"How Are You Within Yoiurself?...
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Kagyu Tradition of Tibetan Buddhism...
The Kagyu tradition is one of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. It is famed as the school of meditation practice. One of its alternative names is ‘the practice lineage’. The translator The origins of the Kagyu tradition in Tibet go back nearly a thousand years. In the 11th century a layman called Marpa made three journeys to India in search of Buddhist teachings. There, he studied under famous Indian Buddhist masters, such as Naropa and Maitripa. Having brought their teachings back to Tibet, Marpa the Translator, as he became known, transmitted them to students who gathered around him. The mountain hermit Marpa’s chief student was a man called Milarepa. While still young Milarepa had been responsible for the deaths of many people in a family feud. Remorse for his actions led him to turn to the path of the Buddha. Under Marpa’s guidance he devoted his life to meditation. After years of solitary meditation in caves in the Himal...
Antidotes to Destructive Emotions...
His Holiness the Dalai Lam a speaks online from his residence in Dharamsala, HP, India on Emptiness and Compassion as Antidotes to Destructive Emotions as part of the Science & Wisdom of Emotions Summit organized by Mind & Life Institute and the Awake Network on May 5, 2021. His Holiness speaks in Tibetan with a simultaneous English translation by Thupten Jinpa.
Abortion... One of Life's Moral Complexities...
Buddhism and Reproductive Choice Buddhism, like the other religions of the world, faces the fact that abortion may sometimes be the best decision and a truly moral choice. That does not mean there is nothing troubling about abortion, but it means that Buddhists may understand that reproductive decisions are part of the moral complexity of life. A thoughtful commentary on Buddhist views on abortion is provided by James Hughes, PhD, who teaches Health Policy at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, and is Trinity’s Associate Director of Institutional Research and Planning. Dr. Hughes was a Buddhist monk. He is also the Executive Director of the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies and its affiliated World Transhumanist Association. In an essay on his website , Dr. Hughes writes that there are varying views among Buddhists, with Western Buddhists most likely to have an attitude of general moral tolerance. He quotes author Margot Milliken: Given the present politi...
A Buddhist Perspective on Evil...
Learn Religions - Evil is a word many people use without thinking deeply about what it signifies. Comparing common ideas about evil with Buddhist teachings on evil can facilitate deeper thinking about evil. It is a topic where your understanding will change over time. This essay is a snapshot of understanding, not perfect wisdom. Thinking About Evil People speak and think about evil in several different, and sometimes conflicting, ways. The two most common are these: Evil as an intrinsic characteristic. It's common to think of evil as an intrinsic characteristic of some people or groups. In other words, some people are said to be evil. Evil is a quality that is inherent in their being. Evil as an external force. In this view , evil lurks about and infects or seduces the unwary into doing bad things. Sometimes evil is personified as Satan or some other character from religious literature. These are common, popular ideas. You can find much more ...
The Six Perfections... Mahayana Buddhism
The Six Perfections in Practice Each of the Six Perfections supports the other five, but the order of the perfections is significant also. For example, the first three perfections--generosity, morality, and patience--are virtuous practices for anyone. The remaining three--energy or zeal, meditation, and wisdom--are more specifically about spiritual practice. 1. Dana Paramita: Perfection of Generosity In many commentaries on the Six Perfections, generosity is said to be an entry way to the dharma. Generosity is the beginning of bodhicitta , the aspiration to realize enlightenment for all beings, which is critically important in Mahayana. Dana paramita is a true generosity of spirit. It is giving from sincere desire to benefit others, without expectation of reward or recognition. There must be no selfishness attached. Charity work done to "feel good about myself" is not true dana paramita. 2. Sila Paramita: Perfection of Morality Buddhist morality is not about un...