As we said in a previous post, Ringu Tulku has had to cancel his annual teachings in Europe and the US due to the worldwide outbreak of Covid19. As you know, the disease is currently confining most of the western population to their homes, air travel and public transport are coming to a virtual standstill.
Yesterday Ringu Tulku gave news that he will continue a teaching he began a few years ago, on verses from 'The Bodhicharyavatara – The Way of the Bodhisattva' by Shantideva.
He says, "I started to give a teaching on the text a few years ago, and many people enjoyed it, but because of my travel and other commitments, at that time I was unable to continue, so now I will do so."
The text is regarded as one of the most important Tibetan Buddhist texts and is studied extensively by Tibetan Buddhist practitioners everywhere. Rinpoche will deliver his understanding of the text in a way that will make it fully accessible to anyone who is looking for support and help in these times whether or not they are buddhist. According to the His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the buddha dharma should not be taught as a religion, but more as a general teaching applicable to all traditions; it must be useful and help us deal with life's problems. He feels that in this way it will be beneficial to everyone.
The teaching sessions will be around 15 minutes long. Rinpoche will invite questions and details of how to do that will be made available soon.
Bodhicharya Ireland will provide updates and links to teachings on this page.
In the meantime here's something sent to us by Ringu Tulku Rinpoche.
"Years ago, anthropologist Margaret Mead was asked by a student what she considered to be the first signs of civilisation in a culture. The student expected Mead to talk about fishhooks or clay pots or grinding stones. But no, Mead said that the first sign of civilisation in an ancient culture was a femur (thighbone) that had broken and then healed. Mead explained that in the animal kingdom, if you break a leg, you die. You cannot run from danger, get to the river for a drink or hunt for food. You are meat for prowling beasts. No animal survives a broken leg long enough for the bone to heal. A broken femur that has healed is evidence that someone has taken time to stay with the one who fell, has bound up the wound, has carried the person to safety and has tended the person through recovery. Helping someone else in difficulty is where civilisation starts, Mead said. We are at our best when we serve others."
Yesterday Ringu Tulku gave news that he will continue a teaching he began a few years ago, on verses from 'The Bodhicharyavatara – The Way of the Bodhisattva' by Shantideva.
He says, "I started to give a teaching on the text a few years ago, and many people enjoyed it, but because of my travel and other commitments, at that time I was unable to continue, so now I will do so."
The text is regarded as one of the most important Tibetan Buddhist texts and is studied extensively by Tibetan Buddhist practitioners everywhere. Rinpoche will deliver his understanding of the text in a way that will make it fully accessible to anyone who is looking for support and help in these times whether or not they are buddhist. According to the His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the buddha dharma should not be taught as a religion, but more as a general teaching applicable to all traditions; it must be useful and help us deal with life's problems. He feels that in this way it will be beneficial to everyone.
The teaching sessions will be around 15 minutes long. Rinpoche will invite questions and details of how to do that will be made available soon.
Bodhicharya Ireland will provide updates and links to teachings on this page.
In the meantime here's something sent to us by Ringu Tulku Rinpoche.
"Years ago, anthropologist Margaret Mead was asked by a student what she considered to be the first signs of civilisation in a culture. The student expected Mead to talk about fishhooks or clay pots or grinding stones. But no, Mead said that the first sign of civilisation in an ancient culture was a femur (thighbone) that had broken and then healed. Mead explained that in the animal kingdom, if you break a leg, you die. You cannot run from danger, get to the river for a drink or hunt for food. You are meat for prowling beasts. No animal survives a broken leg long enough for the bone to heal. A broken femur that has healed is evidence that someone has taken time to stay with the one who fell, has bound up the wound, has carried the person to safety and has tended the person through recovery. Helping someone else in difficulty is where civilisation starts, Mead said. We are at our best when we serve others."
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