Once Buddha came to a lecture holding a flower in his hand. He remained silent for a long time until someone dared to ask him why he was silent. Buddha smiled and said: “This flower I hold in my hand speaks more than I could ever tell you, more than can be expressed in words. … Read more
Once upon a time, there lived a man in Đambunada and as his wedding approached, he thought: If only the blessed Buddha would come to the celebration. And lo and behold, the Blessed One passed by his house, looked at him, and upon reading the groom’s desire in his heart, agreed to enter. When the … Read more
There are several “great lists” in Chinese culture. The Four Great Inventions are well known (paper, compass, printing, and gunpowder), as well as the Three Great Poets from the Tang Dynasty (Li Bai, Du Fu, and Wang Wei). Less known in the West is the list of Four Great Novels of Chinese literature: Dream of … Read more
In all depictions of Buddha’s life, trees play a significant role. In Theravada Buddhism, they are not just a part of nature, but symbolically linked to the stages of the “Awakened One’s” destiny. Some of these trees were considered sacred in Hinduism before Buddha’s arrival, while others became sacred because of Buddha. This also reveals … Read more
During the arduous escape to India across the Himalayas, Tibetan refugees carried hundreds of manuscripts, often sacrificing their own lives to preserve them. Many of these precious texts were handed over to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who established the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives in Dharamsala, India, with the aim of preserving and … Read more
Japanu je mjesto gdje se prakticira zen budizam. U Japanu ima trinaest različitih budističkih škola, svaka sa svojim hramovima, svećenicima i brojnim sljedbenicima. Te škole uključuju tendai, shingon, rinzai, jodo, nichiren, soto, obaku, ritsu, juzu-nenbucu, hosso, kegon i ji-shu. Od tih trinaest škola, tri su povezane sa zen budizmom: rinzai, soto i obaku. Riječ “zen” … Read more
A thousand candles can only be lit by one candle, and the life of that candle will not be shortened. Happiness is never diminished by sharing. Buddha Every year, Buddhists around the world celebrate the day of Buddha’s birth. Depending on the calendar used, in different countries, this day is celebrated on different dates, with … Read more
Dragons are common motifs in myths, legends, and folklore of many ancient cultures. They are usually depicted as serpent-like or reptilian creatures, with elongated bodies covered in scales, large wings and eyes, and the ability to breathe fire. They represent certain qualities and strengths that humans need to express, certain trials or limitations that need … Read more
In a traditional sense, alchemy is a spiritual discipline. With its particular, mostly confusing procedures, it tries and succeeds in exploring the inner laws of human nature. Understanding man as a complex being of nature composed of multiple aspects (material and more subtle ones), alchemy seeks to connect and harmonize them. Although the alchemist deals … Read more
Mandalas, as complex symbols, originated in the cultural tradition of tantric Buddhism, but the fundamental idea of the mandala is not solely limited to the Far East. It is present in the architecture, art, and philosophy of all cultures throughout human history, making the concept of connecting the divine and human worlds into a harmonious … Read more
