The Monastery

Apply yourself both now and in the next life. Without effort, you cannot be prosperous. Though the land be good, You cannot have an abundant crop without cultivation.” —Plato

What does it take to commit your life to the spiritual journey? Learn insights from those who breathe, walk, and embody the teachings of Buddhism. Here, you’ll find reflections from monks and nuns, as they share perspectives from the path.

Though much of my experience during the Guan Yin session was, in many ways, indescribable, there is at least one fact to take away from my experience. Meditation will change you for the better. It will help you be happier every moment of every day, and more importantly I think, help you see the value in, and possibility of, dedicating your life to others. [...]
As I was diving into the depths of the wisdom of the various religious traditions, I still had these burning questions in my heart: “What do I believe?” “What path am I supposed to follow?” And, I couldn’t help but feel torn. I found the Biblical teachings of Jesus extremely inspiring and skillful. [...]

What is Success?

The Monastery   |   Bhikshu Jin Chuan  |   November 29, 2011, 4:00 pm

[This is the third of a series of posts reflecting on how I found myself drawn to monasticism despite (or perhaps because of) my upbringing in the Bay Area and providing insight into how the relatively secular environment in which I grew up prompted me to look deeper into the meaning of life.] My mom’s [...]

It’s a Moral Issue

The Monastery  |  The Scene  |  The Tribe   |   Ajahn Guna  |   November 11, 2011, 6:45 am

After the Buddhist Global Relief (BGR) Walk to Feed the Hungry in South Bay CA, I was invited to spend time with Venerable Bhikkhu Bodhi at his residence in Chuang Yen Monastery, Carmel, NY. There were BGR meetings about to take place and were interested in having more Buddhist monastics involved in their programs. I [...]

Heroes: Catholic and Buddhist Monks

The Monastery   |   Bhikshu Jin Chuan  |   October 31, 2011, 10:00 am

[This is the second of a series of posts reflecting on how I found myself drawn to monasticism despite (or perhaps because of) my upbringing in the Bay Area and providing insight into how the relatively secular environment in which I grew up prompted me to look deeper into the meaning of life.] [Audio clip: [...]

A Journey to Monkhood

The Monastery   |   Bhikshu Jin Chuan  |   October 20, 2011, 4:23 pm

[This is the beginning of a series of posts reflecting on how I found myself drawn to monasticism despite (or perhaps because of) my upbringing in the Bay Area and providing insight into how the relatively secular environment in which I grew up prompted me to look deeper into the meaning of life.] [Audio clip: [...]

9/11 Walk to Feed the Hungry Speech

The Monastery  |  The Scene   |   Ajahn Guna  |   September 16, 2011, 6:30 am

[Admin’s note: Buddhist Global Relief just hosted a 18-mile peace walk from San Jose to Palo Alto, CA on Sept 11, 2011, ten years after 9/11.  Ajahn Guna, a Theravada monk living in Berkeley Buddhist Monastery led the walk and many members of the Berkeley community joined the walk. The event was quite successful with [...]

The Repository of Unlived Things

The Monastery  |  The University   |   James Roberts  |   September 1, 2011, 7:00 am

I’ve been wondering to myself, what does the name Earth Store mean? Earth Store (Chinese: 地藏 Dìzàng) session started on Sunday, and just like in other retreats, we will be spending a good deal of time reciting Earth Store Bodhisattva’s name. Partly because of this, and partly due to my own curiosity, I’ve been wondering [...]