THE RULE OF MAHARAJA KINGS AND THE POLITICAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL DEVELOPMENT OF EARLY BUDDHISM: the sixteen great Kingdoms, the expansion of Magadha, the four main Buddhist pilgrimage sites, and reasons why Buddhist communities divided after Buddha’s parinirvana (17th Karmapa, Day 6)

""The Dharma is actually beyond the sphere of the 'one who came to the world' human form of Buddha. It is like the character of the Buddha's mind, the excellent knowledge and special wisdom/prajñā. This is the primary topic of the Buddha's Dharma teachings. However, the source of the Dharma is the Buddha, so he… Continue reading THE RULE OF MAHARAJA KINGS AND THE POLITICAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL DEVELOPMENT OF EARLY BUDDHISM: the sixteen great Kingdoms, the expansion of Magadha, the four main Buddhist pilgrimage sites, and reasons why Buddhist communities divided after Buddha’s parinirvana (17th Karmapa, Day 6)

THE ‘SEEDS’ AND PRACTICE OF ‘SECRET MANTRA’ IN EARLY BUDDHISM: Permitted protection mantras, the Great Peacock King mantra, the different attitudes towards the use of mantras, and the ‘secret’ power of true speech/words (17th Karmapa Summer 2024, Day 5))

"Similarly, when you think about rigpa mantras, protection mantras, and true words, all of these are considered to be among the three secrets of body, speech and mind, they are considered to be secrets of speech. When talking about the secret of speech, we can say the secret of speech means like the hidden capacities… Continue reading THE ‘SEEDS’ AND PRACTICE OF ‘SECRET MANTRA’ IN EARLY BUDDHISM: Permitted protection mantras, the Great Peacock King mantra, the different attitudes towards the use of mantras, and the ‘secret’ power of true speech/words (17th Karmapa Summer 2024, Day 5))

There can be no real friendship without truth and trust. I have wanted to write something about the 17th Karmapa 'situation' for a while now, and thought an appropriate place to start (Part 1) in getting to the 'roots' of some of it, would be the clear role of Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse (and other 'older… Continue reading The role of Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse, Ogyen Tobgyel, and Sakya teachers in the ‘situation’ of the 17th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje (Part 1)

Now there are over 700 signatures on the 17th Karmapa Return to Sikkim petition, supporters (and followers of the 17th Karmapa) are being requested to send emails to all the key decision-makers with a link to the petition. Emails and names are provided below (and anyone else you would like to send it to). It… Continue reading Update: Please contact the key decision-makers re 17th Karmapa petition to return to Sikkim. Petition link, draft message and emails provided.

"At that time the Bhagavan spoke to the group of five monks: "when there's proper consideration of the truth of suffering, of this Dharma never heard before, vision/sight arises awareness (jñāna:yeshe) arises, Wisdom (prajñā/sherab) arises, rigpa arises, and illumination (nang-wa) arises. When there is proper consideration of the noble truths of the origin the sensation… Continue reading THE ‘SECRET’ LUMINOUS-AWARENESS ‘JUICE’ AND VAST QUALITIES OF FULL AWAKENING: The connection between secret mantra and Early Buddhism, the importance of reasoning, wisdom and luminous-awareness, and the permitted and forbidden ‘rigpa’ arts/mantras and their uses (17th Karmapa Summer Teachings 2024, Day Four)

"The Tenth Karmapa took shelter in Jang for approximately twenty-five years (c. 1646/7-1672) in the wake of Gushri Khan’s entry into at the behest of the Fifth Dalai Lama’s (1617–1682) regent in 1642. This Mongol onslaught resulted in the destruction of the entire Karmapa encampment; the Karmapa barely escaped and fled to Jang with only… Continue reading THE NATURALLY-ARISEN VAJRAVARAHI AND CAVE AT ‘JOYFUL LAND OF SECRET-MANTRA’ (WENFENG SI 文峰寺): Visiting another of the five main Karma Kagyu temples, Sang-ngag Gatsal Ling (Wenfeng Si), the three-year retreat centre, Vajravarahi cave, naturally-arisen Varahi and stunning Kagyu statues and artworks