Dharma Library

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…

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…

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…

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…

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 by…

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…

(Written during a three month solitary retreat at Mount Amiata in Tuscany, Italy).

Sitting by the doorstep 
on a dusty sheepskin 
in the early morning, 
a hazy sun warms my cheeks. 
I wonder what will
come to mind? 
I remember my dreams. 
My thoughts are like 
a bird tied to a pole 
by a long string. 
they fly in endless circles 
under the illusion of freedom.

Alone 
all alone 
in an empty room 
in an empty…

Holidays are a complete waste of time!

That's a bit harsh, but you know what I mean. Two days back at work, and where did that wonderful, relaxed 'holiday essence' go? Just like last year, it slipped through your fingers again.

How about if it hung around for a bit longer?

It was with something like this on my mind (and considerable trepidation) that found me driving to Maenllwyd, a remote…

John Rowan has made immensely important contributions to contemporary psychotherapy and humanistic psychology in Britain. We were therefore delighted when he expressed a wish to join us on retreat. Here are his valuable reflections on his experience. We send him our best wishes. Come again John!! (Eds)

Thursday 20th

Went to catch the 2.10 train to Birmingham-Shrewsbury-Llandrindod Wells. Got to…

The purpose of this article is to suggest that we all too often understand Buddhism in terms of One-Sided Solutions which don't actually solve anything, and that we would do better if, instead, we worked with the Complementary relationship between life's various two-sided polarities.

From the ridiculous to the sublime. A good example of a One-Sided Solution would be 'detachment', which is…