Key Takeaways The Seven Vajra Lines are a complete guru yoga practice in miniature. Using visualization, mantra, and dissolution, practitioners connect directly to Guru Padmasambhava’s enlightened presence. Even a brief recitation can stabilize the mind, awaken devotion, and dissolve the…
Understanding Anxiety Treatments: A Comparative Overview Anxiety can be managed through various approaches, each with its own set of benefits and considerations. Let’s delve into some of the most prevalent methods: 1. Pharmaceutical Solutions • Pros: Medications, such as antidepressants…
Five key principles for meditating on anxiety. This is a multi-graded path where one principle leads into the next. Each of the principles infuses and supports the next making it stronger. 1. Meditate Properly The first principle is to learn…
Almost 50% of people in the West will suffer from anxiety in their lives. For a sizable percentage, this anxiety becomes overwhelming and damages their lives. But even for the rest, it can interfere with their functioning. Check out the…
List of common images used for meditation Meditation Images When considering meditation images, there are several common themes and visual elements that are often used. Here are some ideas for meditation-related images: These images can be used in various contexts…
A table of Buddhist Holidays with Tradition, dates and meaning. I usually celebrate the Buddha’s Birthday, enlightenment, and paranirvana- Vesak or Vaishakha day. Buddhist Holidays – Table Here is a table of significant Buddhist holidays along with their dates and…
This post contains a table of key Buddhist Scriptures and their central theme. I just wanted a quick reference for people to check out Buddhist Scriptures. See also: Buddhist Books and Buddhist Holy Books. Table of Major Buddhist Scriptures Tradition…
Sacred texts form a collection of Buddhist Holy Books: from the Tripitika to the Heart Sutra. I slipped in my favorite! What’s yours? Post in the comments. Buddhist books from now! Summary: Buddhist Holy Books and Scriptures Entities: Relationships: Exploring…
The Buddhism of China is primarily Ch’an, very similar to Zen Buddhism. The practice focuses on extreme simplicity and seeing reality directly in meditation. Have you ever wondered how ancient wisdom travels across borders? Buddhism, with its emphasis on peace…
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…
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…
