A practitioner should remain quiet about his achievements and flaunt his mistakes. Why? If we reveal our wrongdoings and mistakes to others, our karmic obstructions will be cleared. If we cover them up, the karmic obstructions will become even heavier. If we have reached certain goals or received credit for our accomplishments, we should keep […]
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Zen and the Art of Kindness
The second noble truth states that suffering is caused by desire. Generally this is understood to mean that the things we want cause us suffering either by not living up to our expectations or by causing us pain when they inevitably go away. This is an accurate assessment, and a good first step in understanding the […]
Women as Spiritual Partners in Vajrayana Buddhism
From the perspective of Vajrayana, if a woman has a strong aspiration and the necessary karmic prerequisites to overcome the instinctive need for procreation, her capacity for higher awareness is greater than that of a man. But even if she does choose to be a mother, she still has a chance to use her karmic […]
Burn the Bridge After Crossing It
Master Jingzong; English translation by Foyuan, edited by Fojin If a man finds faith in the Dharma in the course of secular learning, he should give up that learning and devote his energy to his new-found faith in order to derive the maximum benefits from the Dharma. This is called “burning the bridge after crossing it” […]
Am I Making Progress?
The central metaphor of Buddhism is that of a path – a path that leads from Samsara to Nirvana, and a path that encompasses the cultivation of ethical conduct, meditation and wisdom. Soon after I began to mediate relatively seriously, I was introduced to the mapping out of the path in terms of stages of […]
The Only Torch
Master Jingzong; English translation by Foying, edited by Jingxing In daytime, banners of any bright color, red or blue, can work as guiding signs. But in the wilderness at night, only an open flame can lead people through the darkness. In the Age of Correct Dharma, it is easy to deliver others by expounding any of […]
Humanism and Zen
Authentic humanism, in Pierre Furter’s words, “consists in permitting the emergence of the awareness of our full humanity, as a condition and as an obligation, as a situation and as a project.” – Paolo Feire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed These days my Buddhist practice life spins around, tumbles through, and is, ultimately, anchored by a […]
Digging in as a Meditation Teacher and Practitioner
Justin Whitaker These are very peculiar times that we are living in. Growing up in a rural Rocky Mountain state in the U.S., it is easy to say that I’ve just been out of touch with the world. But I ask, and keep asking people, “what do you think of this world we live in […]
Dance with No Dancer: Part 2
LiAnne Hunt Opening of Dharmata House Malaysia In 2014, they published a book and CD in Chinese of Rinpoche’s talks entitled Your Original Face. Now, in 2016, a mere four years since beginning this sacred dialog, the sangha has opened Dharmata House in time for Anam Thubten’s annual visit. Dharmata House is located smack in […]
Walking on the Path
Sherri Maxwell I had several beginnings in studying/committing my mind to Buddhism (since 1997) and exploring what that phrase meant, but had not found my way until I landed in Hong Kong. I was on the underground/metro/MTR and saw amongst a homogenous sea of Asians a bald, Caucasian man dressed in Tibetan-style robes—a monk—with an eagle tattoo on […]