Others Write or Draw or
Contribute or interviewed

Also see articles/excerpts and interviews and Readers' Comments and all over cuke.com


Taigen Dan Leighton - Buddhism and Peace and Justice

Brian Victoria - exposing Zen's support for militarism in Japan

Bhikkhu Moneyya - Moneyya Chronicles, Myanmar monastery guide, article on why not to take drugs

Of course there are many others who contribute not mentioned here. Search for their names in the site search box.

Gene DeSmidt


23-03-23 - Charlie Warren

23-02-28 - Larry Shainberg page has links to his articles

2021 - Pieces by Laura Burgess

2021 - Climate Change and Society by Jeff Broadbent

12-21-20 - Somewhere Between Prophet and Drunk by Mark Blacknell

9-30-18 - Marty Balin memorial page

5-19-18 - John E. Nelson - The Institutional Development of Zen in America from 1893

5-13-16 - My Way Seeking Mind in a Nut Shell - Shindo Gita Gayatri


2-29-16 - SONJA MARGULIES: TEACHER, EDITOR, POET


11-08-15 - Andrew Atkeison on his visit to Eiheiji


10-26-15 - Andrew Atkeison on his days in Kyoto - with photos


10-22-15 - Andrew Atkeison on his trip to Rinsoin - with photos


10-18-14 - The Embodied Mind - An interview with philosopher Evan Thompson - son of William Irwin Thompson - from Tricycle dot com - thanks Brit Pyland

I enjoy reading science stuff and sometimes science/religion stuff if it gets beyond literalism which this does. None of it is how I see things which is more like being underwater and whatever label I put on something floats away or gets eaten by a passing fish. But I think there's value in this sort of discussion - especially for people who can comprehend it. - DC


10-07-14 - Mark Foote writes: Here's one for ya:  a piece on Fuxi's poem (as translated by Andy Ferguson) that I hope represents a coherent description of practice: Zen Mudra - Fuxi


9-06-14 - Starting a page for Steve Frost, a Catholic priest friend and confidant


8-18-14 - In response to earlier DC post, Andrew Main on Canon's Corporate Name Etymology


7-18-14 - Loring Palmer on the Fourth Turning (of the Wheel of the Dharma)

Loring's cuke page


6-30-14 - Just got this great photo of Michael Katz and John Tarrant who'd just led a koan seminar or whatever they called it

at the Nevada City True Nature Zendo run by Michael's wife Jenny Wunderly.

The World Catches Us Every Time

An article by John Tarrant
Published in the April/May 2014 edition of Shambhala Sun
Abiding nowhere, the heart comes forth
- Zen koan


6-18-14 - On Ejo Takata by Andreas Ekei Zettl - a monk at Sogenji, Okayama, Japan

[A Japanese Zen Monk Offered 30 Years of his Life to Help in Developing a Foreign Country (Mexico)]


5-21-14 -  Letter From SHODO HARADA ROSHI ABOUT HIS VISIT TO SENDAI - written recently after the March 11, 2011 earthquake, tsunami, and Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster. Two more letters from disciples who accompanied him will follow. - Engaged Buddhism/Current Events


5-12-14 - HOW THOREAU'S WALDEN POND MIXED WITH THE GANGES AND YOGA CAME TO AMERICA WITH SWAMI VIVEKANANDA. - Reflections on Water by Peter Malakoff - available as an eBook from iTunes at that link.

YouTube video on the book

Peter Malakoff's blog with a bit on walking into Tassajara posted the other day.

posted in Others


4-25-14 -

Believe me, there is no goal, nor a way to reach it. You are the way and the goal, there is nothing else to reach except yourself. All you need is to understand, and understanding is the flowering of the mind. The tree is perennial, but the flowering and the fruit-bearing come in season. The seasons change, but not the tree. You are the tree. You have grown numberless branches and leaves in the past, and you may grow them also in the future - yet you remain. Not what was, or shall be, must you know, but what is. Yours is the desire that creates the universe. Know the world as your own creation and be free. – Nisargadatta - thanks Andrew Main


4-19-14 - John Tarrant article, The World Catches Us Every Time in Shambhala Sun. PDF with magazine cover.

John adds: My name is on the cover and the cover text says the problem with distraction is that it stops you from getting enlightened. Fortunately my piece has nothing to do with that:-)


4-06-14 - Danny Parker Seeks help collecting material for book of Ed Brown's talks and more.Read on and help him.


3-24-14 - Joel Weishaus, Artist-in-Residence at the Pacifica Graduate Institute in Carpinteria, shares his Beginner's Mind Project with us:

The Introduction has been revised (and to begin again)

"Winter 2013-14," concludes the one-year "Beginner's Mind" project


3-02-14 - Amarillo friend Jim Griffin has some nifty stuff on Japanese film, jazz, funnies and comics in Uncle Griffie's Jazz and...


3-01-14 - Why I Became a Buddhist, Meeting My Two Spiritual Teachers, Ascending and Descending Spirit by Paul Shippee


2-19-14 - Rilke and Nanni by Jenny Wunderly

Jenny Wunderly cuke page


1-21-14 - 2003 Lecture on the Enmei Jukku Kannon Gyo by Mel Weitsman

on the Berkeley ZC website. - thanks Elizabeth Sawyer. Two mistakes I think are the "Jukko" in the title and in the line "And if you do something wholesome, unwholesomeness follows." which I assume should be "wholesomeness follows." - dc


1-05-14 - A Witness to History by Gregory Johnson


12-09-13 - Rev. Steve Frost of the Nepsis site writes about the Son of God and sauntering.

Steve Frost cuke page


11-01-13- Here's the fascinating talk Malcolm Margolin gave at the New School at Commonweal a few weeks ago. From post on 10-08 - Malcolm Margolin of Heyday Books (30 years specializing in California history and culture) will join with host Michael Lerner of Commonweal and Steve Hellig of the Bolinas Hearsay News. - thanks Ken Adams and HK


9-05-13 - Rick Levine with Charles Leong (audio) MP3-24k (7.5 Mgs) - MP3-48k (15 Mgs) - Once Leong starts talking about fishing he doesn't change the subject till the end. In the last few seconds his voice speeds up humorously beyond comprehension due to battery death at time of recording.

Rick Levine cuke page


6-11-13 - TDL inscription to Steve Frost - repeat

Steve Frost cuke page


4-21-13 - Brad Warner compares Shobogenzos


3-31-13 - REV. STEPHEN W. FROST Ph.D. Easter Message 2013

Steve Frost cuke page


1-23-13 - The Spiritual Message of Evolution - Steve McIntosh - thanks Lor


10-29-12 - Father Steve Frost with a poem, De Deum, and a diagnosis - Paean's Song.

Steve Frost cuke page


10-18-12 - Sweden as a Monastery  by Rick Wicks


10-27-12 - Posted A Simple Sense of Delight and created Mt. Root Sangha Readings


10-14-12 - The Diggers Archive with a photo gallery featuring the photography of Chuck Gould.


10-01-12 - Translator interview on Translating the words of Buddha site. - thanks Howie


8-23-12 - TDL inscription to Steve Frost

Steve Frost cuke page


8-07-12 - Quotes sent by JW

In Book XI, of Milton’s Paradise Lost Adam is about to be cast out of Paradise, and discusses life and death with the angel Michael, since Adam knows nothing about mortality. Around lines 525-555, Adam asks Michael if there is a way to avoid suffering:

There is, said Michael, if thou well observe
The rule of not too much…
Nor love thy Life nor hate; but what thou liv’st
Live well, how long or short permit to Heav’n.

***

The Roman poet Martial in his tenth Epigram wrote about the things that bring a happy life:

"The need to be yourself  
Neither dreading nor desiring thy last hour"

***

"Do not ask what tomorrow will bring; However many days fate allows count them all as profit." - Horace in his "Soracte" Ode (I, ix)

***

"Why, indeed, is it necessary to summon trouble, – which must be endured soon enough when it has once arrived, or to anticipate trouble and ruin the present through fear of the future? It is indeed foolish to be unhappy now because you may be unhappy at some future time." - Seneca:

***

"One should count each day a separate life." - Seneca:


8-05-12 - Religion and Science: A Beautiful Friendship? - Bob Fuller (whom I remember from the Baker days at the SFZC) - thanks John Steiner


8-03-12 - Erik Davis wrote a two part article on RICK GRIFFIN, SUPERSTAR - "an appreciation of the esoteric and religious themes in the work of California's great psychedelic poster/underground comix/surfer illustration artist, who turned to Christ in 1970, during the first flush of the Jesus Freaks." -  in HiloBrow.


7-26-12 - Wendell E. Berry Lecture “It All Turns On Affection”

Article on Berry and this talk from Inside Higher Ed with links to talk and longer essay at the end. - thanks Gregory


7-2-12 - Loring Palmer on The Conquest of Peru - his recent inspiring trip and trips there


6-15-12 - Who Is Meditating? - original teaching of Buddha on how to meditate


5-18-12 - Paul Shippee - Ten Tips For Compassionate Communication


4-10-12 - Waking Up and Falling Asleep - by Mark Foote


4-08-12 - Hsuan Hua's talk on Buddha's life.


4-07-12 - A talk given by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche at the City Center of the SFZC on May 27, 1971. - thanks Joe Galewsky


4-06-12 - Good Friday to you - death of the ego day. Here's Father Steve Frost's offering for the day: the Berkeley Core: FORAYS INTO THE PSYCHE OF BEING

Steve Frost cuke page


4-03-12 - 2012 Matsuoka Roshi Archive Project

Before Shunryu Suzuki and all the Soto Zen priests who came to America whose names we know, there was Soyu Matsuoka. - dc


3-05-12 - A Gangaji rap on who we are with mountains and music accompanying.


1-25-12 -

THE HEALING NEEDED IN OUR WORLD:

PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES ON BUDDHIST MEDITATION, NONVIOLENT COMMUNICATION, ECO-PSYCHOLOGY, AND PATHS TO A NEW CONSCIOUSNESS

 by

Paul Shippee


1-23-12 - Father Steve Frost's Clear Light Missiles blog.

Steve separated his FALL SERIES blog posts into their own blog with the great name of the Clear Light Missiles Blog since, he says, they are hopefully the final statement summing up his whole 40 year NEPSIS project that Lew Lancaster put on line at UCB. Its a new layout for his theological/philosophical statement with paintings.

University of California, Berkeley site: Nepsis

Art and Poetry Nepsis site under development

Steve Frost cuke page


9-27-11 - Father Steve Frost with The Light and the Lonely - a painting and a poem

Steve Frost cuke page


9-26-11 - The Scorpion by Chris Boys


9-05-11 - Interview with Peter Levitt - here is the link to a 16 minute conversation that was broadcast yesterday AM on CBC radio in Canada re Dogen, Shobogenzo, etc.


8-16-11 - Tozen Akiyama Roshi dharma talk on New Year


7-31-11 - The Tooth by Chris Boys


7-30-11 -

Gudo Nishijima's blog

His Dogen Sangha website

Link to Articles on that website

Buddhism and Action - a translation of three talks Nishijima Roshi gave on NHK in Japan in 1994 - suggested by AA.

 


6-08-11 - The Vision in Prison by Chris Boys


4-29-11 - NHNE's "Big Mind" Resource Page from Bro Lor


4-27-11What would Lady Gaga appear like if she evolved into a spiritual teacher on a magic, enlightened island. Maybe she'd be Candice O'Denver. Click on this link for virtual heaven on earth. Enjoy. Lor


4-22-11 - A Love Letter by Nanao Sakaki

Joan Amaral sent this on July 22, 2009


The last two opening quotes from Phillip Alder's bridge column:

To be matter of fact about the world is to blunder into fantasy.- and dull fantasy at that, as the real world is strange and wonderful. - Robert Heinlein

The Law of Thumb says, "Somebody who thinks logically is a nice contrast to the real world."


3-22-11 - A message from an American in Sendai, hardest hit by the earthquakes


3-21-11 - Three Mid East Tales by Tom Harriman - Tom sent me these short accounts not long ago and he gave me permission to share them here. He's a lawyer, travel consultant, and cousin of Fred Harriman who helped me so much with translation and advice on things Japanese in doing Crooked Cucumber and since. - dc


12-09-10 - South Mountain China Zen Tours 2010 Report by fearless tour leader Andy Ferguson


10-24-09 - Mooji - the latest greatest Advaita Vedanta guru. I'm a sucker for this stuff. - dc


6-04-09 - Here is a collection of Youtube links featuring Adyashanti [thanks to Joe Veit]


3-20-09 - Two talks with Ken McCloud and Red Pine. Thanks Cheryl.


02-19-09 - Chinese Chan Master Sheng Yen has departed this floating world. A report from Andrew Main.


2-05-09 - Gloria Levine writes about Harambee Arts

I am writing to you from Nairobi, Kenya where I've been living and working as a Fulbright scholar since the beginning of September 2008. As part of my fellowship, I am fulfilling the mission of Harambee Arts, by hiring and training talented young artists to work with troubled children in slum areas, hospitals, schools and orphanages. To date, we have started “art clubs” in four slum schools and the “presidents” of the clubs are chosen from the “special needs children”, those with autism, downs syndrome and other neurological problems.

We also continue to lead a weekly art group for 30 HIV+ women at Langata Women’s Prison in Nairobi. The head warden said, “For the first time, the prisoners are eager to be tested for HIV so that they will be eligible to attend the Harambee Arts support group.” Most recently we led a workshop for grandmothers who are raising up to 20 orphans each, in a South African township. They had never painted before and the results were spectacular.

Five artists have been hired…two in Zimbabwe and three in Kenya, and more than 2,000 children have participated in our programs. Since the inception of Harambee Arts in fall 2007, more than 400 psychologists, teachers and social workers have been trained in our methodology of non-directive, child centered expressive arts.

Your continued support of our work in Sub-saharan Africa is greatly needed. Donations enable the Harambee Arts staff to continue our work with children and women who have been traumatized by the AIDS pandemic, civil wars, famine and displacement; and train others. Art supplies will be purchased! Capable youth will be given jobs! More trainings will be offered! Please see the photos below to view the beautiful recipients of our services.

For more information about Harambee Arts you can visit: www.harambeearts.org. It is easy to make a tax-deductible and secure financial donation by visiting our Donation Page at www.harambeearts.org/donate.html (and click on the "Donate" button) or send a check by filling out the attached Donation Form (.pdf).

Harambee Arts


12-04-08 - A Seasonal Letter --- from Brother David Steindl-Rast


8-02-08 - After the fire photos from Tassajara by Gene DeSmidt - and a poem.


6-04-08 - Check out Clark Strand on bridging Buddhism and the Bible and on the World Wisdom site and here's an article by him on meditation with gurus.

5-14-08 - Congratulations to Barbara Wenger, honored recently as founder of Hayes Valley Neighborhood Parks Group. Thanks Lane Olson for the tip. And I saw Barbara right afterwards in her own home and she didn't even mention it. I was there meeting with her hubby, Michael Wenger, about the Shunryu Suzuki lecture archive.

I encouraged Michael to send more jpgs of his whimsical yet profound art which I'm including now in the new Art-Art department of Cuke-the arts. Next we'll have to get some of Barbara's photos. There are a bunch in cuke but who knows where.

That reminds me - to order Barbara Wenger's slide slow with 650  photos of Tassajara Alumni click the PDF file.

Here's the sort of thing Barbara has done: the City Center neighborhood the Peace Wall

- thanks Wengers - dc


5-01-08 - Steve Tipton has a new book out: Public Pulpits: Methodists and Mainline Churches in the Moral Argument of Public Life. Go to Steve Tipton books for more this book and others including one from the Crooked Cucumber bio.


4-30-08 - Brad Warner of Hardcore Zen fame interviews Nina Hartley for Suicide Girls. Here's Nina's website. Those who were around the SFZC and Berkeley ZC twenty five years ago or more might remember her as a funny, bright, cute pig-tailed kid with horn-rimmed glasses with a pre-stage name. - thanks Lor


4-29-08 - Barbara Wenger sent three photos of Soen, Watts, and Snyder with queries about them.


4-25-08 - Two photos from Tassajara from Gene DeSmidt on his own page on cuke.


4-21-08 - Read For Your Benefit by Ross Bolleter and see the update on what's happening with his great music.


4-18-08 - What is the Ryaku Fusatsu by Nonin Chowaney


3-27-08 - Kathy Cook writes Incantation for People Tending the Watershed

2-29-08 - The Role and Significance of Korean Son in the Study of East Asian Buddhism by Lew Lancaster - just throwing in an article by Lew to add to his interview and other links.

2-23-08 - Ross Bolleter is a Zen teacher and musician who lives in Perth Australia. He's also the latest addition to the cuke music page.

2-06-08 - Zen and the Art of Poetry: An Interview with Jane Hirshfield

1-25-08 - On or By Barton Stone - like poems

Full Moon Poetry by Katrinka McKay

12-29-07 - Some holiday and new years greetings

12-19-07 - Jeff Broadbent on Climate Change

12-14-07   Andrew Main sends Confucian greetings

12-09-07 - Dan Welch Art

12-08-07 - Brother David's Season's Greetings

Tony Patchell  pre Zen stories

The Tassajara Subculture by Clay Chadwick