Reflections on how to live a meaningful life inspired by "The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying" by Sogyal Rinpoche and teachings from other Buddhist masters
Posted in Contemplation, Freedom, Karma, Turning Suffering and Happiness into Enlightenment, zz Sogyal Rinpoche on Jul 22nd, 2011
My brother’s Au pair had a cold when I visited a few days ago. A day later I had one, too! Sigh! A vivid reminder, how we human beings share our happiness and suffering in this life with each other. Granted, having ice cream and hot chocolate for desert surely didn’t strengthen my immune system. [...]
Posted in Eight samsaric dharmas, Freedom, Meditation on May 5th, 2011
In my last two posts What is true happiness? and Do we need to give up the sense pleasures to find true happiness?, I wrote that in the Buddhist teachings looking for happiness outside is talked about in terms of the eight samsaric dharmas. They are hope for pleasure, gain, praise and fame and fear [...]
Posted in Contemplation, zz HH Dalai Lama on Apr 30th, 2011
I just posted a guest post on the What Meditation Really Is blog. To find out what my ten favorite quotes on happiness are click here.
Posted in Buddhism, Eight samsaric dharmas on Apr 9th, 2011
A few weeks ago I wrote about what true happiness is. The Buddhist teachings explain that there are two kinds of happiness: One is an ordinary, fleeting and unreliable happiness which is based on physical comfort and feeling good about outer circumstances. The other is a deep and lasting happiness which comes from within. This [...]
Posted in Buddhism, Eight samsaric dharmas, Meditation, Samsara, zz HH Dalai Lama, zz Sogyal Rinpoche on Mar 22nd, 2011
I am currently instructing an introductory meditation course for the Rigpa online course program in the United States. This term we changed to a new course called “What Meditation Really Is”. It not only includes teachings on meditation but also presents an introduction to the general basic principles of the Buddhist teachings. In the first [...]
Posted in Devotion, zz Buddha, zz Jikmé Gyalwé Nyugu, zz Jikmé Lingpa, zz Patrul Rinpoche on Aug 31st, 2010
In my last posts I have been writing about how to find lasting happiness. Ultimately it can only be found if we recognize the nature of mind but on a relative level the practices of meditation, compassion and devotion can help us come closer to this realization. I already posted passage on meditation and compassion [...]
Posted in Buddha, Meditation, zz Sogyal Rinpoche on Aug 25th, 2010
In my last post I wrote that ultimate true happiness can only be found if we recognize the nature of mind but that on a relative level the practices of meditation, compassion and devotion can help us come closer to this realization. Last time I already posted a passage on compassion from The Tibetan Book [...]
Posted in Freedom, The Nature of Mind, zz Sogyal Rinpoche on Aug 18th, 2010
Many Buddhist teachings begin with the statement that all beings want to be happy, but that unfortunately they are looking for happiness outside and fail to understand that true happiness can only be found inside. The goal of Buddhist practice is to find a deeper happiness which is based on inner peace and contentment. This [...]
Posted in 05 Preciousness of Human Birth, Buddha nature on Jul 10th, 2010
I had to leave early today to drive to the airport for a two and a half month journey to Europe. After stopping over for a few days on the mainland to see some friends, I will visit my family in Munich and then go see my teacher Sogyal Rinpoche for six weeks at Lerab [...]
Posted in Freedom, zz Shantideva, zz Sogyal Rinpoche on Feb 16th, 2010
In the last few days I have been continuing to reflect on negative emotions. What does it really mean that negative emotions take my freedom? How do they manage to do this? I have been asking these same questions for a while now, but I find it helpful to reflect on them again and again [...]
Posted in Bodhicitta, Freedom, zz Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche, zz Shantideva on Feb 6th, 2010
My teachers have emphasized that it is much more useful to focus on understanding how ignorance works than to get lost in speculation about how it could have arisen in the first place. In his latest book, Uncommon Happiness, Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche gives a wonderful explanation of how ignorance works: “With the support of the [...]
Posted in Freedom, zz Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche on Feb 3rd, 2010
The topics of freedom, happiness, and ignorance are turning out to be a fertile ground for my daily reflection. I usually make a post on this blog every other day. On the days in-between, I try to post a quote on Twitter. The maximum number of characters for a Twitter post is 140. It’s a [...]
Posted in Contemplation, Freedom on Jan 31st, 2010
The word “freedom” is often used in the modern world. In my last post, I brought up the question: “What does freedom truly mean?” When I reflected on this question myself, what came to my mind were things like free time. Having no obligations or commitments. Being free to do what I want to do. [...]
Posted in Contemplation, Freedom on Jan 29th, 2010
Freedom is not only an important theme in the Buddhist teachings but is also a very popular word these days. There are so many ways to think of it. In the modern world freedom is considered to be a fundamental right of every human being. The right of the individual to pursue happiness is mentioned [...]
Posted in Eight samsaric dharmas, Freedom on Jan 19th, 2010
One of the main study texts that my teacher Sogyal Rinpoche wrote for his students begins with, “Regardless of who we are, the main purpose of our life—you could call it the heart of being human—is to be happy.” I remember attending a teaching by Trulshik Rinpoche in San Francisco about 10 years ago. He [...]
Posted in Eight samsaric dharmas, Freedom, Turning Suffering and Happiness into Enlightenment, zz The third Dudrupchen Rinpoche Jikmé Tenpé Nyima on Jan 3rd, 2010
Sometimes I don’t sleep well and then I feel unwell and tired for the day. When this happens, I can see quite clearly the habitual pull of aversion to this experience in my mind. In a way, it is natural and understandable. As sentient beings we all share this wish of not wanting to experience [...]
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