The guru's blessing is the last of the four foundations in Vajrayana Buddhism. In this foundation, the disciple can continue in their experiential path on the way to the true nature of reality. The disciple regards the guru as the embodiment of Buddha, or a Bodhisattva, and he or she shows devotion and great appreciation toward the guru as such. In the Theravada Buddhist tradition, the teacher is a valued and honoured mentor worthy of great respect and is a source of inspiration on the path to Enlightenment. In the Tibetan tradition, ...

See also:

Guru, Guru - Etymology, Guru - Guru in Hinduism, Guru - Guru in Buddhism, Guru - Guru in Sikhism, Guru - Types of gurus, Guru - Succession and lineage parampara, Guru - Guru in a Western culture context, Guru - Gurus in the West, Guru - Assessment and criticism, Guru - Notable scandals and controversies, Guru - Bibliography

Read more here: » Guru: Encyclopedia II - Guru - Guru in Buddhism

See also:

Guru, Guru - Etymology, Guru - Guru in Hinduism, Guru - Guru in Buddhism, Guru - Guru in Sikhism, Guru - Types of gurus, Guru - Succession and lineage parampara, Guru - Guru in a Western culture context, Guru - Gurus in the West, Guru - Assessment and criticism, Guru - Notable scandals and controversies, Guru - Bibliography

Read more here: » Guru: Encyclopedia II - Guru - Types of gurus

The word parampara (Sanskrit परमपरा) denotes a long succession of teachers and disciples in traditional Indian culture. The Hinduism dictionary defines parampara is "the line of spiritual gurus in authentic succession of initiation; the chain of mystical power and authorized continuity, passed from guru to guru." In Sanskrit, the word literally means: Uninterrupted series of succession. Parampara is also known as Guru (teacher) Shishya (disciple) parampara or guru parampara, where the knowledge ...

See also:

Guru, Guru - Etymology, Guru - Guru in Hinduism, Guru - Guru in Buddhism, Guru - Guru in Sikhism, Guru - Types of gurus, Guru - Succession and lineage parampara, Guru - Guru in a Western culture context, Guru - Gurus in the West, Guru - Assessment and criticism, Guru - Notable scandals and controversies, Guru - Bibliography

Read more here: » Guru: Encyclopedia II - Guru - Succession and lineage parampara

A guru (गुरू Sanskrit) is a teacher in Hinduism, Buddhism or Sikhism. Based on a long line of philosophical understanding as to the importance of knowledge, the guru is seen in these religions as a sacred conduit, or a way to self-realization. In India and among people of Hindu, Buddhist, or Sikh belief, the title retains a hallowed meaning. Guru also refers in Sanskrit to Brihaspati, a Hindu figure analogous to the Roman planet/god Jupiter. In Vedic astrology, Jupiter/Guru/Brihaspati is believed to ...

Including:

• Guru - Etymology
• Guru - Guru in Hinduism
• Guru - Guru in Buddhism
• Guru - Guru in Sikhism
• Guru - Types of gurus
• Guru - Succession and lineage parampara
• Guru - Guru in a Western culture context
• Guru - Gurus in the West
• Guru - Assessment and criticism
• Guru - Notable scandals and controversies
• Guru - Bibliography

Read more here: » Guru: Encyclopedia - Guru

In Buddhism, the striving is to awaken insight within oneself, through one's own efforts. A guru is then someone who embodies a possibility, our own potential. He offers the inspiration one can realistically aspire to and in time lifts the veils of ignorance over one's true enlightened nature. The guru teaches and demonstrates the path. The onus remains on us to make the effort, with the guru's help, to acquire the skilful means to make the journey.

(See also: Advantage of Guru, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

The guru-shishya tradition (also guru-shishya parampara or lineage) is a spiritual relationship found within traditional Hinduism which is centered around the transmission of teachings from a guru (teacher, गुरू) to a 'śiṣya' (disciple, शिष्य) . The term shishya roughly equates to the western term disciple, and in some parts of India is synonymous with the term chela. In a Hindu context, the term guruIncluding:

• Guru-shishya tradition - Common characteristics of the guru-shishya relationship
• Guru-shishya tradition - Guru-shishya relationship types
• Guru-shishya tradition - In bhakti yoga
• Guru-shishya tradition - Other
• Guru-shishya tradition - In Buddhism
• Guru-shishya tradition - Psychological aspects

Read more here: » Guru-shishya tradition: Encyclopedia - Guru-shishya tradition

Tibetan Buddhism — formerly also called Lamaism, after their religious gurus known as lamas — is the body of religious Buddhist doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet and the Himalayan region. It is a multifaceted and integrated teaching, naturally implementing methods for all human-condition levels: Hinayana, Mahayana, Vajrayana (Tantric Path) and Ati Yoga (Dzogchen). Tibetan Buddhism - Distinguishing characteristics. Tibetan Buddhism may be distinguished from other schools of Tantric ...

Including:

• Tibetan Buddhism - Distinguishing characteristics
• Tibetan Buddhism - Rituals and ritual objects
• Tibetan Buddhism - Traditions/Orders/Sects of Tibetan Buddhism
• Tibetan Buddhism - Schools/Tenets of Tibetan Buddhism
• Tibetan Buddhism - Monasticism
• Tibetan Buddhism - History of Tibetan Buddhism

Read more here: » Tibetan Buddhism: Encyclopedia - Tibetan Buddhism

Adi Da Samraj (born Franklin Albert Jones, November 3, 1939 in Jamaica, New York) is a highly controversial modern spiritual teacher and religious guru and the founder of the new religious movement known as Adidam. At various times, Adi Da has also used names such as Bubba Free John, Da Free John, and Da Love-Ananda, to correspond with changes in his work as a spiritual teacher (see the section on name changes below). For clarity, in this article he is referred to simply as Adi Da, as this is the name he is ...

Including:

• Adi Da - Life
• Adi Da - Teaching
• Adi Da - Response
• Adi Da - Complete Teaching Literature
• Adi Da - The Dawn Horse Testament
• Adi Da - The Five Books Of The Heart Of The Adidam Revelation
• Adi Da - The Seventeen Companions Of The True Dawn Horse
• Adi Da - Name changes
• Adi Da - Books by other authors

Read more here: » Adi Da: Encyclopedia - Adi Da

Lama (Wylie bla ma) is a title for a Tibetan religious teacher (like the Sanskrit term 'guru') see Tibetan Buddhism and Bön. The title can be used as an honourific title confered on a monk or nun to designate their level of spiritual attainment and authority to teach, or may be part of a title such as Dalai Lama or Panchen Lama applied to a lineage of reincarnate lamas (Tulkus). Perhaps due to misunderstandings by early western scholars attempting to understand Tibetan Buddhism, the term lama was historically, and is still som ...

Read more here: » Lama: Encyclopedia - Lama

Padmasambhava (also Padmakara or Padma Raja) (Ch: 蓮華生上師; Tib: Padma Jungne), in Sanskrit meaning "lotus-born", founded the Tibetan or Tantric school of Buddhism in the 8th century. In Bhutan and Tibet he is better known as Guru Rinpoche ("Precious Master") where followers of the Nyingma school regard him as the second Buddha. Padmasambhava - Life and Teachings. According to tradition Padmasambhava was incarnated as an 8 year old child appearing in a lotus blos ...

Including:

• Padmasambhava - Life and Teachings
• Padmasambhava - Manifestations

Read more here: » Padmasambhava: Encyclopedia - Padmasambhava

Tapasya is the principle and practice of physical and spiritual austerity and discipline to achieve a particular aim. A Sanskrit word, Tapasya is literally an personal endeavor of discipline, undertaken to achieve a goal. It is usually applied in religious and spiritual terms, but can be applied to any field or context. One who undertakes a tapasya is a Tapasvin. Monks and gurus in Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism practice tapasya as a means to purify and strengthen their devotion to Go ...

Including:

• Tapasya - Undertaking Tapasya
• Tapasya - Brahmacharya
• Tapasya - Yoga and Vows
• Tapasya - Religion and Mythology
• Tapasya - Famous Tapasvins
• Tapasya - Buddha and Mahavira
• Tapasya - Modern Tapasvins
• Tapasya - Exhausting or Violating Tapasya
• Tapasya - See Also

Read more here: » Tapasya: Encyclopedia - Tapasya

Andrew Cohen is an American guru, spiritual teacher, and author who has contributed to the subject of what he calls "evolutionary spirituality." He sees himself as working to bring about "the next stage" of human cultural development. Cohen was born in New York City in 1955. Raised as a secular Jew, his life was changed by a spontaneous experience of "cosmic consciousness" at the age of sixteen. As a result, Cohen studied martial arts, then Kriya Yoga, then Buddhism. In 1986, he met the Advaita Vedanta master H.W.L. Poonja. Wit ...

Including:

• Andrew Cohen - Ideas
• Andrew Cohen - Criticism
• Andrew Cohen - Books by Cohen
• Andrew Cohen - Books about Cohen
• Andrew Cohen - Articles

Read more here: » Andrew Cohen: Encyclopedia - Andrew Cohen

Amongst Guru-shishya relationships, there is a certain range of variation of the levels of authority that may be attributed to the guru. This level of authority ranges from the highest levels of authority as most often found in bhakti yoga, such as the Sathya Sai Baba movement, to the lowest levels, as found in the Pranayama forms of yoga such as in the Sankara Saranam movement. Between these two ends of the spectrum there are innumerable variations in degree and form of that author ...

See also:

Guru-shishya tradition, Guru-shishya tradition - Common characteristics of the guru-shishya relationship, Guru-shishya tradition - Guru-shishya relationship types, Guru-shishya tradition - In bhakti yoga, Guru-shishya tradition - Other, Guru-shishya tradition - In Buddhism, Guru-shishya tradition - Psychological aspects

Read more here: » Guru-shishya tradition: Encyclopedia II - Guru-shishya tradition - Guru-shishya relationship types

In 1642, the fifth generation descendant of Guru Tashi, Phuntsog Namgyal was consecrated as the first Denjong Gyalpo or the Chogyal (king) of Sikkim by the three great Lamas who came from the north, west and south to Yuksom Norbugang in West Sikkim. The event, Naljor Chezhi, was as predicted by Guru Rinpoche some eight hundred years before. This historical gathering of the three virtuous lamas is called Yuksom, which in Lepcha means the 'Three Superior Ones'. The chogyal, along with the three lamas proselytised the Lepcha tribes into Buddhism and annexed the Chumbi Valley, the present day ...

See also:

History of Sikkim, History of Sikkim - Kingdom of Sikkim, History of Sikkim - British arrival, History of Sikkim - Puppet state, History of Sikkim - Independent monarchy, History of Sikkim - State of India

Read more here: » History of Sikkim: Encyclopedia II - History of Sikkim - Kingdom of Sikkim

Padmasambhava, also known as Guru Rimpoche, is usually credited with bringing Tantric Buddhism to Bhutan, but two rare sites representing an earlier influence predate him. Kyichu in Paro and Jambey in Bumthang where built in 659 AD, a century or so ahead before Guru Rimpoche's arrival, by the quasi-legendary King of Tibet Songtsen Gampo. In the 8th century the Indian Guru Padmasambhava arrived in Bhutan, bringing Tantric Buddhism (which would evolve into Tibetan Buddhism over the next 400 years). He establishing a number of temples and monasteries, including the famous Taktshang monastery built high on a ...

See also:

History of Bhutan, History of Bhutan - Prehistory, History of Bhutan - Arrival of Tantric Buddhism, History of Bhutan - Bhutan emerges as a country, History of Bhutan - Treaties with Britain, History of Bhutan - Civil wars, History of Bhutan - Establishment of the monarchy, History of Bhutan - End of absolute rule, History of Bhutan - Emergence from isolation, History of Bhutan - Draft of the Constitution distributed March 2005, History of Bhutan - Current threats to stability, History of Bhutan - Assamese separatists, History of Bhutan - Ethnic Nepalese refugees, History of Bhutan - Bhutanese Communist Party BCP

Read more here: » History of Bhutan: Encyclopedia II - History of Bhutan - Arrival of Tantric Buddhism

While Adi Da's teaching bears strong affinities with Hinduism and Buddhism, Adi Da describes his "Way of the Heart " or "Way of Adidam" as a "radical" (or most direct), original, and uniquely complete (or "All-Completing") offering that, for the first time in universal and cosmic history, has made the total way and wisdom of the precosmic Divine Light, or the "Bright", available to human beings. Adi Da also proclaims that he has, through an "Avataric Divine Descent", brought the "Bright" into all planes or dimensions of the cosmos via a new ...

See also:

Adi Da, Adi Da - Life, Adi Da - Teaching, Adi Da - Response, Adi Da - Complete Teaching Literature, Adi Da - The Dawn Horse Testament, Adi Da - The Five Books Of The Heart Of The Adidam Revelation, Adi Da - The Seventeen Companions Of The True Dawn Horse, Adi Da - Name changes, Adi Da - Books by other authors

Read more here: » Adi Da: Encyclopedia II - Adi Da - Teaching

Adi Da was born and raised in Queens, New York. He attended Columbia College, where he received a degree in philosophy, and Stanford University, where he completed his M.A. in English literature with a thesis on Gertrude Stein. In 1965, Adi Da (then still Franklin Jones) became a disciple of Swami Rudrananda, also known as Rudi, and, later, in 1968, a disciple of the Indian teacher Swami Muktananda, who gave Jones a letter which acknowledged his experiences and gave him the right to teach. Adi Da was also involved with Scientology for approx ...

See also:

Adi Da, Adi Da - Life, Adi Da - Teaching, Adi Da - Response, Adi Da - Complete Teaching Literature, Adi Da - The Dawn Horse Testament, Adi Da - The Five Books Of The Heart Of The Adidam Revelation, Adi Da - The Seventeen Companions Of The True Dawn Horse, Adi Da - Name changes, Adi Da - Books by other authors

Read more here: » Adi Da: Encyclopedia II - Adi Da - Life

Adi Da's formal devotees number close to two thousand worldwide. There are a number of Adidam communities around the world. In order to support the growth of Adidam in the world, devotees are generally expected to tithe at between 5% and 15% of their gross income, and are asked to pay additional fees, although exceptions based on financial need are allowed.[5] Devotees also frequently take part in fundraisers, the purpose of which is to provide Adi Da with various gifts that he requests.[6] Adi Da has stated that "(t)he first responsibility ...

See also:

Adi Da, Adi Da - Life, Adi Da - Teaching, Adi Da - Response, Adi Da - Complete Teaching Literature, Adi Da - The Dawn Horse Testament, Adi Da - The Five Books Of The Heart Of The Adidam Revelation, Adi Da - The Seventeen Companions Of The True Dawn Horse, Adi Da - Name changes, Adi Da - Books by other authors

Read more here: » Adi Da: Encyclopedia II - Adi Da - Response

Although Adi Da has authored over 70 books on spirituality and the process of God-Realization over the last 35 years, his full and complete teaching argument is now contained in a 23 book canon, known as his "Source Texts". The texts comprising this body of work—the Dharma (or Scripture) of the Way of the Heart—are distinct from other general or introductory Adidam books. While such introductory books are merely about the process of Adidam, the Source Texts, in their study, are a necessary component of that process. Although these texts may be beneficially studied by anyone, th ...

See also:

Adi Da, Adi Da - Life, Adi Da - Teaching, Adi Da - Response, Adi Da - Complete Teaching Literature, Adi Da - The Dawn Horse Testament, Adi Da - The Five Books Of The Heart Of The Adidam Revelation, Adi Da - The Seventeen Companions Of The True Dawn Horse, Adi Da - Name changes, Adi Da - Books by other authors

Read more here: » Adi Da: Encyclopedia II - Adi Da - Complete Teaching Literature

Pema Chödrön was born in New York City and graduated from the University of California at Berkeley. She previously worked as an elementary school teacher before converting to Buddhism. Chödrön began to study with Lama Chime Rinpoche in the French Alps, and became a Buddhist nun in 1974 while studying with him in London. She first met Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche in 1972, and at the urging of Lama Chime Rinpoche, she took him as her root guru. She studied with him continu ...

See also:

Pema Chodron, Pema Chodron - History, Pema Chodron - Works

Read more here: » Pema Chodron: Encyclopedia II - Pema Chodron - History