Dharma Wheel

The point is that you cannot go on breaking things in to smaller things ad infinitum , -as the Indian Madhyamikas reasoned when they were 'refuting' the Buddhist atomists. Therefore, in this respect the Madhyamaka has been proven wrong long ago. This is leading nowhere, as long as you make claims w...

According to the Madhyamaka long is long, because there is the short. The size of big or small is always relative to the size of another object. Is that what got out of it? This is not the Madhyamaka, it is a fact of common sense. According to the String theory there comes a limit to how small we c...

According to the Madhyamaka long is long, because there is the short. The size of big or small is always relative to the size of another object. Is that what got out of it? This is not the Madhyamaka, it is a fact of common sense. According to the String theory there comes a limit to how small we c...

Why should a teacher have so many students in the first place that he can no longer follow them all? It remerbers me a story. In the mid-90's, I sat in a large meeting between a famous rinpoche and his students. One of the student, maybe a bit arrogant, asked this question to the rinpoche (about to...

Taranatha's Essence of Ambrosia is the best introductory/foundational book on Buddhism imo; in how it lays out the path by setting up a series of contemplations, from the start of generating a virtuous worldy mind, to the progression of the Hinayana renunciation of samsara, and then finally to the ...

These three short texts are also very important, and there are many different teachings on them that one can find online, in video or books. https://www.lotsawahouse.org/tibetan-masters/longchen-rabjam/30-stanzas-of-advice http://unfetteredmind.org/37-practices-of-a-bodhisattva/ https://wahiduddin.n...

SilenceMonkey wrote: ↑Thu Nov 19, 2020 6:30 pm Bodhisattvacaryavatara by Shantideva
The Nectar of Manjushri's Speech by Kunzang Palden (commentary of Bodhisattvacaryavatara)

I agree, it is considered essential, and possibly the most important Mahayana text, by many.

Aloke wrote: ↑Tue Nov 17, 2020 9:32 pmThe way they are treating this subject, and others too, is not honest, is not respectful and fair with members nor with newcomers, and accepting this in a passive way, like "oh there's nothing we can do" is what I call romanticise things.

Ok, so what are you doing, or want to do, about it?

I was a member. I respect your opinion, and agree in certain points. Of course there's no perfect Sangha or perfect place without problems anywhere, it would be so childish to expect that. But, to me this sounds like a romantic way of treating things, of course there are problems everywhere, as lon...

That is not what really bugs me though, people are people, and they act like people. What gets me is the organizational disfunction..or at least what appears to me to be that, I could certainly be off. I have an idea of the general situation, but I am not really following closely what is happening ...

Things like this, all the confusing cryptic descriptions of what and what not to talk about, the claims that Rinpoche believed that paying Dzogchen Community dues was necessary in order to practice his teachings, the gory details like treehuggingoctopus said, and not just in my particular experienc...

withholds teaching of the dharma from those who don't have money Well, this one would apply in a lot of cases where centers charge for teachings. So, truly a lot would fall under this one. And they have their ways of justifying it. Unless you mean withholding all teachings, rather than some. Many c...

Since this thread is already very interesting and helpful, i hope its OK when i ask if someone knows resources where one can learn more about Pure Land Teachings in Tibetan Buddhism? I really enjoyed "Peaceful Death, Joyful Rebirth: A Tibetan Buddhist Guidebook" by Tulku Thondup, but haven't found ...

Yes, it seems strange. Vajrayana is the most rare teaching. For example, it will not be taught by Maitreya Buddha. However, isn't it said that there will be a Guru RInpoche for each Buddha of this era? In general I don't believe it's said that Shakyamuni necessarily taught all of the tantras that a...

Furthermore, the website you are quoting here apparently is run by... OK, so the site is not reputable. Thank you for clearing that up. I can't keep on top of all the sites run by "those of whom we do not speak", which seem to proliferate rapidly. Your discernment is appreciated. I am speaking gene...

I don't know if this source is considered reputable or not, but it does state: Despite his power, Vajrapani is a Bodhisattva and has a peaceful aspect that anyone may appreciate, meditate on or practice. The mantra is a recommended daily chant, with or without any empowerment. Source: [Modnote: Sor...

This will very much depend on who you ask. The Chinese take a very relaxed attitude toward mantra recitation. To quote one site: Those who have contact with Tibetan Tantrism may have some concern about receiving “transmission” of a mantra from a “highly realized” lama, vested with the authority of ...

Seems a bit odd to me given that Guru RInpoche is an emanation of Amitabha. Yes, it seems strange. Vajrayana is the most rare teaching. For example, it will not be taught by Maitreya Buddha. Karma Chagme talks about that too in a different text. It is a bit annoying that there isn't more of a conse...

The main question is to what degree you can make rapid progress by doing that, in comparison to taking aeons until buddhahood. If you could shorten the time by travelling to Vajrayana oriented pure realms, then buddhahood would take a few centuries at most for everyone in Sukhavati. At least some, ...

You don’t need it in Sukhavati. I suppose so. It seems a bit strange though, when they could suggest Zangdokpalri instead. You can travel to any pure land you want from Sukhavati. Could go to Guru Rinpoche’s if you want. The main question is to what degree you can make rapid progress by doing that,...