MSI Press Blog

  Just the basics — because it really is a vast tradition Buddhism is one of the world’s oldest living spiritual traditions. It began in India more than 2,500 years ago and has since taken root across Asia and, more recently, the West. It is not a religion of a single book or a single authority. Instead, it is a path — a way of seeing, understanding, and living. Here are the essentials. 1. The Story at the Beginning Buddhism begins with a human being, not a god. Siddhartha Gautama, later called the Buddha (“the awakened one”), was a prince who left a life of comfort after encountering the realities of aging, illness, and death. He wanted to understand why human beings suffer — and whether there is a way out of that suffering. After years of searching, he experienced a profound awakening under the Bodhi tree. What he discovered became the foundation of Buddhism. 2. The Buddha’s Insight: Why We Suffer At the heart of Buddhism are the Four Noble Truths , which are not dogmas but obse...

  AGING AND FREEDOM “My actions are my only true belongings…. My actions are the ground on which I stand.” --Anguttara Sutta 5:57   I recently vacationed with an old friend. Our friendship is old. For fifty years we have golfed together. He is also old in years, 89, to be exact. During our time together at his condo, we played golf. As a natural athlete, Ray could still hit the ball well. Yet, after each shot, he asked, “Where’d it go?” I yelled and pointed, but he did not hear. “Do you have your ear plugs in, Ray?” I asked. That was our ritual. Ray had his own cart and walked slowly and carefully, to avoid falling. His arms and legs were purple, from banging into things. His paper-thin skin bruised and bled at the slightest touch. He often complained of his back and legs being sore. So he titrated his moving about according to his pain level. While not playing golf, Ray spent his time praying, reading, and writing. Sitting in his chair, he would often fall asleep an...

  WORDS MATTER “If I speak with human tongues and angelic as well, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong, a clanging symbol.” --I Corinthians 13: 1   My three brothers recently visited from afar. We spent a week together crammed into my small apartment. We exhausted ourselves talking about our lives and our favorite subjects--religion, psychology, and politics. I daily used up my quota of words. Many family and friends avoid talking about these subjects to avoid conflict. But we relish the give-and-take of debate. Coincidentally, the Republican National Convention was televised each night. We watched it diligently and exchanged views. Our convictions ranged across the political spectrum. So our conversations were animated, our disagreements passionate. However, at the end of the week, we learned something from each other and parted friends. Words matter. They have power. Our traditions attest to this fact. For example, God created the world with His word. He be...