Today's Talk will look at a variety of STORIES and ISSUES IN THE NEWS today. Recently, there has been much discussion in the Buddhist world about "leaving politics at the door" of the Buddhist Sangha, where we encounter a way beyond opinions and debates. Generally, I very much agree. Zazen is beyond "right left and middle," and points to something beyond mere worldly concerns. However, I also believe that Buddhist teachings and values do guide us in certain directions in daily life, and toward certain outlooks and behavior, that must impact how we approach some social issues and stories in the news.

Further reading and discussion for this talk are available on the Treeleaf forum: