Dharma Drink: the hangout for Buddhists (& like minded)

Dear Dharma Drink Friends,

Our next book club will be The Long Discourses of the Buddha, Dīgha Nikāya.

Please read or skim through the Introduction as it may contain helpful background on the history or culture as well as Buddhist terminologies, definitions, and cosmology. You can also skim the Sutta Summaries for your reference. For our discussions, we will cover the following chapters:

Read Chapters
- DN 12 Lohicca_Sutta – With Lohicca (on teaching the Dhamma)
- DN 13 Tevijja_Sutta – The Threefold Knowledge (on the path to Brahmā)
- DN 14 Mahāpadāna_Sutta – The Great Discourse on Lineage (of past Buddhas)

Discussion Preparation:
Please prepare 5 or more points of interests or questions per chapter.

NOTE - each book discussion is independent of others, so you can join any meeting without having attended previous ones.

Per SuttaCentral.net: "The Dīgha Nikāya is the first of the four main divisions in the Sutta Piṭaka of the Pali Canon (tipiṭaka)....
It is distinguished from the other nikāyas by its more developed and elaborate literary forms. Outgrowing the bare and direct style of most of the early texts, here the extra length offers space for narratives and doctrinal expositions to find a fuller expression..."

Per WisdomExperience.org: “These suttas reveal the gentleness, compassion, power, and penetrating wisdom of the Buddha. Included are teachings on mindfulness (Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta); on morality, concentration, and wisdom (Subha Sutta); on dependent origination (Mahānidrāna Sutta); on the roots and causes of wrong views (Brahmajāla Sutta); and a long description of the Buddha’s last days and passing away (Mahāparinibbāna Sutta); along with a wealth of practical advice and insight for all those travelling along the spiritual path.”

The translation we plan to use is translated by Maurice Walshe:

Dear Dharma Drink friends,

Red Bamboo is closing after 24 years in existence! Red Bamboo was one of the favorite vegan restaurants for many in the city for so many years. But recently, as with many restaurants in the city, they struggled too financially and have now decided to close at the end of the month.

Let us do one final lunch there...and maybe enjoy their famous vegan wings, along with so many other delicious options in their menu one last time.

Meetup details:
Date: 2/22/2026 (Sunday)
Time: 2 pm to 4 pm
Location: Red Bamboo (140 W 4th Street, New York, NY 10012)

Hope you will join us.

Dear Dharma Drink Friends,

PLACE HOLDER - TBD DATE

We're planning to embark on another Dharma book reading, the Nirvana Sutra (The Mahayana Mahaparinirvana Sutra). NO DATE SET YET, but want to put this on your radar.

This sutra elaborates on Buddha-nature and serves as a doctrinal confirmation for the many Mahayana lineages. We plan on reading the first half of the sutra, from chapter 1-26. My understanding is that the first half covers the foundation and systematic exposition. The second half, chapters 27-32, consists of elaborations through bodhisattva dialogues. We'll make a decision later if or when to read the 2nd half.

Read Chapters
- Ch 1 - Intro
- Ch 2 - On Cunda
- Ch 3 - On Grief

Discussion Preparation:
Please prepare 5 or more points of interests or questions per chapter.

Per BDK America: "One of the most influential Buddhist texts in East Asia, the Mahāyāna Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra, or Nirvana Sutra, takes the occasion of Śākyamuni Buddha’s last sermon to present a thoroughly Mahāyāna message in which buddhas are mythically eternal yet a constant presence in our temporal world..."

Per Amazon's Dr Tony Page and Kosho Yamamoto book description: "This sutra is the study of what can be called "Nirvana Sutra Buddhism" or "Tathagatagarbha Buddhism". It is a very positive, balanced, faith-promoting and spiritually affirmative manifestation of Buddhism, which recognizes the hidden reality of the unconditioned, egoless Buddha-Self in all beings..."