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Buddhist Teachings
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    Namkha Rinpoche visits Tricycle Paid Member

    Posted by James Shaheen on 22 Sep 2009
    Sopranos actor Michael Imperioli (aka Christopher Moltisanti) presented his film The Hungry Ghosts, his directorial debut, at the Rubin Museum of Art in New York City this month. The screening was a fundraiser for Namkha Rinpoche's charitable organization, The Golden Bridge Association, a not-for-profit dedicated to humanitarian aid and the preservation of Tibetan culture and religion. Imperioli brought Rinpoche to the office this morning for a chat and some coffee. More »
  • Tricycle Community 2 comments

    Awakening is not the same thing as Bliss Paid Member

    Posted by Philip Ryan on 22 Sep 2009
    There may be bliss with awakening, because it is actually a by-product of awakening, but it is not awakening itself. As long as we are chasing the by-product of awakening, we will miss the real thing. - Adyashanti, from “Bliss is a By-Product,” Tricycle, Summer 2009 Read the complete article. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Sign up for the Daily Dharma or Tricycle Community Newsletter More »
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    Don't be afraid of pain Paid Member

    Posted by James Shaheen on 21 Sep 2009
    Sometimes I think anticipation of pain is far worse than the pain itself. That's not to diminish the reality of pain, but it's a fact that we've all got to deal with it so why not find a way to be with it? It goes against the grain, but Buddhists have traditionally seen in pain an opportunity for practice. (Granted, this was before the Fentanyl patch.) Not for everyone, but for those it does work for, it makes plenty of good sense. Try it next time you've got a toothache on the weekend. Read Upasika Kee Nanayon's "Tough Teachings to Ease the Mind" here. More »
  • Tricycle Community 18 comments

    Seven Tips for Giving Up Gossip Paid Member

    Posted by Philip Ryan on 21 Sep 2009
    by Bhikshuni Thubten Chodron 1. Recognize that gossip doesn’t undo the situation you’re talking about. It only puts in motion another situation based on negative feelings. 2. Know that comparing yourself to others is useless. Everyone has his or her own talents. In this way, give up jealousy and the wish to put others down. 3. Be aware of and transform your own thoughts, words, and deeds rather than commenting on those of others. 4. Train your mind to see others’ positive qualities and discuss them. This will make you much happier than gossiping ever could. 5. Forgive, knowing that people do harmful things because they are unhappy. If you don’t make someone into an enemy, you won’t want to gossip about him. More »
  • Tricycle Community 2 comments

    Why do we gossip? Paid Member

    Posted by Philip Ryan on 20 Sep 2009
    Gossip can mean many things, from benignly shared information about someone not present to false rumors insidiously spread, to idle chitchat about someone’s personal life. The question to ask is: What is our motivation when we talk about others? From a Buddhist perspective, the value of our speech depends principally upon the motivation behind it. When talking about others is motivated by thoughts of ill will, jealousy, or attachment, conversations turn into gossip. These thoughts may seem to be subconscious, but if we pay close attention to our mind we’ll be able to catch them in the act. Many of these are thoughts that we don’t want to acknowledge to ourselves, let alone to others, but my experience is that when I become courageous enough to notice and admit them, I’m on my way to letting them go. Also, there’s a certain humor to the illogical way that these negative thoughts purport to bring us happiness. More »
  • Tricycle Community 7 comments

    Praise and Blame Paid Member

    Posted by Philip Ryan on 18 Sep 2009
    If we really stop to think about praise and criticism, we will see they do not have the least importance. Whether we receive praise or criticism is of no account. The only important thing is that we have a pure motivation, and let the law of cause and effect be our witness. If we are really honest, we can see that it makes no difference whether we receive praise and acclaim. The whole world might sing our praises, but if we have done something wrong, then we will still have to suffer the consequences for ourselves, and we cannot escape them. If we act only out of a pure motivation, all the beings of the three realms can criticize and rebuke us, but none of them will be able to cause us to suffer. According to the law of karma, each and every one of us must answer individually for our actions. This is how we can put a stop to these kinds of thoughts altogether, by seeing how they are completely insubstantial, like dreams or magical illusions. More »