Some Random Monk
@phranicholas.bsky.social
Educator. Community builder. ☸️ monk. Tends not to reply to DMs.
Pinned
...on the elusive happiness of being 'without thoughts' #meditation #Buddhism 🧘♂️
From graffiti comes forth unfamiliar wisdom...
*prepares to comfort myself with some Buddhist stuff, as is my way*
December 27, 2025 at 4:55 AM
From graffiti comes forth unfamiliar wisdom...
At risk of cultural appropriation, Happy Buddhamas for all who celebrate - and for all other holiday variants Christian, Kwanzaa, Festivus, Yule, Chrismukkah... at the temple mostly keeping our power dry for New Year.🎄❄️☃️
December 25, 2025 at 8:54 PM
At risk of cultural appropriation, Happy Buddhamas for all who celebrate - and for all other holiday variants Christian, Kwanzaa, Festivus, Yule, Chrismukkah... at the temple mostly keeping our power dry for New Year.🎄❄️☃️
Reposted by Some Random Monk
I think it's sweet that the oldest surviving printed book in the world - the Diamond Sutra - is also the oldest creative work explicitly released into the public domain, with a colophon at the end that says it was created for universal free distribution.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond...
Diamond Sutra - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
December 23, 2025 at 9:48 PM
I think it's sweet that the oldest surviving printed book in the world - the Diamond Sutra - is also the oldest creative work explicitly released into the public domain, with a colophon at the end that says it was created for universal free distribution.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond...
Yes, one of the functions of mindfulness often overlooked when it is erroneously defined as 'bare attention'...
Not causing harm requires staying awake. Part of being awake is slowing down enough to notice what we say and do. The more we witness our emotional chain reactions and understand how they work, the easier it is to refrain.~Pema Chödrön, When Things Fall Apart
December 23, 2025 at 5:45 AM
Yes, one of the functions of mindfulness often overlooked when it is erroneously defined as 'bare attention'...
Happy World Meditation Day (the UN one rather than August 6th), together with Winter Solstice, last day of Hanukka, and my teacher's 85th BDY! Auspicious conjunction 😊 #WorldMeditationDay www.un.org/en/observanc...
World Meditation Day | United Nations
World Meditation Day is an opportunity for the wider dissemination of information about the benefits of meditation as it would be beneficial for the health and well-being of people around the world.
www.un.org
December 22, 2025 at 5:11 AM
Happy World Meditation Day (the UN one rather than August 6th), together with Winter Solstice, last day of Hanukka, and my teacher's 85th BDY! Auspicious conjunction 😊 #WorldMeditationDay www.un.org/en/observanc...
Typical monk trying to stay relevant 🙄
Japanese Monk Racks
Brain For Haiku That Will Knock
Them On Their Asses
https://theonion.com/japanese-monk-racksbrain-for-haiku-that-will-knockthem-on-their-asses/
Brain For Haiku That Will Knock
Them On Their Asses
https://theonion.com/japanese-monk-racksbrain-for-haiku-that-will-knockthem-on-their-asses/
December 10, 2025 at 5:14 AM
Typical monk trying to stay relevant 🙄
A nice Buddha to cheer you up instead of succumbing to Black Friday urges #MassBlackout #weaintbuyingit
November 29, 2025 at 5:59 AM
A nice Buddha to cheer you up instead of succumbing to Black Friday urges #MassBlackout #weaintbuyingit
If it needs to be taught, maybe it is because it is not innate for some...
November 15, 2025 at 6:27 PM
If it needs to be taught, maybe it is because it is not innate for some...
The Great Buddha @ Kōtoku-in (高徳院) Kamakura, for no real reason but an obsession with labelling things..
November 15, 2025 at 5:05 AM
The Great Buddha @ Kōtoku-in (高徳院) Kamakura, for no real reason but an obsession with labelling things..
November 13, 2025 at 11:49 PM
Kālāma Sutta, I presume...
The most important thing I read at 14 after being raised in a Christian house.
Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.
—BUDDHA
Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.
—BUDDHA
November 7, 2025 at 6:16 AM
Kālāma Sutta, I presume...
Reposted by Some Random Monk
"Denmark has required weekly empathy classes for children aged 6–16 since 1993 as part of its national curriculum, known as "Klassens tid" or "The Class's Hour".
These sessions focus on developing emotional intelligence, building social skills, and fostering compassion through...
Via Kusala Bhikshu
These sessions focus on developing emotional intelligence, building social skills, and fostering compassion through...
Via Kusala Bhikshu
November 1, 2025 at 2:30 AM
"Denmark has required weekly empathy classes for children aged 6–16 since 1993 as part of its national curriculum, known as "Klassens tid" or "The Class's Hour".
These sessions focus on developing emotional intelligence, building social skills, and fostering compassion through...
Via Kusala Bhikshu
These sessions focus on developing emotional intelligence, building social skills, and fostering compassion through...
Via Kusala Bhikshu
Explainer: not a website, but sites of Buddhist pilgrimage
What is one site every buddhist should visit before they die? https://old.reddit.com/r/Buddhism/comments/1om4s5i/what_is_one_site_every_buddhist_should_visit/
#Buddhism
#Buddhism
November 2, 2025 at 1:48 AM
Explainer: not a website, but sites of Buddhist pilgrimage
Makes 🎃 look PG-13 🤔
Candlelight Ceremony
for the Day of the Dead
Día de Muertos
Noche de Muertos
Janitzio Island
Lake Pátzcuaro, México
George E. Holton (1945)
for the Day of the Dead
Día de Muertos
Noche de Muertos
Janitzio Island
Lake Pátzcuaro, México
George E. Holton (1945)
November 1, 2025 at 4:20 AM
Makes 🎃 look PG-13 🤔
Nuestro evento de #meditación "Portal entre dos mundos" para #ElDíaDeLosMuertos 🎃👻👹🏮el 2 noviembre 2025 en #ElMonte, CA, como parte de la ruta #SGV #CorazonDelValle. Disfruta de una meditación de muestra gratuita en nuestro puesto, dedica méritos a tus seres queridos y pérdidas. #ActiveSGV #SoCal
October 30, 2025 at 10:50 PM
Nuestro evento de #meditación "Portal entre dos mundos" para #ElDíaDeLosMuertos 🎃👻👹🏮el 2 noviembre 2025 en #ElMonte, CA, como parte de la ruta #SGV #CorazonDelValle. Disfruta de una meditación de muestra gratuita en nuestro puesto, dedica méritos a tus seres queridos y pérdidas. #ActiveSGV #SoCal
Our 'portal between two worlds' #meditation event flyer for #eldíadelosmuertos, #ElMonte, CA coming up on 11/2/25 as part of #SGV #ActiveStreets route. Free sample meditation at our stand and dedicate merit for loved ones #ActiveSGV #SoCal
October 30, 2025 at 10:17 PM
Our 'portal between two worlds' #meditation event flyer for #eldíadelosmuertos, #ElMonte, CA coming up on 11/2/25 as part of #SGV #ActiveStreets route. Free sample meditation at our stand and dedicate merit for loved ones #ActiveSGV #SoCal
Reposted by Some Random Monk
"The problem is, most of us spend our entire life going from one promise of relief to another, never staying with the pain long enough to learn anything from it.~Pema Chodron, Living Beautifully
October 27, 2025 at 12:54 PM
"The problem is, most of us spend our entire life going from one promise of relief to another, never staying with the pain long enough to learn anything from it.~Pema Chodron, Living Beautifully
Reposted by Some Random Monk
Three solutions............
October 24, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Three solutions............
“The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposing ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function
- F. Scott Fitzgerald
- F. Scott Fitzgerald
There’s a Buddhist part of me constantly horrified at the scope of suffering caused by this regime.
But there’s an adjacent Buddhist part that feels hopeful people are realizing that “Country” is a construct, merely a set of perceptual agreements that only exist until broken.
We can start anew.
But there’s an adjacent Buddhist part that feels hopeful people are realizing that “Country” is a construct, merely a set of perceptual agreements that only exist until broken.
We can start anew.
October 23, 2025 at 4:55 AM
“The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposing ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function
- F. Scott Fitzgerald
- F. Scott Fitzgerald
It's #Kathina robe offering season! Share and share alike. This video is a wonderful vote of thanks from #LosAngeles #Buddhist Vihara for our temple's contribution to their fund-raiser & robe-offering on October 18. It comes from their MMC TV USA dedicated satellite channel youtu.be/ifRYeVZQE3E?...
Dhammakaya Contribution to MMC, Covina Kathina 2025
YouTube video by Phra Nicholas Thanissaro
youtu.be
October 22, 2025 at 4:35 PM
It's #Kathina robe offering season! Share and share alike. This video is a wonderful vote of thanks from #LosAngeles #Buddhist Vihara for our temple's contribution to their fund-raiser & robe-offering on October 18. It comes from their MMC TV USA dedicated satellite channel youtu.be/ifRYeVZQE3E?...
Earlier today...Long Beach 23rd Interreligious Annual #PetBlessing for this four-legged veteran of the DTLA #NoKings protest along with 200 other pet parents and pet-bereaved. Mostly dogs, one cat and one gecko. #SoCal Note: feather holy-water applicator for highly-strung recipients!
October 20, 2025 at 4:02 AM
Earlier today...Long Beach 23rd Interreligious Annual #PetBlessing for this four-legged veteran of the DTLA #NoKings protest along with 200 other pet parents and pet-bereaved. Mostly dogs, one cat and one gecko. #SoCal Note: feather holy-water applicator for highly-strung recipients!
Combine your #NoKings afterparty with a pet treat! 🐈🐰🐶Shout out for the annual Long Beach Interfaith #PetBlessing at 5.00pm on October 19 in front of Chase Bank, 5200 E. 2nd St., Belmont Shore. Ten faith traditions represented! Details from justinrudd.com/blessing.html We'll be there! #SoCal 😄
October 14, 2025 at 11:21 PM
Combine your #NoKings afterparty with a pet treat! 🐈🐰🐶Shout out for the annual Long Beach Interfaith #PetBlessing at 5.00pm on October 19 in front of Chase Bank, 5200 E. 2nd St., Belmont Shore. Ten faith traditions represented! Details from justinrudd.com/blessing.html We'll be there! #SoCal 😄
Reposted by Some Random Monk
Image thanks to International Buddhist Meditation Center - Los Angeles, CA
Via Samuel Long
Via Samuel Long
October 8, 2025 at 10:43 PM
Image thanks to International Buddhist Meditation Center - Los Angeles, CA
Via Samuel Long
Via Samuel Long
Reposted by Some Random Monk
Myanmar’s military junta bombed a Buddhist festival this week, killing at least two dozen people and injuring dozens more, according to a witness and the country’s civilian government in exile. A manned paraglider with a motor dropped a bomb on the festival, they said.
Myanmar Military Paraglider Bombs Buddhist Festival, Killing Dozens
The junta targeted a festival in the Sagaing region where people were also protesting army rule, according to witnesses and the civilian government in exile.
nyti.ms
October 8, 2025 at 11:10 AM
Myanmar’s military junta bombed a Buddhist festival this week, killing at least two dozen people and injuring dozens more, according to a witness and the country’s civilian government in exile. A manned paraglider with a motor dropped a bomb on the festival, they said.
On #NationalForgivenessAndHappinessDay, a Substack scribble to help dispel the Stoicism and pushback against the accusation that Buddhism is allergic to hope... 😇https://open.substack.com/pub/phranicholas/p/is-buddhism-pessimistic?r=6lw3lh&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
Is Buddhism Pessimistic?
Originally published in Challenging Religious Issues, Issue 21, 2024
open.substack.com
October 7, 2025 at 7:57 PM
On #NationalForgivenessAndHappinessDay, a Substack scribble to help dispel the Stoicism and pushback against the accusation that Buddhism is allergic to hope... 😇https://open.substack.com/pub/phranicholas/p/is-buddhism-pessimistic?r=6lw3lh&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true