About the Author
Hello, this blog is about my life as a father, Buddhist and Japanophile / Koreaphile. Any useful information I can pass along will hopefully make the Internets a better place. Thanks for reading!
Author Archives: Doug
Fall Ohigan 2010: Escaping the World
I wanted to share this poem from the famous Japanese poem anthology, the Hyakunin Isshu: [84] 世の中よ Yo no naka yo 道こそなけれ Michi koso nakere 思ひ入る Omoi iru 山のおくにも Yama no oku ni mo 鹿ぞ鳴くなる Shika zo naku naru For … Continue reading
Posted in Buddhism, Japan, Poetry, Religion
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Sugawara no Michizane: from scholar to deity
In the past, I’ve talked about a Shinto kami named Tenjin, who was originally the historical Confucian scholar and poet, Sugawara no Michizane, but I haven’t delved much into how Michizane became a deity in the first place. Having finished … Continue reading
Posted in Japan, Literature, Poetry, Shinto
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How to eat sushi and other tips
Sushi is the epitome of Japanese food, and almost everyone in the world knows about it, even if they have never tried it. My first experience with sushi was when I was about 16 years old, when I went to … Continue reading
Posted in Cooking, Ireland, Japan, Seattle
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Reviewing for the JLPT N3
As the new 2010 JLPT exam comes closer and closer, I’ve been eagerly looking for ways to review for the test. This year I spent a lot of time just reading and listening to Japanese on my own, not necessarily … Continue reading
Posted in Buddhism, Japanese, JLPT, Language
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The Trouble with History
It occurred to me recently after reading this comic and this comic that much of our interest in history is a best-guess at most. This happens in movies quite a bit that present themselves as historical dramas (usually with emphasis … Continue reading
Posted in Buddhism, General, Theravada
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Love through the Ages
As a nice way to end Friday, I felt like mentioning this story from the Asahi Shinbun: http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201009060231.html It’s a lovely story and I hope you’ll take the time to read it. Anyone who’s been in a relationship knows how … Continue reading
A Call to Charity, will Buddhists in the West Answer?
“Heedful at administering or working at one’s occupation, maintaining one’s life in tune, one protects one’s store of wealth. A person of conviction, consummate in virtue, magnanimous, free of selfishness, constantly clears the path to security in the lives to … Continue reading
Day of the Chrysanthemum
Of the five seasonal holidays in Japan,1 or sekku (節句) that existed since antiquity, the Day of the Chrysanthemum is the last and in some ways the least understood. The festival was known as the kiku no sekku (菊の節句) or … Continue reading
Posted in Japan, Poetry
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Tabi: just do it
Having married a Japanese girl has taught me about the little things in Japanese home life I would have not noticed before. The sort of things that don’t seem “cool” or “zen”, in other words. Normally, socks would not be … Continue reading
Posted in Japan
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Putting Yogacara Buddhism into Practice
Ever since I took an interest in Yogacara/Hossō Buddhism last year, one question that has often arisen for me (possibly others) is how do you practice it? Texts and treatises elude to special types of meditation within the monastic community, … Continue reading
Posted in Buddhism, Hosso, Japan, Shingon
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