Women in Buddhism Throughout history women have played a vital role in the preservation and presentation of Buddhism. The Buddha himself expressed deep respect for his mother and as several contemporary Buddhist scholars have pointed out, women have played a significant role in helping to shape and preserve Buddhism. That is certainly true for Buddhism [...]

Buddhist Mindfulness: A Guide for Readers Buddha Statue at Mahabodhi (Bodh Gaya, India) Today the term "mindfulness" has become a buzzword heard everywhere from elementary schools to corporate offices to the military. Generally speaking, when we use the term in secular life, we're referring to the ability to purposefully place our attention on our present [...]

    This is part of a series of articles on the arc of Zen thought, practice, and history, as presented in The Circle of the Way: A Concise History of Zen from the Buddha to the Modern World.  You can start at the beginning of this series or simply explore from here.  Zen and Tea: A Guide for Readers [...]

Buddhism, Ecology and the Climate Crisis Read More Buddhism and Climate Awareness Buddhism has long since been a part of the conversation on climate and environmental awareness as well as protection of human and animal welfare. Grounded in peace, compassion, loving-kindness, and interconnection, Buddhism is well positioned both philosophically and practically speaking to combat our [...]

The Works of B. Alan Wallace: A Guide for Readers B. Alan Wallace has authored, translated, edited, and contributed to more than forty books on Tibetan Buddhism, science, and culture. With fourteen years as a Buddhist monk, he earned a BA in physics and the philosophy of science and then a PhD in religious studies. [...]

Tara the Liberator: A Guide for Readers Ārya Tārā (Sanskrit), also known as Jetsun Drölma in Tibetan, or simply "Tārā" is a meditation deity and an important figure in Buddhist thought, history, and practice. While often described as a goddess or protectress, she is considered a liberator for her ability to remove obstacles, especially fear [...]

A Reader's Guide to Madhyamaka A Reader's Guide to Madhyamaka (The Middle Way) Madhyamaka (Sanskrit) or Uma (Tibetan) is a system of Buddhist thought first articulated by the 2nd century Indian Buddhist master Nāgārjuna and elucidated further by subsequent Indian and Tibetan masters such as Chandrakirti, Shantideva, Aryadeva, Longchenpa, and Tsongkhapa, to name a few. The premise [...]

Doha and Gur: Indian and Tibetan Songs of Realization Bhutanese painted thanka of Milarepa (1052-1135) from the late 19th-early 20th Century, Dhodeydrag Gonpa, Thimphu, Bhutan Doha and Gur Doha (Sanskrit) or Nam Gur (Tibetan, Gur for short), is often translated as "Songs of Realization." This form of poetry is often sung or recited spontaneously and is [...]

A Guide to Tibetan Language Learning Programs The modern Tibetan language derives from the 7th-9th century Old Tibetan and is spoken by 6 million people in the world with over 200 dialects. Primarily spoken in the Tibetan Plateau, Nepal, India, and Bhutan, the Tibetan language is represented in a range of Buddhist culture, literature, philosophical [...]

The Works of Karl Brunnhölzl: A Guide for Readers This guide for readers is dedicated to the works of author, translator, and teacher, Karl Brunnhölzl. Originally trained as a physician, Karl Brunnhölzl later studied Tibetan language and Buddhist philosophy at the Marpa Institute for Translators and later the Nitartha Institute. Since 1989 he has been [...]