Wollstonecraft’s words encapsulate perfectly something I’ve long held, which is that the Buddhist view of greed, hatred, and delusion — often called the Three Unwholesome Roots (akusala mūla) — is far removed from the western conception of sin.

Sin is “bad.” It’s “evil.” It’s a transgression against the Divine law.

When we encounter the Buddhist teaching of the Three Unwholesome Roots, it’s easy to slip it into the sin-shaped space that exists in our minds. But the Buddha’s understanding of these roots is wholly different from how sin is understood, and we need to disentangle the two sets of concepts in our own minds.

Here’s something that when you think about it is rather …

Meditation is gaining popularity and along with that popularity is ongoing analysis. The Western mind is seeking to find “proof” for the efficacy of what Eastern practitioners have experienced for centuries. As that quest progresses, more and more is being understood about meditation, about what it does to the mind and body as well as the effects that it has. Last year we reported in this news column that meditation can reduce inflammation. Now a new study has shown that mindfulness meditation not only reduces inflammation, it reduces inflammation more effectively than some other behavioural strategies.

Mindfulness meditation entails observing, without judgement…

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