New to Buddhism?

Get a short overview and practical advice.
Essentials
What Is Enlightenment?
Dr. Alexander Berzin, Matt Lindén
An introduction to enlightenment, the ultimate aim of following the Buddhist path.
Honesty, Trust and Friendship
The 14th Dalai Lama
Friendship comes from sincere concern for the happiness of others.
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
The Perfection of Concentration: Dhyanaparamita
Dr. Alexander Berzin
With far-reaching concentration, we’re able to stay perfectly focused while helping others and in all meditations for reaching enlightenment.
Life of Shakyamuni Buddha
Dr. Alexander Berzin
A look at the life, enlightenment and teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha, the founder of Buddhism.
Avoiding the Ten Destructive Actions
Dr. Alexander Berzin
A look at the ten destructive ways of behaving – actions that create our unhappiness – and how to avoid them.

Want to Go Further?

Explore more Buddhist topics in greater detail.
Advanced Studies
Explanation of Bodhichitta Actions for Training & Vows
Dr. Alexander Berzin
The development of bodhichitta progresses through various stages leading to the five types of trainings that prevent our development of bodhichitta from weakening in this life or in future lives.
Self-Sufficiently Knowable and Imputedly Knowable Objects
Dr. Alexander Berzin
All Indian Buddhist tenet systems, except Vaibhashika, agree that the validly knowable “me” is not a self-sufficiently knowable phenomenon, it is imputedly knowable.
Religious Conversion in Shambhala
Dr. Alexander Berzin
Many people, especially idealistic newcomers to Buddhism, would like to believe that Buddhism has been immune to the phenomenon of conversion.

Interviews

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

Interview with Telo Rinpoche

Document
Interview with Phra Anil Sakya
Matt Lindén
Phra Anil Sakya discusses the nature of dukkha, the role of the five precepts, and the Buddhist approach to death.
Document
Interview with the Nechung Oracle
Matt Lindén
Venerable Thupten Ngodup discusses the role of Dharma protectors in Buddhism, his experiences of going into trance, and the history of Nechung and Mongolia.

Latest Content

Keep up to date with our most recent additions.
Read more
Explanation of Dependent Arising of the Self in Terms of Relations with Others
Dr. Alexander Berzin
A detailed overview of the shared perspectives between Buddhist teachings on dependent arising and contextual therapy, highlighting how both can contribute to establishing healthy relationships.
Vipashyana Section of “Lam-rim chen-mo”: Identifying the Object to Be Refuted
Dr. Alexander Berzin
Tsongkhapa’s refutations of the positions that over-refute or under-refute the object to be refuted in vipashyana meditation on voidness.
Explanation of Mind and the Five Aggregates: Karma Kagyu
Dr. Alexander Berzin
The Karma Kagyu presentation of mind and the five aggregates, which clarifies the special approach of this Tibetan school to understanding mind, cognition and different types of nonstatic phenomena.
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