Archive for March, 2012

Lama Gendun Rinpoche: “death, as much as life, is an illusion”

Sunday, March 25th, 2012
Gendun Rinpoche

Gendun Rinpoche

“From the perspective of Dharma, our death is merely a change in the content of what we perceive. The appearences of our present world cease, and they make room for other perceptions. There is no real break: our mind continues to be what it is in its true nature and to perceive with the same tendencies. The frame of reference of our perceptions changes but fundamentally the same process continues – the reactions of our mind remain the same as before. In truth, death, as much as life, is an illusion, a transient in-between state, a bardo. Contrary to what we may perhaps assume, with our death everything does not simply come to an end.”

Gendun Rinpoche (1918–1997), “Heart Advice from a Mahamudra Master

The New London Buddhist Centre and words of support from Lama Jigme Rinpoche

Saturday, March 10th, 2012
Artist’s impression of the new front view of the Beaufoy Institute

Artist’s impression of the new front view of the Beaufoy Institute

We are inspired each year by Diamond Way Buddhist centres in cities worldwide – where the full benefits of Buddhism have been brought to communities and old factories or derelict buildings rebuilt, transformed and rejuvenated. Now, we now have the opportunity to do the same for London. A new Buddhist centre for London will benefit the lives of many people into the future. We plan for it to be a meeting point for people from all over the world and – like London itself – a vibrant place for ideas to be exchanged, and for people to learn and develop. The old Beaufoy Institute in Lambeth has now presented an opportunity for us to bring these dreams to life. Currently, in March 2012, we are in the the planning process and engaging the local community with our plans. More details can be found on our website www.buddhism-london.org.

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Today is Chotrul Düchen, a “Ten Million Multiplier”

Thursday, March 8th, 2012
Buddha displaying Miracles

"The miracle at Sravasti" - Buddha multiplying his body, 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 destruction of Nalanda University, was preserved in Tibet for hundreds of years and now forms part of the collection of the Asia Society Museum. It depicts Buddha Shakyamuni supernaturally multiplying his body, referred to as the miracle at Sravasti.

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