Jataka Tale: The Careless Lion Once upon a time, the Five Training Steps were not yet known in the world. There was a very wealthy man living in Benares who owned a large herd of cattle. He hired a man to look after them. During the time of year […]
Buddhism
294 posts
Understanding Chan Buddhism (Part 5) Monastic life in Chan sect As Chan sect emphasizes the Dharma transmission from the master to the disciple, there has a well-organized system in the monastic order and a structured monastic life for the monks. The practitioners are required to work very hard in their daily […]
10 Buddhist Mudras and Their Meanings Mudra #1 – Bhumisparsha Mudra This is one of the most common Mudras found in statues of Buddha in many countries. Meaning: ‘Touching the Earth.’ Hand position: Shown in the sitting meditation position only. In this Mudra the right hand points towards the Earth, hanging over the knee, […]
Understanding Tibetan Buddhism (Part 5) Preliminary practices The preliminary practices are the approach in the preparation for the Tantric practice. In Tibet, it is known as Ngondro, which means ‘something that goes before’. There are two kinds of preliminary practices, the first is the common / ordinary and the second […]
Top 10 Buddhist Temples in Japan If you wish to visit Buddhist temples as part of your spiritual pilgrimage, Japan is the country you must not miss. There are countless beautiful Buddhist temples of different traditions for you to visit. Many of these ancient temples are important National Treasures in […]
Pure Land Part 5 Understanding Pure Land Sect (Part 5) Qualification of Rebirth in Pure Land The prime purpose of Pure land Buddhism is achieving rebirth in the Pure Land. Who are qualified to be reborn in Pure Land? As stated in Amitabha Sutra, “… by means of small good […]
Understanding Tien Tai Sect (Part 5) Ten Positions Achieved in Cultivation Further to the doctrine of Identity in Six Degrees, Tien Tai sect relates it to the Ten Positions or Stages achieved in the cultivation of Buddhahood. They are: First Stage of Ordinary Being [凡夫位] — equivalent to Identity in […]
Tina Turner: The Miracle of Daimoku to Transform Life What would you do if your mum leaves when you’re 11, your dad leaves you at 13, you then lived with your grandma who dies when you’re 16, and you then marry a man who beats you for the next 16 […]
Understanding Chan Buddhism (Part 4) Development of Chan sect after Sixth Patriarch After the Sixth Patriarch. the Chan sect spread out into two main branches headed by: Huai Jang of Nan Yo Mountain [南嶽懷讓] Hsing Sze of Ching Yuan Mountain [青原行思]. Huai Jang’s successor was the great Chan master Ma Tsu [馬祖], who […]
Understanding Tibetan Buddhism (Part 4) Four schools in Tibetan Buddhism Nyingma Literally, Nyingma means “the ancient ones” thus it represents the traditional school in the ancient transmission period. It is originated from the collaboration between King Trison Detsen and the Indian masters, Shantarakshita and Padmasambhava. As the origin of the […]
