Open mic before and after the featured poets. Sign up at 1 pm.

John Del Bagno discusses Pure Land Buddhism and reads his poems devoted to Amitābha Buddha.

John describes Pure Land Buddhism as an alternative to self-powered practice, which often engages the willful, striving aspects of our ego. Pureland relies instead on an ‘other power’ to bring us to enlightenment: Amitābha Buddha. This is accomplished through the habit of reciting the Buddha-name, believed to make the attainment of Buddhahood possible in only one lifetime. John Del Bagno is a poet, spoken word performer, visual artist and gerontologist. He was ordained in the Triratna Buddhist Order for many years and was one of the founders of the San Francisco Buddhist Center. After meditating every day for over two decades, he turned to the Pure Land Way which relies on Amitabha Buddha and the recitation of the Buddha-name. His first book is a collection…