BUDDHISM

What is Buddhism?

“Buddhism is a way of life by which we develop the qualities of our mind. It is a very special way of life, for it is a way of achieving happiness without harming others.”
The 17th Gyalwa Karmapa, Trinley Thaye Dorje

Buddha

Buddha was neither a god, nor the son of a god, nor a prophet. He was a courageous man who, like everyone else, wished to be happy. He was born about 2,600 years ago in Lumbini, in present-day Nepal. After a long search, he recognized the nature of the mind while in deep meditation and attained enlightenment. Buddha taught for 45 years in the highly developed culture of North India.

Buddhism is the principal religion in several East Asian countries. Since the early 1970s, the profound Buddhist vision, with its vast array of methods, has inspired and fascinated a growing number of people in Western cultures.

Teachings

Buddha teaches the ultimate and conditioned existence in a way that makes Buddhism directly relevant to our daily lives. Understanding this makes it possible to experience lasting happiness. Buddhism does not proclaim dogmas; rather, it encourages critical questioning. Through the use of the right meditations, intellectual understanding of the teachings becomes an eternal personal experience. The goal of Buddha’s teachings is the full development of the innate potential of body, speech, and mind.

The Karma Kagyu Lineage

The Karma Kagyu lineage belongs to one of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. As a lineage of direct oral transmission, it particularly values ​​meditation and, through interaction with a qualified teacher, can bring about a complete and direct experience of the nature of mind.

The teachings and meditations we practice today were taught by the historical Buddha Shakyamuni to his closest students, then transmitted by the Indian Buddhist masters (Mahasiddhas) Tilopa and Naropa to the renowned Tibetan achievers (yogis) Marpa, his pupil Milarepa, and his student Gampopa. Since then, the successive conscious rebirths of the Karmapas have kept the teachings alive and powerful to the present day. The Karmapas, from Gampopa’s pupil, the 1st Karmapa Dusum Khyenpa in the 12th century, to the current 17th Karmapa Trinlay Thaye Dorje, have maintained the power and wisdom of the teachings for the benefit of all.

Today, Buddhist teachers (Tib. Lamas) such as H.H. the 17th Karmapa Thaye Dorje, Shamar Rinpoche (died 2014), Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche, and Jigme Rinpoche transmit this uninterrupted wisdom. They support the work of Diamond Way centers around the world.

Diamond Way Buddhism in the Western World

Our Buddhist centers and meditation groups offer the modern world easy access to the meditations and teachings of Diamond Way Buddhism. The roof of Diamond Way Buddhism is supported by three pillars: verifiable non-dogmatic teachings, meditation, and the means to solidify the levels of consciousness that have been attained. Thus, the Diamond Way offers the modern world the Buddha’s most skillful methods. It helps discover and develop inner wealth, for the benefit of all beings.

In The Diamond Way, we learn to discover the world from a rich and self-liberating perspective. The meditations develop a deep inner richness and lead to a non-artificial and unwavering mind where every enlightened activity can unfold.

The Different Schools

Buddha gave instructions for three different types of people. For those who want to avoid suffering, there are instructions on cause and effect (in Sanskrit, Hinayana, also called Theravada, or “School of the Ancients”); for those who want to share their kindness with others, there are teachings on wisdom and compassion (sometimes called the Great Vehicle, in Sanskrit, Mahayana); and for those who have great confidence in their own Buddha nature, there are teachings on the Diamond Way (in Sanskrit, Vajrayana).

Karma

Karma means cause and effect. It does not mean fate. Understanding that each of us is responsible for our own lives allows us to consciously generate positive impressions through words, thoughts, and actions. This brings happiness and helps us avoid the causes of future suffering.

Liberation and Enlightenment

Liberation means the awareness of the body, thoughts, and feelings in a constant state of change. Therefore, there is no basis for a real, existing ego or “self.” Realizing this, one no longer feels like a target and stops taking suffering personally. Enlightenment is the second and final stage. Here, the clear light of the mind shines through every experience. One realizes that the subject (the person seeing), the object (what is seen), and the action (the act of seeing) of seeing are interdependent parts of a single whole. In every moment, the mind takes advantage of its self-emergent abilities, and everything becomes spontaneous and effortless.Liberation means becoming aware of the body, thoughts, and feelings as being in a constant state of flux. Consequently, there is no basis for a truly existent ego or “self.” Realizing this, we no longer feel like a target and stop taking suffering personally. Enlightenment is the second and final stage.