Buddhist Philosophy

Phakchok Rinpoche and senior instructors offer regular audio, video and written wisdom teachings. You can check your understanding with reflections or practice exercises. Browse by topic and level according to your interest.

Meditation
In this teaching, Phakchok Rinpoche discusses “mindfulness” in the Buddhist tradition, which includes evaluating our experience against the ethical structure of the Ten Nonvirtues
7 minutes
Mahayoga Practices · Vajrayana
Many students ask questions about how to set up a proper Tukdrup Barché Kunsel shrine for group practice or at home. Phakchok Rinpoche has kindly requested his artist to prepare detailed diagrams that we may follow.
Holistic Living · Nine Yanas · Vajrayana
Phakchok Rinpoche explains how a belief in karma gives us an anchor when our own moral compass fails us.
5 minutes
Vajrayana
In this video teaching, Phakchok Rinpoche reminds us that the essence of our mind is already enlightened. Yet, even though our nature is pure, that does not imply that we then can sit back and do nothing. We need to accumulate merit!
9 minutes
Meditation · Nine Yanas · Vajrayana
Phakchok Rinpoche explains the purpose of our meditation practice. Here he stresses that we can familiarize ourselves through direct experience with the four qualities of our true mind nature.
8 minutes
Meditation · Nine Yanas · Vajrayana
Phakchok Rinpoche encourages us to meditate correctly every morning. Don’t meditate like a dead tree! That means that we are approaching the session alone.
3 minutes
Vajrayana
Building dignity through supplication may sound contradictory. In the Vajrayana path, however, supplication is continually emphasized. Why is this so?
2 minutes
Ground, Path, and Fruition · Mahayoga Practices · The Foundation · Vajrayana
In this document, Phakchok Rinpoche shares the eight essential points to hold in mind for any meditation session.
Ground, Path, and Fruition · Vajrayana
In this teaching, originally held in Singapore, Phakchok Rinpoche discusses the 8 points of advice from the great Khenpo Shantarakshita.
51 minutes
Meditation · Vajrayana
Rituals at Tibetan Buddhist Dharma Centers can delight, intrigue, and/or confuse newcomers. Here we offer some brief guidelines for the curious onlooker.
The best way to welcome the New Year is to begin a new positive habit. In Tibetan, the word gom that we usually translate as “meditation”, more accurately means to “habituate” or “to become used to”. And that’s what a habit is—something we do easily and almost spontaneously.
Holistic Living
As social beings, we humans learn from those around us. And because we don’t have fixed, unchanging solidity as beings, we make choices. We can choose to follow our innate goodness. If we associate with loving, kind, and open-hearted people, we will naturally develop those qualities. When we acknowledge our basic goodness, we lean toward virtue and surround ourselves with others who share that view.