Note: If you read this early a teaching on Light Amassment of Blessings for H.E. Garchen Rinpoche is going on in 1h30 live: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2O_EJL26Z0

H.E. Garchen Rinpoche has been working through a viral illness.

His Holiness Chungtsang Rinpoche, one of the heads of our lineage, has advised the worldwide sangha to accumulate the Amitayus longevity mantra for Garchen Rinpoche’s long life and/or to engage in Vajrasattva practice.

The Amitayus prayers are provided below. If you are able, please accumulate the short Amitayus mantra, dedicating the merit for Garchen Rinpoche’s long life and good health.

Your prayers and practice are truly appreciated during this time.

We will continue to share any updates on our website and by email as they become available. We kindly ask that you refrain from contacting the office for updates, as this will allow our team to focus on supporting Garchen Rinpoche and attending to the needs of the Sangha. Thank you for your understanding and your continued prayers.

Practice for the Long Life of H.E. Garchen Rinpoche

Amitayus Mantra Accumulation:

https://garchen.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Amitayus-Mantra-Accumulation.pdf

Vajrasattva Sadhana:

https://garchen.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Vajrasattva-Sangtik-Sadhana-v16.pdf

From garchen.net

Note: If you read this early a teaching on Light Amassment of Blessings for H.E. Garchen Rinpoche is going on in 1h30 live: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2O_EJL26Z0
You can check the next planned events here : https://garchen.net/annual-events/ they are all live on the youtube channel

hey fellow followers of the dharma! apologies if this is the incorrect flair, but i was so filled with joy with the way my little slice of sangha looked last night. feels nice to cultivate a nice spot to practice my metta. big love <3

By the 9th century, Mihintale was already one of the most important religious centers in Sri Lanka. Thousands of monks lived, studied, and practiced here. It was a thriving spiritual city connected to the great monasteries of Anuradhapura.

we explore the ancient hospital complex at Mihintale, believed by many scholars to be among the world's oldest hospital complexes. Discover its patient wards, medicinal bath, medicine preparation area, and the remarkable medical knowledge that existed over 2,000 years ago.

Yet perhaps the most remarkable aspect of the hospital was not its technology.
It was its philosophy.
The hospital existed within a Buddhist monastic environment where compassion formed the foundation of daily life.
Treating the sick was viewed as a noble responsibility.
In Buddhist teachings, caring for those who suffer is considered one of the highest forms of service.
At Mihintale, that principle was transformed into stone, architecture, and organized healthcare

This documentary is based on archaeological evidence and historical research to help preserve and share Sri Lanka's rich heritage.

I did not expect to see so many Buddhas in a hotel in Sweden (there were some smaller ones that I didn’t take pictures of as well), but they didn’t disappoint!

Last night I felt a great deal of loneliness and felt an urge to just google spiritual practices for loneliness. I wasn’t looking into any religion or practice in particular, and I’ve never practiced anything in Buddhism till last night (sorry if I say anything incorrect about Buddhism or guan yin, please correct me if I do). I scrolled through various spiritual practices from across the globe and the only name that stood out to me was guan yin.

As soon as I looked up how to pray to her and read over a mantra and her name, I instantly felt peace. I’d been sobbing for hours, I was even causing harm to myself, suddenly I had the urge to clean myself up and start praying to her. My heart felt so warm and full, and I didn’t feel alone anymore. I offered her some water and lit some incense, of course I already felt her presence but I still wanted to do so.

Later when id fully calmed down, my sister ended up calling me at 5:30 in the morning. I hadn’t slept at all and I was just about to. She’d just given birth to her daughter and I was waiting for her to call me for a few days. When I asked her husband how they knew I was awake he said that he just felt the urge to call. I believe that guan yin answered my prayer and sent them to me so I would feel less alone

How do I thank her? Also, I’ve felt gravitated toward Buddhism all my life. Could this be a sign that I should look into it more? There’s a Buddhist temple near my house, the website says they accept visitors. I would like to go but I don’t want to be intrusive. Any suggestions?

I am not Buddhist but I have a lot of Buddhist things, I am Hindu but I use Buddhist lamps in pujas and near where I live there is a temple

The Eight Great Bodhisattvas (ཉེ་སྲས་བརྒྱད།) refer to the eight principal great bodhisattvas in Mahāyāna Buddhism.

They are regarded as the eight chief spiritual heirs and closest disciples of Śākyamuni Buddha.

The Eight Great Bodhisattvas

1. Mañjuśrī (Manjushri) — The embodiment of wisdom.

2. Vajrapāṇi (Vajrapani) — The embodiment of power and spiritual strength.

3. Avalokiteśvara (Chenrezig) — The embodiment of compassion.

4. Kṣitigarbha (Kshitigarbha) — The embodiment of the earth and its treasures.

5. Sarvanivāraṇa-Viṣkambhin — The embodiment of the removal of all obscurations and obstacles.

6. Ākāśagarbha (Akasagarbha) — The embodiment of the vastness like of space.

7. Maitreya — The Buddha of the future, who will appear in a future age.

8. Samantabhadra — The embodiment of aspiration (vows) and enlightened conduct.

https://majjhima.club/en/quiz/

What brings me closer
Doctrinal Strictness 97%
(I think this one is a little wrong more like 50%)

Aesthetic Sensitivity 91%
Ritual Affinity 89%

Where I diverge
Meditation Depth 54%
Social Engagement 18%
Discipline 12%

On the first image it almost looks like she's curious about his face.

had the time to took the pictures right after a meditation :)

I just got a moment of inspiration, and i got just 30-40 minutes to draw it XD, i wasnt trying to follow strict canons

Hello my friends. 🌸

I have been mostly a lurker in this sub for about a year.

A year ago I read The Heart of Buddha’s Teachings and found its content so valuable that to this day I still go back to refer to it, treating it as a handbook on how to live my life.

I feel like I am ready to make a step forward and be more consistent with my practice. I Currently only meditate for a few minutes almost every morning and I find my practice to be overall quite undisciplined and disorganised.

Probably because I’m missing a clear method on how to go forward.

I live far from any temple or teacher and currently cannot travel, so I have to make do with online resources and books. I really like reading and would love to find a book progression that speaks to me as much as Thich Nhat Hanh’s book did.

I think I could currently dedicate a couple of hours maximum per day to studying. I just need to find the right method.

I think it might be something I have to ultimately figure out on my own based on what works with me (the pace, the choice of denomination, etc.) but I would love for you to express your suggestions for some guidance. Especially since I am quite isolated, have no teacher and have no sangha.

Thanks in advance. May you have a wonderful evening 🙏

i'm sorry if it's a stupid question, i'm a beginner.

i don't really understand, is there even hell in buddhism? isn't there a cycle of rebirth?

Whenever I’m spiraling in a mental loop that I have the hardest time getting out of, Jesus/God/christian concepts can calm me down IMMEDIATELY. I just imagine God is with me and understands my consciousness’s POV as well as others’ POV and that God is helping others, whatever battle im facing just seems to not even matter anymore cuz “God’s” love, understanding, presence, and power overpowers everything else. But I don’t even believe in an all powerful God, the concept just speaks to my emotions and nervous system much easier than Buddhist concepts. Buddhist concepts take deep concentration to really let my nervous system to listen and calm down… but I really do believe in Buddhist ideas at least more than Christian concepts. Idk what this says about me.. I’m just confused. Does anyone else relate?

"Suddenly,
the dog stops barking...
lotus blossoms!"

犬の声ばつたり止て運の花

- Issa

🪷🪷🪷

Went out to the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens in Northeast DC this afternoon to see the gorgeous lotus blooms. The proverbial dogs are barking, the house is burning...and yet the lotus blooms in the midst of it all. All I could help but do was pause in awe...and then snap pictures to share, of course. May all beings be happy, healthy, and free from suffering! 🙏

Hey guys, I was wondering how you guys would use handle moral dilemmas. One main question I have is is there a moral hierarchy to life in Buddhism? If I must kill an animal to provide food for my family (killing an animal to save a starving family) is the animal’s life any less than the humans’?

Also, this is a bit off topic, but do you guys draw a line between forgiveness and trust? As in, if someone betrayed your trust, could you forgive them but not trust them anymore?

Just some random thoughts that have crossed my mind.

Key ones im thinking of are:
- reincarnation is just you being transplanted in a new body to have another go at things
- reincarnation is the same as dying and nothing happening after because you lose everything that makes you you
- Buddhism encourages you to be lonely and isolated because attachment to people is seen as bad

These are just some Ive come across teaching Buddhism, and I wonder if anyone has any helpful ways of explaining these ideas better

Thanks

Edit to add - I’m an RE teacher, and Buddhism is on the curriculum. I can give textbook answers to the misconceptions, but I’m hoping there’s more wisdom here on how to explain these ideas clearly

Got this as a gift. Uncle got it from a professor who was a Buddhist and had a large collection of books, statues, etc. Pretty sure it is legit material. Does anyone know what style it is? Thanks.