Wednesday, April 30, 2008

A Prayer When Lighting Incense

Quoted from the Avatamsaka Sutra:

"Inconceivable is the Buddha, possessed of a body of knowledge extensive as past, present and future, omniscient, free from all obstructions, rid of all afflictions and habit energies, raised by all enlightened ones, sincere, giver of the fruits of measureless omniscience, concentration of all knowledge."

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Posted by Practice at 8:31 PM | | Comments

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Video: The Life of the Buddha

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Posted by Practice at 8:35 PM | | Comments

Image: Hui Neng Destroying Heart Sutra


Hui Neng (638-713), the Sixth Patriarch of Chan (Zen) Buddhism is depicted here destroying a copy of what is most likely the Diamond Sutra. His special relationship to this sutra and the contents of the sutra itself are what make this particular event so striking and profound. Dozens of free translations of the Diamond Sutra are available online and I suggest reading several of them to fine tune your understanding (35-40 pages total, depending on the translation). The Diamond Sutra is in my opinion the quintessential Buddhist text regarding the correct understanding of emptiness.

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Posted by Practice at 10:23 AM | | Comments

H.H. Four Day Teaching - Guide to the Bodhisattva Way of Life

Teaching in Madison, Wisconsin, USA from July 20 to 24:

His Holiness will give four-day teachings from July 20 to 23 on Shantideva's A Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life (chodjug) & Kamalashila's Middle Stages of Meditation (gomrim barpa) at the Alliant Energy Center Coliseum. On the morning of July 24 there will be a long life offering ceremony (tenshug). Both the teaching and the long life offering ceremony are being organized by the North American Tibetan Associations (NATA) and Geshe Lhundup Sopa of Deer Park Center. Contact Website: www.dalailama2008na.com or www.deerparkcenter.org

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Posted by Practice at 9:33 AM | | Comments

Sunday, April 27, 2008

Shantideva - Guide to the Bodhisattvas Way of Life



Regarding Shantidevas Guide to the Bodhisattva Way of Life, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama states the following.

"If I have any understanding of compassion and the practice of the bodhisattva path, it is entirely on the basis of this text [The Way of the Bodhisattva] that I possess it."—H. H. the Dalai Lama"

That being said, I hope you will take the following quote from the text to heart.

"Harmful beings are everywhere like space itself. Impossible it is that all should be supressed.
But let this angry mind alone be overthrown, and it's as though all foes have been subdued."

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Posted by Practice at 8:31 PM | | Comments

Heart Sutra

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Posted by Practice at 8:17 PM | | Comments