“What should one do when sick?---Chop up your body and offer it as feast. Hide concepts as treasure in the nature of phenomena. And moreover do it many times. Don’t give rise to joy if you get better. No matter what sickness occurs in the manifesting circumstances, know that each one is a training exercise.… Continue reading 8TH KARMAPA ON CHOD: TEXTS AND LINEAGE. New translation of 8th Karmapa’s short daily Chod practice and full transcription of 17th Karmapa’s Chod teachings
Tag: 17th karmapa
GREEN TĀRĀ OF THE ACACIA FOREST (Sengdeng Nagki) AND THE FIVE-DEITY TĀRĀ MANDALA OF FIRST KARMAPA: Overview of Green Tārā origin and lineage and new translation of Five Deity Green Tārā short daily practice from 1st Karmapa’s ‘Five sets of Five’
"Many desire enlightenment in a man’s body, while not even a single [person] strives for the benefit of sentient beings in a woman’s body. Therefore, I shall work for the benefit of sentient beings in a woman’s form as long as saṃsāra has not been emptied." --Noble Tārā's statement (as Princess Jñānacandrā) to sexist monks… Continue reading GREEN TĀRĀ OF THE ACACIA FOREST (Sengdeng Nagki) AND THE FIVE-DEITY TĀRĀ MANDALA OF FIRST KARMAPA: Overview of Green Tārā origin and lineage and new translation of Five Deity Green Tārā short daily practice from 1st Karmapa’s ‘Five sets of Five’
MOTHER OF ALL THE BUDDHAS: PRAJNAPARAMITA AND THE ULTIMATE HEART ESSENCE
"Empty does not mean completely empty but primordial awareness empty of dualistic appearances." "[The Heart Sutra] teaches that the ultimate perfectly established [nature] is empty of apparent samsara and nirvana. The primordial awareness of the perfectly established ultimate nature pervades all of samsara and nirvana but is not contaminated by either samsara or nirvana. Since… Continue reading MOTHER OF ALL THE BUDDHAS: PRAJNAPARAMITA AND THE ULTIMATE HEART ESSENCE
WHERE ARE THE GELONGMAS? DISCOVERING HIDDEN TREASURES: THE RARE GEMS OF LIVING TIBETAN BUDDHIST FULLY ORDAINED NUNS. A Pilgrimage and Field Study of Two Nunneries in Himachal Pradesh and fully ordained nuns within the Tibetan tradition.
"There are already nuns within the Tibetan tradition who have received the full Bhikṣuṇī vow according to the Dharmagupta lineage and whom we recognize as fully ordained. One thing we could do is to translate the three primary monastic activities (Poṣadha, Varṣa, Prāvaraṇā) from the Dharmagupta lineage into Tibetan and encourage the Tibetan Bhikṣuṇīs to… Continue reading WHERE ARE THE GELONGMAS? DISCOVERING HIDDEN TREASURES: THE RARE GEMS OF LIVING TIBETAN BUDDHIST FULLY ORDAINED NUNS. A Pilgrimage and Field Study of Two Nunneries in Himachal Pradesh and fully ordained nuns within the Tibetan tradition.
‘LIKE STARS IN THE DAY’, THE DESCENT OF FEMALE ARHATIS: FULLY ORDAINED TIBETAN BUDDHIST NUNS IN TIBET, PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE (17th Karmapa Spring Teachings (Day 13)
“We can conclude that during the Early spread of the teachings in Tibet, there were both male and female fully ordained sangha members and that the ordination was given by the male sangha.” "In the 'Chronicles of Ba', it says the Khenpo who first fully ordained Tibetan women is Bareyna. Yet, in the text from… Continue reading ‘LIKE STARS IN THE DAY’, THE DESCENT OF FEMALE ARHATIS: FULLY ORDAINED TIBETAN BUDDHIST NUNS IN TIBET, PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE (17th Karmapa Spring Teachings (Day 13)
The Sūtra and Dhāraṇī of Protector Buddha Akṣobhya (Mi-trugpa) and Akṣobhya Ritual for the Deceased (April 20-22)
"Any son or daughter of noble family who without pretense or guile pays homage to the tathagata, the completely perfect buddha Akshobhya, and upholds and memorizes this dharani will perfectly pacify all the wrongs they have previously done, including the five heinous deeds, the four root downfalls, the ten non-virtues, disparaging the assembly of noble… Continue reading The Sūtra and Dhāraṇī of Protector Buddha Akṣobhya (Mi-trugpa) and Akṣobhya Ritual for the Deceased (April 20-22)
MARVELLOUS MURALS AND MAHAKALA MELODIES: EARLY AND LATER KARMA ‘GAR-DRI’ STYLE TIBETAN ART (as presented by 17th Karmapa)
For World Art Day today, here is a write-up and summary of a teaching the 17th Karmapa gave in March 2021 about the Karma Gar-ri (Karma Encampment Painting) style (video here). This followed on from a prior teaching he gave on Pre-Karma Kagyu Encampment Art in Tibet. For a write-up of that teaching, see here.… Continue reading MARVELLOUS MURALS AND MAHAKALA MELODIES: EARLY AND LATER KARMA ‘GAR-DRI’ STYLE TIBETAN ART (as presented by 17th Karmapa)
‘THE BLACK TREASURY’ (DZO NAG)” 3RD KARMAPA’S EXTENSIVE COMPENDIUM OF MILAREPA’S LIFE AND SONGS. Origin, editions and contents.
"These sayings of great Jetsun Zhepa Dorje [Milarepa]As many as could be found, which I’ve collected here;May whoever practices, reads, writes, or rejoices in them,Abide on the vajra holder's ground!By the roots of virtue from erecting this sacred Dharma,May sentient beings of the six migrations, headed by mother and father,When appearances of this life begin… Continue reading ‘THE BLACK TREASURY’ (DZO NAG)” 3RD KARMAPA’S EXTENSIVE COMPENDIUM OF MILAREPA’S LIFE AND SONGS. Origin, editions and contents.
‘IMMUTABLE, GREAT BLISS’: GURU PADMASAMBHAVA AND THE KARMAPAS
"Om Swasti!To Dharmakāya, limits of appearances; Sambhogakāya, Avalokiteśvara;Nirmanakāya, Great Padmasambhava,With continual devotion of body, speech and mindBy this heart-felt supplication, bestow the blessings of the siddhis! In particular, for those of the degenerate age lacking refuge,May the incomparable, supreme protector of the three secrets and all the qualities,Bless our three ‘doors’ with luminous clarity,Purifying all… Continue reading ‘IMMUTABLE, GREAT BLISS’: GURU PADMASAMBHAVA AND THE KARMAPAS
‘CALLING A SPADE A SPADE’ AND THE ‘SEEDS OF HONESTY’: THE 8TH KARMAPA’S DIRECT AND UNBIASED WAY OF TEACHING AND HIS DENIAL OF AUTHORSHIP OF A DOCUMENT REFUTING THE NYINGMA SECRET MANTRA (17th Karmapa, Spring Teaching, Day 5 )
“ A mara/demon does not mean someone with a dark face with horns and is frightening. That is a very limited way of thinking. Actually, a mara is something that prevents us from our Dharma activities, and achieving liberation and omniscience. Most of the time that is people around us, our parents, friends, loved ones,… Continue reading ‘CALLING A SPADE A SPADE’ AND THE ‘SEEDS OF HONESTY’: THE 8TH KARMAPA’S DIRECT AND UNBIASED WAY OF TEACHING AND HIS DENIAL OF AUTHORSHIP OF A DOCUMENT REFUTING THE NYINGMA SECRET MANTRA (17th Karmapa, Spring Teaching, Day 5 )