The Seeker's Glossary of Buddhism

In India in the 6th century BC, Sakyamuni, "a wise man of the Sakya tribe", had been meditating under a tree when, suddenly, he was struck with the comprehension of all things. He became Buddha, meaning the « Illuminated ». His message, based on a pragmatic philosophy, taught how to free oneself from all needs in order to achieve illumination. After the death of the Enlightened One, his disciples – a few monks – began to spread his teachings all over India, from Ceylon to the Himalayan. Fearing man’s penc

In 2011, Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche began a series of one-month teaching retreats, all to be presented at the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion near Bendigo. The series of these teachings include Shantideva’s Bodhicaryavatara - A Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life as well as preparation for the transmission of the rare Rinjung Gyatsa initiations. The three host centres – Atisha Centre, Thubten Shedrup Ling Monastery and the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion – are pleased to welcome Lama Zopa back to Australia in 2014 to continue these teachings, instructions and transmissions. The three host centres, operating together as Lama Zopa Australia Inc., are also pleased to be hosting the Council for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (CPMT) meeting during the fortnight prior to the 2014 retreat. Please click here for more information about the CPMT meeting. These are two unique Australian events with Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche. If you are looking for a great opportunity

We are delighted to announce the forthcoming visits of Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo and Wandrak Rinpoche to Australia in October to December 2014. Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo was one of the first Westerners ordained as a Tibetan Buddhist nun. She spent 12 years in seclusion practicing meditation and founded Dongyu Gatsal Ling Nunnery in India. In 2008 Tenzin Palmo was given the title of Jetsunma, which means Venerable Master. Wangdrak Rinpoche is the Abbot of Gebchak Gonpa in Tibet, home to 350 nuns and a unique female yogic lineage. Teachings will be offered at a number of Dharma centres and we would be grateful if you can circulate these details within your centre. Please find flyers for the events attached for noticeboards and links for the websites for emails. www.gebchakrigpaharsey.org and www.tenzinpalmo.com Thank you for supporting the Dongyu Gatsal Ling and Gebchak nuns and these great yogini traditions. With kindest regards, The Gebchak Rigpa Har-Sey team

Dan Stevenson is neither a Buddhist nor a follower of any organized religion. The 11th Avenue resident in Oakland's Eastlake neighborhood was simply feeling hopeful in 2009 when he went to an Ace hardware store, purchased a 2-foot-high stone Buddha and installed it on a median strip in a residential area at 11th Avenue and 19th Street. He hoped that just maybe his small gesture would bring tranquillity to a neighborhood marred by crime: dumping, graffiti, drug dealing, prostitution, robberies, aggravated assault and burglaries.

Ven. Thich Tue Sy is a Buddhist monk and has been a lecturer in philosophy at the Buddhist University of Van Hanh. At this moment he is the Secretary General of United Buddhist Association in Vietnam. He was condemned to death by the People's Tribunal in Ho Chi Minh City, charged with "anti-governmental activities".

The imposition of the death penalty and state-authorised execution should be stopped in this century. It is too barbaric and too repulsive amongst civilised countries such as USA, Canada, Australia and European countries, … We are not living in the Middle Ages and we don’t want to go back in time!

Ideally, education is the principal tool of human growth, essential for transforming the unlettered child into a mature and responsible adult. Yet everywhere today, both in the developed world and the developing world, we can see that formal education is in serious trouble. Classroom instruction has become so routinized and pat that children often consider school an exercise in patience rather than an adventure in learning.