The humble, and short Hatthaka Sutta, carries several profound messages. It is particularly memorable as an "intimate" peak into life in the Sangha. The picture that emerges is of just how approachable the Buddha was to everyone. [Full Sutta translated below by Thanissaro Bhikku.] In this lovely Sutta, a young man, Hatthaka,...
Twenty-six centuries ago (or so) Buddha is attributed with saying (see note): “Our life is shaped by our mind; we become what we think.” Seven-hundred years later, philosopher and Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius wrote, “The Happiness of Your Life Depends On the Quality of Your Thoughts." (around 177AD) This universal theme had...
"As a mother even with her own life protects her only child, so should one cultivate immeasurable loving-kindness towards all living beings." — Buddha, The Metta Sutta Random acts of kindness, in the moment, are acts of mindful meditation—and positive karma.Random Acts of Kindness Creates Good Karma. Mindful Acts of Kindness Refines Practice. 1 Mindfulness helps us overcome striving,...
H.E. Venerable Zasep Tulku Rinpoche is always quick to smile and laugh, regardless of a hectic teaching schedule that has him spending many hours flying around the world. Despite a very tight three week schedule of teachings at Gaden Choling in Toronto, the Venerable teacher found time for an in-depth interview with...
A single-father reader wrote in with a question (abbreviated here, as much of it was personal). He was struggling with raising his beloved daughter, yet finding his Buddhist practice was suffering due to stress and distraction. Two teachers answered this parent directly — H.E. Zasep Rinpoche and teacher Theodore Tsaousidis — and...
In many Buddhist disciplines we are taught to value the meritorious practice of reciting sutras. Often this is done from memory, in a mantra-like chant, which begs the question why do we recite sutras? A Buddha Weekly Special Feature Sutras are the teachings of the Buddha. To speak them is to put us in...
The Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha – those are the three Jewels of Buddhism. For most people who just started discovering Buddhism, the Buddha and the Dharma immediately make sense. But what about the Sangha? That’s the community of practitioners, which was originally limited to the monastic order. Today, the term...
What are the wonderful and marvelous qualities of a Buddha? In this amazingly joyous sutta, Buddha interrupts the Bikkhus, who are discussing the virtues of a Buddha, and asks them to explain what they believe are the virtues of the Tathagata. [Full translated Sutta below.] This sutra is a wonderful "recap" of...
Adam Cook returns with Part 3 in his series on addiction and recovery. Part 1, “Reclaim your mental well-being” from addiction is here>> Part 2, “Thriving post-rehab: achieving long-lasting addiction recovery” is here>> Part 3, "Finding your niche: advice for those in recovery who seek employment, is here>> By Adam Cook Addiction...
The great Lama Thubten Yeshe, one of the pioneer teachers who brought Vajrayana and Tantric Buddhism to the West, defined initiation this way: The much revered Guru Lama Yeshe. Initiation or Empowerment: what is it, why it is important in Vajrayana, how it helps, when you need it, how to receive it 2 "What is initiation? It is the beginning of the experience of meditation and concentration, of penetration into the...
The first session of a teaching and meditation retreat on advanced Mahamudra, taught by H.E. Zasep Rinpoche, the author of Gelug Mahamudra: Enlightened Speech of Manjushri. In session one, Rinpoche introduces Mahamudra, then speaks about the nature of mind and its obstructions. He then gives detailed, and often humorous instructions on Samatha...
As you might expect of 185 devoted Buddhist nuns, they ask for very little, but here in Zanskar Valley — one of the most isolated valleys in the Himalayas — many live without heat, water and electricity. Some of the nuns are children, as young as four years old — and the...
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.
