Category: Teachings
Can Wisdom Traditions Be Colonized?
To whom does the dharma belong? asks Vaishali Mamgain, Ph.D, as she explores the ways colonization and white supremacy have appropriated the dharma and other wisdom traditions.
The Inspiration of the Dalai Lama
I remember having an intimate conversation with His Holiness many years ago. At one point he touched the tip of his tongue and quietly said, “This tongue has never lied.” What a simple and astonishing statement. It cut right through me. It would be quite unthinkable to believe such a clear and dignified declaration from…
The Meaning of the Dalai Lama for Today
When I have attended His Holiness the Dalai Lama giving Buddhist teachings to large assemblies, I have had an odd sensation lately...
The Buddha’s Journey
Scholar Andrew Olendzki on how the Buddha discovered a path to liberation that we can take too.
The Progressive Buddha
Karma Lekshe Tsomo on the Buddha as social reformer — for his time and ours.
Comparing Mahamudra and Dzogchen
Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche (1920–1996) on the differences between Mahamudra and Dzogchen—and the relationship between them.
The Enlightenment Project
Rob Preece shares why the Buddhist path isn't about trying become spiritually evolved, but about being authentic, open, and compassionate.
The Enduring Teachings of Suzuki Roshi
To mark the fiftieth anniversary of Shunryu Suzuki Roshi‘s Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind, we present two teachings from the book, alongside testimonials from Buddhist teachers.
How the Sacred Treasure of Literacy Came to Tibet
When written language arrived in Tibet, says Patrick Dowd, it brought the dharma with it.
On Suffering and the End of Suffering
It's an essential truth about life itself: suffering of one kind or another is a natural part of existence. Knowing this truth gives our lives wholeness and peace, as it frees us from the exhausting postures of pretense and denial.
Beyond Birth and Death
Water and wave, being and nonbeing, beginning and ending—liberation from all duality, teaches Thich Nhat Hanh, is the key to enlightenment.
Vipassana Meditation Takes Gumption
In the direct, insightful style for which he is known, Bhante Henepola Gunaratana teaches the meditation technique known as Vipassana and explains why only meditation addresses the human condition.
What’s Best for Him? and Other Koans of Life Today
A koan can be anything that disrupts our usual way of being. Have you noticed that happens a lot in life? Eve Myonen Marko and Wendy Egyoku Nakao explain how we can use our personal koans to experience reality in a new way.
Full-Stop Mind
The late Burmese teacher Mahasi Sayadaw helped to revitalize the Vipassana tradition with his precise teachings on meditation. His student Bhante Bodhidhamma presents Mahasi’s simple and direct method for slowing down and ultimately halting conceptual thinking.
When We Give It All to Buddha
How do we make offerings to Buddha? First we find Buddha everywhere, says Kokyo Henkel — and then we offer everything.
The Four Foundations of Mindfulness: A Direct Path to Liberation
Insight Meditation teacher Joseph Goldstein examines a key teaching from the Satipatthana Sutta, the Buddha’s discourse on the four foundations of mindfulness, which he called the direct path to liberation.
A Dive Into Emptiness
A talk by Dainin Katagiri Roshi about the Buddhist idea of emptiness — and, an unusual sport.
The Golden Chain: Guide to a Life of Love
The Golden Chain is a traditional recitation within American Shin Buddhist communities. For Camille Hamilton Pating, it comes as naturally—and joyfully—as saying the Name of Amida Buddha.
Not for Happiness
Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse tells us that if it feels too good, it’s probably not Buddhism. If you want real, honest painful, transformation, then read on.
Understanding Karma
Reginald A. Ray examines the doctrine of karma, one of the most important yet most misunderstood of all Buddhist teachings.