Review We have been going through the various stages for developing equanimity, equanimity specifically toward ourselves. This is a type of equanimity with which we have an even attitude toward ourselves: free from aversion (a negative attitude); free from attraction...

Review We began our discussion of how to equalize our attitudes about ourselves, with the aim of helping us to overcome disturbing emotions directed at ourselves. The strongest disturbing emotion for many of us is a feeling of low self-esteem and a negative attitude toward...

Introduction I would like to speak about a problem that is quite typical among Westerners, which is the problem of a negative attitude toward ourselves, low self-esteem. It can go even to the extreme of not only not liking ourselves, but even hating ourselves. It’s very...

A short overview of what we need to know about tantra and empowerments before we take the Kalachakra Initiation.

Defining Tantra in Terms of Basis, Path and Result I am delighted to be here and to have this opportunity to speak with you about approaching Vajrayana as a Westerner. This is always an interesting question. Is there really a difference between approaching it as a Westerner or...

The energy-winds of our minds give rise to appearances resembling holograms. Depending on the mental factors accompanying this appearance-making, the holograms may be of samsaric appearances or the nirvana-type appearances of a Buddha-figure.

The Dalai Lama looks at the major world religions, each having their own specialty. Through close contact in a globalized world, they can learn new things from each other and enrich their own traditions.

The Sanskrit and Tibetan classical Buddhist literature provides the source material for how to relate to a spiritual mentor. Most of the texts, however, explicitly refer only to the relationship with a tantric master. The main examples include Ashvaghosha's Fifty Stanzas on...

The Gelug interpretation of the issue of existent phenomena as validly knowable.

The Kyrgyz Conquest of Mongolia The Kyrgyz (Kirghiz) were originally a Mongolian people from the mountain forests of the present-day Altai and Tuva districts of southern Siberia north of Dzungaria. Some of their tribes also lived in the western reaches of the Tianshan Range to...