Has the “Dharma-Burger” gone meta?
Zen teacher Brad Warner was kind enough to send this my way just now:
McDonald’s tried to tempt us with a tweet about “custom Zen” sugary beverages? Now, that’s a whopper of a Dharma-Burger. (Lions Roar thanks Brad Warner for the screenshot.)
This McDonald’s tweet is an example of what we call a “Dharma-Burger.” That is, “any example of Buddhist thought or imagery being infused into advertising or marketing—and, therefore, pop/mass-culture.” Sometimes tasty, they’re more often cheesy and/or infused with co-optation.
Far more important than any of that, though, is what Zen is.
Happily, we don’t have to rely on McDonald’s for that. We’ve got an extensive (and growing) Zen archive of articles for readers of every level of interest, and collections of teachings from Zen teachers including Norman Fischer, Joan Sutherland, Thich Nhat Hanh, Karen Maezen Miller, and Shunryu Suzuki.
Or, get started with this selection of pieces great for beginners — or just those who wish to refresh their beginner’s minds. Enjoy.
https://lrupdates20200727.kinsta.cloud/nothing-holy-a-zen-primer-by-norman-fischer/
https://lrupdates20200727.kinsta.cloud/alan-watts-at-100/
(And, if you want more Dharma-Burgers:)