What is "salvation"?Moksha (Sanskrit मोक्ष, mokṣa) is also called vimutti* or vimukti and also mukti and vimoksha [3].
It is a concept in the Dharmic religions -- Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism -- that means liberation, non-bondage, freedom, emancipation, deliverance, escape, salvation, release, nirvana [4].
Los Angeles damnation
(PBS SoCal) The Chinatown punk rock wars of Los Angeles
I want your "Salvation"
In its soteriological and eschatological senses, it refers to freedom from saṃsāra, the incessant Cycle of Rebirths and Deaths [5]. In its epistemological and psychological senses, moksha is freedom from ignorance: self-realization, self-actualization, self-knowledge [6]....
NOTE: If moksha were just what the Vedas, Brahmins, or Hinduism says it is, there would be no need for a supremely enlightened one, the Buddha, to arise and make known a Teaching and Training that culminates in Buddhist nirvana, which is the real end of all suffering and rebirth, not mere rebirth in a long lasting heavenly plane or in the company of Brahma or other such stand ins.
Moksha (vimutti) is nirvana
Release from rebirth is release from all suffering
*In Buddhism the term moksha is uncommon, but there is an equivalent Pali term vimutti, "freedom," "release," "escape."
In the sutras two forms of freedom or release are mentioned, namely ceto-vimutti, "deliverance of mind," and panna-vimutti, "deliverance through wisdom" (insight or vipassana).
Ceto-vimutti is related to the practice of jhana or dhyana (shamatha), while panna-vimutti is related to the cultivation of insight.
Dharmas agree on moksha, they just define it differently, with Buddhism defining it as ultimate
. According to Gombrich, the distinction may be a later development, which resulted in a change of doctrine, regarding the practice of jhana to be insufficient for final liberation [108]. It is the first step, setting up the foundation of calm on top of which is built insight through mindfulness (sati,satipatthana, Dependent Origination).
With release comes nirvana (Pali nibbana), "quenching," "slaking," "cooling," "blowing out," or "extinguishing" the fires of the defiled passions and the wrong view of self [109, 110].
It is a "timeless state" (akaliko) in which there is no further becoming [111]. Nirvana ends the otherwise endless cycle of rebirth and suffering (dukkha) in the 31 Planes of Existence, which for simplification Mahayana reduces to six realms of saṃsāra [112, Note 2].
It is the third of the Four Ennobling (Enlightening) Truths of Buddhism, which plays a central role in Theravada Buddhism [117, 118].
What can be said of the ultimate attainment?
Nirvana has been described in Buddhist texts in ways that make it sound like other Indian religions. Every tradition says it has complete liberation, freedom, ultimate bliss, the highest happiness, fearlessness, emancipation, dukkha-lessness, permanence, the deathless, the unconditioned element that is the only thing that is not dependently originated, the unconstructed, unfathomable, ineffable, indescribable [119, 120].
The unconditioned element: nirvana (Ven. Bodhi)
It has also been described as release marked by a realization of the "emptiness" (impersonal, non-self nature of ALL conditioned things but most significantly the Five Aggregates clung to as self) [121, 122, 123].
Such descriptions are debated by scholars because "nirvana" in Buddhism is described as a state or condition after the dissolution of ignorance and suffering (disappointment, dis-ease, distress, ill, woe, off-kilter, unsatisfactoriness), of luminous mind, which would seem to be "stopped consciousness (blown out), but one that is not non-existent," as Peter Harvey states, and for him "it seems impossible to imagine what awareness devoid of any object would be like" [124, 112].
Nirvana is much more than the end of suffering.
See Bhikkhu Bodhi's exhaustive description in The Teachings of the Buddha: As It Is (early lecture series). Words and concepts cannot do nirvana justice because it is unlike everything else in samsara. Therefore, it is not a thought or concept but something very real to be personally experienced. Freedom awaits. More
Rock 'N Roll True Stories; Punk Rock MBA; Rancid; Dhr. Seven, Seth Auberon (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly Wiki edit
Come join us in celebrating the Buddha's birthday, enlightenment, and final nirvana. Chanting, food, tea, and blessings, everyone is welcome.
On Saturday, May 9, 2026, we celebrate Vesak, a day to commemorate the Buddha's birth, mahabodhi, and parinirvana.
Hopefully we will become more aware of the fact that we are intrinsically the same as all buddhas and thus will be inspired to use the Buddha’s teachings, his Dharma (Doctrine), to help ourselves and others.
"Planting Medicine" airs Tuesdays at 1:00 pm on KPFA.org (Berkeley) and KPFK.org (Los Angeles).
"Planting Medicine," formerly "Herbal Highway," enhances the community’s knowledge of herbal (plant) medicines by sharing voices of traditional, holistic healers and their shamanistic healing practices.
Hosted and produced by Emiliano Lemus (aka "Emilia No-Lemus") and Renée Camila.
Planting Medicine originates in the San Francisco Bay Area, each Tuesday at 1:00 pm on 94.1 FM in the Bay and 90.7 FM in the Los Angeles Basin and online at kpfa.org and kpfk.org.
Call the LA studio at (818) 985-5735 and the office (818) 985-2711. Listen LIVE.
Today's show: Medicinal Berries: Host Emiliano Lemus dives into the world of medicinal berries. Join them to learn about the special healing properties carried by these wondrous fruits.
(Please don't call in with questions about drugs. This is a serious show about herbs and legal medicinal uses. And if you do call, don't laugh like Beavis & Butt-Head.)
15 Victorian drugs for kids and Brits
(Gaslight Diaries) Shocking plants (heroin, cocaine) and chemicals used as 'medicine' in England
World of herbs is bigger than pot
Good vs. Bad Bud: Differences to Notice
(Cannabis Guy) Oct. 10, 2025: Cannabis Guy breaks down the four signs of quality cannabis — look, smell, and feel. What frosty trichomes really mean, how terpenes reveal top-shelf flower buds, and how to avoid the classic signs of mids. From dull, dry buds to sticky, aromatic flower that burns clean and smooth, this is a complete guide to spotting good cannabis every time. Whether a grower, buyer, or just tired of getting burned by low-grade bud, this video teaches how to identify real quality legal pot.
Chapter 1: The Look: Visual cues reveal most of a bud’s story. Good: vibrant greens and purples, orange pistils, shimmering frost of trichomes. Trichomes are cannabinoid and terpene factories. Structure and density—tight, compact buds = good growing conditions. Contrast with bad weed: dull, brownish, yellow, moldy, airy, or leafy. Warning: buds with seeds, excess stems, or gray fuzz.
Chapter 2: The Smell: Aroma is a major quality indicator. Good: bold, distinct scents like citrus, pine, diesel, or berries—driven by terpenes with good preservation through proper curing. Bad weed: smells like hay, grass, or wet cardboard → poor curing. Stale, bland, or ammonia-like smells = old or wet-jarred weed → bacteria/mold risk.
Chapter 3: The Feel: Texture reveals quality. Good: sticky, springy, and resinous—snaps when broken. The “snap” test is proof of proper drying and curing. Airy/hollow buds = poor lighting or low nutrients. The ideal feel = sticky, dense, but not brittle.
Info: When it comes to bad vs. good, knowing how to tell good flower apart from trash is key. More
Row, row, row your board gently on the plane/Merrily, merrily, merrily, life moves to the drain
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Can non-Indians enjoy it, too?
Seasons change, Anicca reigns; it is the way of Samsara. That will be our new saying. What does it mean? "Weather alters, impermanence in all things; that's how it goes in this incessant Cycle." But at least on the Island of California, it's not so bad. We get a reprieve before fall starts in earnest. And it's called "Indian summer." Berkeley, one of the greatest places on the planet, got hit by an earthquake to wake everyone up and keep them agitating for positive change. We know things are changing because Christmas Tree Lane lights are going up in post-Eaton Fire Altadena, a Los Angeles custom.
Berkeley gets a wakeup call
Indian summer
Native Americans enter a Quaker Friends meeting and find them quite nice and peaceful.
An Indian summer is a period of unseasonably warm and dry weather that sometimes occurs in autumn in temperate regions of the northern hemisphere. Several sources describe a true Indian summer as not occurring until after the first frost, or more specifically the first "killing frost" [1][2][3].
The late 19th-century lexicographer Albert Matthews made an exhaustive search of early American literature in an attempt to discover who coined the expression [4]. The earliest reference he found dated to 1851. He also found the phrase in a letter written in England in 1778 but discounted that as a coincidental use of the phrase.
Later research showed that the earliest known reference to "Indian summer" in its current sense occurs in an essay written in the United States around 1778 by J. Hector St. John de Crevecœur, describing the character of autumn and implying the common usage of the expression:
Great rains at last replenish the springs, the brooks, the swamp and impregnate the earth. Then a severe frost succeeds which prepares it to receive the voluminous coat of snow which is soon to follow; though it is often preceded by a short interval of smoke and mildness, called the Indian Summer. This is in general the invariable rule: winter is not said properly to begin until those few moderate days & the raising of the water has announced it to Man.
The essay was first published in French around 1788 and remained unavailable in the United States until the 1920s [5].
Although the exact origins of the term are uncertain [6], it was perhaps so-called
because it was first noted in regions inhabited by Native Americans,
or because the natives first described it to Europeans [7],
or it had been based on the warm and hazy conditions in autumn when Native Americans hunted [6].
John James Audubon wrote about "The Indian Summer that extraordinary phenomenon of North America" in his journal on Nov. 20, 1820. He mentions the "constant Smoky atmosphere" and how the smoke irritates his eyes.
Audubon suspects that the condition of the air was caused by "Indians, firing the Prairies of the West." Audubon also mentions in many other places in his writings the reliance Native Americans had on fire. At no point does Audubon relate an Indian summer to warm temperatures during the cold seasons. More
Fall, of course, is a season; every fall is heralded by the autumnal equinox. But The Fall is something else. We can look at fascists in the White House, the Department of War, the Senate, Congress, and police departments across the nation for that sort of toppling or the coming down of the things we all loved and cherished as our birthright under a Constitution.
So long, Cruel Cruel Summer!
But the present administration, like administrations before it on both sides of the aisle, doesn't seem to care about the writing of the Forefathers at the birth of the nation. One is reminded of Hamilton, now out in a three-hour extravaganza of rap, choreographed dancing, and dueling. What is a good example of a Fall that falls upon us like an Indian summer, maybe driving along happily and without a care along PCH. Then BAM! Crash. Eyes covered with a sheet. Coroner's office...more Samsara.
Latinos, particularly Mexican Americans or Chicanos, have played a vital role in shaping the City of Berkeley’s social political and cultural landscape.
Join an unforgettable afternoon celebrating over a century of history, culture, and political activism.
Experience powerful stories through photographs, oral histories, and community art that honor the legacy and contributions of Latinos in Berkeley.
This exhibit explores the dynamic 125-year history of the Latino community in Berkeley from 1900 to 2025, highlighting resilience, activism, and cultural contributions. From early migrant laborers and railroad workers to student organizers, artists, educators, and community leaders.
Through photographs, oral histories, archival documents, and community artifacts, the exhibit honors the struggles and triumphs that define this history.
Ratak Puntso may seem like any other 2-year-old, but he has always been destined for an exceptional life. Recognized as the prodigious reincarnation (tulku) of the grand master Kalu Rinpoche, Ratak is already inducted as a grand Lama of Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism. He will spend his childhood without much contact with peers of his age. Instead, he will be surrounded by monks (lamas), tutors, and servants who all take part in passing down Buddhist Teachings as well as protecting the “precious” child. Documentary: The Lama Child. Directed by Jeanne Mascolo and Bruno Vienne. Producers: Mona Lisa Production.
TULKU (official trailer)
(Chewyguru) Tulku? "Divine birth, ordinary life."
This is the official trailer for Tulku, a documentary film directed by Gesar Mukpo.
Tulku is a documentary film written and directed by Gesar Mukpo. It details the personal experiences of five young Western men who were identified in childhood as being tulkus, or "reincarnated Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhist masters."
[Jesus Christ, known as St. Issa in Tibetan Buddhism, may have also been a tulku reborn far to the west of Ladakh and Kashmir, where he returned as a youth to study at Hemis Gompa and remember his divine mission of attempting to save others as a Maitreya or Messiah.]
For over 700 years, tulkus have been sought out as highly revered leaders and teachers of Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism.
Beginning in the 1970s, several tulkus have been identified as having incarnated in the West. These new, Western-born, very modern tulkus lead lives prone to East-West culture clash and identity confusion.
Background
Gesar Mukpo, who wrote and directed Tulku, was born in 1973, the son of world-renowned Tibetan Buddhist master [scandal ridden sex guru] Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche and his [underage] British wife Diana.
At the age of 3, Mukpo was identified by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche as the reincarnation of the late Shechen Kongtrul Rinpoche (the Jamgon Kongtrul of Shechen), one of his own father's teachers in Tibet [2, 3].
Three-year-old Gesar Mukpo was then "enthroned" as a tulku in radical Sixties town Berkeley, California, across the Bay from San Francisco. More
(victress108) Produced by Chariot Videos (chariotvideos.com). Blessings tells the story of 3,000 nuns who live in the remote nomadic region of Nangchen in Eastern Tibet. They practice an ancient yogic tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. Despite near extinction during the destruction of the Cultural Revolution, these remarkable practitioners have emerged to rebuild their monasteries by hand...stone by stone. Now, their wisdom tradition is once again vital and growing. In 2005, Tsoknyi Rinpoche III led a small group of western students to meet these amazing women. Narrated by Richard Gere, with music by Ani Choying Drolma and Steve Tibbetts, Blessings is the story of this extraordinary journey.
There are too many names to thank here, but suffice it to say that this film would never have happened without the belief, trust, patience, and extra hours of so many contributors. Thanks, everyone!
Hear it in Berkeley on KPFA or Los Angeles on KPFK. What does the Nature's plant farmacyhave to help us on our journey to calm and ease?
Planting Medicine airs Tuesdays at 1:00 pm (Pacific Time). The show enhances the community’s knowledge of HERBAL MEDICINE by sharing voices of traditional, holistic healers and healing practices.
LISTEN: Herbs for Fear | KPFAPlanting Medicine – 1:00 pm, March 18, 2025 (heard on March 11th)
“I don't identify as an herbalist, healer, or have a particular interest in medicine.
“So initially I wasn't sure why I felt so drawn to participate in the first cohort of The Home Herbalist (previously the Now and Then Herbal Apprenticeship).
“Several years later, I continue to thank my lucky stars that I followed that impulse and connected with Sam, Renée, and the beautiful cohort I was privileged to be a part of.
“I think about conversations we had and lessons I learned from them just about every day. With deeply thoughtful, grounded, informative, compassionate, and soulful curriculum, teaching, and guidance, I don't hesitate to recommend this program even if, like me, you don't identify as an herbalist or healer.
“For me it was a loving investment in my own everyday relationship to plants, magic, and medicine on a personal level.
“Watching Sam and Renée follow their paths and cultivate meaningful work in community and relationship is a joy and an inspiration.”
(KTLA 5) Dec 5, 2024: Coastal Santa Cruz to Oregon in danger of tsunami. A spate of strong earthquakes struck near the Bay Area on Dec. 5, 2024. This video aired on the KTLA 5 Morning News on Dec. 5, 2024. KTLA 5 News: Keeping Southern Californians informed since 1947.
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