Here it is: the second installment of our year-long curriculum for Buddhist activists. Take a look inside for: An exclusive practice offering video by Rev. Keiryu Lien Shutt Political cartoons, Cultural Appropriation Bingo, and other helpful supplementary texts Our favorite pieces from April's Turning Wheel Media, with discussion questions to help us dig in more deeply An introduction to the audio recording ...

It's here!  Volume 1 of The System Stinks curriculum.  Featuring discussion questions for selected media that we've featured here on Turning Wheel over the past month, plus two "classic texts" from Andrea Smith and Arundhati Roy, and practices you can do at home. After the richness of last night's phone call with Tendor and Joshua Eaton (recording and transcript forthcoming — thanks in advance to our awesom ...

Via Joshua Eaton: the crowdfunding campaign for this film-in-progress has ended, but there's still time to support the editing process, and the project's blog, The Cause of Progress, provides a good amount of background information on struggles with development campaigns in Cambodia that are displacing Buddhist monks and laypeople. Economic development as universally beneficial and "progressive" is one of t ...

Via Students for a Free Tibet and Joshua Eaton. As the number of self-immolations in Tibet nears 100, Robert Thurman has released an individual statement as a leader of Tibet House US.  Also this month, Students for a Free Tibet held a North America Conference For Tibet. What do you think, BPFers?  Do you agree with Thurman's take here?  Do you have any helpful information to share with the rest of us on th ...

Remember back when we asked you to send us a video of your Big Question for other engaged and political Buddhists?  Some wonderful responses wound up in our System Stinks video, and just the other day we received this bonus-surprise from one of our favorite Turning Wheel contributors.  We have such political-Buddhists crushes on you people.  Enjoy, BPFers, and we'll see you on Monday! ...

  Okay, so this is not technically about debt. But it's an amazing instance of what my friend Richard Wright called "positive cultural rituals for un-coupling." And for that I feel a debt of gratitude! Via the brilliant, Buddhist-influenced writer Mahfam Malek. ...

At last!  The much-anticipated video interview with three beloved Buddhist leaders, addressing big questions in engaged Buddhism. What is the role of not-knowing?  How do we overcome individualism in our practice?  By what means might our practice actually improve our change-making efforts? Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi (right) is a New York-based ordained monastic who co-founded the well-known Buddhist Global Relief, ...

When I heard about the latest outbreak of bombings on Gaza, in my powerless frustration I wished for an Off Switch.  If only we (collective we) could hold hostage some precious cargo (ports? weapons labs? Twinkies?), maybe we could force the airstrikes to cease.  Better yet, Israel might experience a sudden change of heart about the whole occupation thing, dissolving itself as a state entirely. Improbable, ...

Thank you to all the beautiful people who submitted video about your Big Buddhist Questions! It's so lovely to see the enthusiastic faces of so many people who are interested in both Buddhism and social action. We're out there! Check out our new video to see for yourself! Folks want to talk about everything from animal rights to the commons. Have a big burning question to add? Let us know in the comments! T ...

I get nervous — ornery, even — when I hear a boatload of Buddhist sweet talk about "interdependence." From what I've seen, interdependence has gained currency as a feel-good word, associated with a pleasant subjective experience of expansiveness, connection, and love. But it can be incredibly misleading when disconnected from an understanding of power. Maybe that's why I find myself intrigued by this video ...