We call her Queen Vaidehi. Actually we do not know her name. At the time, twenty-five centuries ago, the word vaidehi probably meant a consort of the king, but she is now established as Queen Vaidehi. She was the mother of Ajatashattru. Ajatashattru
Read more…Who Loves Dies Well
Buddhism is often called a way of life. However, it can also be called a way of death. Many of the Buddhists I have met in Japan would regard it this way. The “great moment” is what really matters. All the rest is preparation, rea
Read more…vertaling van Dharmavidya David Brazier z'n talk van 26 april 2018
HET OUDSTE DUALISME
Er is een gebruikelijk idee in hedendaagse boeddhistische kringen, dat tenzij we geloven in fundamentele menselijke goedheid, alles verloren is. Ik dacht dat z
Read more…The Three Jewels are the heart of Buddhism. The three are the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. They are the foundation and core of the Buddhist religion. When one becomes a Buddhist one takes refuge in the Three Jewels. So what are they and what do
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It is enough to live a simple life of faith, but don’t miss the openings when they come. We are all more free than we think. There are different modes of faith that enable one to pass the gateless gate.
Shinjin: This primarily refers to the times whe
Read more…Vertaling in het nederlands van Dharmavidya's tekst:
De eerste zaligspreking van Jezus was: "Zalig zijn de armen van geest; want hun is het Koninkrijk der hemelen." We zouden kunnen zeggen: "hun is het Zuivere Land van Boeddha". Maar is in onze mo
On peut considérer que la psychologie bouddhiste constitue un remède contre l’addiction et l’obsession. L’addiction est officiellement définie comme un mode de comportement compulsif entraînant des symptômes déplaisants, si on est privé de sa dose.
Read more…Religion as a Vehicle
The Sanskrit word yana means vehicle. Buddhism is broadly divided into yanas. A yana may encompass a variety of denominations, orders or sects. Different yanas are characterised by some common broad orientation, so the term can
In this piece I would like to briefly restate my understanding of the Four Truths. This is already set out in my books The Feeling Buddha and Not Everything is Impermanent and will be familiar to those of my students who follow my work closely. It wi
Read more…Text: For those having a karmic affinity with Amitabha Buddha
COMMENTARY
For Whom
This text and the religious path it describes are "for those who have an affinity". This implies that they are not for everybody. For sure, everybody has a path and i
Read more…Publicado por David Brazier el 23 de marzo de 2018 en Discusiones Budistas
Actualmente, la idea de "estar en el aquí y ahora" está de moda. y considero que es un asunto verdaderamente interesante sobre el que reflexionar.
Aquí y ahora estoy sent
Read more…THE OLDEST DUALISM
There is an idea, common in contemporary Buddhist circles, that unless we believe in fundamental human goodness all is lost. I used to think so myself long ago. It seemed to be a good way of opposing some other notions current in o
OUTLINE
The medical metaphor is used a lot in Buddhist studies. The Buddha is sometimes referred to as “the great physician” curing the dis-eases of the world. The Four Truths which are fundamental to Buddhism - dukkha, samudaya, nirodha and marga -
Read more…Currently, the idea of “being in the here and now” is à la mode. and I find it a truly interesting matter to reflect upon.
Here and now I am sitting in the middle room in my house in France. The walls are white. The wood stove is black. Observations
Read more…A shrine is a sacred place where one can be in touch with the spirit of a sage or holy being. In Buddhism, the term shrine is used both for large temples dedicated to a Buddha, bodhisattva or other holy being as well as to the smallest home altar or
Read more…Il suffit de vivre une vie simple fondée sur la foi, mais ne passez pas à côté des ouvertures, si elles apparaissent. Nous sommes tous plus libres que nous ne le croyons. Il existe quatre modes différents de foi, nous permettant de franchir la porte
Read more…An Interesting Question
The Tien Tai patriarch Chih-I (also spelt Zhiyi, 538-597), who lived a century before Shan Tao, was asked the following question. A bodhisattva is supposed to be unselfish and altruistic. Yet bodhisattvas go to the Pure Land.
Read more…A Perennial Question
The question of faith and works is a longstanding religious debate. It is one of the main divides between Protestants and Catholics, for instance. Protestants, in principle, believe that faith in God’s love should be sufficient w
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