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...
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...
As Buddhists celebrated Wesak, Vishvapani reflected on the continuing relevance of the Buddha. ‘Standing apart from political struggles he offered a distinctive outlook on their causes …’ A few hours ago we passed the May full moon. Most of us barely...
More of us are living longer, contracting cancer and often surviving it. As the shape of our lives changes, how can we adjust, applying the Buddhist teaching of the value of facing squarely old age, disease and death. Thought for the Day 8/6/2013 Some time ago the...
