Buddhism And The Coronavirus

This book examines the early teachings of Buddhism associated with the life of the Buddha, Siddhatta Gotama. In these teachings, the Buddha put forward his famous Four Noble Truths concerning the nature of suffering, its causes, the Truth that it can be overcome, and a pathway to end suffering. The suffering experienced in the contemporary coronavirus pandemic may seem to be very distant from the Buddhas message delivered over two thousand years ago, but the teaching of the Four Noble Truths is as relevant today as it was all that time ago. So this book melds the two, occasionally with discrete treatment of past and present but ever cognizant of the ways in which the teachings of the past inform the present crisis. To understand coronaviruses, the book examines the nature of viruses, their origins, causes and the ways in which they are both friends and enemies of humankind. Importantly and crucially, the book investigates how far humanity itself is the cause of its own suffering in the pandemics that arise no less in the coronaviruses that have emerged in the twenty-first century. Chapters include: The Buddha; Viruses: Friends and Enemies; The Noble Truth of Suffering; The Second Noble Truth of the Cause of Suffering; The Third Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering; The Fourth Noble Truth: The Noble Eightfold Path; The Noble Eightfold Path: Mindfulness and Concentration; The Brahma-vihara: Love: Compassion: Sympathetic Joy: Equanimity.

When the COVID-19 affected the entire world, some people started to contemplate this tragedy from spiritual perspectives. This includes Buddhism. I also understood the fear, anxiety and depression of people that struggled with this situation. This has caused me to first, publish a book in Japanese about the 8 Buddhist Tips on how to deal with COVID-19 Fear（新型コロナウイルスへの不安と恐れを乗り越える８つのポイント）; second, to write a new book in English about this topic. This is the result. Perhaps reading a long book might be boring. Therefore, I will give the eight Buddhist tips in a concise manner. I also would like to remind you that there is no direct discourse about COVID-19 fear busters. The tips are derived from the deeper teachings of the Buddha, and how they are utilized in our current difficult situation. Contents Introduction 1. Listening to the Experts 2. Take this time to re-bond with your spouse, children, and parents 3. Believe in Change 4. Cultivate Equanimity (upekkhā) 5. Dispel the fear of chanting. Instead, engage in sending blessings to others by chanting 6. Mindfulness Practice 7. Send Loving-kindness (mettā) and Compassion (karuṇā) 8. Doing good things and practice patience May you be well and happy!

Coronavirus, in short-measure, has changed the world completely. How can we make sense of this huge change in our lives? How can we cope, when our lives have been shaken-up and fears abound?Japanese Zen Buddhism offers a clear path to overcome fears and find courage, when all around us seems to be falling-apart. For thousands of years Buddhists have been meditating on the hardest challenges in life, such as sickness, grief and death.This book offers a unique introduction to the Zen path through words, photos and Haiku poetry. More than a guidebook, it provides a space for contemplation about our current situation. It discusses the Zen approach to life, and applies it to both photography, and the emergence of the coronavirus pandemic. A photobook with a narrative, the author shares his perspectives on the art of photography, and reflects on what the medium means in the Buddhist context. He explores Buddhist ideas found in photography, and how masters of the form have used Buddhist presence, to produce artworks which resonate widely. He explores his application of Buddhist practice to photography, and also explains how photography can diverge from a purely Buddhist way.The author reflects on our global situation as a human family, in the context of COVID-19. He asks whether the exploitative economic path, that collectively we have been on for some time, has contributed to the emergence of the pandemic. He applies Zen ideas to our economic trajectory which is eroding nature and wilderness at an alarming rate, to feed our ever growing consumption and automated lifestyles.He pauses to consider the significance of the space that has emerged from the sudden halt in economic growth. Is it possible to draw an analogy between this global stillness, and the space of presence a person meditating can experience? Exploring evidence for the origin of the novel coronavirus, the author finds that while it probably originated in nature, it is important to understand, why it has crossed over into our species. Zen raises important questions about human interference in the natural world, which we need to address to re-align our relationship with nature. In a time of global catastrophe we need to hold onto our sanity, but also map a path ahead. This path could deliver more of the same, or forge a better future direction.The book is journey of contemplation of the ancient Zen path, trodden in a time of change. Through the lens of the photographer-author, we are taken on a visually and spiritually enriching journey, into the sacred mountains of Yamagata Prefecture in Japan, where Zen Buddhism evolved.

Breathing - your life rhythm, continues every moment, but could stop at any time. Coronavirus quite literally takes our breath away. It can make us feel like the world has ended. Sadly for a growing number it actually has, so we suffer grief, fear and anxiety. Buddhists have been training their minds with their breath for millennia. Learn how you can learn to live in the present moment by developing meditation practice. You can strengthen your courage to cope with suffering and death. Zen Buddhism in Japan is a historical journey. Three centuries since haiku poet Basho, embarked on his journey to the deep North, we follow in his footsteps and revisit those mystic sites. Evocative photos, quotes and poetry enrich our expansive journey. You'll learn how Zen arrived, took root, and flourished in Japanese culture, and how these ideas provide broader significance for us now. Zen can be applied to everything we do. Author Rod Harbinson has explored Asian Buddhism for decades. He shares how Zen influences his photography, which illustrates the book. Coronavirus has paralysed world economies, creating an era of Global Stillness. What does this mean for your life and our ecological future? Faced with daunting prospects, how can we get out of this alive? Can love find a way?

How the essence of flowers, nature and Buddhist wisdom provided solace during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is the incredible story of Tenzin Palmo, a remarkable woman who spent 12 years alone in a cave 13,000 feet up in the Himalayas. At the age of 20, Diane Perry, looking to fill a void in her life, entered a monastery in India--the only woman amongst hundreds of monks---and began her battle against the prejudice that had excluded women from enlightenment for thousands of years. Thirteen years later, Diane Perry a.k.a. Tenzin Palmo secluded herself in a remote cave 13,000 feet up in the Himalayas, where she stayed for twelve years. In her mountain retreat, she face unimaginable cold, wild animals, floods, snow and rockfalls, grew her own food and slept in a traditional wooden meditation box, three feet square. She never lay down. Tenzin emerged from the cave with a determination to build a convent in northern India to revive the Togdenma lineage, a long-forgotten female spiritual elite. She has traveled around the world to find support for her cause, meeting with spiritual leaders from the Pope to Desmond Tutu. She agreed to tell her story only to Vicky Mackenzie and a portion of the royalties from this book will help towards the completion of her convent.

Millions of people meditate daily but can meditative practices really make us ‘better’ people? In The Buddha Pill, pioneering psychologists Dr Miguel Farias and Catherine Wikholm put meditation and mindfulness under the microscope. Separating fact from fiction, they reveal what scientific research – including their groundbreaking study on yoga and meditation with prisoners – tells us about the benefits and limitations of these techniques for improving our lives. As well as illuminating the potential, the authors argue that these practices may have unexpected consequences, and that peace and happiness may not always be the end result. Offering a compelling examination of research on transcendental meditation to recent brain-imaging studies on the effects of mindfulness and yoga, and with fascinating contributions from spiritual teachers and therapists, Farias and Wikholm weave together a unique story about the science and the delusions of personal change.

This book examines the early teachings of Buddhism associated with the life of the Buddha, Siddhatta Gotama. In these teachings, the Buddha put forward his famous Four Noble Truths concerning the nature of suffering, its causes, the Truth that it can be overcome, and a pathway to end suffering. The suffering experienced in the contemporary coronavirus pandemic may seem to be very distant from the Buddhas message delivered over two thousand years ago, but the teaching of the Four Noble Truths is as relevant today as it was all that time ago. So this book melds the two, occasionally with discrete treatment of past and present but ever cognizant of the ways in which the teachings of the past inform the present crisis. To understand coronaviruses, the book examines the nature of viruses, their origins, causes and the ways in which they are both friends and enemies of humankind. Importantly and crucially, the book investigates how far humanity itself is the cause of its own suffering in the pandemics that arise no less in the coronaviruses that have emerged in the twenty-first century. Chapters include: The Buddha; Viruses: Friends and Enemies; The Noble Truth of Suffering; The Second Noble Truth of the Cause of Suffering; The Third Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering; The Fourth Noble Truth: The Noble Eightfold Path; The Noble Eightfold Path: Mindfulness and Concentration; The Brahma-vihara: Love: Compassion: Sympathetic Joy: Equanimity.