Podcasts about bodhichitta

Happy New Moon, everyone!As promised, the Skies and Currents Virgo Season podcast is here. I am super excited to share this with you! As always, I had so much fun talking with Brandon, and I so appreciate their perspective and support.I hope it helps each of you navigate the shadowy season ahead.More information about my practice can be found on my website: Skies of Grace AstrologyFor more information about Brandon, check out their site: The Spiritual GayzWhite Drop Practice Informational Session | Sunday, August 24This Sunday at 9:30 am PST, Inner Currents is holding an informational session.As longtime followers of this podcast know, my former co-host (and now frequent guest host and collaborator) Theresa Ulfa runs an organization called Inner Currents.Inner Currents is a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting spiritual aspirants in cultivating deeper, more authentic relationships with themselves and with the Divine, as well as in pursuing profound spiritual accomplishments. I have been involved with Inner Currents since 2019, and the astro/intuitive collaboration between Theresa and me blossomed under the umbrella of the work we undertake there.What makes the organization truly special and profound is the space it provides for each individual to wrestle with, experience, and co-create a spiritual practice that feels authentic, innate, and free from the systems of control so many of us associate with organized religion. There is no expectation that all members orient toward the same face, idea, or concept of the Divine. No Divine personality is elevated above the rest. As someone who suffered greatly under the existential pressure of fundamentalist Christianity as a child, Inner Currents provided a space where my spiritual life could grow and flourish in ways I never believed possible.On Sunday, there will be an informational meeting about one of the main organizing principles and tools utilized in Inner Currents, called the White Drop, which is associated with the development of Bodhichitta.Here is the note from Theresa about the session: Join Geoffrey and Theresa this Sunday to learn about the main focus of Inner Currents: White Drop/Bodhicitta development, deity yoga, and how to develop a functional worldview that is congruent with your spiritual practice and aspirations.We'll also discuss the subtle structures included in the practice, how to use the available tools, and our long-term participants will offer insight into their own experiences with the White Drop work. This event will be recorded and available for anyone who can't attend live, but it is an excellent opportunity to ask questions in person. We look forward to seeing everyone then!All are welcome in this space. If anyone is interested in joining the session, you should email Thersa at theresajulfa@gmail.com Get full access to Skies and Currents at skiesofgrace.substack.com/subscribe

Why is living in vows is so powerful? In order to get another decent human body, in a condition of a reasonable human life, we need many conditions for that. We are in charge of our life but we're not used to believing it, we somehow feel that someone out there will take care of us, but Buddhism doesn't talk like that. It's up to us. We have to decide what kind of rebirth we want. We have to decide, intention is - I will. To get another decent human mother we need bucket loads of rich intentional non-killing seeds in our mind. So we need to know how to create them. We need to have plenty of those so that when we die peacefully, that one of those seeds can be triggered, and we'll get another decent human mother, and keep on moving on our spiritual path. We've got to go through this inconvenient thing called death, and start again with a little baby body, and off we go again, it's a drag. But given that we have to do it, let's navigate it as well as possible. Let's be in charge of it! Don't just cross our fingers and hope for the best. There are four things that need to be in place in order to have a non-killing karmic seed drop into our complete karmic action bank vault. There has to be first the object of the action, a living being, for example a mouse. The second is your mind involved, discrimination - that is the mouse I must not kill, then the thought, the intention - I must not kill the mouse, now the crucial piece, the motivation is compassion for the mouse. The compassion, the motivation is what makes the action virtuous, and obviously the stronger the compassion, the more the action is virtuous, the more rich and delicious the karmic seed is. The third thing is the action, you save the mouse. Then fourth, the result, a happy living mouse. This is where we can turn an ordinary deluded action into a virtuous action by merely changing our motivation. This is the power of motivation. Let's look at the action of eating. First is the object, for example a cake. Second is your mind involved in it, you intend to eat the cake, normally that intention is completely mixed with attachment, spontaneously, we're programmed with attachment. So what we've got to do before we shove it in the mouth, we offer it to the Buddha, see it as empty of existing from it's own side, and think I'm going to eat this cake so I can be fat and healthy, so I can help others. You make it bodhichitta. It's actually so simple, if we understood how easy it is to create virtue, we'd be over the moon. This is so powerful! Then the cake goes in the mouth, but you've completely altered the character of that action. You've turned it from a typical negative action of mindless attachment to a positive action. It's so simple, it's incredible! That's why we have to remember, every action we do in the day - eating, sleeping, going to the toilet, going to bed, having sex with your lovely new boyfriend, whatever - you can put Bodhichitta in there. But we get shocked when we hear this because we think oh no that's bad, you can't do that, no no. Rubbish, of course you can! Don't go round killing people with Bodhichitta please, that's not cool. But get my point, all the ordinary things in the day that we can't imagine not doing, we can turn them into virtuous actions by being conscious and having a positive motivation. It's better than nothing, eventually when you are a Bodhisattva, it will only be a positive motivation, there won't be any taint of delusions, but we've got to start somewhere. Just to get another human body when we die, we need one seed, but you can't just rely on one, you've got to have plenty there. You need lots of non-killing karmic seeds. This is a really important point to get, this is where vows come in now. If I didn't have a vow not to kill, when I see a creature and intentionally decide that I will not kill, because of compassion, it's only then that I will drop a non-killing karmic seed into my bank vault. But if you don't meet many creatures, then how many times a day do you actually have the intention - I will not kill? Karma is proactive, it's intention, I will! Probably we are sitting here merely not killing, we're not killing at this moment, but we're not creating any virtuous karma of not killing. So how are we going to create the karma of not killing and have enough karmic seeds in our mind? So how do we then create bucketloads of non-killing karma without having to not kill? By living in vows of not killing. This is such a technical simple point, that if we did understand it, we would be sad not to live in vows. We really don't understand it. Psychologically vows are incredible! This is buddha's teaching! Vows are so powerful that they are like a subtle physical energy that can be seen by clairvoyants. Mahamudra Centre for Universal Unity, New Zealand, 19th April 2021.

Dharma talk by Rev. Alexander Kojin Biagioli of Eiryu-ji Zen Center in Wyckoff, NJ, USA on 8/3/2025.

All sentient beings are caught in the trap of suffering in the realms of existence. Bodhicitta is a mind that wishes to free beings from suffering and bring them to the state of enlightenment. A bodhisattva is a person who has that bodhicitta mind, is a practitioner of the enlightenment thought which is the aspiration to achieve complete enlightenment as a perfect Buddha for the benefit of oneself and all other sentient beings. Love and compassion are the forces that motivated all activities of Bodhisattvas. Love is a strong wish that aspires to attain happiness for all sentient beings and compassion is the state of mind that wishes each being to be freed from all sufferings or sorrows, great compassion is the root wisdom. We're talking about the compassion wing, how to cultivate Bodhichitta. This outrageous attitude really, that's based upon incredible compassion and love, that is the thought never to give up, being of benefit to sentient beings, whoever is in front of you, it's your job to help them. Never to give up long term, on working life after life perfecting all these qualities, and the final piece, the six perfections, the final stages of the Bodhisattva path. To never give up on sentient beings. What I keep emphasising is the necessity to have done some work on yourself first. Before you can really establish and develop this outrageous levels of compassion that the Mahayana teachings of the Buddha tell us that we're capable of. It's not possible if you still are caught up in your own misery, it's literally impossible to have compassion for anybody because you can't see past your own nose. It's fairly logical. Forget yourself, think of people you know who are really suffering mentally, they're absolutely absorbed in themself. Suffering could be in front of them, they can't even see it. This is the whole point about the wisdom wing work. All the fundamental teachings of the Buddha, about karma and the mind, he's addressing that to us, that's the work we have to do to see our own suffering, to work on our own self, to see our own amazing potential. Then the consequence of that is two things, one - you become more content, fulfilled, and self respectful; but two - inevitably because you're removing your own neuroses, you're removing the barriers that ego has constructed between self and other. So the more you work on your own mind, the more content you become and the more connected to others. It's just a logical process psychologically but we need to understand it, we need to see it.  So the starting point in these outrageous levels of love and compassion that culminate in Bodhichitta, is the cultivation of equanimity. This heartfelt recognition that the friend, enemy, and stranger are equal to each other from one point of view; they each want to be happy and each don't want to suffer. Why do we want that? Well because love is an expression of - may you be happy. That's the definition, the thought may you be happy. Compassion - may you not suffer. Right now we only have love and compassion for our beloveds. But if we step aside, get ourselves out of the equation, and we see these three people separately from us, we're going to see that friend, enemy, and stranger are just projections of our own delusions. We see the universe in terms of how they fulfil our needs. We should be embarrassed how self centred it is! We're trying to step out of that and get to see people from their own point of view. Like your mother would say - put yourself in their shoes. It's a very powerful statement. The brave attitude of the Bodhisattva is the sense of responsibility, what can I do to help? It's like a mother, the mother's sitting on the beach and her child is drowning, of course she's going to have compassion, instantaneously there's going to be compassion. Oh my god look at that suffering, but she's not looking around behind her to see who's going to save her baby, even if she can't swim, this is the point - she knows it's her job. That's a Bodhisattva, they know it's their job. That's what we're trying to cultivate. So it's a very brave attitude, a very courageous attitude, a very big attitude, to think that you want to feel this sense of responsibility as if everybody in the universe is your child. That's pretty profound! Centrul Budist White Mahakala, Romania, 15th September 2021. YouTube

All sentient beings are caught in the trap of suffering in the realms of existence. Bodhichitta is a mind that wishes to free beings from suffering and bring them to the state of enlightenment. A bodhisattva is a person who has that bodhichitta mind, is a practitioner of the enlightenment thought which is the aspiration to achieve complete enlightenment as a perfect Buddha for the benefit of oneself and all other sentient beings. Love and compassion are the forces that motivated all activities of Bodhisattvas. Love is a strong wish that aspires to attain happiness for all sentient beings and compassion is the state of mind that wishes each being to be freed from all sufferings or sorrows, great compassion is the root wisdom. In all the Buddhist teachings, there's so many of them, it seems such a vast number of teachings, the key thing I think we find difficult is to put them in some kind of framework, to understand how all the teachings relate to each other. When we study any body of knowledge, we know that's what we do, when you're studying anything, you know where it fits, if it's a more advanced teaching you have to understand the relationship to the earlier teaching, this makes sense, it's really logical. But we don't think of spiritual teachings like that. I can't stress it enough, what work we need to have done on ourselves in order to have compassion for others. We can discuss the qualities of compassion, what they are and how you get them. But if we haven't done enough work in the earlier part of the practice, it's impossible, it's like a joke, we don't understand it. Especially the teachings here, on how to be a Bodhisattva. It's a Sanskrit word, the loose equivalent you could say - a saint. If you sit there as a Catholic and listen to the teachings on how to become a saint, it sounds ridiculous doesn't it. It sounds too high! It seems impossible. Buddha's view is, we've all got this extraordinary potential, the wisdom wing is all the work you do to develop your qualities, it's about you, you are the beneficiary of those practices. The very first level of practice, you abide by the laws of karma, you have discipline, you live in vows, you stop harming others. Why? Because you don't want future suffering, because everything you think and do and say, produces the person you become. Then you go to the next level of practice and you start to unpack and unravel your mind, this is the key job. You really begin to have a deep understanding of Buddhist psychology, you know what the delusions are, you know what the positive qualities are, and you know how to distinguish between them. You are the beneficiary of this! You're turning yourself into a less neurotic, less angry, less attached, less harmful person. You're becoming a wiser, more relaxed, more fulfilled person. The practices are all related to how to turn you into a marvellous person. Now what this qualifies you to do, is enter into the compassion work. Now you keep working on yourself, that never stops, but now the reference point is how to help others. How to break down the barriers between the neurotic self and others. How to develop these profound levels of love, compassion, great compassion, that culminate in this outrageous approach called Bodhichitta. Centrul Budist White Mahakala, Romania, 8th September 2021 YouTube

All sentient beings are caught in the trap of suffering in the realms of existence. Bodhichitta is a mind that wishes to free beings from suffering and bring them to the state of enlightenment. A bodhisattva is a person who has that bodhichitta mind, is a practitioner of the enlightenment thought which is the aspiration to achieve complete enlightenment as a perfect Buddha for the benefit of oneself and all other sentient beings. Love and compassion are the forces that motivate all activities of Bodhisattvas. Love is a strong wish that aspires to attain happiness for all sentient beings and compassion is the state of mind that wishes each being to be freed from all sufferings or sorrows, great compassion is the root wisdom. These next three weeks we're going to be talking about compassion. We've got the wisdom wing and the compassion wing. It's a wonderful analogy, it works brilliantly, it covers all the Buddha's teachings, and it's also very personal. The point of the entire path is to become this Buddha. So what is a Buddha? Buddha is a person who has completely rid their mind of all the rubbish, all the fears, all the dramas, all the suffering, which we all have got so much of. And they've only got what's left, which is this incredible wisdom, clarity, power, confidence, compassion and empathy. The Buddha's whole point, from the big picture point of view, is that's the nature, the potential of every one of us. It's quite an outrageous idea really! It sounds mystical. But this is one of the things that can really help us when we're having problems and dramas, when we're overwhelmed by the negativity, just to try and remember that we've got this marvellous potential. This negativity is true, it's right now, but it's not intrinsic to us. This is something that can be very powerful for our mind. The compassion wing, of this bird that needs two wings, is this enormous empathy with others, this connection with others, the seeing of others suffering, and this wish that they be happy which is love, and the wish they don't suffer and that's compassion. But that's contingent upon the wisdom wing. If you're overwhelmed by your own pain and suffering, you can't think of anybody else. It's not possible, your own suffering is so enormous. This is why we should have compassion for ourselves for a start. But certainly have compassion for others. It's obvious that to prepare yourself to be able to benefit others, you've got to know how to benefit yourself. It's really logical. We have enormously big hearts, we think what can I do to help, but we don't actually have methods to know that first I've got to put myself together. If you want to help other people with their problems, you can have incredible compassion for them, but what good is that compassion if you don't know how to help them. That's the wisdom wing. If you want to help other people with their problems, you've got to know your own. You've got to help yourself first, and that qualifies you to then help others. That's the logic of the whole path. So what's this wisdom? Learning about your own mind, and the way your mind works, the way the delusions work, the way we create karma. This qualifies us to help put ourselves together, then it qualifies us to go - oh my god, look at all this, everybody is in the same boat. We're all suffering. Questions include - how can we know that everybody wants to be happy, understanding that others want to be happy but some people don't deserve to be happy, is pity a low form of compassion or is it a sophisticated way of self cherishing, how to deal with bullying, how to transform aggression towards ourself and others into compassion, how can we overcome feeling overwhelmed by seeing all the suffering around, and only with shamatha and vipasana meditation can we find answers to all the questions? Centrul Budist White Mahakala, Romania, 1st September 2021. YouTube

This is a reading of Manjushrimitra's the Bodhicittabhavana, a seminal early text of Ati Yoga.Mañjuśrīmitra (d. 740 CE) was an Indian Buddhist scholar. He became the main student of Garab Dorje and a teacher of Dzogchen. He was a resident at Nalanda University where he became a respected Yogācāra scholar and practitionerAs explained by Yeshe Donden, "Manjushrimitra wrote the Bodhicittabhavana, in order to explain Ati Yoga to the Mahayana Buddhists who were in the majority in India at that time, and in particular to his fellow scholars from Nalanda University. Experts have determined that the work is written in the style of a learned Indian scholar, using the philosophy of post sixth century A.D. Mahayana Buddhism. Meditation on the Bodhichitta presents the Ati Yoga Semde teachings in a logical, intellectually cogent way with a high level of scholarly coherence. In this work, Manjushrimitra emphasized that intellectualism and logic do not bring about enlightenment and that “Those who seek the Truth should embrace direct experience if they hope to acquire realization.” We can see that Manjushrimitra has gone far beyond the concept of Bodhichitta found in Buddhist sutra and tantric writings and arrived at an understanding of Bodhichitta as presented in Ati Yoga (where it means the essential nature of mind, or awareness)."

This Dharma talk was given by Patrick Bansho Green at Great Vow Zen Monastery on November 16th, 2024 during Gratitude Sesshin. In this talk Zen Teacher Bansho talks about the 4 notions, Bodhichitta and the Lojong Slogans. ★ Support this podcast ★

Ursula Flückiger berichtet in diesem Gespräch über ihren Weg vom Schweizer Berufsalltag hin zu einer tiefen Meditationspraxis im buddhistischen Kloster. Sie gibt dabei Einblicke, wie sie zur Meditation fand und welche Rolle die Praxis in ihrem Leben spielt. Ursula wuchs in einem Umfeld auf, in dem Spiritualität keine grosse Rolle spielte. Erst durch eine schwierige Beziehung und die Begegnung mit der Meditationspraxis, inspiriert von Ajahn Sumedho, fand sie zur Meditation. Ihre erste Retreat-Erfahrung brachte eine grosse innere Entspannung und die Erkenntnis, dass das Leben oft schwieriger ist, als man es gerne hätte – eine Einsicht, die ihr half, Frieden mit ihren Selbstvorwürfen und Vorwürfen gegenüber ihrem Partner zu finden. Sie entschloss sich, nach ihrem ersten Retreat ins Kloster nach England zu gehen, wo sie anderthalb Jahre unter der Anleitung von Ajahn Sumedho in der Thai-Waldkloster-Tradition lebte. Ursula beschreibt das Leben im Kloster als streng und zugleich lebensnah – die Arbeit im Klostergarten und die täglichen Herausforderungen waren für sie eine wertvolle Gelegenheit, ihre Praxis zu vertiefen und mehr über die Akzeptanz der Realität zu lernen. Nach ihrer Zeit im Kloster kehrte Ursula in die Schweiz zurück, wo sie weiterhin in der Dhamma-Gemeinschaft aktiv war und sich schliesslich auch als Meditationslehrerin etablierte. Sie spricht über ihre weiteren Retreat-Erfahrungen, ihre Zusammenarbeit mit bekannten Lehrern wie Joseph Goldstein und Christina Feldman sowie über ihre Einsichten in die tiefere Bedeutung von Bodhichitta – dem Mitgefühl für alle Lebewesen. Ursula teilt auch ihre Gedanken darüber, wie Meditation einen positiven Beitrag zur Bewältigung der grossen Herausforderungen der heutigen Welt leisten kann. Sie betont, dass die Praxis uns nicht nur persönlich unterstützt, sondern auch eine tiefere Verbindung zu anderen und zur Welt schafft. Mehr zu Ursula Flückiger und ihren Angeboten auf: www.karuna.ch Inhalt00:00:00 Intro00:01:49 Biografie00:02:41 Wie Ursula zur Meditation kam00:07:08 Entschluss, längere Zeit ins Kloster zu gehen00:12:55 Erlebnisse im Kloster00:17:58 Wie war Ajahn Sumedho?00:24:10 Entwicklung von Ursulas Praxis im Kloster00:33:38 Gab es im Kloster Meditationstechniken?00:36:29 Welche Bedeutung hatte die religiöse Seite für dich?00:39:16 Stellung der buddhistischen Lehre und Ethik00:42:07 Entschluss, das Kloster zu verlassen00:46:48 Reaktionen des Umfelds auf Meditation00:48:56 Prägende Lehrende auf Ursulas Weg00:53:42 Braucht es eine persönliche Lehrerin?00:57:48 Ursulas Kontakt mit dem tibetischen Buddhismus01:03:00 Beschreibung der Hakomi Psychotherapie01:07:41 Gründung des Meditationszentrums Beatenberg01:14:27 Gab es im Beatenberg Herausforderungen?01:22:07 Entwicklung von Ursulas Praxis01:25:44 Beitrag der Meditation zu den Problemen unserer Zeit01:30:51 Weitere Informationen zu Ursulas Angebot

Just as a bank multiplies your money, bodhichitta multiplies your merit, and not just by a little, but by leaps and bounds! With each thought of benefiting others, your merit becomes limitless because the number of beings you wish to help is also boundless. Even the slightest intention to heal the headaches of sentient beings accumulates inconceivable merit. But when you actively strive to eliminate their suffering and bring them happiness, the merit skyrockets—like hitting the jackpot! Reciting the Twenty-one Tara praises with bodhichitta is equivalent to reciting them a hundred thousand times while offering a single butter lamp with bodhichitta yields the merit of a hundred thousand light offerings. It's like a mega bonus!Bodhichitta is like a treasure trove of merit, as Pabongka Dechen Nyingpo beautifully explained. It holds limitless skies of merit within your reach! Lama Zopa Rinpoche explains that when reciting mantras with bodhichitta, each mantra becomes a powerhouse of merit, benefiting every sentient being—including the smallest insects, the tigers, snakes, and even our enemies. There's no discrimination—it covers all races and all living beings. Bodhichitta encompasses countless insects, animals, and all living beings in forests, fields, and skies who endure immense suffering.By generating bodhichitta, we are planting seeds that bring us closer to its realization. Every action we undertake with the motivation of bodhichitta benefits countless sentient beings, supporting their happiness and well-being. Its scope is vast, embracing all beings in all universes, from the tiniest to the largest, providing hope and relief to even those who have committed unspeakable acts of cruelty.We should reflect on the immense power of bodhichitta, a force capable of transforming the world and alleviating the suffering of countless beings. Through cultivating compassion, wisdom, and realization, we can offer increasingly profound benefits to others and ultimately guide them from happiness to enlightenment.Bodhichitta is the door to the Mahayana path of enlightenment, and by embracing it, we can unlock the qualities admired by all Buddhas. With bodhichitta, we embark on the journey of becoming buddhas ourselves, bringing happiness and freedom from suffering to every single sentient being. By taking universal responsibility for their well-being, we can actualize the highest potential within ourselves.This teaching was given at Institut Vajra Yogini, France as part of a Four Kadampa Deities Retreat from April 18-May 11, 2003. You can see all the teachings from this retreat here: https://fpmt.org/media/streaming/teachings-of-lama-zopa-rinpoche/4-kadam-deities-2003/

Subhadramati explores forgiveness and the arising of the Bodhicitta. The ego sustains itself by blaming - forgiveness means letting go of our egoic reactions and becoming a conduit for the mind of Bodhicitta. Excerpted from Being a Conduit For the Mind of Bodhicitta during the Women's Area Order Weekend, 2018. *** Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:  On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts Bite-sized inspiration three times every week. Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast:  On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts A full, curated, quality Dharma talk, every week. 3,000,000 downloads and counting! Subscribe using these RSS feeds or search for Free Buddhist Audio or Dharmabytes in your favourite podcast service! Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone: donate now! Follow Free Buddhist Audio: YouTube  |  Instagram  |  Twitter  |  Facebook  |  Soundcloud  

Without the kindness of sentient beings, we cannot achieve realizations or practice the Dharma. Lama Zopa Rinpoche emphasizes the significance of respecting and valuing sentient beings, just as one respects and values the Buddha. One accumulates immeasurable merit by cultivating bodhicitta and offering charity with deep respect.True poverty lies in the lack of understanding of Dharma and realization, and inner poverty, characterized by a lack of satisfaction and contentment, is even more detrimental. Helping sentient beings, regardless of their external circumstances, offers the most valuable assistance. Buddhas and bodhisattvas cherish sentient beings above all else, regardless of their negative qualities or actions. Therefore, even small acts of kindness, such as offering praise or making someone happy, become offerings to the enlightened beings.Rinpoche describes the signs of death, including distant signs like recurring dreams related to death, and near signs indicating that death is approaching. There are specific practices to counteract these signs, such as taking long-life initiations, doing long-life retreats, and saving the lives of animals. It is important to create positive causes for enlightenment, accepting death peacefully and preparing the mind for a favourable rebirth.We should not wait until the time of death to practice renunciation and letting go. Instead, we should practice daily to overcome attachment. By training the mind to let go and develop renunciation, one becomes well-prepared to face death and its challenges. Bodhichitta and the altruistic mind of enlightenment enable us to experience death for the benefit of all sentient beings. With bodhicitta, one can transform the experience of death into a cause for others' happiness and one's enlightenment. By describing a beautiful and enjoyable place like a pure land, it becomes easier for the dying person to let go of attachments to the present world and transition peacefully. The name of the pure land becomes an important object of refuge, and by generating a strong wish to be born in that pure land, it can direct the person's consciousness toward that destination. Some people may relate the idea of heaven to the deva realm, and by mentioning a specific name and describing the enjoyment it offers, a strong wish can direct the consciousness there.This teaching was given at Institut Vajra Yogini, France as part of a Four Kadampa Deities Retreat from April 18 to May 11, 2003. You can see all the teachings from this retreat here: https://fpmt.org/media/streaming/teachings-of-lama-zopa-rinpoche/4-kadam-deities-2003/

In this commentary on 7 Point Mind Training by Bardor Tulku Rinpoche given in 2018, Lama provides us excellent ways to overcome negative mentalities and to increase positive mentalities like love, compassion, and kindness. All mistakes are my own.

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Commitment comes in many forms.  As we develop along our spiritual journey we move towards a deeper attitude and behavior of commitment to consciousness and compassion.

Spiritual director John Bruna offers commentary and clarity on how we can evaluate our practice in a realistic way and gives useful tools for us to make sustainable progress on the path. This episode was recorded on August 23rd, 2023. Welcome to the Way of Compassion Dharma Center Podcast. Located in Carbondale, Colorado, the Way of Compassion Dharma center's primary objective is to provide programs of Buddhist studies and practices that are practical, accessible, and meet the needs of the communities we serve.  As a traditional Buddhist center, all of our teachings are offered freely. If you would like to make a donation to support the center, please visit www.wocdc.org.  May you flourish in your practice and may all beings swiftly be free of suffering.

Which of the seven levels of spiritual development have you unlocked? Dr. John Churchill has the deep codes of Tibetan Buddhist psychotechnology stretching all the way back to the first Buddha acknowledged to have exist 15,000 years ago!  One of these teachings is the seven fold path of initiation and development that sets a powerful map for understanding and advancing your developmental process. We also discuss the Bodhichitta heart seed that connects mystical lineages, what it means to include and transcend as we integrate our teachings on the spiritual path, and how to “get there by being there” as we develop our own forms of mastery along the seven initiatory levels we dive into throughout the conversation.  Holding a doctorate in psychology, John is deeply steeped in psycho-spiritual development, Integral Theory, contemplative studies, Western Esotericism, and has spent over thirty years training in the Indo-Tibetan Mahayana Buddhist lineage. John also stewards the Karuna Mandala Initiatory School (karunamandala.org), empowering spiritually grounded, socially conscious, and strategically savvy leadership and warriorship towards the planetary crises we are facing. | Connect with John Churchill | Website | ⁠⁠https://samadhiintegral.com/ Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/planetarydharma/ Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/drjohnchurchill/⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠To partner with the Aubrey Marcus Podcast⁠⁠⁠ | Connect with Aubrey | Website | ⁠⁠⁠http://bit.ly/2GesYqi ⁠⁠⁠ Instagram | ⁠⁠⁠http://bit.ly/2BlfCEO ⁠⁠⁠ Facebook | ⁠⁠⁠http://bit.ly/2F4nBZk ⁠⁠⁠ Twitter |⁠⁠⁠ http://bit.ly/2BlGBAdAd⁠⁠⁠ Check out "Own your Day, Own Your Life" by Aubrey Marcus | ⁠⁠⁠http://bit.ly/2vRz4so⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to the Aubrey Marcus newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.aubreymarcus.com/pages/email⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to the Aubrey Marcus podcast: iTunes | ⁠⁠⁠https://apple.co/2lMZRCn ⁠⁠⁠ Spotify |⁠⁠⁠ https://spoti.fi/2EaELZO ⁠⁠⁠ Stitcher | ⁠⁠⁠http://bit.ly/2G8ccJt ⁠⁠⁠ IHeartRadio | ⁠⁠⁠https://ihr.fm/3CiV4x3 ⁠⁠⁠ Google Podcasts | ⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/3nzCJEh ⁠⁠⁠ Android | ⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/2OQeBQg⁠

No one gets left out of your heart. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/daniel-scharpenburg/support

This morning prayer invites you to delight in your human existence and to freely call out for divine assistance. It is based on a Tibetan Buddhist daily practice called "Nectar of the Path" taught by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. It includes The Four Thoughts, Refuge & Bodhichitta, and Guru Yoga. In some cases, I have put the prayers into my own words to make them relatable to a non-buddhist. The original text is available through Tergar.org. Music: Christopher Lloyd Clarke.Photo: Nick Fewings.Tess on Insight TimerTess on YouTubeTess's novels: https://tesscallahan.com/

Vijayamala addresses the 2022 UK & IE Triratna Buddhist Order convention, exploring what breaking through and seeing the nature of reality means for us as an Order. The Buddha went forth to seek an end to suffering, to go beyond what binds us to the samsaric world. The theme of this event also encompasses ‘going beyond' and the ways in which we are approaching that as an Order. Part of the series Going Forth, Going Beyond: 2022 UK & Ireland Order Convention, 2022. *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast:  On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts A full, curated, quality Dharma talk, every week. 3,000,000 downloads and counting!Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:  On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts Bite-sized inspiration three times every week. Subscribe using these RSS feeds or search for Free Buddhist Audio or Dharmabytes in your favorite podcast service! Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone: donate now! Follow Free Buddhist Audio: YouTube  |  Instagram  |  Twitter  |  Facebook  |  Soundcloud

In this episode, John Bruna, the spiritual director of the Way of Compassion Dharma Center, offers commentary and guidance on the text "Approaching the Buddhist Path" by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Venerable Thubten Chodron. John unpacks a section of text devoted to bodhicitta known in Tibetan Buddhism as the great compassion. He gives helpful advice on cultivating compassion in daily life and in analytical meditations. This episode was recorded March 15th, 2023.Welcome to the Way of Compassion Dharma Center Podcast. Located in Carbondale, Colorado, the Way of Compassion Dharma center's primary objective is to provide programs of Buddhist studies and practices that are practical, accessible, and meet the needs of the communities we serve.  As a traditional Buddhist center, all of our teachings are offered freely. If you would like to make a donation to support the center, please visit www.wocdc.org.  May you flourish in your practice and may all beings swiftly be free of suffering.

How do you become a Bodhisattva? Upon the Awakening of the Bodhi Heart (Bodhichitt-otpada). In this lecture Sangharakshita defines the Bodhichitta, differentiating here between individual will and the cosmic will to enlightenment that transcends individuals. Excerpted from the talk The Awakening of the Bodhi Heart given as part of the series entitled Aspects of the Bodhisattva Ideal, 1969. *** Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:  On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts Bite-sized inspiration three times every week. Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast:  On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts A full, curated, quality Dharma talk, every week. 3,000,000 downloads and counting! Subscribe using these RSS feeds or search for Free Buddhist Audio or Dharmabytes in your favourite podcast service! Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone: donate now! Follow Free Buddhist Audio: YouTube  |  Instagram  |  Twitter  |  Facebook  |  Soundcloud

2023 - 02 - 05 Dharma Talk | Bodhichitta. The Spark That Ignites The Bodhisattva Vow | Ellen Hippard by Appamada

How do you become a Bodhisattva? Upon the Awakening of the Bodhi Heart (Bodhichitt-otpada). In this lecture Sangharakshita defines the Bodhichitta, and describes how one can prepare for its arising through the observance of Shantideva's Supreme Worship and Vasubhandu's Four Factors. Talk given in 1969 as part of the series entitled: Aspects of the Bodhisattva Ideal *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast:  On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts A full, curated, quality Dharma talk, every week. 3,000,000 downloads and counting!Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:  On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts Bite-sized inspiration three times every week. Subscribe using these RSS feeds or search for Free Buddhist Audio or Dharmabytes in your favorite podcast service! Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone: donate now! Follow Free Buddhist Audio: YouTube  |  Instagram  |  Twitter  |  Facebook  |  Soundcloud

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/6dOamBDLRVY In this advanced esoteric explanation, discover how alchemy is utilized to eliminate the Ego and the “Kundabuffer” in order to awaken the true Kundalini of the Divine Mother. Understand the difference between the Lunar & Solar Astral Body and learn why the “NoFap movement" is lacking real knowledge. Also find out how to truly harness your sexual energy through pranayama in a safe way. This is a guide for serious practitioners of white tantric sacred sexuality, based on the universal principles of gnosis throughout all ancient traditions. 0:00 - Hidden Secret of the Gnostics, The State of Humanity & Disclaimer 12:07 - Power of Sexual Magic, Overcoming Ego & Spiritual Responsibility 16:45 - Depths of the Unconscious, Past Lives & Psychic Identifications 24:48 - Initiation, Kundalini Is Not Dangerous & the Kundabuffer 29:42 - Hero's Journey Into Hell, Inner Astral Words & Pinocchio 32:23 - Purpose of Alchemy, Ego Death & Astral Projection: Solar Bodies 38:46 - Prima Materia, Divine Mother & Working with the Holy Trinity 44:30 - Seed & Light of Christ, Hasnamussen, Bodhichitta & Rebirth 54:43 - Doing the Will of the Being, Purification, Lust & Dissolving Mercury 59:54 - Practicing Properly, Transmuting Sex Energy, Pranayama & Singles 1:10:21 - Sexual Abstinence, Repression, Aggression, Ignorance & Prayer 1:15:12 - Danger of NoFap, Poisonous Vibrations & Nuclear Power Plant 1:24:06 - Facing Lust, Power of Mental Control & Self-Observation 1:29:30 - No Success Without Love & Sacrifice & Gaining Your Own Gnosis 1:33:22 - Identifying the Christ Within, Personal Freedom & Motivation

Here Yashobodhi describes one of a list of five forces you use in Dharma practice to move towards awakening in life and also on approaching death, that of familiarization. From the talk Point 4 Using the Practice In Whole Life, part of the series Training the Mind in Bodhichitta given at Aryaloka Buddhist Center, 2017. *** Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:  On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts Bite-sized inspiration three times every week. Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast:  On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts A full, curated, quality Dharma talk, every week. 3,000,000 downloads and counting! Subscribe using these RSS feeds or search for Free Buddhist Audio or Dharmabytes in your favourite podcast service! Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone: donate now! Follow Free Buddhist Audio: YouTube  |  Instagram  |  Twitter  |  Facebook  |  Soundcloud

In this lecture about Awareness, Rev. Daijaku Kinst encourages us to use this practice to cultivate open, curious and caring awareness, the mind of Bodhichitta. https://www.oceangatezen.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Jaku-Oct1-Awareness-COMPRESSED-Audio.mp3 https://www.oceangatezen.org/2022/10/awareness-and-bodhichitta-2/feed/ 0

Opening with an introduction to the two kinds of Bodhichitta Robert Thurman in this episode gives an in-depth teaching on compassion, wisdom, love and their connection to the Buddhist understanding of emptiness. Podcast includes a discussion of nirvana and to the emanation body (nirmanakaya) which is the form of the Buddha that appears in the world to teach people the path to liberation. Episode concludes an introduction to the Seven Fold Precept of Mother Recognition & The Exchange of Self and Other and an extended Jewel Tree guided meditation using both. “Tibetans call their cherished tradition of Buddhism a wish-fulfilling jewel tree for its power to generate bliss and enlightenment within all who absorb its teachings. This path to enlightenment, it is taught, requires more than a sitting meditation practice alone. With “The Jewel Tree of Tibet”, honored scholar and teacher Robert Thurman brings these insights to you as they were meant to be transmitted through the spoken word.” – Text from endorsement of “The Jewel Tree of Tibet” This episode is an excerpt from “The Jewel Tree of Tibet: The Enlightenment Engine of Tibetan Buddhism” 12-Part audio retreat by Robert Thurman, available from www.soundstrue.com. Developing Bodhichitta & The Spirit of Enlightenment: Tibet's Wish Granting Jewel Tree - Ep. 306 Photo by Prakash Y via www.unsplash.com

Opening with a guided "Jewel Tree" meditation, Robert Thurman in this episode gives an introduction the Buddhist concept of Bodhisattvas, Bodhichitta, the spirit of becoming perfectly awakened and to the role of motivation in Buddhism and in everyday interactions. Using the classical imagery of the covered, leaky and poisoned vessels Thurman gives a teaching on the qualities needed to be an open minded, determined and well-intended student of Buddha Dharma and of life. “Tibetans call their cherished tradition of Buddhism a wish-fulfilling jewel tree for its power to generate bliss and enlightenment within all who absorb its teachings. This path to enlightenment, it is taught, requires more than a sitting meditation practice alone. With “The Jewel Tree of Tibet”, honored scholar and teacher Robert Thurman brings these insights to you as they were meant to be transmitted through the spoken word.” – Text from “The Jewel Tree of Tibet” This episode is an excerpt from “The Jewel Tree of Tibet: The Enlightenment Engine of Tibetan Buddhism” 12-Part audio retreat by Robert Thurman, available from www.soundstrue.com.

Teaching about the benefit of Bodhichitta and impermanence.

What if there was a single thing to lessen every type of suffering? Turns out there is. It's called Bodhichitta which is a wish to become a Buddha for the benefit of all sentient beings Blog Post Video Transcript

Through Bodhichitta you will realize that there is no self. Self-grasping will be destroyed, for when you think of others you do not think about yourself. Ultimately 'self' and 'other' are but thoughts. When we understand that we are not separate from others, we begin to fathom the preciousness of compassion, of Bodhichitta. Garchen RinpocheTags: Buddhism, Vajrayana Taking a spiritual path isn't easy and when our faith is in question we gonna be hit by doubt. Doubt is part of our path and whether we feel confident or not at some point we will always have faith in them. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/enlightenverse/message

Avalokiteshvara Compassion Mantra chanted 108 times beautifully by the amazing Hrishikesh Sonar — with stunning meditative images of the Great Compassionate Bodhisattva. His compassion mantra is Om Mani Padme Hum. This is considered the most precious of all mantras, chanted millions of times daily by people around the world, and found in nearly all prayer wheels.Avalokiteshvara (Avalokiteśvara (Sanskrit: अवलोकितेश्वर) In Tibet, he is known as Chenrézik on Chenrezig. In East Asia, he or she is commonly known as Guānshìyīn or Guānyīn. Due to Avalokitesahvara's vast compassion, she or he can appear in any form and manifests in at least 108 forms.Transcript of Introduction: “Avalokiteshvara's boundless compassion for all beings is the ultimate expression of Bodhichitta and the ideal manifestation of the Bodhisattva hero. His mantra is the highest expression of Metta, or love, and Karuna, or Compassion.Listen or chant along with the Sanskrit version of his mantra — famous for generating boundless compassion, chanted beautifully by Hrishikesh Sonar:Om Mani Padme Hum”Support the show

It is the source that sustains us, not the object that entertains us. In this Sutra we are urged to take time to cultivate our Bliss from within, to fill ourselves with Bliss as a means of sustainably sourcing our Bliss so that it will last a lifetime. We do this regularly through gratitude practice and Bodhichitta, but this is also the work behind the Shambhavi Mudra, and the essence of surrender, a means of bringing our energy closer to the source so that our happiness can be sustained from within. Taking a look back at the Tattvic map of manifestation, we see that our work is always to rise towards our source, from the object, to the power of perception, to the perceiver themself, and beyond. In this way, yogis have always sustainably sourced their bliss from within, instead of using up the raw materials of this or that manifestation of happiness. When we can take a step back and see the source of our thoughts, words and actions, we begin to “see what's possible” as Sri Shambhavananda is fond of saying, to see how happiness is possible in any circumstance of our life.

Vajrakilaya and his mantra is important in our modern world — since Vajrakilaya is the activity of all the Buddhas. He is the wrathful Heruka emanation of glorious Buddha Vajrasattva. At the same time, he is the ultimate expression of Bodhichitta and compassion and love.Listen or chant along with the Sanskrit version of his mantra — famous for accomplishing the Enlightened activities and overcoming our obstacles, chanted beautifully by Hrishikesh Sonar.Om Vajra Kili Kilaya Sarva Vighnam Vam Hum PeyCREDITSOriginal music, singing and arrangement by Hrishikesh Sonar  The literal translation of the mantraAlthough mantras can't be broken down by word translation — ideally, listen to full commentaries from teachers on the deeper meanings — for helpful reference, we have translated the Sanskrit mantra somewhat literally here.Om Vajra Kili Kilaya Sarva Vighnam Vam Hum PeyVajraVajra, in Sanskrit, has both the meanings of “thunderbolt” and “diamond.” Like the thunderbolt, the vajra cleaves through ignorance. It also connotes “swift” or “instant.”KiliKila : in Sansrit कील; IAST: kīla for a three-sided peg, stake, or knife.  Kili associated with Quick Activity, Quick Action, Strength — as in the small three-cornered tent peg that can secure a tent against the worse weather. But also “staking” quickly or pegging instantly.KilayaVajraKilaya is the name of the great One, in this a form of Vajrakila (which means Thunderbolt quickly “Spike” or nail down — as in transfixing our obstructions to Enlightenment.SarvaSarva (सर्व) Sanskrit — Sarva (सर्व) refers to “(the attainment of) everything”VighnamNoun. विघ्न • (vighna) m. a breaker, destroyer. an obstacle, impediment, hindrance, opposition, prevention, interruption, any difficulty or trouble.Vam(Bam in Tibetan) Vam is the seed syllable of Vajrakilaya — although Hum is also considered his ultimate seed syllable (Dharmakaya seed syllable). Vam is the bija, or seed, sound of the sacral chakra. When chanting the mantra, vam, the power of the sound vibrations is believed to cleanse this chakra, which is the energy center of creativityHumHum connotes “method and wisdom” or “Compassion and comprehension of Shunyata”Pey (Phet, Phat)Note: this is a phonetic spelling: it is a slightly aspirated sound like P-Hey (with a soft “tuh” sound at the end) — hard to pronounce so most people, chant “pey!”)Pey means “cutting through” or “cut!” — as in cutting all obstacles to success, siddhis and Enlightenment.Typically, online you'll find this mantra chanted in the Tibetan versionOM BENZA KILI KILIYA SARWA BIGHANEN BAM HUNG PHATSupport the show

Generate the totally open heart, aspiring to love and compassion for every single living being, producing a warm, loving family-like feeling.

A bodhisattva is one who has vowed to train to become fully awakened (enlightened) in order to benefit all beings. This spiritual aspiration has inspired countless people to devote their lives to developing their capacities for wisdom and compassion. The starting assumption for Mahayana Buddhism is that all living beings have the same potential for awakening. Thus, we are all capable of becoming bodhisattvas. In Mahayana Buddhism, the quality the bodhisattva cultivates is "bodhicitta": 'the mind (citta) of awakening (bodhi)'. The more common translation is 'enlightenment mind' or 'awakening mind'. The awakening being's experience leads to the end of all suffering or dukkha whatsoever; hence, the bodhisattva's ultimate goal is to eliminate all suffering, the most profoundly compassionate motivation. In this podcast episode, I explain the terms bodhisattva and bodhichitta, and I'll share some inspiring verses from the Bodhicaryavatara, or Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life, a famous text on how to become a bodhisattva by the great Indian saint Shantideva in the 8th century CE. The Bodhicaryavatara is one of the best introductions to the subjects of bodhicitta and compassion in Mahayana Buddhism. Curious about the basics of Buddhism? Please check out my book The Buddhist Path to Joy (https://geni.us/buddhistpathtojoy) and my free courses for beginners: https://geni.us/freecourses May you and all beings be well. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/buddhist-wisdom/message

YouTube episode: https://youtu.be/M6CsBTD72cw An esoteric explanation of working with the lunar energies in order to create solar energies within us. The meaning of the moon has had wide spiritual and psychological interpretations throughout history but this video seeks to address the essence of how the moon impacts our everyday consciousness, how to work with it practically, and the proper way to view our relationship to it. 0:00 - The Multipling Month & The Moon 5:33 - The Hypnotic Lunar Currents 14:18 - Discovering Our Inner Prison 21:05 - Transforming Impressions 31:35 - Working with the Solar Force 36:47 - Escaping the Grip of Nature

YouTube episode: https://youtu.be/g3YGCHVK6nU The Prajnaparamita, or Heart Sutra, is one of the most powerful and transcendental teachings that the great Buddha Shakyamuni left us. It enables us to find the ultimate, or root, reality. With it, he left one of the most powerful mantras which has acted as a fundamental basis to many schools of Buddhism. This mantras helps us to reach that which is called 'Sunyata', 'Emptiness', 'The Absolute', 'The Ain Soph', 'The Void', 'Samadhi' etc. The mantra is: "Gate Gate Paragate Parasamgate Bodhi Swaha". Extra Reading:

This is the first of a few interviews Mitchell did with Bhagavan Das in the NYC studio. Bhagavan Das' story is remarkable and shared with you here. In 1963 at the age of 18, Bhagavan Das left California and journeyed solo through Europe, Northern Africa and the Middle East, eventually arriving in India. He was the first American to live in the jungle of the Himalayas as a hermit-sadhu. He was given the holy name of Ram by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. He then came to meet Swami Chaitanya Prakashananda Tirth who gave him tapas to pray for God's Grace. In 1965, after a year of fasting, prayer and intense purification, Bhagavan Das met his Sat Guru, the Mahasiddha Neem Karoli Baba (Maharaji) who he lived with side by side for many years. Maharaji sent him to Anandamayi Ma to receive initiation from the Divine Mother. Later, during his time with the Tibetan yogis, he was the first westerner to meet and live with Lama Kalu Rinpoche, the guru of the 16th Karmapa. He gave Bhagavan Das the Mahamudra transmission. Bhagavan Das received the Clear Light of Primordial Awareness from His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche and then the Vajra Yogini transmission directly from the 16th Karmapa in Sikkim. He lived with Yogi Chen who explained all the details to him in English in his hermitage in Kalimpong. When on pilgrimage to the holy Boudhanath Stupa in Kathmandu, Bhagavan Das met Richard Alpert who became Ram Dass after Bhagavan Das brought him to Maharaji. Then, Bhagavan Das was sent to Amma in the 1980s, who saved him again from the ravages of the world. The Grace of his Sat Guru Maharaji led Bhagavan Das HOME to the Divine Mother in the form of Amulya Maa, his precious Beloved Wife, who is always guiding him on the true path of Bodhichitta with her crystal clarity, ancient wisdom and pure Love. If you'd like to see more on an array of subjects like this, join our Newsletter at www.abetterworld.net. There are podcasts and videos which can keep you inspired and educated for years to come. At our Store, you'll also find one-of-a-kind items like a compact FAR Infra-Red Sauna, high-quality, low-cost nutritional supplements & micro-greens and therapeutic mushrooms in capsules, an In Harmony, vibro-acoustic Sound Lounge & the Brain-Tap for sound healing to the max, Mind-Movies for re-programming your brain (& Life), all the way to eliminating credit card and mortgage debt. Or interested in a Conscious Community Network across the planet? That too is available. Just visit Store for these & more. And if you haven't already, won't you subscribe to A Better World's Youtube channel? Love to have you part of our community: https://www.youtube.com/c/abetterworldtvshow --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/abwmitchellrabin/support

Compassion comes in many forms. Sometimes we need a friend. Sometimes we need a protective warrior. Sometimes, a fierce kick in the rear (metaphorically). And sometimes we need to reduce our obstacles to Dharma practice. Chenrezig, the Lord of Compassion, emanates in countless forms to help all sentient beings, including a "good fortune" aspect. Does it seem counter-intuitive, that Buddhist practices include "good fortune" practices — especially when Buddha taught renunciation? Does it seem selfish to ask for Enlightened help with our obstacles such as poverty, stress, or resources? It shouldn't. Imagine if fully renounced monks are starving, unable to find a bowl of rice. How can they meditate? How can they practice Bodhichitta when they can't even find food for themselves? And how can the lay community support the monks when they can't feed themselves. Buddha Shakyamuni's Teachings "Practical"Buddha's teachings, demonstrated in thousands of sutras, are above all practical. He not only lofty Enlightened methods of practice, but he also taught "right livelihood." He demonstrated endless compassion and generosity — even faced with the serial killer, he took the time to bring him into the Dharma, and become one of his monks. One entire sutra is dedicated to the "householder" — even touching on loans and livelihood.  In later Mahayana and Tantra teachings, he gave us methods for meditating on prosperity, attracting "good fortune" methods, to help us on the path. For we laypeople, we do have to work and earn salaries and raise families — but the more stress we have in just "making a living" the less likely we'll find any time for mindfulness practice or any serious practices. Or, for those of us advancing along towards retirement, looking forward to our first multi-week retreat, will we have the resources to undertake our aspiration? Then, there are those generous people who tirelessly help people less fortunate — donating either time or money — they need "resources" to help others.It is for all of these reasons that Chenrezig — none other than the Bodhisattva of Compassion Avalokiteshvara — emanated as White Mahakala. Don't expect White Mahakala to make you a millionaire — or to help you win the lottery. His compassion is for serious Dharma practitioners. His practice helps us to help ourselves. His practice ensures we work harder. His practice is about setting the intention for prosperity — sufficient resources to allow us to practice both Bodhichitta and Wisdom practices both.  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/BuddhaWeekly)

The Lamrim teachings on the Three Principal Paths — it can be spelled Principal or Principle, either is correct with slightly different contexts — is considered the very essence of Buddha's teaching. (Therefore his Principles but also his Principal teachings.) The three are Renunciation, Bodhichitta, and Shunyata. How can I practice Renunciation, Bodhichitta, and Shunyata when I'm an ordinary layperson? How can I motivate myself to renounce attachments while still a layperson? In part one of this short series on the Three Principal Paths (Three Principle Paths), Venerable Zasep Rinpoche, in a wonderful and concise teaching, explains Renunciation for the ordinary lay practitioner. In practical terms, Rinpoche explains how to incorporate renunciation into modern life.  #ThreePrinciplePaths #ThreePrincipalPaths #Lamrim #Buddhism #TibetanBuddhismSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/BuddhaWeekly)

Today on Living For Growth - We discover what Bodhichitta is, and how to use loving kindness to find more compassion and enlightenment for ourselves and others in our day to day. Every Sunday we talk about important self development topics to take with one another on our journey of growth. This is a community, and we welcome each and every person into the tribe

Robert A.F. Thurman is joined in this episode by Non-Sectarian Vajrayana Master Khentrul Jamphel Lodrö Rinpoche for a dialog on everyday spirituality and the value of practicing and preserving the esoteric traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. Opening with a recommendation of Khentrul Rinpoche's "The Realm of Shambhala A Complete Vision for Humanity's Perfection" Professor Thurman interviews the third incarnation of the Kalachakra adept Ngawang Chözin Gyatso about his personal experiences as a reincarnate Tulku teaching and leading the inspiring non-sectarian movement of Buddhism down under in exile in Australia. Podcast includes: a short overview of Kalachakra translations and practice, an introduction to the myth and symbolism of the Kingdrom of Shambhala, a discussion of Bodhichitta and the difficulty of translating Western materialist concepts of spirituality, religion and creator gods into Tibetan.

Bodhichitta

Cultivating awakened heart mind or Bodhichitta can be tricky and challenging.  It is more important than ever to find understanding in the challenges of our life experiences and how to navigate those rough waters.  When we endeavor to share the merits of our awakening with and for all begins what do we do about those who have treated us poorly and have wronged us?  It's kickoff time for the Super Bowl of Bodhichitta meet me on the 50 yard line.  As always, please email if I can be of help or assistance Urgyenpawo@gmail.com If you would like to participate in the 28-Day Meditation Program go to www.Cultivatemeditation.academy and use the promo code STARTNOW to get started for just $19 (one time fee)