Photo of me and daughter near the Tower of London in 2009. I am on the left, not Emperor Trajan.
My online name is Doug, and I am:
- A computer technician, from the US, but I spent a year living in Ireland and the E.U.
- A novice player of shogi, or Japanese chess. I haven’t played in many months though, so I am starting to forget how to play.
- A Buddhist. My background is Pure Land Buddhism, but I am often found exploring other aspects of Buddhism.
- A blogger formerly known as the ‘Level 8 Buddhist’, see below.
- A fan of the old 8-bit Nintendo system.
- A fan of old-school science-fiction books, especially the Dune series and books by Roger Zelazny.
- A fan of open-source technology, especially BSD operating systems. Frankly, as with Shogi, I am quite an amateur though and happy to stay that way.
Also, here’s a random picture of me in Japan in 2005:
A face that only a mother can be proud of…
Why a blog? Seriously.
This blog is the reflection of my efforts to explore fatherhood, Buddhism and my love of Japanese culture. Anything useful I can pass along makes the Internet a better place hopefully.
What’s the schedule?
I found that long-term blogging works best when you have a consistent schedule, both for your benefit and for readers. However, trying to find the right schedule and balance between consistent content and not getting burned out has been difficult. Currently, the blog posts on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, around Midnight UTC. When things get busy, the schedule gets pared down to Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. Buddhist or religious posts are usually on Sunday (just like church!), but other days will have various topics.
Why yet another Blog?
This is my fourth blog on the Intertubes. The first three blogs, one on Blogger and two here on WordPress, were written under the pseudonym “Gerald Ford” or “The Level 8 Buddhist”. These were focused on strongly Buddhist topics, and I did lots of research on Buddhism with some pretty faithful readers. However, over time I would put too much pressure on myself, and too many expectations about my image among the Internet Buddhist community and finally just cracked under my own pressure. Each time I got too stressed out, I deleted the blog, and lost the posts, then regretted it and started over.
This time around, I changed things in small, but beneficial ways. I blogged less about Buddhism, and more about interesting subjects in general:
- Japan and Japanese culture, which has fascinated since I was eight years old. Growing up in Seattle, which has a lot of Japanese influence, helps.
- Religion, especially Buddhism. I have been a Buddhist more or less since I was 16, but not really devout until about five years ago. Even my wife admits that religion is a fascinating subject too if done with care (which I failed to observe in past blogs).
- Language. Language I believe reflects a lot of things about a culture, and I also feel a lot of textbooks convey it poorly. Only through my wife, who is Japanese, do I feel like I really started to improve, and then I understand her way of thinking better.
Having a fixed schedule helps a lot too as it lets me get through busy times by writing a little bit ahead, but also gives me room to add extra posts when I want to write more too.
I also want to explore my challenges in learning Japanese (with my lovely Japanese wife helping me), and life as a parent. In hindsight, I am glad I deleted the earlier blogs, because I was trying to be someone that I really wasn’t, and felt like I was pandering to a certain crowd of readers. This time around it made sense to just be myself and write about what interests me. If people like the blog, great. If not, I still enjoy putting all kinds of random information on the web because it helps disseminate information that is otherwise hard for Westerners to find.
More on the subject here.
Help Support the Blog
If you like what you see here, consider visiting Amazon.com
This blog is the reflection of my efforts to explore fatherhood, Buddhism and my love of Japanese culture. Anything useful I can pass along makes the Internet hopefully a better place.
I am sorry to hear of your old blogs demise but happy to see you back on-line so soon.
That is an awesome picture of you, and I also enjoyed iced americanos (when I’m not drinking hot café au laits.
I’ve done the whole “delete the blog” thing myself several times, so I know the feeling. In an odd way I suppose my succession of blogs are kind of like a string of rebirth—-karma working itself from “life to life”.
By the way—you have been tagged .
Jishin: Thanks so much.
Baekho: Replied on your blog…and here.
I have those glasses.
I wish I knew where to get them. They are pretty slick, and can hold a lot of iced coffee.
I found this: http://cgi.ebay.com/Two-Large-Budweiser-and-Coors-Beer-Drinking-Glass_W0QQitemZ220211322587QQihZ012QQcategoryZ35713QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
and this: http://cgi.ebay.com/2-Vintage-5-inch-Beer-Glasses-70s-Budweiser-Schlitz_W0QQitemZ330217331816QQihZ014QQcategoryZ3921QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
I like the vintage ones, but mine are definitely the first link.
So if you really want more and your boss, er, I mean wife, says its okay you can get more.
Thank you for the L8B welcome. Love the blog. In fact, I’m going to list it as a link on mine. My newest blog is entitled: How To Live A 100 Years: The Master’s Secrets. Might be something you’d like to live… if you like “living” and all.
http://chencenter.wordpress.com/2008/03/13/how-to-live-a-100-years-the-masters-secrets-1/
Cheers.
Michael Joyce
http://chencenter.wordpress.com
Hey, got your memento finally about you changing your blog url…I was freaked when I got back online the other day — first time in 3 weeks, mind you — and didn’t see you on your old address anymore. Hope you didn’t mind that I went through all your old comment entries and changed the address from the old to the new.
Hopefully maybe to help drive readers to the right place. 
Wow- I didn’t see this picture until now. If it were a beer, you’d look kind of funny drinking that “man-sized” one with a straw.
I just found your blog while I was surfing on “buddhism” and wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed it. I’m about to take precepts at a Korean temple in Chicago and enjoyed reading about another sect. I’m also thinking about starting a blog on buddhism as one who is just beginning, since I’m starting the precept process. But, alas, I doubt how much I can write given that I know so little. Your blog is great because it’s down-to-earth and informative.
Ok, late in replying here.
Jersey: Glad you found the blog again. I was wondering how you’ve been lately.
Jeannie: It’s even funnier knowing that this is not a beer, but an iced coffee. How bourgeois!
Chickdrummer: Welcome to the L8B. Love the name by the way. Thanks for the kind words. The original blog I wrote (two blogs ago) began like yours: not knowing much, writing as I learned stuff, and so on. So, as the old saying goes “the journey of a 1000 miles begins with a single step.” Don’t be hard on yourself. Just write and as your understanding matures, so will your writing. Good luck!
Thanks for the encouragement. I decided to start the blog. We’ve worked through precept 1 last week and now I’m spending time with #2. My head feels like it’s going to explode from the daily revelations. Bleeding the pressure out into a blog would probably help. So, thanks for your help.
Hey there…
I just happened on your blog this morning…very cool. I’m a Buddhist newbie so I got that whole Beginner’s Mind thing goin’ for me. I’m still trying to find a sect that I can truly call home, so I’m reading and listening to lots of different biggie teachers…hoping something will really stick soon. Obviously it can all be wonderfully inspiring and motivating, but it can also feel so far away from the realities of my everyday life. So I just love hearing about regular ol’ everyday Buddhists in America. They may have an altar in their house, but they love coffee and wkd brunch with the family as well…much like the Level 8 Buddhist;)
Anyway, keep on keepin’ on..and good luck with your move!
-Sarah
Hi Sarah,
Thanks very much for the kind words and welcome to the L8B!
Yeah, I tried hard to gear this blog (and its previous incarnations) to something approachable, but educational as well. That’s harder than one might think, and to keep doing it on an almost daily basis, but it works I suppose.
Please drop by as you see fit, and ask questions you may have and I will certainly try my best. Take care!
Coffee in a beer mug. NICE.
I remember an old Jerry Seinfeld monologue about coffee gives you stuff — coffeehouses, coffee tables, coffee bugs, coffee table books, coffee breaks, etc. — but alcohol takes away everything from you — friends, family, career, etc.
Ha ha ha, Seinfeld is so true on that regard.
Shogi Sensei,
we should start a league, when the leprechauns arrive!!!
Go Scotland!!!
surfing around online am getting my toe wet in your blogosphere, with great pleasure
since so few “pale faces” even know about much less cultivate pure land i wonder where you’ve posted your experiences with jodo shinshu for me learn more
thank you very much
_/|\_
namaste
Nobodhi: Welcome to the L8B. If you’re looking for my experiments on the subject, I am afraid most were not recovered from the old blog. I’ve been a Pure Land Buddhist more or less for 3 years, but this blog is about 6 months old. I’d recommend finding groups online like on e-sangha or Google Groups on the subject as they are a good resource. Best of luck.
Oh, I am so glad I’m not the only blog-deleter!
Ha, not even close. Most people who read this blog have likewise deleted their own a few times. Just ask around. We all seem to go through these fits from time to time. I am glad I resisted the urge to remove this one though. I am tired of starting over, and I knew I would if I did delete the blog.
Good day to you, Sir! I have sought you out because I’m looking for information.
The preamble:
You have contributed to this article on the Buddhist Prayer Beads ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_prayer_beads ), more specifically the section “Number Of Beads And Significance” of that article, if I am correct. This section mentions a very rare and important to me piece of information on which I have virtually no knowledge, and that would be fine had it not been for the fact that I cannot locate any more info about it on the net. The subject is this: “There are 6 senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, and consciousness) multiplied by 3 reactions (positive, negative, or indifference) makes 18 “feelings”.”
The body:
I have very old rosaries which are 20 in number. This is odd. However, two of the beads, located opposite each other in the sequence, do not match the rest of the beads, because one is half the size of the rest and the other is a figure of Buddha and is arranged perpendicular to the direction of the rest. These two are thus out of the sequence with the other 18, and divide the rest evenly into 9 and 9 beads. What’s even more interesting is that the 9 and 9 beads are carved human heads all showing different expressions, and none is like any other.
The question:
Would you know, or would you know anybody who knows (or a source) where I can find out more about what each of the 18 “feelings” are? What they are called, how they are derived from the 6 senses and the 3 reaction?
Thank you in advance for any help.
nenavredi@yahoo.com
Dear Gao DaZhi. This interpetation of the beads is based on Abhidhamma. See for example: http://www.dhammastudy.com/abhid-pract.html
Gassho, K
The Level Eight is dead.
Long Live the Nihonshukyo!
All the best Doug mate!
I swear to all that is good and holy gerald if you move your blog again…..
Some people have time consuming careers or children and can’t keep tract of your ever shifting web presence.
The new place seems nice though. I like it.
Ha ha ha, ok, I won’t move the blog again!
HI Doug,
Thanks for your new blog. I enjoy reading it and keeping in touch. I like the bucket.
I think as we change and grow in life, our blogs change too. I’ve had different ones too, but recently am writing here (see link above) and it is good.
-Maggie
PS “Nobodhi” is the best anonymous name ever.
I’m so sad that you deleted your last blog. You should’ve at least left it up as an archive.
Maggie: Thanks for understanding. Change was needed, and I feel pretty relieved I did it. I like your new blog.
Just Elise: I did preserve a fair amount of content from the old blog onto this one, so you should still be able to find it. I have the rest backed up as well, so if you need anything, just ask.
Holy smokes!
So this is where you ran off to!!
I tried to visit your old digs and found it gone. I couldn’t understand why.
I have also tried to visit you old blog and have been wondering if you had opened up a new one. And here it was. Great!
I will visit regularly.
Thank you
Gassho,
Senshin (a danish Tendai Buddhist)
Eksith, Senshin: I was sure I had sent everyone an email detailing the move, but I guess I missed some addresses. I had exported my old blog into XML, and then parsed the information using Perl, but I guess I didn’t do it right. Sorry you guys were not informed.
As for the old blog, I am glad it’s gone, after a month now, I am glad I changed blogs, and changed focus.
Don’t be sorry. I didn’t subscribe to your old blog. I have just looked in from time to time, so you couldn’t have sent me an email!
But I found your new blog. All is as it should be
Doug, no worries man! Just glad to have found your new address.
I get a ton of email so I was probably staring right at it, but didn’t notice.
Work + Personal email FTW!
I see you’ve put the Japanese to the Iroha.
Shouldn’t that be in kana? The clever thing about the iroha is that it uses all the syllables but only once. (I think you also need the ones no longer used) Why it is used for alphabetical order in Japanese.
I think my calligraphy teacher gave me a hand written version once. It was a practice sheet of hers.
Good question. Actually I wanted to get the meaning of the Iroha across more than the clever word play. Japanese people are pretty familiar with the Iroha, as far as I’ve seen, but may not realize the Buddhist context of it. That’s what I hoped to convey. The Iroha is an excellent Buddhist poem, especially the last two lines. Normally it’s associated with Kukai, the founder of Shingon Buddhism, but generally research now casts this into big doubt. It might have been a tribute to Kukai though by a later disciple or something. Hope that makes sense.
I just discovered your blog (just started one myself); loved Dune (movie and books); also in IT but not near as deep (desktop support – used to do more server/router admin, but I get paid well to surf the net); and have just refreshed back into meditation and Zen Buddhism after a year of not “being aware”
Hi Sekishin and welcome to the JLR! I should warn you that I am not a Zen Buddhist, and don’t agree with all its tenets, but I find it an interesting to learn more about my background in Pure Land Buddhism through it. Things always look different on the other side and all that.
Look around, hope you enjoy!
We are representing a number of Buddhism books both now and in the future. We would like to put you on our mailing list so we can send you comp review copies.
If you would like to receive the copies, please send us your mailing address.
Thanks very much.
- Hugh
Just came across your blog, very neat! I am a Buddhist myself, though I lean more towards the Tibetan kind.
However, I speak some Japanese and lived in Japan for a year, so I have a great interest in Japanese Buddhist sects and culture in general.
Your daughter is adorable.
found you by accident while surfing. Enjoyed the link to Morris’ photos. Castro sensei started a Sunday meditation service this summer. I’ll pass the link on to him as food for thought. Wow, your daughter has grown… that’s a beautiful pic of her! Are you guys going to be coming through Seattle any time soon? Hope to see you then.
alchymyst: Welcome to the JLR! Thanks for the kind words, and always glad to meet a fellow student.
Alan: Good to see you! I’ve been chatting with Mas and Rev. Castro from time to time, though I wasn’t aware of the meditation class. I missed having it around, so it’s good to see it back. I’ll be back in Seattle in the second-half of September. Wife and I miss Betsuin much.
Hi Doug,
Just read an e/m note which contains the URL to your blog and stated that you might be coming back soon.
Have you been taking a lot of pictures that could be on the web (royalty free I hope).
The idea of improving the website is still alive.
Since your departure I decided to switch from Windows to Ubuntu for my internet computer. Am at the early stage of this. Haven’t set up a perfect environment but I am satisfied enough to not want to return to Windows for this. I do have to continue to use Windows on my main computer because of software.
Thomas Smith
valhalla2100@comcast.net
Hi Thomas,
Long time no see.
Good to hear from another temple member. Lately a lot of people have been visiting here, so word must be spreading or something. 
As for the website, I know Mas had wanted to talk to me about some stuff, so that might come up when the time is right.
Glad to hear of your switch. I stopped using Windows a while ago (Mac actually, with virtual instances of Linux or BSD), and it’s been nice. We should catch up when I get back in mid-September. See you then!
I came across your blog and was interested in it because of your family. I am soon going to be launching a new online magazine geared towards multicultural/lingual families. The magazine will feature articles on culture, language, traditions, books & entertainment, regular columns and 3 bloggers. One of the columns is going to be on Raising Eastern Children in Western Countries. I am seeking a range of writers from different religious backgrounds (Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, etc) as well as cultural who have the commonality of raising their “Eastern” (interpret this word loosely) in the West. Would you be interested in being a contributing writer? I am also accepting submissions of any kind. I have included a full description of the magazine below (forgive me- it’s a bit long). Feel free to get in touch with me at incultureparent at gmail.com
InCultureParent is an online magazine dedicated to global parent culture and traditions. We will feature articles about raising multicultural and multilingual children coinciding with traditions and holidays around the world. Mainstream parenting websites are largely from the perspective of one dominant cultural framework. InCultureParent seeks to challenge the dominant culture of parenting information and present viewpoints from around the world. (For example, in many non-Western cultures children are potty-trained as infants. Or first foods vary greatly across cultures – Japanese babies eat fish as a first protein before they are one year old). Different cultures have diverse ways of parenting and differing priorities. Additionally, tradition and religion become more relevant when you have children and mainstream parenting websites are also silent when it comes to this area. Websites that do cover the realm of tradition and religion tend to be religious websites which we are not. InCultureParent blends culture, language and tradition and presents research-based and anecdotal articles on everything related to these areas.
We are targeting multicultural families, families interested in
learning about other cultures, expat families, families who are not from the US but are raising children in it and the many families who are you name it (Mexican, Egyptian, Persian, Armenian, Chinese, Vietnamese, etc)-American/British/Canadian/Australian/etc, who are interested
in parenting information that speaks to their interests and concerns.
InCultureParent will feature regular articles on the subjects of global parenting, raising multicultural/lingual families as well as spotlight two global holidays and traditions per month together with craft ideas for kids and recipes. The website will include three bloggers who share the common theme of raising multicultural and multilingual children and highlight good books for kids that feature different cultures.
We are currently accepting submissions.
Although it has been a few months since my last visit, I am so pleased to see your new blog and all the blogs long gone. Personally, I don’t care how many times you’ve needed to regroup, shift gears, self reflect and adjust your objectives. The way I see it is, all your past work has served as indications to your readers of what we can continue to look forward to as you continue to grow and enrich your writing before our eyes by way of being “flexible”. Thanks!!!
I’m new to your site; I’m really impressed and appreciate your work.
I write, and am developing a scene that takes place during a Japanese Buddhist funeral. I’d like to convey the sound and rhythm of the chanting. I’ve been looking for a romaji translation of the Amida Kyo Sutra without luck. Would it be appropriate to use three lines from your translation of the amida dhrani? Would you agree to this use of it?
Do you have the romaji translation of the beautiful lines in the beginning of the Amida Kyo Sutra that talk of the Land of Ultimate Bliss, the treasures and the golden sands?
Thanks! Lee
Hi Leonidas and welcome. I am actually pretty surprised no one’s bothered to post a romaji version of this sutra. I looked and sure enough, can’t find one!
I actually was secretly working on this, so if you can wait a few weeks, I’ll have something up at least for the first few lines. In the meantime you’re welcome to use whatever you like off the blog, as it’s fairly open. I’ve added a Creative Commons license for reference to the right. But anyway, go nuts.
Hello Doug! I am glad I found your blog. I have read a little about Buddhism here and there, but have just started practicing it. We have a very small Zen sangha where I live. Also, I’ve been into Japanese culture for years – although I have not been to Japan. For a long time I have gone back and forth about wanting to teach English in Japan. Still not sure what to think about that.
But anyway, how do I subscribe to your blog? And, if you have the time, could you check on mine? I’ve written many thoughts about Buddhism, and have been trying to figure out if studying Japanese is a wise thing to do. Thanks!
Hello and welcome to the JLR! As far as subscriptions go, I don’t know how to do that. People somehow figure it out and I’ve never subscribed to my own blog!
Far be it from me to offer advice, but for Japanese, it’s like any other skill in that it’s an investment, and quite an involved one if you don’t live in a foreign country. Living in a foreign is an even bigger adventure, and not one to take lightly. But at the same time it’s quite an amazing experience, but you have go in with both eyes open. Other than that, I can’t offer much else. Sorry I can’t be of more help.
Hi Doug
Do not know whether i am at right place for an introduction but anyway; Konnichiwa!
Great to have discovered your site as I recently (early March 2010) visited Japan and have nobody at home to share the experience really. Live in Johannesburg South Africa (except for sushi bars and Chinese restaurants there is only one Japanese restaurant i know about).
Have been to Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara, Mount Koya (Koyasan) and Hiroshima. Share your love of Japanese culture, language and religion. Since age 12 interested in it. Currently practicing Chan/Pure Land (Taiwanese teacher), which is perhaps closer to Honen’s version than Shinran’s.
Looking forward to share and learn from everybody. Also interested in Shinto (do not know to much about it), tea and sake. Experienced Japanese food great (at home i try to follow a macrobiotic diet).
Keep well.
Namu Amida Butsu
Namu Amitofo
Hi Hanzono and welcome to the JLR! I believe you are the first person from Africa to read thus blog so welcome indeed!
Hanzono;
Ispent a 10 hr flt from London to Mexico with some South Africans, they were good company (which is saying a lot) hear Jo’burg is gorgeous.
I’m a Pure Land practitioner in Honen school style but interested in any Chinese similarities differences. Do you do any visualization, prostrations, chant mantras? or is it all Amituofo chanting?