The Sacred Stupa of Vishuda

Following the sutras and having relied on authentic sources, researchers have identified most of the sacred sites where the Buddha performed various extraordinary deeds. Yet, the sacred stupa of Vishuda—erected at the place where the Buddha renounced all his worldly belongings—held a controversy among the researchers about where the actual site is located. Some pilgrims believed that the site was…

A Jataka Story of the Buddha: Dzawoi Bumo

In Jeta’s Grove near Shravasti, when the Buddha was giving profound and vast teachings to his retinue, he spoke this brief narration: “There is no greater master than the father who raised us in our life and there is no more superior god than our mother, for she carried us in her womb. Therefore, our parents are like our masters,…

The Pratimoksha Precept Lineage in the Palyul Tradition

In Buddhism, precepts are the most significant, basic aspect of practising dharma. There is immense benefit in accumulating virtue with purely-observed vows and so these precepts are the ground of all sources of knowledge. They have been passed down from the Buddha to our own root guru in an unbroken lineage. The precepts are of three kinds, namely: pratimokshasamvara, bodhisattvasamvara…

Six Ornaments of the World Biography of Acharya Dignaga

Acharya Dignaga was born to the Brahmin caste in Simhavakta near Kanchipuram district in present day Tamil Nadu, south India. He took his monastic vows from Abbot Nagadatta, the holder of the Vatsiputriya School, who was very skilled in all the tirthika tenets. Having mastered the three pitakas of the Shravakas, Dignaga requested the abbot for instruction. As per his…

A Brief Introduction to the Three Kayas

All of the Buddhist teachings can be explained in terms of ground, path and fruition. In the general concept of Mahayana Buddhism, ground is referred to as Buddha nature, where it is explained that all sentient beings have the potential to become Buddha, or have the seed of enlightenment within their mindstreams. Due to constant afflictive emotions, this innate Buddha…

Choosing a Spiritual Master

The teacher, or guru (Tib: lama), occupies a central position within all the schools of Tibetan Buddhism. The Buddha said, “Without a guru there would be no Buddhas and not even a concept of Enlightenment would exist.” All spiritual methods starting from the initial steps of taking refuge to the Bodhisattva vows come from the guru. In scriptures, the guru…