Archive for February, 2011

3rd Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche on Meditation Posture

Monday, February 28th, 2011
3rd Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche (1954-1992)

3rd Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche (1954-1992)

“The physical posture is most important for one’s meditation to go well. There are seven points to take into consideration, called the sevenfold posture of Vairocana. He is the central Buddha in the Mandala of all Buddhas. The seven points of Vairocana are:

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Interview with H.H. the 16th Karmapa from 1976

Sunday, February 27th, 2011

This TV interview with H.H. the 16th Karmapa took place in the USA in 1976. The show was called “Vermont Report”, a half-hour Public Television news program from Vermont. In the studio there are other important figures in the Karma Kagyu school such as the 3rd Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche and Lama Jigme Rinpoche. The footage is from the “extras” disc which features with the documentary film “Recalling a Buddha” (2009) by Greg Eller. The DVD is available to purchase online at http://www.karmapaxvi.com/

H.H. 17th Karmapa in Hong Kong – photostream

Saturday, February 26th, 2011


Matt Balara during the February 2011 visit of H.H. 17th Karmapa Trinley They Dorje. They’re fantastic, we’re sure you’ll agree!

Brief History of the Kagyu Lineage by Trungram Gyaltrul Rinpoche

Saturday, February 26th, 2011
Trungram Gyaltrul Rinpoche

Trungram Gyaltrul Rinpoche

This is an excerpt from a teaching held on the United Trugram Buddhist Fellowship website of Trungram Gyaltrul Rinpoche.

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Karma Kagyu Great Seal Lineage in Three Paintings

Thursday, February 24th, 2011

MilarepaMarpaGampopa

This set of three stunning 19th Century Tibetan thangka paintings (click on each to enlarge) was just posted to the Himalayan Art Resource website. The three composition painting set depicts the Karma Kagyu Great Seal (Skt. Mahamudra) Lineage ending with the 14th Gyalwa Karmapa, Thegchog Dorje (1798-1868).

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Rupert Sheldrake – “Telephone Telepathy” (video)

Tuesday, February 22nd, 2011

In Lama Ole Nydahl‘s lectures, including those given in London and Brighton last September, he mentions that sometimes we know who is calling before we lift up the receiver, to demonstrate that “space is information”. (more…)

Milarepa’s tower

Monday, February 14th, 2011
Sekhar Guthok - Milarepa's Tower

Sekhar Guthok - Milarepa's Tower

This is Sekhar Guthok, “nine-storey son’s house”, the legendary tower Marpa (1012-1097) ordered Milarepa (1040-1123) to build for his son. The site is situated in Lhodrak district of Southern Tibet (click here for Google map), north of the Bhutanese border.

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Photos of H.H. 16th Karmapa giving an inititation in the 1970s

Friday, February 11th, 2011
H.H. 16th Karmapa (Photo: Cynthia MacAdams)

H.H. 16th Karmapa (Photo: Cynthia MacAdams)

This series of four wonderful black and white pictures of H.H. 16th Karmapa was taken in the 1970’s by the photographer Cynthia MacAdams and forms part of an exhibition entitled “20th Century Cultural Icons”. They show the 16th Karmapa holding dorje and bell wearing the long-tailed red “pandit hat” while giving an initiation (click to enlarge the images).

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