Incarcerated Lotus – #2 – If Only

(This is long, I’m not going to divide this up like I usually would into small sections. I’m going to give you what I’ve written as I write it. It will be here a while so you can take your time and come back to it in sections if you wish.) How about you and I agreeing to an important ground rule as we develop our plan for practicing in your prison. I’d like to…

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Physician’s Good Medicine – #14

It is just a story, a possibility, perhaps a connection for some of the missing points in the parable found in the Lotus Sutra. We have a single father who is a doctor, many children, a possible reason why there is no mother mentioned, a son who has taken some poison clouding his mind and judgement, a son who returns home, taking the medicine, upon hearing of his ill father and spiritual death. This could…

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Physician’s Good Medicine – #10

(It’s been a while since I have posted in this series. I will confess this has been one of the most challenging projects I have written. While it is true I haven’t posted, I have indeed been thinking and working on the writing. I appreciate your understanding.) Sometimes when faced with a challenge, even a simple challenge, we experience misgivings such as will we succeed, is it even possible, is this the best alternative, or…

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Physician’s Good Medicine – #9 – Ichinen Sanzen

Today I would like talk about Ichinen Sanzen, 3000 conditions of mind in a moment. Ichinen Sanzen is a very complex theory in Buddhism and frequently is gets reduced to simply explaining the 10 Worlds. However there is an aspect of Ichinen Sanzen which I would like to explore with you. In a way this is a developing realization. That is the way it happens for me. I’ll think and think about something, turning it over and over in my mind. Then one day something will happen, perhaps someone asks me a question, or some situation arises and then all of a sudden a light bulb goes off and ‘bam’ inspiration lights up.

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