Archive for November, 2011

Saraha on Ultimate Co-emergent Wisdom

Saturday, November 26th, 2011
Saraha - Chief of the Accomplished Masters of India

Saraha - Chief of the Accomplished Masters of India

Ultimate co-emergent wisdom can only come

From gathering accumulations and purifying obscurations,

And through the blessings of a realized master—

You should know that it’s foolish to rely on any other method.

Saraha – Treasury of Dohās

Video trailer for documentary of H.H. 17th Karmapa’s 2009 visit to Russia

Monday, November 21st, 2011

This trailer is for a documentary video produced by the Russian Diamond Way Buddhist sangha. It shows the first historical visit of Gyalwa Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje to Russia which took place during the summer of 2009. The film includes excerpts from the two-week journey of the 26 year-old Head of the Karma Kagyu Tradition and his students through this vast country, from St. Petersburg to Vladivostok. Karmapa Thaye Dorje was received with full honours by the Head of the Republic of Kalmykia, Kirsan Ilyumzhinovm, as well as and Pandita Hambo Lama Damba Ayusheev. During the tour he worked non-stop for everybody, giving lectures and initiations to thousands of students, answering questions, and giving blessings to students waiting for him at small stations along the Trans-Siberian Railway. Karmapa is known as the “Wish-fulfilling Jewel” In Tibet, but he doesn’t see difference between himself and others “…I’m like everybody else. The truth is, that every of us is a wish-fulfilling Jewel… The question is only if I develop this quality or not”, Karmapa says.

Today is Lhabab Düchen, a “Ten Million Multiplier”

Thursday, November 17th, 2011
Buddha having descended from the Heaven of Thirty-Three, watercolour feature of a Perfection of Wisdom Sutra manuscript from Nalanda, circa 700-1100 CE

Buddha having descended from the Heaven of Thirty-Three, watercolour feature of a Perfection of Wisdom Sutra manuscript from Nalanda, circa 700-1100 CE

The picture above is a painted detail from an 8th-12th Century palm leaf manuscript of the “Perfection of Wisdom Sutra in 8,000 Lines”, produced by the Nalanda Buddhist University. It survived the sacking and razing to the ground of Nalanda by Muslims, was preserved in Tibet for hundreds of years and now forms part of the collection of the Asia Society Museum. It depicts Buddha Shakyamuni having descended to earth from the the desire god realm known as The Heaven of Thirty-Three (Skt. Trayatrimsha), one of the eight great deeds of the Buddha’s life story.

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Lama Ole Nydahl’s visit to Manchester, Exeter, London November 2011

Saturday, November 12th, 2011
Lama Ole Nydahl teaching in Manchester, November 2011

Lama Ole Nydahl teaching in Manchester, November 2011

Lama Ole Nydahl visited the UK from 8-10 November 2011 to teach in Manchester, Exeter and London. Here is a report of these exciting three days. Click on any of the thumbnails to enlarge the image.

Lama Ole Nydahl arrived in London St Pancras International by Eurostar from Belgium, having already taught in Paris, Rotterdam and Brussels during the previous days on this year’s “Channel Tour”, an annual part of Lama Ole Nydahl’s teaching schedule in which he is invited by his centres in the countries along the English Channel – France, Belgium, the Netherlands and the UK. Typically this tour is made via coach, with a full travelling group of about 60 students who, as well as attending Lama Ole’s public lectures, use the opportunity to spend more time together with their lama and sangha friends, strengthen connections and use the long coach rides for personal questions and interviews. On this leg of the journey though, Lama Ole Nydahl took the Eurostar to make enough time to visit the Diamond Way Buddhist Group in St Albans.

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New Diamond Way Blog for Switzerland

Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011
Switzerland Diamond Way Blog

Switzerland Diamond Way Blog

Our German-speaking readers will be pleased to hear that the Swiss Diamond Way sangha have just launched their own blog: http://blog.buddhismus.org/. We can’t confirm, but rumour has it they were inspired by the UK Blog… We’ll leave you to judge that for yourself, but please pay them a visit and subscribe to receive regular updates. We wish them much success and fruitful blogging!