Dharma Library

This library provides a database of articles, some from past issues of New Chan Forum and some available only from the website.

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Chronological List of articles:

Laywomen in Buddhism’s earliest years: Clues to their significance in the Pali Canon

Calligraphy for the character Chan

In the Mahaparinibbana Sutta, Mara reminds the Buddha, now approaching death, of his earlier words: ‘I shall not come to my final passing away, Evil One, until my bhikkhus and bhikkhunis, laymen and laywomen, have come to be true disciples – wise, well disciplined, apt and learned, preservers of the Dhamma …’ 1 The role of each element of this Fourfold Assembly in preserving and propagating the…

Western Chan Fellowship CIO

Categories: 2022 , Others

Right Livelihood

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When I was asked several years ago to write a personal perspective on my career as a doctor in relation to right livelihood, I thought it would be easy. It is a huge privilege to work as a doctor with a livelihood dedicated to alleviating the effects of illness – we try and help people when they are vulnerable and are often admitted to their most private life events. The most useful advice I…

Western Chan Fellowship CIO

Categories: 2022 , Other Articles , Others

A Visit to the Doctor

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Most people who are familiar with Buddhism know of the metaphor of the Buddha as a doctor for the world’s ills. I’m going to update this metaphor to the 21st century to describe and explain the Three Characteristics of Impermanence, Dissatisfaction, and No Self.

Let’s say the Buddha is a doctor and he has his office in any town or village for that matter. He has a nice expansive clean office. I…

Western Chan Fellowship CIO

Categories: 2013 , Others

Consolations: Preparations for Dying

Alysun Jones

David Childs (1946 - 2011): A Tribute

And so, full of his life, came
not to the falls, the whirlpool or the cliff
but to the brim
and held a moment above it
seeing everything.
 

From ‘Notes’ by David Childs (2010)

How do we, or indeed, do we, prepare, or think about our own deaths, as Buddhists? Having a life threatening illness may trigger thoughts about dying. But we all face death at some point.…

Western Chan Fellowship CIO

Categories: 2012 , Others

Self Ascending

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Searching for the way 
Gate on gate until 
A fenced enclosure of the self 
Spiky membrane of a mutating cell. 
This single Centre with two nuclei 
One old and dark, a sort of hell 
One new and lit, yet secretive.

Old dark labyrinth of the nightmare mind 
Tomb of hanging beams and creeping things 
Hidden ghouls and swinging bells 
Dull black axes over torture fires 
Eyeless skulls and human bones
Devil’s…

Western Chan Fellowship CIO

Categories: 2011 , Poetry , Others

Chan and Writing the World

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I clamber over the stile, and climb toward the Callow Drove, which runs along the ridge above me. The path follows a farm track across a field. Sheep are grazing on grass still frosted where the winter sun doesn’t reach it. A heavy tractor has left deep grooves, hatched with the marks of coarse tyre treads, in the frozen mud. Leaving the field, the path becomes more rugged as it climbs steeply…

Western Chan Fellowship CIO

Categories: 2011 , Other Articles , Others

Ode to 'It'

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October days of sunshine, nights of frost,
The chestnut leaves fan golden by the gate
With early mists, when all below is lost
Save field-tree tops. To us, the sun seems late,
Or is it just we rise and have a pee
And venture out in still dark air
To taste the day and feel the ground a while,
Before damp sheep begin to stir?
All standing, waves of movement, like the sea,
Then fingers curling round a mug of…

Western Chan Fellowship CIO

Categories: 2011 , Poetry , Others

The Illusion of Separateness

Žarko Andričević teaching

Žarko Andricevic is the Teacher of Dharmaloka – the Chan Buddhist Community, Croatia.

Our incapability to live in harmony with others, the environment and ourselves is a consequence of deep ignorance of our nature and the nature of existence in general. All human suffering, misery and discontent, be it personal or collective, arises out of a fundamental ignorance that is called avidya…

Western Chan Fellowship CIO

Categories: 2011 , Others

Prison Chaplaincy

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Talk by Devin Ashwood delivered 29th October 2011 at the WCF conference: "Western Buddhism: Engaged Buddhism?"

My name is Devin Ashwood and I work as a Buddhist Chaplain in the Prison Service.

I have been asked to talk a little about Buddhist Chaplaincy in Prisons and while I had very little idea of what I would talk about, I agreed. At first, I thought I could say all there was to say in about…

Western Chan Fellowship CIO

Categories: 2011 , Others

Master Yen Wai of Hong Kong

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When I arrived in Hong Kong (1953) on my National Service during the Korean War, I soon set about trying to meet Chinese people. I wanted to follow up my reading of Buddhism carried out during the several weeks' voyage on the troop ship from Southampton. Through contacts with the HK university I met Professor Ma Meng who introduced me to a Mr Yen Shi liang, a Buddhist merchant with an embroidery…

Western Chan Fellowship CIO

Categories: 2009 , Others

A Day in the Life of Bruce in Sogenji

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Last year Bruce Stevenson took himself off to Japan for a period of practice in a Zen monastery. This was not Bruce's first such expedition but it is the first he has written about for us. Let us continue this issue then with a further account of experiences in the distant East. Bruce tells us Sogenji is, as far as he knows, the only monastery in Japan full of Westerners - well this includes a…

Western Chan Fellowship CIO

Categories: 2009 , Others

Remembering Iris

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I was privileged to be with Iris on two occasions during her final days, when she had gone over to palliative care and was, with cheerful equanimity, waiting to move on... A long dedicated Follower of the Way, Iris had admirably completed the Work, and recently had had two out-of-body experiences -- a preliminary reconnaissance perhaps? I was hugely impressed and not a little envious!

Iris was…

Western Chan Fellowship CIO

Categories: 2009 , Obituaries , Others

Shifu's Legacy

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This has been a noteworthy year at Dharma Drum Retreat Center. Since we lost our Shifu in February, one might expect an atmosphere of desolation and loss. Instead, we are enjoying one of the most vibrant periods in the history of the place. More than one person has remarked on it. It is as if, having left the body, Shifu's Dharma spirit is manifesting itself in the heirs and students he left…

Western Chan Fellowship CIO

Categories: 2009 , Others

Friends of Manjushree Vidyapith School and Orphanage (FMVSO)

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Last autumn John Crook organized a 2 week journey to the Buddhist sites of Arunachal Pradesh in the Himalayas of North East India. The remote district of Tawang is situated at 10-12,000 feet in an area of outstanding natural beauty but relative impoverishment. Access requires 2 days of tiring journey along winding mountain roads made treacherous by mudslides and avalanches. There is no access…

Western Chan Fellowship CIO

Categories: 2006 , Others

Richard Hunn (Upasaka Wen Shu) Passes Away

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Many of us will remember Richard personally, perhaps especially from his warm and characterful leadership of a weekend retreat for the Bristol Ch'an Group held at Ross Cuthbert's painting studio some years ago. I regretted Richard's disappearance to Japan as he was a valued colleague but I rejoice to hear that his life was so good there. We remember his life with gratitude. JHC

Richard Hunn…

Western Chan Fellowship CIO

Categories: 2006 , Obituaries , Others

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