Spiritual Teachers

The Dalai Lama’s view of a 21st-century Buddhist means having fuller knowledge about modern education and modern science, while having full conviction about Buddha’s teachings about limitless altruism, bodhichitta and the view of dependent arising.

The Tibetan word “damtsig,” “samaya” in Sanskrit, means “close bond.” It refers to practices that create a close bond between us and a Buddha-figure or our spiritual teacher.

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama’s Avalokiteshvara deity yoga practice focuses on the development and practice of compassion.

The “Guru Puja” – “Lama Chopa” in Tibetan – is a tantric practice, in the Gelug tradition, of making offerings to the spiritual master and includes a review of all the points of the combined sutra and tantra path to enlightenment

Our relationship with our teacher needs to be based on a firm conviction in our teacher’s good qualities.

A detailed look at the different meanings of the term “Sangha” in the various Buddhist traditions.

Unhealthy relationships between disciples and mentors can manifest in many ways, including overdependence on the mentor, not maintaining discriminating awareness or transference and regression as known in psychotherapy.

A summary of the main points that a group of senior Western Buddhist agreed upon as a result of the presentations and discussions with His Holiness the Dalai Lama during a conference in Dharamsala, March 1993.

Dr. Berzin reminisces about his relationship with his teacher, Geshe Ngawang Dhargyey.

Dr. Alexander Berzin, founder of the Berzin Archives, talks about his experiences of studying Buddhology in academia and practicing Buddhism in real life.