All ‘Diamond Way Teachings’ posts

Lama Ole Nydahl on Happiness

Thursday, April 15th, 2010

Lama Ole Nydahl gave this talk at a Seminar on Psychology in Basel, Switzerland. It was originally printed in the magazine Buddhism Today in 1998 and can also be read here.

Lama Ole Nydahl

Happiness, by Lama Ole Nydahl

What do Buddhist teachings say concerning happiness?.. Basically, in Buddhism one makes a separation between conditioned and unconditioned happiness, between a relative and an absolute kind. Relative happiness has to do with experiences, absolute happiness has to do with experiencer itself. When one watches the outer world, the factories, streets, houses and cars, it is evident that they were made because beings wanted to experience something pleasant. Hospitals and prisons, on the other hand, were built in order to avoid certain kinds of suffering. Actually, beings constantly try to change outer conditions with the aim of (more…)

Email, RSS Follow

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Diamond Way Buddhism, Diamond Way Teachings, Lama Ole Nydahl | No Comments »

Books in Diamond Way Centres: Recommended reading Pt.1

Monday, April 12th, 2010

In the first of a series of blog entries, we present Buddhist books from the “recommended reading list” for students of Diamond Way Buddhism by various authors, together with links to a reliable UK-based supplier, Wisdom Books. These books are also available, for example, in the libraries of many of our UK groups and centres. This first group of books cover general topics in Buddhism.

The Way Things Are – A Living Approach to Buddhism for Today’s World

Lama Ole Nydahl

In this new and updated edition, Lama Ole Nydahl asks: What is Buddhism today? How do the Buddha’s teachings utilize the full potential of our being? Through which practices may we experience mind as limitless space and bliss? How can one use the daily joys and difficulties of one’s job, family, or partnerships for spiritual growth? A very good introduction to Buddhism in General and the Diamond Way in particular.

O Books Publishing (2008) ISBN: 978-1-84694-042-2

******************

The Dharma That Illuminates All Beings Impartially

Kalu Rinpoche

A complete manual of the Buddhist path. This collection of teachings by the late renowned Kagyu master Kalu Rinpoche, one of the main teachers of Hannah and Lama Ole Nydahl, were given in America in 1982 and cover a wide range of topics, including the Four Dharmas of Gampopa, accomplishments, women in Buddhism, the Four Noble Truths, the Bardo, mandala offerings, taking refuge, commitments and the levels of (more…)

Email, RSS Follow

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Buddhist Books, Diamond Way Buddhism, Diamond Way Teachings | 2 Comments »

Lama Ole Nydahl on “Producing Buddhism”

Tuesday, March 16th, 2010

Lama Ole Nydahl made this statement in a teaching in San Fransico in 1995 which perfectly expresses the essence of Diamond Way Buddhism.

Lama Ole Nydahl in San Francisco 1995

Lama Ole Nydahl in San Francisco 1995

“We want to produce Buddhism, not consume it. We want each of us to develop into a temple and not create one somewhere outside. We want to allow each of us to possess the ability to really benefit others. Because we do not want to believe or believe in a fanatic way, we really want to develop everyone’s potential and everyone’s power. You have to understand that you have to stay conscious and to keep producing Buddhism in your lives.

You are Buddhism. Buddhism is not something outside, it is not something else. Buddhism is the way you eat, drink, make love, think, feel; all this is Buddhism. Never have there been so many educated, independent people with so much ability as we find today. This has never happened before. For the first time in history we are on a world-wide scale, held together by friendship and idealism that can produce this wonderful thing called Mahamudra communities. Where we are all really close together, we are already friends, trusting each other back from former lives. (more…)

Email, RSS Follow

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Diamond Way Buddhism, Diamond Way Quote, Diamond Way Teachings, Lama Ole Nydahl, Mahamudra | 1 Comment »

When did ignorance start? – Gerd Boll answers

Saturday, March 13th, 2010

Gerd Boll, a Travelling Teacher from north Germany and close student of Lama Ole Nydahl, answered this question during a lecture in the London Diamond Way Buddhist Centre during his last visit to the UK in October 2009

Travelling Teacher Gerd Boll

Q: When did basic ignorance start?

A: There are two answers. The official answer of the Gelugpa School is that it never started. The cause of our confusion in this lifetime was in a previous lifetime, and so on, so confusion was always there. The yogi’s answer is that it starts NOW. Time is a timeless illusion, it doesn’t exist, it is only a habit of thinking.

Time cannot be proven. Even photos don’t prove the past. They only create an idea of “past”. Everything happens here and now. The future is nothing other than the summary of our wishes, it’s just an idea. The present is also only an idea. It is impossible to “catch” the shortest possible moment because there is no indivisible moment. It would need to connect with other moments to create a “time chain” and if it connects with former and later moments it has to have a beginning and an end. If it has a beginning and an end it must have a middle. It has three particles, so it can be divided. Every subsequent smaller particle will also have three particles because the beginning of the “new” middle touches the end of the “old” beginning and the end of the “new” middle touches the beginning of the “old” end. In this way it can be divided without end, so there is no shortest possible moment. Time is an illusion. There is no time. (more…)

Email, RSS Follow

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Diamond Way Buddhism, Diamond Way Quote, Diamond Way Teachings, Lama Ole Nydahl | 6 Comments »

Heart of the Mahamudra, Song of the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa

Friday, December 11th, 2009

The 16th Gyalwa Karmapa

Heart of the Mahamudra

Song of the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa

Manifestation and sound arise from the subtle mental imprints created from thoughts. As a picture in water disappears of its own accord, so false appearances automatically fade away when their lack of reality is understood. Beyond essential reality there is nothing – Such is the insight of the Mahamudra.

When the door of the mind, through which appearances are created, remains unobstructed, unwarped by concepts, then there is no solid reality, just bright light, and we let everything that appears just arrive naturally. Such a practice is the meditation of Mahamudra.

Illusory appearances are born of the belief in a reality. Relying on a constant understanding of their non-reality, we dwell at rest in original spontaneous nature and the space where there is nothing to accomplish is thus reached effortlessly.

Such is the practice of Mahamudra. These three points are the treasure of my heart. Since the yogis who go to the heart of everything are like my own heart, for them I have pronounced these heart-felt words, which cannot be communicated to others.

16th Gyalwa Karmapa Rangjung Rigpe Dorje (1924-1981)

Email, RSS Follow

Tags: , , ,
Posted in 16th Karmapa, Diamond Way Buddhism, Diamond Way Teachings, Mahamudra | No Comments »

How real is reality? Video by Lama Ole Nydahl

Saturday, October 31st, 2009

Reality as we see it, is always influenced by what we think about reality. Everything we perceive is coloured by our culture, upbringing, experience, education and a lot more. However, what is behind our experiences and who or what is perceiving things? In this video, Lama Ole Nydahl explains ultimate reality: the truth beyond all personal matters, and how this truth can be realized through Buddhist methods.

Email, RSS Follow

Tags:
Posted in Diamond Way Buddhism, Diamond Way Teachings, Lama Ole Nydahl, Video | No Comments »