(By Tsem Rinpoche and Pastor David) The word ‘Zen’ is derived from the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese word ‘Chan’. This in turn is derived from the Indian Sanskrit word ‘Dhyana’, which means ‘mental absorption’ or ‘meditation’. The modern Zen tradition of today is based on a school of Mahayana Buddhism that originated in China during the Tang dynasty, and was known as Chan Buddhism. Some...
Posted in Buddhas, Dharma & Practice, China 中国, Great Lamas & Masters | 10 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche) Dear friends around the world, It is with great sadness that I have learned of the passing of such a learned master and close friend of mine, His Eminence Kensur Konchok Tsering Rinpoche. We had been friends for many years and it was truly my honour. He was not my teacher...
Posted in Buddhas, Dharma & Practice, Great Lamas & Masters, Inspiration & Worthy Words, Prayers and Sadhanas | 29 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche) The images of the Buddhas in ‘Faces of Enlightenment’ and their iconographies changed my whole outlook on Buddhism. The images and iconographies of enlightened beings represent the Dharma in visual form. When we study, contemplate and meditate on them, we create the causes to attain the qualities of these beings, the...
Posted in Books & Poetry, Buddhas, Dharma & Practice, Guest Contributors | 11 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche and Beatrix) What is a Chaplain? A chaplain is either a priest, minister, pastor, imam, rabbi or a lay delegate of a religious tradition, who is attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, school, police department, fire department, university or a private chapel. The word...
Posted in Buddhas, Dharma & Practice, Current Affairs & News | 21 Comments »
(Tsem Rinpoche) Dear friends around the world, I recently came across this article and thought it was interesting, so I wanted to share it with all of you. The article reports on the new Tibetan Buddhist Institute in Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, China. The recently established centre offers an extensive education programme...
Posted in Buddhas, Dharma & Practice, Current Affairs & News | 19 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche) I am writing a series of articles on various holy sites such as Mount Wutai in China, the Temple of the Tooth in the city of Kandi, Sri Lanka and several holy places in India such as Bodhgaya, Lumbini, Varanasi and Kushinagar. The objective of writing these articles is to provide...
Posted in Asia, Buddhas, Dharma & Practice, Guest Contributors, Inspiration & Worthy Words, Travel | 17 Comments »
(詹杜固仁波切撰写)
对全球成千上万的格鲁派和多杰雄登修持者而言, “札贡仁波切”是一个大家耳熟能详的名字。 几十年前,当藏人行政中央刚开始实施多杰雄登禁令时,尊贵的札贡仁波切就是第一批勇于公开对抗西藏领导的上师之一。
Posted in Buddhas, Dharma & Practice, Great Lamas & Masters, 中文 | 3 Comments »
(译文请往下阅读) (By Tsem Rinpoche) Oct 28, 2012 The best anyone can do if not enlightenment for now, is to gain mastery over taking rebirth coupled with developing Three Principle Paths. Where you want to take rebirth can be determined by yourself if you practice the sacred Vajra Yogini Tantra thoroughly. Start now before you are awarded the Vajra Yogini empowerment by: Holding vows and commitments Be honourable and have integrity Whatever work or practices you’ve been assigned, do it diligently and happily Develop contemplations on the good qualitie...
Posted in Audio Teachings, Buddhas, Dharma & Practice, Downloads, H.H. Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche, H.H. Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche, Inspiration & Worthy Words, Transcripts, Vajra Yogini, Videos, 中文 | 180 Comments »
(中文分享请往下看) On July 21, 2016, 16 of us came together to engage in a retreat on the sacred practice of Manjushri. It was a four-day retreat in between work and assignments. By the end of the retreat we had each recited 100,000 mantras. Collectively we accumulated 1.6 million mantras altogether. During the retreat, our Guru, His Eminence the 25th Tsem Rinpoche shared a message with us on the state of the mind and the benefit of Manjushri’s practice. “Outer obstacles (financial, sickness, fear, disasters, etc.) arise from our own actions. Actions a...
Posted in Buddhas, Dharma & Practice, Guest Contributors, Students & Friends, 中文 | 31 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche and Pastor Adeline) Dear friends, It is with great humility that I have been given the opportunity to present to you this research on vows on His Eminence the 25th Tsem Rinpoche’s sacred space. In Buddhism, the practice of upholding vows is one of the Three Principle forms of Buddhist training...
Posted in Buddhas, Dharma & Practice, Guest Contributors, Students & Friends | 27 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche and Pastor David) Dear friends around the world, I first heard of Lama Ole Nydahl while browsing through a random Buddhist article online many years ago. He did not stand out at that time because he seemed to be just another self-proclaimed Western lama. Recently, I revisited his story when my...
Posted in Buddhas, Dharma & Practice, Celebrities & People, Great Lamas & Masters, Guest Contributors | 47 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche) Dear friends, Before Tibetan Buddhism became very big in the West, there were many great explorers, scholars and spiritualists who connected to Tibet. They were fascinated by the Eastern religions and stories about mystical powers and lamas, and travelled there to explore these stories for themselves. Some travelled there and became...
Posted in Buddhas, Dharma & Practice, Celebrities & People, Explorers, Great Lamas & Masters, Guest Contributors, Inspiration & Worthy Words | 17 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche) Dear friends around the world, People like Roshi Jiyu Kennett are truly inspiring, they would abandon their worldly concerns and attachment in determination of practicing the Buddha’s teachings completely. With all due respect, for a woman like her who comes from a western country, it’s very hard to integrate into the Asian-Zen...
Posted in Buddhas, Dharma & Practice, Great Lamas & Masters, Inspiration & Worthy Words | 8 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche) Dear friends around the world, Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh has always been an inspiration of mine, he is such a holy and compassionate sangha who has held his vows very very well and has been working for others most of his life. He has truly practised the dharma taught by Lord...
Posted in Buddhas, Dharma & Practice, Inspiration & Worthy Words | 23 Comments »
Recently, H.E. Tsem Rinpoche has instructed me to read up this book and to write a blog post about it. At first I did not think much of this book and I was just judging the book by its cover, thinking that it wouldn’t be interesting. Not long after reading the book, I started...
Posted in Books & Poetry, Buddhas, Dharma & Practice, Students & Friends | 29 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche) Dear friends around the world, Chupzang Nunnery has had a rich history and culture. It is an interesting and beautiful nunnery with their practice intact for hundreds of years. They have many sacred Buddhist treasures such as self arisen images of holy beings that are a great blessing. They have a ‘Terma Buddha’...
Posted in Buddhas, Dharma & Practice, H.H. Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche | 23 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche) Dear spiritual friends around the world, Reading the deeds and life stories of great masters, mahasiddhas and teachers are really something that is necessary on a regular basis. We have everything surrounding us that beckons us to fail in our spiritual practice and therefore we need every bit of blessings and...
Posted in Buddhas, Dharma & Practice, Great Lamas & Masters, Inspiration & Worthy Words | 25 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche and Pastor Niral) Dear Friends, Recently on the ‘Ask a Pastor’ section of this blog an online friend asked a question about the Twenty-Four Holy Places and the Eight Great Charnel Grounds. The Pastors were asked if these were actual places found in relation to our world, e.g. actual geographic locations....
Posted in Buddhas, Dharma & Practice, Guest Contributors, Vajra Yogini | 50 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche) Most lineages within Tibetan Buddhism have practices surrounding Dharma protectors both enlightened and unenlightened and who manifest their activities in order to alleviate obstacles facing practitioners and to create conducive conditions for their spiritual progress. The holy Sakya lineage is no different. The most important protectors of the lineage include Panjaranata...
Posted in Buddhas, Dharma & Practice | 23 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche) Dear friends around the world, I have presented here for all you stunning pictures of paintings depicting the life and activities of Lord Buddha. Each painting has a easy to remember description below it. You can also download these photos here to share with friends and loved ones. Just by seeing...
Posted in Buddhas, Dharma & Practice, Downloads | 15 Comments »