virtue in buddhism

How do you define what is virtuous and what is not? If an act brings you closer to the truth, it is a virtuous action in buddhism. Okay. If an act – okay, so if an act of whatever, for instance, if, let’s say in order to save like these two, let’s say this two are being chased by a murderer. In order to save these two, the murderer asks me: “Have you seen these two?” I say: “No.” That is a blatant lie. That is an act of lying. But I am saving them. Such kind of act, outwardly it is an non-virtuous , but actually it is bring you closer to the truth. To the compassion, love, and all that. So therefore, especially in Mahayana Buddhism, action that brings you closer to the truth is virtuous. Action that does not bring you closer, action that brings you further from the truth, even though it may be seemingly virtuous such as going to Bodhgaya and do hundred thousand prostration and making sure anybody is looking at you so that you become famous, whether anybody is taking photograph of you, you know. To self-cherish and all of that. This is bringing you further from the truth. That is non-virtuous.

Love and Relationships, Singapore April 2012 (podcast 18)

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morality without wisdom

In buddhism, morality is secondary. Wisdom is primary. Shantideva said: a morality without the wisdom is a pain in the neck. It is. It actually makes you hypocritical, it makes you judgmental, it makes you puritanical, so on and so forth.

Love and Relationships, Singapore April 2012 (podcast 18)

(direct audio link)

the devil of buddhism

Every religion has an enemy, looks like. Like Christians and Muslims they have like Satan and so on and so forth, right. Every religion. And buddhism also has one. The devil of buddhism. And what is that? It is called distraction. Constant distraction, that is the satan of buddhism. So, understandably, the main, quintessence of the buddhist practice is obviously mindfulness. This is where mindfulness is taught in the theravada tradition, in the mahayana tradition, in the vajrayana tradition, mindfulness is the thing.

Love and Relationships, Singapore April 2012 (podcast 18)

(direct audio link)

A Walk On The Highline with Khyentse Norbu

CineVue met up with Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche on The Highline in New York City to talk about his newest film VARA: A BLESSING.

value of being skillful

Many times, to be straight forward, to be open is cherished and valued. But to be skillful has to be valued, because many times the truth, the honest truth, cannot be easily appreciated by others, cannot be digested. Even the Buddha, if you look at his teachings, the absolute teachings – you know there are many different levels of teachings. Many many many teachings are what we call the expedient teachings, the teachings that require interpretations. The direct naked absolute teachings such as Vajracchedika Sutra are very difficult to digest. Here Buddha says there is no Buddha, there is no form of the Buddha. Buddha never taught. So on and so forth. That is shocking. That is indigestible. So in many other Sutras Buddha talks about his past life, once when he was a rabbit, once when he was a peacock. So on and so forth, Jatakamala Sutra. And then there are other Sutras where he says there is something like Sukhavati, Amithaba realm where there are lotuses, there are swimming pools. Stuff like that. So Shakyamuni Buddha was being very skillful in order to approach.

Love and Relationships, Singapore April 2012 (podcast 18)

(direct audio link)

same sex marriage

Few years ago I performed several marriage ceremonies. I do that by the way. And I married two men and also married two women. Lots of eyebrows were raised. I mean of course they must be outcasted, but maybe not so much in America. But I myself, the performer of the marriage, how can you do this? What are you doing? For those who have a different sexual orientation many culture, many habit is unfortunately not tolerant. And this is so unfortunate.

Love and Relationships, Singapore April 2012 (podcast 18)

(direct audio link)

the noble wealth of feeling sad about this life

When a bodhisattva visited Buddha – it is in the Prajnaparamita Sutra – and the bodhisattva complaint to the Buddha, saying: I feel so sad, I feel so sad about this meaningless life and all of that. And it is almost painful. Then Buddha: this is a noble wealth, you have so much merit that is why you are feeling sad about these things. When you don’t have that merit you will be distracted to all this gadgets and think this is life.

Love and Relationships, Singapore April 2012 (podcast 18)

(direct audio link)