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.
Buddhist Living, Dharma, What the Buddhist Teachers Say
What is the promise — and danger — of Buddhist Dharma teachings online beyond the obvious pros vs cons: accessibility of Dharma teachings vs. misinformation or false Dharma teachings. In this feature, you'll find the opinions of seven ...
8 Rights: The Noble Eightfold Path — the Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching
Dharma
The Noble Eightfold Path distinguishes itself from many teachings in its positive, affirmative nature. Many spiritual teachings consist of dont's: don't do this, don't do that. The Noble Eightfold Path speaks in positive, warm terms. Implied within the ...
The Discourse that Set the Dharma Wheel Rolling: Three Key Principles Taught by Buddha in Forty Life-Inspiring Verses
Dharma
Buddha taught three key principles of the Buddha Dharma path, summarized elegantly in "The Discourse that Set the Dharma-Wheel Rolling" as forty life-inspiring verses. [Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta. The full text as verses in English translation are below. This concise ...
Guanyin: “Most Widely Beloved Buddhist Divinity”; Devotion to the 33 Forms of Compassion and Love
Avalokiteshvara Chenrezig Guan Yin, Bodhisattvas, Buddha, Deities, Dharma, Enlightened Feminine in Buddhism, Mahayana
Guanyin is often referred to as the "most widely beloved Buddhist Divinity."[2] Why? Because Her love is unconditional, all-embracing — with all 1000 arms! — and She will never cease her merciful activity until all beings are rescued ...
Bliss helps us understand Emptiness without nihilism: Vajrayana develops faster insight through the balance of bliss and emptiness, compassion and wisdom, mandala and deity
Buddhist Practices, Dharma, Vajrayana
"Emptiness is not a specialty of Vajrayana. Yidam meditation is part of Vajrayana, but is not the special quality of the Vajrayana. The special quality [that enhances the practice] really is the bliss." — Gelek Rimpoche [2] ...
Lamrim: the fast “mapped” path to Buddhist realizations: “It expounds the entire path” — Dalai Lama
Buddhist Practices, Dalai Lama, Dharma, Lama Tsongkhapa, Lamrim Graduated Path to Enlightenment
In the quest for Enlightenment, the "swift" lightning path is Vajrayana. The key reason it is the fast path is its step-by-step structure — with teachings organized carefully into proven systems. One of these is Lamrim — the ...
Why is pride a poison — and overcoming ego with the wisdom of Equality; practicing Ratnasambhava and the Ambhattha Sutra
Buddhist Sutras and Sutta English, Dharma
One day, Buddha came across the "untouchable" Nadhi carrying excrement. Nadhi tried to avoid the Buddha — out of respect, as was the custom — but Buddha intercepted the modest man. In a panic, Nadhi spilled the excrement. ...
Four heroic incarnations of Ksitigarbha, the “Earth Store” Bodhisattva — unfailing, never-tiring compassion
Bodhisattvas, Buddhist Sutras and Sutta English, Deities, Dharma, Mahayana
Ksitigarbha is a bodhisattva revered by millions across East Asia — honoured by the Buddha Himself due to his "untiring limitless compassion" — and his vows to help all sentient beings. He is also popularly known as Lord ...
Tea Serkyem offering: Generating the merit for Compassionate Activities — especially for protection from sickness and other obstacles
Buddhist Practices, Dharma
In Mahayana Buddhism, we often speak the language of “Wisdom” and “Compassion” practices. Yet our frenetic, danger-filled world also necessitates “Activity Tantra,” an important “activity manifestation” of Wisdom and Compassion. Without activity, there is no progress on the ...
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
Buddhist Sutras and Sutta English, Dharma
UPDATED: The world clock says there are now 7,875,725,034 people in this world, as of June 29, 2021 at 12:31 noon Eastern Time. Of these, according to Holy Sutra, there are only "four types of people" — two ...
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
Buddhist Sutras and Sutta English, Dharma
Although our teachers often drill hard on the theme of "just practice" and "I cannot practice for you" and "the greatest offering is your practice" — never-the-less Sutra cautions us against confusing practice with our goal of Nirvana ...
Karma is Not Fate: Why Karma is Empowering
Buddhist Living, Dharma, Karma, Lamrim Graduated Path to Enlightenment, Rebirth, Scientific Buddhist
Why is Karma empowering? One way of viewing Karma is as an aggregate of all of our actions, thoughts, words, dreams, desires into a user-controlled version of fate — that is you control your fate instead of some ...
