News Archive
On Letter to A Friend and Entering the Middle Way Image: Lama Zopa Rinpoche reading a text, Fair Lawn, New Jersey, USA, 1974. LYWA collection By Michael Lobsang Tenpa The Indo-Tibetan tradition of Buddhism is keen on reading—for those who are literate, of course, since there have always been throngs …
By Lewis Gwilt In diving into Buddhism and the ideal of the bodhisattva, it is impossible to avoid bodhichitta. But what is bodhichitta, why is it so integral to the bodhisattva path and how can we begin to develop it? Bodhichitta as the mind of enlightenment Bodhichitta is known as …
For Westerners coming to Buddhism for the first time, there is sometimes a bit of a terminological bump early along the way. “If Buddhists don’t believe in a soul,” some of us might remember asking, “then what is it that’s getting reborn and potentially liberated from samsara?” The general answer …
By Lewis Gwilt What are Samsara and Nirvana? Samsara encompasses the experience of suffering of all beings. It is defined by the sense of being a permanent and separate self. This denotes suffering because what is experienced as permanent and separate is only imagined. Nirvana, in contrast, is the extinction …
As Jamyang Buddhist Center gets ready for the new round of FPMT’s famous Discovering Buddhism program, Michael Lobsang Tenpa contemplates the origins and logic of the course. Stumbling into Discovering Buddhism was one of the educational highlights of my life—even against the backdrop of having had a chance to study …
How Buddhist practice shaped Marina Abramović’s performance art By Vicki McKenzie On the evening of 22 November 2023, amidst the media frenzy surrounding Marina Abramović’s solo exhibition at the Royal Academy, London, the world- acclaimed Performance Artist could be found at Jamyang Meditation Centre talking about her meeting with the Tibetan …
By Lewis Gwilt A well focused mind can be an effective tool while the untamed mind can be a hindrance. Understanding both ways is the first step in training the mind; making it advantageous for our goals and expanding its capabilities. In this post we’ll begin to explore the nature …
By Lewis Gwilt Compassion: A Reflection for the Time Between Christmas and New Year As the year winds down, many of us find ourselves in a contemplative space between Christmas and the New Year. Christmas is often celebrated as a time of compassion, a quality that is also integral to …
Image: Ven Drolma & Ven Wangyel accepting our awards on behalf of the community We’re delighted to share some joyful news with our community. This year, Jamyang Buddhist Centre has been recognised for the work we’ve been doing together—work rooted in compassion, equity, and care for our planet. These awards …
By Lewis Gwilt Karma is a word many of us have heard. Often, it’s used to describe justice for someone’s actions—“what goes around, comes around.” But how does this modern interpretation compare to the traditional Buddhist understanding? In this post, we’ll explore the meaning of karma, its role in the …
