Dharma

Guru RInpoche, the second Buddha.

Guru Rinpoche’s advice for visualizing the deity: a how-to from Padmasambhava with advice from today’s teachers (with video how-to)

Milarepa painting, Nepal

Jetsun Milarepa: Anniversary of the Glorious Singing Sage of Tibet and “A SONG OF HAPPINESS”

Buddha's wonderful birth.

Remembering Acchariya Abbhuta Sutta: “Wonderful And Marvelous” Qualities of the Buddha on Buddha’s Day of Miracles

Buddha encounters the four sights of old age, sickness, death and the homeless ascetic. From a wall painting Preah Prom Rath Monastery.

Buddhist Wisdom on Aging: Aging is a Process of Awakening and Wisdom

Buddha teaching disciples (relief).

Reciting the Sutra Remembering the Three Jewels on Buddha Days: Purifying Karma, Removing Obstacles, “Skies of Merit”

Chitachakra Wish-Granting White Tara with a rainbow aura of colors representing the five activities and protective tents.

Chintachakra White Wish-Granting Wheel Tara: The All-in-One Mother of Buddhas in Vajrayana Buddhism – Her Significance, Mantra and Why Her Practice is Essential

Tara on an altar.

Intention and Supplication Mantras in Buddhism: Why are Activity Mantras different from Praise Mantras, Citing Longchenpa and Lord Atisha

The peaceful deities of the Bardo Thodrol Book of LIberation Through Understanding the Between.

Treasures of Bardo Thodol – The Book of Liberation Through Understanding the Between — incorrectly translated Tibetan Book of the Dead

Vajra and bell and mala are all important "Practice supports." Bell represents support of wisdom in our practice, vajra stands for activity and compassion, and the mala stands for Dharma speech.

Practicing Mantras: Healing, Setting the Mind Free, Protecting the Mind, and Remaining Mindful of Dharma Throughout the Day

Buddha Weekly's popular Guru Rinpoche mantra video.

“Infinite Powers and Benefits” of the Vajra Guru Mantra: A Buddhist Practitioner’s Insight into the Teachings of Guru Rinpoche Padmasambhava

Bodhidharma image from Truc Lam Buddhist Temple in Dalat Vietnam. He is s towering presence in Chan and Zen Buddhism, a historical monk with many legendary stories, who influenced Shaolin and Kungfu.

Bodhidharma, One-Shoed sage: The Towering and Profound Life and Teachings of the Legendary Zen Master and Martial Artist

Two of the Eight Auspicious Signs displayed in front of Green Tara as an offering and Dharma objects representing the Noble Eightfold Path as the Dharma Wheel and protection as the parosol.

Eight Auspicious Symbols of Buddhism for Spiritual Transformation and Harmony at Home

Mind and body can be "reprogrammed" with meditation to some extent.

Can you ‘train’ your mind to find relief from pain? We asked the experts

Buddha statue against a full moon. Lunar calendar is very important in Buddhism, with most major events celebrated according to the lunar calendar.

Lunar Dharma Dates for 2024: Buddha Days, Recurring Puja Days, Annual Celebrations in Three Buddhist Traditions

Six-Armed Avalokiteshvara Expounding the Dharma: Folio from a Manuscript of the Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita (Perfection of Wisdom) | India (West Bengal)

Daily Recitation of the Heart Sutra in Sanskrit: a Heart Practice with countless benefits: purification, merit, wisdom, compassion, success

Buddha statue against a full moon.

Clearing the Confusion on Lunar Dates: How, When, and Why to Celebrate These Sacred Lunar Days in 2024

Guanyin Bodhisattva — Kuan Yin or Avalokiteshvara or Chenrezig — is synonomous with Metta (loving kindness) and Karuna (compassion.)

Guan Shi Yin’s Three Sacred Days Celebrating Birthday, Renunciation and Enlightenment: “Most Widely Beloved Buddhist Divinity”

Dharma Dates for Dec 2023.

Important Buddha Dharma Dates for December, 2023

"This is your last chance. After this, there is no turning back. You take the blue pill—the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill—you stay in Wonderland, and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes."

Emptiness and Shunyata: What the Teachers Say About Emptiness: Removing “Lazy Nihilism” and “How Deep the Rabbit Hole goes”

HAPPY GURU RINPOCHE Day and Tsog.

Happy Guru Rinpoche Day! — How and When to Celebrate the 10th of the lunar month

Rebirth is often symbolized with the metaphor of a butterfly. The Blue Morpho — one of the world’s most beautiful butterflies — with its iridescent blue color — is also one of the largest, with up to an eight-inch massive wingspan. Butterflies are one of the most common symbols of reincarnation around the world. It is the symbol used for the logo of our "sister" publication True Rebirth>>

Rebirth and Karma are important in Buddhism but What is the Reasonable Evidence for Rebirth, Previous Lives and Karma?

The famous Sleeping Buddha statues portray the paranirvana of Shakyamuni Buddha, the Blessed One.

What Buddha actually taught about “rebirth” and life after death. “Don’t misunderstand the Buddha.”

Practicing generosity creates positive karma. Here, a kind lay-Buddhist gives alms to three monks who, like the Buddha, eat only before noon and only from food given to them. Merit for good deeds is an intuitive concept in karma.

Karma is Not Fate: Why Karma is Empowering. Why do bad things happen to good people? How can we escape the wheel of suffering?

Bell, Vajra and Damaru drum are ubiquitous in Vajrayana Buddhism. The bell and Vajra are always together, and when not in use should be side-by-side, ideally touching. The Bell represents wisdom — the sound of the bell being the sound of Emptiness or Shunyata; the Vajra (or dorje in Tibetan) represents adamantine Compassion and skillfull means, represented by the Diamond vajra, a symbol of the lightning bolt.

Why do Vajrayana Buddhists always symbolically carry a bell and vajra? What do they represent? How do we practice with ghanta and dorje?

Buddha and the dragon.

True Dragons: Shakyamuni, Tara and Avalokiteshvara’s close relationship with Nagas and Dragons: and “Tale of the True Dragon”

Buddha Weekly Mantra Music Video Amitabha's Long Dharani.

Buddha Weekly’s First Music Video: Devotional Amitabha Mantra Dharani Chanting (5 minute version HD)

Buddha meditating in a snow globe.

Zen Buddhism and Western Philosophy: Snow globes and mind of winter; logic and wisdom; noumenon and phenomenon

Close up Sleeping Buddha — Buddha at his Paranirvana.

Maha-parinibbana Sutta: Whoso untiringly pursues the Dhamma and the Discipline Shall go beyond the round of births and make an end of suffering.

Shakyamuni Buddha teaches Singala the householder, instructing him in Buddhist responsibilities from a Lay person's point of view.

Buddha: How to protect wealth, associate with virtuous friends and relate to your spouse, employer, children: guidance for lay practitioners in Sigalovada Sutta

Buddha receives Dana from followers. Generosity is one of the cures for greed.

Greed: how to cut the poison of greed: methods taught by Buddha including generosity, loving-kindness and compassion

Buddha-Weekly-Vesak Day Thailand dreamstime_xxl_77107933-Buddhism

Lord Buddha Day! Vesak May 5 2023: Buddha’s Birthday! the “most sacred day to millions of Buddhists around the world” — UN

Amitabha Buddha statue at an FPMT centre.

Amitabha practice: easy, welcoming, and his merits are so vast that all beings can benefit: Amitabha Sutra

Buddha's final moments of teaching.

Gautama Buddha survived several attempts on his life. What does his life example teach us about impermanence, and preparing for death

The many faces of Wisdom and Compassion: Top right ferocious Yamantaka (two arms), top centre Yamantaka with nine heads — Manjushri's head on top — top right a rarer tantric form, centre bottom Orange Manjushri with Wisdom Sword, bottom right centre Peaceful Black Manjushri, bottom Right Wrathful black Manjushri and bottom left, the syllable Hum on a Lotus.

The eleven aspects of Manjushri — kind, wrathful, protective, teaching and “beastly” — white, yellow, black; father, mother, spiritual child

Hanaum Seon Centre founded by Daehaeng in 1972.

Buddhist teachings according to Korean Zen (Seon) and Seon Master Daehaeng: Buddha-Dharma encompases all of life; dying three times; One Mind

Kshitigarbha, the Earth Store Bodhisattva, saving millions of beings over countless years.

Four heroic incarnations of Ksitigarbha, the “Earth Store” Bodhisattva — unfailing, never-tiring compassion

Siddartha Buddha grew up in the palace and was an expert in martial arts.

Shakyamuni Buddha, born to “warrior caste” taught how to be a fearless Buddhist: overcoming ignorance and suffering with the “weapons” of wisdom and compassion

Buddha-Weekly-Buddhist monk meditating at waterfall dreamstime_xxl_155900227-Buddhism

A Theravadan monk explains how Buddhist mindfulness and clinical therapeutic mindfulness are complimentary — but not the same

Gyalwang Drukpa of the Drukpa lineage (Drukpa literally means Dragon.)

Birthday of Gyalwang Drukpa

Monk making offering on Holy Day in Drepung Monastery Lhasa Tibet.

Important December Dharma Dates including exciting empowerment events: 2022

Buddha calmly resists Mara's evil hoard under the Bodhi tree.

Refuge is the Ultimate Protection from Dangers: The Maha Samaya Sutta — The Great Meeting Sutra

Solar Eclipse

October Dharma Dates 2022 — Meritorious Practice Days and Events

Buddha-Weekly-Dharma Dates Sept 2022-Buddhism

September Dharma Dates 2022 — Meritorious Practice Days and Events

The Sakya Jetsunmas: Hidden World of the Female Lamas https://amzn.to/3BREyXB

Lama to All — Jetsunma Tamdrin Wangmo (1836–96) — biographical chapter from The Sakya Jetsunmas: The Hidden World of Tibetan Female Lamas

Buddha calmly resists Mara's evil hoard under the Bodhi tree.

Conqueror Shakyamuni Buddha: praising the King of the Shakyas — Foe Destroyer, Completely Perfect Buddha: by Sakya Pandita

Buddha-Weekly-Shakbar feature image-Buddhism

Shabkar’s Song of Practice: the entire path, from refuge to generation to completion in one song by one of the great sages of Tibet

Shakyamuni Buddha teaches Singala the householder, instructing him in Buddhist responsibilities from a Lay person's point of view.

Advesha — the “abscence of Hatred”: how Buddha taught us to overcome the poison of Hatred

Buddha-Weekly-Buddha Teaching Monks deer park-Buddhism

Not Yours! “Whatever is not yours: let go of it.” — letting go of past, letting go of future: Na Tumhaka Sutta

Bhikshuni Thubten Chodron

“Our mind is full of rubbish” —Venerable Chodron. It’s time to purify: sutra practice of “The Bodhisattva’s Confession of Moral Downfalls” with commentary

The Fantastic "Transformed City" of Chapter 7 in the Lotus Sutra.

Lotus Sutra Chapter 7 — the “Transformed City” analogy; full translation and commentary from Venerable Master Hua

Buddha statue against a full moon.

Dharma Days 2022: auspicious lunar practice dates: all Buddha days, Tsog, and Puja days

Buddha cutting his hair as a symbolic act as he heroic ventures out from his sheltered life to solve the suffering of all beings.

“Buddha Didn’t Teach That?” All paths of Buddhism — Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana — have the same core method: cutting the poisons!

the Wheel of Life

Dependent Co-Arising Answers Most Arguments with Impeccable Logic: The Great Causes Discourse Maha-nidana Sutta

Padmasambhava giant statue at Guru Rinpoche temple.

Enlightenment in one lifetime? Guru Rinpoche Padmsambhava explains what it takes. Practice, discipline, and more practice!

In Buddhism, we meditate on impermanance, in part, to help us prioritize remedies for transforming anger and other poisons.

9 ways Buddha taught us to transform anger — and put an end to negative cycles

Shakyamuni Buddha teaching.

Purify karma, heal illness, increase lifespan and avert calamities with Usnisa Vijaya Dharani Sutra and Mantra

Serial killer Angullimala tries to kill the Buddha and instead becomes his student. Buddha teaches Anguilmala — obviously an extreme case — through virtuous conduct. Even as the killer attacks him, Buddha does not attempt to defend himself — yet Anguilimala is unable to stab him.

Peacemaking Buddhism: importance of Ahimsa “Non-Harm” in Buddhism — “Nonviolence is the weapon of the strong.”

Songkran celebrations.

HAPPY Theravada Buddhist New Year April 06 2023! (varies by region somewhat 13-16th) Songkram, a time for alms, practice, fesitvals, respect, and sandcastles

Ultimately, Shunyata can only be experienced through meditation. It has more to do with "Oneness" and "Fullness" than "Emptiness" and "Nothingness." Empty of ego, but full of everything else.

Buddhism has Nothing to do with Nihilism and everything to do with Experiencing; Why “Emptiness” and “Nothingness” are poor translations of Shunyata

Eight Great Bodhisattvas surrounding the Buddha, 17th century Chinese painting.

The 8 Great Bodhisattvas represent the 8 Great Qualities of Buddha; why we need these qualities to help heal the world

Happy LOSAR 2022
Losar la Tashi Delek 202, Year of the Water Tiger

Losar 2022: Getting Ready to Bring in the Year of the Tiger March 3, 2022; 15 days before and after Losar

Happy Chinese New Year 2022 Year of the Water Tiger from your friends the Editors, Writers, Video Editors, and Designers at Buddha Weekly! May you have an auspicious, healthy, happy year!

Celebrating Lunar New Year! Happy Year of the Tiger: roaring back for 2022. Wishing you every auspiciousness!

A monk holds the hand of a deceased person found on a train platform in China.

“Learning how to die” and “Why Meditating on Death May Bring Joy to Life”: What the Buddhist Teachers Say About End of Life, Dying, and Palliative Care

For the weekend, during Nyung Nye we undertake the eight precepts of a monastic. Normally lay people only observe the first five.

The Emptiness of Prayer—Who Do We Pray To? “You and the Buddha are not separate realities.” — Thich Nhat Hanh

One concept in Buddhism is Shunyata, various described as Emptiness or Oneness. When the ego is removed, there is oneness. When the ego is introduced, phenomenon arise from the observer (with the ego).

Bliss helps us understand Emptiness without nihilism: Vajrayana develops faster insight through the balance of bliss and emptiness, compassion and wisdom, mandala and deity

Lantern festival Loy Krathong in Thailand.

Buddhist Dharma Dates 2022: clearing the confusion on lunar calendars

A young monk plays a drum at Tawang Togya festival at a temple in Arunachel Pradesh India.

Drumming for Mindfulness — a simple way to calm the mind, remove stress and heal. Studies show drum meditation supports treatments of cancer, Parkinsons and depression.

Zasep Tulku Rinpoche answering questions after  Mahamudra teachings  in Owen Sound.

Mindfulness of Feelings Meditation: Overcoming Negative Feelings and Using Discriminating Alertness of Feelings in Your Practice: Mahamudra Teachings

maxresdefault-48

Video: Purification of the Obstacles of Dharma practice: Doubt, Fear and Restlessness. Buddhist Ngondro Foundation Teachings, Part 3 –– a Teaching from Venerable Acharya Zasep Tulku Rinpoche

Buddha comes across the "untouchable" carrying excrement. Buddha treats the "untouchable" as an equal, without pride, and asks him to become one of his monks.

Why is pride a poison — and overcoming ego with the wisdom of Equality; practicing Ratnasambhava and the Ambhattha Sutra

Venerable Zasep Tulku Rinpoche blessed this dog at the end of a Medicine Buddha Retreat in Owen Sound in April 2016. After the event he played with the fifteen-month old pup. Zasep Rinpoche teaches,  "We must not hurt other people and animals."

Dog and Cat Dharma: Did Buddha Teach That Dogs and Cats Have Buddha Nature? How Can You Help Your Companion Meet the Dharma in Daily Life?

Dog sitting in front of a Buddha statue in Thailand.

A Dog’s Guide to Enlightenment — dogs embody many Buddhist principles and have Buddha Nature

Dharma practice, and Loving Kindness (Metta Karuna) practice are the key antidote for anger — the biggest obstacle in Buddhist practice.

A Wheel With Eight Spokes: Why Picking and Choosing “Beliefs” — or “Revisionist” Buddha Dhama — Can Obstruct Your Buddhist Practice

Buddha-Weekly-Buddha Teaching Monks deer park-Buddhism

Nidana Sutta: Buddha Teaches the Three Causes for the Origination of Actions — Greed, Aversion, and Delusion: Sutra

Buddha Nature is often described as the sun behind the clouds. The sun is always there, even if you can't see it. But when the visual obstruction disappears, the sun shines.

Why Buddha Nature is one of the most important understandings in Mahayana Buddhism and why Tathagatagarbha Buddha Nature is not the soul

A Buddhist monk with mask and face protection continues to teach, overcoming all obstacles.

Buddhist inspiration during lock-down or quarantine: practice, learning, gratitude, connecting, acceptance

In many temples, including this one in Canada, the shrine typically has, as three principle deities: Buddha (here on left); Lao-Tzu (founder of Taoism) and Confucius. Combining these three traditions raises no eyebrows in Asia, since the philosophies and beliefs are similar (in many ways) and complimentary. Pictured Fung Loy Taoist Tai Chi International Centre near Orangeville, Ontario.

Dharma and the Tao: how Buddhism and Daoism have influenced each other; Why Zen and Taoism can be complementary

Buddha-Weekly-White Tara Video long life practice guided meditation series title-Buddhism

White Tara long life practice video with special 5-colors protection light guided visualization from Venerable Zasep Rinpoche

A comparison of two genuine thangkas in two traditions: Tibetan Thangka on the left (detail, not full) and Nepali Thangka on the right (detail.)

Why is “lineage art” important? Distinguishing Nepali and Tibetan lineage Thangkas: style, media, symbolic differences, “fake” and genuine

Visualizing the Medicine Buddha Mantra and rays of healing Lapis Lazuli light emanating from the Buddha, and absorbed into the patient (or self) assists in healing.

The First Doctor: Medicine Buddha Bhaisajyaguru Lapis Lazuli Light — Empowering You to Heal; the Buddha of Healing and Medicine and Doctors

Buddhist monks in Thailand using a computer on the floor of the temple. Computers, mobile phones and tablets are common today in temples and monasteries.

Internet DIY Dharma: What seven Buddhist teachers say about the pros and cons of Buddha’s teachings via the internet and the risks of do-it-yourself Dharma.

Buddha's first teaching was on the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path.

8 Rights: The Noble Eightfold Path — the Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching

By Tango7174 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0. A depiction of the first teaching of the Buddha from a Vietnamese Buddhist monastery in Quebec, Canada. From Wikipedia.

The Discourse that Set the Dharma Wheel Rolling: Three Key Principles Taught by Buddha in Forty Life-Inspiring Verses

H.H. the Dalai Lama teaching Lamrim.

Lamrim: the fast “mapped” path to Buddhist realizations: “It expounds the entire path” — Dalai Lama

Making a tea offering to Guanyin.

Tea Serkyem offering: Generating the merit for Compassionate Activities — especially for protection from sickness and other obstacles

Buddha teaching the Dharma to disciples.

Headed for darkness or light? Of world’s 7.9 billion people, Tamonata Sutta says there are four types of people, two headed to darkness

Siddartha leaves the palace and sees the four sights: poverty, illness, old age and death.

The Path of Purification? No, my friend. Ratha-vinita Sutta (Chariot Relay Sutra) teaches us not to confuse the seven purifications, with the destination, Nirvana

The cornerstone of Buddhist practice is meditation in its many forms.

Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta: The Great Discourse on the Establishing of Awareness; mindfulness of body, feelings, mind, mental qualities

Unique to Vajrayana are advanced and highly detailed visualizations of the "Field of Merit." The meditator tries to create and hold a vision of the lineage of buddhas, bodhisattvas, lamas, sages and mahasiddhis that transmitted the Dharma. Then, mentally, we prostrate and make offering to the visualized deities. Such strenuous visualization trains and disciplines the mind, while also creating the conditions for positive merit.

A vital lifeline to practice — live-streamed Buddha Dharma teachings from teachers

Buddha-Weekly-Zasep Rinpoche teaching Black Manjushri-Buddhism

Video: Healing Teacher-Guided Meditation & Mantras Black Manjushri: Zasep Rinpoche — especially recommended for Caronavirus and Cancers

Borobudur Stupas, Java Island Indonesia.

18 benefits to building, circumambulating or funding of Stupas, which represent “Buddha’s Holy Mind” — according to Sutra

Buddha-Weekly-Any Books about Buddhism-Buddhism

The best Buddhists Books and Texts for Beginners

Bodhidharma meditating in his cave, facing the wall.

Bodhidharma’s Breakthrough Teaching: Shastra on Eradicating Appearances

Buddha-Weekly-Butterfly reincarnation concept-Buddhism

The dream of rebirth: is reincarnation real?; if so, why don’t we remember our lives?; how can we prove it?; and other difficult questions

Mantra activates the mind, blesses the mind, protects the mind.

“The Mind of One Buddha is the Mind of All Buddhas”; How “Jewel Collection Refuge” Can Help You Manage Your Commitments to Multiple Practices and Yidams

Buddha-Weekly-Battle_with_Mara-Buddhism

Mother Earth: witness of Lord Buddha’s merits: Vasudhara, Phra Mae Thorani, Prithvi, Bhumi — the witness of all our merits

Buddha-Weekly-Guru Rinpoche Statue head horizontal-Buddhism

The Lotus Born Guru Rinpoche: Master Padma’s Ten Key Points, Ten Foundations, Ten Faults, Ten Superficialities

buddha-weekly-slide1b

Zasep Tulku Rinpoche discusses decades of teaching, advice for beginner students and funny stories of his teachers.

Video teaching on Samatha and resting the mind in the natural state at a weekend retreat on Mahamudra with H.E. Zasep Rinpoche.

Samatha meditation teaching: “Resting the mind in the natural state,” video of session 1 of a Mahamudra weekend retreat

Translate »
Scroll to Top