Of Gods and, Well, Other Gods
People standing outside Buddhism and looking in often comment that for an allegedly nontheistic religion it has a lot of gods. Which I suppose is true, but Buddhist "gods" aren't gods as most Westerners understand the word. There's a book review in the Sri Lanka Sunday Times that discusses the distinction from a Theravadin perspective. The book is Gods in Buddhism - Origin, Function and Relevance by Professor M.M.J. Marasinghe. The most important point, I think, comes at the very end of the review. In most religions and cultures, "gods" are beings with special powers and abilities who can help or

Syncretization Has Its Limits
Earlier this week I wrote about a great post at the blog Enlightenment Ward, making the point that Buddhism is not psychology. I want to look at another point in the post today, about mixing Buddhism with other religions. NellaLou writes, Buddhism is a side-dish to one's main religious practice. There are a growing number of voice

Boston Boy Is the New Gyalwa Lorepa Lama
An 11-year-old Boston schoolboy,  Jigme Wangchuk, was enthroned today as His Holiness the Second Gyalwa Lorepa Lama of the Drukpa lineage.  As near as I can tell, this enthronement took place at the Druk Thupten Sangag Choling Monastery in Darjeeling, India, but I'm not going to swear to it. I'm having a terrible time getting clear information. The first Gyalwa Lorepa, 1187-1250, was an accomplished master of yoga who spent many years meditating. According to some accounts, Drukpa is part of the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism. The head of the Drukpas, or at least some of them, is the Twelfth Gyalwang Drukp

The Buddhist Middle Way: No Extremes
Through the ages many Buddhist teachers have thought up new and improved ways to realize dharma. Some of these ways were passed on, becoming new traditions that helped many people. So I don't want to put down a new approach just because it's new. On the other hand, when someone is advertising a "fast track" approach to spirituality, a skepticism filter is warranted. And if they are advertising a "radical, rock-star, make-it-happen-now kind of spiritual path," slap a hand on your wallet and move on. On the third hand, when they've got Brigadoon on their list of films that enable fast-track spirituality,  one might assume they not scam artists; just a tad ditzy.

Buddhism Is Not Psychology
A post by NellaLou at the blog Enlightenment Ward has an imposing title -- "FLM: Dr. Feel-good and the Medicalization of Buddhism (with bonus book review of How to Become a Buddha in 5 Weeks-ouch)." But it's a serious, insightful piece that is well worth reading. Buddhism, says Nellalou, "is being dismantled whole-sale to serve the powerful purposes of the medical-psychiatric establishment. " There is Buddhism in the West that hasn't been dismantled yet, but I agr