Buddhist Door

1 week ago | buddhistdoor.net | Johan Nilsson

Thus Taught Master Shichiri: One Hundred Gems of Shin Buddhist Wisdom (2023, independently published) constitutes the final posthumous work of the great Shin Buddhist scholar Rev. Dr. Inagaki Hisao (1929–2021). As most readers of Buddhistdoor Global are likely unfamiliar with Shin Buddhism, three questions are likely at the forefront of the reader’s mind: who is Master Shichiri? What is Shin Buddhism? And who was Inagaki Hisao?

Jan 17, 2025 | buddhistdoor.net | Raymond W. Lam

In Storehouse of Treasures: Recovering the Riches of Chan and Zen (Shambala, 2024), author and lay Zen teacher Nelson Foster has published a book about the “treasures” of Chan and Zen Buddhism. The essays within this collection embody what could be called “Zen Americana”—a seamless integration of inherited ancient teachings into his modern cultural being, or context, as an American. Foster names Robert Aitken, Yamada Roshi, and other figures as being inheritors of a cross-cultural continuity.

Jan 7, 2025 | buddhistdoor.net | Buddhistdoor Global

Local Buddhist accounts claim that Buddhist inscriptions appeared in the area of Bengal shortly after the historical Buddha (563–483 BCE) visited this region. Buddhist influence grew over time, fueled by supportive rulers during the reign of Aśoka (304–232 BCE) of the Maurya Dynasty (322–184 BCE), the Gupta Dynasty (240–550 CE), and the Pāla Dynasty (750–1161 CE).

Nov 29, 2024 | buddhistdoor.net | Karen Greenspan

About a half-hour drive outside of Bhutan’s warm and sun-drenched winter capital Punakha lies Dorangthang Nunnery, near the village of Lobesa. The land belonged to the renowned Lama Sonam Zangpo (1888–1982), a direct disciple of the Tibetan master Togden Shakya Shri (1853–1919) and a main student of His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche (1904–87). The name “Dorangthang” means “grinding stone” and refers to a very large rock that marks the location of a site designated in a prophecy that the lama received.

Nov 22, 2024 | buddhistdoor.net | Johan Nilsson

In this series, Johan Nilsson takes a look at the international nexus of Shin Buddhist leaders around the world. In his first entry, he spoke to Clement Tan of Singapore about establishing a Shin Buddhist center in the city state. This is Part Two of their interview. Read Part 1BDG: Have you faced any unique challenges in establishing a dojo in Singapore? Do you anticipate any challenges in the future?