Understanding the Two Meanings of the Word “Tantra” The topic for this weekend is tantra, which is a very vast topic and sometimes a bit mysterious. However, with some understanding of what tantra is all about, then it’s no longer mysterious and it all makes tremendous amount...

Common Features of Tantra  Tantra is a type of practice which is found not only in Buddhism, but also in Hinduism and, to a small extent, also in Jainism, the three major Indian religions. When we want to look at what Buddhist tantra is all about, it’s very necessary, I...

Survey of the Misunderstanding One of the more perplexing and most easily misunderstood aspects of tantra is its imagery suggestive of sex, devil-worship, and violence. Buddha-figures often appear as couples in union and many have demonic faces, stand enveloped in flames, and...

Misunderstanding may arise from teachers or translators accidentally saying something incorrect.

Introduction The past, the present, and the future are important topics to study on the Buddhist path. This is because, for the purification of karma, it is helpful to understand the nature of past destructive actions that we have committed and their future karmic results....

The Thai Theravada System of Four Close Placements of Mindfulness Many people nowadays practice so-called “mindfulness meditation.” Mindfulness meditation is one adaptation of the Theravada practice of the four close placements of mindfulness. The Pali term for the close...

A look at the 32 major marks of a Buddha’s Sambhogakaya and Supreme Nirmanakaya forms according to different Mahayana texts.

An overview of dzogchen practices in Bon by the 33rd Menri Trizin.

An explanation of the main features of the Bon tradition by the 34th Menri Trizin, the current spiritual leader of Bon.

Introduction to the Four Noble Truths In this seminar, we will be looking at the sixteen aspects of the four noble truths. To attain liberation from uncontrollably recurring rebirth – in other words, liberation from samsara – and to attain the enlightened state of a Buddha, we...