Wise men, eccentrics, geniuses and charlatans. Gurus have featured large as Buddhism has come the West. What should we make of them? Reviews of Madame Blavatsky’s Baboon: Theosophy and the Emergence of the Western Guru by Peter Washington; Riding the Tiger by Lama Ole N…
What, if anything, do we ‘know’ about the Buddha? This recent book employs scholarly detective work to ‘prove’ that certain elements in the ancient Pali scriptures are true. It casts fresh light on the world the Buddha inhabited and the meditation practices he learn…
David Breuer Weil is a powerful artistic presence: heir to London-based Jewish like Freud and Epstein. As a new book and exhibition showcase his work, I reflect on my own friendship with David and the significance of his monumental images
A vivid account of the Buddha’s life and a vivid personal journey
A collection of beautifully written reflections on Buddhism, nature and meditation by an American Buddhist monk