Book Review: Buddhaland Brooklyn

By Phoebe Falconer, New Zealand Herald, Mar 24, 2013

Buddhaland Brooklyn by Richard C. Morais
(Allen & Unwin $36.99)

Auckland, New Zealand -- The premise of Richard C. Morais' Buddhaland Brooklyn is that an apparent fish-out-of-water can eventually find, and adjust to, its new pond. Morais takes rather a long time to get there, but he makes it.

Critique on "The Decline of Buddhism in India"

Reviewed by Meeta Rajivlochan, Tribune India, Dec 16, 2012

The Decline of Buddhism in India: A Fresh Perspective
By KTS Sarao.
Munshiram Manoharlal. Pages 327 (with index and bibliography). Rs 895

New Delhi, India -- This book makes two assertions: One that there was a religion described as "Brahmanical-Hinduism" and two that Buddhism was essentially a religion of the urban elite with little support in the countryside even at its height. Further, the author argues that Buddhism was centred on monasticism which was always well removed from its lay supporters.

The Nao of Brown by Glyn Dillon – review

by Naomi Alderman, Guardian, Nov 22, 2012

Naomi Alderman enjoys the ride in a Buddhist-themed graphic novel

London, UK -- Graphic novels are peculiarly suited to the discussion of Buddhist themes. That frozen moment in each pane, paused for us to examine, more details revealing themselves the harder we look, has something in common with meditation and the desire to appreciate the "nowness" of each moment of life. The Book of Pages by David Whiteland is a wonderful meditation on Buddhism and technology, and Deepak Chopra has produced a comic book about the Buddha.

His Holiness The Dalai Lama Embraces The Addition Of Western Science To The Core Curriculum At Tibet

Melodika.net, 27 October 2012

Boston, MA (USA) -- During his visit to Boston last week, His Holiness the Dalai Lama addressed attendees at a private benefit hosted by Boston philanthropist Bobby Sager to support the Dalai Lama Center for Ethics and Transformative Values at MIT.

Japanese Buddhist thought and evil forces

By JOSEPH S. O'LEARY, The Japan Times, Aug. 26, 2012

The Seven Scrolls Tengu: Evil and the Rhetoric of Legitimacy in Medieval Japanese Buddhism, by Haruko Wakabayashi. University of Hawai'i Press, 2012, 203 pp., $50.00 (hardcover)

Tokyo, Japan -- Residents of Japan will be vaguely aware of the long-nose impish figures known as Tengu, thinking of them as piquant figurines without deep religious significance. Tengu take many shapes in Japanese folklore, for instance as mischievous kidnappers of children or Pucks leading travelers astray.

Dedham resident publishes book on Buddhism

By Andrea Salisbury, Wicked Local Dedham, Aug 9, 2012

New bio of John Cage explores how his interest in Zen Buddhism influenced his pioneering music

By: Ann Levin, The Associated Press, July 6, 2012

"Where the Heart Beats: John Cage, Zen Buddhism, and the Inner Life of Artists" (Penguin Press), by Kay Larson

San Francisco, CA (USA) -- In August 1952 in a barn-turned-concert-venue in Woodstock, N.Y., a man sat at a piano and studied a score. He opened and closed the keyboard lid three times — but didn't play a sound. After 4 minutes and 33 seconds, the performer walked off the stage. Outrage ensued.

Encyclopedia on Buddhist philosophy released in Moscow

Indrus, May 25, 2012

Moscow, Russia -- Encyclopedia on Buddhist philosophy brought out by the Institute of Philosophy, Russian Academy of Sciences, was released in Moscow on May 23.

Rare Buddhist manuscript Lotus Sutra released

BBC, May 5, 2012

New Delhi, India -- A rare Buddhist manuscript, discovered by cattle grazers in 1931, has been released in book form in India.

Buddhist wisdom and questions of science

by JOSEPH S. O'LEARY, The Japan Times, April 8, 2012

Tokyo, Japan -- This book is a stirring attack on the hubris and blind spots of the scientific establishment, combined with an engaging presentation of Buddhist wisdom as the antidote.

Review of World of Buddhism Journal ( Vol 29 - 2012)

The Sunday Times, Feb 5, 2012

Colombo, Sri Lanka -- The 2012 issue of the World of Buddhism - identified as "the international Buddhist magazine" was released recently. The contributors discuss a variety of topics ranging from whether politics is a dirty game to the contribution made by learned Buddhist scholars and a few topics related to the teachings of the Buddha.

Buddhism and human rights: The journey to the west

The Nation, Jan 12, 2012

Bangkok, Thailand -- The Chinese classic "Journey to the West", based on the Tang Dynasty monk Xuanzang's pilgrimage to India, is actually an allegory of a Buddhist spiritual journey. Also known as Adventures of the Monkey God, it is a fitting tool to compare Buddhism and Kantian philosophy.

Ghosts, amulets, ringtones, and the rest of Thai Buddhism

The Bangkok Post, Jan 9, 2012

Bangkok, Thailand -- Somdet To is, according to Justin McDaniel "arguably the most famous monk in Thai history." His image, picture, chants, biographies, amulets, and pamphlets are everywhere. Yet you could read everything written on Thai Buddhism in English for scholars or tourists without noticing his existence, let alone his importance. In this superb book, McDaniel not only does justice to Somdet To but suggests a new way of thinking about "Thai Buddhism" and how it is studied.

Tibet: So near yet so far

by Manoj Joshi, India Today, January 1, 2012

Van Schaik exposes China on Dalai Lama

New Delhi, India -- Though we share thousands of kilometers of our border with Tibet, our knowledge of that country woeful. One reason for it the forbidding presence the Himalayas that limits intercourse.

5 Spiritual Practices for Aging Well

by Lewis Richmond, The Huffington Post, Dec 29, 2011

Lewis Richmond, author of "Aging as a Spiritual Practice: A Contemplative Guide to Growing Older and Wiser" gives five key tips on being happy in our golden years

San Francisco, CA (USA) -- I often teach that Buddhism is about how to be truly happy, so I have been studying the new research field of "happiness studies," which focuses on the objective measures and causes of happiness.

Praise for "Special Karma"

by Sandy Boucher, The Buddhist Channel, Nov 28, 2011

A novelized version of Merry White's experiences at Dai Bosatsu Zendo including Eido Shimano's predatory behavior.

Maine, USA -- "Special Karma" is a fascinating novel, of interest to anyone who has attempted to do meditation practice or follow a spiritual discipline, to anyone who has fallen in and out of young love.

The Bodhisattva's Brain

by Julian Baggini, The Observer, 23 October 2011

Buddhism Naturalized, by Owen Flanagan; Meditating Selflessly: Practical Neural Zen by James H Austin – review. Buddhism has never been more popular in the west. A sceptic's view makes fascinating reading, while a how-to guide makes the usual exaggerated claims

London, UK -- Despite the long-term decline in the west in churchgoing, people's yearning for some kind of transcendence appears as strong as ever, echoed in the common refrain: "I'm not religious but I am spiritual."

Untying Injustice

by Gary Gach, Beliefnet.com, Oct 10, 2011

A review of Thich Nhat Hanh's The Novice: A Story of True Love

San Francisco, CA (USA) -- Thich Nhat Hanh is author of over 50 books. His latest title may be his most universal yet. It deals with the question, Why do bad things happen to good people? At some point, we will all ask this, about ourselves, or those around us. Yet there’s a deeper question, underneath: How to skillfully respond?

Book review: 'The Novice: A Story of True Love'

by Thane Rosenbaum, The Los Angeles Times, September 4, 2011

A Vietnamese legend is the root of Zen Buddhist master Thich Nhat Hanh's debut novel. With its gender disguise and message of forgiveness, it may remind readers a bit of 'Yentl' mixed with the Sermon on the Mount.

Buddhism: The Most Accurate World Religion?

By Joshua Rothman, The Boston Globe, August 28, 2011

Boston, MA (USA) -- Buddhism is in vogue in the West, and has been for a long time. Partly, it's that Buddhism seems "spiritual" without being too religious; it's also that Buddhist practices, especially meditation, are popularly associated with happiness, contentment, and well-being.

Thich Nhat Hahn, Zen Buddhist Master and Peace Activist, Publishes Story of Timeless Wisdom - 'The Novice: A Story of True Love'

The Buddhist Channel, August 23, 2011

San Francisco, CA (USA) -- At the age of 84, world renowned spiritual leader Thich Nhat Hanh offers a new kind of teaching to share his profound wisdom through a beautiful and timeless story.

Author’s goal was to make Buddhists proud of their faith

by Punya Pujitha, Independent Mail, June 10, 2011

Anderson, South Carolina (USA) -- “What Buddhists Believe,” written by thge late Ven. K. Sri Dhammananda Thero, is a must read book for anyone who has an interest in Buddhism. It answers many questions asked about Buddhism for Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike.

Book Review: Zen and the art of eating

By Nancy Richards, Times Live (South Africa), Jun 5, 2011

Johannesburg, South Africa -- IT all began with a big bone, on a plate of mashed potatoes. It was merely a cutlet, but it was the first time that Louis van Loon had been confronted with meat looking like this. Recently arrived in South Africa from post-war Netherlands where he'd only ever had meat presented as a sausage or out of a tin, it was an awakening that cemented his vegetarianism.

Updates to the Now

By Gary Gach, Patheos.com, April 12, 2011

Editor McLeod delineates Buddhism's uniqueness: nontheistic, concerned with mind rather than, say, First Cause or unsayable Name; no divine prophet, no sacred book

San Francisco, CA (USA) -- Eternity, Blake says, is in love with the productions of time. (And vice-versa!) Ultimately, truth has no beginning, middle, nor end. Yet it intertwines with the historical world. So each year I greet with great pleasure—and a divine delight—yet another new edition of The Best Buddhist Writing. And 2010, seventh in the series, is no exception.

Can Poetry Heal the Planet?

By Gary Gach, Religion Dispatches, March 2, 2011

Stephen Levine’s Surreal Dharma Jazz

San Francisco, CA (USA) --There’s a 40-year interval between Stephen Levine’s previous book of poetry and his latest—that’s quite a span. In the interim, he's not remained silent. Indeed, you may recognize his name as a bestselling spiritual author. If you’ve read any of his books, you might have noted how poetic his prose is: its awakening quality of mind, and openness of heart. So, when a reader once complained to the author how his book Who Dies? made no mention of what poets wrote the poems he inserted in the prose, he was actually quite pleased: all the writing was his own.

Buddhist Economics? Raj Patel Suggests a New Way to Define Value

By MATTHEW PULOMENA, Daily Finance, Feb 3, 2011

Worried about the meaning of existence? You might turn to Raj Patel's book The Value of Nothing. Its title, however, isn't a reference to how much a vast supply of nothing might be worth, or how to make a buck doing nothing. Instead, it comes from an Oscar Wilde quote: "Nowadays people know the price of everything but the value of nothing."

'The pursuit of identity’

By Mahtab Bashir, Daily Times, Dec 22, 2010

Fauzia shares unseen colours of Pakistan in ‘Chitarkari & Banyans’

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan --  With objective to protect the rich cultural heritage of Buddhist sites and Banyan Trees in the country, especially in the surroundings of the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi and Taxila, Fauzia Aziz Minallah- a renowned artist and rights activist launched her book ‘Chitarkari & Banyans - The Pursuit of Identity’ on Tuesday here at National Art gallery (NAG).

What would Jesus and Buddha do … on holiday?

by Jolyon Baraka Thomas, The Guardian, 22 December 2010

A new manga novel lightheartedly depicting the two as everyday young men may inadvertently raise interest in religion in Japan

Tokyo, Japan -- What would Jesus and Buddha do if they were suddenly thrust into contemporary society, and how would they react to what they found?

History of Cambodian Buddhism

by S. Panneerselvam, The Hindu, Nov 16, 2010

New Delhi, India -- Much of the source material available on Cambodian Buddhism is in French. This is understandable, given that France was Cambodia's colonial power. What is available in English is only scanty.

Comic book on 14th Dalai Lama to be available in 10 languages

Phayul, September 4, 2010

Dharamsala, India -- A graphic novel on the life and personality of the Tibetan leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama will now be available in 10 languages in different parts of the world.

God did not create the universe, says Hawking

Reuters, Sept 2, 2010

LONDON, UK -- God did not create the universe and the “Big Bang” was an inevitable consequence of  the laws of physics, the eminent British theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking argues in a new book.

Russian children have fun learning about His Holiness the Dalai Lama!

Tibet Custom, August 31 2010

Dharamshala, India -- It will be a great fun for children to have comics for reading to learn about the remarkable life and personality of His Holiness the 14h Dalai Lama.

Relaxing into Meditation

The Buddhist Channel, Aug 12, 2010

Exercises and practices to help us to live a life free from stress

Described by one reviewer as "the best book on meditation I've ever read", Relaxing into Meditation is an accessible guide to relaxation and meditation.

A Pocket Full of Zen

The Buddhist Channel, July 5, 2010

New York, USA -- In his new book, Pocket Peace: Effective Practices for Enlightened Living (Tarcher/Penguin, February, 2010), Allan Lokos, founder and guiding teacher of the Community Meditation Center in New York City, offers a blueprint of simple exercises based on the 10 “Paramis,” or Perfection Practices, described in Buddhist philosophy.

Bringing Buddha to life

Review by LAU KEAN LEE, The Star, May 28, 2010

As the world celebrates Wesak Day, we offer a book about the prince-turned-holy man who founded Buddhism

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia -- MOST Malaysians, even non-Buddhists, would have some idea of the life story of the man who achieved enlightenment as the Buddha and founded principles of living now followed by millions.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Buddhism, 3rd Edition

Special Vesak Edition, The Buddhist Channel, May 28, 2010

Gary Gach's exquisite canvas on Buddhism covers almost everything you want to know about the religion, and in a light hearted way too

San Francisco, CA (USA) -- The greatest artist, they say, is one who is able to compress all great moments into a single canvas. Ditto the poet, who could conjure a description of the entire universe within a few lines.

Another enlightening treasure trove of Buddhist thought

Sunday Times, May 23, 2010

Book facts: Vesak Lipi 2010 - compiled and edited by Upali Salgado. Reviewed by Bradman Weerakoon

Asked to change religion? Here's help

by Yen Feng, Straits Times, May 17, 2010

Buddhist group produces book on how to handle unwelcome proselytising

Singapore -- BUDDHISTS hurt by Pastor Rony Tan's criticism of their faith are talking back with the help of a new guidebook out this month.

Call me Paris

The Buddhist Channel, May 5, 2010

From a life of shopping to a journey of spirituality

Petaling Jaya, Malaysia -- Life was just peachy for Jamie Khoo – a great job, wonderful family, thriving social life, plenty of cash and all the time in the world to do whatever she wanted. So it was a bit of a shock for her to suddenly find herself meeting a Buddhist teacher and listening to him tell her about compassion and tantric Buddhas on fire.

There’s No Way But Up

The Buddhist Channel, Apr 29, 2010

A unique story of a young man’s spiritual journey
 
Petaling Jaya, Malaysia -- The most noticeable thing about There’s No Way But Up, the first book by David Lai, is the total honesty of this story.

Buddhist monk's poetry explores the Killing Fields

By Greg Mellen, Press Teegram, April 24, 2010

LONG BEACH, CA (USA) -- When the Venerable Ly Van, a monk at the Glory Buddhist Temple in Lowell, Mass., died in 2008 he didn't leave much behind.

Buddhist master chooses to 'Savor' food

by Mary MacVean, LATimesBlog, March 29, 2010

Los Angeles, CA (USA) -- Thich "Bear in mind that everything is impermanent, including your extra weight."

The time is now

By MAJORIE CHIEW, The Star, March 28, 2010

Don’t put off searching for peace and happiness, urges this thoroughly modern book of inspirational quotes

Petaling Jaya, Malaysia -- WHATEVER we chase in life, be it fame or corporate success, we eventually end up looking for peace and happiness, says Phng Li Kim, CEO of Kechara Media & Publications (KMP).

The Art and Science of Mindfulness

Book Review by Mark Welch, Ph.D, Metapsychology.mentalhelp.net, Mar 9th 2010 (Volume 14, Issue 10)

The Art and Science of Mindfulness
Integrating Mindfulness into Psychology and the Helping Professions
by Susan Shapiro and Linda Carlson
American Psychological Association, 2009

Northern California Book Awards Short-List “Songs For Tomorrow” By Ko Un

The Buddhist Channel, March 8, 2010

San Francisco, CA (USA) -- The Northern California Book Awards are one of the few in America to include literary translation.  This year, “Songs for Tomorrow,” collected poems in English by Ko Un (published by Green Integer), made the list of nominees, alongisde two others. This is by virtue of Gary Gach, co-translator with Brother Anthony of Taizé and Prof Young Moo Kim, residing in San Francisco.

Buddhist preacher and author speaking at Clinton Book Shop

By Hunterdon County Democrat, February 20, 2010

CLINTON, NJ (USA) -- On Wednesday, Feb. 24, the Clinton Book Shop’s Life-Balance Series continues with author the Rev. Allan Lokos.

Zen at War and the Opposite of Equanimity

by Barbara O'Brian, Buddhism.about.com, Feb. 4, 2010

Source: http://buddhism.about.com/b/2010/02/04/zen-at-war-and-the-opposite-of-equanimity.htm

The Art of Happiness in a Troubled World

Reviewed by Candida Baker, Sydney Morning Herald, February 10, 2010

Author: His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Howard C. Cutler
Hachette, 338pp, $35

Buddhism: A Review

by Peter Clothier, The Huffington Post, January 26, 2010

San Francisco, CA (USA) -- This might be a good time for those who have not already done so to consider Buddhism. I am no proselytizer of religion, but there is a great deal to be learned from the teachings.

Buddha's wife

By John Malkin, Source: Free Radio Santa Cruz, July 29, 2009

Santa Cruz, California (USA) -- John Malkin interviews Gabriel Constans, author of "Buddha's Wife" which recreates the life of Yasodhara. The book is said to engage readers in the complexity of issues many women have raised about Gotama the Buddha’s life and practice.

Buddhist takes first place in Bunting poetry award

by David Whetstone, The Journal, Dec 14 2009

London, UK -- A LONDON-BASED Buddhist has won the inaugural Basil Bunting Poetry Award, launched to commemorate a Northumberland poet worthy of wider recognition.

Dalai Lama believes he can return to Tibet, book says

Earth Times, Dec 4, 2009

Taipei, Taiwan -- Tibet's exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama is confident that he can return to Tibet in this lifetime, and believes he will be reborn many times after his death, according to a book published Friday.

New insights into gods and men

Sunday Times, Nov 8, 2009

Book facts: Gods in Buddhism – Origin, Function and Relevance by Professor M.M.J. Marasinghe.
Published by Sarasavi Publishers Ltd. Price: Rs 1,200

Buddhha's wife

By John Malkin, Interview with Gabriel Constans, Source: Free Radio Santa Cruz, July 29, 2009, Published on the Buddhist Channel, Nov 5, 2009

Buddha’s Wife by Gabriel Constans
Robert D. Reed Publishers
Bandon, Oregon
ISBN:978-1-934759-29-5
Category: Fiction
Soft cover, 192 pages, $14.94
Publication Date: August 24, 2009

"This book is an awesome read, insightful, woman loving - a challenge to all spiritual seekers to rethink, re-vise, and dream anew". -  Bell Hooks, author

When quantum physics meets Buddhism

The Bangkok Post, Oct 12, 2009

A comprehensive discussion between scientist-turned-monk Matthieu Ricard and Vietnamese scientist Trinh Xuan Thuan

Bangkok, Thailand -- The Quantum and the Lotus: A Journey to the Frontiers Where Science and Buddhism Meet is a colourful exploration of existing knowledge on the mind and the universe that seeks to stretch its boundary by another notch.

Buddha as blueprint for the perfect leader

Book Review by HARVEY SCHACHTER, The Globe and Mail, Sep. 24, 2009

The Leader's Way
By the Dalai Lama
and Laurens van den Muyzenberg
Broadway, 218 pages, $29.95

Toronto, Canada -- The Dalai Lama is not someone most Canadian business people would turn to for leadership advice. Buddhism does not seem a natural fit with today's business world. Purple-and-yellow robes don't fit for most business occasions.

Book Highlights Essence of Korean Temples

By Chung Ah-young, The Korea Times, Sep 11, 2009

Seoul, South Korea -- By studying the deep-rooted influences of Buddhism, alongside Confucianism, one can discover their lasting imprint on Korea's culture and arts, as well as its contemporary society. Korean Buddhist temples are in many ways like ``living museums'' because of their historical, cultural and architectural values.

'Novice' is memoir about young Englishman becoming Buddhist monk, then quitting

By Michael Hill, The Canadian Press, Sep 4, 2009

Toronto, Canada -- Far from home and strung out on morphine, Stephen Schettini was saved from his skid when a friend showed up at his hovel in Pakistan to force him to clean up and move on.

San Francisco Mission district's Zen oasis: Forest Books teaches for peace

by Aubrey Winkler, Literature Examiner, August 18, 2009

San Francisco, CA (USA) -- Forest Books, located at 3080 16th Street at Valencia and serving the Mission community with used, out of print and hard-to-find books daily from noon until 9pm, is more than meets the eye.

FREE NIRVANA!

Buddhist Wisdom for Uncertain Times by Gary Gach, The Buddhist Channel, Aug 17, 2009

San Francisco, CA (USA) -- Ancient wisdom traditions have deep resonance in these uncertain times — not that there’s more suffering than ever before but that more people are aware of suffering.

Dalai Lama says capitalism can learn from Buddhism

By Ellen Wulfhorst, Reuters, Jul 29, 2009

NEW YORK, USA -- The Dalai Lama may not be the first person who comes to mind for business advice but, as the Buddhist monk wrote in his new book, capitalism can profit from Buddhism's principles and values.

Do You Just 'Eat Sleep Sit'?

by Zweiya, The Buddhist Channel, July 22, 2009

Singapore -- I came across the book ‘Eat Sleep Sit’ at Bugis Junctions’ Books Kinokuniy. Am not ashamed to say I was first attracted to the book by it’s Zennish design. With its title, it was enough to make me turn the hardcover book around to read its blurb.

Bits and pieces of teaching Buddhism

by CHRIS BAKER, The Bangkok Post, July 13, 2009

New research on Sukhothai's most intriguing monument

Bangkok, Thailand -- Histories of Buddhism in Southeast Asia have imagined a clear break between premodern and modern practices. In the past, they claim, each wat (temple) and abbot was very independent.

Turtle Feet: The Making and Unmaking of a Buddhist Monk

Book Review by Kathryn Perry, CSMonitor, June 23, 2009

A music student renounces all to become a Buddhist monk – and then has second thoughts

New York, USA -- Nikolai Grozni was a piano prodigy studying jazz performance and composition at Berklee College of Music in Boston when he had an epiphany. It was nothing dramatic; he simply woke up one morning, went to the bathroom to brush his teeth, and then, “somewhere between the bathroom and the living room,” he lost all sense of purpose.

Don't just do something, sit there

By ANN ALLEN, McClatchy Newspapers, June 18, 2009

Hardest part of meditation is in the starting

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (USA) -- The hardest part of meditation isn't quieting the mind or tolerating sore knees or explaining to your family what the heck you're doing.

Book Review: Living Well with Pain and Illness

by Chris Vaughan, Metapsychology Online, Jun 16 2009 (Volume 13, Issue 25)

Birmingham, UK -- This book is part biography, part philosophical treatise and part workbook. It is designed to run parallel with the courses that Burch runs but it also stands alone in its own right. It is a distillation of the lessons Burch has learned over the years of living and dealing with chronic pain and should be respected for that reason alone. But it is also to be commended for the clarity of its writing, its realism and its wisdom.

Book on Nepalese Buddhist Master released

by Binju Sitaula, Xinhua, June 7, 2009

KATHMANDU, Nepal -- A book on Nepalese Buddhist Master Buddhabhadra was released here on Saturday amid a program to mark the 1,600 anniversary of Buddhist Mission to China.

Ex-envoy pens book on Buddha

By YIP YOKE TENG, The Star, May 30, 2009

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia -- DIPLOMATS are individuals appointed for peace missions and a book on peace penned by an ambassador who was in the profession for close to 30 years certainly carries weight.

Gurus for Hire, Enlightenment for Sale

Book review by Jamie Khoo, The Buddhist Channel, May 9, 2009

An insider’s guide into the relationship between students, Gurus and centres.
Author: Tsem Tulku Rinpoche

Petaling Jaya, Malaysia -- It can get a bit tricky, navigating this spiritual path - there’s the politics and people problems, our doubts and egos, outward rituals and inward confusion that all get in the way and cloud what it really means to just practice.

'The Face on Your Plate: The Truth About Food,' by Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson

By Susan Salter Reynolds, Los Angeles Times, March 16, 2009

Los Angeles, CA (USA) -- Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson wants to help all meat eaters wake up from the dream of denial they are experiencing.

Translating the Words of the Buddha

by Pawo Choyning Dorji, Khyentse Foundation, March 11, 2009

Landmark translation conference aims to make Buddha’s teachings accessible to millions

Nalanda, India -- Many of the world’s leading Tibetan-English translators are gathering next week in the tiny Indian village of Bir in northern India to map the future of Dharma translation for generations to come. What they decide could help make the Buddha’s core teachings available to millions worldwide.

Book Review: From Buddha To Jesus, An Insider's View of Buddhism and Christianity

by Venerable Shravasti Dhammika, The Buddhist Channel, Feb 20, 2009

Singapore -- A book on Buddhism has just been published that has apparently created some interest within evangelical Christian circles. The book is called From Buddha to Jesus and the author, Steve Cioccolanti, is of Thai-Western extraction and pastor of a church in Melbourne, Australia. Both in his website and once in his book (p.13) Cioccolanti says he was a Buddhist and thus his book has the subtitle 'An Insiders View of Buddhism and Christianity'.

Book released on spread of Buddhism in China

ANI, February 13, 2009

New Delhi, India -- Vice President Hamid Ansari released a book entitled ”China: a search for its soul, leaves from a Beijing diary” authored by Poonam Suri here on Friday.

The Way of Zen-Masterpiece of Ideas

by Mary Kay McBrayer, The West georgian, Feb 11, 2009

Carrollton, Georgia (USA) -- To be or not to be is not the question according to Alan Watts' "Way of Zen," because to "be" and to "not be" are opposites, which rely on the other state of being in order to exist.

Marmora author publishes 'Zen River Poems and Halibun'

By URSULA PFLUG, THE PETERBOROUGH EXAMINER, Feb 7, 2009

Peterborough, Ontario (Canada) -- Chris Faiers has lived in the Marmora region for over two decades. Like Winona Baker, he is a modern English language master of haibun, a form both invented and popularized by Matsuo Basho, a Japanese Buddhist monk.

Book Explores Beauty of Buddhist Sculptures

By Chung Ah-young, The Korea Times, Jan 18, 2009

Seoul, South Korea -- Buddhism has left an indelible legacy on Korean cultural heritage since its introduction to the nation in the late 4th century.

Philosopher in classic sense

by Ashok Vohra, The Tribune India, Jan 4, 2009

New Delhi, India -- BY the term philosophy, Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (1891–1956), alias Babasaheb, meant "critical reason used in passing judgment upon things and events". In his opinion, the function of philosophy was "both descriptive as well as normative". In his thought and action, Ambedkar continually undertakes the task of comprehending underlying assumptions of the lived society and evaluating them.

The Buddha and Dr Führer: an Archaeological Scandal by Charles Allen

by Sara Wheeler, The Telegraph (UK), Dec 30, 2008

Sara Wheeler on the man who claimed to have found the Buddha's birthplace
 
London, UK -- In 1898, on an estate between the foothills of the Himalayas and the Gangetic Plains, a third-generation British planter called William Claxton Peppé excavated an intriguing brick stupa. At 24 feet, he unearthed a hefty stone coffer containing five reliquary vases. Besides a glittering heap of jewels and gold, one of the vases held ashes. An inscription around the rim recorded that the ashes were the remains of the Buddha, and that they had been deposited by members of his Sakya clan.

Looking for CALM

The Deccan Herald, Jan 4, 2009

Sunday Herald presents an exclusive extract from Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh's yet to be released book, 'Calming the Fearful Mind...A Zen Response to Terrorism'.

Revisiting a Classic: 'Your Money or Your Life'

By EILEEN AJ CONNELLY, AP, Dec 31, 2008

NEW YORK, USA -- There are countless personal finance books that advise readers on budgeting, investing and paying down debt. Few leave the tips aside and ask you to question your relationship with money and the reasons you spend what you do.

Learning to heal

by Terry Reis Kennedy, Deccan Herald, Dec 7, 2008

A book that facilitates the understanding of moving from agony to ecstasy in daily life

New Delhi, India -- Is it possible to dwell in bliss in a world more perilous than ever? According to Vietnamese Zen Buddhist Master Thich Nhat Hanh, 72, it’s easier than ever because we have experienced so much pain we are eager to transcend. Master Hahn’s "Understanding Our Mind", a revised text compiled and edited from talks he gave around the world between 1989 and 1998 teaches how to move from agony to ecstasy in daily life.

Accepting Nothing

By Michael Gill, The Cleveland Free Times, Volume 15, Issue 80, Published November 19th, 2008

Beyond War And Peace With Poet Bruce Weigl

Cleveland, Ohio (USA) -- In his memoir The Circle of Hanh, poet Bruce Weigl wrote that the Vietnam war ruined his life and gave him his voice. But when he reads at the Bertram Woods Branch of the Shaker Heights Public Library, as part of the Poetry Not in the Woods Series, he doesn't plan to read war poems.

Poet’s Observations Reveal a Complex Inner Narrative

The Buddhist Channel, Nov 13, 2008

Winlaw, BC (Canada) -- To read these poems is to engage in an act of devotion, to lower one’s eyes and raise them again with reverence for the world.

Buddhists can teach Christians about suffering

By RAY WADDLE , The Tennessean, October 25, 2008

Tennessee, USA -- Everywhere, every day, a swirling opera of judgmentalism plays out in the interior life, depleting energy and neighborliness, polluting the spiritual winds of our time.

Graveyard of Indian idealism

Reviewed by Sreeram Chaulia, Asia Times, Oct 23, 2008

Tibet. The Lost Frontier by Claude Arpi

What would the Buddha do? Practical Buddhism for modern times

by Kurt Barstow, Los Angeles Religion & Spirituality Examiner, October 23, 2008

Los Angeles, CA (USA) -- The Bodhi Tree Grows in L.A.: Tales of a Buddhist Monk in America (Shambhala, 2008) by Bhante Walpola Piyananda is a testimony to the simplicity and therefore applicability of Buddhist teachings.

Om "money" padme hum?

by Himanshu Bhagat, Livemint.com, Oct 16, 2008

New York, USA -- There was a time when the Dalai Lama was enamoured of Chairman Mao and communism. “Mao impressed me in many ways,” he writes in The Leader’s Way:Business, Buddhism and Happiness in an Interconnected World “He explained (communism) as a system where the capitalists would no longer exploit workers.”

The holy mountain of Japan

By DONALD RICHIE, The Japan Times, Oct 5, 2008

Tokyo, Japan -- Koyasan is the general name for the Buddhist monastic complex (Shingon sect) residing atop Mount Koya in Wakayama Prefecture.

On the trail of the Buddha

by T. SATYAMURTHY, The Hindu, Sept 16, 2008

Book Review: THE WHEEL AND ITS TRACKS — A History of Buddhism in Early Andhra: Sashi Sekhar; Pub. by Mokkapati Subbarayudu, 86-4-16/1, Vadrevu Nagar, Manthena Gardens, Tilak Road, Rajahmundry. Rs.2500.

The Zen of healing

by Chloe Daley, The State Hornet, Sept 9, 2008

Sacramento, CA (USA) -- Sacramento State professor Andrew Bein offers a unique approach for mental health care providers using the teachings of Zen Buddhism in his newly released book.

Nine Buddhist World Leaders Speak Out On Today's Most Important Issues

The Buddhist Channel, Sept 4, 2008

Author and teacher, Robert Sachs, interviews some of the most influential spiritual teachers and thinkers of our time in his newest book, The Wisdom of The Buddhist Masters: Common and Uncommon Sense

Los Angeles, CA -- When most people think of Buddhism, they think of pacifism - of a serene Buddha detached from the world.

Book Review: Footprints in the Snow

By MICHAEL WENGER, The Buddhist Channel, Sept 4, 2008

San Francisco, CA (USA) -- I have never met Master Sheng Yen in person but I was blown away by his new autobiography Footprints in The Snow. The book is a story of a real person who struggles

Book review: Women in Buddhism

by PREMA NANDAKUMAR, The Hindu, July 8, 2008

Kolkatta, India -- Perhaps there was a time long, long ago when all the songs in Theri Gatha were known to the Tamil people.

Planning the Demise of Buddhism

Book Review by Allen Carr, LankaWeb, July 1, 2008

London, UK -- Some Western drug companies spend millions of dollars developing and marketing a new drug only to have the health authorities later discover that it has dangerous side-effects and then ban it.

Book Review: The Boy King as Modern Mystic

by UDDALAK MUKHERJEE, The Telegraph of India, June 30, 2008

The Open Road: The Global Journey of the Fourteenth Dalai Lama
Author: Pico Iyer
Viking

New Book on Religion Shows Teachings of Jesus Came from Buddha

The Buddhist Channel, June 30, 2008

Los Angeles, CA, (USA) -- “Buddha’s Big Foot,” is now available on Amazon.com and Createspace (http://www.createspace.com/3343488); this new book by Robert Korczynski explores history, religion, linguistics, and numerology, to conclude that all of Christianity is sourced from the teachings of the Buddha.

Book Review: Rise and fall of Buddhism in South Asia

The New Nation, June 27, 2008

The rise and fall of Bhddhism in South Asia
Author: M. Abdul Mu'min Chowdhury
Publisher: London Institute of South Asia
Pages 358, Price: Taka 500/- US$ 15

Do What You Love

Citywire, 20 June 2008

London, UK -- Marsha Sinetar had a well-paid, secure job, a nice home and a circle of family and friends nearby. Even though her work was unfulfilling, promotions and material success stopped her from doing anything different. There was a nagging feeling, though, that she should be doing something else, and although she believed in self-growth mantras like ‘What man can conceive, he can achieve,’ she clung to the familiar.

Zen Buddhist priest's new book navigates life with 'The Odyssey'

by Leslie Harlib, Marin Independent Journal, June 12, 2008

Navato, CA (USA) -- ZEN BUDDHIST PRIEST Norman Fischer's sun-filled home on the cliffs above Muir Beach embodies a classic idea of paradise. It's surrounded by fragrant gardens of herbs and flowers planted by his wife, Kathie, who's also a Zen Buddhist priest.