Long life wishes for H.H. 17th Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje

July 7th, 2011
17th Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje

17th Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje

Long-Life wishes for H.H. 17th Karmapa Thaye Dorje
Composed by Shamar Rinpoche

Several eons ago you made a vow to strive for the benefit of countless beings, taught the words of truth and made deep wishes.

You have never abandoned them, and the power of the two accumulations gained throughout your rebirths have ripened as your present emanation. May you live long.

You hold the essential and skilful methods of guidance in your hands, and through your wisdom, ability and love you flood the realm of sentient beings with the teachings of the Buddha Dharma.

Master of Dharma may you have a long life.

You are the bearer of the continuous activity of the excellent Dusum Khyenpa, you possess the profound, all surpassing stream of nectar of the great teacher Naropa’s Mahamudra teachings. May you live long.

May the power of the truth of dedication prayers in front of the ocean of the Three Mighty Jewels and the power of the inevitable interdependence, just like the wish fulfilling tree, may these wishes be realised effortlessly.

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Painting of the 10th Shamarpa Mipham Chodrup Gyamtso

June 19th, 2011
10th Shamarpa Mipham Chodrup Gyamtso

10th Shamarpa Mipham Chodrup Gyamtso

This beautiful thangka painting of the 10th Shamarpa Mipham Chodrup Gyamtso (1742-1792), in the Karma Gardri style of Eastern Tibet, was painted in the middle of the 18th Century, and is currently on display at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford.

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Today is Saga Dawa Düchen

June 15th, 2011
Buddha statue in the Mahabodhi Temple, Bodh Gaya

Buddha statue in the Mahabodhi Temple, Bodh Gaya

Today, 15 June 2011, is “Saga Dawa Düchen”, the full moon day on which the birth, enlightenment and passing into Parinirvana of the Buddha is celebrated in Tibetan Buddhism.

“Saga Dawa” is the entire fourth lunar month of the Tibetan calendar, which usually begins in May and ends in June. The seventh day of Saga Dawa is the date of the historical Buddha’s birth. However, the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and entry into Parinirvana at his death are observed together on the 15th day of Saga Dawa, called Saga Dawa Düchen. This is the single most important holiday in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition.

Saga means “million”; Dawa means “moon”, so the “million multiplier”’ month is what it denotes. For all our activities, positive or negative, in each and every day of this auspicious month will be multiplied a million times. “Düchen” means “great occasion”, and it is said that on this day the effects of actions – positive or negative – are multiplied 10 million times. We encourage those of you who support the development of Buddhism in the UK to especially make wishes at this time for the success of the New London Buddhist Centre project!

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Tilopa on Mahamudra

June 11th, 2011
Tilopa

Tilopa

Gazing intently into the empty sky, vision ceases;

Likewise, when mind gazes into mind itself,

The train of discursive and conceptual thought ends

And supreme enlightenment is gained.

– Tilopa (988-1069)

From: Tilopa’s Mahamudra Instruction to Naropa in Twenty Eight Verses Translated by Keith Dowman)

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Q&A with Shangpa Rinpoche

June 7th, 2011
Shangpa Rinpoche at Maitrikara Cave, Nepal

Shangpa Rinpoche at Maitrikara Cave, Nepal

This excellent series of questions and answers with Shangpa Rinpoche was posted today on the Shangpa online blog:

Q: Some dharma practitioners face life challenges such as being jobless and experiencing business downfall which affect their daily life as a practitioner. In this situation, which should come first? Dharma or business?

A: Firstly, you should try to understand what is Dharma or at least to understand the Dharma as a mental development and how to place the mind correctly with awareness and wisdom. With this understanding, one’s business or work will not be hindered and instead one will succeed greatly. It is said by the Buddha that the nature of all phenomena arises from the mind and so the mind is the primary and initiator of everything. If our mind is pure or clean from defilements, whether one talks or does anything, one will gain blissfulness. If our mind is pure and clear, then you will be able to perform every piece of work well and that includes your business, daily activities and handling of people.

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3rd Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche on the Path to Liberation

June 5th, 2011
3rd Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche (1954-1992)

3rd Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche (1954-1992)

“The Mahamudra path is called the path to liberation. If you are able to practice and when you realize the Mahamudra instructions that you are receiving, you will have achieved liberation. One must be a proper vessel, though, i.e., one needs to be a qualified disciple who is capable of receiving these profound instructions without distorting them.

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Buddhist meditators make rational economic decisions

May 31st, 2011
Nepali coins featuring the Buddha

Nepali coins featuring the Buddha

From the desk of Dr. Peter Malinowski, Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the School of Natural Sciences & Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University and founding member of the Liverpool Diamond Way Buddhist Centre:

Buddhists make rational economic decisions

A recent study into human decision-making revealed that experienced Buddhist meditators act more rationally in social situations that are commonly experienced as unfair.

The study, carried out by researchers in the US and Canada, compared the decisions of experienced Buddhist meditators with that of control participants during the so-called Ultimatum Game. In a (simulated) two-person exchange the participants were offered a split of a certain amount of money ($20). If they decided to reject the offer, proposer and respondent got nothing; otherwise both received their respective share. Typically, participants tend to reject offers that are perceived as particularly unfair, i.e. when they would receive 20% or less. However, a more rational choice would be to accept every non-zero offer, as it would improve ones economic situation. The results showed that the Buddhist meditators accepted significantly more of the unfair offers ($2 / $18 and $1 / $19) than the control participants.

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Quotation of Jamgon Mipham Rinpoche

May 30th, 2011
Seated Bodhisattva, Nelson-Atkins Museum, Kansas

Seated Bodhisattva, Nelson-Atkins Museum, Kansas

These days if you tell the truth no one listens, and if anyone says something false everybody holds it to be true. That is why I have never said this to anyone before: I am not an ordinary being, I am a bodhisattva who took birth intentionally as a result of prayers of aspiration.

– Jamgon Mipham Rinpoche (1846-1912), Spoken to his attendant Lama Ösel and recorded in his biography

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