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Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition
The FPMT is an organization devoted to preserving and spreading Mahayana Buddhism worldwide by creating opportunities to listen, reflect, meditate, practice and actualize the unmistaken teachings of the Buddha and based on that experience spreading the Dharma to sentient beings. We provide integrated education through which people’s minds and hearts can be transformed into their highest potential for the benefit of others, inspired by an attitude of universal responsibility and service. We are committed to creating harmonious environments and helping all beings develop their full potential of infinite wisdom and compassion. Our organization is based on the Buddhist tradition of Lama Tsongkhapa of Tibet as taught to us by our founders Lama Thubten Yeshe and Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche.
- Willkommen
Die Stiftung zur Erhaltung der Mahayana Tradition (FPMT) ist eine Organisation, die sich weltweit für die Erhaltung und Verbreitung des Mahayana-Buddhismus einsetzt, indem sie Möglichkeiten schafft, den makellosen Lehren des Buddha zuzuhören, über sie zur reflektieren und zu meditieren und auf der Grundlage dieser Erfahrung das Dharma unter den Lebewesen zu verbreiten.
Wir bieten integrierte Schulungswege an, durch denen der Geist und das Herz der Menschen in ihr höchstes Potential verwandelt werden zum Wohl der anderen – inspiriert durch eine Haltung der universellen Verantwortung und dem Wunsch zu dienen. Wir haben uns verpflichtet, harmonische Umgebungen zu schaffen und allen Wesen zu helfen, ihr volles Potenzial unendlicher Weisheit und grenzenlosen Mitgefühls zu verwirklichen.
Unsere Organisation basiert auf der buddhistischen Tradition von Lama Tsongkhapa von Tibet, so wie sie uns von unseren Gründern Lama Thubten Yeshe und Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche gelehrt wird.
- Bienvenidos
La Fundación para la preservación de la tradición Mahayana (FPMT) es una organización que se dedica a preservar y difundir el budismo Mahayana en todo el mundo, creando oportunidades para escuchar, reflexionar, meditar, practicar y actualizar las enseñanzas inconfundibles de Buda y en base a esa experiencia difundir el Dharma a los seres.
Proporcionamos una educación integrada a través de la cual las mentes y los corazones de las personas se pueden transformar en su mayor potencial para el beneficio de los demás, inspirados por una actitud de responsabilidad y servicio universales. Estamos comprometidos a crear ambientes armoniosos y ayudar a todos los seres a desarrollar todo su potencial de infinita sabiduría y compasión.
Nuestra organización se basa en la tradición budista de Lama Tsongkhapa del Tíbet como nos lo enseñaron nuestros fundadores Lama Thubten Yeshe y Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
A continuación puede ver una lista de los centros y sus páginas web en su lengua preferida.
- Bienvenue
L’organisation de la FPMT a pour vocation la préservation et la diffusion du bouddhisme du mahayana dans le monde entier. Elle offre l’opportunité d’écouter, de réfléchir, de méditer, de pratiquer et de réaliser les enseignements excellents du Bouddha, pour ensuite transmettre le Dharma à tous les êtres. Nous proposons une formation intégrée grâce à laquelle le cœur et l’esprit de chacun peuvent accomplir leur potentiel le plus élevé pour le bien d’autrui, inspirés par le sens du service et une responsabilité universelle. Nous nous engageons à créer un environnement harmonieux et à aider tous les êtres à épanouir leur potentiel illimité de compassion et de sagesse. Notre organisation s’appuie sur la tradition guéloukpa de Lama Tsongkhapa du Tibet, telle qu’elle a été enseignée par nos fondateurs Lama Thoubtèn Yéshé et Lama Zopa Rinpoché.
Visitez le site de notre Editions Mahayana pour les traductions, conseils et nouvelles du Bureau international en français.
Voici une liste de centres et de leurs sites dans votre langue préférée
- Benvenuto
L’FPMT è un organizzazione il cui scopo è preservare e diffondere il Buddhismo Mahayana nel mondo, creando occasioni di ascolto, riflessione, meditazione e pratica dei perfetti insegnamenti del Buddha, al fine di attualizzare e diffondere il Dharma fra tutti gli esseri senzienti.
Offriamo un’educazione integrata, che può trasformare la mente e i cuori delle persone nel loro massimo potenziale, per il beneficio di tutti gli esseri, ispirati da un’attitudine di responsabilità universale e di servizio.
Il nostro obiettivo è quello di creare contesti armoniosi e aiutare tutti gli esseri a sviluppare in modo completo le proprie potenzialità di infinita saggezza e compassione.
La nostra organizzazione si basa sulla tradizione buddhista di Lama Tsongkhapa del Tibet, così come ci è stata insegnata dai nostri fondatori Lama Thubten Yeshe e Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
Di seguito potete trovare un elenco dei centri e dei loro siti nella lingua da voi prescelta.
- 欢迎 / 歡迎
简体中文
“护持大乘法脉基金会”( 英文简称:FPMT。全名:Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition) 是一个致力于护持和弘扬大乘佛法的国际佛教组织。我们提供听闻,思维,禅修,修行和实证佛陀无误教法的机会,以便让一切众生都能够享受佛法的指引和滋润。
我们全力创造和谐融洽的环境, 为人们提供解行并重的完整佛法教育,以便启发内在的环宇悲心及责任心,并开发内心所蕴藏的巨大潜能 — 无限的智慧与悲心 — 以便利益和服务一切有情。
FPMT的创办人是图腾耶喜喇嘛和喇嘛梭巴仁波切。我们所修习的是由两位上师所教导的,西藏喀巴大师的佛法传承。
繁體中文
護持大乘法脈基金會”( 英文簡稱:FPMT。全名:Found
ation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition ) 是一個致力於護持和弘揚大乘佛法的國際佛教組織。我們提供聽聞, 思維,禪修,修行和實證佛陀無誤教法的機會,以便讓一切眾生都能 夠享受佛法的指引和滋潤。 我們全力創造和諧融洽的環境,
為人們提供解行並重的完整佛法教育,以便啟發內在的環宇悲心及責 任心,並開發內心所蘊藏的巨大潛能 — 無限的智慧與悲心 – – 以便利益和服務一切有情。 FPMT的創辦人是圖騰耶喜喇嘛和喇嘛梭巴仁波切。
我們所修習的是由兩位上師所教導的,西藏喀巴大師的佛法傳承。 察看道场信息:
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Death could come any minute so transform your life into Dharma.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche
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The Foundation Store is FPMT’s online shop and features a vast selection of Buddhist study and practice materials written or recommended by our lineage gurus. These items include homestudy programs, prayers and practices in PDF or eBook format, materials for children, and other resources to support practitioners.
Items displayed in the shop are made available for Dharma practice and educational purposes, and never for the purpose of profiting from their sale. Please read FPMT Foundation Store Policy Regarding Dharma Items for more information.
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Changing Suffering into Happiness: Andrew Vahldieck, USA
July-August 1999
By Andrew Vahldieck
Andrew Vahldieck became a quadriplegic thirty years ago, at the age of 17, in a swimming accident in Wisconsin, USA. He lives in Santa Cruz with his partner.
What I remember best is that it was such a bloody hot day that not only was there the usual cleanup swim call after work late in the afternoon on any given day, but there was a second cool-off swim call after dinner in the evening. The camp was situated on a beautiful private rural lake in northern Wisconsin surrounded by pines and a tamarack bog and a swamp. I had been going down a waterslide that was part of the sauna bath we had built the year before for cleaning up and refreshing on rainy or stormy days when it wasn’t safe to swim in the lake.
The slide was a primitive affair that was built into the side of the hill overlooking the lake, and had no guardrails, no curvature of the lip at the bottom – just an abrupt cutoff at the end. The slide was kept lubricated, the surface being metal sheet, by water from the lake that was pumped uphill by a surplus army water pump.
I remember someone had been tampering with the pump, probably just curious about its mechanisms. Later on I would realize they had turned the water off going down over the slide. When I came up to the top of the slide, the second time around, the water had been turned back on and flowed again, but in the middle of the slide it was still dry. The sun was so hot that what water had been on the slide had evaporated. I went flying down the slide with the water that was gushing out over the top of the slide, but when I hit the dry spot in the middle of the slide, the friction that resulted – I was sitting on my butt and my feet – caused me to lose my balance and I began to fall off the side of the slide. I made a split-second decision not to go in that direction because there boulders all around below, and I certainly didn’t want to sustain a broken bone because I wouldn’t be able to finish the rest of the course. I loved hard work and the outdoor life in northern Wisconsin.
I threw all my weight back in the direction of the slide and was able to bring myself back down onto the slide somehow, an extended my arms in the classic diver’s stance. Apparently my arms weren’t extended far enough out, and I hit the bottom of the lake very hard. The pain was extraordinary and unlike anything I had ever experienced before. I immediately understood that the physical results would be very serious. What astonished me was [that] it was if I had entered another dimension. I never lost consciousness. I was cognizant the whole time.
Like others who have had near-death experiences, I felt as though I was in a dark place – not necessarily a tunnel, but a dark space on a track, racing along at high speed. I believed that I was dead because I had no sensation, no sensory awareness, no pain – except for an odd, remote buzzing in the back of my neck, which I imagined was my neck area. My entire orientation in space had changed: I had no sense of my body. It was as if I was an ethereal being – I mean, now I have the vocabulary to say this; at that time I was 17, four weeks out of high school. Now I realize I had gone from feeling very solid and physical (I was 6 feet tall, 175 pounds, solid muscle) and all of a sudden I’m flying through space after an extraordinarily intense jolt. There was only one answer to explain this experience that I’d never had before, and that was that I’d really done it this time – I was dead. Eventually I coasted to a place of almost suspended animation. I felt very aware, I was active mentally, and still astonished by the lack of any sight or sound, just the darkness all around. I asked myself, “Where’s the devil? Where’s God? Where is St. Peter, or at least some angels?” Nobody showed, so I figured I was just hanging out here in a dark void. There was some level of anxiety, but it wasn’t overwhelming – it was more in the order of taking it in, and wondering what my options were going to be.
After what seemed like several minutes, but what in reality was a few seconds, I saw a strange light out in space in front of me, appearing vertically. At first I thought it was some kind of apparition. I watched it keenly, and what I came to understand what I was seeing was the bottom of the lake, that I was under water and my eyes were open. It wasn’t as if my eyes were re-opening after being closed, but it was as if a dark curtain had de-materialized, and now I was looking at the bottom of the lake. I could see branches and leaves that had fallen from above, and I realized that I had to have more oxygen, and my brain told my body to move. There was no movement, no response – none whatsoever. This was a considerable surprise!
It was momentarily terrifying, but I tried to keep my wits about me and I hoped someone would grab me before I ran out of oxygen. After what seemed like a long time, I felt myself somehow being moved up and down, and saw someone pulling me up towards the air. They lifted me up into the air and my head flopped over. Again the pain reasserted itself, and I weakly, but as loudly as possible yelled, “Please – help! I can’t move.” The advisors on the pier started yelling to put me on my back. They rolled me onto the sand on the shore.
In 1970, that far north in Wisconsin, we were about 40 miles away from the nearest hospital. They called the local fire department, which arrived with its pink-paint-covered hearse that they had adapted for local fire department paramedic needs. Several guys on either side carefully slid towels under me and walked up the steps together to place me on a stretcher. Every time they moved me the pain was extraordinary. Most of the people in the camp had run down to the lake and were at the top of the hill looking down at me. Since I was on my back I could see them, and at that age, when you’re 17 years old and a young man, you don’t want to appear weak in the eyes of your peers.
The pain was so strong, radiating out from my neck. I had been in bicycle accidents and hockey fights; I’d been hit with sticks and pucks; I had torn cartilage and ligaments, I had broken bones. I’d been injured in so many ways I was considered accident-prone by my family. I had never experienced any pain approaching this. It’s interesting because not everyone who has a spinal cord injury experiences that kind of pain – some people feel almost nothing. My status physically, the pain at that point, was quite challenging emotionally.
On the road to the hospital, every pothole that we hit made my neck move, the broken or fractured vertebrae would grind against the spinal cord and caused considerable pain. After we got onto smoother asphalt, I asked for oxygen and for some reason I didn’t get it. Again I felt as though I might die then and there.
When they got me to the hospital, they opened up the ambulance and pulled me out. As soon as they set me down on the tarmac, I passed out from the pain. As soon as I woke up I passed out again, every 15 to 20 seconds as they moved me through the emergency rooms. They didn’t know what to do with me at first, because the hospital was being mainly staffed by residents from the University of Wisconsin who were in their first year or so of medical practice. Very nervously they explained to me they didn’t know what to do with me. They were working hard with other hospitals to come up with some suggestions; should they fly me to another hospital?
What came to pass was one of the medical directors that the inexperienced doctors contacted recalled that a distinguished gentleman had stopped by his office at the hospital on the way to his vacation home, which was on an island in one of the nearby lakes. He happened to be a doctor from Chicago – in fact, one of the experts at that time in the area of emergency traumatic care, Dr. Farrington from a rehab institute in Chicago, I think. Dr. Farrington had left his card and said if anything came up that they couldn’t handle, he would do his best to respond.
They called him, and he came with a set of suitcases and tools that looked to be right out of the Sears-Roebuck tool catalogue. He was very frank and direct with me, and told me that my situation was rather grave. He said he would have to stabilize fractured vertebrae in my upper neck, cervical 4, 5 and 6. I was on oxygen at this point, and the nurses had begun giving me regular shots of morphine.
He proceeded to drill a set of holes in my skull which was, to say the least, extremely unpleasant – no anesthesia. They did this so they could implant what they called in those days tongs, which look a bit like precision forceps, with a screw bolt attachment at the other end. These tongs were screwed literally into my skull – they had to shave off a landing strip on the top of my head. The tongs themselves were really the coupling for a set of weights that hung from a supported structure that was placed behind me. The weights essentially lifted the pressure of my head off my neck, and in so doing, allowed for what the doctor called decompression of the bone against the actual spinal cord. This was extremely painful and caused me to go into shock.
I was put on what’s called a Stryker frame, which looks like an old-fashioned barbeque device, except people lie on this device and they place a grid either on your back or stomach; this way they turn you every two hours to avoid pressure sores.
What I remember most is the immediate isolation from my friends at the camp, and knowing it was a beautiful summer passing by outside the window. I was in this small room with institutional green paint on the walls and construction going on outside the window. I had gone from being a highly active, intensely kinetic young individual to being an immobile individual. The felt experience of that contrast was quite dramatic. I realized all of a sudden that in dealing with unpleasant physical sensations where was no way to distract myself – I couldn’t even pace, scratch or rub any area that was hurting, sore, itching or anything. I couldn’t move anything.
I was terrified, with no outlet for expressing it. They weren’t telling me what my chances were of being able to resume normal physical activity. I was given little information except what the x-rays showed and what they would try to do in the operation. A team of surgeons came and evaluated me to see where my levels of sensation were, to see what neurological connections were still there. Before the surgery I could feel sensation on my toes, but after the spinal fusion I had no sensation in my toes.
Essentially what they did was take a piece of bone from my hip and opened up my neck from the back. They realigned the vertebrae and reassembled the fractured pieces. They placed the chip of bone over the top of these three vertebrae and wrapped it with a piece of stainless steel wire. That was the physical fix that enabled me to live.
After about two weeks they removed the stitches. I was in the Stryker frame from late September – almost three months, going from back to front, front to back, every two hours. I did understand I was bound to lose some physical movement, but again, I had no confirmation from the physicians, and I had some hope that a good range of movement would return.
I was in the hospital for ten months and went through almost every imaginable emotional response. Unlike other people I wasn’t so much obsessed with “Why me?” but rather was so amazed that a loss of such magnitude could occur in such a banal accidental way. I had been raised by a devout Roman Catholic family and had been sent to mostly parochial schools. It was during this time I began to consider whether there really was, in fact, a God, and if there was, how does this being relate to my existence. At that age I didn’t have the coping mechanisms to deal with the level of pain, immobility, loss and disorientation that I was confronted with. Also, at that age, so many of your friendships are based on common interests, shared activities, so very quickly many of my friends who were supportive at first began to fade away.
What was important is that I was beginning to deal with questions that had to do with the very nature of existence. If this is what could happen to one with such a short life, what was this all about? Virtually everything I could do had been taken away from me: I could no longer play piano, I couldn’t move pieces on a chess board, I couldn’t do anything. Gradually I did regain some ability for movement, but it took a lot of time and much hard work. Still, at the end of the period of intense rehabilitation, I was still far from where I wanted – I was still a quadriplegic.
I saw the world can turn 360 degrees instantaneously, and that’s a fact that would take me months – years – to process and understand. It brought the fact of death right up into the forefront of my consciousness – I had experienced disembodiment, leaving any sense of bodily experience behind.
When I left the hospital, I lived at home with my mother for a year, but I felt a burden so decided to move out. Also, I wanted to be more independent. Actually, the State of Wisconsin, whom I’d been working for before the accident, wanted me to go into a nursing home – but I told them the only way they would get me into a nursing home was in a coffin!
I moved into a small student apartment in Madison, Wisconsin. At that point I did not have a motorized wheelchair, so I was completely dependent on another muscular and solid person to push me around if I wanted to go anyplace. This was before the Americans with Disabilities Act and before serious implementation of the civil rights bill for people with disabilities.
I started school that September. I was in the liberal arts program of a local technical college, preparing to transfer to the University of Wisconsin, where, after four years, I studied educational philosophy with a psychology minor.
What was most difficult around other people was the loss of control over the simplest functions and states of my body, specifically neuromuscular activity. Because of the ways many classrooms were designed I had to sit up in front; most classrooms were built at a slant with stairs. I would get these fantastically powerful leg spasms on my right side that would kick my leg out as if in a goose step and they would literally pull me down in the wheelchair. I would start the class sitting up in the wheelchair and by the end of the class I was practically falling out of the chair, literally.
Being a young male and not being very deft physically worked against me and isolated me, and having no control at all over much of my body was an excruciating embarrassment. I would employ every small amount of control I did have to make myself remain completely immobile so I didn’t go into these wild states of muscular spastic activity.
Once, when I went to one of my first classes, my urinary leg bag began leaking, and pretty soon there was a large pool of urine under my right leg. Anyone slightly bored or distracted who looked around the room would see it, and needless to say I was painfully self-conscious. There were many incidents when students went on special trips to see films and speakers at other colleges, and the facilities were simply not accessible. I had to stay behind in these cases.
It was common that people behaved either awkwardly around me or simply ignored me while paying attention to other students. Not only was there this sense of being damaged goods, but that I was now a member of a minority group that was perceived negatively. About that time I became interested in the number of ways people in wheelchairs, with disabilities and deformities were associated with negativity, evil, darkness. I noticed how much the word “lame” is very popular.
For almost four years I was taking the maximum dosage of Demerol, Dilaudid, morphine – the psychiatrist had me rotate between these drugs to minimize the speed at which I would develop tolerance to any one of them. I was injected four times a day. I became attached to the needle, to the sense of the needle going in. That sensation assured me that it was “real,” that I was actually getting this analgesic, this pain relief. As well as the opiates I was also taking barbiturates such as Seconal and Phenobarbital, benzodiazepines such as Valium and Librium, antidepressants, antispasmodics – so many different types of medications.
This was in combination with alcohol – at times huge quantities, and marijuana. I was incredibly depressed. It got to the point that the weight of all the medications was so oppressive that I couldn’t remember simple facts; it affected my long- and short-term memory, especially short-term. I couldn’t focus well enough to do what I wanted to do with my mind. I couldn’t communicate clearly, I couldn’t hear music in my mind, I couldn’t write a decent letter. I felt completely out of control. Not only was my body undermined, but now my mind as well. Not much left! I knew that I had to make a decision: either regain my mental clarity or terminate my existence.
I was isolated and I was taking all these drugs, and then I had some experiences with very good quality LSD on three occasions and mescaline on two other occasions. They were instrumental in opening up other dimensions mentally. They opened the doors of perception, as Aldous Huxley said, and ironically they reflected back to me how deeply convoluted my mental state had become.
The experiences I had with psychedelic drugs were, in my case, a stepping stone to becoming curious about the meaning and significance of those experiences mentally. They suggested to me that there were whole other dimensions of perception that I could undergo. I began to wonder what they implied. Because of the paralysis and immobility, my isolation, my marginalized status, I felt as though I were in captivity, that I was shut up and stored away. There was this claustrophobic feeling that I couldn’t extend myself out into the world, in particular the natural world – to be out and about in forests, prairies, meadows.
I think it’s a natural desire at that age to strike out, venture forth, experience more of whatever is out there. Now I couldn’t do that the same way physically. I was beginning to understand that all too clearly. So the possibility of being able to do things and go other places in my mind – with it being the primary vehicle rather than the body – was a bridge.
The other factor in my life at that time was the presence of a few people who had been studying and practicing Eastern religions. Some had traveled to India, and one was a student of Ramana Maharshi’s senior disciples. They gave me books they felt were relevant to my experiences with LSD. This was my first encounter with Eastern religions. The first book I read was Vedanta for the Western World. From there on, gradually, as the months and years went by, I began to explore more philosophies, as well as meditation.
It was at this point that I stopped all medications, once I began to see there was substance to the techniques I was learning: systematic relaxation, breathing and mantra recitations. I did it on my own – there were no programs then. I did it cold turkey.
My personal care assistant who had traveled to India and who was also interested in Zen Buddhism had become good friends with a senior student of Geshe Lhundup Sopa in the University of Wisconsin Southeast Asia Studies Department. He invited me to come to Geshe-la’s private talks that he had begun giving on weekends. He suggested I look at a book entitled The Tibetan Tradition of Mental Development by Geshe Dhargyey. This was very powerful for me, although I had a problem with the concept of the hell realms and using fear as a motivating factor for spiritual practice. But this was the first contact with Tibetan Buddhism.
Tibetan Buddhism takes a very psychological approach and goes right to the heart of the matter, instead of issuing commandments, rules. Instead of saying what is good conduct and bad conduct alone, it also presents a variety of methodological vehicles whereby one can develop the skills needed to operate in accord with a code of behavior that is positive and beneficial, not only for oneself, but for all other beings. There are so many different aspects of the Dharma that appealed to me the more I studied and went to teachings. I was a very poor student at first – I had little conception of how vast the literature is. For some years I floundered about and wasted a lot of time, but nonetheless used what little skill I had to work with difficult states of mind.
The concept of emptiness enabled me to gradually see that I was not my body alone, and that was a great comfort to me. Instead of being someone with a concrete physical status, I was a being with consciousness with a body that is impermanent that would not remain, eventually would die, and given my karmic predisposition I could go to a different body. Just the fact of having a way intellectually of seeing myself other than this body, this disability that defines myself and my existence, helped a great deal, even though my understanding of emptiness was very, very modest. The concept alone was very helpful.
I began to realize how powerful my mind could be, and much more than I could ever see, by body as well. I could see the potential uses to which I could put myself, a.k.a. bodily self. As an athlete, as an outdoorsman, as a person accustomed to wielding his body as the primary instrument of his life, Buddhism really gave me a completely different perspective on that, and depending on how I changed my mind, focused it, worked to concentrate it – which was a real problem for me, because I was coming out of a period of mental convolution, emotional confusion, depression, a lot of emotional pain as well as physical pain – it helped me to realize how much I could do to change my experience by working constructively with different mental factors.
This disability has helped me develop compassion for others, absolutely. Even while I was lying in the hospital on a Stryker frame after the injury, within a few months the pain I was experiencing was so great that I spent many hours thinking about pain in and of itself. I thought of the different animals that I had hunted, injured and killed, and also fished, and I vowed to myself that should I ever regain my physical ability, I would never again hunt or harm another being, except in the case of physical defense.
When I met the Buddhadharma, I realized how sensitive an issue this is in general and how even rolling down a sidewalk in my wheelchair I was taking the lives of ants, insects and other creatures. On one level the teachings on bodhichitta accorded with my own level of intuitive sensibilities, and on another level it was very exciting and inspiring to know there were individuals who really believed this doctrine of bodhichitta. They not only believed it but carried it out to the maximum extent and realized the teaching in their minds.
I remember reading the issue of Wisdom magazine that came out when Lama Yeshe died, and the teaching he gave on bodhichitta. That teaching was very influential in my understanding on bodhichitta, as was Lama Zopa’s book Transforming Problems into Happiness. Bodhichitta seemed to me to be the spiritual muscle of Tibetan Buddhism. I think for a while I fell into that trap where I thought this was something that could only be realized by high-level practitioners who had had monastic experience and much time in retreat, and that a simple student like myself wasn’t realistically going to be able to produce much bodhichitta on a day-to-day basis. It’s true that lifestyle and physical limitations can be an impediment to religious practices, but nonetheless that printed teaching by Lama Yeshe on bodhichitta and the articles about his dying and his death were very inspiring for me and I’ve re-read them many times.
And of course [there is] the concept of karma, and this experience being purification. If this isn’t purification I’m in real trouble! At one point the Dalai Lama uses just a few choice words about how whatever the level of problem or challenge, one must generate the necessary amount of motivation to overcome it. Doing that on an ongoing basis is formidable, but where and when I’ve been able to learn from the experiences and grow from the difficulties feels very good – it’s self-rewarding.
We can look at our lives from the perspective of how much we’ve overcome, and I think my life is much more about the latter than the former. That might be another way of saying is the glass half empty or half full, and yet a lot of my life has been about overcoming limitations, which, if anything, will increase as I get older. To feel that my life is meaningful I need to overcome these limitations so that I can be of use, of help, of assistance, benefit to other individual beings, otherwise I don’t feel I’m properly using it. My take on life in general is that it doesn’t have to be a whole lot of fun, but it does have to be the ultimate education, and one does need to avail on as many opportunities to develop virtue as possible.
Whatever I accomplish in terms of my Dharma practice, I think what’s most important to me is a blend of those two: practicing and overcoming limitations. The disability presents limitations my own mind presents – which are numerous! If I’m not useful, not able to help people, strangers, friends, neighbors, aliens, whoever, I don’t feel good about myself and I don’t feel I’m moving in the right direction.
It’s tricky for me because without doing something that has a physical basis, like making tsa-tsas, building a prayer wheel or digging the base of a stupa, I feel that I’m operating in a much less tangible realm. I focus on what I can do, but it’s often the less tangible stuff: crisis work, listening to a friend or a stranger who is having problems. So much of what I can do doesn’t result in a product – it’s invariably more of a process. Sometimes that’s tricky for me, knowing whether I’m doing enough, to get a sense for whether my existence is beneficial for others. At the same time that encourages me to see how this process of benefiting others isn’t always a matter of fixing things in a gross physical sense, with money or material things, but using right speech, right thought and right behavior in interaction with others.
Sometimes there’s a sense that the sheer fact of being alive with a severe disability and making real effort to do what I can achieves a certain role model effect for others. Maybe other people can look at me and say, “If this guy in a wheelchair can make it through teachings, so can I.” I don’t think about that very much myself. I’m more apt to be reminded about it when other people remark on it. People see someone faced with a major challenge and it’s obvious to them that they’re operating under stressful circumstances; it’s a reminder that they, too, can exceed what they considered to be their limitations. It’s true I’ve learned something about limitations – the ones we perceive as real and the ones which in fact are real. People will say to me, “I can never do what you do, I could never live the life of a quadriplegic,” but most often that’s not true. You do it if you have to do it, although not all people with disabilities make it. Some choose to take their lives because it’s just been too difficult for them, and worse, they’ve not received sufficient assistance from the state, government and community so they can live constructive lives.
As for my physical condition now: Initially the doctors didn’t believe I would get any return of function of wrist movement alone. I am able, with the use of this orthotic splint, which structures and exploits the pinching action of the thumb and forefinger, to drive, brush my teeth, write. It’s just my wrist muscle but it enables me to do many functional things. My right hand is my primary instrument and my left hand is more of a support.
I lost one of my bicep components, so on my right side I have a monocep instead of a bicep. I’ve developed a lot of shoulder and neck strength as well as arm strength the doctors didn’t think I’d recoup. Besides that there’s going to be a lot of chronic pain for the rest of my life. This is around the site of the accident to some degree, and I also injured my left hip several years ago when I went over a bump in the wheelchair at night. A sore developed there and a hole as big as a fist went all the way to the fascia of the bone; osteomyelitis set in and a septic infection with the bone marrow started. There’s a high mortality rate with this infection; acutely infected areas die. The surgeons had to go in and cut out a large chunk of bone from my left butt. There’s a huge hole there as a result of that, so I tend to list starboard. They took tissue from my thighs and literally stuffed the hole with new tissue. I had to stay in bed for several months. Because I had osteomyelitis once, any other pressure sore I develop could get very serious.
Small bumps on my backside bother me a lot. I had a surgery on my backside where the doctors tried to put a swift and easy end to the pain and spasticity in my lower body by going into my spine, having off a vertebra and using a scalpel to cut right down through the center of the spinal cord — the surgery was a failure, and as a result I’ve experienced a great deal of pain in my back. The pain of sitting and not being able to move is one that’s difficult to describe, but it’s one I’m faced with on a daily basis. I’ve had to develop a certain amount of mental strength so I can overcome that and operate.
One of the major hazards of having a spinal cord injury is that you tend to sit for long amounts of time. Because of this you get skin breakdowns. Depending on how early you catch them and how well you treat them, it may take days, weeks or months for them to heal. I’ve spent three entire summers – late May, June, July and all of August – in bed without getting out of bed. There are more sophisticated bandaging and treatment methods available today. I also have limited use of my diaphragm. I don’t possess the entire group of chest muscles that the average male has, so as a result I don’t have so much control over the depth of my breathing process. Any kind of respiratory illness places me at great risk; a cold can be very serious for me.
Once, in Yucca Valley, taking teachings from Song Rinpoche, some Dharma friends pressured me into asking Rinpoche about my physical circumstances, specifically whether there were any external obstacles. I really didn’t want to do this; personally I thought it was a waste of time. But I did go and speak with Song Rinpoche about this and he threw a mo. He sat very quietly for a few moments in that inimitably serene way of Song Rinpoche, and he turned to me and said, “Don’t worry so much about this life. It’s very short. Think about your next life.” Then he gave me a meditation on Chenrezig to perform, along with some blessing pills. That felt to me intuitively and intellectually to be right on.
For the sake of others who sustain a physical disability I hope improvements in medical science take place that enable healing or cures to happen – for someone such as Christopher Reeves, who is relatively close to the time of his injury. I was injured when I was 17 and now I’m 46, and Song Rinpoche’s advice becomes more pertinent with each passing day: Don’t worry about this life so much – think about the next.
Archive
- Mandala for 2021
- Mandala for 2020
- Mandala for 2019
- Mandala for 2018
- January-June
- Changing the Mind, Changing the World: The Mind, Karma, and Global Change
- Karma: Is the World Ready to Understand?
- Helping Young People Develop a Good Heart
- Compassion in Action: Maitreya School
- MAITRI Charitable Trust – Keeping the Vision True
- Social & Medical Work of the Shakyamuni Buddha Community Health Care Clinic
- Tara Children’s Project – Manifesting the Mind of Compassion
- July-December
- January-June
- Mandala for 2017
- Mandala for 2016
- July-December
- Advice that Fulfills Wishes
- Isabelle Johnston Remembers Ven. Thubten Labdron (Trisha Donnelly)
- Nicholas Ribush Remembers Ven. Thubten Labdron (Trisha Donnelly)
- Remembrances from the Sisters of Ven. Thubten Labdron (Trisha Donnelly)
- The Foundation for the Development of Compassion and Wisdom Carries Lama Yeshe’s Vision into the Future
- January-June
- ‘If I Created This, Could I Also Fix It?’
- A New Era for Gelug Nuns: Geshema Degree Bring Opportunity and Responsibility
- Benedict and the Buddha: Monasticism in the West
- Distilling Shantideva’s ‘Bodhicharyavatara’
- Helping Buddhism Strengthen and Grow in Russia: An Interview with Telo Rinpoche
- Kopan Helping Hands
- Mia’s Miles of Merit
- The Nuns of Kopan
- The Union of Study and Practice
- Training the Mind in Calm-Abiding
- July-December
- Mandala for 2015
- January
- A Feast for Mind and Heart
- Portrait of a Buddhist Chaplain: Holly Hisamoto Leans Into Practice
- Advice for a Depressed and Suicidal Mother
- Making Juniper Powder Incense for Filling Statues and Stupas
- Parenting Unplugged: Self-Care
- Praise to Kyabje Thubten Zopa Rinpoche on the Occasion of the Long Life Puja at the CPMT Meeting
- The “Monk with a Camera”: An Interview with Khen Rinpoche Nicholas Vreeland
- July-December
- A Many-Splendored Thing: Anne Carolyn Klein on the Transmission of Tibetan Buddhism
- An Editor’s Approach to the Words of Her Perfect Teacher
- One Letter at a Time
- Practicing Like Your Hair Is on Fire
- Spain’s Tushita Retreat Center Celebrates 20 Years
- Standing Together: Tong-nyi Nying-je Ling’s Interfaith Work in Copenhagen
- The Life of a Bodhisattva: The Great Kindness of Khunu Lama Rinpoche
- The Life of Khensur Jampa Tegchok
- The Most Important Practice of Patience
- The Nature of Biography: An Excerpt from Elijah Ary’s ‘Authorized Lives’
- January
- Mandala for 2014
- January
- An Interview with Buddhist Scholar John Dunne on Mindfulness
- FPMT Mongolia: Fulfilling the Common Desire for Buddhism’s Resurgence
- Kadampa Center’s Past, Present and Future Times
- Rejoicing in the 100 Million Mani Retreat in Mongolia
- The Four Harmonious Friends
- The Benefits of the Mani Retreat
- A Day in the Life in Mongolia
- The 100 Million Mani Retreat in Mongolia Photo Gallery
- FPMT in Mongolia 1999-2012
- FPMT Mongolia in Action [Video]
- Burnout: Is It Really a Problem?
- Considerations for Animal Blessings and Animal Liberations
- Rejoice! Prayer Flags for Rinpoche’s Long Life
- Meet Geshe Gelek Chodha
- Letters to the Editor
- April
- An Update from Kushinagar
- Establishing a Daily Practice
- Giant Steps Forward for the Maitreya Projects
- Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa Restores ‘Kundun’ Chenrezig
- Jade Buddha Continues World Tour in North America
- La Gran Estupa de la Compasión Universal Toma Forma
- Living the Gift
- Pamtingpa Center Builds a High Desert Stupa
- Photo Gallery: Pamtingpa Center Builds a High Desert Stupa
- Progreso Gigantesco Para Los Proyectos Maitreya
- The Mind is the Measure of All Things
- The Potential Project and Corporate-Based Mindfulness Training
- The Precious and Wish-fulfilling Holy Objects of FPMT
- Visit Chandrakirti Tibetan Buddhist Meditation Centre in New Zealand
- July
- Challenging Orthodoxy in Tibetan Buddhism
- Confessions of a Mahamudra Junkie
- Find Out What Five-year-old Dechen Bloom Asked Ven. Robina Courtin about the Heart Sutra
- Geshe Lamsang’s Heart Advice
- Growing Up within the FPMT Mandala
- Holding Up a Mirror to Our Children’s Behavior
- Not Just For Kids: Vajrayana Institute’s Child-Focused Activities
- Renewed Faith, Inspiration, Devotion and Understanding: Khadro-la Visits New Zealand
- Sobering Up from Samsara
- Tara Redwood School: Sprouting the Seeds of Compassion
- The Eight Auspicious Signs
- What Buddha Cherishes Most: The Story of the Goats at Root Institute
- October
- ‘He Was for Me the Perfection of Patience and Generosity’
- ‘I Have Never Known a More Generous Person in My Life’
- A Compassionate Insurrection
- Buddhism’s Common Ground: An Interview with Ven. Thubten Chodron
- Liberation through Education
- Lost in Translation: A Reflection on the Sacred
- Origin and Spread of the Buddha’s Doctrine
- Recognizing Alison Murdoch’s 10-Year Contribution to Universal Education and FDCW
- The Benefits of the ‘Golden Light Sutra’
- The Murky Reward of Nakedness
- What About Me?
- You Are Not Alone
- January
- Mandala for 2013
- January
- Nepal: ‘The Most Holy Place in the World’
- The Dalai Lama Completes His Studies
- Like a Waking Dream: Geshe Sopa’s Students Share Their Stories
- More than Auspicious
- Pure Gold on the Ground Below
- The Bodhisattva on Bascom Hill
- Fulfilling a Long-held Promise
- Reminiscences of Geshe Sopa
- Profound Equanimity that Constantly Perserveres
- A Shining Presence: Geshe Sopa in Photos
- The Most Important Influence on My Life
- The Simplicity of Great Authority
- Ven. Geshe Lhundub Sopa Rinpoche, My Teacher
- Both Father and Son: Geshe Sopa Rinpoche’s Omnipresent Blessing
- A Privilege and an Immeasurable Gift
- Patience in Ascertaining the Truth
- Praises for Our Perfect Teacher Geshe Lhundub Sopa Rinpoche
- From the Vault: “An Extraordinary Modern-day Milarepa”
- FPMT Activities in Nepal Photo Gallery
- Seeing Problems as Positive
- A Straight and Steady Motivation
- A Letter from Animal Liberation Sanctuary
- Ancient Philosophy in Everyday Life at the Himalayan Buddhist Meditation Centre
- Himalayan Yogic Institute: The Birth of the Himalayan Buddhist Meditation Centre
- His Holiness at Kurukulla Center Photo Gallery
- The Mummification of His Holiness the 9th Bogd Jetsün Dampa Rinpoche
- Paul Donnelly on the Creation of “Like a Waking Dream”
- The Movement for Peace with Justice and Dignity
- A New Generation of Ladakhi Nuns
- Tibetan Buddhist Nuns in Ladakh and Zanskar Photo Gallery
- Finding Inspiration in FPMT Centers: An Interview with Geshe Sherab
- Meet Geshe Jampa Gelek: Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa’s Resident Teacher
- An Irresistible Pull
- The “Bollywood” Nun: An Indian Actress Takes Ordination Vows
- Book Review: The Black Hat Eccentric
- Editor’s Choice – Media Reviews
- The Second Round of 108 Nyung Näs at Institut Vajra Yogini
- April
- The Need for Qualified Teachers
- Don’t Just Sit There … Circumambulate!
- How to Understand Our Reality from the Universal Point of View
- The Purpose of Study
- Treading Fertile Spiritual Soil
- Going Home to Buddhism: An Interview with Pilgrimage Organizer Effie Fletcher
- Pilgrimage to Tibet
- Songs and Mental States
- Where Dharma Meets Technology Meets Art
- The Path to Changing One’s Mind
- Meet Geshe Thubten Soepa
- Editor’s Choice – Media Reviews
- July
- Understanding Lam-rim: An Interview with Ven. Sangye Khadro on the Masters Program
- ‘I Will Be Paralyzed and Happy’ and Other Writings by Bob Brintz
- Behaving in a Greener Way: Panchen Losang Chogyen Gelugzentrum Acts Ecologically
- Blessing the Waters of New Zealand’s North Island
- Buddhist Business Lessons to Share: Creating Right Livelihood
- Cherishing Life and a Recipe for Mushroom and Kale Pâté
- Four Countries, Countless Benefits: Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s East Asia Tour Photo Gallery
- His Holiness the Dalai Lama at FPMT Center Events March-May 2013 Photo Gallery
- His Holiness the Dalai Lama on the Nature of Mind
- His Holiness the Dalai Lama Speaks on Aging and Death in Switzerland
- I Will Be Paralyzed and Happy
- In Praise of the Universal Mother
- Meet Geshe Deyang
- On Becoming a Vegan: When Vegetarian is Not Enough
- Our Fundamental Needs: An Interview with David Suzuki
- Overcoming Alcoholism and Introducing a Healthy Lifestyle in Mongolia
- Planting Seeds of Peace in Mexico City: Universal Education for Compassion and Wisdom in Action
- Shopping Buddha
- The Purpose of Study (continued): Ven. George Churinoff Finishes His Story with Lama Yeshe and Tenzin Ösel Hita
- We Cannot Live without Harming Others
- October
- Mayra Rocha Sandoval Completes Three-Year Lam-rim Retreat in Mexico City
- Achieving Realizations of the Path
- Advice on Caring for Mother
- His Holiness Completes Ninth Australian Tour
- ‘One Day in Service to His Holiness Is a Life Well Spent’: His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Melbourne 2013
- Identifying the Object of Negation
- His Holiness the Dalai Lama in New Zealand
- The Exemplary Life and Death of Geshe Yeshe Tobden
- The Sera Connection: An Interview with José Cabezón
- The Greatest Honor: Becoming a Rik Chung
- A Spiritual Journey to Tsum
- Sera Je Food Fund’s Dramatic Impact on the Monks of Sera Je Monastery
- Cat Rescue as a Means to Make Merit
- Alison Kaye Harr
- The Sera Je Food Fund
- Land of Joy: An Interview with Andy Wistreich
- ‘A Transforming Experience in a Completely Unexpected Way’: Masters Program Students Near End of Studies at Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa
- ‘Only Birds and Crickets to Distract the Mind’: First Retreat in the New Gompa at De-Tong Ling
- Ideas on Self-Acceptance and Bringing Dharma to the Community: An Interview with Alan Carter
- ‘I Realized That My Life Couldn’t Be the Same Again’
- Meet Geshe Lobsang Kunchen
- Complexities of Tibetan Culture Past and Present: Five Book Reviews
- January
- Mandala for 2012
- January
- El fallecimiento de Khensur Rimpoche Lama Lhundrup Rigsel
- Le décès de Khensour Rinpoché Lama Lhoundroup Rigsel
- The Passing of Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup Rigsel
- UWE Gathering in France: Inspiration, Information, Transformation!
- Preserving the Foundations: Merry Colony and FPMT Education
- Compassion in Education: An Interview with Pam Cayton
- Benefits of Generating a Good Heart
- Collaborators in Preservation: Key Education Services Contributors Reflect on the Future of FPMT Education and Their Work with Merry Colony
- What Differentiates Buddhism from Christianity
- On Receiving Generosity
- Of Yaks and Dogs
- Feeding Fish at Nalanda Monastery
- The Karma of Success
- Occupy Samsara
- Lama Says You Should Go to Kopan and He Will Take Care of You
- Big Love Excerpt
- FPMT News Around the World Photo Gallery
- Nalanda Monastery’s 15-Year Master Plan
- Rinchen Jangsem Ling Consecrates Towering Kuan Yin and White Dzambhala Statues
- Editor’s Choice – Media Reviews
- The Passing of Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup Photo Gallery
- April
- ‘Subduing the Mind, Actualizing the Path’ Resource Area
- Big Ears, Small Mouths: The Life of a Retreat Caretaker
- Random Reflections on Retreating
- Realizing the Dharmakaya
- Report from Bodhgaya: On the Ground at Kalachackra 2012
- Subduing the Mind, Actualizing the Path
- You Can, You Must
- Big Ears, Small Mouths
- Don’t Wake Up with a Mind Like That
- Random Reflections on Retreating
- Retreat in Everyday Life
- Universal Mandala School
- Animal Liberation Sanctuary Update
- The Misleading Mind – Searching for Happily Ever After
- Sitting Easy
- An Interview with Åge Delbanco
- Tulku Gyatso Remembered
- Thangka Exhibition at Maitreya Instituut Amsterdam
- The Beginning of Tushita
- FPMT News Around the World Photo Gallery
- News from Kopan Monstery and Its Projects
- Editor’s Choice – Media Reviews
- July
- Comienzo con duda
- Exploring the Practice of Writing: The Mindful Writer
- P513 and the Golden Light Sutra
- Teaching a Good Heart: FPMT Registered Teachers
- Like Nectar on Flowers: The Selfless Service of FPMT-Registered Teachers
- The Simile of a Cloud
- Mandala Talk: Ven. Thubten Chodron on “Insight into Emptiness”
- Begin with Doubt
- The Seventeen Pandits of Nalanda Monastery
- ‘Everybody Needs Universal Compassion and Wisdom Education’: An Interview with Lama Zopa Rinpoche on UECW
- ‘Everybody Needs Universal Compassion and Wisdom Education’: An Interview with Lama Zopa Rinpoche on UECW [Unedited Transcript]
- Contest Winners: Deciphering the Guru’s Grocery List!
- Illuminating the Darkness: Helping Kathmandu’s Street Kids
- FPMT Around the World Photo Gallery
- ‘She Is Not Looking for Another Man’
- Ever Shining Consummate Sun
- My November Course
- ‘You Are His Daughter and You Want to Help’
- Your Prayers and Dedications ‘Have Power’
- Editor’s Choice – Media Reviews
- Half the Woman: Losing Weight for Rinpoche
- Taking Online Dating as the Path
- Waidangong: Shaking One’s Way to Health
- October
- La joie de l’étude : une interview de Guéshé Kelsang Wangmo
- Khadro-la on Using Stupas to Minimize Harm from the Elements
- 16 Actitudes at Centro Yamantaka in Colombia
- Children and Teens Programs Take Root and Grow at Losang Dragpa Centre in Malaysia
- The Joy of Study: An Interview with Geshe Kelsang Wangmo
- Publishing the FPMT Lineage: An Interview with Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive Director Nicholas Ribush
- Key to the Cave
- The Practice of Writing: An Interview with Dinty W. Moore
- Craig Preston on Teaching and Translating Classical Tibetan
- Loneliness
- The Qualities of Good Food
- Where I Needed to Be
- Meet Geshe Ngawang Sonam: Hayagriva Buddhist Centre’s New Resident Teacher
- Stay Low and Go, Go, Go: Fire Safety Training at Kopan Monastery and Nunnery
- Rinpoche’s Decision
- Insight into Emptiness
- Editor’s Choice – Media Reviews
- January
- Mandala for 2011
- January
- The Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition: Looking to Mongolia
- Tibet, Tibet, I Have to Go to Tibet!
- Youth in Refuge
- Lama Yeshe in London, 1975 (Video Recording)
- Hippie Era: Looking for Meaning in Our Lives
- Tsog Adventure
- Transformative Mindfulness and the 16 Guidelines in Canada and North America
- 16 Guidelines at Akshay Charitable School, Bodhgaya, India
- Taking the 16 Guidelines into South African Schools
- 16 To Live By Update
- Educación Universal Update
- Outings and Expeditions with Ready Set Happy
- Three Ways to Help Animals
- Meet Sera Je, the Dog!
- NHS Videos for Carers
- Cittamani Hospice Service’s Annual Memorial
- Mercy Relief to Thai Flood Victims
- His Holiness the Dalai Lama in San Jose, California
- Making Business Work for FPMT
- Bhutan’s Prime Minister is Serious about Happiness
- Resources for “Peaceful Jihad”
- Yoga for Health
- Addiction Workshops at Mahamudra Centre
- Nine Questions About Vegetarianism
- An Interview with Jetsünma Tenzin Palmo
- A Visit for My Mother, A Crash Course for Me
- Lights and Rainbows: My Struggle
- A Love Letter to My Valentine: Let Me Tell You Who Our Cupid Is
- A Young Lass, A Manangi
- An Open Letter To B. Alan Wallace
- Editor’s Choice
- April
- E. Gene Smith Obituaries
- Engaged Buddhism: Compassion in Action
- Lama Zopa Rinpoche in London, 1975 (Video Recording)
- Photo Gallery
- Engaged Buddhism Resource Guide
- Trailers for “Meditations from the Multiplex”
- Raw Food Resource Guide
- The Healing Power of Juice Fasting
- An Interview with Anila Ann McNeil
- Dagri Rinpoche at the FPMTA National Meeting
- An Old Story of Faith and Doubt: Reminiscences of Alan Wallace and Stephen Batchelor
- Editor’s Choice
- July
- Practices for Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Long Life
- The Dissatisfied Mind of Desire
- Don't Stop! Go Now!
- ¡No pares! ¡Ve ahora!
- Leading with the Mind of a Servant
- Practices to Control Earthquakes and the Four Elements
- El retiro de la vida
- Protection from Radiation
- Morning Intention and Breath Counting with Children
- Interview with the Authors of the Recently Published Winning Ways
- Buddhism in the Trenches
- Cuando el gurú manifiesta un ataque
- The Hidden Toll of Australia’s 2011 Floods
- His Holiness Spreads Wisdom of Universal Human Values and Religious Harmony
- “Peace Through Inner Peace,” His Holiness Visits Minneapolis
- Hurray!
- Anger Always Hurts Me
- La rabia siempre me hiere
- Move, Breathe and Be Kind
- Working with Addiction
- Гнев всегда причиняет вред Мне
- הכעס תמיד פוגע בי
- Ian Green: Buddha’s Builder
- Big Love Excerpt
- Thinking Like a Thief
- Robert Page’s Art for Liberation Prison Project
- Ethics on My Mind
- Surrendering to Monkeys: Letting Go of the Self
- The Kindness of Lama Yeshe and My Mother
- What Goes Around, Comes Around
- Editor’s Choice
- October
- An Idea to Begin to Repay the Kindness
- Remembering the Kindness of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Courageous People of Tibet
- Remembering the Kindness
- Dalai Lama on The Spirit of Things
- Harry O’Brien Introduces His Holiness to Australian Football
- His Holiness in Melbourne, Australia 2011
- His Holiness the Dalai Lama 2011 Chenrezig Gompa Talk
- His Holiness the Dalai Lama at Vajrayana Institute’s Happiness & Its Causes Conference
- Luka Bloom Shares “As I Waved Goodbye” with His Holiness the Dalai Lama
- REJOICE! FPMT Offerings to His Holiness in Australia
- Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup
- A Message from Kopan Monastery
- A note on Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup’s passing
- Discovering Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup’s Relics
- Madre, padre, maestro, amigo: La bondad incomparable del querido Khensur Rimpoché Lama Lhundrup Rigsel de Kopan
- Người Mẹ, người Cha, người Thầy, người Bạn: Lòng Nhân Từ Vô Song của Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup Rigsel Cao Quý
- Interview with Lama Lhundrup
- Lama Lhundrup Videos
- A Thank You Puja at Kopan Monastery
- Caring For Lama Lhundrup
- Un père, une mère, un enseignant, un ami : L’incomparable bonté du vénéré Khènsour Rinpoché Lama Lhoundroup Rigsèl de Kopan
- Lama Lhundrup: An Old, Dear Friend
- Memories of Lama Lhundrup
- My Love Affair With Kopan Monastery
- An Aspect of Lama Lhunrup Seen at Kopan
- The Qualities of Lama Lhundrup
- The Kindness of Lama Lhundrup
- Thus I Have Heard: An Offering to the Participants of the First FPMT Translation Conference
- Creating Compassionate Cultures
- Ants Spread Dharma
- New Goats for Animal Liberation Sanctuary
- It Doesn’t Need to Be Either/Or
- Vegan Pumpkin “Cheesecake”
- Teachers Discuss the Future of Buddhism in the West: The 2011 Garrison Institute Conference
- The European Buddhist Union and Engaged Buddhism
- Socially Responsible Investing
- Panchen Losang Chogyen Gelegzentrum Makes a Plan for World Environment Day
- Meher Baba Clearly Told Me in a Dream
- Gelek Sherpa Photo Gallery
- Sarah’s Journey
- A Pilgrim’s progress
- Big Love Excerpt
- FPMT News Around the World Photo Gallery
- Editor’s Choice
- January
- Mandala for 2010
- January
- Back Over the Mountains
- Compassionate Action for Dogs and Donkeys in Dharamsala
- Confidence to Change the World
- Dharma at the Dollar Store
- Editor’s Choice
- ever mind
- FPMT News Around the World
- How to Meditate
- Snapshots of Buddhism in the West
- The Practice of Motherhood
- The Unspeakable – Spiritual Dryness
- April
- FPMT’s First Holy Object Project
- Holy Objects Are Rare in Prison
- Notable FPMT Holy Objects from Around the World
- The Maitreya Project: Big Love, Universal Love
- Types of Holy Objects
- Why Holy Objects Are Precious and Wish-fulfilling
- Editor’s Thanks
- Nothing to Trust in Appearances
- Who is Maitreya Buddha?
- Story of the Bouddhanath Stupa
- Sacred Sites Around the World
- Holy Objects Resource Guide
- David Zinn’s FPMT Photo Montage
- FPMT News Around the World
- Animal Liberation in Mexico
- Wrestling a Whale with Bodhichitta
- Shamatha in the Indian Buddhist Tradition
- It Really is all About Me (and My Ego)
- Obituaries
- Write for Your Lives
- Power to Hope, Power to Heal
- Editors Choice
- July
- Dying is Better than This Flower
- Like Nectar on Flowers: The Selfless Service of FPMT-Registered Teachers (Geshe Section)
- Like Nectar on Flowers: The Selfless Service of FPMT-Registered Teachers (History Section)
- The Ever-Changing Forms of Buddhism
- An Interview with Khensur Jampa Tegchok
- Meeting Ven. Amy Miller
- FPMT News Around the World
- Still Cooking
- The ‘Roo from Black Saturday
- MAITRI – Where Every Individual Matters
- Welcome to Root Institute!
- Tara Children’s Project
- Editor’s Choice
- FPMT TEACHER TRIVIA ANSWER KEY
- October
- January
- Mandala for 2009
- January
- April
- July
- “The Sink”
- CPMT 2009 Representatives Meet for Six Days at Institut Vajra Yogini, France
- Don’t Just Sit There … Circumambulate!
- FPMT News Around the World
- Geshe Potowa of the 21st Century
- Inner Peace and Happiness during Three-Year Retreat
- No Desire but Plenty of Bliss and Void
- The Passing of the Holy Master Venerable Geshe Tsultim Gyeltsen: Sadness, Joy, Inspiration and Blessings.
- October
- A Taste of Liberation
- Building Community: Priorities for FPMT Sangha
- Center History Amendments
- Commentary on the Epithets of the Buddha
- FEATURED MEDIA: Editor’s Choice
- FPMT News Around the World
- Integrating Lam-Rim into Daily Life
- Liberating Horses on Saka Dawa
- Spoggy the Sparrow: A Real Dharma Bird
- The Dharma School Comes Home
- Training for Community Life: An Interview with Sister Jotika
- Uncounted Cost of Samaya
- Mandala for 2008
- February
- Advice from Lama Zopa: A Thousand Benefits
- Aspiration
- Begin Again
- Everything’s Local in the Global Community
- Further Explorations
- Giving Negativity a Body Blow
- Langri Tangpa’s Eight Verses for Training the Mind
- Life in a plaster cast
- Maitreya Project Heart Shrine Relic Tour
- Maitreya Project: Setting the Record Straight
- Making Merit
- Mind Training, The Tibetan Tradition of Mental and Emotional Cultivation: Part II
- Monsoon Meditation
- Society or the Individual
- Tantra Comes from Buddha
- Thanksgiving Report from Lama Zopa Rinpoche
- The Tenth Course
- The Works of Geshe Jampa Gyatso at Pomaia
- April
- A Letter from a Student to Lama Zopa
- A Truthful Heart
- A Year in the Life of FPMT
- Art as Dharma
- Berni Kohnen
- Dealing with Feelings
- Emergency Buddhism: Part II
- Essential Life Practices
- Flexible Retreats: How to Retreat from our own Delusions
- Graduation Time!
- Henry Lau
- Lama the Businessman
- Manis by the Millions
- On the Environment and Meditation
- Ready, Set, Go!
- Shifting the Attitude: Embracing Community
- The Evolution of the Virtual Thangka
- The Importance of Lam-rim and the War Against Delusions
- The Tara Institute Healing Meditation Program
- What Is a Root Guru?
- June
- A Nation in the Spotlight
- An Appeal to the World from His Holiness the Dalai Lama
- Beatrice Ribush: Special Tribute from Lama Zopa Rinpoche
- Choden Rinpoche Touches Hearts of Prisoners, Officers and Staff in Australia
- Compassion for a Killer
- Conversation without End
- Establishing a Firm Foundation: International Mahayana Institute (IMI)
- Lama Yeshe’s American College “Experewence”
- Leading Chinese Intellectuals Speak Out
- Letter from the Publisher
- Life at Sera Je
- Maitri’s Microcosm
- Obituaries
- Prayers from Kopan
- Robert Thurman on the Situation Inside Tibet
- Summer Days at a Kids’ Camp
- Support His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Tibet
- The Caves of Maratika
- The Dharamsala Experience
- The Perfect Altar
- Where Waves and Water Are One
- Who Am I, Really?
- Why We Love War
- Yangsi Rinpoche on the Need for a Plan
- An Interview with Ven. Professor Samdhong Rinpoche
- August
- 2008 International Sangha Prayers for World Peace
- A Blessing for Marine Life
- About Prayer: A Retreat
- Accentuating the Positive
- And My First Question Is …
- Becoming Maitreya
- Cleaning the Whole Mirror
- FPMT Puja Fund
- Geshe Lobsang Jamyang Reborn
- Long Life Puja for the Dalai Lama: A Student’s Experience
- Mexican Dharma Celebration
- Mouse in the House!
- New Abbot at Nalanda Monasteiy
- Obituaries
- On the Importance of Meditation
- Ordination: Caught Between Two Cultures
- Powerful Ceremonies
- Pujas by the People
- The Abbot: When East Meets West
- The Benefits of Namgyälma Mantra
- The Dharma of Politics: Adventures in Interdependence
- The Monks at Nalanda Monastery in France
- October
- ‘Why Does the Buddha Wear Lipstick?’
- 16 Guidelines for Happy Families
- A Great Adventure for Teens
- A Volunteer’s Experience in Bodhgaya
- Buddha’s Café
- California Mud
- Camp for Teens
- Compassion through Art
- Dharma in My Life
- Dog-tired at a Nyung-nä
- First Encounters
- Glorious Italian Days and Nights
- I’m Really Not There
- It’s Cool to Be Kind
- Kadampa Center’s New Building is Consecrated
- My Root Guru: Lamp on the Path to Enlightenment
- Obituaries
- Peace Begins with You and Me: LKPY Turns One
- Rare and Important Manuscripts Found in Tibet
- Reaching Out to the Young
- Relying on the Guru
- Sitting at School: The Case for Contemplative Education
- The Last Hurrah
- The Reasons for Studying the Four Noble Truths
- Three Turnings of the Wheel of the Dharma
- To Be Truly Free
- Wheel-Turning Day World-Wide Recitation of the King of Glorious Sutras Sublime Golden Light
- Winning Gold
- February
- Mandala for 2007
- February
- A Dharma King Takes Shape: The origins of Buddhist Art
- Contemptible Dreams, Remarkable Rinpoches
- Fur and Feathers and Other Sentient Beings
- How Khedrup Je Became Entrusted with the Tooth-relic
- Lama, the ad-man
- Liberation for our Brother and Sister Animals
- Loving Kindness Photo Contest: First Winner
- More River than Rinpoche
- The case for not eating our friends
- When Tibetans Found Their Voice: Tibetan Buddhist Philosophy from 1200-1600
- April
- “Ask a Lama” Revisited
- 12 Ways to Create Good Karma
- A Last Letter from Lama Yeshe
- A Remarkable Feat by Extraordinary Men: The Western Geshe in Two Acts
- A Room Full of Role Models: The Geshe Conference in Sarnath
- A Young Monk Runs Away: The Humble Beginnings of a Legendary Geshe
- Be Careful What You Wish For …
- Building the Land of Kalachakra
- Ideas to Make Life Better
- Lama the Environmentalist and Art Teacher
- Loving Kindness Photo Contest: Second Winner
- Masters in Our Midst
- Mystic Tibet: An Outer, Inner and Secret Pilgrimage
- Other Titles in Tibetan Buddhism
- Radical Solutions for Transforming Problems into Happiness.
- The Four Subscripts, Continued
- The Master from the New Generation – Geshe Thubten Sherab
- The Rise of the Geshe-ma
- To help oneself – or others? That is the question
- Transforming Desire into Wisdom with Vajrayogini
- Vajrayogini Retreat Explained
- What Does a Geshe Do for a Center?
- What is a Geshe?
- June
- ‘Anyone Can Be a Buddha’
- A Breath of Fresh Air
- A Clear and Knowing Mind
- A Stone Made of Heart
- About Doubt
- Architecture of the Mind
- Clarifying the Status of the “Geshema” Degree
- Garden of Enlightenment
- How to Establish a Daily Meditation Routine
- In Another Person’s Shoes
- Lama Learns to Drive
- Loving Kindness Peaceful Youth: The Beginning
- Loving Kindness Photo Contest: Third Winner
- Molting
- Motherhood as a Path to Realization
- Obituaries
- Subscripts Concluded and Word Order
- The Dharamsala Experience
- The Real Chöd Practice
- The Value of Study
- Vegetarianism: A Healthy Debate
- Venture into the Interior
- Young Tulkus Give Contemporary Advice
- August
- What Exactly Is Merit?
- A Journalist Undone
- A Venture in Real Estate
- An Introduction to Tibetan Prefixes
- Buddhist Monastics Get Together
- Developing Wisdom
- Economics and the Dharma: Coming to Realize That All Profit Is Loss
- Green Tara Rising
- How to Be a Happy Meditator
- Integrating Ngondro into your Daily Meditation
- Kurukulla: A Work in Progress
- Loving Kindness Peaceful Youth
- Obituaries
- Please Recite the Golden Light Sutra for World Peace
- The Baby Minder’s Preliminary and Purification Practice
- The Benefits of Wearing Robes
- The Compassion and Wisdom Knowledge Base
- The Foundation of All Good Qualities
- The Soothing of Madness and Sorrow
- The Way to Meditate: The Importance of Mindfulness
- Tibetan Cooking
- October
- A Water Bowl Marathon
- About Connecting with a Teacher
- Achieving Inner Happiness Through Meditation
- Bhutan’s Velvet Revolution in Reverse
- Dalai Lama Urges Introduction of Bhikshuni Vows into Tibetan Tradition
- Eight Hundred Words on Education
- Getting to Know the Four Schools of Tibetan Buddhism
- Heart Advice of Achos Rinpoche
- Heart to Heart
- How to Garden Without Killing
- How to Let Go
- In Praise of Silence
- Kim’s Lama: Spiritual Quest in Kipling’s Novel
- Lama Yeshe and the Sand Tray
- Nepal Sanctuary for Animals Underway
- Obituaries
- Suffixes and Finding the Root Letter of a Syllable
- Teaching the Language of an Ancient Culture in a Modern World
- The Importance of Human Affection and Love
- The Iron-Bridge Man
- What is Anger?
- Will All the Volunteers Please Stand Up?
- December
- Dalai Lama receives highest honor from the US
- Disappointment and Delight: The eight worldly concerns
- Each Faith Enhances the Other
- Lo-jong Mind training, the Tibetan tradition of mental and emotional cultivation: Part I
- Making friends with money
- Meanings and Meditation
- Nurturing baby bodhisattvas to stop the rot
- Our Relationship to Resources
- Recognizing and supporting the Sangha community
- Thank You and Rejoice!
- February
- Mandala for 2006
- February
- Advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche
- Getting to the Cushion: Temporary Ordination at Gampo Abbey
- Keeping It in the Family
- Kindle Now the Dharma’s Light
- Letting Go of Fear and Trembling Takes Courage
- Maitreya Project on track
- Monsters (Un)incorporated
- Obituaries
- On a Wing and a Prayer
- The Dream: One Thousand Maitreya Statues
- Universal Compassion and Wisdom for Peace
- April
- June
- August
- Altruism versus Co-dependency
- Buddhism in Latin America
- Following the Eightfold Path in the exercise yard
- Found in translation: A compassionate heart
- Journey to Sikkim
- Letter from Bodhgaya: Monastic Economics
- Milarepa: The Movie
- MILAREPA: TIBET’S GREAT MYSTIC
- SERVICE BY ANOTHER NAME …
- Stepping into the Abyss: Experiences on Retreat
- October
- Ask a Lama: Celebrating all the traditions
- Confessions of a Buddhist Environmental Activist
- Dealing with Grief
- Eco-Ethics: Engaging in the Practice of Compassion
- ENGAGED REALISM
- How Prayer Can Help: Reciting the Sutra of Golden Light
- Letter from Bodhgaya: Arboreal antidote to an inconvenient truth
- Peace promoter honored
- Reducing your Ecological Footprint
- The Giving Tree: A voice for the singing river
- THE PRACTICE OF GURU PADMASAMBHAVA THAT SAVES FROM EARTH DANGER
- Vipassana: The Mindfulness-Awareness Meditation
- What Does Al Gore Know that Everyone Should Know?
- Whirlwind Down Under: Lama Zopa Rinpoche in Australia and New Zealand
- Blessing the World’s Waterways
- December
- A Summer in Kenya
- An intensive meditation experience for teenagers Five-day retreat at Land of Medicine Buddha, California, December 27 to January 1
- Building a monastery
- Calling all young photographers. Win prizes!
- Materialism of the Gaps
- Mongolia: Dalai Lama urges shared responsibility
- Of Siberian Cranes and Broken Worlds
- Preliminary Practices by the Zillion
- The Spirit of Christmas: SILENT MIND, HOLY MIND
- Using Meditation to Gain Knowledge of Mental Reality
- Where Are All the Western Geshes?
- February
- Mandala for 2005
- February
- “Universal Education” Dharma for the 21st Century
- According to Je Tsongkhapa
- FPMT Masters Program: The Graduates
- Letter from Bodhgaya: Travels with my father
- Life as a Monk
- New FPMT College Planned
- Rock climbing without arms:
- Study Versus Meditation: Do they complement or compete with your practice?
- Tibetan art unfurled
- Tushita: The Place of Joy
- April
- Buddhism in the Family: Dealing with the “Terrible Twos”
- Letter from Bodhgaya How wonderful it would be if…
- Nam-tok: The hallucinatory bubble
- Science and Buddhism: Measuring Success in Meditation
- Science and Buddhism: Studying Compassion
- The Dharma of Sitting
- Tsunami disaster: Children helping children
- Tsunami disaster: Potowa Center helps the victims
- June
- Albert Einstein and the Dalai Lama
- From News Roundup: Making a difference in the courts of law
- Integrating Tibetan and Western Medicine in the Treatment of Anxiety
- Is Nothing Sacred? The Truth about Emptiness
- Personal experiences in healing rLung
- Spirituality and Work: Antonyms or Synonyms?
- The Mathematical Proof of Emptiness
- The Point Is to Practice
- August
- October
- December
- February
- Mandala for 2004
- Mandala for 2003
- March
- A Celebration of the Feminine
- Celebrating the Feminine in Buddhism
- Creating the Work You Love
- Finding Larger Truths for Peace
- Giving Birth to Healthy Life
- Possibilities for Contemporary Buddhist Living
- Romancing a River
- Speaking to Create Harmony
- Taming Your Wild Elephant-like Mind
- The Attendant Who Pledged Her Life
- The Dharmic Politician
- The Face of Buddha in Mongolia
- The Girlfriend with a Lama
- The Inner Activist
- The Working Woman
- Turning Rage to Love
- When Clothes Make the Nun
- When Does a Stem Cell Become a Human Being?
- When Loneliness Is Your Closest Friend
- You Are Not a Buddhist Missionary!
- June
- September
- Advice for Western Practitioners
- Beginnings: History in the making
- Buddhist Psychology? Buddhism is Psychology
- Conversations with a Nun: Opening the Prison Door
- Reflections on the importance of arousing Bodhicitta
- The challenge: Kids and their ‘stuff’
- The living likeness of Lama Thubten Yeshe
- The more things change …
- The Secret of Happiness
- To debate or not to debate: That is the question
- December
- A Cheerful Face on Death
- A grief observed
- Advice on Long Retreats
- An interview with Yangsi Rinpoche
- History in the Making
- How to Prepare for and Not Be Afraid of Death
- Parenting as a Path
- Science and Buddhism Meet with His Holiness the Dalai Lama
- Trust and Mistrust
- Who are we really, and to whom do we pray?
- March
- Mandala for 2002
- March
- An Engaged Military
- An Extraordinary Modern-Day Milarepa: The Life and Death of Geshe Lama Konchog
- Coming to Terms with “God”
- Dealing with Depression
- Embracing Anger
- Good Life, Good Death
- Ground Zero
- Heaven, Earth, and Mankind Luck
- Holy Wars in Buddhism and Islam: The Myth of Shambhala
- Letting Go of Codependency
- Life Among the Ruins
- Mandala for Universal Peace
- Natural Born Buddhist
- Open Letter to a President
- Revenge is Far From Sweet
- Shalom! A Letter from Jerusalem
- Stanger, Enemy, Friend
- The Case of the Dirty Debutante
- Transforming Problems into Happiness
- Unbearable Compassion
- War and Peace in Tibetan Buddhism
- Why Worry?
- June
- A Healthy Relationship
- A Korean Holiday
- A Teacher’s Responsibility
- A Word from Lama
- Art Sets Kids Free
- Capturing a Living Likeness
- Counsels from My Heart
- First Assemble the Ingredients
- First, assemble the ingredients
- Garuda Rising
- Grappling with the Guru Principle
- Hi-Tech Volunteers
- Just Get On With It!
- Mos and Other Conundrums
- Out of the Mouths of Young Monks
- Relationship with the teacher
- Spiritual Authority, Genuine and Counterfeit
- Students Speak
- The guru as Buddha —or like Buddha?
- The Harmony of Retreat
- The Sounds of Silence
- Thinking Like a Thief
- Trials and Joys of a Disciple
- Wake Up Call
- Working with the Western Mind
- Zen Moments of Truth
- September
- A Garden’s Teaching
- A Jewish-Buddhist Encounter
- A Liberating Corner of a Prison
- Advice for Retreat Practice
- An Ecological Challenge
- Bearing Witness
- Bön and Benedictine
- Dharma in the Workplace
- Do Good Bosses Lead – Or Just Manage?
- Eva’s Good Heart Pillows
- Gethsemani: The Conversation Continues
- Inner City Haven
- Love and Freedom
- Making Peace with Our Inner Family
- Meditation in the Workplace
- Misunderstandings
- Non-Gardening in a Rainforest
- Science to Prove Benefits of Compassion
- Spirit in business
- Spirit in Business: an Oxymoron?
- Start the Day Right
- Stupa: The Mind of a Buddha
- Symbols of the Enlightened Mind
- The Beauty and Benefits of Offering Flowers
- The Calvert Community
- The Simple Art of Meditation
- The Twins: Faith and Doubt
- The Way of the Ani Yunwiwa
- Tibetan Must Preserve Their Culture
- Very Young Practitioners
- Why am I doing this?
- Why Am I Doing This?
- Wise Women Healing
- December
- A Light-filled Day for Lama Tsongkhapa
- A Month in Shangri-la
- Bad Boy Miller
- Comfortable with Uncertainty
- Flexibility
- From Lama Zopa’s Letter to His Holiness the Dalai Lama
- Inner and Outer Disarmament
- Pilgrimage to Tibet
- Please, Ma’am!
- Relics Explained by Lamas
- Relics on Tour
- Safe Sex and Healthy Babies
- Stitching a Culture Back Together
- The Bliss of Practice
- The Case of the Talkative Traveler
- The Future of Tibet
- The Habit of War and Suffering
- The Secret Life of Power Places
- Unlearning Hate
- March
- Mandala for 2001
- March
- June
- A sacred trek round Mount Kailash
- Cutting to the Chase
- Dharma teachers: seven years in the making
- Emptiness on My Mind
- Keanu Reeves on the small screen
- Maha Dalai Lama (Great Dalai Lama)
- Mastering the art of ‘masterful coaching’
- The Fourteen Dalai Lamas: A Sacred Legacy of Reincarnation
- The Inner Realizations of the Dalai Lama
- The power in the stories we tell ourselves
- What is Dharma?
- Who are you and where can you be found?
- Who is making this decision anyway?
- September
- A Vehicle for Realization
- Band-aids, baby-sitting or real Buddhadharma?
- Dakinis: healers of our gender scars
- Freedom from the ego mind
- Monasticism in the 21st Century
- Monasticism in the 21st Century
- The 12 Deeds of Shakyamuni Buddha
- The benefits of cherishing others
- The Lies Our Minds Tell Us
- The Master’s Voice
- The puzzle of relationship
- Those who teach, learn
- Training the mind while training the body
- December
- Addicted? Who, Me?
- Behave yourself. You are being watched
- Buddhism in Action
- A Fortunate Life
- A Heart for Dying Children
- A Nurse Finds Right Livelihood
- A Teacher Helps Kids ‘Reach for Peace’
- A Thousand Letters
- Aid for AIDS Victims
- Altruism in a Maid’s Uniform
- An Italian in Wonderland
- Behave Yourself. You are Being Watched.
- Bodhisattva in Training
- Care for the Dying in Singapore
- Computers in the Slums
- Freedom Inside Prison
- From Mozart to Mongolia
- Healing the Scars of Sexual Abuse
- I Would Ride 500 Miles – Or More
- Keeping the Balance
- Looking into the Mirror of Death
- Nun Helps Air Force Cadets to Stay Grounded
- Roshi on the Frontlines
- Senior Wisdom
- Soup Kitchens and Ban the Bomb
- The Bean Counter Who Works for Free
- The Freelance Lama: Thubten Dorje Lakha Lama
- The Healing Power of Meditation
- The Intimacy of Dying
- The Toe Tag of Tenderness
- Walk a Mile in My Shoes
- Word Power: A Journo’s Story
- Computers in the Slums
- Dharma for Modern Life
- Interview – Why Buddhism?
- News Roundup
- Nun helps Air Force cadets to stay grounded
- Sharing the benefits of a Christmas feast
- The Attitude Behind Social Service
- The Dharma of Dancing
- The freelance lama
- The Warm Heart
- Trading the Good Life for a Better One
- Vikramashila, Ancient Seat of Tantric Buddhism
- World Peace
- Mandala for 2000
- January
- How a Person Enters into the Mother’s Womb
- Cecilia Berranger, France
- Colin Crosbie, Australia
- Death of a Son
- Ecie Hursthouse, New Zealand
- Geshe Gelek Chodak
- In Mongolia, “It is now physically very hard but easier mentally.”
- Jacie Keeley, United States
- Janet Brooke, United States
- Journey to Realms Beyond Death
- Lama Ösel’s News
- Letter from Ulaanbaatar
- Maria Torres, Spain
- Mary Grace Lentz, United States
- Monks and Nuns of the FPMT: Ven. Yeshe Gyatso
- Naresh and Antonella Mathur, India
- Panchen Otrul Rinpoche’s Fourth Visit to Mongolia
- Peter Kedge, Canada
- Rocio Arreola, Mexico
- Salim Lee, Australia
- The Passing Scene: January-February 2000
- The Reawakening of Buddhadharma in Mongolia
- Vajra Brothers and Sisters Have a Say: Giving Life to a Statue of the Buddha
- March
- A Day in the Life of an FPMT Lama: Geshe Thubten Chonyi
- Attachment: The Biggest Problem on Earth
- Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche Uses Film for Seeing Reality
- His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s New Millennium Message
- Journey to Realms Beyond Death
- Lama Osel “Eager for the Study of Buddhism”
- Lama Ösel’s News
- Maitreya Project Hosts Twelve Thousand People for Teachings of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Bodhgaya
- My First Meeting with Lama Yeshe
- Other Lamas: His Holiness Jigdal Dagchen Sakya
- Proceeds of Sale of Videos of Australian Documentary Film to Benefit Milarepa Prison Project
- Tha Passing Scene: March-April 2000
- The Beginnings of Lama Yeshe’s Work in the West
- The Biography of a Buddha
- The Blossoming of Blue Lotuses
- The Sign of a Real Lama
- The Unimaginable Qualities of Lama Yeshe’s Body, Speech and Mind
- Thousands “Genuinely Delighted” to Celebrate the New Millennium at the Bodhgaya Stupa
- Vajra Brothers and Sisters Have a Say: Terry Griffith-Ladner
- May
- How a Doctor-Lama Manifests as the Medicine Buddha
- Mental and Physical Illness Can Be Caused by Spirits
- Practicing the Art of Tibetan Buddhist Healing
- Spirit Influence Is the Result of Karma from the Person’s Previous Lives
- Successful Treatment of AIDS, Cancer and other Diseases by Tibetan Medicine
- The Passing Scene: May-June 2000
- Vajra Brothers and Sisters Have a Say: Carleen Gonder
- Ven. Lobsang Rinchen
- July
- September
- A Lama Comes of Age
- A new generation of Tibetan lamas
- Competition or Compassion?
- Competition or Compassion?
- Countering Violence in Colombia
- Give Peace a Dance
- Keeping cultures alive in exile: Tibetan children go to Israel
- Mandalas as Tools for Peace
- MindTrip
- Peace on this planet is in the hands of young people
- PeaceJam
- Six thousand Oregon Teenagers to meet His Holiness the Dalai Lama
- November
- January
- Older Archives
- Mandala for 1999
- January
- March
- 150 People Experience the Joy of Serving
- Advice from Shantideva: “Please Become a Kind Person”
- Australian and New Zealand Geshes Enjoy Themselves in Laid-back Subtropical Queensland
- Education Fund Supports Talent and Creative Initiative
- FPMT European Geshes Meet in London: A Conference with a Difference
- Geshe Jampel Senge
- Helping to Make Things Better
- His Holiness the Dalai Lama Teaches on Shantideva in Bodhgaya
- Home Truths: March-April 1999
- Lama Osel’s News
- Nalanda: A New Building to House Forty Monks
- New Education Services for FPMT Centers
- Stupa of Universal Compassion: Re-creating a Building Designed in the Fifteenth Century to Last for 1,000 Years
- That is My Home, My Home is Up There
- The Lawudo Lama Returns
- The Passing Scene: March-April 1999
- Useful Meeting
- Ven. Thubten Samphel
- May
- A Buddhist Approach to Mental Illness
- Gelek Rinpoche
- Home Truths: May-June 1999
- How to Deal with “Meditator’s Disease”
- Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva
- Lama Ösel’s News
- Sam-Lo Geshe Kelsang
- The Making of a Buddha
- The Passing Scene: May-June 1999
- The Power of the Human Heart: Transforming Asia’s Biggest Prison
- The Practice of Ksitigarbha to Avert Danger and Purify Obstacles
- Ven. Thubten Khadro
- July
- Accompanying Children to Their Death
- Changing Suffering into Happiness
- Changing Suffering into Happiness: Andrew Vahldieck, USA
- Changing Suffering into Happiness: Elea Redel, France
- Changing Suffering into Happiness: Isabel Amorim, Brazil
- Changing Suffering into Happiness: Skye Banning, Australia
- Home Truths: July-August 1999
- Ven. Marcel Bertels
- September
- A Day in the Life of Western Monks at Sera Je
- Advice from the Virtuous Friend, His Holiness the Dalai Lama
- Chime Lama
- Fifty People Successfully Complete First Five-year Course of Basic Program in the Netherlands
- Geshe Acharya Thubten Loden
- Home Truths: September-October 1999
- How St. Francis Lost Everything and Found his Way
- Journey to Realms beyond Death
- Lama Ösel’s News
- Receiving the Blessings of Chenrezig Himself
- Reclaiming Life on Death Row
- The Passing Scene: September-October 1999
- Vajra Brothers and Sisters Have a Say: September-October 1999
- November
- Believing in Social Justice Principles
- Feng-shui: Tai-chi for the Environment
- Geshe Doga
- Geshe Yeshe Tobden
- Gomang Khensur Kelsang Thapkey Rinpoche
- Helping Others with a Good Motivation is Dharma Practice
- Home Truths: November-December 1999
- In Praise of Dorje Den, Lama Yeshe’s Dog
- Kirti Tsenshab Rinpoche Honored by Mexican Indians
- Lama Ösel’s News
- Lama Yeshe Losal
- The Passing Scene: November-December 1999
- Unashamedly Beautiful Housing for Melbourne’s Elderly Homeless
- Ven. Tenzin Jangsem
- Wintringham Wins World Habitat Award
- Mandala for 1998
- January
- “Surprise and joy”
- Bad and Good Depend on the Individual Person’s Interpretation
- Choosing a Life Without Attachment
- Colors of the Dharma:
- Fulfilling a Lifelong Calling to Heal Leprosy
- Fund-Raising Event in Singapore Attended by 5,500
- Geshe Lobsang Dorje
- Home Truths
- Lama Osel’s News
- Letter to Lama Zopa from the Staff of FPMT International Office
- Maitreya Project Gaining Momentum
- New Director of FPMT International Office
- Putting Compassion into Action
- The Keeper of Lawudo
- The Passing Scene
- Tibetan Monk-Scholar Visits Taiwan to Research the Chinese Bhikshuni Tradition
- Transforming Hardships into Realizations
- When We Study Buddhism We Study Ourselves
- March
- A Blissful Festival of Dharma
- Geshe Tenzin Tenphel
- Home Truths: March-April 1998
- Lama Osel’s News
- Monks Walk through Asia for Inner Peace/World Peace
- On Pilgrimage with Ribur Rinpoche and Lama Zopa Rinpoche
- The Benefits of the Existence of Statues and of Making Statues
- The Blessings of Chenrezig Himself: the Guarantee of Future Success
- The Hermit of the Pyrenees
- The Passing Scene: March-April 1998
- The Purpose of Religion
- Twenty Thousand People Attend Teachings in Bodhgaya by His Holiness the Dalai Lama
- Wutaishan’s Natural Wonder, the Sky-Gazing Great Buddha
- May
- Empowering the Homeless Youth of San Francisco
- Everything Comes from the Mind
- Home Truths: May-June 1998
- Khensur Lobsang Thubten Rinpoche
- Lama Ösel’s News
- Looking into the Future
- Loving Oneself
- The Compassion and Vastness of the Minds of the Lamas
- The Passing Scene: May-June 1998
- Using Your Mind Can Be Fun
- July
- Aaron Morrison, 23, American
- Aida Rius, 19, Spanish
- Angela Furio, 18, Spanish
- Arturo, 22, Mexican
- Christopher Kelley, 24, American
- Felicity Keeley, 11, American
- Fong Huey Yee, 18, Singaporean
- Holly, 12, and Greenfield Nguyen, 14, Vietnamese-American
- Home Truths: July-August 1998
- Jasmilhe Uchitsubo, 16, Japanese
- Jesse Tate Wistreich, 20, English
- Josephine Ross, 15, Australian
- Kalu Davis, 15, Australian
- Kim Tate Wistreich, 11, English
- Lama Tenzin Osel Rinpoche, 13, Spanish
- Lama Yeshe Talks to His Monks and Nuns
- Lungtog Rinpoche, 13, Chinese
- Marlon Vassallo, 20, Italian
- Melissa Carlisle, 23, Singaporean
- Moana Strom, 15, American
- Sangha Shouldn’t Pay
- Shannon Kincaid, 21, American
- The Passing Scene: July-August 1998
- Tom Andrews, 15, Australian
- Ven. Lozang Chodzin, 25, New Zealander
- Ven. Tenzin Chhime (Ven. Holly Ansett), 23, Australian
- Ven. Thubten Dagme, 20, American
- September
- January
- Mandala for 1997
- January
- A Celebration of Kindness: The Dalai Lama in New Zealand
- A Tibetan Pilgrimage
- A Vision for the Future
- Building Bridges
- Educating Monks and Nuns
- From Here to Enlightenment: Education Sentient Beings
- Geshe Ngawang Dakpa
- Home Truths: January-February 1997
- How to Attract People to the Dharma Centers
- Implementing the Basic Program of Buddhist Studies
- Lama Osel’s News
- Not All Who Wander Are Lost
- Teaching
- The Passing Scene: January-February 1997
- What Tibetans Do with their Dead
- March
- May
- Geshe Tsulga
- Home Truths: May-June 1997
- Kopan Monastery: A New Era for Kathmandu Center
- Kopan Monastery: Coming Home
- Kopan Monastery: Kopan the Mother
- Kopan Monastery: The Wellspring of FPMT
- Kopan Monastery’s New Gompa: Loved, Lived in and Full of Dharma
- Lama Osel’s News
- Mogchok Rinpoche Arrives at Nalanda
- Relating to Your Path
- Remembering Death
- The Passing Scene: May-June 1997
- Training Tibetan Translators
- July
- Anger
- Attachment: The Biggest Problem on Earth
- Climbing a Mountain with Both Hands
- Facing the Disharmony within Ourselves: Making Dharma Centers Work
- Going Beyond Hope and Fear
- Home Truths: July-August 1997
- Khensur Kangurwa Lobsang Thubten Rinpoche
- Lama Ösel’s News
- Many Ways to Work with the Mind
- Mongolian Renaissance
- The Passing Scene: July-August 1997
- Letter from a Meditator
- September
- A Day in the Life of an FPMT Lama
- Death, Intermediate State and Rebirth
- Give Your Ego the Wisdom Eye
- Home Truths: September-October 1997
- How to Benefit the Dying and the Dead
- Journeying Skillfully from Life to Life
- Looking Forward to Death
- Nine Ways to Help the Dying
- The Passing Scene: September-October 1997
- We Die as We Live
- November
- A Day in the Life of an FPMT Lama
- Beauty is in the “I” of the Beholder
- Buddhism Breaks into Prison
- Finding Freedom: Practicing Dharma in Prison
- His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the “eternal optimist”
- Home Truths: November-December 1997
- Lama Osel’s News
- Lama Zopa on the Road in America
- Letters from Prison: J.W. Johnson
- Letters from Prison: Jimmy Tribble
- Letters from Prison: Milo Rusimovic
- Letters from Prison: Paul Dewey
- Letters from Prison: Timothy Haremza
- Maitreya Project tackles the engineering challenges involved in building a statue to last for 1000 years
- Ode to John Schwartz
- Prisoners
- Searching for a Way to Leave No One Behind: The Transformation of a Mexican Gangster
- Searching for a Way to Leave No One Behind: The Transformation of a Mexican Gangster
- The Passing Scene: November-December 1997
- Thirty people to start seven-yearFPMT Master’s Program
- Writings from Death Row
- January
- Mandala for 1996
- January
- Reversing the Energy of Addiction
- The Passing Scene: January-February 1996
- A New Generation of Young Lamas
- Geshe Losang Tengye
- Home Truths: January-February 1996
- The Great Stupa of Australia
- The Benefits of Building Stupas
- The Magnificent Legacy of Rabten Kunsang
- He Is My Guru and I Am Going With Him
- Reflections on a Guru/Disciple Relationship
- Lama Osel’s News
- March
- May
- July
- September
- “Seeking joy and freedom from sufferingis the birthright of all beings”
- A Longing to Change
- A Monastery to Last until Maitreya Comes
- Buddhist Monks and Nuns: A Community of White Crows
- Chenrezig Nuns: Harmoniously Growing
- Geshe Tashi Tsering
- Home Truths: September-October 1996
- IMI Communities: Nalanda is Reborn
- Italian Monks and Nuns in ‘Precarious Equilibrium’
- Lama Osel’s News
- Ordination, Who? Me?
- Taiwanese Sangha
- The Benefits of Being Monks and Nuns
- The Passing Scene: September-October 1996
- Tibetan Geshe Offers Money to Help Western Sangha
- Western Monks and Nuns: Taking Care of Our Own Reality
- With Vows, You Don’t Do The Ordinary
- November
- A Day in the Life of an FMPT Lama: Geshe Thubten Dawa
- Beyond Extraordinary: His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Australia
- Dalai Lama Gives to Charity the $750,000 Offered to Him
- Geshe Lhundup Sopa
- Home Truths: November-December 1996
- Lama Osel’s News
- The Compassion Buddha is no other than Your Holiness
- The Making of the Universe
- The Passing Scene: November-December 1996
- January
- Mandala for 1995
- Mandala for 1992
- Mandala for 1990
- April
- Bringing it Home … to the land of Abraham Lincoln and Mickey Mouse
- Creating the Causes: Special Advice on the Guru Shakyamuni Puja from Lama Zopa Rinpoche
- FPMT, Not Just for the West
- Is Stability the Goal?
- It Takes Time
- Leprosy in Bodhgaya: A Long Way to Go
- Membership Provides Stability
- On Becoming Vegetarian
- To Wear Pain Like an Ornament
- October
- April
- Mandala for 1989
- April
- As a Monk in the World
- Excerpts from an Interview of Piero Cerri
- His Holiness the Dalai Lama Speaks on the 30th Anniversary of the Tibetan Uprising – March 10, 1989
- His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s Message to the WCRP
- Life in a Residential City Center
- My First Retreat
- Putting into Practice
- Remember the Guru’s Kindness
- The Meaning of Vezak Day
- The Tantric Way in Daily Life
- Transforming Motherhood into the Path
- October
- April
- Mandala for 1988
- April
- A Talk about Nalanda
- An Interview with Tenzin Palmo
- Chronicle of a Special Child
- Focus on Full Ordination for Buddhist Women
- It Isn’t “Out There” Anymore
- Lam-Rim: A Teaching by Geshe Jampa Tegchok
- Now Is the Time When Action is Practice
- Our First and Final Meeting with the Panchen Lama Who Passed Away on January 28, 1989
- Reflections from a New Bhikshuni
- The Twelve Links of Dependent Arising
- Universal Education: On Becoming One
- World Conference on Religion and Peace
- October
- April
- Mandala for 1987
- Mandala for 1984
- Wisdom #2 – 1984
- A Prayer for the Quick Return of Kyabje Ling Rinpoche
- A Prayer for the Quick Return of Tsenshab Serkong Rinpoche
- Extracts from a Mönlam Diary
- How to Let Go, How to Integrate Emptiness in Everyday Life
- Lama Thubten Yeshe, 1935-1984
- Making a Home for Future Nuns
- Nalanda Monastery
- Bodhichitta: The Perfection of Dharma
- They Can Change Their Minds and They Can Become More Harmonious
- We Should Be Very Harmonious and Try to Help Each Other
- Willing to Do Anything to Help
- Lama Was a Great Yogi
- A Prayer for the Kind Father Guru to Return Quickly
- Lama Zopa Rinpoche: One of the Young Lamas Who Is Special
- Our Heart Jewel, Our Wish-granting Gem
- The Activities That Lama Yeshe Performed Are the Activities of All Holy Beings
- Now Here Is a Real Yogi
- The Difference a Single Person Can Make
- Who Simply Breathed Goodness
- The Wind Moaning Down the Valley Is Your Breath
- Getting away from It All
- Teachers
- Journey to Spiti
- Short in Body but Tall in Knowledge
- Kyabje Yongdzin Ling Dorjechang
- Meetings: Opening Our Hearts to Each Other
- Kyabje Song Rinpoche
- Tsenshab Serkong Rinpoche
- Wisdom #2 – 1984
- Mandala for 1983
- Mandala for 1999
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*powered by Google TranslateTranslation of pages on fpmt.org is performed by Google Translate, a third party service which FPMT has no control over. The service provides automated computer translations that are only an approximation of the websites' original content. The translations should not be considered exact and only used as a rough guide.To put an end to our samsaric suffering, we must do two things: One is to purify the negative actions we’ve done every day of our lives and in our infinite previous lives as well. We also have to change our minds and actions and abstain from creating further negativities.