Dharma Teachings

His Holiness the 42nd Sakya Trizin, Ratna Vajra Rinpoche, bestowed this teaching online on September 18, 2020, at the request of Khen Jampa and Tibetan Education Fund.

Hearing the teachings and contemplating them often will help engrave them on our minds. It sometimes happens that we think we have fully grasped the meaning of something after hearing it many times, yet we may have neglected an essential aspect. We can always benefit from seeing familiar material in a new light.

In this teaching, His Holiness presents key points of the path in a concise and refreshing way, one that might stimulate some new insights even for long-time students. Moreover, His Holiness describes some of the excellent qualities of the supreme head of the Sakya school, His Holiness Gongma Trichen Rinpoche, that will be a blessing for all to hear.

Source: This teaching was obtained from Tibetan Education Foundation Facebook.

Thinking about Buddha Śākyamuni, buddhas and bodhisattvas, and even contemporary Buddhist masters, many of us may envision them as characters in fairy tales—living without eating, sleeping, or facing life's challenges—seemingly detached from earthly concerns from birth, lacking a sense of 'reality.' In this teaching, His Holiness the 42nd Sakya Trizin uses the example of His Holiness Gongma Trichen, the supreme head of the Sakya school, to offer a more genuine understanding of this perception.

Buddhism is a way of life with the aim of achieving liberation and enlightenment. Despite differences in individual habitual tendencies and capacities, its universality makes Buddhism applicable to everyone. How does Buddhism differ from secular or other spiritual beliefs?

His Holiness addresses the above question concisely, making it easier for busy individuals to absorb and grasp the right method, leading to a clearer understanding of Buddhism. Regardless of our temporary and ultimate goals, there is benefit to be gained from it.