Posts Tagged ‘Blessing’

Lama – The Source of Blessings by Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche

Tuesday, July 26th, 2011
Jamgon Kongtrul III

Jamgon Kongtrul III

Buddhist teachings can be divided into the sutra path and the tantra path. The sutra path is based on causes, and the tantra path is based on fruit. Both are about using a path to free us from the dualistic view in order to reach the state of liberation.

(more…)

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…)

Lama Ole Nydahl in Edinburgh 2000: a recollection

Sunday, March 7th, 2010

In this post we recollect Lama Ole Nydahl’s first visit to Edinburgh. Martin Dahms, who comments later in the post, was one of the founders of the original Edinburgh Diamond Way Buddhist Group which was active between 2000 and 2003.

Edinburgh Skyline

On Tuesday 28 March 2000, Lama Ole Nydahl gave a talk at Edinburgh’s Royal Botanic Gardens lecture theatre, entitled “Basis, Way and Goal in Diamond Way Buddhism”. The talk was an introduction to Diamond Way Buddhism, in which Lama Ole pointed to the Buddha nature as the basis for our development, gave an overview of the methods the Buddha taught to remove the veils which prevent us from experiencing this potential, and explained how the goal – enlightenment – is the full development of mind’s inherent qualities. The lecture was attended by several friends who travelled from London, elsewhere in the UK and abroad, as well as many locals, including inquisitive members of what Lama Ole wryly described in his lecture as a nearby “Presbyterian Buddhist Centre”!

(more…)

17th Karmapa in London: A Retrospective Pt.1, 2005

Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010

We would like to share some inspiring impressions of H.H. 17th Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje‘s first two visits to the UK, which happened before this blog was established. Gyalwa Karmapa’s first historic visit was in August 2005, when he stayed for four days in London at the invitation of Diamond Way Buddhism UK. He was joined by Lama Jigme Rinpoche, Lama Ole and Hannah Nydahl and other distinguished lamas who were part of the travelling entourage of the 16th Karmapa in the UK during the 1970s.

Reports of other visits of the 17th Karmapa to London can be found here (2007) and here (2009).

Flyer 1 for 2005 course (front)

(more…)

A Life in the Day of Ole Nydahl (Sunday Times, 1999)

Sunday, November 15th, 2009

Here’s a blast from the past! When Lama Ole was due to visit London on 15 November 1999 – ten years ago today – he was interviewed by telephone by Richard Johnson of the Sunday Times. The interview appeared in the “Life in the Day” section of the Sunday Times Magazine. We have reproduced it here for your enjoyment:

Lama Ole Nydahl in the Sunday Times Magazine 1999

(more…)

Lama Ole Nydahl in Newcastle

Friday, September 18th, 2009

Lama Ole Nydahl teaching

On September 17, the Newcastle Diamond Way Buddhist Centre was delighted to be able to host the first visit of Lama Ole Nydahl. The event was the culmination of many months’ refurbishment work on the centre, which, with the help of many friends from the North, was completed just in time for Lama Ole’s arrival.

Lama Ole arrived by car from Dublin with ten minutes to spare before giving a radio interview at BBC Newcastle. After the interview and dinner at the centre he was whisked to the lecture venue. The venue for the lecture was the very aptly-named Great Hall at the Discovery Museum in the centre of the city. The lecture was entitled “Discover Your Mind”, and was followed by many questions and answers by the audience, as well as a guided meditation and the chance to receive Buddhist Refuge. On Sunday morning after breakfast with the sangha, Lama Ole inaugurated the gompa before departing for London in a flurry of suitcases and blessings.

Flyer for Lama Ole Nydahl in Newcastle September 2009