Latest Articles and Resources
- Brahma-vihara -- four divine states or four immeasurables of BuddhismCreated: Thu Jul 24 19:34:19 2008
The Buddha taught his monks to cultivate four states of mind, called the "Brahma-vihara," "four divine states of dwelling" or "Four Immeasurables." These are loving ki… - Avalokiteshvara -- Avalokiteshvara Is the Bodhisattva of CompassionUpdated: Thu Jul 24 19:29:17 2008
Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva is beloved to Mahayana Buddhists as the embodiment of infinite compassion. … - Kwan Yin - Chinese Goddess Kwan YinUpdated: Thu Jul 24 19:04:16 2008
Kwan Yin is one of the many names of Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva. Others are Kanzeon or Kannon (Japan) and Chenrezig (Tibet). … - Karmapa - Ogyen Trinley Dorje, 17th Gyalwang KarmapaUpdated: Thu Jul 24 11:05:12 2008
Ogyen Trinley Dorje (b. 1985), the reincarnated Gyalwang Karmapa, is a soft-spoken and studious young man surrounded by global controversy. … - Five Major BodhisattvasUpdated: Thu Jul 24 10:35:31 2008
Bodhisattvas work to bring all beings to enlightenment. Countless transcendent bodhisattvas are found in Buddhist art and literature, but these five are the most important… - Symbols of Buddhism - Eight Auspicious Symbols of BuddhismUpdated: Thu Jul 24 02:20:49 2008
The Eight Auspicious Symbols of Buddhism, with their meanings,… - What do Buddhists believe - Beliefs of BuddhismUpdated: Thu Jul 24 00:35:48 2008
What do Buddhists believe? In Buddhism, beliefs are beside the point, and doctrines are a means to an end, not the end itself. … - The Wheel of Life: Yama, Lord of the UnderworldUpdated: Wed Jul 23 12:11:55 2008
The creature holding the Wheel of Life in his hooves is Yama, the wrathful dharmapala who is Lord of the Hell Realm. Dharmapalas are not evil beings, but rather are the fierce protectors of Buddhis… - Image Gallery, The Wheel of Life -- An Illustrated Journey Through t…Updated: Wed Jul 23 12:11:53 2008
The Wheel of Life presents the cycle of birth and rebirth to Tibetan Buddhists. At once terrifying and beautiful, wrathful and peaceful, the Wheel -- called the "Bhavachakra" -- shows a p… - Image Gallery, The Wheel of Life -- An Illustrated Journey Through t…Updated: Wed Jul 23 12:11:53 2008
The Wheel of Life presents the cycle of birth and rebirth to Tibetan Buddhists. At once terrifying and beautiful, wrathful and peaceful, the Wheel -- called the "Bhavachakra" -- shows a p… - Image Gallery, The Wheel of Life -- An Illustrated Journey Through t…Updated: Wed Jul 23 12:11:53 2008
The Wheel of Life presents the cycle of birth and rebirth to Tibetan Buddhists. At once terrifying and beautiful, wrathful and peaceful, the Wheel -- called the "Bhavachakra" -- shows a p… - The Pali Canon - History of the Pali Canon or TripitakaUpdated: Wed Jul 23 10:56:24 2008
The earliest written scriptures of Buddhism are collected in the Tripitaka, also called the Pali Canon. What is in the Pali Canon, and where did these texts come from?… - The Laughing Buddha - The Laughing Buddha Is Pu-tai in China and Hot…Created: Tue Jul 22 19:33:28 2008
When Westerners think of Buddha, usually they picture the short, fat, bald version, not the austere and serious meditating Buddha. Where did the Laughing Buddha come from?… - Mahayana Buddhism - Mahayana Is the Great Vehicle School of BuddhismUpdated: Tue Jul 22 13:23:24 2008
There are a few basic teachings that distinguish all forms of Mahayana. Here Mahayana and Theravada are compared to make these distinctions clear. … - Three Marks of Existence -- Buddhism and Three Marks of ExistenceUpdated: Mon Jul 21 23:44:08 2008
The three characteristics -- impermanence, suffering and egolessness -- mark all compounded things. … - Anicca - Anicca, Impermanence, Is a Mark of Existence in BuddhismCreated: Mon Jul 21 23:39:39 2008
Anicca, impermanence, is one of the Three Marks of Existence in Buddhism… - Buddhism, Religion or Philosophy -- Is Buddhism Philosophy or Religi…Updated: Mon Jul 21 21:54:26 2008
Is Buddhism a philosophy or a religion? Clarifying this point is important to understanding Buddhism… - Zen 101 -- A Brief Introduction to Zen BuddhismUpdated: Mon Jul 21 21:38:42 2008
This is a bare-bones introduction to Zen Buddhism for those who don't know Zen from spinach. It includes a brief history of the school and the Zen definition of Zen… - Soto - Soto Is One of the Two Schools of Japanese Zen BuddhismCreated: Mon Jul 21 21:20:14 2008
Japanese Soto Zen Buddhism is associated with the meditation practice of Shikantaza and with its Japanese founder, Eihei Dogen… - What Is the Self: What Buddhism Teaches About the SelfUpdated: Mon Jul 21 14:47:19 2008
The Buddha taught that an individual is a combination of five aggregates, called the Five Skandhas. The skandhas are empty of intrinsic self; the self is no-self (anatman or anatta in Theravada Bud… - Attachment and Buddhism -- Buddhist Teachings on Attachment and Clin…Created: Mon Jul 21 13:25:53 2008
You may have heard that Buddhists are supposed to be free of attachments. But "attachment" may not mean what you think it means… - The Life of the Buddha -- Biography of Siddhartha Gautama, the Found…Updated: Sun Jul 20 20:25:15 2008
This simple account of the historic Buddha's life covers his early life, the Four Passing Sights, the Renunciation, the Quest, his Enlightenment, and his later life as a teacher. … - What Is a Buddha - Who Was the BuddhaUpdated: Sun Jul 20 20:22:33 2008
The Buddha is pictured in many ways, and the word Buddha is used to mean many things. Just who or what is a Buddha?… - What Is a Buddha - Definition of BuddhaUpdated: Sun Jul 20 20:20:35 2008
The Sanskrit word Buddha means "awakened one." Very basically, a buddha is one who has realized enlightenment and been released from the cycle of death and rebirth. However, the word is u… - Trikaya -- Trikaya is the three bodies doctrine of Mahayana BuddhismUpdated: Sun Jul 20 19:35:45 2008
The Mahayana doctrine of the Trikaya says that each Buddha has three bodies, which are the dharmakaya, the sambogakaya and the nirmanakaya. … - Shunyata -- Shunyata, or Emptiness, and Mahayana BuddhismUpdated: Sun Jul 20 19:06:40 2008
According to the Mahayana Buddhist teaching of shunyata -- emptiness or void -- all beings and phenomena are empty of independent, permanent essence. … - Sesshin -- Sesshin Is a Zen Buddhist Meditation RetreatUpdated: Sun Jul 20 18:57:21 2008
In Zen Buddhism, a sesshin is an intensive meditation retreat… - Shikantaza - Shikantaza Is Soto Zen Buddhist MeditationCreated: Sun Jul 20 00:22:19 2008
Shikantaza is a form of zazen (Zen meditation) practiced by the Soto school of Zen Buddhism… - Rinzai - Rinzai is a school of Zen BuddhismUpdated: Sun Jul 20 00:04:44 2008
Rinzai is one of the two schools of Japanese Zen Buddhism… - What Is Buddhism - An Introduction to Buddhism for BeginnersUpdated: Sat Jul 19 23:32:06 2008
There's more to Buddhism than shaving one's head and being blissful. Here is an introduction to Buddhism for beginners. … - Metta -- To Buddhists, Metta Is Loving Kindness or CompassionUpdated: Sat Jul 19 23:17:29 2008
Metta -- loving kindness -- is one of the Four Perfect Virtues cultivated by Buddhist practice. … - Mudita - Mudita, Sympathetic Joy, Is a Virtue of BuddhismCreated: Sat Jul 19 23:12:18 2008
Mudita is taking sympathetic or altruistic joy in the happiness of others. … - Madhyamika -- Madhyamika Is a Mahayana Buddhist PhilosophyUpdated: Sat Jul 19 22:58:05 2008
Madhyamika was an early school of Mahayana Buddhism that focused on shunyata, or emptiness. … - Lama - a lama is a religious master of Tibetan BuddhismUpdated: Sat Jul 19 22:43:45 2008
A lama is the embodiment of the Buddha's teachings… - Karma - What is Karma or Kamma in BuddhismUpdated: Sat Jul 19 22:40:01 2008
Karma means "intentional action" and refers to the universal law of cause and effect… - Jukai - Jukai is a ceremonial initiation into Zen BuddhismUpdated: Sat Jul 19 22:36:59 2008
In the Jukai ceremony, a Zen Buddhist receives the Precepts… - Nirvana - What Is Nirvana in Buddhism?Updated: Sat Jul 19 22:06:02 2008
What is Nirvana? The Buddha told his monks that Nirvana cannot be imagined. Even so, the word needs a definition. Here is an explanation of Nirvana in Buddhism -- what it is, and what it is not.… - Sutra -- A Sutra or Sutta Is a Sermon of the BuddhaUpdated: Sat Jul 19 21:33:51 2008
The name sutra in Buddhism originally was given only to the sermons of the historical Buddha. Some later works are also considered to be sutras by the Mahayana school, however… - Sutra - What does sutra mean in BuddhismUpdated: Sat Jul 19 21:03:56 2008
The name sutra (Sanskrit for "thread") in Buddhism originally was given only to the sermons of the historical Buddha. Some later works are also considered to be sutras by the Mahayana sch… - Koan -- Koans and Zen BuddhismUpdated: Sat Jul 19 20:39:43 2008
In Zen Buddhism, koans are small presentations of the nature of ultimate reality, usually presented as a paradox. … - Samsara - What Is Samsara in BuddhismUpdated: Sat Jul 19 20:27:29 2008
The Sanskrit word samsara means "journeying." Samsara is often explained as the cycle of death and rebirth created by karma. … - Tripitaka -- The Tripitaka or Tipitaka and the Pali CanonUpdated: Sat Jul 19 16:13:06 2008
The Tripitaka (Sanskrit, "three baskets") is the earliest canon of Buddhist scripture. It is also called the "Pali Canon."… - Madhyamika -- Madhyamika Is a Cornerstone of Mahayana BuddhismUpdated: Sat Jul 19 16:02:13 2008
Madhyamika was an early school of Mahayana Buddhism. Madhyamika is primarily concerned with the nature of existence and the doctrine of shunyata, "emptiness." … - Buddhist Teachers -- How to Find a Good Buddhist TeacherUpdated: Sat Jul 19 15:51:27 2008
Why do Buddhists need teachers? How do you find a teacher? How can you tell real Buddhist teachers from frauds? Here are some basic guidelines to help you find the right teacher for you… - Enlightenment and Nirvana -- Buddhist Teachings on Nirvana and Enlig…Updated: Sat Jul 19 15:48:29 2008
In Buddhism, the cessation of suffering is called "enlightenment" (bodhi, "awakened"). The enlightened being exists in a state called Nirvana… - Four Noble Truths - The Four Noble Truths of BuddhismUpdated: Sat Jul 19 15:41:40 2008
The Four Noble Truths are the foundation of Buddhism… - Theravada Buddhism - Theravada Is the Oldest School of BuddhismUpdated: Sat Jul 19 15:28:32 2008
The distinctive practices and teachings of Theravada, the oldest school of Buddhism. … - Enso - Enso is a Zen inkbrush circleCreated: Sat Jul 19 00:29:30 2008
Enso, circle, is a frequent theme in Zen art… - Yogachara - Yogachara Is the "Mind Only" School of BuddhismCreated: Fri Jul 18 23:45:08 2008
The central teaching of yogachara is that phenomena exist only as processes of knowing… - Shugden Dorje -- the Shugden Dorje Controversy in Tibetan BuddhismUpdated: Fri Jul 18 21:53:28 2008
Dorje Shugden is an iconic character from Tibetan mythology with a loyal following. At a time when Tibetan Buddhism is in diaspora and under terrible stress, Shugden followers seem bent on destroyi… - Haiku - what is haikuCreated: Fri Jul 18 10:29:39 2008
Haiku is a form of Japanese poetry developed by a Zen monk, Matsuo Basho (1644-1694)… - Gassho - Gassho is Japanese for palms togetherCreated: Fri Jul 18 10:23:24 2008
Gassho is Japanese for "palms of the hands placed together."… - Dharma -- What does Dharma mean in Buddhism?Updated: Fri Jul 18 02:42:55 2008
In Buddhism, dharma most commonly is used to refer to the teachings of the Buddha. But the word has a great many other significant meanings… - Dakini -- Wrathful Female Deity of Vajrayana BuddhismUpdated: Fri Jul 18 02:28:10 2008
In Vajrayana Buddhism, a [i]dakini[/i] is the energy of nondual awareness manifested as a naked, dancing, wrathful female deity. … - Kensho - Kensho is an enlightenment experience in Zen BuddhismCreated: Fri Jul 18 02:07:52 2008
Kensho is the direct and intimate experience of enlightenment in Zen Buddhism… - Wu Wei - Wu Wei, not-doing, is action without attachmentCreated: Fri Jul 18 00:36:07 2008
Wu Wei is a Taoist concept adopted by Ch'an (Zen) Buddhism, meaning action without attachment. … - Yidam - A yidam is a personal deity in Tibetan BuddhismCreated: Thu Jul 17 23:29:19 2008
In Tibetan Buddhism, a yidam is a personal deity who functions as an aid in the transformative process of tantra… - Yab-yum - In Tibetan tantra, Yab-yum fuses male and femaleUpdated: Thu Jul 17 21:58:12 2008
In Tibetan Vajrayana (tantra), Yab-yum is the image of male and female deities in sexual union. … - Prajna - Prajna or Panna is Wisdom in BuddhismCreated: Thu Jul 17 21:50:49 2008
Prajna is Sanskrit for "wisdom" or "consciousness." It refers to the perception of the true nature of reality… - An Interview With Zen Teacher Norman Fischer on His Book, Sailing Ho…Updated: Thu Jul 17 21:00:56 2008
"The mystery (and pain!) of our lives is that we are where we need to be, but we don't know it," Zen Teacher Norman Fischer writes in his book Sailing Home. How do we know it? In this int… - Upekkha - Upekkha Is Equanimity in BuddhismUpdated: Thu Jul 17 20:15:29 2008
Upekkha is equanimity, an important virtue of Buddhism… - Upaya - Upaya is a Buddhist term for skillful meansCreated: Thu Jul 17 19:51:59 2008
In Buddhism, a upaya is an activity or practice that enables enlightenment… - Vajrayana - Vajrayana Is the Diamond Vehicle of BuddhismUpdated: Thu Jul 17 19:06:10 2008
Vajrayana is an extension of Mahayana that is characterized by use of rituals and tantra yoga… - Tantra - Buddhist Tantra as a Path to EnlightenmentCreated: Thu Jul 17 01:46:16 2008
In Buddhism, "tantra" refers to a system of experiential practices to eliminate dualistic thinking and enable the realization of enlightenment… - Bodhisattva -- Bodhisattvas Are Enlightenment Beings of Mahayana Bud…Updated: Wed Jul 16 19:22:30 2008
In Mahayana Buddhism, a [i]bodhisattva[/i] is one who works for the enlightenment of others and who vows not to enter Nirvana until all other beings are enlightened. … - Bodhi -- Bodhi Is Sanskrit for Awakened or EnlightenedUpdated: Wed Jul 16 19:03:00 2008
The Sanskrit word [i]bodhi[/i] means "awakened." This word roughly correlates to "enlightened" in English. … - Bhavachakra -- Bhavachakra Is a Tibetan Buddhist IconUpdated: Wed Jul 16 18:51:42 2008
The Bhavachakra, or Wheel of Life, is a common illustration in Tibetan Buddhism of the cycle of existence, also called the Six Realms of Existence or Rebirth… - Bardo -- Bardo and Rebirth in Tibetan BuddhismUpdated: Wed Jul 16 13:53:37 2008
In Tibetan Buddhism, a bardo is an in-between state. The word is often used to mean a state between death and rebirth, but it can mean other things… - Arhat -- An Arhat Is an Enlightened Person to Theravada BuddhistsUpdated: Wed Jul 16 11:03:24 2008
In Theravada Buddhism, an Arhat is an individual who has realized enlightenment and may enter Nirvana… - Anapanasati -- Anapanasati Is a Buddhist Meditation PracticeUpdated: Wed Jul 16 10:57:25 2008
Anapanasati (Pali) is a meditation practice of observing or counting the breath to develop concentration and mindfulness… - Karuna - In Buddhism, Karuna is compassion or active sympathyCreated: Wed Jul 16 02:00:57 2008
Karuna is compassion, active sympathy and gentle affection… - Hungry Ghosts - What Are the Hungry Ghosts of BuddhismCreated: Wed Jul 16 01:38:30 2008
Hungry Ghosts are characters from Buddhist iconography who suffer from their greed, envy and jealousy. … - Hinayana - Hinayana Is the "Small Vehicle" School of BuddhismCreated: Wed Jul 16 01:11:36 2008
The pejorative term "hinayana" is sometimes used to refer to the Theravada school of Buddhism. … - Zazen - Zazen is Zen Buddhist meditationUpdated: Wed Jul 16 00:45:34 2008
Zazen is Zen Buddhist meditation… - Hara - a place below the naval sometimes focused on in Zen meditationUpdated: Wed Jul 16 00:42:42 2008
Hara means "belly" or "gut" in Japanese. Zen Buddhists sometimes focus on the hara in meditation… - Han - A han is a wooden board used in Zen monasteriesUpdated: Wed Jul 16 00:41:24 2008
The han is a wooden board struck with a mallet to announce the beginning meditation in Zen monasteries… - Dukkha -- What Is Dukkha In Buddhism?Updated: Tue Jul 15 22:51:09 2008
The Pali word "dukkha" most often is translated into English as "suffering." But its meaning to Buddhism is much broader than that… - Dukkha -- What the Buddha Meant by Life Is SufferingUpdated: Mon Jul 14 17:42:55 2008
The First Noble Truth of Buddhism usually is translated "life is suffering." But what the Buddha said is that "Life is dukkha." And "dukkha" doesn't translate well. Wh… - The Wheel of Life: The Realm of the GodsUpdated: Fri Jul 11 19:36:47 2008
The Realm of the Gods (Devas) is the highest realm of the Wheel of Life and is always depicted at the top of the Wheel. It's nice being a Deva, but even the Devas are subject to karma, death and re… - The Wheel of Life: The BuddhaUpdated: Fri Jul 11 19:36:47 2008
A Buddha figure appears in the upper right-hand corner of the Bhavachakra, representing hope for liberation from the Wheel. … - The Wheel of Life: The Human RealmUpdated: Fri Jul 11 19:35:44 2008
Of the Six Realms, it is only in the Human Realm that the path of liberation from the Wheel can be found… - The Wheel of Life: NirvanaUpdated: Fri Jul 11 19:35:44 2008
The upper left-hand corner of a Bhavachakra is filled with a scene or symbol representing liberation from the Wheel… - The Wheel of Life: Hungry GhostsUpdated: Fri Jul 11 19:35:43 2008
Hungry Ghosts (Pretas) are beings with a hunger that can never be satisfied. They have huge, empty stomachs, but their thin necks don't allow nourishment to pass. Food turns to fire and ash in thei… - The Wheel of Life: The Hell RealmUpdated: Fri Jul 11 19:35:43 2008
The Hell Realm is marked by anger, terror and claustrophobia. Hell Beings (Narakas) are known for their aggression. … - The Wheel of Life: The Realm of Jealous GodsUpdated: Fri Jul 11 19:35:43 2008
The Asura (Jealous God) Realm is marked by paranoia. Asuras are hyper-competitive and paranoid. They are driven by a desire to beat their competition, and everyone is competition… - The Wheel of Life: The Wheel of Life (Bhavachakra) Symbolizes Birth …Updated: Fri Jul 11 19:35:42 2008
The Wheel of Life is one of the most common subjects of Tibetan Buddhist art. The detailed symbolism of the Wheel is rich with meaning that can be interpreted on many levels… - The Wheel of Life: The CenterUpdated: Fri Jul 11 19:33:36 2008
At the center of the Wheel of Life are the forces that keep it turning -- hate, desire and ignorance… - Buddhist Wheel of Life: The Animal RealmUpdated: Fri Jul 11 19:32:33 2008
Animal Beings (Tiryakas) are solid, regular and predictable. They cling to what is familiar and are disinterested, even fearful, of anything outside their limited experience. … - The Six Realms -- Buddhist Six Realms of Existence and SamsaraUpdated: Thu Jul 10 19:59:35 2008
The Six Realms are an allegorical description of conditioned existence, or samsara, into which beings are reborn. The nature and conditions of one's existence is determined by karma. Certainly some… - BuddhismUpdated: Mon Jul 7 01:17:15 2008
Here you can find clear explanations of Buddhism's origins and history, its basic doctrines, the distinctive features of major schools, and essential background for understanding how Buddhism impac… - Buddhism Basics -- Start Here to Learn About BuddhismUpdated: Sun Jul 6 23:09:47 2008
A guided introduction to the basic, foundational philosophy, doctrines and teachings of Buddhism. … - Karma for Buddhists 101 -- Introduction to the Buddhist Understandi…Updated: Sun Jul 6 18:55:05 2008
Understanding the laws of karma is essential to understanding Buddhism. Yet karma is mostly misunderstood by Westerners. This essay briefly explains the Buddhist view of karma… - The Four Dharma Seals -- The Four Dharma Seals Define BuddhismUpdated: Sun Jul 6 11:22:43 2008
Buddhism is distinguished by four characteristics, called the Four Dharma Seals. Any religion or philosophy that contains these four seals is Buddhist, whether it calls itself "Buddhist" … - The Practice of Buddhism -- About Buddhist PracticeCreated: Wed Jul 2 23:11:54 2008
Being a Buddhist is not a matter of accepting a belief system or memorizing doctrines. To be a Buddhist is to practice Buddhism. This section discusses Buddhist practice -- what it is, how it's don… - Practicing Buddhism -- What Buddhists Mean by PracticeCreated: Wed Jul 2 02:31:38 2008
Buddhists often speak of Buddhism as a practice rather than a faith. What exactly is Buddhist practice?… - Taking Refuge in the Three Jewels -- Becoming a BuddhistUpdated: Tue Jul 1 23:36:06 2008
To become a Buddhist is to take refuge in the Three Jewels, also called the Three Treasures -- the Buddha, the Dharma, the Sangha. This essay explains what "taking refuge" means to a Budd… - Bardo Thodol, Tibetan Book of the Dead -- About the Tibetan Book of …Updated: Sun Jun 29 18:42:05 2008
The Bardo Thodol -- "Liberation Through Hearing in the Intermediate State," known commonly as "The Tibetan Book of the Dead" -- is best known as a guide through the intermediate… - The Four Schools of Tibetan BuddhismUpdated: Sat Jun 28 01:23:31 2008
Here is an introduction to the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism with links to more information about each…