Celebrate Saga Dawa Duchen, honoring Shakyamuni Buddha's Birth, Enlightenment, and Paranirvana on the 15th day of the 4th lunar month. All meritorious deeds are multiplied karmically, according to the Vinaya Text Treasure of Quotations and Logic.Day of Highest Merits: Celebrate Buddha's Birth, Enlightenment and Paranirvana on Saga (Saka) Dawa Duchen June 4, 2023 1 In the Vajrayana tradition, the most sacred day — the day of...
Death itself is conquered by this towering, wrathful deity, Yamantaka. Conquering death, and the cycle of samsaric suffering, is at the very heart of Buddhism. As the “death destroyer” Yamantaka symbolizes this aspiration, and his meditational deity practice is designed to achieve that goal. No deity is more misunderstood than the buffalo-headed...
Conquering the maras and even death is at the very heart of Buddhism. As the death destroyer, Yamantaka symbolizes this aspiration, and his meditational deity practice is designed to achieve that goal. No deity is more misunderstood than the buffalo-headed deity Vajrabhairava, also known as Yamantaka. Wrathful barely begins to describe...
The vital importance of awareness of impermanence, the nature of suffering, attachment, dissatisfaction, ignorance and laziness are emphasized by the Buddha in the short Sutra on the Eight Realizations (full translation below with some of the commentary by Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh.) The Sutra on the Eight Realizations is one of the...
This sutra contains many favorite gems: "You should be mindful of the four elements within the body. Though each has a name, none of them is the self. Since they are not the self, they are like an illusion." "When you see someone who is practicing giving, aid him joyfully, and you...
It can seem like Vajrayana's approach to visualizing countless Buddhas and Bodhisattvas is a smorgasbord approach to Buddhism. This isn't as terrible a metaphor as it seems. For people with different tastes, a single menu meal may not be appetizing; the smorgasbord assures that everyone has something to "eat." The "food" in...
Several studies indicate that meditation helps various conditions. Doctors often recommend guided meditation for heart health as a supportive treatment. Although meditation is renowned for its stress-reducing benefits, some experts suggest it can also impact heart health. By Beth Rush Managing Editor, BodyMind.com Does Meditation Really Impact Heart Health? What Research Shows 2 For stress, the best medicine...
Editors Note: This editorial is an op-ed of the authors. Karma can be a difficult concept. As pointed out in this op-ed, karma is not a simple cause-effect formula or a matter of "justice." Justice and karma are not the same thing, as eloquently pointed out by the authors. [caption id="attachment_7855" align="aligncenter"...
Kalachakra mantra and practice are recommended by great Buddhist teachers such as the Dalai Lama in these difficult times. Chant along with Hrishikesh Sonar, the mantra of Kalachakra presented with beautiful meditative images. (Ad-free version in high definition for Supporting Members.) For an introduction to Kalachakra, don't miss our 20-minute documentary, see>>...
Kalachakra mantra and practice are recommended by great Buddhist teachers such as the Dalai Lama in these difficult times. Chant along with Hrishikesh Sonar, the mantra of Kalachakra presented with beautiful meditative images. (Ad-free version in high definition for Supporting Members.) For an introduction to Kalachakra, don't miss our 20 minute documentary,...
Kalachakra mantra and practice are recommended by great Buddhist teachers such as the Dalai Lama in these difficult times. Chant along with Hrishikesh Sonar, the mantra of Kalachakra presented with beautiful meditative images. To learn more about Kalachakra, watch Buddha Weekly's introductory video linked to the information icon in the top right...
The symbolism of Vajrayana spans every facet of life — and imagination — from the mundane, to love-making, to demon-slaying, to wrathful conquering. Every aspect of practice is expressed in visualization — in the vast expanse of imagination — rather than as two-dimensional words on a page. The element of the practice...
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.
