Wise Attention Blog
Wise Attention includes 20 years of writing exploring what it means to practice Buddhism, mindfulness and ethics in the modern world. You’ll find reviews, talks, interviews, broadcasts and reflection on the arts as well as reflections on the Buddha and Buddhist teachings
Buddhism & the Mindfulness Movement: Friends or Foes?
We’re in the middle of the Mindfulness Boom as Buddhist-derived meditation practices enter the cultural mainstream. But is this the Dharma touching and transforming western society, or is Buddhism being turned into a self-help technique and a consumer product?
‘Compassion for My Torturer’: A Meeting With Palden Gyatso
Tibetan Buddhist monk, Palden Gyatso, spent 33 years imprisoned by the Chinese and drew deep on his Buddhist practice to survive his brutal treatment. He escaped to the West to tell his story, and when I met him in London he told me about his experiences and reflections. ‘I never regretted what I did. I did not put up the posters to alleviate my own suffering, but for the good of Tibet. The whole country was in prison, so it was not important what happened to me’.
Don’t Rely on Lineage
Many Buddhist traditions claim that they are reliable and authoritative because they inherit a lineage of realised masters dating back to prestigious teachers of the ancient past. That sounds impressive and appealing but the Buddha advised us to check out the truth of a teaching in our own experience. Perhaps the whole notion of lineage is a beguiling diversion from what Buddhist practice is really about.
Discovering the Buddha
What’s left to say about the Buddha? Everything, I discovered in writing my biography: Gautama Buddha: The Life and Teaching of the Awakened One. And the funny, original, surprising Buddha of history is more relevant than ever
How western Buddhism has changed in 50 years
It’s 50 years since Buddhist teachers started arriving in the west in the early 60s and Buddhism crash-landed into the counterculture. So what have we learned about western Buddhism? An article for The Guardian
Kalu Rinpoche’s Confessional Video and the Tulku Fantasy
The young Kalu Rinpoche, reborn ‘tulku’ of a respected Tibetan Buddhist teacher, has posted a video detailing sexual abuse by Buddhist monks, his tutor’s attempt to murder him and his descent into drug addiction and alcoholism. His testimony should lead us to question the tulku system and the adulation blinding us to its problems
Surviving Tibetan Buddhism: Review of “The Novice”
A review of Stephen Schettini’s heartfelt and vivid account of becoming a Tibetan Buddhist monk and his valuable reflections on what it means for westerners to practice Buddhism
The Shugden Dispute
The controversy surrounding the deity, Dorje Shugden became an open dispute in 1996. Here are my reflections then and now.
NKT, Succession and ‘The Rules’
As the controversial, fast-growing Buddhist movement, The New Kadampa Tradition prepares for life after its ageing founder it has produced a new constitution. It raises issues of control and diversity that concern Buddhists of all hues.
The Fall of a Banker
Fred Goodwin was a start of the banking world. His risks failed, the market turned and he’s been stripped of his knighthood. The worldly winds are blowing again: Weekend Word (Good Morning Wales, 03/02/12)
Dharma Life Magazine
For nine years, from 1996 to 2005 I edited Dharma Life magazine, which explored the encounter between Buddhism and the modern world. Most of the articles from issues 15-26 are posted online at www.dharmalife.com, and you can find them...
Belonging & Identity
There are jobs in the South East, but the regions and deprived areas are losing out as the recession bites. But people South Wales where I live have a sense of identity and belonging that can’t just be transplanted. Thought for the Day 24/12/2012
Buddhism’s Happiness Agenda
The UK government intends to shape its policies according to what promotes happiness and wellbeing. But what is happiness, and what are the factors, according to Buddhism, that develop it? Thought for the Day 17th January 2012
Gautama Buddha: paperback and new website
Gautama Buddha: the Life and Teachings of the Awakened One is now out in paperback, published by Quercus at £8.99. There’s also a new website for the book including all the reviews, talks, interviews and articles associated with it
The Dharma of Dickens
Dickens’ moral vision mirrors the Buddhist teaching of karma: every character is a moral actor, whether they know it or now, inhabiting a fictional world that is imbued with a meaning and where every action has significance.
Beyond the Grasping Mind
How does beauty happen? A glimpse of an old woman sitting in a cafe is an extraordinary moment on an ordinary day.
The Book of Enlightened Masters: Review
The Book of Enlightened Masters is a fascinating guide to the westerners who have become teachers in Eastern traditions. Book review by Vishvapani
Breathe in … and see impermanence
We can see the greatest truths of existence in the smallest details. Take the breath …