Westerners are putting down the bottle. The percentage of U.S. adults who consume alcohol has dropped to 54% in 2025, the lowest rate in nearly a century. Inadvertently following in the footsteps of Buddhist Monks, who are prohibited from consuming alcohol. However, in the modern world, consuming alcohol can sometimes…
Tag: Karma
Film and TV
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Buddhism in the Matrix: Morpheus The Bodhisattva
The red pill or the blue pill? Enlightenment or the endless cycle of samsara? One is a trope invented by “The Matrix“, a 1999 science fiction film starring Keanu Reeves and Laurence Fishburne. The latter is an ancient Buddhist doctrine that states all beings are constantly experiencing an ongoing cycle…
literature
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Buddhism Made Simple: The Best Books for Curious Newcomers
Are you interested in learning about Buddhism but don’t know where to start? Have you tried reading about Buddhism in the past but were intimidated or confused by verbose and overly-wordy antiquated texts? Then this list is for you! The philosophy and beliefs of this 2,500 year old religion are…
Home and Garden
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Shojin Ryori: Everything You Need To Know About Buddhist Vegetarian Cuisine
Shojin Ryori is the traditional cuisine of Zen Buddhist monks. It is historically vegetarian, and usually vegan, due to its roots in the Buddhist concept of non-violence. But some modern iterations include animal products like milk and cheese. Each meal is typically made up of several small bowls with an…
Media
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NFTs and Non-Attachment: From Digital Monkeys to Buddhist Monks
The NFT art fad has come and gone. Leaving some savvy early adopters with their pockets lined with gold and others holding the bag. While some people may have been separated from their hard earned dollars, they are now rich in knowledge about the Buddhist concept of non-attachment, dependent origination…
Video Games
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Karma and KOTOR: What Video Games Can Teach You About Buddhist Karma
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, also known simply as “KOTOR”, is the most popular Star Wars game of all time and is in the running for one of the most popular video games of all time of any genre. It’s a cult classic that’s beloved for it’s eclectic…
Film and TV
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What The Matrix Did and Didn’t Teach You About Buddhist Truths
Keanu Reeves is a Buddha. Well, not really, but he did play one on TV! Reeves played Prince Siddhartha in the 1993 film “Little Buddha” and the film he’s most know for, “The Matrix“, is littered with metaphors for Buddhist teachings. In one of the most famous scenes in the…
Film and TV
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The Hidden Buddhist Roots of Fraggle Rock
Fraggle Rock is an award-winning, beloved, family-friendly franchise full of laughs, puns, gags and…Buddhist wisdom? Jim Henson created the show with the lofty goal of “Ending all wars” by teaching children about the interconnectedness of all things as well as the “unassailable fact that their own actions would have consequences”…