Posts

Leading Oneself: From What, and Toward What

-
Image
  In contemporary culture, leadership is almost always framed as an outward-facing skill. We speak of motivating teams, influencing systems, shaping outcomes. Yet beneath all of this lies a more fundamental capacity — one so often overlooked that it becomes invisible. Before one can lead others, one must learn how to lead oneself. And once that truth is acknowledged, a deeper inquiry naturally arises: From what are we leading ourselves, and toward what? This question is not merely philosophical. It is the foundation of any leadership that is stable, ethical, and genuinely human. In the Buddhist tradition — and particularly in the Khyentse lineage — this question becomes even more essential, because leadership is not defined by authority but by awareness, compassion, and the courage to meet reality as it is. From What Are We Leading Ourselves? From Habitual Momentum Most of us are not leading our lives so much as being carried along by them. We move through our days propelled b...
Read more

Buddhism Against War and Violence

-
Image
The Living and the Dead | National Endowment for the Humanities neh.gov Writing an anti-war piece through the lens of Buddhist philosophy is a powerful exercise because, at its core, Buddhism isn't just "pro-peace"—it’s fundamentally built on the mechanics of how violence harms the practitioner as much as the victim.   Here is an exploration of why the Buddha’s teachings stand firmly against the machinery of war.   The First Precept: Radical Non-Harm   The foundation of Buddhist ethics ( Sila ) begins with the first precept:  "I undertake the precept to refrain from destroying living creatures."  Unlike many moral codes that offer exceptions for "just wars" or national defense, the Buddha’s stance was remarkably absolute. He taught that life is the most precious possession of every sentient being. In the  Dhammapada , he reminds us: "All tremble at violence; all fear death. Putting oneself in the place of another, one should not kill nor cause ano...
Read more