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
During a break at a round table discussion on the topic of religion and peace among nations, Brazilian theologian Leonardo Boff asked the Dalai Lama: “Your Holiness, which is the best religion?” The theologian expected an answer like “Tibetan Buddhism” or “Eastern religions, much older than Christianity,” but after a short pause, the Dalai Lama … Read more
The Flute of Infinity plays incessantly, and its sound is the sound of love. When love discards all limitations, it draws closer to truth. Its fragrance spreads far and wide! It has no end, nothing stands in its way. The shape of this music shines like thousands of suns: no other music can be compared … Read more
…It is important for your spirit to be elevated in the world of true understanding, while not forgetting the value of what is ordinary. Always seek the truth of beauty, always return to the world of ordinary experience… Basho Haiku poetry, like other aspects of Japanese culture, is deeply infused with Zen. What is Zen? … Read more
In ancient times, Buddhist monks, known as bhikshus, did not have a permanent residence. They lived under trees or in caves, or would construct viharas, simple shelters made of twigs and leaves, near populated areas. Gradually, it became customary to place these viharas next to each other, giving rise to monasteries, called sangharamas, which were … Read more
Al-Malik al-Nasir Salah ad-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyub, or simply Saladin, was born in 1138 in present-day Tikrit, Iraq. As one of the sons of General Najm ad-Din Ayyub, of Kurdish origin, he spent his childhood in Damascus, at the court of Nur ad-Din, the ruler of Syria, after whose death he became the sultan of … 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
A wind horse carrying the “desire to attain the jewel of enlightenment”. The Tibetan name for prayer flags is dar cho; dar generally means “increase” – of life, prosperity, health, and happiness, while cho refers to all sentient beings. Prayer flags are simple handicrafts that, united with the energy of nature, harmoniously blend with the … Read more
“We all want to be happy. Regardless of the form in which happiness comes (love, friendship, fame, power, or wealth), it is always accompanied by emotions – the state of happiness is a state of great emotional pleasure. However, associating happiness with emotions means placing it on unstable foundations, because emotions themselves are unstable. We … Read more
“While developing awareness on our life journey, we become aware of the truth – which gradually and with much love illuminates us like the first rays of the rising Sun – that we are all One Life, deeply interconnected with each other in mysterious and enigmatic ways. Different traditions have used various words, signs, symbols, … Read more
