New to Buddhism?

Get a short overview and practical advice.
Essentials
Honesty, Trust and Friendship
The 14th Dalai Lama
Friendship comes from sincere concern for the happiness of others.
What Is Compassion?
Dr. Alexander Berzin, Matt Lindén
An introduction to compassion, the heart of the Buddha's teachings.
What Is Karma?
Dr. Alexander Berzin, Matt Lindén
A concise explanation of karma from the Buddhist point of view.

Seeking a Deeper Understanding?

Learn more about Tibetan Buddhism.
Tibetan Buddhism
Letter to a Friend
Nagarjuna
Nagarjuna wrote this poem as a letter to his friend, King Gautamiputra, as advice on the practice of the entire Buddhist path leading to liberation for both householders and monastics.
Calming Down Thoughts
Dr. Alexander Berzin
Conceptual thought has many varieties. Some are useful and some detrimental in meditation and daily life.
Spread of Buddhism in Asia
Dr. Alexander Berzin
A short introduction to how Buddhism spread from its beginnings in northern India to become the major belief system across much of Asia.

Want to Go Further?

Explore more Buddhist topics in greater detail.
Advanced Studies
The Role of Happiness in Sutra and Tantra
Dr. Alexander Berzin
Learn about the nature of happiness and how we can strengthen and use it on the Buddhist path as a pathway mind leading to liberation and enlightenment.
Happiness and Unhappiness, Pleasure and Pain
Tsenshap Serkong Rinpoche II
A mental factor of physical or mental happiness or unhappiness can accompany the physical sensation of pleasure or pain.
Buddhist-Muslim Interaction: Early Abbasid Period
Dr. Alexander Berzin
The early period of the Abbasid Caliphate (750–840 CE) saw the translation of Buddhist texts into not only the languages of East Turkistan, but also into Turkic languages and even some into Arabic, as Islam slowly spread into West Turkistan.

Interviews

Read interviews with some of the world’s most esteemed Buddhist spiritual teachers and with scholars from various related disciplines.

Interview with Mingyur Rinpoche

Document
Interview with Venerable Dr. Chönyi Taylor
Matt Lindén
Venerable Chönyi Taylor explains how the Buddha was the first psychologist, why recognizing our interconnectedness is so important, and how to overcome addiction.
Document
Interview with Sulak Sivaraksa
Matt Lindén
Ajahn Sulak Sivaraksa discusses the importance of socially engaged Buddhism, why we shouldn’t spend all of our time meditating, and how to fight oppression.

Latest Content

Keep up to date with our most recent additions.
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A Personal Account of the Upbringing of Tsenshap Serkong Rinpoche II
Dr. Alexander Berzin
Dr. Berzin's role in the education of the reincarnation of his teacher.
Commentary on “Opening the Door to the Dharma” – Geshe Ngawang Dhargyey
Geshe Ngawang Dhargyey
All the Buddha’s diverse teachings, vehicles and traditions are skillful graded methods leading different beings to the same ultimate realization of liberation and enlightenment.
Opening the Door to the Dharma
Jamyang Khyentse Chokyi Lodro
This text by Jamyang Khyentse Chokyi Lodro presents an extensive overview of the Buddha’s teachings as organized into multiple vehicles, turnings of the wheel of Dharma and lineages.
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