In Buddhist thought, bodhicitta (Ch. 菩提心, pudixin, Jp. bodaishin) is the motivation of a bodhisattva. Etymologically, this is the combination of the words Bodhi or enlightenment, and Citta - mind, and is sometime translated as mind of enlightenment. Bodhicitta is invariably taught to be selfless determination, as the purpose of enlightenment is not for ones-self, but for the benefit of all beings. According to the teachings of Shantideva and his followers, there are two aspirations of Bodhicitt ...

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Bodhi Mind (Bodhicitta, Great Mind)

The spirit of Enlightenment, the aspiration to achieve it, the Mind set on Enlightenment.

It involves two parallel aspects:

i)               the determination to achieve Buddhahood and

ii)             the aspiration to rescue all sentient beings.

 (See also: Bodhi Mind (Bodhicitta, Great Mind, Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

Parajika

Lit., defeat or the conditions leading to the defeat of the Bodhicitta. Also. the conditions leading to the defeat of the Bhiksu's life.

 (See also: Parajika, Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

In Mahayana Buddhism, a bodhisattva has the compassionate determination to aid all beings on their quest for the highest state of development, full enlightenment of a Buddha. This type of motivation is known as bodhicitta. Remaining in this world of uncontrolled rebirth (samsara), the Bodhisattva has taken the bodhisattva vow to achieve Buddhahood as quickly as possible and thereby be most able to te ...

See also:

Bodhisattva, Bodhisattva - Bodhisattvas in Theravada Buddhism, Bodhisattva - Bodhisattvas in Mahayana Buddhism, Bodhisattva - The 10 Grounds of Buddhism, Bodhisattva - Partial list of bodhisattvas, Bodhisattva - Bodhisattva in popular culture

Read more here: » Bodhisattva: Encyclopedia II - Bodhisattva - Bodhisattvas in Mahayana Buddhism

In 1011 CE, Atiśa, along with more than 100 disciples, went to Srivijaya in what is now Indonesia and became a disciple of Dharmakirti, known in Tibetan as Serlingpa Gser-gling-pa, to receive instructions on Bodhicitta. Atiśa stayed with Serlingpa for 12 years. He then returned to Magadha where he met great Buddhist scholars who all acknowledged his superior knowledge and scholarship. In the 11th century, the king Byang-chub 'Od invited Atiśa to come from Bengal to Tibet, in order to help him raise money to build a large sta ...

See also:

Atisha, Atisha - Early life, Atisha - Preaching in Sumatra and Tibet, Atisha - Writings, Atisha - Death

Read more here: » Atisha: Encyclopedia II - Atisha - Preaching in Sumatra and Tibet

Thelema is the English transliteration of the Ancient Greek noun θέλημα will, from the verb ἐθέλω to will, wish, purpose. Thelema - Aleister Crowley's Thelema. Thelema is the name of a philosophical/religious system established in 1904 through Aleister Crowley and his wife, Rose Edith Kelly, with the writing of Liber AL vel Legis, or The Book of the Law. Crowley claimed to have taken this short work of about 5,000 words, comparable in length to the Tao Te Ching, as direct au ...

Including:

• Thelema - Aleister Crowley's Thelema
• Thelema - Doctrines of Thelema
• Thelema - Antecedents of Thelema
• Thelema - Critical Study and Diverse Practice
• Thelema - Thelema and other systems of thought
• Thelema - Thelemic organizations

Read more here: » Thelema: Encyclopedia - Thelema

Atiśa Dipamkarashrijnana (Bangla: অতীশ দীপঙ্কর শ্রীজ্ঞান) (982 - 1054 CE) was a Buddhist teacher who reintroduced Buddhism into Tibet after King Langdharma had nearly destroyed it. He studied and mastered all of the traditions of Buddhism in India. After different trials to invite him to Tibet, he finally accepted the invitation and came to Tibet for the rest of his life. Some tibetan sources say he was also abbot of Vikramashila University at one point, one of the great centers of Buddhist lea ...

Including:

• Atisha - Early life
• Atisha - Preaching in Sumatra and Tibet
• Atisha - Writings
• Atisha - Death

Read more here: » Atisha: Encyclopedia - Atisha

In the Bodhisattva vows (sometimes called the Bodhisattva Precepts) of Mahayana Buddhism, the bodhisattvas take vows stating that they will not realize or attain Nirvana until all sentient beings have done so. This four-part vow is made out of compassion and the bodhisattva devotes his/her powers to helping others attain Nirvana. Buddhist lay persons may take the bodhisattva vows in order to initiate their spiritual journey. The following table of the four ...

Including:

• Bodhisattva vows - Brahma Net Sutra
• Bodhisattva vows - Asanga's Bodhisattvabhumi

Read more here: » Bodhisattva vows: Encyclopedia - Bodhisattva vows

Within Tibetan Buddhism Tara is regarded as a Bodhisattva of Compassion. She can be seen as the female aspect of Avalokitesvara, and in some origin stories she comes from his tears, but she has older antecedents as a Mother Goddess, before Avalokitesvara and the Bodhisattva ideal emerged. Tara is also known as a Saviouress, as a heavenly deity who hears the cries of beings experiencing misery in Samsara. And Tara is also a Tantric deity, whose practice is used by practitioners of Vajrayana to develop certain inner qualities and understand o ...

See also:

Tara Buddhism, Tara Buddhism - Emergence of Tara as a Buddhist Deity, Tara Buddhism - Origin as a Buddhist Bodhisattva, Tara Buddhism - Tara as a Saviouress, Tara Buddhism - Tara as a Tantric Deity, Tara Buddhism - Sadhanas of Tara

Read more here: » Tara Buddhism: Encyclopedia II - Tara Buddhism - Emergence of Tara as a Buddhist Deity

The New Kadampa Tradition follows a selection of teachings of Venerable Atisha and Je Tsongkhapa as presented in the West by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso. The New Kadampa Tradition was developed on the basis of Geshe Kelsang Gytaso's teachings and later his published books. To date, Geshe Kelsang Gyatso has written and published more than eighteen books on main topics of Sutra and Tantra, six of them being commentaries to root texts such as: Joyful Path of Good Fortune an explanation of the practice of Lamrim Training th ...

See also:

New Kadampa Tradition, New Kadampa Tradition - History, New Kadampa Tradition - Lineage of Teachers, New Kadampa Tradition - Teachings, New Kadampa Tradition - Spiritual Programs, New Kadampa Tradition - Ordination, New Kadampa Tradition - Growth, New Kadampa Tradition - Controversies, New Kadampa Tradition - Critics of NKT say, New Kadampa Tradition - Response made by NKT practitioners

Read more here: » New Kadampa Tradition: Encyclopedia II - New Kadampa Tradition - Teachings

Different organizations and persons (predominantly from Germany) do not see Thelema as originating from Crowley. Rather they see Crowley's Thelema as only one of many forms of Thelema. Different orders who accept the Book of the Law have their own guidelines for putting it into practice. In German Thelemic thought the most widely-known skepticism against Crowley's version is found in the Fraternitas Saturni order. The role of other Thelemic writings, each with their own significance, changes greatly for each of these gro ...

See also:

Thelema, Thelema - Aleister Crowley's Thelema, Thelema - Doctrines of Thelema, Thelema - Antecedents of Thelema, Thelema - Critical Study and Diverse Practice, Thelema - Thelema and other systems of thought, Thelema - Thelemic organizations

Read more here: » Thelema: Encyclopedia II - Thelema - Critical Study and Diverse Practice

When Atisha was invited and came to Tibet he was asked by Djang Jup Ö to give a complete and easy accessible summary of the doctrine in order to clarify wrong views - especially the apparent contradictions found across the Sutras and their commentaries. Based upon this request Atisha (whose presentation of the doctrine became later known as the Kadampa tradition) taught what came to be known as the Lam Rim for the Tibetans. Later he was honored very much for this by the Pandits of his original m ...

See also:

Lamrim, Lamrim - History, Lamrim - Three kinds of person, Lamrim - Available Classical Lamrim Books, Lamrim - Available Modern Lamrim Books & Commentaries

Read more here: » Lamrim: Encyclopedia II - Lamrim - History

Atisha wrote in "Lamp of the Path" (verse 2) that one should understand that there are three kind of persons: 1. Persons of low motive 2. Persons of medium motive 3. Persons of high motive Persons of low motive are searching with all means for happiness within Samsara; their motive is to achieve high rebirth, typically in a heaven. Buddhists traditionally considered that this domain included most not-Buddhist religions. Persons of medium motive are searching for their own peace and abandon worldly pleasure. This includes the ...

See also:

Lamrim, Lamrim - History, Lamrim - Three kinds of person, Lamrim - Available Classical Lamrim Books, Lamrim - Available Modern Lamrim Books & Commentaries

Read more here: » Lamrim: Encyclopedia II - Lamrim - Three kinds of person

Geshe Kelsang Gyatso is a Tibetan Teacher, Monk and Scholar, trained at the Gelugpa Sera Monastery. In 1977 Geshe Kelsang Gyatso was invited by Lama Thubten Yeshe to teach at Lama Yeshe's FPMT-center Manjushri Institute in Ulverston, England. Geshe Kelsang remained there and took over the Manjushri Institute in 1983. Geshe Kelsang later recounted that Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche asked him to go to England, teach Shantideva's Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life, Chandrakirti's Guide to the Middle Way and Lamrim. The Manjushri Institute is nowadays called Manjushri Kadampa Meditation Centre. ...

See also:

New Kadampa Tradition, New Kadampa Tradition - History, New Kadampa Tradition - Lineage of Teachers, New Kadampa Tradition - Teachings, New Kadampa Tradition - Spiritual Programs, New Kadampa Tradition - Ordination, New Kadampa Tradition - Growth, New Kadampa Tradition - Controversies, New Kadampa Tradition - Critics of NKT say, New Kadampa Tradition - Response made by NKT practitioners

Read more here: » New Kadampa Tradition: Encyclopedia II - New Kadampa Tradition - History

The New Kadampa ordination is different to that followed by monks and nuns in the Tibetan tradition and this has caused some controversy. NKT monks and nuns receive 10 vows from Geshe Kelsang Gyatso. NKT are honest about the fact that an ordained life is very different in the West because, according to the NKT, some of the Vinaya rules are not appropriate in Western society. The way of life of NKT monks and nuns is quite different to monks and nuns of other traditions because they live in mixed Dharma communities with lay people, and not in single sex monasteries and nunneries, ...

See also:

New Kadampa Tradition, New Kadampa Tradition - History, New Kadampa Tradition - Lineage of Teachers, New Kadampa Tradition - Teachings, New Kadampa Tradition - Spiritual Programs, New Kadampa Tradition - Ordination, New Kadampa Tradition - Growth, New Kadampa Tradition - Controversies, New Kadampa Tradition - Critics of NKT say, New Kadampa Tradition - Response made by NKT practitioners

Read more here: » New Kadampa Tradition: Encyclopedia II - New Kadampa Tradition - Ordination

Sadhanas in which Tara is the Yidam can be extensive or quite brief. Most all of them include some introductory praises or homages to invoke her presence. Then her mantra is recited, followed by a visualization of her, perhaps more mantra, then the visualization is dissolved, followed by a dedication of the merit from doing the practice. Additionally there may be extra prayers of aspirations, of refuge, and a long life prayer for the Lama who originated the practice. Many of the Tara sadhanas are seen as beginning practices within the world ...

See also:

Tara Buddhism, Tara Buddhism - Emergence of Tara as a Buddhist Deity, Tara Buddhism - Origin as a Buddhist Bodhisattva, Tara Buddhism - Tara as a Saviouress, Tara Buddhism - Tara as a Tantric Deity, Tara Buddhism - Sadhanas of Tara

Read more here: » Tara Buddhism: Encyclopedia II - Tara Buddhism - Sadhanas of Tara

Geshe Kelsang Gyatso has designed three spiritual programs for the systematic study and practice: the General Program, the Foundation Program, and the Teacher Training Program. In all three study programs the students study his books on Buddhism. The presentation of the Dharma focuses less upon Buddhist philosophy and more upon integrating spiritual practices into daily life. This assortment was made by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso so that the presentation by NKT is more suited to Westerners and has some difference from ...

See also:

New Kadampa Tradition, New Kadampa Tradition - History, New Kadampa Tradition - Lineage of Teachers, New Kadampa Tradition - Teachings, New Kadampa Tradition - Spiritual Programs, New Kadampa Tradition - Ordination, New Kadampa Tradition - Growth, New Kadampa Tradition - Controversies, New Kadampa Tradition - Critics of NKT say, New Kadampa Tradition - Response made by NKT practitioners

Read more here: » New Kadampa Tradition: Encyclopedia II - New Kadampa Tradition - Spiritual Programs

Atiśa wrote, translated and edited more than two hundred books, which helped spread Buddhism in Tibet. He discovered several sanskrit manuscripts in Tibet and copied them himself. He translated many books from Sanskrit to Tibetan. He also wrote several books on Buddhist scriptures, medical science and technical science in Tibetan. Dipankar wrote several books in Sanskrit, but only their Tibetan translations are extant now. 79 of his compositions have been preserved in Tibetan translation in the Tenjur (bstan-sgyur). Following are his most n ...

See also:

Atisha, Atisha - Early life, Atisha - Preaching in Sumatra and Tibet, Atisha - Writings, Atisha - Death

Read more here: » Atisha: Encyclopedia II - Atisha - Writings

The central doctrine of this system is that knowing and doing one's True Will is the ultimate purpose and destiny of every being. This is summed up in the following phrases from Liber Legis: "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law" (AL I:40) "Love is the law, love under will" (AL I:57) "The word of the Law is Thelema" (AL I:39) "There is no Law beyond Do what thou wilt" (AL III:60) The True Will is a magical idea that could be described in its dynamic aspect as the singular path ...

See also:

Thelema, Thelema - Aleister Crowley's Thelema, Thelema - Doctrines of Thelema, Thelema - Antecedents of Thelema, Thelema - Critical Study and Diverse Practice, Thelema - Thelema and other systems of thought, Thelema - Thelemic organizations

Read more here: » Thelema: Encyclopedia II - Thelema - Doctrines of Thelema

Thelema is the name of a philosophical/religious system established in 1904 through Aleister Crowley and his wife, Rose Edith Kelly, with the writing of Liber AL vel Legis, or The Book of the Law. Crowley claimed to have taken this short work of about 5,000 words, comparable in length to the Tao Te Ching, as direct auditory dictation from a praeterhuman intelligence called Aiwass or Aiwaz in Cairo, Egypt on April 8, 9th, and 10th, 1904. Crowley himself did not fully accept the role set forth for him in the Book for many years. The word Thelemite appears in Aleister Crowley's writings, and ...

See also:

Thelema, Thelema - Aleister Crowley's Thelema, Thelema - Doctrines of Thelema, Thelema - Antecedents of Thelema, Thelema - Critical Study and Diverse Practice, Thelema - Thelema and other systems of thought, Thelema - Thelemic organizations

Read more here: » Thelema: Encyclopedia II - Thelema - Aleister Crowley's Thelema