Buddha After Hours In The Bar— aka: Zen Full Blast
This is announcing a new, wonderful book my agent and I are collaborating on, with the above playful title, for now. We could tone-down, more ground that title if a good publisher felt that was best. We will be directing publishers to this website to get an idea of the book and planned series; then offer a more formal proposal, sample pages, or additional materials they might want, if requested.
The book is mostly serious— with some fun & lightness sprinkled in (as all my published work does), and will have a great, unique, creative range to it. It is already about 25% complete, and would be easy to complete in a month or two (or will be from the date of this posting).
On the cover, at the present, the text would read:
Buddha After Hours In The Bar
Aka: Zen Full Blast
by Daniel Ladinsky & Melissa LaScaleia
We will each have INTRO material in the book and series. Here are three possible pages of mine for the first book; and then, too, another sample page about a turtle.
***
An Introduction
Buddha still so-wanting to honor you, and even be more true to his heart and experience, said:
The moon and I wed last night. It was
such a beautiful ceremony. That She and
I are now forever one.
And look, look my dears at the way
our light, my being, my soul, can now
place it's head upon the foot,
upon the foot of any creature and form
and any act, that stands in my presence.
And my presence is really everywhere.
How can I not bow to the holy shrine
you and existence are, no matter what
either of you can do.
The moon and I, and real love, are the
illumined perfect equanimity, all will
become.
All are unfolding into Me, into the Infinite
mind of God. All is really a divine rose,
unfolding because the eternal Sun has
touched your heart.
From God's womb we came and are re-
turning, and can know all there ever was.
And could change all there ever was, at
your Union with all things.
—Excerpt from: Buddha After Hours In The Bar
Daniel Ladinsky
February 25, 2025
Taos, New Mexico USA
***
Next page in the book to be titled:
More About This Book & Hopeful Series
I had originally written two other Introductions to this book, that are much longer and quite different than what is now here; and they surely explained in greater depth what is to follow on pages here.
I have enclosed those other two Intros at the back of this book, in case any might want to read them.
In short, what follows is, at times, autobiographical. And presents in new and different ways, the hearts of some of the over ten thousand poems I have written; and some things from the heart of my experience from having lived in India with maybe a true Buddha (or someone who was at least a Lao Tzu).
I feel things of great utility and sweetness he would like me to share with the world.
I have felt a deep connection to Rumi & Hafiz for most of my life, and have worked with and published some of the 12 great poet-saints East and West, as can be seen in my Penguin anthology: Love Poems from God.
And here, in Buddha After-Hours In The Bar, seems a perfect place to begin to break more open some of the hundreds of lines of knockout poetry by these great ones, and expound on it. Clink a glass against them, and let them against you, as any great art can.
Also, this book and series will quote Buddha & Lao Tzu verbatim, from what is accepted as some of the best scholarly sources. And we will always make that clear when that is happening and reference the source.
There is an Alchemy stone in great poetry, and in great ancient wisdom. There is a true Alchemy Stone ... if you can sit with a real teacher somewhere, and especially— after-hours in the bar.
We are on the Potter’s Wheel, beautiful words, and the aura in the Truths of the heights of mystical experience— and love, O love, and empathy — so helps shape us.
We have wings that need to taste the Sky and caress the Sun; and be free of every cage. We can sit on Buddha's knee like with Santa and ask for anything we want. It is all in a bag— a pouch— he carries. And Gautama* keeps saying, "reach in, reach in.” Such is the party— after-hours in the bar.
Daniel Ladinsky
* Gautama: the Buddha.
Buddha After Hours In The Bar
Aka: Zen Full Blast
Epilogue
How did it happen that Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, wound up in Northern New Mexico, USA? And began to gather some students around him? And they all began to pool their wits and hearts and souls, and life experiences— and wrote a series of short books that may rightfully become some of the most holy (and full of utility) to have been written in the last 100 million years or maybe ever throughout all the universes?
Yeah, how did it happen? Well it happened like this:
Heaven knew the earth was entering a dark period, and called a big meeting. And all of earth's historic heavy-hitters in the spiritual genre department were asked to write their names down and put them in a magic hat that the Mad Hatter used to wear. Then, the current Princess of Heaven drew a name from the magic hat; and then the Super Duper Scotty, the Real Wizard of Oz (aka God) would beam that person down for about a year— to combat the dark forces.
Well, that is basically how Buddha started teaching—after-hours in the bar; often in a beautiful small garden behind it, where wild cats lived, and stray dogs, too, were always welcomed and fed, and I guess you could then say, became residents. And birds sang, and stars perched on branches, and moons too!
Such wonderful things were talked about, and of such a great range, that could help the many beautiful and so-precious young people— and all people, and all munchkins— to be happier and worry less, and know, as Hafiz says on a famous bumper sticker: Love kicks the ass of time and space. Aka: so hang in there; we will get through this.
And here is one more sample page, as is the Intro, as stated. Some are like this— little stories— and can give one something of the range of the book. This page:
Once There Was A Turtle
Once there was a turtle who was the student of a great Zen master. Because of that, the turtle started slowing down even more when passing through this world because of the greater wonder and beauty it began to see, and wanting to honor that.
But the miraculousness of everything started to become overwhelming, and sometimes the turtle might get stuck for a couple days, say looking at a tree or a flower, some ants, or even just a rock.
And once, after getting stuck for almost a whole week— gazing at something only another advanced soul could understand— “It was worth gazing at for a whole week,” the turtle thought. Then: “Well, maybe it is time I just go into Samadhi.” And so it did, and never came back; but sends us love letters in all kinds of ways.
So maybe we should add here: beware of Zen full blast. But do partake in the wonderful freeing — seeing!
Looking upon beauty, who is not free in her arms!
So I never leave.
— Buddha, After Hours In The Bar
The Turtle Encore
“I knew it was bound to happen. All of a sudden, all admitted it was MAGIC. So I sprouted golden wings and flew back into God. And She was so happy to see me.”
Said a turtle, who had studied under a good Zen Master (and/or with a real Buddha— and/or with a real Tara— after hours in the bar). Which I guess is a big plus, moreover vital in kicking maya's fanny, before it kicks yours too much again. Ahhh, golden wings, who hasn't missed those. Rub the Magic Lamp, an illumined sky, or the soul of your heart— make a wish. Make a beautiful wish! Turn the compass in that direction!