I am proud to announce Trash Can Sutra, produced by our friend Olly, to join the David Gelles blog.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
- Why was TrashcanSutra.com created?
- What is the Trashcan Sutra?
- What is a sutra?
- Of all the world religions, why Buddhism?
- I’m not Buddhist. Is this site for me?
- Is this a personal blog?
- Why should I contribute?
- How do I submit my work?
- What is TrashcanSutra.com’s submission criteria?
Question 1: Why was TrashcanSutra.com created?
Answer: TrashcanSutra.com was conceived to be an international forum for the pursuit of wisdom by means of entertaining, thought-provoking dialogue as well as creative writing and visual art. Readers are encouraged to submit original work and/or responses to posted entries.
Question 2: What is the Trashcan Sutra?
Answer: The Trashcan Sutra is the written account of a personal insight I had in the fall of 2001. For me, this particular revelation inspired a whole new understanding of the universe and our place within it. The fundamental ideas posited in this text are the basis for other material on this site. You can read the full text of the Trashcan Sutra here.
Question 3: What is a sutra?
Answer: A sutra is traditionally defined as a discourse attributed to the Buddha or spoken with his sanction.
Question 4: Of all the world religions, why the association with Buddhism?
Answer: While wisdom may be gleaned from many sources, the tenets of the Trashcan Sutra are most closely aligned—in theory, language, and practice—with the teachings of medieval Japanese Buddhism, specifically the Tendai and Nichiren traditions. Their philosophy revolves around a core belief that one can realize enlightenment in this lifetime, a doctrine that Tendai monks termed “original enlightenment.??? Original enlightenment thought depends on the notion of nonduality, wherein the mundane world is no different from the enlightened world. In this light, every action is a sacred action. Thus even the most mundane actions (e.g. choosing a garden hose, getting stuck in traffic) have the potential to offer us creative insight for better understanding our universe and our lives. Taken further, original enlightenment suggests that we are already buddhas; many of us just haven’t realized it. TrashcanSutra.com hopes to change that.
Question 5: I’m not Buddhist. Is this site for me?
Answer: Yes. I am not Buddhist either. I am open to insight no matter what the source. I hope you are too. For a list of texts (Buddhist, Christian, Transcendental, secular, etc…) that inspire the work on this site, please visit the bibliography.
Question 6: Is this a personal blog?
Answer: No. While a majority of the sutras are personal narratives, they were written to entertain and facilitate discussion. Readers are encouraged to submit comments and/or original work to this international forum for the enlightenment of all.
Question 7: Why should I contribute?
Answer: Only through reader submissions will TrashcanSutra.com become the international community that I dream it to be. Multiple minds are better than one. Through our stories and dialogue we will become wiser together.
Question 8: How do I submit my work?
Answer: There are two ways to post your thoughts or writings on TrashcanSutra.com. First, you may respond to a published piece by clicking on the “Comments??? Tab at the end of the entry. Second, you may email your work to me at sirollie11@yahoo.com. If your work meets TrashcanSutra.com’s submission criteria, I will publish it.
Question 9: What is TrashcanSutra.com’s submission criteria?
Answer: 1) Submissions must be entertaining. This is not to say that they should be silly, but people will be less inclined to read the work if it is too preachy or academic. 2) This site is about “insights from the mundane.??? Submissions should be inspired by events from daily life and suggest some revelation, however subtly. While there are no restrictions on format, submissions should have a light, casual tone; poetry, essays, short stories, fine art, and photography are all welcome. Conversational dialogue should be limited to the “Comments??? section of the site, and ideally to the specific entry to which you’re responding. Submissions that I deem most relevant to the intent of the blog AND the interest of readers will be posted.
