I wake up early every morning, meditate, make coffee, write a bit and usually check out a few sites online. Besides the Interdependence Project One City blog, which I humbly submit manages to have a more relevant, lively, and consistent conversation about Buddhist technique in 21st century lifestyle than anyone else out there – I’ve found that there are a handful of blogs and websites I always come back to. So in no particular order, here are the 10 of the best websites to check out when exploring your own practice (or just if you’re just curious about Buddhism).
I follow most of these by subscribing with the always free Google Reader; before that i just had a little folder called “Daily Reading” in my Firefox toolbar. Many of them have Twitter accounts as well.
1. How to Save the World
Dave Pollard is an extraordinary thinker who has been writing for years
about the intersection of environment, intentional community, and
personal choices and “a better understanding of how the world really
works”. There is no other writer who so consistently challenges the
limits of my understanding and causes me to return again and again to
their ideas. Dave nearly always leads to me to an “ah-hah” moment, but
sometimes it takes re-reading or marinating his essays to get it.
2. Buddhanet
Hands down the most absurdly well-stocked library of information about
Buddhism online, Buddhanet has everything from online meditation
teachings, to an evolving Buddhist eLibrary, a massive director of
Sanghas and Buddhist organizations worldwide, mp3′s of chanting,
teachings and Buddhist songs – all donation supported since 1995. This
is one of the first places I saw Buddhism being explored online, and it
is constantly being updated.
3. The Dalai Lama’s Personal Wesbite
His Holiness’ website includes audio teachings in many languages
(check out Webcasts) as well as news updates and a photo gallery that
makes me wonder why he’s never done a music video.
4. Buddhist Geeks While The Interdependence Project may have the best podcasts of contemporary Buddhist classes
available online, Buddhist Geeks is the leader in awesome interviews
with Buddhist teachers, scholars and thinkers, all of which are meant
to inspire direct action rather than just mere “flapping their gums”.
Chief geek Vince Horn did a great guest post here at the IDP blog last week that drew over 170 comments.
5. Tricycle
While Buddhist Geeks and the Interdependence Project rigorously strive
to make teachings relevant to 21st century internet dwellers, Tricycle
tends to a bit more navel-gazing, critical analysis and review. Always
thoughtful, always scented by just a whiff of Nag Champa, Tricycle’s
online magazine and their blog are where I go when I need a more
philosophical moment.
6. Kevin Kelly’s Lifestream
Back in the day, Wired Magazine was a mind-bending, thought-provoking
hotbed of thinking about how people, technology, and the physical
environment intersected. Though it’s tended toward more standard
coverage of toys and technology over the last few years, founder Kevin
Kelly’s writing about the Technium on his personal blog continues to
deliver impactful ideas on a par with Dave Pollard’s. In his latest post,
he proposes that The Technium (his term for the physical world of
technolgy) comprises less than 1% of all the physical atoms on earth,
yet has an effect perhaps more profound than the other 99%. The
Lifestream is a feed of all his writing on all the subjects he writes
so eloquently about.
7. Shambhala Sunspace
When Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche brought his version of Buddhism to the
West forty years ago, he framed them as the Shambhala teachings to make
them relevant to a young American audience. As Shambhala Sun magazine (the
physical version) continues to serve a largely older population made up
of the people who gave Buddhism its foundation in Western Society, its
blog Shambhala Sunspace is finding its sea legs as it engages today’s younger audience. Editor Rod
Meade Sperry is doing a fantastic job, and it wouldn’t surprise me if
his work with Sunspace becomes an important part of the emerging conversation about Buddhism in modern life.
8. Illuminated Mind
Jonathan Mead’s website about livelihood, creativity, and finding your
authentic voice could easily be a pastiche of cheesy self-development
crap. Instead, he’s managed to make lessons learned on his own deeply
felt (and ongoing) journey to self-actualization relevant to anyone
who’s ever wondered “who the F am I anyways?” I’ve never asked
Jonatahan if he’s Buddhist or if he practices meditation, but I do know
this: he tests every idea that he comes up with in the lab of his own
life, rejects what doesn’t work, keeps what does, then writes about it
in a way that makes me feel like I am up at 2AM having an amazing
conversation with an old friend. Love it.
9. Elephant Journal
If the Interdependence Project is the New
Yorky/crunchy/environmentalist/Kumbaya/neurotic love child of Martin
Luther King Jr, Allen Ginsberg and Woody Harrelson, then Elephant
Journal is our easy-breezy/Bouldery-y/athletic
intellectual/pine-scented/ski-pass toting/yoga-doing cousin.
Personally I’d love to see a shirtless Celebrity Buddhist Smackdown
between Ethan Nichtern and Waylon Lewis, but I should proabably keep my
sordid fantasies to myself. In any given day, Elephant Journal might
write about yoga practice, a consumer boycott, the coolest yoga pants
to buy, and the decline and resurrection of a personal meditation
practice. If I turn the computer off for two hours, when I turn it back
on I’m almost guaranteed there will be something fresh from Elephant
Journal.
10. Ann Coulter One of the key
teachings of Buddhism is to develop enough space in your own mind that
you can recognize, and choose how to deal with, the three poisions of
greed, anger and ignorance. As root causes of suffering, we dedicate
our practice to shining a light on the poisions in ourselves and
others, in order to alleviate dissatisfaction. I can think of no
better opportunity to practice compassion or deal with our own internal
reactions than being faced with a living, breathing example of the
three poisions run amok. Ann Coulter is a shining example of what
happens when you (consciously or not) embrace the poisons and then
package and sell them back to other people to increase their
dissatisfaction without offering any hope or path to a more easeful way
of being. This may be the best site site of all the best
sites for Buddhists, as it offers an opportunity to practice how we
deal with unskillful emotions in oursleves, and in others. It’s easier
being Buddhist in the familar environments of Elephant Journal,
Tricycle, or Buddhist Geeks - but what happens when we are confronted
with button-pushing unskillful dogma?
I’ve deliberately
avoided listing any sites that are commercial re-packagings of the
Buddha’s teachings as instant enlightement, “quadrant thinking”, or new
agey self development. (you know who you are – some of your ads even show up automatically at the bottom of this page).
What’s your favorite places to visit online? What sites have I missed?
posted August 19, 2009 at 1:17 pm
Great post, Jerry. I am bookmarking these cites now and creating a folder and making aspirations to read more blogs!
At elephant, I notice that the Waylon v. Ethan smackdown you dream of is already well underway considering their contrasting opinions on the Whole Foods question.
I remember talking about other good Buddhist sites at our bloggers dinner. Thanks for following through. I am excited about these explorations into blogland.
posted August 19, 2009 at 1:20 pm
While I agree with most of these (esp. BuddhaNet that place is an amazing collection of everything Buddhist) some seemed a little blah.
Not meaning to offend some of the blogs listed..they are great but standard.
until #10 Ann Coulter is a great example of what we need to experience and avoid becoming…
If you wish for me to list a few Buddhist Blogs that I visit daily, here you go….in no particular order.
http://www.angryasianbuddhist.blogspot.com http://www.progressivebuddhism.blogspot.com
http://www.zennist.typepad.com
http://www.digitalzendo.com
All of these blogs span a wide array of topics, opinion and viewpoints and always start a good conversation and further my practice. Cheers, Jack
posted August 19, 2009 at 1:25 pm
“Personally I’d love to see a shirtless Celebrity Buddhist Smackdown between Ethan Nichtern and Waylon Lewis”
Perish the thought–though the Nichtern camp claims its hero would carry a significant abs advantage.
posted August 19, 2009 at 1:26 pm
The Buddhist Geeks link isn’t working for me. Of course, I can find the site (www.buddhistgeeks.com), but I thought I might mention the glitch.
posted August 19, 2009 at 1:40 pm
You missed http://www.zennist.typepad.com the only Buddhist blog that mentions and teaches the fact that Buddhism is actually an esoteric path (like in transcendence!) if you’ve actually read the Pali Nikayas and/or the major Mahayana Sutras (e.g., Saddharmapundarika, Avatamsaka, Surangamasamadhi, Srimala, Lankavatara, ect).
posted August 19, 2009 at 2:05 pm
In chatting with people about blogs lately, I’m shocked by how few people use readers (like google reader or bloglines). How else to know when favorite blogs update without visiting each one?
Some of these sites are great. I’ve lately been struggling with why there is so much less intelligent discussion about yoga practice and philosophy. The well-established philosophical tradition is all but ignored.
Thanks for these. Also enjoyed Jack’s links.
posted August 19, 2009 at 2:14 pm
Thanks…Buddhist Geeks link should be working now.
posted August 19, 2009 at 2:31 pm
Don’t forget the 12-Step Buddhist book, blog and podcast. This is applied spirituality!
-d
posted August 19, 2009 at 2:36 pm
Ann Coulter is not that much of a poison! Toxicicity may come from categorizing things too automatically.
For some reason, Coulter is always treated like Winston Churchill while she really is more like a less-smart Lenny Bruce of the Right in drag. It’s weird.
When in 2006, I think it was, she said, notoriously, that the widows of the firemen of the Twin Towers calamity had no right to complain; they’d already been paid off — if you think about it, She Was Correct! America, or the Bush Administration I should say, DID ‘pay off’ the families of those who died on 911 to shut up. THAT’s exactly what that was: Hush money.
We NEED Ann Coulter, and we needn’t worry. The left will always have better comedians; we have better (or more troubling) fodder to work with.
posted August 19, 2009 at 2:37 pm
As always, your posts are vital and eclectic.
One site I visit regularly : the Buddhist Channel.
[ http://buddhistchannel.tv ]
It’s print, not video, thus a daily newspaperless. It’s the first global Buddhist news source. Guidelines are One Dharma, right speech, and free and fair press.
[ Full disclosure : I serve on the International Advisory Panel ]
The site is searchable, and articles are archived, including a special section for Burma/Myanamar.
On the horizon, there are plans for growth : interested volunteers, journalists, and editors are warmly invited to contact the Channel.
posted August 19, 2009 at 6:19 pm
LOL on #10
i’d like to add to this list the brand new Seattle Insight Meditation Society site. it’s got tons of videos and audio recordings from various teachers. check it.
http://www.seattleinsight.org
~C
posted August 19, 2009 at 7:35 pm
Thanks C4 and everyone else – loads of good new links there. I’m glad you enjoyed #10 .
posted August 19, 2009 at 8:47 pm
Thanks for this list Jerry. I’ll have to check some of these out!
posted August 20, 2009 at 2:44 am
We’ve got a couple hundred links in the subject directories on our site. If anyone has other suggestions for inclusion, please let me know:
http://www.mahabodhi.net
posted August 20, 2009 at 7:41 am
For Chinese Shambhalians, there is a very useful site with all kinds of Shambhala related information and teachings (complicated font): http://shambhalachinese.blogspot.com/
Simplified font: http://blog.sina.com.cn/sacredshambhala
posted August 20, 2009 at 9:22 am
For adding Ann Coulter and for your comments as to why, I love you.
I have never before smiled while thinking of Ann Coulter.
Beautiful!
posted August 20, 2009 at 10:24 am
Gil Fronsdal heads The Insight Meditation Center group in Redwood City, California. All of his talks are on line, as well as many other guest speakers going back to 2001. One of the best archived podcast libraries of dharma talks on the internet.
http://www.audiodharma.org/
posted August 20, 2009 at 4:46 pm
James thanks for the link that’s a good one…
Justin thanks for the love.
posted August 20, 2009 at 9:10 pm
some Buddhist links:
Zen Mountain Monastery Meditation Instructions
http://www.mro.org/zmm/teachings/meditation.php
+++++
Zen Centers Guide
http://www.dharmanet.org/infowebZen.htm
++++++++
Buddhist Meditation #1:
http://www.freemeditations.com/buddhist_meditation.html
+++
Buddhist Meditation #2:
http://www.freemeditations.com/buddhist_breath_meditation.html
+++
Buddhist Art
http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/buddhism.shtml
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Zen Quotes
http://www.paralumun.com/zenquotes.htm
+++++++++++++++++
Dhammapada
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/index.html
++++
++++
101 Zen Stories
http://www.101zenstories.com/
+++++
Here is a link to the writings of the Zen Master Hakuin
http://www.terebess.hu/zen/hakuin1.html
+++
Buddhist chants
http://www.buddhanet.net/audio-chant.htm
++++
Poetry by Han Shan
http://www.chinapage.com/hanshan2n.html
http://www.poetseers.org/spiritual_and_devotional_poets/buddhist/hanshan/index_html/view
Buddhist Poems
http://www.poetseers.org/themes/poems_spirituality/poems_about_buddhism/view
+++
All Haiku
http://www.scribd.com/doc/3682741/Japanese-Haiku-by-Peter-Beilenson
+++
Haiku by Basho
http://oaks.nvg.org/basho.html
++++
The Narrow Road to the Deep North
by Basho
http://www.terebess.hu/english/haiku/basho2.html#1
+++
Basho’s Trail
neat stuff…..
a National Geographic photography spread – includes a photo of the trail that Zen haiku poet Basho took around Japan…
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/02/bashos-trail/yamashita-photography
+++++++++
Buddhist Stories
http://www.zenguide.com/zenmedia/index.cfm
posted August 20, 2009 at 10:10 pm
SFZC is a favorite, because my first, and greatest teacher, Suzuki Roshi founded San Francisco Zen Center. Wonderful audio archives of various dokusan by various Soto Zen teachers, and others.
I love Dharma the Cat, true instant enlightenment guaranteed, Crooked Cucumber,
Great Vow Zen Monastery, plus too many other favorites to name.
posted August 20, 2009 at 11:06 pm
Dear Dharma Friends,
Try, http://www.justbegood.net – Wow!
posted August 21, 2009 at 12:08 am
Yes, Just Be Good is great… plenty of excellent books, CDs, and other material they mail off around the world. One of my favorites.
posted August 21, 2009 at 10:47 am
Jerry,
I’m working my way through your list bit by bit. Thanks so much for this little piece of web curation.
posted November 14, 2009 at 10:37 pm
nice stuff to buy.
posted February 5, 2010 at 10:41 pm
Nice post. I love the Illuminated Mind. Well, I think you have broken link here, about the ten one, I can’t go to the site. Thanks
posted March 29, 2010 at 2:11 pm
All people deserve wealthy life time and personal loans or auto loan would make it much better. Because people’s freedom depends on money state.
posted June 18, 2010 at 2:57 pm
Buddhist Prayer and Ritual Service for the sick and dying.
posted August 10, 2010 at 5:32 pm
wonderful its amazing stuff….i like it.
posted August 17, 2010 at 8:58 pm
wonderful article thanks.
posted August 27, 2010 at 2:20 pm
great work is going on.
posted August 29, 2010 at 5:13 am
Well, I would not say that my website is on of the best websites of Buddhism information but we have many articles on Buddhism and we also provide most of the Tibetan Buddhist Ritual Products at the most affordable prices.
Check out:-
http://www.himalayacrafts.com
Thank you.
posted September 10, 2010 at 7:11 am
Sorry another commercial site making a comment but a great blog and particuarly like the Ann Coulter tip – I checked her out – as the Buddha said to understand everything is to forgive everything.
The road to nirvana is paved with good intentions. Keep up the good work.
posted September 20, 2010 at 5:01 am
nice blog.
posted September 21, 2010 at 6:56 am
make money with Google
posted September 25, 2010 at 6:13 pm
The Organ for the Universal Buddhist League continues the work begun by the late Rev. Tyuzi Hasimoto. Toshiyori has nothing to sell but, as a practitioner of esoteric Buddhism, offers Kaji-Reiki without charge especially to cancer sufferers.
posted October 1, 2010 at 10:05 am
An insightful blog about buddhist practice and buddhist chaplaincy.
posted November 11, 2010 at 7:17 pm
the best site. the supreme buddhist teaching
posted November 18, 2010 at 9:22 am
Thanks for this post it gives me knowledge about buddhist practice.Now I can understand them and can relate to their beliefs.
Britney,
posted November 21, 2010 at 8:23 am
Some great blogs here which I personally follow I would like to respectfully submit my own for consideration which has just passed it’s 200th post. Our regular blog on all things relating to Buddhism and the Buddha – including the bizarre ,strange ,magnificent and awesome elements of what is the world’s most peaceful and inspiring religous philosophy. “I never see what has been done; I only see what remains to be done.” Buddha
http://thebuddhasface.blogspot.com/
posted December 20, 2010 at 10:00 am
I go no further than The Dalai Lama’s Personal Website, I am not heavily invested in this but i do look him up from time to time. It can be an enlightening experience for one to dive in to Buddhism.
posted December 27, 2010 at 8:01 pm
I’m enjoying this new blog. Don’t let the title put you off. It’s actually shaping up to be very interesting. Novices and others alike. Google “The Badass Buddhist”. Sassy, but getting it right, with lots of interesting approaches.
Peace.
posted January 20, 2011 at 6:48 pm
Don’t miss this newly launched site: Dharma Wisdom: Integrating the Buddhist teachings in daily life.
Phillip Moffitt, Former CEO and Editor-in-Chief of Esquire Magazine, left his worldly life to pursue his inner life and is now a Buddhist meditation teacher author and co-guiding teacher of Spirit Rock Meditation Center. He is an incredible teacher-Balancing the ancient wisdom with practical everyday.
Check it out!
posted February 4, 2011 at 11:53 pm
hardcorezen.blogspot.com
Brad Warner’s blog. Current, relevant and never pulls punches, even if it will make him unpopular. I really enjoy his no nonsense approach to Zen. His approach is simply “What’s happening right now. And, how do I deal with.
Brad also doesn’t fall victim to the fallacy that compassion means being nice all the time.
posted February 5, 2011 at 6:35 am
Good morning all, just shopping around to investigate more Buddhist wisdom, and that of people who also on the path. I am self taught, and I am curious to see if I am missing anything..Sincere thanks Bronco…
posted February 9, 2011 at 2:50 pm
Buddhism vs. Asian Culture
Does becoming a Buddhist require somebody to adopt Asian attitudes and cultural tendencies? It seems that as somebody passes the introduction phase and gets deeper into Buddhism, the path towards Enlightenment involves embracing Asian Culture and Asian Style more and more. An example might include speaking more like an Asian and less like an African American or Hispanic. The website “Spirituality Beyond Religion”, http://www.spiritualitybeyondreligion.com , explores such issues.
posted March 8, 2011 at 11:53 am
According to me the best site of videos
posted March 27, 2011 at 10:41 pm
http://www.holybooks.com/
posted April 23, 2011 at 11:04 am
IS THERE ANY BODY OUT THERE, IT SEEMS THERE IS NOT, AS I MADE A REQUEST QUITE SOME TIME AGO TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE REALISED, OR BECOMING REALISED…WHERE ARE YOU…???
posted April 23, 2011 at 11:34 pm
to http://www.theidproject.org/blog
posted May 18, 2011 at 1:21 pm
How about the “What Meditation Really Is” website?
It features a high quality blog, an online tutorial on meditation, videos etc.
posted May 28, 2011 at 9:07 pm
my fav
http://www.sgi-usa.org
posted July 1, 2011 at 3:24 am
It seems that as somebody passes the introduction phase and gets deeper into Buddhism, the path towards Enlightenment involves embracing Asian Culture and Asian Style more and more
Read more: http://blog.beliefnet.com/onecity/2009/08/10-of-the-best-websites-for-buddhism.html#ixzz1Qpu96deh
posted July 1, 2011 at 3:26 am
It features a high quality blog, an online tutorial on meditation, videos etc.
Read more: http://blog.beliefnet.com/onecity/2009/08/10-of-the-best-websites-for-buddhism.html#ixzz1QpuXznXw
posted September 10, 2011 at 7:39 am
Hi:
I like to introduct a new Buddhist Blog:
“Introducing to Buddhism through Science” at http://www.amtb-minn.org/wordpress. It is relatively new but has generated a fair amount of reader responses.
Thanks
posted November 12, 2011 at 4:06 pm
Please also see author Elizabeth Mattis Namgyels “weekly q&a” blog, a deep look at user submitted yet ions by a long term practitioner.
http://Www.thepowerofanopenquestion.com/q-a
posted December 9, 2011 at 3:05 am
Hi,
For those who like buddhist mantras, sutras, songs and etc., visit http://happywaterdragon.blogspot.com/
Thanks =)
posted January 14, 2012 at 3:15 pm
I am a cosmetic inventor who is selling my
products to buddhist devotees only. There is
a matching soap and after shave also a sachet. Please write me at -child of youth-po box 1521-westhampton beach, ny 11978