InnerSelf

The Life Of The Buddha is a BBC documentary on  Buddhism with emphasis on the life of the Buddha. What  is Buddhism and what has made it so popular are some of the questions answered. Unlike the other major religions , Buddhism does not have a supreme being but guide in the Buddha.

The Buddha is a documentary by David Grubin and narrated by Richard Gere that tells the story of the Buddha's life, and attempts to answer the questions Who is the Buddha. What is the Buddha. It also features the work of some of the world's greatest artists and sculptors

by Katsuki Sekida.

In Buddhist literature, the ox is likened to one's own True Nature. To Find yourself. the search for the ox is to investigate this True Nature.

Buddhism has become very popular in the West, however, the "western" practice of buddhism is no doubt very different from Eastern traditional Buddhism. Yet, as with Christianity which has also evolved through the

by Daisaku Ikeda.

Each of us creates our own karma. Our past thoughts, speech and behavior have shaped our present reality, and our actions (and thoughts and speech) in the present will in turn affect our future. The Buddhist doctrine of karma is not fatalistic. Karma is...

by Franz Metcalf.

What does Buddhism teach? Don't worry, I won't give you a history of Buddhism. There are many dull accounts of this history and a few not-so-dull ones. For now, let's get right to the living center of Buddhism: what the Buddha saw, felt, and taught to his disciples.

by Katsuki Sekida.

Zen is concerned with the problem of the nature of mind, so it necessarily includes an element of philosophical speculation. However, in Zen we are never separated from our personal practice, which we carry out with our body and mind. Zen aims at overthrowing our distorted view of the world...

by Thubten Chodron.

Nowadays meditation is sometimes confused with other activities. Meditation is not simply relaxing the body and mind. Nor is it imagining being a successful person with wonderful possessions, good relationships, appreciation from others, and fame. This is merely daydreaming about objects of attachment.

by Venerable Gyatrul Rinpoche. It's very easy for you to be wholesome and virtuous and spiritual when things are going right. But as soon as a little bit of adversity arises, then the real test begins, especially when you look at how you deal with your family life..

by Sayadaw U. Pandita.

We do not practice meditation to gain admiration from anyone. In this essay we learn some basics of meditation and how to meditate.

by Osho.

Just be what you are and don't care a bit about the world. Then you will feel a tremendous relaxation and a deep peace within your heart. This is what Zen Buddhists call your "original face" - In this essay Osho, through parables and narratives, helps you understand how to find yourself.

by Woody Hochswender, Greg Martin & Ted Morino.

Buddhism explains the profound truths of life. But it also provides an immensely practical method for overcoming obstacles and transforming oneself. It can be applied to every area of your existence: family, work, relationships, health. And it can be applied by anyone. Each and every human being contains the inherent capacity to be a Buddha

by B. Alan Wallace. It is possible for the mind to become disempowered. It feels then as if reality is just a given, and all we can do is try to deal with it. The disempowered mind feels it has no choice about what it attends to. Training the attention is definitely one way to begin empowering the mind.

by Jack Kornfield.

When we are faced with a variety of spiritual teachings and practices, we must keep a genuine sense of inquiry. What is the effect of these teachings and practices on myself and others? In his last words, the Buddha said we must be a lamp unto ourselves.

by Ron Leifer, M.D.

Buddhist teachings are often summarized in terms of the "three principle aspects of the path": renunciation, compassion, and the wisdom realizing emptiness. The first step on the path of renunciation is to begin searching for happiness within. Renouncing the world does not mean rejecting the world...

by Daisaku Ikeda.

We all desire happiness, and yet happiness seems to be just beyond our reach. However many 'how to be happy' books might appear, human beings are still largely beset by the same problems as their ancestors. The poor seek wealth, the sick yearn to be healthy, those suffering from domestic strife...

by Sharon Salzberg.

Compassion is not a thought or a sentimental feeling, but is rather a movement of the heart. Compassion is born out of lovingkindness. But we may get distracted, we forget, we get caught up in something else, or we confuse another feeling for the state of compassion.

by Khenpo Kharthur Rinpoche.

I came to the United States twenty-two years ago. People at that time did not seem to know very much about Buddhism. We Tibetans realized that it would be beneficial to teach and explain the dharma. We began to talk to people about how to create peace within their heart and peace within the world. We taught how to move beyond suffering...

by Pema Chodron.

It's up to us. We can spend our lives cultivating our resentments and cravings or we can explore the path of the warrior ? nurturing open-mindedness and courage. Most of us keep strengthening our negative habits and therefore sow the seeds of our own suffering.

by Alan Cohen.  One of his students asked Buddha, "Are you the messiah?" "No", answered Buddha. "Then are you a teacher?" "No, I am not a teacher." "Then what are you?" "I am awake", Buddha replied. The goal of Buddhism, like any self-respecting spiritual path, is not to have titles or to make distinctions between degrees of holiness; it is to wake up.

by Martin E. Segal.

Buddha is sitting in a relaxed, yet contemplative position and there is a big smile on his face. Is he laughing at me...? Martin E. Segal helps the reader understand how to live life to the fullest and why the Buddha is smiling.

by Ron Leifer, M.D. With the decline of religion and the rise of science, jurisdiction over the problems of happiness and suffering were transferred from the former to the latter.  This essay helps explain the symmetry and similarities between Buddhism and psychotherapy in the search for happiness and on how to be happy.