Category: Buddhadharma
Shin Buddhism Is American Buddhism
It’s a late summer afternoon, and strings of lanterns run from the Buddhist Church of Oakland’s substantial facade to the trees in Madison Park. Inside, the minister is giving tours of the hondo, where services are held. He explains the meaning and symbolism of the altarpieces—the statue of Amida Buddha, or Buddha of Infinite Light…
Radical Thinkers of Pure Land Buddhism
Mark Unno looks at the historical figures behind Pure Land Buddhism — the tradition based on the enlightened realm of Amida Buddha, the Buddha of Infinite Light.
Forum: Do You Believe in Miracles?
Debating the supernatural in Buddhism with Judy Lief, Ari Goldfield, and Glenn Wallis.
To Enter the Vajrayana Start at the Beginning
It is the kindness of the buddhas to provide us with a complete path, and the preliminary practices are part of that path.
Shamatha–Vipashyana: Our Original Nature
Gaylon Ferguson explains that through both shamatha and vipashyana meditation we bring our mind back to its original state.
How Jhana Quells the Five Hindrances
If you think you’re seeing things as they really are, think again. Unless you’ve had the deep experience of letting go, there is only a myriad of illusions.
How to Read Buddhist Teachings
No matter where you begin, says Judy Lief, or whether you are an independent practitioner or affiliated with a particular tradition, all you have to do is to dive in.
Everyday Life Is the Practice
Geshe Tenzin Wangyal tells us how to turn our daily challenges into meditation practice. Illustrations of the six Tibetan Realms of Rebirth by Steve Heynen.
The Heart Sutra Will Change You Forever
Penetrate the true meaning of the Heart Sutra, says Karl Brunnhölzl, and nothing will be the same again. The secret is making it personal.
What Is Dream Yoga and How Do You Do It?
If you indulge your fantasies, lucid dreaming becomes super-samsara. If you go deeper, lucid dreaming can develop into dream yoga—spiritual practice.
Is My Sangha Inclusive?
When reverend Kiyonobu Joshin Kuwahara asked himself "is my Sangha inclusive?," he wasn’t sure of the answer. So he decided to find out.
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 this is where the real path begins.
The Four Seals of Dharma are Buddhism in a Nutshell
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 seems to have landed in the religious department, even in the self-help or self-improvement department, and clearly it’s in the trendy meditation department. I would like to challenge…
Two Truths—Indivisible
When we enter the path, we are working at the level of relative truth, and with practice we may gain insight into the absolute. But we don’t enter the final stage of practice, says Tsoknyi Rinpoche, until we realize these truths were never separate.
Open View, Solid Ground
Jamgon Kongtrul championed the view of rimay, recognizing the inherent value of all Buddhist teachings. But as Alex Gardner explains, he remained firmly loyal to his own tradition.
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.
Is it a problem that I don’t identify with any one Buddhist tradition?
The teachers tackle the issue of unaffiliated buddhists and whether having a set tradition and teacher is necessary to practice buddhism genuinely.
Happy Together
When we stop focusing on ourselves, says Gaylon Ferguson, we begin to see that our happiness is dependent on the happiness of all beings.
Just Wholeheartedly Sit
A translation of Dogen’s Bendowa fascicle, from Kazuaki Tanahashi’s Treasury of the True Dharma Eye.