The essence of Buddhist meditation - Dhyana (1/3)

The essence of Buddhist meditation. 

The practice of mental concentration leads ultimately, through a succession of stages, to the final goal of spiritual freedom, nirvana. Meditation occupies a central place in Buddhism and, in its highest stages, combines the discipline of progressively increased introversion with the insight brought about by wisdom, or prajna.

What's Prajna? 

Prajna is a Buddhist term often translated as "wisdom," "insight," "intelligence," or "understanding." It is described in Buddhist texts as the understanding of the true nature of phenomena. 

In the context of Buddhist meditation, it is the ability to understand the three characteristics of all things: 

1) Anicca (impermanence)

2) Dukkha (suffering) 

3) Anatta (nonself or egolessness). 

Mahayana texts describe it as the understanding of sunyata ("emptiness"). It is part of the Threefold Training in Buddhism, and is one of the ten paramis of Theravada Buddhism and one of the six Mahayana paramitas. 

Dhyana, in Indian philosophy, is a stage in the process of meditation leading to Nirvana.

In the oldest texts of Buddhism, Dhyana (Sanskrit) or jhana (Pali) is a component of the training of the mind (bhavana), commonly translated as meditation, to withdraw the mind from the automatic responses to sense-impressions, "burn up" the defilements, and lead to a "state of perfect equanimity and awareness (upekkha-sati-parisuddhi). 

Dhyana may have been the core practice of pre-sectarian Buddhism, in combination with several related practices that together led to perfected mindfulness and detachment. 

Dhyana in Vajrayana Buddhism 

Dhyana (in Tibetan: bsam gtan) (lit. “mental absorption”). Mental absorption is one of a series of increasingly concentrated states attained in placement meditation. 

On the basis of the attainment of tranquil abiding, one may pass through four form-world absorptions and four formless absorptions, with the meditative equipoise of cessation sometimes added as a ninth. 

Mental absorptions may result in various yogic achievements, but they do not assure liberation unless combined with superior insight into the nature of reality. 

Dhyana (meditation) refers to one of the six limbs of yoga to be employed in Uttamasev (excellent worship), according to the Guhyasamaja chapter 18. 

The Guhyasamaja chapter 18. Dhyana (meditation) is explained as the conception of the five desired objects through the five Dhyāni Buddhas, namely, Vairocana, Ratnasambhava, Amitabha, Amoghasiddhi, and Akṣobhya.

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We have exceptionally constrained support and do not receive subsidies or funding from people in general.

Please help us develop our Dharma activities that will not only benefit you but all Dharma readers on the planet. Please consider showing your support. Your generosity will certainly help us enhance our work and accomplish more for a better and brighter future.

Thank you for reading. May you find peace and great bliss. With your support, it helps to spread the Buddha’s precious teachings and turn the Dharma wheels in the world.

Aspiration For Bodhichitta

For those in whom the precious Bodhichitta has not arisen

May it arise and not decrease.

But increase further and further. 

Dedication of Merit
By this merit, may we then obtain omniscience then.
Having defeated the enemies wrongdoings
May we liberate migratory from the ocean of existence.
With its stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness, and death.

*Note

I do not own or infringe any copyright on the picture(s).

Picture(s) courtesy and credit to the rightful distributors and/or studios The picture(s) are intended for editorial use only.

The Essential Teachings of Vajrayana Buddhism (5/5)

Buddhism in Tibetan Following China's conquest of Tibet, the religion known as Tibetan Buddhism was driven from its native territory and into exile. It was once believed that one in six Tibetan men was a monk practicing Buddhism.

The Dalai Lama, who has been living in exile in India since escaping the Chinese takeover of his nation in 1959, is the most well-known representative of Tibetan Buddhism. 

Tibetan Buddhism incorporates elements from an old Tibetan religion known as Bon, Tantric, and Shamanic teachings, as well as the core teachings of Mahayana Buddhism.

While Vajrayana Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism are sometimes confused, they are not the same. In Tibetan Buddhism, Vajrayana is taught alongside the other vehicles. 

The characteristics of Tibetan Buddhism

1) The status of the teacher, or "Lama.
2) The significance of initiations and rituals. 
3) Rich symbolism in the visual
4) Parts of the ancient Tibetan religions
5) Mantras and meditation practices.

The Tibetan Book of Deaths

This is a well-known Tibetan Buddhist text and a best-seller in the West. The book's original title is Great Liberation via Hearing during the Intermediate State, or Liberation through Hearing as it is generally known in Tibet; the English title is not a translation of the Tibetan title. 

The experiences of a person transitioning from death to rebirth are the subject of the book.

Bardo

Between death and rebirth is the state known as bardo. This is a condition that is thought to persist for 49 days; however, the various schools of Tibetan Buddhism perceive it differently. 

A person's bardo experience is influenced by their spiritual upbringing during their lifetime. An unskilled individual is said to be disoriented and maybe unaware of their own death. 

People frequently find it difficult to let go of their attachment to past lifetimes, and this can lead to unfavorable rebirths due to their bad feelings.

In traditional Tibetan Buddhism, a lama will assist the departed through bardo, reading prayers and performing rites from the Book of the Dead while offering guidance to the deceased on how to let go of attachment to their body and their previous life. 

Within certain schools of Tibetan Buddhism, the deceased person's consciousness is actively transferred from their body to prepare for rebirth by the lama.

Many Tibetan Buddhists think that by performing spiritual acts that elevate the merits of the deceased and benefit them, those who remain can support the deceased on their path.

By thinking good thoughts, meditating on Buddha and other virtues, and participating in spiritual activities, the living can assist the dead during the 49-day period when the dead can see clearly into the brains of those left behind.

Donations for our Buddhist research and development. 

Do you earnestly cherish our devoted work? Assuming this is the case, we are delighted that you are finding our blog useful and valuable. Would you consider making a donation for our Buddhist research and development?

We need your help to secure the future of scholarly interaction with Buddhism. Since our very first publication of Dharma works and activities in 2008, we have been effortlessly providing free distribution of Dharma posts and articles throughout the previous 16 years. 

We have exceptionally constrained support and do not receive subsidies or funding from people in general.

Please help us develop our Dharma activities that will not only benefit you but all Dharma readers on the planet. Please consider showing your support. Your generosity will certainly help us enhance our work and accomplish more for a better and brighter future.

Thank you for reading. May you find peace and great bliss. With your support, it helps to spread the Buddha’s precious teachings and turn the Dharma wheels in the world.

Aspiration For Bodhichitta

For those in whom the precious Bodhichitta has not arisen

May it arise and not decrease.

But increase further and further.

Dedication of Merit

By this merit, may we then obtain omniscience then.

Having defeated the enemies wrongdoings

May we liberate migratory from the ocean of existence.

With its stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness, and death.

*Note

I do not own or infringe any copyright on the picture(s).

Picture(s) courtesy and credit to the rightful distributors and/or studios

The picture(s) are intended for editorial use only.

The Essential Teachings of Vajrayana Buddhism (4/5)

Buddhism in Tibetan Following China's conquest of Tibet, the religion known as Tibetan Buddhism was driven from its native territory and into exile. It was once believed that one in six Tibetan men was a monk practicing Buddhism.

The Dalai Lama, who has been living in exile in India since escaping the Chinese takeover of his nation in 1959, is the most well-known representative of Tibetan Buddhism.

Tibetan Buddhism incorporates elements from an old Tibetan religion known as Bon, Tantric, and Shamanic teachings, as well as the core teachings of Mahayana Buddhism.

While Vajrayana Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism are sometimes confused, they are not the same. In Tibetan Buddhism, Vajrayana is taught alongside the other vehicles. 

The characteristics of Tibetan Buddhism

1) The status of the teacher, or "Lama.
2) The significance of initiations and rituals. 
3) Rich symbolism in the visual

4) Parts of the ancient Tibetan religions

5) Mantras and meditation practices. 

Mantras and yogic techniques are just two. of the many rituals and spiritual exercises that are part of Tibetan Buddhism.  

Tibetan Buddhism places a strong emphasis on supernatural entities. There are many Buddhas and Bodhisattvas—gods and spirits. The ancient Tibetan faiths are still revered. Bodhisattvas are shown as both merciful deities and vengeful ones. 

Among lay Tibetan Buddhists, rituals and basic spiritual exercises like mantras are common. These encompass kneeling, presenting offerings to Buddha or Bodhisattva statues, as well as any lectures or rituals that are conducted in public. 

Tibetan temple ceremonies are often noisy and visually striking, with brass instruments, cymbals, gongs, and dressed monks. It takes place in strikingly designed temples and monasteries. 

Cutting-edge methods  

Tibetan Buddhism also includes a great deal of complex ceremony. These are only accessible to individuals who have attained a highly developed comprehension of spiritual practice. 

Advanced spiritual practices are also available. These consist of complex imagery and strenuous meditations. Senior Tibetan yoga practitioners are reported to possess far more bodily control than most people, including the ability to regulate their body temperature, heart rate, and other often automatic processes.  

Existence and dying 

Tibetan Buddhism places a strong emphasis on impermanence and death awareness. As a constant reminder of our own transience, everything is dying, even the cells that make up our bodies. Additionally, everything that is alive is perishing around us.  

A Buddhist should not become depressed or hopeless as a result of this realization, nor should it prompt them to begin chasing the fleeting pleasures of life. Rather, it ought to inspire the Buddhist to treasure each minute of life and practice meditation and other forms of devotion with diligence. 

Awareness of death, combined with an understanding of the impermanence of everything, leads the Buddhist to realize that only spiritual things have any lasting value. 

Making arrangements for death

Tibetan Buddhists visualize death and get ready for the bardo through visualization meditations and other practices. They strive for a comprehensive comprehension and acceptance of death as an essential component of their path. 

Assisting individuals who have passed away due to their experiences in the bardo is an additional method of becoming ready for death. This benefits the deceased as well as giving the practicing live a true understanding of the bardo before entering. 

Even those who cannot gain the spiritual awareness to have a consciousness of the bardo are helped by achieving a greater experience of the impermanence of everything.

A deeper understanding of the transience of all things benefits those who are unable to develop the spiritual awareness necessary to become mindful of the bardo. 

Donations for our Buddhist research and development. 

Do you earnestly cherish our devoted work? Assuming this is the case, we are delighted that you are finding our blog useful and valuable. Would you consider making a donation for our Buddhist research and development?

We need your help to secure the future of scholarly interaction with Buddhism. Since our very first publication of Dharma works and activities in 2008, we have been effortlessly providing free distribution of Dharma posts and articles throughout the previous 16 years. 

We have exceptionally constrained support and do not receive subsidies or funding from people in general.

Please help us develop our Dharma activities that will not only benefit you but all Dharma readers on the planet. Please consider showing your support. Your generosity will certainly help us enhance our work and accomplish more for a better and brighter future.

Thank you for reading. May you find peace and great bliss. With your support, it helps to spread the Buddha’s precious teachings and turn the Dharma wheels in the world.

Aspiration For Bodhichitta
For those in whom the precious Bodhichitta has not arisen
May it arise and not decrease.
But increase further and further.

Dedication of Merit
By this merit, may we then obtain omniscience then.
Having defeated the enemies wrongdoings
May we liberate migratory from the ocean of existence.
With its stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness, and death.

*Note
I do not own or infringe any copyright on the picture(s).
Picture(s) courtesy and credit to the rightful distributors and/or studios
The picture(s) are intended for editorial use only.

The Essential Teachings of Vajrayana Buddhism (3/5)

Buddhism in Tibetan Following China's conquest of Tibet, the religion known as Tibetan Buddhism was driven from its native territory and into exile. It was once believed that one in six Tibetan men was a monk practicing Buddhism.

The Dalai Lama, who has been living in exile in India since escaping the Chinese takeover of his nation in 1959, is the most well-known representative of Tibetan Buddhism. 

Tibetan Buddhism incorporates elements from an old Tibetan religion known as Bon, Tantric, and Shamanic teachings, as well as the core teachings of Mahayana Buddhism.

While Vajrayana Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism are sometimes confused, they are not the same. In Tibetan Buddhism, Vajrayana is taught alongside the other vehicles. 

The characteristics of Tibetan Buddhism

1) The status of the teacher, or "Lama.
2) The significance of initiations and rituals. 
3) Rich symbolism in the visual

4) Parts of the ancient Tibetan religions

5) Mantras and meditation practices. 

Mantras and yogic techniques are just two. of the many rituals and spiritual exercises that are part of Tibetan Buddhism.  

Tibetan Buddhism places a strong emphasis on supernatural entities. There are many Buddhas and Bodhisattvas—gods and spirits. The ancient Tibetan faiths are still revered. Bodhisattvas are shown as both merciful deities and vengeful ones. 

Faith-related aspects

A teacher is a lama. Although they are typically a senior member of the monastic community, such as a monk or nun, lamas can also be laypeople or married individuals. Frequently, they are the rebirths of former lamas.

In addition to what they study from Buddhist texts and philosophy, lamas frequently possess specialized ritual talents. 

Dalai Lama's knowledge.

The 3rd Dalai Lama, Sonam Gyatso, was the first to hold the title. (The names "Dalai Lama" were given to the two earlier incarnations following their passing.)

Born in 1935 in Amdo, Tibet, Tenzin Gyatso is the fourteenth Dalai Lama and the current one as of 2002. 

The Karmapa literally translates to "one who performs the activity of a Buddha." The seventeenth Karmapa is the present incarnation (2002).

The 17th Karmapa has been recognized in two persons: While Trinlay Thaye Dorje, the leader of an opposing Buddhist sect, has gained the support of the general public, Orgyen Trinley Dorje is legally acknowledged as the 17th Karmapa.

Tibetan Buddhism was much influenced by Tantra, and this has brought in a wealth of complex rituals, symbols, and techniques.

Tantra originated in India and appears in both the Hindu and Buddhist traditions. It gives Tibetan Buddhism a magical element and a rich portfolio of heavenly beings. 

It also brings a wide variety of spiritual techniques, such as mantras, mandalas, ceremonies, and many varieties of yoga

Donations for our Buddhist research and development. 

Do you earnestly cherish our devoted work? Assuming this is the case, we are delighted that you are finding our blog useful and valuable. Would you consider making a donation for our Buddhist research and development?

We need your help to secure the future of scholarly interaction with Buddhism. Since our very first publication of Dharma works and activities in 2008, we have been effortlessly providing free distribution of Dharma posts and articles throughout the previous 16 years. 

We have exceptionally constrained support and do not receive subsidies or funding from people in general.

Please help us develop our Dharma activities that will not only benefit you but all Dharma readers on the planet. Please consider showing your support. Your generosity will certainly help us enhance our work and accomplish more for a better and brighter future.

Thank you for reading. May you find peace and great bliss. With your support, it helps to spread the Buddha’s precious teachings and turn the Dharma wheels in the world.

Aspiration For Bodhichitta
For those in whom the precious Bodhichitta has not arisen
May it arise and not decrease.
But increase further and further.

Dedication of Merit
By this merit, may we then obtain omniscience then.
Having defeated the enemies wrongdoings
May we liberate migratory from the ocean of existence.
With its stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness, and death.

*Note
I do not own or infringe any copyright on the picture(s).
Picture(s) courtesy and credit to the rightful distributors and/or studios
The picture(s) are intended for editorial use only.

The Essential Teachings of Vajrayana Buddhism (2/5)

Buddhism in Tibetan Following China's conquest of Tibet, the religion known as Tibetan Buddhism was driven from its native territory and into exile. It was once believed that one in six Tibetan men was a monk practicing Buddhism.

The Dalai Lama, who has been living in exile in India since escaping the Chinese takeover of his nation in 1959, is the most well-known representative of Tibetan Buddhism. 

Tibetan Buddhism incorporates elements from an old Tibetan religion known as Bon, Tantric, and Shamanic teachings, as well as the core teachings of Mahayana Buddhism.

While Vajrayana Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism are sometimes confused, they are not the same. In Tibetan Buddhism, Vajrayana is taught alongside the other vehicles. 

The characteristics of Tibetan Buddhism

1) The status of the teacher, or "Lama.

2) The significance of initiations and rituals. 

3) Rich symbolism in the visual

4) Parts of the ancient Tibetan religions

5) Mantras and meditation practices. 

Mantras and yogic techniques are just two. of the many rituals and spiritual exercises 

that are part of Tibetan Buddhism.  

Tibetan Buddhism places a strong emphasis on supernatural entities. There are many Buddhas and Bodhisattvas—gods and spirits. The ancient Tibetan faiths are still revered. Bodhisattvas are shown as both merciful deities and vengeful ones. 

In Tibetan Buddhism, paintings and other visual aids are employed as understanding tools at all social levels, thanks to the metaphysical framework that has allowed Tibetan Buddhism to grow a robust artistic heritage.

Tibetan Buddhism is widely practiced by laypeople as well as in monastic communities.

In contrast to the inner spiritual life, the lay version places a great emphasis on external religious activities. 

For example, rituals are frequently practiced at temples, pilgrimages are common and frequently involve numerous prostrations, and prayers are repeatedly said with the help of private or public prayer wheels and flags. There are several celebrations, and burials are significant rituals.

In addition to assisting the monks with ceremonial organization, villagers also physically maintain the monasteries.

Donations for our Buddhist research and development. 

Do you earnestly cherish our devoted work? Assuming this is the case, we are delighted that you are finding our blog useful and valuable. Would you consider making a donation for our Buddhist research and development?

We need your help to secure the future of scholarly interaction with Buddhism. Since our very first publication of Dharma works and activities in 2008, we have been effortlessly providing free distribution of Dharma posts and articles throughout the previous 16 years. 

We have exceptionally constrained support and do not receive subsidies or funding from people in general.

Please help us develop our Dharma activities that will not only benefit you but all Dharma readers on the planet. Please consider showing your support. Your generosity will certainly help us enhance our work and accomplish more for a better and brighter future.

Thank you for reading. May you find peace and great bliss. With your support, it helps to spread the Buddha’s precious teachings and turn the Dharma wheels in the world.

Aspiration For Bodhichitta

For those in whom the precious Bodhichitta has not arisen

May it arise and not decrease.

But increase further and further.

Dedication of Merit

By this merit, may we then obtain omniscience then.

Having defeated the enemies wrongdoings

May we liberate migratory from the ocean of existence.

With its stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness, and death.

*Note

I do not own or infringe any copyright on the picture(s).

Picture(s) courtesy and credit to the rightful distributors and/or studios

The picture(s) are intended for editorial use only.

The Essential Teachings of Vajrayana Buddhism (1/5)

Buddhism in Tibetan Following China's conquest of Tibet, the religion known as Tibetan Buddhism was driven from its native territory and into exile. It was once believed that one in six Tibetan men was a monk practicing Buddhism.

The Dalai Lama, who has been living in exile in India since escaping the Chinese takeover of his nation in 1959, is the most well-known representative of Tibetan Buddhism. 

Tibetan Buddhism incorporates elements from an old Tibetan religion known as Bon, Tantric, and Shamanic teachings, as well as the core teachings of Mahayana Buddhism.

While Vajrayana Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism are sometimes confused, they are not the same. In Tibetan Buddhism, Vajrayana is taught alongside the other vehicles. 

History

By the end of the eighth century CE, Buddhism had grown significantly in Tibet. The Tibetan ruler, Trisong Detsen, welcomed two Buddhist masters to Tibet and had key Buddhist writings translated into Tibetan before bringing them back from India. 

The first person to arrive was Shantarakshita, the Indian abbot of Nalanda, who established the first monastery in Tibet. After him arrived Padmasambhava, who used his might and knowledge to subdue "spiritual" forces halting construction on the new monastery. 

The Four Lineages of Tibetan Buddhism Over the hundreds of years that the four main schools of Tibetan Buddhism :

1)Nyingmapa, was the oldest sect,  founded by Padmasambhava and is well-known in the West for its adherence to the Tibetan Book of the Dead.

2)Kagyupa: Led by the Karmapa Lama, the Kagyupa tradition was founded by Tilopa (988–1069). Three notable Kagyupa instructors are Milarepa, Marpa, and Naropa.

3)Sakyapa: Gonchok Gyelpo (1034–1102) and his son Gunga Nyingpo (1092-1158) are credited with creating Sakyapa.

4) Gelugpa: The School of Virtuosity This tradition was started by Tsong Khapa Lobsang Drakpa (also known as Je Rinpoche) in 1357 and is currently led by the Dalai Lama.

The New Kadampa Tradition is a prominent Buddhist institution in the United Kingdom, established by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, a Tibetan by birth. The NKT is seen as being outside of the mainstream tradition by certain Buddhists and non-Buddhists. 

Tibetan Buddhist practice features a number of rituals and spiritual practices, such as the use of mantras and yogic techniques. Supernatural beings are prominent in Tibetan Buddhism. 

Buddhas and Bodhisattvas abound, and gods and spirits taken from earlier Tibetan religions continue to be taken seriously.

Tibetan Buddhist practice features a number of rituals, and spiritual practices, such as the use of mantras and yogic techniques. Supernatural beings are prominent in Tibetan Buddhism. Buddhas and Bodhisattvas abound, and gods and spirits taken from earlier Tibetan religions continue to be taken seriously. 

Donations for our Buddhist research and development. 

Do you earnestly cherish our devoted work? Assuming this is the case, we are delighted that you are finding our blog useful and valuable. Would you consider making a donation for our Buddhist research and development?

We need your help to secure the future of scholarly interaction with Buddhism. Since our very first publication of Dharma works and activities in 2008, we have been effortlessly providing free distribution of Dharma posts and articles throughout the previous 16 years. 

We have exceptionally constrained support and do not receive subsidies or funding from people in general.

Please help us develop our Dharma activities that will not only benefit you but all Dharma readers on the planet. Please consider showing your support. Your generosity will certainly help us enhance our work and accomplish more for a better and brighter future.

Thank you for reading. May you find peace and great bliss. With your support, it helps to spread the Buddha’s precious teachings and turn the Dharma wheels in the world.

Aspiration For Bodhichitta

For those in whom the precious Bodhichitta has not arisen

May it arise and not decrease.

But increase further and further.

Dedication of Merit

By this merit, may we then obtain omniscience then.

Having defeated the enemies wrongdoings

May we liberate migratory from the ocean of existence.

With its stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness, and death.

*Note

I do not own or infringe any copyright on the picture(s).

Picture(s) courtesy and credit to the rightful distributors and/or studios

The picture(s) are intended for editorial use only.

What Do Tibetan Buddhists Practice?

Tibetan Buddhism, also known as Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism, embraces a wide variety of practices—including visualization, mantras, and yogic practices—and harnesses mental and physical energies for use on the path to enlightenment.

After Buddhism arrived in Tibet from India in the 7th century, Tibet became the center of Buddhism in central Asia. Over the centuries, the teachings and traditions of Tibetan Buddhism spread to neighboring Mongolia, Bhutan, Nepal, and parts of what are now Russia and India. 

Tibetan Buddhism is the predominant religion in the Himalayan region today. Since the Chinese communist takeover and resulting Tibetan refugee crisis in the mid-20th century, Tibetan Buddhism has spread to the West and become one of the most widely practiced forms of Buddhism around the world. 

What are the practices of Tibet? 

The religious practices found in the Tibetan cultural world, accepted by and even conducted by the monastic order, include the incantation of mystic, magical formulas, the exorcism and destruction of demons, divination, auguries, oracles, and symbolic sacrifice and ransom aspects associated with Shamanism.

What is the history of Tibetan Buddhism? 

After Buddhism arrived in Tibet from India in the 7th century, Indian Buddhist practices were combined with Vajrayana practices to create a distinct religion. 

What are the different schools of Tibetan Buddhism? 

The many schools of Tibetan Buddhism are often divided into two main groups: older traditions and newer traditions. 

What are some important texts in Tibetan Buddhism? 

Among the many Tibetan Buddhist texts, Bardol Thodol (often mistranslated as The Tibetan Book of the Dead) is the most well-known. 

Who are some prominent figures in Tibetan Buddhism? 

From Padmasambhava to His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama, these important teachers have shaped and preserved Tibetan Buddhism. 

What is Buddhist tantra? 

Tantra seeks to harness a wide variety of experiences and mental and physical energies for use on the path to enlightenment.

What is the role of retreat in Tibetan Buddhism? 

Tibetan Buddhism embraces retreat as a way to withdraw from everyday life and immerse oneself in practice. 

Where is Tibetan Buddhism practiced, and how did it come to the West? 

The religion is practiced not only in Tibet but also across the Himalayan region and around the world. 

What’s the difference between a monk, a nun, a tulku, a rinpoche, and a lama?  

Monks and nuns lead lives of renunciation and simplicity, while rinpoches and tulkus are considered reincarnated teachers. 

Do you have to learn the Tibetan language to practice Tibetan Buddhism? 

The short answer is no. Many contemporary Tibetan teachers use hybrid practice texts that include the original Tibetan script and translations. 

Why are there so many images of Buddhas, godlike creatures, and demons in Tibetan art and temples? 

Many of the figures in Tibetan art and temples are actually buddhas and bodhisattvas appearing in either a peaceful, semi-wrathful, or wrathful form.

What is the Tibetan mind technique?

Lojong, or Tibetan mind training practices, enable us to stay strong and positive in how we face the challenges of life. Through training our minds, we can transform any negative circumstance into an opportunity to develop love, compassion, and understanding.

Donations for our Buddhist research and development. 

Do you earnestly cherish our devoted work? Assuming this is the case, we are delighted that you are finding our blog useful and valuable. Would you consider making a donation for our Buddhist research and development?

We need your help to secure the future of scholarly interaction with Buddhism. Since our very first publication of Dharma works and activities in 2008, we have been effortlessly providing free distribution of Dharma posts and articles throughout the previous 16 years. 

We have exceptionally constrained support and do not receive subsidies or funding from people in general.

Please help us develop our Dharma activities that will not only benefit you but all Dharma readers on the planet. Please consider showing your support. Your generosity will certainly help us enhance our work and accomplish more for a better and brighter future.

Thank you for reading. May you find peace and great bliss. With your support, it helps to spread the Buddha’s precious teachings and turn the Dharma wheels in the world.

Aspiration For Bodhichitta

For those in whom the precious Bodhichitta has not arisen

May it arise and not decrease.

But increase further and further.

Dedication of Merit

By this merit, may we then obtain omniscience then.

Having defeated the enemies wrongdoings

May we liberate migratory from the ocean of existence.

With its stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness, and death.

*Note

I do not own or infringe any copyright on the picture(s).

Picture(s) courtesy and credit to the rightful distributors and/or studios

The picture(s) are intended for editorial use only.