Franz Alt: Your Holiness, dear friend, fifteen years ago you said to me in an interview: “The twenty-first century could become the happiest and most peaceful one in human history. I hope so for the youth.” Do you still cherish that hope? His Holiness the Dalai Lama:...

‘There is neither unifying nor dispersing, Neither slow nor quick. Brightness and tranquility are Just as they are. They cannot be explained in words.’ Niutou Farong

‘In Buddhism, transcendence does not imply escaping the world in a dualistic sense, but rather seeing through the illusions of saṃsāra. Instead of pointing to a higher realm, it often refers to transcending ignorance, craving, and ego—realising the true nature of...

Many meditation practitioners believe that formal sitting meditation is the pinnacle of practice, relegating other meditation practices to a secondary status. Contrary to common belief, the Buddha taught that mindfulness, and even awakening, can be cultivated in any...

After graduating from Parsons School of Design in New York City, the artist Rima Fujita was introduced to the most prestigious art dealers in the New York art world. This seeming good fortune came with a dark cloud. She was deceived, dealers stole her work, and she...

A while back, I heard a sermon about how difficult it is to drive a car forward without a rearview mirror. The message was that our past—including all of our experiences, decisions, and relationships—guides us to move ahead smoothly. For a person with dementia, this...

I remember having an intimate conversation with His Holiness many years ago. At one point he touched the tip of his tongue and quietly said, “This tongue has never lied.” What a simple and astonishing statement. It cut right through me. It would be quite unthinkable...

‘Natural wisdom is self-illuminating; All dharmas return to thusness. There is no returning, no receiving; Stop contemplating, forget keeping.’ Niutou Farong

Buddhist practitioners in the U.S. who do not travel outside the U.S. to be with Buddhist women may not fully appreciate how difficult it is for many women throughout the world to become realized. Conversely, they may not appreciate how Buddhist women are also meeting...