Lam Shenphen Zangpo, kuenselonline.com
Compassion is supposed to be the essence of Buddhism, but many Buddhists just spend their time and money going on pilgrimage tours or making merit for themselves. Isn’t this a contradiction?
That’s a good point. Let’s explore how compassion is linked with undertaking meritorious action, such as going on a pilgrimage, offering butter lamps or hoisting prayer flags. Everyone will agree that action begins in the mind. Even the construction of the world’s tallest building or the invention of the internet began as one single thought. Therefore, transforming the mind is the focus of Buddhist practice. If we are arrogant or proud, for example, how can our activities benefit others. It is no different from expecting healthy crops to grow from polluted or infertile soil. While a farmer will use manure to vitalize the ground, a Buddhist will undertake meritorious action to purify the mind.
1000 Arm Chenrezig
As the question states, however, many people practice Dharma activities for personal benefit, not out of compassion. They go to Bodh Gaya or circumambulate a chorten in order to pray for business or examination success. Some even consider a pilgrimage as a feather in their cap, something to boast about to friends. Rather than decreasing attachment to the idea of a separate and permanent self, which is the root of negative action and suffering, a pilgrimage done in this way actually perpetuates the attachment. When we undertake a Dharma activity, therefore, it is absolutely essential that it is done with a pure motivation to benefit others. Read more »
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There is going to be a long-awaited and grandiose event in June: HH 17th Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje will visit Russia for the first time on Kalmykian president Kirsan Ilyumzhinov invitation. His Holiness will visit 6 Russian cities.
Schedule:
June, 10: Saint-Petersburg,
White Tara initiation
June, 13: Elista,
Loving Eyes initiation
June, 14: Elista,
Karma Pakshi initiation
June, 15: Moscow,
Questions and Answers
June, 16: Moscow,
Diamond Mind initiation
June, 19: Irkutsk,
Marpa initiation
June, 20: Ulan-Ude,
Guru Rinpoche initiation and Bodhisattva Promise
June, 24: Vladivostok,
Bodhisattva Promise
June, 25: Vladivostok,
Milarepa initiation
17th Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje
Details: Diamond Way Buddhism in Russia
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Phayul, April 28, by Tenam
In a visit that is likely to raise the political temperature between Paris and Beijing, His Holiness the Dalai Lama will be arriving in France for a two-day, 6-7 June, visit to the French capital. It is expected that His Holiness the Dalai Lama will also be officially presented with the Citizen of Honour, a legislation that the Paris City had passed in April 2008.
After the mass protest against the Beijing torch relay in Paris, France has been the target of government and nationalist scorn in China. French supermarket chain Carefour came under increasing calls for boycott. President Sarkozy sent a delegation of high level French officials led by former Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin to China. It has been widely reported that the Speaker of the French National Assembly was sent by President Sarkozy to China with an invitation for Chinese president Hu Jintao to visit France.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama and his French interpreter Mathieu Ricard at a press conference in Paris, August 2008. Photo: Tenam
Before the G 20 meeting in London, a joint communique by the French foreign ministry and China on 1 April, declared that France does not “support any form of Tibet’s independence,” which is credited with the eventual meeting between Sarkozy and Hu Jintao in London.
The Tibet Group in the French Senate said in response that the Tibet issue cannot be considered an internal issue of China and that the Tibetan cause is very important and sensitive to the French people and their elected officials.
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This is Kaguy Monlam-2008.
It’s quite rare that you get the chance to see both lineage holders together: Karmapa and Shamarpa, Black Hat Lama and Red Hat Lama.
And also most of our lamas together with them. Lama Ole Nydahl was not present which is no wonder as it’s totally different style though same lineage. Read more »
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June 5, 2009 3:38 pm | 
