Urban Dharma: 20 Years of Buddhist Stories from an LA City Monk
“Service is a way of knowing, a way of
making deeper contact with the interconnectedness." - Arthur J.
Deikman, M.D.
"Kusala
Bhikshu’s colorful account covers twenty years of “doing
Buddhism rather than being Buddhism.” Kusala traveled around Los
Angeles by motorcycle and served as a chaplain at a prison, a
juvenile detention camp, and a hospital.
He was also a
ride-along chaplain for an Orange County police department.
His portraits of
suffering people at the lowest points of their lives makes for
elevated reading, buoyed by Kusala’s unfailing compassion and
intrepid sense of humor. It is often his doubts and humility in
the face of hostility that win people over:
He is not afraid to
say, “I don’t know.” -- Tricycle Magazine / Fall 2024 /
"What We're Reading"
Urban Dharma in Paperback, Kindle and Nook
Buy @
Amazon ///
Barnes and Noble
"Set in the urban tapestry of Los Angeles, CA. American monk
Kusala Bhikshu takes readers on a journey through the heart of
practical Buddhism. The wins and losses, successes' and
failures, the insights and blind spots of compassion and
kindness. Each chapter serves as a testament to
the viability of Buddhist teachings." -- Black Boat Media - 2024
*** An excerpt
from Chapter 2 - The Prison Year - 1995 in PDF -
Click Here
Photo - LA Times -
1997 ///
Kusala's -
Homepage
"Customers find the content enlightening,
inspiring, and meaningful. They say the author seamlessly
integrates profound lessons into the stories. Readers also
appreciate the conversational writing style and honesty."
- Amazon.com
Reviews:
"I'm finding your
book both interesting and well written, and I like the way you
gently weave in your Buddhist reflections on what you're seeing
or experiencing." - Fr. William Skudlarek, OSB, Secretary
General of Monastic Interreligious Dialogue
"This book is
good! I'm enjoying it... I've had to put the book down and
reflect on simple but profound sentences like this, "It reminded
me that the seed of ignorance and delusion are carried deeply
within us, and have potential to take root at anytime" (page
68). The book provokes contemplation and reflection... Thank
you!" - Horton M.
"I have been
following Kusala Bhikshu on Facebook for a couple years and was
interested to read more about his life as a Buddhist monk who
lives in a meditation center in the Koreatown section of Los
Angeles. Overall, this is a book about one man’s journey into
kindness and compassion in working to reduce suffering. The book
presented a gateway to reflect more deeply on life choices,
Buddhist teachings, and the value of the here and now." - Ron J.
"It’s very well written and
insightful. It feels intimate and authentic. I particularly like
the balance of Buddhist thinking and humor." - Kev R.
"I finished it. It’s a great read and a
very subtle Buddhist guide." - Weber B.
"I read your memoir; what a great read!
Reading it was almost as if you were having a deeply absorbing
talk with a good friend. The last section hit me the most with
the young lady dying of cancer feeling angry and trapped by the
circumstances... I like how you just kept showing up despite the
uncomfortableness of it and kept telling the truth even though
she resisted it, except at the end when she seemed to be at
peace. One of the last scenes of the book I loved was when you
were in the backyard feeling part of eternity at that moment,
feeling separate but somehow together with others out there and
at ease with the profound harmony of the way things are --
sadness and happiness all part of the same elaborate painting."
- Holly P.
Kusala's Urban Dharma on
YouTube
Publisher: Black Boat Media LLC
Publication date: 03/20/2024
Pages: 230