Magazine Seated Buddha, Java/Sumatra 9th Century Images of Truth Feb 26, 2023 A 9th Century Buddha from Sumatra, with an accompanying verse explaining how to directly see the Dharma. Maitreya: Sumatra 9th Century Images of Truth Feb 12, 2023 The bodhisattva Maitreya is the Buddha in waiting who will teach the Buddha’s way once the Dharma has been forgotten again. Frieze fragment of figures beside a chakra (wheel) Images of Truth Feb 5, 2023 A fragment relief from Southeast India, accompanied by an excerpt from Setting in Motion the Wheel of the Dhamma Curse of the Werewolf The Alchemy of Transformation Jan 22, 2023 Martin takes a look at how spiritual power can turn humans into monsters. Monkey | Chapter 15 Stories Retold: Journey to the West Jan 22, 2023 Everyone is blaming Monkey for their misfortune again but surely this time it isn’t his fault? Monkey | Chapter 14 Stories Retold: Journey to the West Jan 15, 2023 In this episode, the monk Tripitaka stumbles across a particular Monkey who has been trapped under a mountain… Monkey | Chapter 13 Stories Retold: Journey to the West Jan 8, 2023 In this episode the monk Tripitaka sets out on his long journey to retrieve the lost Buddhist texts but what will the naïve monk do when he comes face to face with the horrible dangers he was warned about? Monkey | Chapter 12 Stories Retold: Journey to the West Dec 23, 2022 In this chapter, the unfortunate couple Liu and his wife Blue lotus, who having being returned to the land of the living, finds that her soul has been placed in the recently deceased Princess Jade Bud's body. Monkey | Chapter 11 Stories Retold: Journey to the West Dec 17, 2022 In this Episode, the Emperor faces a trial by the Judges of Death for killing the Dragon King in his dream. Monkey | Chapter 10 Stories Retold: Journey to the West Dec 11, 2022 In this Episode, the Dragon King makes a bet with a fortune teller unaware that his bet is against Fate itself. Extract | Poems of the Japanese Zen Masters Book Extracts Dec 4, 2022 The Zen masters reveal some of the secrets of Zen practice through poetry. Monkey | Chapter 8 Stories Retold: Journey to the West Nov 20, 2022 Monkey has now been imprisoned under a mountain by the Buddha but a Bodhisattva who’s on a mission, may be able to get this monkey out of its cage. Monkey | Chapter 7 Stories Retold: Journey to the West Nov 13, 2022 Although the God's have managed to capture Monkey but he has become so strong the Gods have no way of actually getting rid of him. With no one else left to turn to, the western Buddha is called. Monkey | Chapter 6 Journey to the West Retold Nov 5, 2022 With no one able to defeat the monkey king the great magician Erh-lang comes up with a cunning plan... Monkey | Chapter 5 Journey to the West Retold Oct 30, 2022 Monkey, now the Great Sage and Equal of Heaven, has become so powerful that even the emperor of heaven is scared of him, after all he’s still a monkey. Series The Stories of Monkey Oct 30, 2022 The magical stories of Monkey, from the novel Journey to the West, are retold by The Zen Gateway. Monkey | Chapter 4 Journey to the West Retold Oct 23, 2022 In this Episode the Jade Emperor of heaven, the planet Venus and multi limbed transforming warriors all attempt to get the precocious monkey under control. Monkey | Chapter 3 Journey to the West Retold Oct 16, 2022 In this episode, Monkey ransoms one of the four dragons of creation and gets kidnapped and dragged down into the underworld. Extract | The Year of my Life; A translation of Issa’s Oraga Haru Book Extracts Oct 1, 2022 Issa was not only a Buddhist priest but also one of Japan’s greatest Haiku poets. His verses featured in this extract are quite mysterious… Monkey | Chapter 2 Journey to the West Retold Oct 1, 2022 Monkey learns the secrets of immortality from a Daoist mystic, but how long will his teacher’s patience last? Monkey | Chapter 1 Journey to the West Retold Sep 25, 2022 A precocious monkey seeks out the secrets to immortality in this retelling of the Chinese classic Journey to the West. Introduction to the Stories of Monkey | With illustrations by... Stories Retold Sep 17, 2022 Born from a rock, possessing magical powers to rival the Gods and imprisoned under a mountain by the Buddha, the Character of Monkey has been the subject of TV shows, films and Operas. Attracting without Asking The Hidden Art of Spiritual Transformation Sep 3, 2022 If there is ‘no-one’ to realise enlightenment then who are we doing this practice for? The ancient Romans and Greeks may give us a clue. Mon Buddha Head, 7/8th Century, Burma/Myanmar Images of Truth Jun 4, 2022 Let go of the past, let go of the future, let go of the present, and cross over to the farther shore of existence. With mind wholly liberated, you shall come no more to birth and death. Avalokiteshvara Padmapani Images of Truth Mar 4, 2022 Padmapani means the one who holds the lotus, a symbol of emptiness, is a form of the great bodhisattva of compassion - Avalokitesvara. The Parinirvana of the Buddha Images of Truth Feb 18, 2022 Before the Buddha died he gave one last sermon. The 15th of February marks the passing of the Buddha into Parinirvana celebrated by as celebrated by the Zen school. Standing Buddha: Images of Truth Jan 6, 2022 In this extract from a Zen text from the Dun Huang caves, Master Nyuri explains the supernormal powers of The Buddha. Heian Buddha (11th Century) Images of Truth Nov 11, 2021 The Heian Period (794-1185) saw a number of schools of Buddhism developing in Japan - Tendai, Shingon and Pure Land. Zen arrived in Japan in the 12th Century at the end of this fruitful period. Bodhisattva (fragment) Gandhara 4th Century Images of Truth Nov 2, 2021 The Bodhisattvas vow to stay in this world of Samsara until every last sentient being is saved. While such ideals may seem distant from our own lives, at it’s core, the Bodhisattva vow has much to offer us in our own practice. Buddhist Theophany Images of Truth Jun 25, 2021 When the godhead or deity appears this is known as a theophany. Although the Buddha was a man, was it the Buddha or the man that incarnated all those years ago? PRAJNAPARAMITA Cambodia - 12th Century Images of Truth Jun 8, 2021 Prajnaparamita, the mother of the Buddhas, is a living embodiment of the Great Wisdom Sutras, which point the way to the nameless insight of the Buddha. 6th Century Gandharan Buddha Images of Truth May 14, 2021 One of the earliest iconographic depictions of the Buddha was Afghanistan, depicted in the Hellenic style of the Ancient Greeks. Portrait of a Lama: Tibet 15/16th Century Images of Truth Apr 22, 2021 This meditative Lama's portrait illustrates a wonderful story of a monk who is frightened by a giant spider that disturbs his meditation. His teacher devises a clever method to open his eyes to the true source of his fear. Maitreya Buddha: Thailand c. 8th century C.E Images of Truth Mar 30, 2021 On the border of Thailand and Cambodia, bodhisattvas rather than Buddhas seem to have been the focus of worship during the 7th-9th century CE. Standing Buddha - Afghanistan c. 6th Century CE Images of Truth Mar 17, 2021 This serene figure of the Buddha is a definitive image of Gandharan sculpture. Images of Truth: The Goddess Vasundhara, 11th century Nepal Images of Truth Mar 3, 2021 Magical powers, Devas and bodhisattvas expound the Dharma in this week's images of truth Images of Truth: Buddha Head Images of Truth Feb 20, 2021 The surviving fragment of a statue of the Buddha reveals a serene face, apparently in a state of deep introspection. Images of Truth: The Buddha Listens to Bavari Images of Truth Feb 9, 2021 The Buddha spent much of his teaching life in discourse with those who sought Truth. Some asked questions, others sought to refute his teachings. Whatever they came for the Buddha showed them all the same courtesy of listening carefully to what they were asking and then replying from the depth of his wisdom... Amida Buddha - Muromachi period Images of Buddha Jan 27, 2021 Amida Buddha is the Buddha of the Western Paradise who has vowed to rescue anyone who calls upon his name. It is one of the most popular Buddhist schools amongst the laity. The school originally arose in China but has spread throughout SE Asia. Images of Truth: Emaciated Buddha Frieze 3rd Century Dec 24, 2020 The high holidays can be a time of excess. This frieze of the Great Bodhisattva during his time of asceticism reminds us of the superhuman efforts he made to reach Enlightenment. Jātaka Tales: The Carpenter's Boar pt. 2 Dec 12, 2020 The final part of this Jātaka tale sees the Boar defeat the tiger and the sham ascetic, liberating the boars from danger, whilst the tree sprite reveals the details of who each character is in this birth. Jātaka Tales: The Carpenter's Boar Part One Dec 3, 2020 Artist Roberta Mansell illustrated some of the stories of the Buddha's previous births (Jātakas), for her children. She has kindly allowed The Zen Gateway to feature some of them. We present some here with extracts of text from the original story. Images of Truth: Bodhisattva - Central Tibet 13th/early 14th century Nov 11, 2020 Tibet became a refuge for Tantric teachings once persecution took hold in India. Bodhisattvas came to represent the function of the Buddha nature in the world and devotional images began to be formed in this Himalayan kingdom. Images of Truth: Yakushi Nyorai (Medicine Buddha) Japan 12th Century Oct 29, 2020 The Buddha is called the Great Physician and his teachings medicine for body and mind. These Buddhas dispense medicine to alleviate the 'dis-ease' of the human condition. Review; Buddhism - The British Library Exhibition Oct 28, 2020 Every day is a Good Day Oct 28, 2020 From Familiars to Zombies: The Horror of Bodily Invasion in Folklore and Films Oct 22, 2020 From the archive - The stronger the sense of a separate self, the greater the horror of bodily invasion. Images of Truth: Seated Buddha (Cambodia) 6-8th Century Oct 14, 2020 The hard sandstone used to create this elegant Buddha rupa makes its formation an act of arduous devotion that accumulated great merit for sculptor and donor alike. Series The Illustrated Jātakas or Stories of the Buddha's Former Births Illustrated by Roberta Mansell Oct 13, 2020 These stories tell the tales of how the Great Bodhisattva, who would one day become Shakyamuni Buddha, developed the virtues that would lead to his Complete and Perfect Enlightenment. An Illustrated Jātaka:Mahāmora-jātaka (part 1) The Tale of the Golden Peacock illustrated by Roberta Mansell Oct 13, 2020 These tales tell of the previous births of Shakyamuni Buddha and appear throughout the scriptures. They tell how the Great Being (Bodhisattva), developed the virtues which in turn led to his final re-birth and attainment of Complete and Perfect Enlightenment. Images of Truth: Seated Buddha (Tibet) 13th Century Oct 8, 2020 The golden body of the Buddha shines a spiritual light that points to the fact that the teachings must be realised in this very body, if they are to be understood completely. Images of Truth: Gandaran Bust of Buddha 3rd Century Sep 29, 2020 The familiar image of the standing Buddha probably originated in Gandhara in the 1st/2nd century CE; from that region, straddling the present-day nations of Afghanistan and Pakistan, the form spread to every region permeated by Buddhism. Series Images of Truth Buddhist art and iconography Sep 29, 2020 Buddhist art has always been more than just decorative, it is also used for reflection and contemplation. This series features images and a short text that may be used for personal reflection, a perfuming of Heart & Mind to quieten & uplift consciousness. Series The Zen Gateway Blog Dharma, Culture, Philosophy & Life-ways Sep 23, 2020 Here you will find blogs, curated videos and podcasts, books, musings and resources for new ways of living and relating in and through the world. Series The Zen Gateway Interviews Sep 22, 2020 A collection of written and audio interviews with people of interest for those walking the Buddha's Way. The Gateway Interview: Tim Barlow An interview with actor Tim Barlow Aug 18, 2020 Tim Barlow is an actor of stage, film and TV. He has worked in Hollywood and the UK from 'Hot Fuzz' to 'Dr Who'. He is also a Zen Buddhist practitioner. In this interview he discusses the spiritual side of life and lessons that he has learned over the years in this frank and... The Heart Sutra: The Swiss Army Knife of Mahayana Buddhism Aug 14, 2020 One of the best known sutras, chanted throughout Asia and the Far East, has multiple uses and seems to evolve through time and place. In Light of Asia: Georgia O'Keeffe & Mark Rothko Jul 16, 2020 In this final essay, Michael O'Neill looks at the influence of Buddhism and Zen on Western abstract and surreal artists. In Light of Asia: Marcel Duchamp Jul 14, 2020 Marcel Duchamp was reluctant to 'explain' his art but there is evidence that he was deeply influenced by Buddhist symbols and conceptions of 'No-I' and impermanence. In Light of Asia: Paul Gaugin & Vincent van Gogh Jul 14, 2020 Although known for their 'hell-raising' lifestyles both Gaugin and van Gogh were deeply touched by the teachings of Buddhism as well as by the styles of Japanese art. The Emergence of Artistic Interest Towards the Orient. Jul 7, 2020 The first in a series of articles about the influence of Oriental and specifically Buddhist ideas on Western art. Book Extract: How to Read Buddhist Art by Kurt Behrendt Jul 2, 2020 A lavishly illustrated art book from The Met in New York details the development of artistic styles and iconography through the countries of Asia that Buddhism reached. The Story of the Four Harmonious Friends Jul 2, 2020 This Jataka Tale (previous life-story of the Buddha), is illustrated by Roberta Mansell. Noor Inayat Khan: Princess, Spy & Author of a book on the Jataka Tales May 18, 2020 The British Spy who published the Buddhist Jataka Tales for English Readers who died fighting fascism and of whom you've probably never heard. Topics AUDIO COURSES BLOG BOOK EXTRACTS BOOK REVIEWS BOOKS BUDDHISM AND THE ARTS DAILY LIFE PRACTICE EXERCISES IN MINDFULNESS FILM REVIEWS FOLKLORE IN LIGHT OF ASIA INTERVIEWS NEWS PEOPLE PSYCHOLOGY REVIEWS STORIES NEW! Dharma Centre We have just launched our online Dharma Centre. All are welcome... Join our Community! Donate The virtue of generosity, charity or giving. 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