First photo of HH Karmapa in US - Washington DC 2011

photo by Filip Wolak

HH Dalai Lama - A Talk for World Peace

His Holiness the Dalai Lama's public talk given at the West Lawn of the US Capitol.

Venue: West Lawn of the US Capitol, Washington DC, USA
Date: July 9, 2011
Duration: 1 hour 20 minutes
Languages: English

HH Dalai Lama Kalachakra Bodhgaya 2012

His Holiness will also be conferring Kalachakra empowerment in Bodhgaya, India at the beginning of 2012.


HH Dalai Lama Kalachakra Bodhgaya 2012

His Holiness the Dalai Lama's 76th Birthday Celebrations

Happy Birthday to His Holiness

Richard Gere pays loving tribute to our guru Kyabje Zopa Rinpoche.

Photos from Los Angeles at HH Dalai Lama's teachings

Photos from Los Angeles at HH Dalai Lama's teachings

HH Dalai Lama's talk at UC Irvine with the Center for Living Peace

Watch live streaming video from livingpeace at livestream.com

His Holiness the Dalai Lama's talk at the University of California Irvine with the Center for Living Peace this past Wednesday. My friends Yungchen Lhamo, Nawang Khechog and my brothers-in-robes all perform at the beginning.

My friend Yungchen Lhamo - "Happiness Is"

My friend the exquisite and incomparable Yungchen Lhamo with whom I was happy to see and spend some time with this week as she performed opening for His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Irving, California.

The Melody of Great Bliss: A Supplication to the Wisdom Dakini Sukhasiddhi by Jamgon Kongtrul

The Melody of Great Bliss: A Supplication to the Wisdom Dakini Sukhasiddhi

by Jamgon Kongtrul

Bestower of uncontaminated, coemergent bliss;

Radiant with the full splendor of sixteen-year-old youth;

Leader of every assembly of dakinis in the three locations—

Venerable Accomplishment of Bliss [Sukhasiddhi], to you I pray.

You manifested in a pauper's home in Kashmir

And trained in realization on the path.

Having completed the force of faith and great compassion,

You diligently gave gifts without attachment; to you I pray.

Millions of eons ago, you perfected the cultivation of merit and wisdom

And the result of your training manifested.

The awakening of your karmic connections

Made you renounce home life; to you I pray.

In the land of Oddiyana, source of great mysteries, 

Men were spiritual warriors; women, female warriors.

Just by your reaching the center of that gathering,

The power of your enlightened potential awakened; to you I pray.

You demonstrated the skillful means of illusory conduct as a vendor of delicious alcohol.

You gave twice-strained rice alcohol to a female adept.

This created a connection through faith

With a tantric practitioner in the forest; to you I pray.

Noble Virupa accepted you as his disciple

And gave you the full four empowerments into secret practice.

Instantly, your ripened karmic body of sixty-one years

Became that of a sixteen-year-old maiden; to you I pray.

Taking the inner path, you truly traversed in a single moment

The major vajra stages of awakening,

And you appeared in an uncontaminated, vajra rainbow body.

Powerful one of the celestial realms, to you I pray.

You became the manifest form of coemergent wisdom, Buddha Selfless One,

To remain until the end of cyclic existence.

You watch over the three realms' beings during the six periods of day and night.

Honored female buddha, to you I pray.

You manifestly bless those who pray to you

And lovingly watch over your children who preserve your lineage, never parting from them.

You bestow common and supreme accomplishment in a matter of months or years.

Powerful one of great compassion, to you I pray.

Vajra Yogini, perfection of transcendent knowledge,

You appear to help beings in a body that has form.

The exquisite flower of your body, which one never tires of seeing,

Blooms with the marks and signs of physical perfection; to you I pray.

In the Teaching's infinite gates, which have the nature of emptiness,

You speak according to beings' dispositions.

Your speech, invincible sweet sound in every situation,

Flows imbued with the sixty tones of Brahma's voice; to you I pray.

Inseparable bliss and emptiness, the true vajra of space,

Pervades all animate and inanimate life.

Your sublime enlightened mind of luminous Great Seal

Is coemergent and uncontaminated; to you I pray.

Epitome of the qualities of freedom and maturity,

You have an inconceivable life.

Just hearing your voice inspires uncontaminated bliss.

Sublime wish-fulfilling jewel, to you I pray.

You unite in pleasure with all victors and bodhisattvas.

Your emanations reach the four elements' limits.

Like an excellent vase, a gem, or a wish-fulfilling tree,

Your enlightened activity is spontaneously present; to you I pray.

Your compassion knows no distance and embraces all equally.

You guide fortunate persons on the path to the celestial realms.

Your loving face wears the conscientious smile of compassion.

Friend to all beings, to you I pray.

To your child who preserves the lineage and who prays to you,

Show your loving face and joyfully grant me your supreme prophecy.

Bestow the empowerment of great vajra wisdom,

And bless me that I merge inseparably with you.

Excerpted from Timeless Rapture, by Ngawang Zangpo.

Overdue update and projects with Gaden Shartse

Lots has happened since my last post in July.  I moved to Vajrapani Institute in Northern California to be the resident monastic there.  That was a fantastic experience, one of the greatest in my life.  That alone warrants further posts upon reflection.


www.vajrapani.org

I've since moved up to Oregon for the time being after the conclusion of my guru Kyabje Zopa Rinpoche's teachings in Northern California all last month.  I'm Oregon now working on a documentary with BlueDot Productions in conjunction with Gaden Shartse monastery.  Filming will conclude during His Holiness The Dalai Lama's teachings in Los Angeles at the end of the month, then compiling the footage, editing and final production are next.  The working title is "For All Sentient Beings."  A preview teaser can be found here:



Gaden Shartse Monastic Tour: Introduction from BlueDot Productions on Vimeo.

Universal Spirituality for Peace By S.N. Goenka - his address to the UN ten years ago.

U.N. Address

Universal Spirituality for Peace By S.N. Goenka

Universal Spirituality for Peace, by S.N. Goenka - Real Video Format

The following is the complete text of the address given by Mr. Goenka on Tuesday, 29 August 2000 in the United Nations General Assembly Hall to the participants of the Millennium World Peace Summit.

When there is darkness, light is needed. Today, with so much agony caused by violent conflict, war and bloodshed, the world badly needs peace and harmony. This is a great challenge for religious and spiritual leaders. Let us accept this challenge.

Every religion has an outer form or shell, and an inner essence or core. The outer shell consists of rites, rituals, ceremonies, beliefs, myths and doctrines. These vary from one religion to another. But there is an inner core common to all religions: the universal teachings of morality and charity, of a disciplined and pure mind full of love, compassion, goodwill and tolerance. It is this common denominator that religious leaders ought to emphasize, and that religious adherents ought to practice. If proper importance is given to the essence of all religions and greater tolerance is shown for their superficial aspects, conflict can be minimized.

All persons must be free to profess and follow their faith. In doing so, however, they must be careful not to neglect the practice of the essence of their religion, not to disturb others by their own religious practices, and not to condemn or belittle other faiths.

Given the diversity of faiths, how do we surmount the differences and achieve a concrete plan for peace? The Buddha, the Enlightened One, was often approached by people of different views. To them he would say, "Let us set aside our differences. Let us give attention to what we can agree on, and let us put it into practice. Why quarrel?" That wise counsel still retains its worth today.

I come from an ancient land that has given rise to many different schools of philosophy and spirituality over the millennia. Despite isolated instances of violence, my country has been a model of peaceful co-existence. Some 2300 years ago it was ruled by Ashoka the Great, whose empire extended from present-day Afghanistan to Bangladesh. Throughout his realm, this compassionate ruler caused edicts to be inscribed on stone, proclaiming that all faiths should be respected; and as a result, followers of all spiritual traditions felt secure under his sway. He asked people to live a moral life, to respect parents and elders, and to abstain from killing. The words in which he exhorted his subjects are still relevant today:

One should not honor only one's own religion and condemn other religions. Instead, one should honor other religions for various reasons. By so doing one helps one's own religion to grow and also renders service to the religions of others. In acting otherwise one digs the grave of one's own religion and harms other religions as well. Someone who honors his own religion and condemns other religions may do so out of devotionto his religion, thinking, 'I will glorify my religion'; but his actions injure his own religion more gravely. Concord is good. Let all listen and be willing to listen to the doctrines professed by others. (Rock Edict12)

Emperor Ashoka represents a glorious tradition of tolerant co-existence and peaceful synthesis. That tradition lives on among governments and rulers today. An example is the noble monarch of Oman, who has donated land for churches and temples of other faiths while practicing his own religion with all devotion and diligence. I am sure that such compassionate rulers and governments will continue to arise in future in many lands around the world. As it is said, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God."

It is all too clear that the votaries of violence primarily hurt their own kith and kin. They may do so directly, through their intolerance, or indirectly, by provoking a violent response to their actions. On the other hand, it is said, "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." This is the law of nature. It may equally be called the decree or way of God. The Buddha said, "Animosity can be eradicated not by animosity but only by its opposite. This is an eternal Dharma [spiritual law]." What is called Dharma in India has nothing to do with Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Sikhism or any other "ism". It is this simple truth: before you harm others, you first harm yourself by generating mental negativity; and by removing the negativity, you can find peace within and strengthen peace in the world.

Peace of Mind For World Peace

Every religion worthy of the name calls on its followers to live a moral and ethical way of life, to attain mastery over the mind and to cultivate purity of heart. One tradition tells us, "Love thy neighbor"; another says, Salaam walekum - "May peace be with you"; still another says, Bhavatu sabbamangalam or Sarve bhavantu sukhinah - "May all beings be happy." Whether it is the Bible, the Koran or the Gita, the scriptures call for peace and amity. From Mahavir to Jesus, all great founders of religions have been ideals of tolerance and peace. Yet our world is often driven by religious and sectarian strife, or even war - because we give importance only to the outer shell of religion and neglect its essence. The result is a lack oflove and compassion in the mind.

Peace in the world cannot be achieved unless there is peace within individuals. Agitation and peace cannot co-exist. One way to achieve inner peace is Vipassana or insight meditation - a non-sectarian, scientific, results-oriented technique of self-observation and truth realization. Practice of this technique brings experiential understanding of how mind and body interact. Everytime negativity arises in the mind, such as hatred, it triggers unpleasant sensations within the body. Every time the mind generates selfless love, compassion and good will, the entire body is flooded with pleasant sensations. Practice of Vipassana also reveals that mental action precedes every physical and vocal action, determining whether that action will be wholesome or unwholesome. Mind matters most. That is why we must find practical methods to make the mind peaceful and pure. Such methods will amplify the effectiveness of the joint declaration emerging from this World Peace Summit.

Ancient India gave two practices to the world. One is the physical exercise of yoga postures (Asanas) and breath control (Pranayama) for keeping the body healthy. The other is the mental exercise of Vipassana for keeping the mind healthy. People of any faith can and do practice both these methods. At the same time, they may follow their own religions in peace and harmony; there is no necessity for conversion, a common source of tension and conflict.

For society to be peaceful, more and more members of society must be peaceful. As leaders, we have a responsibility to set an example, to be an inspiration. A sage once said, "A balanced mind is necessary to balance the unbalanced mind of others."

More broadly, a peaceful society will find a way to live in peace with its natural setting. We all understand the need to protect the environment, to stop polluting it. What prevents us from acting on this understanding is the stock of mental pollutants, such as ignorance, cruelty or greed. Removing such pollutants will promote peace among human beings, as well as a balanced, healthy relationship between human society and its natural environment. This is how religion can foster environmental protection.

Non-Violence: the Key to a Definition of Religion

There are bound to be differences between religions. However, by gathering at this World Peace Summit, leaders of all the major faiths have shown that they want to work for peace. Let peace then be the first principle of "universal religion". Let us declare together that we shall abstain from killing, that we condemn violence. I also urge political leaders to join in this declaration, given the key role they play in bringing either peace or war. Whether or not they join us, at least let us all make avow here and now: instead of condoning violence and killing, let us declare that we unconditionally condemn such deeds, especially violence perpetrated in the name of religion.

Certain spiritual leaders have had the sagacity and courage to condemn violence committed in the name of their own faith. There may be different philosophical and theological views of the act of seeking forgiveness or regretting past violence and killing; but the very acknowledgment of violence performed in the past implies that it was wrong and that it will not be condoned in future.

Under the aegis of the United Nations, let us try to formulate a definition of religion and spirituality highlighting non-violence, and refusing to countenance violence or killing. There would be no greater misfortune for humanity than a failure to define religion as synonymous with peace. This Summit could propose a concept of "universal religion" or "non-sectarian spirituality", for endorsement by the U.N.

I am sure that this Summit will help focus the world's attention on the true purpose of religion:

Religion sets us not apart;
it teaches peace and purity of heart.

I congratulate the organizers of this historic Summit for their vision and efforts. And I congratulate the religious and spiritual leaders who have had the maturity to work for reconciliation, giving hope to humanity that religion and spirituality will lead to a peaceful future.

May all beings be free from aversion and be happy.

May peace and harmony prevail.

North American Kagyu Monlam Torma Preparation (Video)

This informal short film (in 4 parts), chronicles the NAKM torma preparation in July 2010. Edited by Peter Elias and Yeshe Wangmo.

B. Alan Wallace on the Pursuits of Understanding, Happiness

In this video, "B. Alan Wallace on the Pursuits of Understanding, Happiness," Dr. Wallace offers a teaching on the intertwined interrelationships of our everyday and true sources of happiness, the nature of the pursuit of understanding, interdependence, ethics and other key topics as they relate to the central ideas of Buddhism.


B. Alan Wallace comments on the universal message of the Pursuits of Understanding, Happiness and Virtue, from the Buddhist perspective. Explaining the interdependence of these three pursuits, he says that one cannot find the happiness that arises from within, without understanding one's own nature and place in the world. Likewise, one cannot find happiness and understanding without living virtuously.

| Andante Cantabile | Mozart - Sergio DuBois

A musical offering.

| Andante Cantabile | Mozart - Sergio DuBois

Dignity & Discipline : Reviving Full Ordination for Buddhist Nuns : Thea Mohr : Ven. Jampa Tsedroen

Wisdom Publications :: Dignity & Discipline : Reviving Full Ordination for Buddhist Nuns : Thea Mohr : Ven. Jampa Tsedroen: "Dignity & Discipline
Reviving Full Ordination for Buddhist Nuns"

Tsem Tulku Rinpoche going BALLISTIC! - Tsem Tulku Rinpoche's take on changing Gurus

YouTube - Tsem Tulku Rinpoche going BALLISTIC!: " GO Rinpoche!"

Milarepa Initiation With Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Milarepa Initiation: "Milarepa Initiation and Retreat

September 2 - 5, 2010 With Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche"

On the Road with Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche

http://www.mandalamagazine.org/category/on-the-road/

Introducing Life on the Road with Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Posted in Life on the Road with Lama Zopa Rinpoche on March 29th, 2010 by Carina Rumrill

Welcome to this special new feature of the Mandala website, our first blog: Life on the Road with Lama Zopa Rinpoche.

FPMT’s CEO, Ven. Roger Kunsang, is on the road with Lama Zopa Rinpoche most of the year serving as Rinpoche’s tireless attendant, a post he’s kept since 1986. We at FPMT International Office keep up daily with Ven. Roger through email, Skype and phone. We are fortunate to receive many inspiring stories, updates and anecdotes from Ven. Roger as he accompanies Rinpoche around the world. Further, anyone fortunate enough to attend to Lama Zopa Rinpoche invariably emerges with amazing stories of a true bodhisattva in action.

And now, through this blog, we’ll be able to share these communications with you.
As Ven. Roger’s schedule and time are unpredictable, we can’t promise he’ll be posting regularly. But we can promise, when he does, you’ll be afforded a rare glimpse into the FPMT organization, as well as the daily life of our precious spiritual director, Lama Zopa Rinpoche. When Ven. Roger isn’t available, we’ll post stories from Rinpoche’s other attendants as well as little gems from Rinpoche’s house in California.

Thanks for reading and enjoy!

The Mandala team

Training the Mind in Loving-kindness and Compassion -- The Bodhisattva Vow - Thrangu Rinpoche

Karma Triyana Dharmachakra -- Tibetan Buddhism -- Training the Mind in Loving-kindness and Compassion -- The Bodhisattva Vow