Tag: spirituality
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Who am I?
In 1886, Austrian physicist and philosopher Ernst Mach sketched a self-portrait that appeared in his book, The Analysis of Sensations. It takes a minute to recognize what is going on in the sketch because it’s not what you think. It’s not the usual self-portrait. The question, “Who am I?” is a very important question. For…
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My friend Richard
Tuesday, March 17, 2026 Camden, Maine I’ve been meaning to record a video teisho on this subject. It has been on my mind to record a video for our Dharma Study group for some time. But time keeps slipping away, and I am not getting to the video. So I will write this instead. My…
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Houston and the Authentic Voice
In the 70’s, Houston was a boomtown. That’s why my family moved there. We moved in the summer before my sixth grade. Maybe nobody cares about this. But I care about it. It’s a story that I remember. So, I’m just telling stories here. That’s what much of our thinking is, isn’t it? Our thoughts…
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Chasing Illusion
Many years ago, when I first began Buddhist studies, I read a book by Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche, edited by Laura M. Roth and translated by Ngodup Burkhar and Chojor Radha called Dharma Paths. It was published in 1992 by Snow Lion. Khenpo Karthar’s book was formative for me. I read it sometime around 1993, when…
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Practice Notes
Limiting Your Activity In Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind, Shunryu Suzuki writes: You may think that if there is no purpose or no goal in our practice, we will not know what to do. But there is a way. The way to practice without having any goal is to limit your activity, or to be…
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Tilopa’s Song to Naropa, Part 4
This is Part Four in a series of commentaries on the text, Tilopa’s Song to Naropa, or as it is sometimes called, Song of the Mahamudra. I am using the English translation by Lex Hixon. Lex Hixon (1941-1995) In researching this piece, I looked him up to inquire about permission to use his translation, and…
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On What Matters
The poet, Ryokan, (1758-1831) was a Japanese Zen Buddhist monk who lived most of his life as a hermit. In simple, hand written calligraphy, he produced many poems, among them, the following: I watch people in the worldThrow away their lives lusting after thingsNever able to satisfy their desires,Falling into deeper despairAnd torturing themselves.Even if…
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We are each alone, and yet, not alone.
Essentially, we are each alone. Even if you are with a group of friends, laughing and talking, even if you are sitting at the dinner table with your entire family, even if you are lying in bed with your lover, you are, at the same time, alone. You are alone because no one else has your…
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Milarepa’s Fortress
My teacher, Khenchen Konchok Gyaltsen, once gave a short talk on Milarepa that was very powerful. It went something like this: Khenchen said, “The only way to be free from the fear of death is to practice the Dharma. We all know we will die someday. But we don’t know when. We think we are…
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Tilopa’s Song to Naropa
original text, translated by Lex Hixon The Text: Song of the Mahamudra (Tilopa’s Song to Naropa) by Tilopa English version by Lex Hixon Mahamudra, the royal way, is freefrom every word and sacred symbol.For you alone, beloved Naropa,this wonderful song springs forth from Tilopaas spontaneous friendship that never ends. The completely open natureof all dimensions and…
Ed Gabrielsen 