Buddhist monk

This reflective mind, by Ajahn Sumedho

By Buddhism Now on 13 November 2013 • ( 2 )

This reflective mind, then, is the still point in the centre. That is why each one of us is important in our own right. You may feel that you are not a very important person, that you are just one of the 5.5 billion on this planet…

The Misguided Monk

By Buddhism Now on 19 July 2013 • ( 16 )

Short animation 3mins. When an old hermit monk has his day interrupted by an uninvited guest, he is unwillingly taken on a journey to discover the true meaning of companionship.

Short talk on Meditation by Ringu Tulku

By Buddhism Now on 22 June 2013 • ( 2 )

Meditation is learning to have a stable mind. Topics include: joy, tranquillity, peace of the moment, emotions and reactions. 7mins.

Life in a Korean Monastery, Jisu Sunim

By Buddhism Now on 15 February 2013 • ( 6 )

At the beginning each practitioner is given a hua-tou, a kind of koan. For example: What is this? I-Mo-Ko? What is this? The idea is to concentrate your entire attention and mind on this one particular koan or hua-tou: What is this? What is this? What is this? It is different from vipassana meditation where the intention is to be aware and solely aware of what is going on. When you eat, you just acknowledge how that feels—approaching the spoon, touching the spoon, feeling the coolness of the handle, and so on. In koan meditation, however, your attention is single-pointedly directed to this question—What is this?—right now. Initially, it is very difficult to concentrate because all kinds of thinking comes up . . . comes up . . . comes up . . . like clouds, or smoke from a chimney…

Emotional Habits, by Ajahn Sumedho

By Buddhism Now on 7 February 2013 • ( 4 )

We talk about the doors to the deathless, but it’s not something out there, something remote or hidden. The Buddha pointed to this mindfulness—this is the path to the deathless…

One of the 8 million sunflowers planted to soak up radiation toxins from the soil. Joenji Temple, Fukushima, Japan

Invisible Snow

By Buddhism Now on 20 August 2011 • ( 16 )

‘Invisible Snow’ This is a moving and inspiring film about a Buddhist monk, Koyu Abe, who instigated the planting of millions of sunflowers and other plants, beginning at his temple,Joenji, and spreading out into the surrounding area. The flowers are believed to absorb the radiation coming from the Fukushima nuclear plant.

Don’t Take Your Life Personally

By Buddhism Now on 20 January 2011 • ( 1 )

Mindfulness or awareness is knowing, isn’t it? It is a direct knowing, immanent here and now.It is being fully present, attentive, to this present moment as is.