The Foundation of All Good Qualities

19 Sunday Jun 2011

Posted by Lee in Buddhist Prayers and Practices, Daily Life, Lama Tsong Khapa

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buddhism, buddhist daily, buddhist prayer, foundation of all good qualities, gelug, lama tsongkhapa, tibetan buddhism

The Foundation of All Good Qualities was the first text I ever memorized.

My teacher had recommended memorizing it, and reciting it everyday. I didn’t really get an explanation on why, but I trusted him enough to do it immediately without thinking twice, and it was one of the best things I’ve ever done.

The Foundation of All Good Qualties was a text composed by Lama Tsongkhapa, which goes through the entire path to enlightenment and condenses it into a few short phrases, and going through it daily allows someone to get a glance of the whole path. Continue reading »

More Dharma protectors within the Gelug Tradition and are they necessary?

07 Tuesday Jun 2011

Posted by Lee in Dharma Protectors, Vajrayana

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dharma protector, gelug, gelug dharma protectors, hayagriva emanation of avolakitishvara, is dharma protecto practice necessary for westerners, is dharma protector practice important, lama chopa dharma protectors, palden lhamo emanation of tara, setrap emanation of amitabha

Dharma Protectors Within the Gelug

Are Dharma Protectors Necessary?

This is a continuation of a previous post I did on Dharma protectors within the Gelug tradition. A question I think that needs to be asked is if Dharma protector practice is necessary or even important.

One might argue that even though the Tibetan tradition emphasizes Dharma protector practice quite strongly, in some cases it might not be a good practice for all western practitioners. Continue reading »

Dharma protectors within the Gelug Tradition

05 Thursday May 2011

Posted by Lee in Dharma Protectors, Tibetan Buddhism, Vajrayana

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6 armed mahakala, dalai lama on dharma protectors, dharma protectors, dzambhala, gelug, great scope dharma protector, kalarupa, lamrim, medium scope dharma protector, mundane dharma protector, small scope, small scope dharma protector, supramundane protector, vaishravana, vajrapani

Lama Tsongkhapa

When I first began to practice, I didn’t get much exposure to Dharma protectors. As my practice continued, specifically within the Tibetan tradition, I started to see them everywhere.

Within texts like Mind Training: The Great Collection (Library of Tibetan Classics), petitioning Dharma protectors play an important role. And if one read’s Brilliant Moon: The Autobiography of Dilgo Khyentse, who was a great Nyingmapa practitioner, one can see how heavily they rely on Dharma protectors practice and their importance. Continue reading »

Refuge in the Three Jewels and Western Buddhist Practice

21 Monday Mar 2011

Posted by Lee in refuge in the three jewels, Tibetan Buddhism

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buddhist daily, buddhist practice, gelug, lama atisha, lama tsongkhapa, refuge in the three jewels, tibetan buddhism

Homage to the buddhas and bodhisattvas, refuge in the three jewels, western buddhist practice

Lama Atisha was known as the "Refuge Lama"

I’m going to be doing a post soon on my experience of Refuge Ngondro, but I should probably go over some thoughts on refuge in the three jewels first.

One Thing You Should Know

Since I practice within the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, most of my thoughts on refuge will be colored by this perspective, according to the stages of the path teachings of Dipankara Shrijana (Lama Atisha) and Losang Drakgpa (Lama Tsongkhapa).

This means most of this will be colored by views on rebirth. Not every tradition emphasizes rebirth as strongly. You can read a post that Deb did on rebirth from the view of the wonderful Theravada tradition, called Preservation of the Teachings and Birth/Rebirth Continue reading »

Tantric Symbolism and Confusion

26 Saturday Feb 2011

Posted by Lee in Thubten Chodron & Sravasti Abbey, Tibetan Buddhism, Vajrayana, Videos

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gelug, tantric buddhism, tantric symbolism', thubten chodron, tibetan buddhism, vajrayana

People often find tantric practice to be very exotic with the elaborate visualizations and different mantras, but eventually get confused and bored when they don’t understand the symbolism behind them. Continue reading »

Accepting Life’s Problems

11 Friday Feb 2011

Posted by Lee in Daily Life, Other, Tibetan Buddhism, Videos

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accepting struggles, buddhism, buddhist daily, daily life, enlightenment, gelug, how to deal with life's problems, practice advice, suffering, tibetan buddhism

An interesting video by Za Choeje Rinpoche, also known as Za Rinpoche. He talks about learning how to accept life’s struggles. I think learning how to deal with life’s problems is what usually brings most people to buddhism and what keeps them there.

I like short clips like this because I can take it and put it into daily practice very quickly. Very practical advice, concise, easy to digest. The First noble Truth in under 4 minutes =D

Prayers for Khen Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup

24 Monday Jan 2011

Posted by Lee in Buddhist Prayers and Practices, FPMT, Tibetan Buddhism

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buddhism, diamond cutter sutra, fpmt, gelug, khen rinpoche lama lhundrup, kopan monastery nepal, prayers, tibetan buddhism, vajra cutter sutra

Prayers for Khen Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup, abbot of Kopan Monastery, Nepal

Khen Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup is the abbot of Kopan Monastery, in Nepal, and has been teaching there since 1972. Khen Rinpoche is in an advanced stage of cancer, so Lama Zopa Rinpoche, the Spiritual Director of FPMT has requested that students and friends worldwide to recite the Vajra Cutter Sutra for Khen Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup. The Vajra Cutter Sutra is also known as the Diamond Cutter Sutra in the other Buddhist traditions outside of Tibetan Buddhism. Its known for the famous line:

As a star, a visual abberation, a lamp, an illusion, dew, a bubble, a dream, lightning and a cloud – view all the compounded like that.

A copy of the Vajra Cutter Sutra can be found here

Lama Zopa also mentions the benefits of reciting the Vajra Cutter Sutra here.

Medicine Buddha for Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Recently Had a Stroke

Update on Lama Zopa’s Health

More Buddhist Prayers and Practices…

Lama Zopa Rinpoches teaches Kalachakra 6 Session Guru Yoga in Washington DC 2011

23 Sunday Jan 2011

Posted by Lee in Buddhist Prayers and Practices, FPMT, HH Dalai Lama, Tibetan Buddhism, Vajrayana

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6 session guru yoga, fpmt, gelug, guhyasamaja center, HHDL, highest yoga tantra, his holiness dalai lama, july 17 2011, july 6 - 16 2011, kalachakra intiation, kyabje lama zopa rinpoche, precepts, public teaching, sex session guru yoga kalachakra, tantric vows, tibetan buddhism, washington dc kalachakra 2011, world peace

lama zopa his holiness dalai lama kalachakra initiation washington dc 2011 6 session guru yoga

His Holiness the Dalai Lama with Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche

UPDATE (06-19-2011). Lama Zopa recently had a mild stroke and is recovering every day. All his teachings for 2011 have been canceled until further notice.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama will be giving public teaching as well as the Kalachakra intiation this year in Washington DC, during the days of July 6 – 16 2011. His Holiness doesn’t often given initiations to a tantra of the highest class often in the US, so it’ll be a precious opportunity and very auspicious as well. The Kalachakra is often given to large groups, even to non-buddhists as a blessing for world peace, and there is no better place to spread this vision of world peace then the capital of a political super power.

Following the initiation, Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche announced that he’ll be in Washington DC on July 17 2011. Continue reading »

Dharma, buddhism in the West

21 Friday Jan 2011

Posted by Lee in buddhism in the west, FPMT, Tibetan Buddhism, Videos, Western Buddhist Practice

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buddhism in the west, buddhism western world, buddhist tibetan lama, fpmt, gelug, lama yeshe, lama zopa, western buddhism, western buddhist, zina rachevsky

The Tibetans started spreading Buddhism to the West in the 1960′s. For centuries, the Tibetans had spent time perfecting their understanding of Buddhism and of the mind while living in relatively quiet isolation in the Himalayas. When the Chinese invaded Tibet in the 1950′s, the result was waves of Tibetans fleeing to the neighboring countries like India, Nepal and Bhutan. These waves of refugees brought the Buddhist teachings with them, which helped further the transmission of Buddhism into the west. Continue reading »

Lama Tsong Khapa Day

17 Monday Jan 2011

Posted by Lee in Lama Tsong Khapa, Tibetan Buddhism, Tsem Tulku, Videos

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buddhism, buddhist practice, deity, gelug, guru yoga, je rinpoche, kechara house, lama tsong kapha, lama tsongkhapa day, meditation, tibetan buddhism, tsem tulku, tsem tulku rinpoche, yidam

Lama Tsongkapha was a Buddhist saint and scholar, known for starting the Gelug tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. Every year, according to the lunar calendar, Buddhists that practice within the Gelug tradition celebrate Lama Tsongkhapa’s birthday. This usually involves doing pujas and other practices, and then dedicating the merit created by these practices for the benefit of others. Continue reading »

Ngondro

09 Sunday Jan 2011

Posted by Lee in Ngondro Preliminary Practices, Tibetan Buddhism

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buddhism, gelug, ngondro, ngondro preliminary practice, ngondro refuge preliminary practice tibetan gelug, ngondro tibetan gelug, tibetan buddhism

Vajradhara is often linked to Ngondro

Ngondro is practice with so many benefits, but a main benefit is it prepares the ground of the mind for realizations and attainments. Through the practice of ngondro, one can engage in extensive purification and generation of merit. Continue reading »

A Clear and Empty Mind

~ Blog on Practicing Buddhism, Buddhist Meditation, and Beyond

Tag Archives: gelug

The Foundation of All Good Qualities

More Dharma protectors within the Gelug Tradition and are they necessary?

Dharma protectors within the Gelug Tradition

Refuge in the Three Jewels and Western Buddhist Practice

Tantric Symbolism and Confusion

Accepting Life’s Problems

Prayers for Khen Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup

Related Posts:

Lama Zopa Rinpoches teaches Kalachakra 6 Session Guru Yoga in Washington DC 2011

UPDATE (06-19-2011). Lama Zopa recently had a mild stroke and is recovering every day. All his teachings for 2011 have been canceled until further notice.

Dharma, buddhism in the West

Lama Tsong Khapa Day

Ngondro

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