As my son has his first day at school, here is a reflection on what I hope for from his education. There’s more to learning than knowledge. What does it mean to learn, not just about the world, but how to live well within it Yesterday was my son’s first day at...
What happens when our country faces questions of peace and war – as the UK has this week? What influences our thinking and how can Buddhist teachings help us to make wiser decisions? Thought for the Day 31/8/2013 When the country faces issues of peace and war,...
As the Middle East blazes, what is really worth fighting for? Democracy is the best defence against the tyranny of what Buddhism calls ‘views’. It requires and fosters humility: the uncomfortable knowledge that people are different and that none of us...
The real story about Edward Snowden is not the legal drama or even the should-he-shouldn’t-he whistleblower debate. It’s what we’ve learned from his devastating revelations of state computer surveillance. The ethical framework for secret services should be decided by...
The Christian Passion is a dramatic story touching on powerful emotions. Is there a similar drama in the Buddha’s story? Pause for Thought, BBC Radio 2, April 2013 A highlight of my holiday in Southern Spain last Easter was seeing the parade in Malaga. The whole...
Buddhist mobs have been killing Moslems in Burma. How did we come to this pass and how must Buddhism reform itself? Thought for the Day 22/6/2013 If you look in a newsagent today you’ll see, gazing out from the cover of Time magazine, a Buddhist monk dressed in the...
