On the road again…

…once again this blog is on the move – last time, though!  In an effort to both renew my practice and avoid limitations on embeds and the like (no CNN? really? ^_-) I’ve moved to a whole domain.  There’s still construction dust everywhere, but it’s basically all there, and that’s where I’ll be, starting today.  I’d love it if you’d come join me!  Please update bookmarks/blogrolls as appropriate.

http://buddingbuddhist.com

A Monk Amok: Buddhist Military Chaplaincy

Venerable Gyatso over at A Monk Amok has a very interesting short commentary on Buddhist Military Chaplaincy.  In part, he says:

What I don’t see is equal questioning of Buddhist chaplains in prisons. If we accept that thieves, rapists, murderers and child molesters need spiritual care, how can we question the provision of spiritual care for soldiers, sailors, airmen and women, and marines?

Monastic Basketball

Also via Kenley Neufeld, check out this really wonderful short video of a Monastic Basketball game:

(“Playing basketball on Lazy Day at Deer Park Monastery in mid-June.”)

Get Well Soon, Thầy

Via @thichnhathanh and plumvillage.org, comes news that Thich Nhat Hanh is recovering from a lung infection in the hospital.  All seems OK, but he’ll be in the hospital for a couple of weeks being treated with antibiotics.  For more, please see this .pdf of Thầy’s letter to all retreatants in YMCA of the Rockies, Estes Park, Colorado.

Update:  Via a comment by Kenley Neufeld on Shambhala Sun Space’s article  “Thich Nhat Hanh in hospital“:

You may also read the latest statement from the sangha regarding the remainder of the tour. Please visit http://tnhtour.org/2009/2009-08-24-Public-Stateme…

Via Danny Fisher: Other Buddhist Organziations Join Tzu Chi Foundation in Contributing to Typhoon Morakot Relief Efforts

Rev. Danny Fisher has a new summary on the aftermath of Typhoon Morakot, with links to more information.  Check it out.

Buddhist aid organizations mentioned:

– Master Cheng Yen’s Tzu Chi Foundation

– The late Master Sheng-yen’s Dharma Drum Mountain

– Master Hsing Yun’s Fo Guang Shan

and

– Master Wei Chueh’s Chung Tai Shan.

The Metta Sutta – Upaya Zen Center

Wow.

Thanks to the digitalZENDO for pointing this out, and to the Upaya Zen Center for sharing this.

The Metta Sutta Campaign

If you are not familiar with it, Rev. Danny is trying to get a viral campaign going of folks reading the Metta Sutta in virtual solidarity for the monastics of Burma.  As reported in the The Irrawaddy:

Buddhist monks at the Myat Saw Nyi Naung Pagoda in Yenangyaung, Magway Divison, were warned on Wednesday not to hold a ceremony to chant the Metta Sutta—the Buddha’s discourse on loving-kindness.

The monks originally planned a 12-hour-long recitation, scheduled to start at 6 p.m. Wednesday, to mark the full moon day of the fifth month of the Burmese calendar, traditionally celebrated as “Metta Sutta Day” by Burmese Buddhists.

“We only intended to recite Buddhist sutras, including the Metta Sutta, to wish for all sentient beings to be peaceful and free from anxiety. But the authorities told us to call off our plans,” a monk from Yenangyaung told The Irrawaddy on Thursday.

Similar ceremonies are normally held throughout the country on this day. However, since a brutal crackdown on the monk-led protests of 2007, which featured marching monks reciting the Metta Sutta, most monasteries have been wary of publicly chanting the sutra.

Please check out Danny’s original article, as well as his latest update.  In the former you’ll find Danny’s original video, in the latter embeds of other folks’ readings.

Grasshopper

I stumbled upon Grasshopper tonight.  It’s a short rotoscoped film by the folks who did the film adaptation of A Scanner Darkly.  Sometimes I’m a bit slow to get to these things – it was filmed in 2003, and I’d even seen it mentioned over at the blog at Shambhala Sunspace.

In Grasshopper, park-bench philosopher AJ Vadehra expounds on astrology and more productive avenues of contemplation.  Done all in grey-green, this animated but otherwise unedited interview is a good example of what happens when you approach the right stranger with a camera. Grasshopper premiered at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival and has since played in many other festivals worldwide.

Mr. Vadehra has a lot to say in this 14 minute film.  It’s well worth a listen, in my opinion.

“Relief for Victims of Typhoon Morakot: Over ten thousand Tzu Chi volunteers mobilize”

Please consider helping the Tzu Chi Foundation out.  There’s an IReport at CNN about their help so far.

Eunice Kennedy Shriver dies at 88

This doesn’t come as a great shock, but I’d like to note Mrs. Shriver’s passing – she was an amazing, compassionate woman.

During my teen years, I volunteered often with the Special Olympics – my first job was Hugger – and it was a fantastic job. ^_^  I miss it and look forward to volunteering again at some point, when we are closer to events.  Please consider getting involved – it’s a total joy!

(Note – today the Special Olympics link forwards to Mrs. Shriver’s foundation site.)