Thank you. I’m very happy and honored to be here today with all of you in Kalmykia, and especially to see so many young students. I had the great honor and privilege to know a great Kalmyk Geshe, Geshe Wangyal, and he was a great inspiration and a great guide for me at the...

Discover more works by Dr. Berzin

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

This bibliography was originally published as an appendix to Relating to a Spiritual Teacher: Building a Healthy Relationship (Ithaca, Snow Lion, 2000), reprint: Wise Teacher, Wise Student: Tibetan Approaches to a Healthy Relationship (Ithaca: Snow Lion, 2010), and published...

1 Advice on Sutra Practice Opening RemarksHomage to Manjughosha. May I always be cared for by (you,) the foremost of the peerless (Dharma) expounders. Your flawless knowledge and wisdom are unimpeded even concerning the subtlest points. This is due to your familiarization,...

Introduction Kalmykia is situated in the lower Volga-Don river basin, to the northwest of the Caspian Sea. There are 170,000 Kalmyks, and they constitute approximately half of the population of both the capital, Elista, which has a total population of 90,000, as well as the...

I prostrate to all the Triumphant (Buddhas) in the ten directions, together with their spiritual offspring. (1) May the boundless prayers I have offered with a pure, exceptional resolve to be able to free countless wandering beings from their compulsive existence be fulfilled...

This evening I’ve been asked to speak about the Guhyasamaja system of the highest class of tantra, anuttarayoga. My Background in Guhyasamaja Let me begin by telling you a little bit of the history of my own involvement with it. I first started studying the Guhyasamaja system...

"Buddhism in Kalmykia" Interview with Dr. Alexander Berzin Buddhism in Kalmykia: Hello, Professor Berzin. We’re glad to see you in the library of the Kalmyk Temple. We would like to listen to your memories about Geshe Wangyal. We know that Geshe Wangyal was our fellow...