What Is Buddhism

Lamazopa Rinpoche Changing The Face of Buddha

Rinpoche gave a beautifully simple introduction to Buddhism on Mongolian radio during EEC 4, which Ven Sarah Thresher transcribed and edited. It is available in full at http://www.fpmt.org/teachings/default.asp

Excerpts from the talk follow:

'Why is it so important to learn about Buddhism and to practice it? Because what we are all seeking is happiness and what none of us want is suffering. Therefore we need to abandon the real cause of suffering and create the unmistaken cause of happiness. The actual cause of happiness is not outside. Even though people commonly believe that suffering is connected to external situations, actually these are just the conditions for suffering. Similarly, the actual cause of happiness is not outside, it is within the mind.

If there were loving kindness, compassion, the thought of benefiting others and contentment in the hearts of everyone in the world, there would be no need for weapons or guns at all, and no reason to have armies. How incredible this country and the world would be if everyone could generate and develop these most precious qualities of the mind! With these inner qualities, you become a friend to everyone and everyone becomes your friend. You love everyone and everyone loves you. How incredibly happy the world would be!

Who is Buddha and How is Buddha Guiding Me?
Generally in a country and in the world, there is somebody amongst all the others who has the greatest compassion and there is somebody who has the highest education and somebody who has the greatest capacity. Buddha is one who has actualized the path of method and wisdom, has completely ceased all gross and subtle defilements and has achieved the fully enlightened mind, the omniscient mind perfected with all understanding. Buddha’s mind has not even the slightest ignorance and can see directly all present, past and future phenomena simultaneously. Buddha has also trained in great compassion towards every single sentient being without discrimination and has perfect power to reveal all the methods that fit exactly sentient beings’ karma.'

This article is taken from the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT).