The Bodhicharyavatara, Way of the Bodhisattva, is the seminal masterwork by the 8th Century savant Shantideva. Themes are exchanging oneself for others and the wisdom of emptiness. I read the Way of the Bodhisattva as a new student 30 years…
Shakyamuni Buddha means Awakened Sage of the Shakya clan. He was the historical founder of Buddhism, born in Bodhgaya. He attained enlightenment at the age of 35, taught the dharma until 80. He entered paranirvana in Kushinagar. I wanted to…
Impermanence in Buddhism, or Annica, means that compounded phenomena will cease to exist. Anything made of parts will eventually fall apart. It is one of the 3 Marks of Existence. I first encountered transience as a teenager, when I nearly…
Buddhist Monastic Tradition A bhikkhu, (bhikkhuni female) is an ordained monk or nun in the Buddhist tradition. They obey the strict Vinaya, the code of monastic discipline. Bhikkhu Monastics: 13 facts you never knew Monastic Ordination Theravadin Theravada Buddhist ordination…
Mudra for anxiety is commonly used to overcome nervous disorders. These sacred gestures help by focusing the mind to cut distracting thoughts, and bringing the attention into the deeper levels of mind where shamatha, or peaceful abiding, naturally exists. Mudras…
Is Tantra dangerous? Yes. Dangers include inflated pride (based on actual realization), insanity, paranoia, extreme states of mind, abuse of power, and disconnectedness from commonly shared reality – temporary psychosis. Tantra is a powerful method with many benefits, but it…
The endless knot of eternity is a Buddhist symbol concerning the interdependence of all phenomena, the mechanism of karma, and the eternal truth of dharma. Knot of Eternity (Shrívatsa) Summary Entity Description Knot of Eternity (Shrívatsa) An auspicious symbol found…
Nirvana, meaning blown out or extinguished, is a state of insight into not-self, where the mind is not impelled to take rebirth ever again. Thus it is has gone beyond suffering. Nirvana Definition At the heart of many spiritual traditions,…
The bodhisattva vow of Mahayana Buddhism is a vow to remain in samsara (cycle of suffering) until all beings are liberated from suffering. It is considered a key factor in attaining enlightenment. Bodhisattva Vow Text The Vow is encapsulated in…
Bodhisattva Maitreya is prophesied by the Buddha to be the next buddha in a future age. After all dharma has left the world, Maitreya will attain enlightenment and bring the dharma of liberation again to our world. Maitreya Meaning Maitreya”…
A vajra or dorje (tib.) is a commonly symbolic ritual object for Tantric empowerments and practices. The shape has a rich set of symbolic details, and is said to held only by the deity. Vajra Dorje Meaning in Buddhism In…
Right Conduct in the Noble 8-fold Path of Buddha means, in Hinayana: no killing, stealing, or sexual misconduct. In Mahayana, it means not forgoing help for suffering beings and engaging in the 6 paramitas. In Vajrayana, it means the yogic…
Right speech in the 8-fold path of Hinayana means not lying, gossiping, divisiveness or speaking harshly. In the Mahayana, it means speaking compassionately with intent to guide others to liberation. In the Vajrayana, it means all sound is the mantra…
Right Intention and Right Aspiration on the Noble eightfold path of Buddha Right Thought means the Right motivation, aspiration or intention for practicing Buddhism. The 2nd Pillar of the 8-fold path, it means having the purest and highest goals for…
the definitive Explanation of the 8-Fold Path The 8-fold path of Buddhism refers to the Buddha’s teachings on proper conduct for life. Noble Eightfold path Table: Little known fact: 8-fold path The 8-fold path isn’t necessarily meant to be followed…
In Buddhism, three mental states, or three poisons, are the root causes of all human suffering– passion, aggression, and confusion. These poisons are considered to be the primary obstacles to achieving enlightenment and liberation from the cycle of birth and…
Spirituality is defined as one of these 4 t Types of Spirituality Spirituality can take many forms. There are almost a dozen quite common forms of spirituality, including monotheism, polytheism, pantheism, non-theism, and non-theism. Non-theism focuses more on the essential…
Spiritual Beliefs Meaning Monotheism One God, creator of the universe Polytheism Multiple Gods, controllers of broad energies Dharmic Religions Truth of relative and ultimate Animism All-pervading life-force Totemism Objects imbued with spiritual or magical energy, protective Pantheism Many spiritual beings,…
The Heart Sutra or Prajnaparamita Sutra expresses the central Mahayana idea of shunyata, or emptiness of all existent phenomena according to the Buddha’s Second Turning of the Wheel of Dharma. The Heart Sutra: A Deep Dive into the Essence of…
Lungta is a Tibetan word meaning windhorse. It conveys the spiritual and life force essence of a being. Lungta Flag The Lungta flag, also known as the Windhorse flag, is a significant symbol in Tibetan Buddhism. These flags are often…
