A Day in the Life of a Buddhist

Dr. Alexander Berzin, Matt Lindén

A brief look at the daily life of a Buddhist practitioner.

SEE Learning: A Training Program in Universal Values

Matt Lindén

A short overview of Emory University’s program for training in universal values.

Leading a Meaningful Life

The 14th Dalai Lama

Nurturing the basic human values, assisted with the use of intelligence, is the way to lead a meaningful life.

The Life of Tsongkhapa

Dr. Alexander Berzin

A portrait of the life and deeds of one of the most famous masters of Tibetan Buddhism.

Advice for Taking a Tantric Initiation

Dr. Alexander Berzin

The mechanism for how receiving an initiation prepares us for successful tantra practice.

Applying Emptiness When Stuck in Traffic

Dr. Alexander Berzin

Voidness, or emptiness, is the total absence of impossible ways of existing, such as self-established inherent existence, while mental labeling is how we account for the conventional existence of things as “this” or “that.”

Logical Pervasions between Objects

Dr. Alexander Berzin

An analysis of the pervasions among sets of ways of cognizing an object and among sets of forms of physical phenomena.

Basic Tenets of the Nyaya and Vaisheshika Schools

Dr. Alexander Berzin

The Vaisheshika and Nyaya schools share many features in common. Vaisheshika emphasizes the types of entities that exist, while Nyaya emphasizes the types of entities involved in cognizing and proving the existence of those entities.

Lorig: Ways of Knowing

Dr. Alexander Berzin

According to the Sautrantika tenet system, there are seven ways of knowing an object. To understand the seven in more detail, we first need to know what a way of knowing (“lorig” in Tibetan) is.

Interview with Geshe Namdak

Matt Lindén

Geshe Tenzin Namdak discusses the challenges of completing the 20-year Geshe degree, the transformative power of monastic debate, and the role of meditation in overcoming destructive emotions.

Interview with Tsenshap Serkong Rinpoche II

Matt Lindén

Tsenshap Serkong Rinpoche II talks about the pressures of the tulku system, the differences between Buddhists in the West and his homeland of Spiti, and the importance of compassion.

Explanation of the Six Preparatory Practices

Geshe Ngawang Dhargyey

Geshe Ngawang Dhargyey’s presentation explains the six preparatory practices to be performed before meditation sessions, including a detailed explanation of the seven-limb prayer and mandala offering.

How a Spiritual Mentor Should Impart the Buddhist Teachings to Students

Geshe Ngawang Dhargyey

Explore how the traditional sources explain the proper way for spiritual mentors to teach the Dharma.

How to Study the Buddhist Teachings with a Spiritual Mentor

Geshe Ngawang Dhargyey

Learn the most effective way to study the Dharma with a teacher according to multiple traditional sources.