Photographs from His Holiness Karmapa's UK visit 2017

Sunday 31 August 2008

May My Mind Turn Towards The Dharma

Just received this link to youtube.

It is a wonderful short teaching from Ringu Tulku Rinpoche on The 4 Reminders [also known as the 4 Causes of Renunciation].

These four lines encapsulate the whole Buddhist approach.

So if you are wondering, or someone close to you, WHAT is Buddhism? or WHY Buddhism? or even HOW to practise it? then, these four pithy daily contemplations are just what is needed.

It could even be helpful for non-Buddhists who wish to understand why their loved ones are now practising Buddhism.

The topics for the 4 Contemplations are:

1. This Precious Human Life

2. Impermanence [Change]

3. Samsaric Mind [Suffering]

4. Karma [Cause and Effect]

Finally, here is the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITjAejzyOSA

Enjoy!

PS whoever recorded and edited this teaching did a great job - really inspiring, thank you!

Friday 29 August 2008

General Meeting, October 4









If you haven't already heard, by email, Bodhicharya Ireland has established itself with a core group of dharma volunteers and is about to have its Annual General Meeting on October 4 in Dublin.

We will meet at Annie Dibble's house at 1230 for a 'pot-luck' lunch and meeting to plan the year 2008/2009.

Please show your support by making every effort to attend.

If you are NOT on our email list - ie if you are keeping yourself informed ONLY via this blog - then please email us asap bodhicharya.ireland@gmail.com so we can keep you in the loop about the address, agenda etc., and above all so we know how many to expect.

Sangha living in the Dublin area are kindly invited to bring some prepared food to share with those who will travel from further afield - their offering will be the journey to Dublin.

We all look forward immensely to being together again in October.


Saturday 23 August 2008

Fast and Pray for Tibet, August 30, 7am - 7pm.


Dear Friends,

Please consider taking part or supporting in whatever way you feel appropriate.

Here is the mail from RTR...


"Dear All,
We had a special meeting of Lamas of all schools of Tibetan Buddhism
with His Holiness the Dalai Lama yesterday morning at 9 am before the
inauguration of the Lerab Ling Temple [Rigpa, France]. He asked all Tibetan Lamas in the
west to work together and gave very specific advices on various important subjects. I will write about them all soon when I will be able to transcribe it.
The most urgent request that he made was to observe the Fasting Prayer Day on Aug 30th. from 7 am to 7 pm. for Tibet and all such problems like that of Tibet.
I hope all the centers and groups connected with me will be able to
observe this and pray for all the problems of the world.
I will be driving from Austria to Munich on that day and will observe the
fast and prayers.
Wish you all the best,
RT"

Incidentally, I watched the inauguration of the Lerab Ling Temple live online, thanks to Rigpa Dublin, and was very inspired to hear HH Dalai Lama teach so inspiringly.

He spoke about the essence of Buddhism being Wisdom and Compassion - in order to benefit beings, longing to attain complete enlightenment.

It was rather shocking and saddening, however, to hear HHDL speaking about Tibet...

He said that during the most recent uprising, March 2008, he felt China's brutal clampdown signalled the beginning of the very end for Tibet.

He recalled how, in his lifetime, various cultures had been wiped out by the Han Chinese - the Manchurians, the Inner Mongolians - and how Tibet would be the next catastrophic disappearance.

Perhaps most sobering of all was when His Holiness likened the current situation in Tibet to a prisoner who has been given the death sentence -

The final outcome is now clear and inevitable.
There is nothing that can be done to avoid it.

HHDL spoke about how the Buddhist approach of non-violence and compassion for the Chinese has led paradoxically to Tibet losing her country.
He also mentioned that all the glorious Tibetan masters of the past [themselves living Buddhas] could not do anything to avoid losing their country.
How sad to see most of today's masters living as refugees in exile, including HHDL himself who concluded -

People look to me for guidance and leadership towards a free Tibet.

But what can I do?

...Nothing!

It's too late!