Dharma Wheel

So what arr the stages of attainment im buddhism? and when you reach nirvana, do you still rrcite sadhana, mantra and yidam? And is there any buddhist in recent times who have attained nirvsna..? I think it's been said before, but I really recommend "What Makes You Not a Buddhist" By Dzongsar Jamya...

I just do it because I don't want the creature to come to harm, and I can help. It seems that, if you see something in danger and you can help, why would you choose not to? The decision not to act is far more momentous than just acting and moving on. If I remember, and especially if I find even a gl...

Welcome!

For personal (practice-related) reasons I'm in search of all the information I can gather on the Vajrayana practice of Wrathful Tara - Ugratara, in her two-armed form. Similar to Throma, in that she is dark in colour, wears a tiger skin and is dancing, but her attributes are a skull-cup and a sword....

Konchog1 wrote:Kirtu beat me to it : )

Me too...

Hi everyone, If I might add something to the conversation, I feel that by talking about Dzogchen and all of this so much, it ironically seems we are actually over thinking DKR's statement about Dharma being a placebo. It's true as the good doctor in the earlier posts said, that the real meaning of ...

Northern England? That's lucky! A new Drikung centre just opened in Scotland. Sketchy details here: http://garchenuk.wordpress.com/

They're saying that Garchen Rinpoche will give yearly teachings there, which would be incredibly worthwhile.

Where are you in the world? Please correct me, Kagyupas, if I'm wrong, but doesn't the so-called Karmapa controversy relate mainly to Karma Kagyu? Drikung, Drukpa and other schools are still very much alive. And I completely agree that you shouldn't bind yourself to a teacher just because their cent...

In terms of books, I feel I was helped in my own questions about afflictive emotions by reading Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. In my limited understanding it isn't that we have to wipe out our emotions. Tilopa's advice is exact. It's about attachment. Teachers are everywhere. Examine, for instance, those...

You might say that if you've been struck with the urge to practice as a Buddhist, you know more about Buddhism than you think... As the path is ultimately experiential my own recommendation - and I'm a rank beginner with no understanding at all - would be to sit and learn how to still your mind. Any...

Isn't there a link between the Dakini language of the termas and Oddiyana? I'm sure I've read that Dakinis use the language of Oddiyana. This might help:http://www.dakiniscripts.at/index.html

Seemed to me like most of the 'morality' questions were in fact political hot buttons, and specifically US ones. Seemed quite alien from a UK perspective.

I agree. Karma follows intention. Once you've made the gift in good faith, any problems that follow cease to be yours. If you donate a pair of shoes to a charity shop and they are bought by someone who wears them while committing a crime, is that anything to do with you? Not really. I suppose you mi...

This seems like a rather cheesily-conceived bookshop supporting a worthy cause. It's the cause that's important, and the info on sale, not the cheesiness. But it has to be said that there is a lot of Buddhist-related tat on sale out there in the world. It's completely true to say that Buddhism in th...

Each of the pieces of jewelry and clothing, the lotus, sun, and moon seat, the number of faces, hands, feet, etc. all have meaning and those meanings are part of the "purity" of the visualization. Therefore, I wouldn't change any of these visualizations to suit our own cultural norms. Rather, I wou...

I think there's also an issue of what exactly it is that's 'real.' The deities are real, but my sense is that the details are cultural trappings. I don't think it makes sense to imagine that Indo-Tibetan beings can be universal experiences for people who come from vastly different cultures, over vas...

Can I also bump a previous question and ask, please, how does Jnanadhakini differ from Vajrayogini ? I read that she is a blue form of Vajrayogini or Vajravarahi. You probably saw this already, but from here: http://www.shangshungstore.org/index.php?l=product_detail&p=444" onclick="window.open(this...

Sometimes you have to go for it all by yourself. I know, I know... I'm one of those people who finds the sangha very off-putting. I see the people surrounding/guarding 'their' lama and I just fade. Courage is your best friend, the Sangha don't own the Guru you know. /magnus Nicely put. Thank you. I...

Sometimes you have to go for it all by yourself.

I know, I know... I'm one of those people who finds the sangha very off-putting. I see the people surrounding/guarding 'their' lama and I just fade.

Thanks, Magnus. I'm a big admirer of Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche - I did know he was coming but as travelling up to Lindholme is beyond my means in terms of finances/time I kind of put it out of my mind... Next time. I went to see Ringu Tulku Rinpoche last week - a wonderful being and I got to spend some ...