Last time, we looked at the fourth piece to the puzzle of a fulfilled life free from unhealthy attachments, according to the Buddha’s teaching: right action. Its focus is on avoiding actions that will negatively impact ourselves and others, and actively seeking actions that work to the freedom and benefit of all. We also saw … Continue reading The Eightfold Path, Part 5: Right Livelihood
[Here's a confession: When I was planning my Summer series on the Parables, I checked to make sure the parables from Matthew's Gospel weren't coming up soon in the lectionary, but failed to do so for the parables from Luke, which has left me a bit caught out this Fall! At any rate, today's Gospel … Continue reading The Parable of the Tax-Collector and the Pharisee [Re-Post]
So far in our journey through the Buddha’s Eightfold Path, we’ve looked at worldview, thoughts, and speech. It should come as no surprise that the fourth element of the path is action, completing the ‘thought, word, and deed’ triplet we all know so well. Once again I’ll introduce the idea within its Buddhist context before … Continue reading The Eightfold Path, Part 4: Right Conduct
Our world is in a crisis of communication. Politicians seem to lie more than they tell the truth, corporations argue that they shouldn’t have to tell the truth about their products, and of course social media is a cesspool of click bait and rage bait. A whole economy has been built off of eliciting feelings … Continue reading The Eightfold Path, Part 3: Right Speech
For many Christians, especially those who grew up in Protestant circles, the Gospel is essentially defined in opposition to the Jewish Law: There is Law and then there’s Grace and ever the twain shall meet. But we get a very different picture of the Law from the Scriptures, including the texts we Christians know as … Continue reading Sweeter than Honey: A Reflection on Jeremiah 31 & Psalm 119
Matthew Root 