See More: Lives of the Masters Series | Tsongkhapa | Aryadeva | Jamgon Kongtrul | Jigme Lingpa | Patrul Rinpoche | Mipham Rinpoche The Life of Atiśa Dīpankara Śrījñāna (982–1054 CE) Atīśa Dīpaṃkara Śrījñāna, was an eleventh-century Indian Buddhist scholar and saint who came to Tibet at the invitation of the king of Western Tibet, Lha [...]

Shantideva on Steadfastness of Mind An excerpt from Entering the Way of the Bodhisattva. Transcendent Patience 1. One moment’s anger shatters all Good acts accumulated In a thousand aeons, such as giving Or offering to the buddhas. 2. There is no misdeed like hatred; No austerity like patience. So cultivate assiduously Patience in various ways. [...]

A Reader's Guide to the Way of the Bodhisattva The great nineteenth-century master Patrul Rinpoche, author of The Words of My Perfect Teacher  and  revered by all Tibetan Buddhists, was known for his wandering ascetic lifestyle, eschewing fame, generous offerings, and all but the most meager possessions. However, wherever he went throughout his peripatetic life, he carried with [...]

To Listen, Contemplate, and Meditate Is the Practice of a Bodhisattva Excerpt from A Guide to the Thirty-Seven Practices of a Bodhisattva Now we have this great vessel of freedoms and resources, so      difficult to obtain. So that we may liberate ourselves and others from the ocean      of samsara, Day and [...]

Patrul Rinpoche See Our Reader's Guide Patrul Rinpoche (1808–1887) was one of the greatest Tibetan teachers of the nineteenth century. Famous for his precise and direct style, he shunned high monastic office and lived the life of a homeless wanderer, writing his book in a rustic hermitage under an overhanging rock. Praise to Patrul Rinpoche [...]

The Six Paramitas Learn More The Six Paramitas, or "Perfections," are a fundamental set of teachings for Mahayahana Buddhism Statue of Bodhisattva Guan Yin (Avalokiteshvara) The six paramitas, or transcendent perfections, are an essential concept in the practice of Mahayana Buddhism. They are so fundamental in fact that the “Vehicle of the Perfections” is a [...]

Sign up for a week of essential teachings from His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama ENTER YOUR EMAIL TO RECEIVE A WEEK OF DAILY READINGS FROM THE CORE TEACHINGS OF THE DALAI LAMA SERIES. From proper posture in sitting meditation to discussion of past lives to the importance of the Three Jewels, these readings cover [...]

Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche and Pema Chödrön Discuss the Innate Tenderness of Our Hearts ENTER YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS TO ACCESS THE COMPLETE VIDEO INTERVIEW. In this interview, Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche sits down with Pema Chödrön to discuss his book, Training in Tenderness, cultivating compassion, and the innate tenderness of our hearts known as tsewa. After entering [...]

Practicing Patience During Times of Difficulty An Excerpt from The World Could Be Otherwise THE PERFECTION OF PATIENCE is kshanti paramita in Sanskrit. Kshanti can be translated as “patience,” “forbearance,” or “tolerance,” but these words don’t capture the fullness of what kshanti connotes because they all imply a kind of quietism or passivity. To be patient [...]

Shabkar Elucidates the Essentials of Spiritual Practice The Emanated Scripture of Manjushri includes twenty-three pieces of advice from Shabkar (1781–1851), teacher both of the Mind-Training and the Dzogchen traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. In this work, Shabkar shares what he believes to be the essentials of spiritual practice. In this particular section, Shabkar illuminates the importance of retreat [...]