In today's world of instant tweets and social media, insults propigate almost with a flaming will of their own. And those words find instant audiences on Twitter, spreading the anger, the fury, the insults, hurting, hurting and hurting. But, why do insults hurt us? Modern psychology is only now telling us what Buddha...
The word “Jataka” means “birth” in both the Pali and Sanskrit languages. The Jataka tales, among the oldest and best known of Buddhist texts, refers to stories of the past lives of Siddhartha Gautama before he became the Buddha in his final life. These charming and helpful stories number in the hundreds,...
Many people misinterpret Buddhist beliefs, associating money or wealth as a source of attachment or negativity — particularly focusing on the ideal of renuciation. For the non-monastic — for the devout householder Buddhist — wealth is not itself a negative. In fact, in Adiya Sutta (Pali Sutta, Sanskrit Sutra) Buddha, the Blessed...
Venerable Robilna Courtin managed to give Buddha Weekly some time out of her busy teaching schedule to discuss the Three Higher Trainings and other Buddhist topics. Screen grab from video (below.)Interview with Venerable Robina Courtin: "Staying sane in a crazy world", taking the clichés out of karma and practicing the Three Precious Trainings 1 Venerable Robina Courtin known for her clarity and energetic teaching style, covers a broad range of important...
How many of us actually find time for even a weekend retreat in today's hectic world? Many Buddhists — and non-Buddhists — aspire to the quiet energy of retreat, not just to de-stress, but to actually still the mind sufficiently to progress mindfully. As meditation teacher Theodore Tsaousidis puts it: "silence is...
Buddha Weekly Special Series "Interviews with the Teachers"The role of meditation in mental health, depression, cognitive decline, delusional behavior and trauma: also, what to do when teachers fail in issues of ethics: interview with teacher Theodore Tsaousidis 2 In a hard-hitting, frank interview, Meditation teacher Theodore Tsaousidis — a well-known meditation teacher in Ontario — discusses the role of meditation in mental illness, cognitive decline, and general health. He points out, for example that clinical depression, delusional behavior...
The great yogi Shabkar Tsogdruk Rangdrol, an incarnation of the Milarepa, sang many instructive songs — still sung today (orally) and read in translated form by Buddhists around the world. Each of his wonderful songs, like Milarepa's before him, are concise and wonderful teachings. His autobiography contains many teaching songs. Home 4 is "How does Tibetan Buddhism view same-sex issues?" or "Does Buddhism encourage same-sex marriage?" and many variations on this theme. The LGBTQ (or LGBT) topic is muddied by lack of uniformity in terms of the views...
Lankavatara Sutra (Tripitaka No. 671) Chapter 16: Do not eat meat At that time, Arya(sage) Mahamati(Great Wisdom) Bodhisattva-Mahasattva said to the Buddha: "Bhagavan(World Honored One), I see that in all worlds, the wandering in births and deaths, the enlaced animosities, and the falling into evil paths, are all caused by meat...
Venerable Zasep Tulku Rinpoche, spiritual director of many meditation centres in Canada, U.S. and Australia, returns to Gaden Choling Toronto Canada March 23-April 4 2018. He is currently teaching in Mongolia.Video: Vipashyana Mahamudra (Vipassana) short teaching on Madyamuka and brief guided meditation with H. E. Zasep Tulku Rinpoche 3 In a short 20 minute video teaching (followed by a brief guided meditation), H.E. Zasep Rinpoche introduces...
This feature is historical. For a current feature on Losar 2022, Year of the Water Tiger, see>> Lunar New Year, celebrated by hundreds-of-millions of people — as Chinese New Year, Losar, and various other Lunar labels — is an important time, traditionally, to present offerings to the Buddhas and Enlightened beings. The...
Bring the sacred and blessed sounds of Shakyamuni Buddha's mantra into the Lunar New Year 2018, Year of the Earth Dog. Enjoy or chant along with this Holy mantra, sung here by the amazing Yoko Dharma. [Bio below.] For a full feature on Losar 2018, Year of the Earth Dog, please...
Tara, like any Mother, is ready to jump to our aid, even in mundane areas of life. She is the “practical Buddha” — the “Karma Mother” — the Buddha most active in our lives. Her Sanskrit name translates as “a star by which to navigate” — and like a star, she is always with us whenever we look for her.
An entire playlist of every one of the mantras for the 21 Taras. Don't miss the amazing Tara mantra chanting of Yoko Dharma for the each Tara of the 21 Taras according to Surya Gupta lineage. One video with many repetitions and visualized images for each Tara. The final video is the English-translated 21 Praises to Tara sung in English.
