Brother K
@konchognorbu.bsky.social
Buddhist monk since 1993. Copyeditor at 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha. Low-intensity birder. 96.37% vegan.
https://84000.co/
https://84000.co/
May Pete Hegseth and his ilk meet and be inspired by a true bodhisattva:
"[Bodhisattvas] should set their mind on nonviolence toward all beings, and they should not set their mind on violence."
~The Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand Lines~
"[Bodhisattvas] should set their mind on nonviolence toward all beings, and they should not set their mind on violence."
~The Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand Lines~
December 3, 2025 at 3:52 PM
May Pete Hegseth and his ilk meet and be inspired by a true bodhisattva:
"[Bodhisattvas] should set their mind on nonviolence toward all beings, and they should not set their mind on violence."
~The Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand Lines~
"[Bodhisattvas] should set their mind on nonviolence toward all beings, and they should not set their mind on violence."
~The Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand Lines~
Sunrise over the season's first snow.
November 21, 2025 at 2:44 PM
Sunrise over the season's first snow.
My first thought was, "Well then, how are you supposed to read it?"
November 20, 2025 at 12:45 AM
My first thought was, "Well then, how are you supposed to read it?"
"A perfect human birth is rare. Release from saṃsāra is rare. Since that is the case, do not render this perfect human birth meaningless, lest you end up in an imperfect birth that cannot be rectified."
From "The Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand Lines"
From "The Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand Lines"
November 18, 2025 at 4:06 PM
"A perfect human birth is rare. Release from saṃsāra is rare. Since that is the case, do not render this perfect human birth meaningless, lest you end up in an imperfect birth that cannot be rectified."
From "The Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand Lines"
From "The Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand Lines"
“[Bodhisattvas] themselves abstain from killing, encourage others to abstain from killing, praise abstention from killing, and when others abstain from killing give them praise and approval."
~The Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand Lines~
~The Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand Lines~
November 14, 2025 at 3:46 PM
“[Bodhisattvas] themselves abstain from killing, encourage others to abstain from killing, praise abstention from killing, and when others abstain from killing give them praise and approval."
~The Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand Lines~
~The Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand Lines~
Now there's a cover I've never seen: Terry Riley's "Shri Camel" with -- Avalokiteshvara? -- on the keys.
Listening now...
Listening now...
November 13, 2025 at 9:56 PM
Now there's a cover I've never seen: Terry Riley's "Shri Camel" with -- Avalokiteshvara? -- on the keys.
Listening now...
Listening now...
In the perfection of wisdom sutras, great bodhisattvas teach the gods about the faults of taking refuge in conditioned phenomena after burning their celestial palaces to the ground. I'm not saying we should *all* take inspiration from this, but...
November 12, 2025 at 5:02 PM
In the perfection of wisdom sutras, great bodhisattvas teach the gods about the faults of taking refuge in conditioned phenomena after burning their celestial palaces to the ground. I'm not saying we should *all* take inspiration from this, but...
The completed statues at Sravasti Abbey's new Buddha Hall—Buddha Shakyamuni flanked by Ananda and Mahaprajapati—look really marvelous, don't they?
You can see pix of how they came to life here: www.facebook.com/media/set?va...
You can see pix of how they came to life here: www.facebook.com/media/set?va...
October 24, 2025 at 2:27 PM
The completed statues at Sravasti Abbey's new Buddha Hall—Buddha Shakyamuni flanked by Ananda and Mahaprajapati—look really marvelous, don't they?
You can see pix of how they came to life here: www.facebook.com/media/set?va...
You can see pix of how they came to life here: www.facebook.com/media/set?va...
Bizarre meditating monkey in front of The Skillet restaurant in Las Vegas, NM. Owner is apparently the artist. Food was exceptionally good.
October 4, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Bizarre meditating monkey in front of The Skillet restaurant in Las Vegas, NM. Owner is apparently the artist. Food was exceptionally good.
Occasionally Crestone really serves up the phenomena. Taken a couple weeks ago over the chapel at Miyo Samten Ling, Alan Wallace's center for contemplative practice.
September 23, 2025 at 10:22 PM
Occasionally Crestone really serves up the phenomena. Taken a couple weeks ago over the chapel at Miyo Samten Ling, Alan Wallace's center for contemplative practice.
“Sister, what compels a bodhisattva to set out toward unexcelled and perfect awakening?”
“Mañjuśrī, bodhisattvas don the armor geared toward awakening to deliver beings to nirvāṇa."
“Mañjuśrī, bodhisattvas don the armor geared toward awakening to deliver beings to nirvāṇa."
September 18, 2025 at 2:08 AM
“Sister, what compels a bodhisattva to set out toward unexcelled and perfect awakening?”
“Mañjuśrī, bodhisattvas don the armor geared toward awakening to deliver beings to nirvāṇa."
“Mañjuśrī, bodhisattvas don the armor geared toward awakening to deliver beings to nirvāṇa."
"Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings think, ‘From the time when I first begin to set my mind on enlightenment until I am seated at the site of enlightenment, I shall indeed abstain from killing living creatures, and I shall encourage others to keep abstaining from killing living creatures...
September 11, 2025 at 11:40 AM
"Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings think, ‘From the time when I first begin to set my mind on enlightenment until I am seated at the site of enlightenment, I shall indeed abstain from killing living creatures, and I shall encourage others to keep abstaining from killing living creatures...
There were two therapists in our quartet, so the assumption is they led us to the Padmasambhava Stupa so that we might encounter our shadow selves.
September 10, 2025 at 1:31 PM
There were two therapists in our quartet, so the assumption is they led us to the Padmasambhava Stupa so that we might encounter our shadow selves.
Occasionally, the tantras present images of startling beauty:
"The moment he begins [to recite], his tongue will become as soft as a lotus petal and his mouth will smell of blue water lilies."
"The moment he begins [to recite], his tongue will become as soft as a lotus petal and his mouth will smell of blue water lilies."
September 9, 2025 at 6:45 PM
Occasionally, the tantras present images of startling beauty:
"The moment he begins [to recite], his tongue will become as soft as a lotus petal and his mouth will smell of blue water lilies."
"The moment he begins [to recite], his tongue will become as soft as a lotus petal and his mouth will smell of blue water lilies."
Famous verse on the editing screen, from "The Ten Qualities" sūtra:
“Good qualities will not develop
For people without faith,
Just as sprouts will not grow
From seeds scorched by fire."
“Good qualities will not develop
For people without faith,
Just as sprouts will not grow
From seeds scorched by fire."
August 6, 2025 at 9:51 PM
Famous verse on the editing screen, from "The Ten Qualities" sūtra:
“Good qualities will not develop
For people without faith,
Just as sprouts will not grow
From seeds scorched by fire."
“Good qualities will not develop
For people without faith,
Just as sprouts will not grow
From seeds scorched by fire."
Padmasambhava Stupa looking gorgeous with a second coat of snowy stucco.
August 6, 2025 at 1:42 PM
Padmasambhava Stupa looking gorgeous with a second coat of snowy stucco.
Fresh white stucco applied to the Padmasambhava Stupa in Crestone, CO, on Chökhor Duchen. Next step is a darker shade of stucco on the base, then new gold leaf on the gau and spire.
July 29, 2025 at 12:41 PM
Fresh white stucco applied to the Padmasambhava Stupa in Crestone, CO, on Chökhor Duchen. Next step is a darker shade of stucco on the base, then new gold leaf on the gau and spire.
Only at a Crestone bake sale. See if you can spot it. 😄
July 25, 2025 at 1:41 PM
Only at a Crestone bake sale. See if you can spot it. 😄
Happiest of rebirthdays to Ven. Pema Chodron.
July 14, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Happiest of rebirthdays to Ven. Pema Chodron.
My mother loved the Dalai Lama and saw him many times. This alone assures me of her eventual liberation. She clipped this image and had it tacked to her wall for years.
May his intention to live for decades to come be realized, and may all with a connection to him be freed from every suffering.
May his intention to live for decades to come be realized, and may all with a connection to him be freed from every suffering.
July 6, 2025 at 1:57 PM
My mother loved the Dalai Lama and saw him many times. This alone assures me of her eventual liberation. She clipped this image and had it tacked to her wall for years.
May his intention to live for decades to come be realized, and may all with a connection to him be freed from every suffering.
May his intention to live for decades to come be realized, and may all with a connection to him be freed from every suffering.