In honor of Rohatsu, the day we celebrate the Buddha’s Enlightenment:
In gratitude we offer this incense to all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas throughout space and time.
May it be as fragrant as Earth herself, reflecting our careful efforts, our wholehearted awareness and the fruit of understanding slowly ripening.
May we and all being be companions of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
May we awaken from forgetfulness and realize our true home.
–from Zen teacher Thich Nhat Hanh
The recent tragedies in the nation have brought the issues of racism, violence, and systemic bias to the forefront of much public discussion. These are thorny issues fraught with problems on both sides.
My online friend Maia Duerr, a socially engaged Buddhist, Zen chaplain, and writer for the Buddhist Peace Fellowship, has written a wonderful piece that takes a very balanced but compelling approach.
The Buddhist perspective helps in understanding that we can, indeed must, “take sides” yet be able to see clearly and have compassion for both sides. Maia works thru the delicate nuances of this challenging mass of issues in very cogent and convincing ways.
You can read her essay at The Jizo Chronicles.
Shunyata's Apprentice 