Six Paramitas Six Paramitas literally means Six Perfections; the six virtues that need to be continuously cultivated and perfected as part of a bodhisattva’s practice. The Sanskrit word “Paramita” means “perfection” or “completeness”. What are Six Paramitas? The Six Paramitas are Generosity, Discipline, Endurance, Diligence, Meditation, and Wisdom. #1 – […]
Fundamentals of Buddhism
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Four Virtues of the Buddha The Buddha embodies the four virtues, namely True Self, Eternity, Purity and Happiness, as expounded in Mahaparinirvana Sutra. These noble qualities are the true nature of Buddha’s life. Ordinary people like us can also embrace these qualities if we choose to embrace the Lotus Sutra […]
Seven Parables of the Lotus Sutra In the Lotus Sutra, the Buddha uses similes and parables to explain and unravel the Law of Supreme Perfect Enlightenment in a simplified manner, making them accessible and easy to understand for his disciples. Among all the sutras, only the Lotus Sutra is […]
Ten Worlds (十界) The Ten Worlds (also known as Ten Spiritual Realms of Life) delineate the various planes of existence in the Universe. It is part of the Buddhist cosmology that provides us a glimpse of the “homes” in which innumerable living beings dwell. A little knowledge about the Ten Worlds […]
In Chapter 20 of the Lotus Sutra, the Buddha relates his past life experience as Bodhisattva Never Disrespectful without being asked by any of his disciples. This is significant because usually the Buddha teaches according to questions and requests of his disciples, as opposed to teaching the Law on his […]
Last week, we learnt about the Truths of the Triple Gem. In this week, we shall understand more about the First Gem: the Buddha. Eminent people of esteemed status usually have long titles. One of the examples is Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II: Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of […]
Last week we learnt about the Essence of Buddhism, which is “Attaining Buddhahood.” This week, we shall learn about the Truths of the Triple Gem. The Truth of the Triple Gem The Triple Gem, also known as the Three Treasures, Three Jewels, Three Refuges or Precious Triad, refers to the […]
Background The other day, I was browsing the web and chanced upon one of the videos in Buddhist Youth Network. This video is an interview of Ven. Matthew Richard, the French Buddhist monk who has served as the French interpreter for the Dalai Lama since 1989. Here is the […]
This is an excellent article written by scholar Robert E.Buswell and Donald S.Lopez Jr to shed light on the misunderstanding and misconceptions about Buddhism. It will be helpful for you to understanding Buddhism from the academic point of view. Enjoy! In the new series 10 Misconceptions about Buddhism, scholars Robert E. […]
