominations of Christianity, Buddhists, Wiccans, Muslims. Monastics from different traditions, everyone.

A Buddhist friend gave him a book that helped him find his spiritual path: Cave in the Snow, by Tibetan Buddhist nun Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo.

The British-born nun spent years isolated in a cave in the Himalayas to follow the rigorous path of the most devoted yogis. She later founded a nunnery in India focused on giving women in Tibetan Buddhism some of the opportunities reserved for monks.

When I started exploring Buddhism, I never thought, Oh, Black people dont do this, or maybe this is in conflict with my Christian upbringing, Owens said. What I thought was: Heres something that can help me to suffer less. I was only interested in how to reduce harm against myself and others.

At Harvard Divinity School, he was again immersed in religious diversity even a Satanist was there.

What I love about Rod is that hes deeply himself no matter who hes with, said Cheryl Giles, a Harvard Divinity professor who mentored him and who now considers him one of her own teachers.

When I think of him, I think of this concept of Boddhisatva in Buddhism, the deeply compassionate being who is on the path to awakening and sees the suffering of the world and makes a commitment to help liberate others, said Giles.

And I love, she said, that hes Black and Buddhist.

Through Buddhism, mindfulness and long periods of silent retreats, Owens eventually reconciled with God.

God isnt some old man sitting on a throne in the clouds, whos, like, very temperamental, he said. God is space and emptiness and energy. God is always this experience, inviting us back through our most divine, sacred souls. God is love.

His schedule keeps him busy these days appearing in podcasts and social media, speaking to college students and leading meditations, yoga and spiritual retreats across the world.

So much inspires him. He wrote his latest book listening to Beyonce and thinking about the work of choreographer Alvin Ailey. Theres Toni Morrison and James Baldwin. He loves Tony Kushners Angels in America. And pioneering fashion journalist Andre Leon Talley of Vogue magazine, who he says taught him to appreciate beauty.

I want people to feel the same way when they experience something that I talk about or write about, Owens said. Thats part of the work of the artist to help us to feel and to not be afraid to feel. To help us dream differently, inspire us and shake us out of our rigidity to get more fluid.

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Lama Rod Owens describes himself as a Black Buddhist Southern Queen. He wants to free you from suffering - AOL

The Fixxs moody, atmospheric Saved by Zero might have seemed like a strange choice as a lead single for their second album Reach the Beach. Not only does the song lack a big chorus, but the concept of someone being saved by a number is esoteric for a radio hit. What could it even mean to be saved by zero? As it turns out, there are at least two meaningful ways to interpret the songs title phrase. One was thought of by The Fixxs vocalist Cy Curnin, and the other was a meaning he wished hed thought of.

The meaning Curnin intended for Saved by Zero emerged from the confluence of changes in his life circumstances and a Buddhist mantra he had been practicing. Lets take a look at the message Curnin tried to get across in this 1983 hit, and the more literal interpretation he has grown to appreciate.

Reach the Beach was The Fixxs breakthrough album, but their 1982 debut Shuttered Room made the band visible enough to change its members lives. Saved by Zero was Curnins statement about how he coped with the changes in his personal and professional lives, as well as a response to the feelings of powerlessness he felt when writing songs for Shuttered Room, such as Stand or Fall and Red Skies. Regarding the latter, Curnin told Songfacts, I was feeling that sense of impotence back then in the early 80s or late 70s when [U.S. President] Ronald Reagan and [British Prime Minister] Margaret Thatcher were getting in bed together, metaphorically speaking, and designing a whole defense system that involved Europeans lives without asking usit was never on any electorate ballot that I can remember.

Saved by Zero was Curnins way of taking his power back. About the time he was writing lyrics for Reach the Beach, he had started to explore Buddhism, and part of his teachings involved a mantra that was about getting back to a state of nothingness. As Curnin explained in a 2008 interview for the Las Vegas Sun, [The mantra] clears your head of all fears and panics and illusions, and you get back to the basics. The idea of the song is how great it is to get back to zero.

In the opening lines of Saved by Zero, Curnin contrasts the yearnings that caused him to suffer with the freedom that comes with no attachments.

Maybe someday Saved by zero Ill be more together Stretched by fewer Thoughts that leave me

Curnin appears to be observing his ego, recognizing his desire to be more together, while simultaneously noticing that those thoughts are only temporary. He makes that contrast even sharper in the final lines of the first verse, when he sings, Chasing after / My dreams disown me / Loaded with danger.

Even with the knowledge that Curnin was writing about his attempts to get back to zero, the chorus remains an enigma. When he sings Maybe Ill win / Saved by zero, what is Curnin trying to win? Is being able to return to zero a win? Or is this the voice of his ego, still chasing its dreams? Later in the song, Curnin poses the question, Who needs to win? Its a question that only deepens the enigma.

Curnin sets the language of dominance and winning next to words conveying surrender and nothingness in the second verse as well.

Holding on to Words that teach me I will conquer Space around me

While his pairing of these seemingly opposite ideas is initially confusing, Curnin could be using the contrast to illustrate what it means to be saved by zero. Its moving away from the holding and conquering and toward learning and openness.

In his interview with Songfacts, Curnin disclosed he had become aware of a mathematical interpretation of Saved by Zero, He learned the number zero is something of a mathematical hero. He explained, There has been the invention of zero as a number by the ancient Indian mathematicians. Without that, calculations would have been completely wrong. Because we were following the Roman rhythmic calendar which believed that one was the first number. He acknowledged he wasnt considering this meaning of Saved by Zero when he wrote it. Nonetheless, he likes the interpretation enough to say, You know what, Im taking it anyway.

After making inroads into the Billboard Hot 100 with Stand or Fall, Saved by Zero gave The Fixx their first Top 40 hit. The song peaked at No. 20 on the Hot 100 and went to No. 9 on Billboards Mainstream Rock chart. The songs popularity laid the groundwork for the follow-up single, One Thing Leads to Another, to be a massive hit for The Fixx. Those two singles went a long way toward helping Reach the Beach achieve Platinum certification in January 1984. It is The Fixxs only Platinum album and the only one to enter the Top 10 of the Billboard 200, peaking at No. 8.

Saved by Zero was used in the Problem Dog episode of Breaking Bad in Season 4. The song was covered by Irish synthpop band Empire State Human for the 2005 compilation The Fixx: An Electronic Tribute.

Its a little ironic that The Fixxs song about being grounded in nothingness only served to make them one of the more popular bands of the mid-80s. Perhaps the only greater irony was when the song was used in advertisements to sell cars with 0 percent financing in the aftermath of the global financial crisis of 2007 and 2008. If you missed out on the spiritual meaning of this 80s classic, you were far from the only one.

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Myo-jang, president of the Korean Buddhist Foundation for Social Welfare, poses for a photograph at Jeondeung Temple, South Korea's oldest Buddhist monastery. (Jean Chung / For The Times)

Three monks, a horde of reporters and 20 singles looking for love walked into a Buddhist temple.

The singles sat on gray mats in the center of the temples study hall, visibly tense because the two dozen reporters crammed in the back were causing a small scene.

An irritated cameraman snapped at a competitor: Can you get out of my shot?

The three monks of the Jogye order South Korea's largest Buddhist sect, with around 12 million followers looked on with placid smiles.

So began the third edition of Naneun Jeollo or To the temple a matchmaking event launched last year by the Korean Buddhist Foundation for Social Welfare to fulfill the religions commitment to fostering social cohesion.

One of the organizers reminded the participants of the weekends stakes: nothing less than the future of the country.

Im sure all of you have noticed how that day-care center in your neighborhood has one day turned into a nursing home, he said, pulling up a computer slideshow titled Aging Society.

Read more:Inside Japans miracle town, where the birth rate is soaring amid a demographic crisis

It showed that over the last two decades the number of babies born each year had been halved and that by 2050 the elderly would make up roughly 40% of the total population, straining the countrys welfare systems and deepening labor shortages.

The singles took in the figures with polite yet stony expressions.

For the sake of the low birthrate, the presenter concluded in an upbeat tone, all you have to do today is actively participate and find a good partner.

: :

The Buddhists modeled the weekend after a matchmaking reality TV series called I Am Solo, which has produced eight marriages and gained a nationwide following.

This along with the unusual premise of celibate ascetics taking on the challenge of worldly romance has given the Buddhist version its own viral fame, which the foundation hoped to maximize by opening it to the press.

We want to spread the word, said Myo-jang, the monk who leads the foundation. Were hoping one day there will be an edition for every Buddhist temple in the country.

The participants 10 men and 10 women had been told to expect some media, but not the film sets worth of cameras that followed them into a courtyard for formal introductions.

My mind is going blank, said one of them, a 30-year-old who works in finance. I thought there would be at most one TV crew. I feel like someone who just committed a huge crime.

The name on his badge Seong-hun was a pseudonym drawn from a pile, just like on the TV show.

He was one of 147 men and 190 women who had applied to participate in the April weekend, held at Jeondeung Temple, the oldest Buddhist monastery in the country.

Read more:Looking for a date? In Taiwan, the government is here to help

We screen the participants very carefully, Myo-jang said. We want to make sure that there arent people looking for one-off flings.

The weekend was free and open to all religions. Applicants were required to submit employment records and a personal essay, and age and geography were taken into account to maximize the chances of long-term coupling. But Myo-jang said one factor was the most important: yearning.

Only those who hungered for true love, like Seong-hun, had made the cut. Since his last serious relationship in college, Seong-hun had discovered finding love to be difficult. He disliked dating apps, but large social gatherings sapped him. His mother had been telling him to take dating lessons.

At some point in the relentless struggle to find financial stability, life had begun to feel like a perpetually half-full glass that just wouldnt fill up all the way.

Ive gotten too cautious in my 30s, he said. When I was younger, pure attraction was all I needed, but now, I find myself getting hung up on little doubts way too early in the relationship.

What exactly he was looking for, he didnt know.

I think what Im drawn to is someone whos tough on the outside, but soft on the inside, he said.

: :

After the singles had changed into their uniforms a traditional Buddhist garment consisting of a magenta vest and wide-fitting navy pants Shim Mok-min, the professional emcee hired for the event, gathered them around him.

Shim, who was dressed in a baby blue suit, estimated he had done about 50 events like this one. Most of them were hosted by local governments as part of a national effort to bring the countrys nosediving fertility rate the number of children the average woman has over her lifetime closer to the 2.1 needed to maintain a stable population.

The soaring cost of homeownership, poor work-life balance and the fracturing of traditional gender roles have continued to push South Koreans away from marriage and reproduction.

More than half of those between the ages of 30 and 34 are unmarried, and last year, the countrys fertility rate already the worlds lowest fell to 0.72.

Some of the matchmaking events Shim hosted had storybook endings, like one held by the city of Yongin that produced a marriage. The mayor officiated the couples wedding, and Shim emceed their childs first birthday party.

But far more often, they ended up turning into a game of survival.

Ive seen the women being swapped out with each new group while the men stay the same, round after round, Shim said. One event I did had two women and 18 men.

The games he was now moderating were icebreakers designed to tease out any early attractions and encourage small acts of physical contact.

At events where everyone is new to this format, you have to push them a bit, he said. The ultimate goal is to direct traffic so that participants have clear paths they can pursue later on.

Shim had the singles take turns answering questions from the rest of the group.

Your hair is so nice, one of the men told Ji-su, a 33-year-old policewoman. What do you use on it?

Ji-su cracked a smile and mumbled an answer.

By the time the group moved on to team bingo, any initial shyness had been replaced by a total commitment to winning. With every point scored, the singles screamed and high-fived one another.

Shim frantically reminded them why they were here.

You are here to find your other half, he said. The games are just a means to an end!

A round of speed dating, in which the men and women took turns having short conversations with one another, wrapped things up.

Read more:Korea's army of senior citizens ready for battle. 'I dont remember the rifles being so heavy'

For dinner at the temple cafeteria, the singles would split off into pairs. The women with the highest game scores were given first pick, and a program organizer led them outside, one after another, to a laptop displaying head shots of the men.

That was tiring but fun, said Seon-jae, who was picked fifth by a 31-year-old dental hygienist.

He didnt know if he liked her back yet.

I guess Ill have to talk to her and find out, he said.

: :

After dinner, the group convened for one more round of games.

Shim turned down the mood, leading the group in a meditative chant, instructing the singles to hold hands and gaze into each others eyes.

Empty your minds, Shim said.

Knees were now being touched, whispers shared and heads drawn together.

Bring your mats closer together, Shim said.

Seong-hun talked animatedly with Yu-jin, a 33-year-old real estate consultant whose sister had met her husband at a Buddhist temple.

Ji-su, the policewoman, was in a quiet conversation with her partner looking charmed, until one of the reporters walked over and stuck his camera about a foot from her face, making her recoil.

For the evenings final act, everyone took a short walk to the teahouse for a romantic cafe outing, but with rotating partners. After a few hours of conversation under the soft yellow lights, couples would choose their dates for the next mornings nature walk.

The participants will text us who they like the most later tonight, said Kong Ji-yu, one of the organizers. If theres a match, the two will be paired together for the walk. For the rest, well partner them with someone we feel suits them.

Last years event had produced two matches, with one of the couples reportedly still dating. The organizers, observing the proceedings from the lobby, were now hoping for three.

Read more:They earn nearly $200,000. Can they afford to have kids in SoCal?

The singles sipped fruit tea at the wooden tables, looking relaxed and sleepy. Camera-wielding reporters zipped through the narrow aisles like bees, zooming in on faces and hands.

After a few rotations, Yu-jin, the real estate consultant, went to the counter to refill her lemon tea, looking up to see a reporter in a long trench coat pointing his handheld camera at her.

The reporter, who was filming a news documentary for national broadcaster KBS, fed her a line.

Say I want to meet a good partner through this program, the reporter said. Just once, really quickly.

Yu-jin reluctantly obliged.

: :

Seong-hun went to bed early that night feeling contemplative.

Here he was trying to escape the casualness of dating apps, only to feel like he was cheating every time his conversation partner changed.

I realized I need to start by figuring out what exactly Im looking for, he said. Maybe Ive just been overcomplicating things in my head.

The next morning at the courtyard, Kong, the program organizer, looked pleased.

There were four matches last night, she announced.

To avoid hurt feelings, she added, the details of who picked whom wouldnt be revealed to the group.

Seong-hun had asked the organizers to pair him with someone at random. He sat with his assigned date at one of the tables outside the cafe and dived into a conversation about lifes malaise, while a camera drone buzzed overhead capturing the strolling couples posing for photographs by the cherry blossoms.

Huddled together a few tables over with an air of weariness was a group of four calling themselves the failed couples. They had dropped any pretense of romance and skipped the walk.

What's more, the participants were fed up with the reporters from KBS. One of them tricked me into an interview by asking me to just sit down for a second, said Chae-won, a 32-year-old gym teacher.

Would events such as these and their steady contribution of new couples help reverse South Koreas fertility crisis? The group was skeptical.

What really needs to be addressed is the cost of living and housing prices, Chae-won said, as the rest of the group nodded along. Right now, I already have my hands full just from looking after myself.

Even if she ended up getting married, she would think twice before having a baby.

I see colleagues getting the stink eye for having to take a day off because of their child, she said. Things have supposedly gotten a lot better in that regard, but thats still how it goes.

Later, the matched couples would be encouraged to pursue their relationship beyond the temple walls, under their real names.

And at the closing ceremony, Yeo-am, the temple's abbot, offered some parting words of wisdom.

Relationships, he said, were made not from a burning love but quietly accruing affection.

My sense is that there are another three or so potential couples in this group, he said, pointing to the two singles nearest to him. Why dont you two try seeing each other?

The two laughed awkwardly.

When the abbot began taking questions, Seong-hun raised his hand.

How do I get rid of this emptiness, this feeling that Im missing something important in life? he asked.

The abbot told him to begin every morning by performing exactly 108 bows, a meditation exercise in Korean Buddhism. And for all the weekend's emphasis on finding a partner, the abbot's advice was a reminder that some journeys in life must be made alone.

Thats something you must resolve on your own, the abbot said. No other person can save you from it.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Inspired by reality TV, Buddhist monks become matchmakers - AOL

In high school, my friends often asked me about the Buddhist take on social justice issues.

What do Buddhists think about abortion? How about gay rights? Do Buddhists eat meat? Are you allowed to own a gun? Sometimes I had an answer, but for other issues, I wasnt sure. I knew I had my stance, but I didnt know what I was supposed to believe.

Some of my religious friends seemed so set on their opinions, and part of me envied their strong conviction even if I didnt agree with it. As someone who wanted things spelled out in black-and-white terms, the ambiguity of Shin Buddhism felt frustrating. Just tell meits never OK to kill, right?

Even today, part of me still wants a clear path on what I should do and think as a Jodo Shinshu Buddhist follower. With issues of social justice, I want to be told that my religion validates my own beliefs. Ive talked to some people in the Shin Buddhist community who also crave this clarity, and Ive heard arguments that Buddhist Churches of America (BCA) leadership should take a stronger organizational stance on social issues to advocate for justice and change. The most recent issue being the war in Gaza.

I cant begin to understand the anguish, fear, and horror that Palestinian and Israeli families are currently enduring. I struggle to find words that convey the heaviness of this collective suffering. Families have been torn apart, and heartbreaking killings continue with no end in sight. The ripples of trauma will be felt for generations.

I feel so helpless absorbing news from the safety and privileges of my home, feeling like theres nothing I can do to ease such pain. With Jodo Shinshu being such a key part of my identity and community, I find comfort in knowing that our religious organization stands firmly against evil.

But do we? As I struggle with how to wrap my mind around war conflicts, Im reminded of a passage from one of the exhibits of the Wing Luke Museum in Seattle, Washington.

This beautiful museum focuses on the art, culture, and history of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. One of the permanent exhibitions includes a brief walkthrough of the history of various Asian American diasporas, with a section featuring Cambodian Americans. This part of the exhibit includes historical depictions of the Cambodian genocide.

As disturbing as it is to be reminded of such a brutal part of history when millions of people were killed, I appreciate that the museum does not shy away from the truth. At the end of the description, it states:

To simply finger a brutal regime, however, is to risk missing a valuable lesson from the Cambodian genocide. The initial aims of the Khmer Rouge were hardly evilthey did not set out to decimate the Cambodian people. Instead, Khmer Rouge leaders were swept away in an ideology. They were corrupted by power and abandoned common sense in an attempt to make a flawed belief system work. The lesson of the Cambodian genocide is not that the Pol Pot was evil; it is rather thatlike goodevil lurks in the heart of every human being. Dont view the exhibition here and wonder only, How could they be capable of such evil? Instead, as well, How could I be capable of such evil? and pledge to prevent it from happening again.

To me, this feels very much aligned with Shin Buddhist thought. Shinran Shonin (1173-1263), the founder of the Jodo Shinshu school, talks at length of the cruel realities of the world and the evils of human nature. Not only the evils of humans in general, but specifically our own capacity. Our sufferingthis burning house is fueled by our own human anger, ignorance, and greed.

In the Tannisho, Shinran has an interaction with Yuien-bo, one of his followers. He challenges Yuien-bos loyalty by telling him to kill a thousand people.

Yuien-bo responds: Though you instruct me thus, Im afraid it is not in my power to kill even one person.

Shinran replies: By this you should realize that if we could always act as wished, then when I told you to kill a thousand people in order to attain birth, you should have immediately done so. But since you lack the karmic cause inducing you to kill even a single person, you do not kill. It is not that you do not kill because your heart is good. In the same way, a person may wish not to harm anyone and yet end up killing a hundred or thousand people.

As shown in this passage, Shinran points out that Yuien-bos ability to refuse to kill anyone is a privilege of his circumstances rather than a testament to his morals. If Yuien-bo feared that his family would be hurt if he didnt comply, then he may have acted differently.

Shinran explains this further: For those who make their living drawing nets or fishing in the seas and rivers, and those who sustain their lives hunting beasts or taking fowl in the field and mountains, and those who pass their lives conducting trade or cultivating field and paddies, it is all the same. If the karmic cause so prompts us, we will commit any kind of act.

When I think about the violence in Palestine and Israel, I find myself wondering, What kind of people kill and rip others from their homes and families? and How could people drop bombs and make decisions that lead to tens of thousands of civilian deaths?

Surely, I could never do the same. However, Shinran reminds me that the more I tell myself that there is a moral disparity between myself and militant fighters, the more I conclude that they must be morally flawed for enabling such suffering. As I result, I am less likely to value their lives and extend compassion and understanding.

Some people might not see this thought process as an issue. After committing such atrocities, are they even worthy of our compassion and understanding? I would argue that trying to understand and extend compassion does not mean were passive or complicit. We can form opinions and take action, while understanding that our perspectives stem from our own subjective causes and conditions.

I think Shinran helps us understand that someones actions are not theirs alone, but rather a result of their causes and conditions. This includes situational circumstances, subjective perspectives, implicit biases, and fears that dictate ones judgment.

Instead of condemning individual actions and seeing groups of people as the problem, I believe that Shinran challenges us to look upstream at the karmic conditions that inform these choices.

How do anger, ignorance, fear, and greed contribute to patterns of oppression, imperialism, colonialism, and war, and how do we stop our own evil nature from becoming corrupted by and contributing to these powers?

It seems that Jodo Shinshu Buddhism doesnt tell us what we should and shouldnt do because navigating these decisions is something that we must go through ourselves with our individual karmic conditions. While I think its OK for leaders to express opinions and reflections about current events, I can see why BCA would struggle with the issue of taking a strong stance on behalf of everyone in the organization. As a collective of foolish beings, no one can speak for everyone.

However, I want to be clear that not having a unified organizational position does not mean that we need to be passive. In our community, I believe its essential to create space to address heavy topics that are on our minds and discuss how they relate to Jodo Shinshu thought.

At Palo Alto Buddhist Temple, where I am a member, we often have discussions after service where people can talk about whats on their minds. The topics have included controversial issues.

During the discussions, I dont always agree with everyone and sometimes hearing a different perspective sets me even more firmly into my own thought process. However, as my outlook shifts and grows, Im always grateful to have gained insight into what others are thinking and feeling. With skilled facilitation, some trust, and lots of practice, I feel that weve been able to express and receive our opinions and reflections with respect.

Amidst violence and seemingly endless cycles of suffering, Ive noticed that I feel less alone and helpless after these discussions. As I awaken to my own internal biases and capacity for evil, I also know that I am embraced by a community. A community of foolish beings whose collective wisdom and compassion is deeper than Im able to grasp alone. I am eager to continue discussions with our sanghas about Palestine and Israel, exploring the depths of our wisdom and practicing compassion as we walk the Shin Buddhist path together toward a more peaceful world.

As seemingly pessimistic (or perhaps, realistic) as Shinran was at the capacity of humans to overcome their greed, anger, and ignorance, he also talked about the infinite wisdom and compassion of Amida Buddha and the promise of universal liberation for all sentient beings.

When we discuss and process the heavy realities of human evil and suffering, I know that we, like Shinran, can create space that fits both critical self-reflection and hope as we strive for a future with more compassion and peace.

This essay was originally published in the PABT Sangha newsletter and subsequently published in the December, 2023 issue of Wheel of Dharma, the official publication of the Buddhist Churches of America.

Sydney Shiroyama

Sydney Shiroyama is a Ministers Assistant at the Palo Alto Buddhist Temple.

Originally posted here:
Good, Evil, and Gaza - Lion's Roar

ROME, Ga (AP) Instead of traditional maroon and gold Tibetan Buddhist robes, Lama Rod Owens wore a white animal print cardigan over a bright yellow T-shirt with an image of singer Sade, an Africa-shaped medallion and mala beads the most recognizable sign of his Buddhism.

"Being a Buddhist or a spiritual leader, I got rid of trying to wear the part because it just wasnt authentic to me, said Owens, 44, who describes himself as a Black Buddhist Southern Queen.

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View original post here:
Lama Rod describes himself as a Black Buddhist Southern Queen. He wants to free you from suffering - The Caledonian-Record

April 18, 2024, 3:09 PM EDT

By Anna Kaplan

Orlando Bloom may be most well known for his roles in Pirates of the Caribbean and The Lord of the Rings, but viewers will see a new side of the actor as he takes on three extreme sports in a matter of weeks in his new show, Orlando Bloom: To the Edge.

While Bloom goes rock climbing, wingsuiting and free diving meaning without an oxygen tank to about 102 feet below sea level, he's also often reciting Buddhist chants before embarking on each adventure.

Viewers might be surprised to find out Bloom has been practicing Buddhism for more than 30 years. The 47-year-old tells TODAY.com how his faith played a role in To the Edge, now streaming on Peacock. (Peacock is a part of TODAY.coms parent company, NBCUniversal.)

As a philosophy and as a practice, its something thats definitely been the anchor in my life, Bloom says.

He starts by sharing the meaning of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, the chant he recites throughout the three episodes: It means, I bring myself in tune with the rhythm of the universe through the vibration of sound.

Bloom, a practitioner of Nichiren Buddhism and a follower of the Soka Gakkai organization, says he likes the philosophy that the Buddha believed would lead all living beings to enlightenment in their current lifetime.

At its core, its about respecting all living beings, he says. And I liked that as a roadmap. I always wanted a roadmap, and in a way, this practice has been that for me.

Bloom says he discovered Buddhism when he was working with an artist on painting and drawing when he was 16. Ahead of his school exams, he heard his mentor chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

I just said to him one day, What are you doing? Bloom recalls. And he said, Im chanting that youre going to do really well in your exams, and then youre going to have a really successful life.

Bloom asked if it would actually help, and his mentor said it would, so Bloom decided to start his own practice.

I just never stopped because I found it to be very, very helpful to me, he says. If there is an art to living, I found that the philosophy and this practice is, for me, the art.

But that doesn't mean his faith has remained constant over the course of 30 years he says he questions his faith "every day."

Ten times a day. Ten times a second. All day, every day. Theres no moment Im not constantly, he says.

Its not like I chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo to be, like, levitating, he adds with a laugh. No, I chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo to survive my life and everything that happens in life. Chanting helps me to navigate the nastiness.

Bloom says he wanted to incorporate his faith into To the Edge because it makes him focus on each experience in life.

What my chanting of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo does is, it just focuses me, he says. It has me open my mind to the experience, to be present to the moment, to go with the flow.

And while some may think the idea of Buddhism is the opposite of trying extreme sports, Bloom says his faith grounded him ahead of the intense moments seen on the show.

Ive had this practice since I was 16, and its an amazing tool to keep me present, focused and grateful for whats right in front of me because I think, sometimes, we can forget that all of the obstacles in our life are really opportunities for our growth, he says.

When youre right in it, its like, Why is this happening? What am I doing? Why was this a good idea? And I just mean in everyday life, by the way, he continues.

But while filming moments of abject fear, or a heightened sense of pressure, on To the Edge, Bloom says his chant became something he relied on.

I find it was a perfect tool for me, and it just so happened that I was doing it, so it became part of what you saw me do on the show, he says.

Of the three sports wingsuiting, free diving and rock climbing he says wingsuiting was one of the most heightened moments of his physical experience on the show.

Bloom says there wasn't anyone in his life who was completely against him attempting the extreme stunts seen in the show, but his partner, Katy Perry, did have some hesitations.

I think my partner was, like, not entirely sure what I was doing until I came home, freaking out, and then she was like, OK, thats crazy, he says. But shes happy now. And she saw it all.

The pop superstar FaceTimed her beau several times throughout the show, and came in person to watch him go wingsuiting for the first time.

Perry hugged Bloom after his wobbly flight, before playfully saying he looked like a flying wombat.

As for the other episodes, Bloom says he found free diving mentally and emotionally challenging, but also rather beautiful in its own way, while rock climbing was just a brutal grind.

Bloom mentions the moment at the end of his climb, which had been selected specially for him, when he was standing on top of ancient art.

I never felt so connected as I did in that moment, Bloom says. It was probably a combination of all three (stunts) coming together.

He added: From doing these things, you learn to become capable, and thats something that I wanted.

Anna Kaplan is a news and trending reporter for TODAY.com.

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Orlando Bloom Talks New Show 'To the Edge' and His Buddhist Faith - TODAY

Thekchen Chling, Dharamsala, HP, India - Today, the clouds had lifted, and sunlight played on the courtyard as His Holiness the Dalai Lama walked to the temple. People sat on either side of the walkway to greet him, with white silk scarves in their folded hands.

Six Mongolian laypeople sat before His Holinesss throne and recited the Heart Sutra in Mongolian while many of their compatriots sitting in the body of the temple joined in.

His Holiness addressed the congregation: Today, we have here Tibetan and Mongolian Buddhists, as well as people from elsewhere who are interested in learning about Buddhist teachings. They are attracted by their discovery that Buddhism is based on reason and has a bearing on peace of mind as well as peace in the world.

As for me, I have reflected on cultivating the awakening mind of bodhichitta and an understanding of emptiness since I was a child. Ive found them helpful and Im happy to share what Ive learned with other people.

We Tibetans here are living in exile because we lost our country. But where we are doesnt matter that much because we rely on the Nalanda Tradition that the great Indian master Shantarakshita established in Tibet at the invitation of King Trisong Detsen. This tradition has spread all over Tibet and the Himalayan region. Conditions may change but we have a custom of responding to each other warm-heartedly. This is something worth preserving.

Tibetans in Tibet continue to wish to follow the tradition introduced by Shantarakshita, and they place their trust in me. Not only in Tibet, but also in mainland China, growing numbers of people are taking an interest in Tibetan Buddhism and its essencewarmheartedness. Tibetan Buddhism includes a thorough understanding of the workings of the mind and emotions, which interests scientists. Other people are keen to know more about training the mind and tackling their emotions.

Because I meditate on the awakening mind and emptiness every day I have peace of mind and sleep soundly at night. True peace is to be found in our inner world.

His Holiness noted that the main disciples for the teaching were Mongolian. He recalled that there has long been a special affinity between Tibetans and Mongolians. Many Mongolians became scholars in Tibet. In his own case, he said, his principal teacher of philosophy and dialectics was a Mongolian called Ngodrup Tsognyi. He remains very grateful for this teachers kindness and is happy to repay it to some extent by teaching others, particularly Mongolians.

He observed that spirituality is not just a matter of words. It entails practice and developing good qualities within. Its not enough for Buddhist monks and nuns to wear the robes; they need to study what the Buddha taught and integrate it within themselves.

My Dharma friends, His Holiness observed, its good to remember that we are able to study and practice now due to the traditions passed down by past masters. The Chinese Communists have tried to destroy Buddhism, but many other people in China are showing an interest in Buddhism. We Tibetans need to think carefully about the significance of sharing what we know of the Buddhas teachings with interested Chinese.

His Holiness announced that he would like to discuss the awakening mind of bodhichitta. He declared: Bodhichitta is very precious. It brings peace of mind. It is a powerful way of serving others. There is the Seven-fold Cause and Effect method and the more powerful Equalizing and Exchanging Self and Others approach.

Taking account of all sentient beings and cultivating the mind that cherishes others more than oneself is powerfully transformative. It brings confidence and peace.

He advised the congregation to meditate briefly on this. Next, he pointed out that we all have a mind characterized as clarity and awareness and that it is powerful to use it to help others.

As human beings, he remarked, we were nurtured by our mother from the very start of our lives. She planted a seed of kindness within us. Think of all sentient beings, especially the human beings of this world, and imagine extending that sense of kindness to all of them. We can build temples and institutions with a view to preserving the teaching, but what is ultimately most important is to cultivate the the thought of cherishing others more than ourselves. This is how well achieve a life at ease.

Like us, all human beings wish to be happy. We are the same. Thats why we need to be warm-hearted to everyone. Cherishing others is the source of all good qualities. Cherishing only ourselves is a source of misery. We survive due to the kindness of others, therefore, showing kindness and good heartedness are the simple key to happiness.

His Holiness counselled his listeners to reflect on the shortcomings of self-cherishing and the advantages of cherishing others. Think, he said, how good it would be if all human beings were happy. Wishing others to be happy brings peace of mind. Think of other beings as friends. The best offering you could give to me, he suggested, would be to cultivate the wish to benefit others.

My Mongolian Dharma friends, His Holiness told them, practice is not just about the prayers you say, its about transforming your mind and cultivating a good heart. Reciting mantras is not as effective as cultivating a good heart. When I was a child I came across a parakeet that could recite Om mani padme hung, but with no sense of what it meant. We dont want to be like that bird. The real way to benefit others is to generate the awakening mind. What you can do is to visualize Avalokiteshvara on the crown of your head and as you recite your manis seek his blessings that you may develop a good heart.

We Tibetans have a custom of reciting manis whenever we can, but if, while were doing so, our minds wander after jealous thoughts, then its not helpful at all.

His Holiness gave the transmission of the mantras of the three Long Life Deities:

Amitayus Om amarani jivantaye svaha White Tara Om tare tuttare ture mama ayuh punye jnana pushtim kuru svaha Ushnishavijaya Om drum svaha om amrita ayu dadai svaha

Representations of the body, speech and mind of enlightenment in the form of a statue of J Tsongkhapa, a silver chrten and a precious scripture were presented to His Holiness by the Lamaiin Gegeen.

As a thanksgiving mandala was offered, he made an appeal to His Holiness as follows:

The nature of the kindness showered on the faithful people of Mongolia in general, and upon the successive members of the Lamaiin Gegeen lineage, by your previous incarnations, and particularly by Your Holiness yourself, who are the Buddha for us, and brought to us by the strength of our prayers, is such that even if the entire universe were filled with the seven kinds of precious objects and offered, it would be difficult to repay. Since the welfare of sentient beings and the Buddha Dharma depend on Your Holiness, the Great Treasury of Compassion; and since for us your disciples, otherwise bereft, you are our impeccable refuge, like the eyes in our brows and the hearts in our chests; and since we will have no higher refuge than you in all our future lives, we make this fervent request to you:

Again, in the future, through your unceasing and successive emanations, may you never release us from the hook of your compassion. This is the sole supplication that has lingered long in our minds.

Your great compassionate activities are unending like the rolling of the ocean's waves, and although it is difficult to make this request, we offer this fervently unflinching supplication:

Just as when a piece of stone is treated as gold, you have showered your compassion on us. In your future incarnations may you continue to be our sole refuge, our supreme field for accumulating merit. May we never be separated from you, who manifests as a monk, wearing the robes and upholding the three vows-Pratimoksha, Bodhisattva and Tantric. From the sphere of your primordial wisdom, may you, the Omniscient One, kindly ensure that we are not separated from the supreme Avalokiteshvara, but are kindly led by him.

From our side, as your disciples, under your unexcelled guidance, with the support of the Gaden Phodrang, we remain committed to observing our pure and unwavering commitment. We will please you by obediently carrying out your instructions. We have been sincere until now and there will be no change in the future. We will persevere by every possible means to obediently please you.

May you live long, unwavering, like an indestructible diamond.

His Holiness smiled in acquiescence and as the congregation recited the Mig-tse-ma prayer he left the temple saluting well-wishers as he went and returned to his residence.

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Teachings for Mongolians Second Day | The 14th Dalai Lama - Dalai Lama

January 23, 2024 Heerea Kaur Rikhraj

NEW YORK Every year in mid-January, Livia Gao arrives at Mahayana Buddhist Temple in New Yorks Chinatown at dawn to prepare 2,000 batches of congee, a soupy rice mixture, for the community.

About 30 volunteers join her, peeling longan skin, boiling coconut milk with white sticky rice and organizing red beans, green beans, dates and lotus seeds to add for additional flavor.

When a sweetness fills the air signaling that the congee is done, the team wanders to the main hall to join a line of monks who begin the days service with a variety of sutra prayers, followed by a series of chants. As the prayers come to an end, the attendees then pack the congee and distribute it to senior centers and passersby on Canal street.

READ: Religion And National Identity Linked In Southeast Asian Countries

This special service is held each year, and is more commonly known as the Laba Festival by Mahayana Chinese Buddhists. Laba, which translates to 12 (La) and eight (ba) is named as such as the festival falls on the 8th day of the 12th lunar month, typically three weeks before Lunar New Year. It usually falls on Jan. 18 on the Gregorian Calendar. The day is one of the most important for Chinese Buddhists as it is considered the day that Buddha achieved enlightenment.

According to various historical accounts, Buddha achieved enlightenment while sitting for several days under a Pipal tree in what is now modern day India. It is believed by many that a young girl who was passing through handed him a bowl of rice pudding, which was the last thing he ate before achieving enlightenment.

This is why Buddhists prepare during Laba, a way to commemorate the shepherdess who offered Buddha rice pudding that enabled him to achieve enlightenment. Eight, which is a lucky number in Chinese culture, is a central number during the festival. Thus, the congee made is prepared with eight or more ingredients to bring in good luck. For Mahayana Buddhists, distributing Buddhas congee or Laba congee is a way to bring happiness, luck and good health to the public.

This act also helps us as Buddhists practice grace and generosity, Gao said.

While the modern-day Laba festival is connected to Buddhism, the festival itself existed long before Buddhism came to China. In its original form, folks would pray for good fortune, health and a good harvest by making sacrifices to the gods a few weeks before the new year.

When Buddhism arrived in China in the first century, locals switched the offerings to congee, and used the festival as a way to commemorate Buddha. This is why the Laba Festival is typically only celebrated in China and by Chinese Buddhists in other areas of the world.

Buddhism, the worlds fourth largest religion, originated in modern day South Asia, and the teachings of Buddha are central to the religion. Buddha, who was born as Siddhartha Gautama, was a child of a royal family from the Shakya Clan. Miraculous circumstances surrounded his birth and early life. Gautamas mother was said to have given birth to him standing up while leaning against a tree.

Moments after he was born, it was noted that he proceeded to take seven steps. Astrologers also predicted he would be a great king or religious teacher. His father, who feared that Gautama would choose the path of religious teachings if exposed to the ails of the world, isolated him from the outside world for as long as he could.

At age 29, Gautama ventured out of the palace grounds three consecutive times, encountering an elderly person, a corpse and an ill person for the first time. The fourth time he ventured out, he encountered an older holy man, whose way of life inspired Gautama to leave home and pursue a life of spirituality. He spent years as an ascetic, and fasted intensely before attaining enlightenment. He then shared his learnings, encouraging folks to pursue The Middle Way, which emphasizes a life of balance.

There are four tenents central to Buddhism, known as the Four Noble Truths. They are the truth of suffering, the truth of the cause of suffering, the truth of the end of suffering and the truth of the path that leads to the end of suffering. In essence, these tenents emphasize one principle: That while suffering exists, there is a way to its end. Buddhism also recognizes that happiness is present, but that it is fleeting. There are several schools of Buddhism which currently exist such as Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana, but the four noble truths are central in these variations of Buddhism.

Mahayana Buddhism is the most common form of the religion practiced in China and other East Asian countries. It differs from other schools as it accepts both early Buddhist teachings and other doctrines that other schools dont. For instance, Mahayana Buddhists believe that anyone can aspire to achieve Buddhas awakening and become a bodhisattva (one who is one the path to becoming a Buddha). Other schools of thought believe that Buddha is the only bodhisattva that can exist.

There are currently three Mahayana Buddhist temples in the greater New York area, with two of them sitting in the city. The original temple, on Mott street in Chinatown, opened in 1962. The largest of the three sits on Canal Street, and opened to the public in 1997.

Outside the red pillars is where Gao and several volunteers man a booth to hand out around a 1,000 congee boxes to passerbyers during the Laba festival. The other 1,000 are sent to senior homes in the neighborhood.

Gao, who has organized the festival in New York for the last four years, grew up as a Mahayana Buddhist in China before moving to the United States. The festival was only open to the Buddhist community during COVID, but reopened to the public last year. Every year, the congee runs out before the day is over.

Its nice to see so many people celebrating with us and enjoying this gift, Gao said.

Heerea Kaur Rikhraj is a New York-based journalist who covers religion, health, Indigenous and foreign affairs. She is currently an intern for New Mexico in Depth.

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Distributing Buddhas Congee Thousands Of Miles From Home - Religion Unplugged

Representative Kelsang Gyaltsen Bawa addressing the conference.

Taipei: Under the direction of the Office of Tibet, the first conference of Tibetan Buddhist Centres based in Taiwan was organised, together with a forum to discuss the current status of Tibetan Buddhism in Taiwan and its prospects for the future, on 18 and 19 January 2024, at Hsuan Chuang University. This duo symposium was jointly organised by the Universitys Tibetan Buddhism Research Centre, Global Tibetan Buddhist Research Center, and Taiwan International Tibetan Buddhist Association.

Representative Kelsang Gyaltsen Bawa from the Office of Tibet delivered opening remarks during the forums inaugural session. The opening session was also addressed by the Hsuan Chuang Universitys Chancellor, Xingguan; Principal Dr Chien Shao-chi; President of the Tibetan Buddhism Research Centre, Shih Chao-hwei; President of the Global Tibetan Buddhist Research Center, Khenpo Tsewang Rigzin; Chen Ming-ru; and Zhong Zhi.

Over the course of the two-day conference, the speakers consisting of Representative Kelsang Gyaltsen Bawa, Dr Liu Huijuan, Professor Liu Yu Guan, Professor Weng Shi Jie, Professor Pan Mei Lin, and Guoji Rui read their respective research articles on the current status and prospects of Tibetan Buddhism in Taiwan to the forums participants and discussed on inviting His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Taiwan as wills of the Taiwanese people.

As part of the Tibetan Buddhist Centres conference, a round table meeting was also held between the representatives of the major Tibetan Buddhist schools who introduced their respective schools and spoke about the establishment of their religious centres in Taiwan. It was also joined by the advisors of the Office of Tibet, Zhong Zhi and Chen Ming-ru, along with the President of the Taipei-based Gaden Shartse Centre, Liu Jin Chai.

On the second day, a debate session was organised to discourse on observing Buddhist ceremonies in Taiwan, developing relations amongst dharma centres in Taiwan, preserving and promoting Tibetan Buddhism in Taiwan, and the services Tibetan Buddhism provides to contemporary global societies.

-Report filed by OoT Taiwan

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Representative Kelsang Gyaltsen Attends Forum at Hsuan Chuang University to Discuss Current Status and Future ... - Central Tibetan Administration

Japan Art and Cats: Cat in Buddhist Robes

Lee Jay Walker

Modern Tokyo Times

Cats are the theme in this article concerning Japanese art. However, the above art piece by Okubo Tadanobu(1722-1777)is very intriguing, unlike the other two more natural settings of cats.

In traditional Japanese folklore, cats had a deeper negative angle. This concerns the corpse-eating cats (kasha), the shapeshifting (bakeneko) cat with one tail, and the two-tailed cat (nekomata).

Yet, in the art piece by Okubo Tadanobu,the cat is the protector of the written words of Buddhism. This concerns cats being brought to Japan in increasing numbers during the Nara Period (710-794) for a specific purpose. Accordingly, cats protected important Buddhist scrolls from gnawing rats.

Another unique trait of this stunning art piece is the chrysanthemums on the robes. Henceforth, another important connotation that links the Imperial Family with cats.

The second art piece is by Sasajima Kihei (1906-1993). From 1962, he focused on religious themes in his art. For example, the Sacred Moutain and Fudo Myo-o (Buddhist Deity).

The final art piece of the Sleeping Cat is by Kawanabe Kyosai (1831-1889). He was independent in mind and thought. This reality shines right through the art of Kyosai.

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Japan Art and Cats: Cat in Buddhist Robes Modern Tokyo Times - Modern Tokyo Times