Book Peek: The Introduction Plus

A new Middle Way and observations on Jesus and Buddha

Let’s make Sunday the day of the week that I’ll aim to release a draft section of my book in progress. While my regular, shorter, almost daily posts are always available to all subscribers, only paid subscribers can read the longer book chunks. If you’d like to read them but can’t afford $5 a month or $50 a year for a paid subscription, send an email to melpine@substack.com or send me a message via Substack. No explanation of your finances is needed.

You can upgrade your subscription at any time, and all the previously paywalled material will be available.

My experience in the writing, editing, and publishing universe confirms my belief in impermanence. Everything I plan and write now is tentative. It’s a long way from final (if anything ever is). I’ve previously sent subscribers a first chapter, called Slicing and Dicing, and a second chapter, called Woo-Woo World. Today’s release is the book’s introduction and a segment I’ve added to the second chapter.

If you’ve been a faithful reader of From the Pure Land, you’ll sing some sections almost identical to what you’ve seen before. Keep reading. You’ll find newer stuff.

As usual, all subscribers can read the first few paragraphs.

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Introduction: The Middle Way Between Secular and Ossified

A funny thing happened on the way to my death.

At the start of 2024, I was happy—joyous—with my life and my Buddhist practice, and I was looking forward to my death. Those are not contradictions. I was happy to go on living in my loving marriage of 30-plus years, enjoying our downsized-for-retirement home, with our kind and generous son visiting regularly.

I wasn’t eager for death as long as I could live this way, but as my 78th birthday was approaching, I was going through several physical and cognitive challenges that left me uncertain about living comfortably for more than another year or two.

A few years earlier, I had let go of my ego. By that, I mean I gave up any need to prove anything, to stand out from the crowd, to gain recognition. I even gave up writing because I felt I had said and done everything I needed to in this life. There are plenty of good writers out there.