Nobody drags or pulls us down to the lower realms of misery. We make that happen ourselves by our own actions. Likewise, nobody lifts or propels us up to the higher realms or to liberation and enlightenment. We achieve these states through our own endeavours. As the Buddha taught: “Oneself is one’s own protector. Oneself […]
It is embarrassing for a so-called dharma practitioner to be proud or arrogant… It's like being caught naked in public. 26th July, 2024, Thrangu Sekhar Retreat Centre, Nepal
If things go well, the longer you spend in the dharma the more your perceptions come to align with reality, the less selfish and the easier to get on with you become. It shouldn’t happen that your perspective and reality remain at odds, that you are only concerned with yourself and become more difficult to […]
In the time of the Buddha, serious Buddhist practitioners, those who went forth from home life into homelessness, embraced a life of poverty. The monks, for instance, would not store food or keep anything that was not essential. Not giving importance to wealth and comfort etc., is the Buddhist way. One doesn’t live like this […]
When we plant trees and flowers, they grow well and flourish when the soil is somewhat loose. They find it difficult to grow when the soil is compacted and solid. Similarly, when our minds are tight and rigid, we will encounter many troubles. If our minds are open and accommodating to any situation, however, excellent […]
The first step in the preliminary practices is to contemplate the difficulty of finding a precious human birth. This contemplation reveals that not just anyone can practise the dharma – one has to be free from the relevant obstacles and be endowed with the right conducive circumstances. So we reflect on what is taught regarding […]
The practice of Dharma is just like learning a new language. If you study a language for one month but then leave it for a long time, your initial effort will be fruitless. Similarly, the practice of Dharma should be regular and continuous. If you go for long spells without practising or do so irregularly, […]
For the Dharma to take root in a new land, it must become part of the local culture and language. It cannot remain a foreign import. Drupon Khen Rinpoche
Dharma Practitioners should be open-minded, but at the same time their minds should be stable and unwavering. Being open-minded, they are willing to listen and accept all different views; being unwavering, they are steadfast in their own position and not easily influenced by others. These attributes will serve them well in both worldly and dharmic […]
Buddhism, or the Dharma has two aspects: The Dharma of scripture and the Dharma of realisation. It is not external, it concerns the way that we think. To recognise our afflictions, the mind poisons that afflict us, is the Dharma of scripture; to purify those afflictions with the remedial practices is the Dharma of realisation. […]
The measure of a monastery or a dharma centre is not how good the facilities are – the size of the buildings or shrine hall, the quality of the statues and paintings, and that sort of thing. Nor is it a matter of how many capable workers and contacts it has. The only measure that […]
The acceptance of the existence of deities, ghosts, and spirits can serve as an important foundation for the dharma. In more developed societies, these beliefs are dismissed as mere superstition, but in less developed areas such as some African countries, they are still widely held. These beliefs can be very helpful for the dharma to […]
Often people think that the kids in the monasteries are taken in out of pity. It does occasionally happen that a monastery will take in a child who is an orphan or whose parents can’t raise their child for whatever reason. Most are not like that though. Especially the children here in the retreat centre. […]
Understanding the Buddha Dharma is not merely the ability to explain the text. In fact, fixating on the text might even distance you from the Dharma. So, what does it mean to know the Dharma? It is to thoroughly know yourself— knowing clearly how you act and think and discerning your positive and negative thoughts. […]
When we talk of ‘propagating the dharma’, what does that mean? It means to use whatever skills, knowledge, and resources we have to help others. This in turn means to do whatever we can to help others to become kinder and to act more positively in general. In brief, to spread the dharma is to […]
