When the Buddha taught that all beings have buddhanature, says Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, he wasn’t contradicting the teachings on emptiness—he was clarifying them. As soon as we talk about a path like Buddhism, we think about its finish line—some kind of result or goal. But in the Mahayana, there is no goal. In the Prajnaparamita Sutra, for instance, we hear that “Form [...]
About Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche
What Makes You a Buddhist?
It’s not the clothes you wear, the ceremonies you perform, or the meditation you do, says Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse. It’s not what you eat, how much you drink, or who you have sex with. It’s whether you agree with the four fundamental discoveries the Buddha made under the Bodhi tree, and if you do, you can call yourself a Buddhist. Once, I was seated on a plane in the [...]
How Will You See the Guru?
Are you able to see your teacher as the Buddha? It’s not easy, says Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, but for the Vajrayana practitioner, this is where the real path begins. Guru devotion is the head, heart, blood, spine, and breath of the incredible Vajrayana, the path of Buddhist tantra. The Vajrayana is not a safe stroll in the countryside. In fact, safety is probably the [...]
The Four Seals of Dharma are Buddhism in a Nutshell
"Buddhism," says Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, "is distinguished by four characteristics, or 'seals.' If all these four seals are found in a path or a philosophy, it can be considered the path of the Buddha.” People often ask me: “What is Buddhism in a nutshell?” Or they ask, “What is the particular view or philosophy of Buddhism?” Unfortunately, in the West Buddhism [...]
Life as Cinema
Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche on film as a metaphor for the Buddha's teaching about samsara, nirvana and life itself. Just suppose that we have been born in a cinema hall. We don't know that what is going on in front of us is just a projection. We don't know that it is just a film, just a movie, and that the events in the movie aren't real — that they have no true existence. [...]
Buddhist Visualization Practice Is Pure, Clear, and Vibrant
Visualization practice sometimes involves traditional symbolism that Westerners have trouble relating to, says Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche. He shows us how we can make the most of this powerful method for transforming perception. The technique of visualization is employed throughout the Vajrayana practices of Tibetan Buddhism. Its use of our imagination makes it quite different [...]
“Bless this cyber-space with comfort, bliss, and enlightenment” — A “Prayer for Internet Practice”
A "Prayer for Internet Practice" has made its way to the web -- with its own Facebook page, naturally. "This prayer," the page explains, "was requested of Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche to help dharma students surf the waves of attraction and distraction on the Internet and turn them to practice." It's not the first time Rinpoche has addressed the online realm so [...]
The Distortions We Bring To The Study of Buddhism
Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse calls on Westerners to acknowledge the distortions we may bring to the study of Buddhism—through our cultural arrogance, the deceit of ego, and simple ignorance. The successful transplant of such a subtle and challenging practice as Buddhism, he says, depends on thorough study and clear recognition of our habitual patterns. Transplanting anything from [...]
Social Media Guidelines for So-Called Vajrayana Practitioners
From the Facebook page of Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse -- author of "Pure, Clear, and Vibrant" -- comes this unique set of social media guidelines. While it's targeted specifically at Vajrayana practitioners, much of it is relevant to Buddhists of all kinds. If you think or believe that you are a student of Vajrayana — whether or not that's true is another matter, but as long [...]
Not for Happiness
Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse is one of the truth-tellers of modern Buddhism. The truth he tells us is that if it feels too good, it’s probably not Buddhism. But if you want real transformation, if you want painful honesty and deep, uncomfortable change, then read on. Buddhist practices are techniques we use to tackle our habitual self-cherishing. Each one is designed to attack [...]