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In the pre-Buddhist period Tibet's indigenous religion and culture was Bön. Bönpo, the followers of Bön, themselves distinguish between the Black Bönpo (the older form), has ceased to exist in Tibet, but the White Bönpo (the reformed Bönpo) with substantial elements and framework of Buddhism, developed from the 10th century onwards and remained to this day. |
Tibetan Buddhism is structured on the notion of 'oral transmission', the passing on of teachings and methods from the teacher to the student. This is sometimes called the "Whispering Lineage", because its highest teachings are still passed in an unbroken line from teacher to student since the days of the Buddha, from whence the name " Kagyu" derives. |
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Mila Sherab Gyaltsen, Milarepa's father, married Nyangtsa Kargyen,the noble family of Nyang, when he was 21. The couple lived happily and prosperously in the village of Kya Ngatsa. Then some relatives of Mila's grandfather - an uncle named Yungdrup Gyaltsen and an aunt named Khyung Tsha Pedon - moved to the area. By then, Mila's family had been settled there a long time and had an impressive house, considerable land and a thriving business in trade. |
The great river Sindhu, one of the four great rivers that springs from the four directions of Kailash mountain, flows towards the Western Land of Odiyana and finally empties into the Arabian Sea. When the river reaches Odiyana, it forms a lake filled with lotuses. As the lotus roots produce a sweet-milky juice, it is called "Ocean of Milk." Prior to Guru Padmasambhava's birth, in the center of the lake a large, fully mature, beautiful, red lotus grew. |
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Buddha Skakyamuni was born as a royal prince in 563 BC in a place called Lumbini, among the southern foothills of the Himalayas, which was originally in northern India but is now part of Nepal. He was born in the Shakya clan that belonged to the warrior (Kshatriya) caste. His mother's name was Queen Mayadevi and his father's name was King Shuddhodana. |
Buddhism is the education of learning the Buddha's spirit. The Buddhist spirit emphasizes the mind. Disciples of Buddha refer to themselves as people who are learning Buddha's spirit and behavior. To put it simply, to be Buddhist is to "refrain from doing all bad things, diligently do all good deeds, and purify the mind. |
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The possession of this human base, this precious vessel so difficult to obtain, in order to liberate others and ourselves from the ocean of samsara, allows us to hear, reflect, and meditate day and night without distraction. This is a practice of the Bodhisattva. |
The seven point meditation posture is commonly paracticed in Mahamudra, which is also known as the Seven Points of Vairocana. This meditation posture strives to achieve balance in mind and body through the sitting posture. |
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The making of offerings is an antidote to the pattern of attachment and greed. There is a material aspect to offerings, where a person offers from his or her possessions something particularly valued. Or someone may symbolically offer the totality of their possessions with the thought of bringing about benefit for all sentient beings. |
Mahakala, a wrathful deity, is considered to be the fierce and powerful emanation of Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva of compassion. This tutelary deity is one of the Dharmapalas in Vajrayana Buddhism who defend the Dharma from corruption and degeneration and from forces hostile to it; to keep the site of the ritual free from impure thoughts and actions. |
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When we do prostrations we first begin by thinking over each of the Four Reminders of Buddhist Practice. The first reminder is our precious human birth. The second reminder concerns death and impermanence. |
Glossary of Buddhist Terms offers alphabetical list of Buddhist terms with their meanings,dictionary of Buddhist terminologies. Find what different words and terms specifically mean in Buddhism. |
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