r/Buddhism

Today is Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva’s, the lord of compassion, hearer of the world’s birthday!  

I would like to share this verse from the Bodhisattvacaryāvatāra!

“To him whose loving deeds are steadfast O my guardian, Avalokita
I cry out from the depths of misery “Protect me now, the sinner that I am!”

• Bodhisattvacaryāvatāra 2.50

Nam Mô Quán Thế Âm Bồ Tát!   南摩观世音菩萨!

Never thought I’d be spinning the wheel of Dharma at a truck stop. Yet here we are. Fear nothing - I love you. #rubbertramp

I’m new to Buddhism, and Guanyin was the one who first caught my attention. As a woman who grew up in a religious household where God was addressed as male and all prophets were men, I had no idea such powerful feminine figures existed.

When I learned about her, I couldn’t stop looking at her. I felt that I should be more like her. That being a woman isn’t a barrier, and that compassion is powerful. I love that she is often referred to as a mother, she truly reminds me of my mother.

I was lucky enough to see her in a dream, and I am so grateful. It inspired me to try to be more compassionate and kind.

If anyone has anything to share about Guanyin: teachings, stories, personal experiences, or how you relate to her. I would really love to hear. Since today is associated with honoring her, I felt the need to post this.

I wish you all a life full of compassion.

May we all follow in Guanyin’s footsteps and help everyone we can.

Be kind.

Be patient.

Be compassionate.

Om Mani Padme Hum 🌼

Namo Guan Shi Yin Pusa 🌸

Today, 06 April 2026,

the 19th day of the 2nd lunar month,

we celebrate the sacred birthday of Guanyin.

This is not just a day of celebration…

it is a day of awakening.

Guanyin did not become who she is through comfort.

She became the embodiment of compassion because she listened—deeply—to the suffering of the world,

and chose to respond.

The question is…

today, will we respond?

Every day we say:

“I want to benefit beings.”

“I want to walk the path.”

“I want to practice.”

But today is not a day for just wishing.

Today is a day for doing.

Even one chant, done sincerely,

carries immeasurable weight.

Even one act of kindness,

done with a genuine heart,

reaches further than we can see.

Even one moment of patience,

when we could have reacted,

is already the path of a Bodhisattva.

Do not underestimate small actions.

Guanyin did not wait for perfect conditions—

she responded to suffering, again and again,

moment after moment.

So ask yourself honestly:

If not today, then when?

If not now, then when will you begin?

We are already so fortunate.

we have encountered the Dharma,

we know the path,

we have the conditions.

What is left… is to move.

Today, don’t overthink.

Don’t wait to feel “ready.”

Don’t wait for motivation.

Just act.

Chant more.

Help someone.

Be kinder.

Be more patient.

Sit down and practice, even if the mind resists.

Because the moment you act,

you are already walking with Guanyin.

And maybe…

just maybe…

Today is the day you stop delaying your vows,

and start becoming the person you promised to be.

Let this not be just another passing day.

Let this be the day your practice becomes real.

Namo Guanshiyin Pusa 🙏

>Was curious to read after seeing this lecture. I had read Ambedkar's Buddha and Marx, but had no clue about this book.

>Most of it has been covered line by line in the video mentioned above, still it was good to read Ambedkar's writing on Buddha.

>What I loved:

• The rationality with which Ambedkar approaches history, and traditions regarding Buddha. The questions he raised are quite reasonable, even the rationalist Buddha would agree today!
• He's quite bold, unafraid to put forth his analysis and interpretation.
• Fav section is his logical approach towards Buddhist "rebirth" and "karma". Very naturalistic. I like it, but can also see why many wouldn't.
• Another section is Buddha's Enemies. From murder charge to pregnancy slander ... Very Interesting to see Buddha's responses to them. It's a good practice to be as calm and witty when responding to any false remarks, as he replied smilingly to a false pregnancy charge by Chincha - "Sister, whatever you've said, true or false, is known only to both of us"....as truth soon came forth automatically.
• To explain rebirth without soul(eternal), there's a beautiful Mango seed/tree analogy. I love such analogies in Indian philosophies (rope/snake, chariot/self etc)
• Interestingly, I remember Osho's discourse on Buddha, where he mentioned the difference between history and puranas: That puranas/myths were meant to capture the emotions of the followers, it's poetry and metaphors, to capture what dates and events cannot...not to be taken literally! One example he'd given was how every important event related to Buddha apparently happened on Full moons! Rationally speaking, it's highly improbable, but the scriptures were trying to emphasize the significance of that event, not the event itself. It made me appreciate puranas/poetry in general more, though I still struggle with them.
• I was delighted to identify the Cipolla framework for Stupidity here, i.e, the Best Man/Just and Good Man is one who strives for welfare for all, including himself. 2000+ years of separation, yet same idea. Now Cipolla's book really looks silly, an expensive joke 😆 But that has taught me interdependence and transience again! My perception of that book has changed now (for the worse), but that's also why I don't like to rate my reads...every other book I read seems to alter it. Any rating is momentary, transient!
• This is just an opinion - but I'm more inclined to believe a naturalist explanation for rebirth and karma. Ambedkar too echoes as rational as an approach as he could, energy being the substrate, and rebirths being of energy/matter etc. (~conservation laws). Again, very few would agree with this interpretation, but that's what I understood here.
• Another interesting thing about the humble Buddha I learnt here - followers would travel from perilously far just to catch a glimpse of Buddha, and he'd reply simply - "What good is there in you seeing my vile body? Focus instead on the 8-fold path, the Dhamma! If you see that, you've seen me".

>What I didn't like:

• Not a big fan of using old english/Abrahamic terms in certain dialogues - like "thee, thy, thou, Blessed Lord, sin, church...". I understand it's to make it sound ancient and profound, but it wasn't required I feel.
• the Koli vs Sakyas dispute being the main cause for Parivraja(renunciation) of Buddha: It's an interesting theory, but couldn't find any source. Regardless, pondering on exact details is pointless - In relation to Buddha, I always remind myself of the poisoned arrow story, then things become clearer. {I.e, would you look for the hunter or cure yourself first? Would you ponder first metaphysics then ethics? History over Values?}
• This edition has many minor typos, not a hindrance to my reading experience, but just be aware of it. I wanted a hardcover edition for this, and this is alright.
• Why are the sentences numbered idk, to make it for easy reading? To literally make it a Bible? Like chapter.section.verse? Don't know if it's so in all editions or not. It makes for an easy reading but then a detailed index would have been better.
• It would have been real nice if the sources were mentioned as footnotes/bibliography. Any new edition can rectify this small change, it'll be of huge utility. I was confused multiple times whether a sermon/example was from scripture or Ambedkar's own views. (Mostly it was scriptural)

>>Conclusion:

A great compendium of Buddhism, presented in a systematic manner (Historical context, Buddha's life, Teachings, Interpretations, Sangh Rules, Contemporaries...) and rational worldview. If you can forgive the typos and editing style, this is a great read. There must be other compendiums too, but to read one compiled by Ambedkar is something else. You can see where Navayana got it's fire, why Ambedkar found a way in Buddhism instead of anything else. A religion without metaphysics, focused on fraternity, equality and compassion.

>>Rating: 7/8 (☸️8:ashtang marg, 1 deduction for the sloppy editing)

Yesterday we found the surviving Black Buddha. Today, we are exploring the ruins of the place it originally came from: Nalanda University. Founded in the 5th century CE, this was not just an academic institution. It was the greatest center of learning in human history and an absolute melting pot of spiritual thought. This is the exact soil where the greatest masters of the Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions studied, debated, and wrote the texts that shape global Buddhism today.

The Tower of Wisdom (Pic 1): This towering structure is the Sariputta Stupa. Sariputta was one of the Buddha's two chief disciples, renowned specifically for his supreme analytical wisdom (Prajna) and his mastery of the Abhidharma (the higher teachings). It is incredibly fitting that the largest monument at the world's greatest intellectual monastery is dedicated to the disciple who represented the sharpest, most penetrating wisdom.

Living Impermanence (Pic 2): A local resident working in the shadow of the ruins. The Buddha taught the universal truth of Anicca (impermanence). Looking at a daily, mundane human life happening right next to the fallen remains of a once invincible empire of knowledge is a powerful, living meditation on that exact teaching. Everything compounded must eventually dissolve.

The Courtyard of Debate (Pic 3): These pillar bases once supported massive halls of debate, and Nalanda was absolutely not an echo chamber. While great masters like Nagarjuna taught the Mahayana philosophy of Sunyata (Emptiness) here, monks were also required to rigorously study the Hindu Vedas, Jain philosophies, astronomy, and Brahmanical logic. To be a master at Nalanda meant knowing your philosophical rivals' beliefs inside and out. Chinese pilgrims even recorded that monks from the early traditional Buddhist schools, including the Theravada lineages, lived and debated right alongside the Mahayana monks in these very courtyards.

The Birthplace of Tantra (Pic 4): A close look at the surviving stucco figures. As the university evolved under the Pala Empire, it became the absolute epicenter for the development of Vajrayana (Tantric) Buddhism. Great esoteric masters like Naropa and Padmasambhava, who famously brought Buddhism over the Himalayas into Tibet, studied and taught here. These detailed figures were actively used by monks for complex visualization meditations to cultivate Bodhicitta.

The Monastic Code (Pic 5): A sweeping view of the vast monastic cells. While the monks here studied incredibly complex global philosophies, their daily lives were strictly governed by the Vinaya (the Buddhist monastic code). Historical accounts state that the thousands of monks at Nalanda were highly respected across India precisely because of their flawless, disciplined moral conduct.

The Middle Way (Pic 6): This perfectly symmetrical brick pathway leads to a main shrine. The physical layout of Nalanda, balancing the massive temples of devotion on one side with the residential monasteries of quiet study on the other, is a brilliant architectural reflection of the Middle Way. It perfectly balances rigorous intellectual debate with deep, seated meditation.

The Treasury of Truth (Pic 7): Two visitors resting on the ruins give a sense of the tragic scale here. In 1193 CE, the complex was sacked by invading armies. The most devastating loss was the Dharmaganja, the university's massive library complex. It housed millions of original Sutras, Tantras, and philosophical texts. Accounts say it took months for the ocean of global knowledge to burn to ash.

The Surviving Dharma (Pic 8): Ending with this sunlit view. The physical university was destroyed, but the Dharma cultivated here survived. Scholars who fled Nalanda carried these teachings over the mountains into Tibet, and across the seas to China and Japan, where those exact philosophies are still practiced today. The bricks fell, but the wisdom endured.

With so many complex traditions developed here, which specific Buddhist philosophy or text do you personally find the most challenging to fully grasp?

https://plumvillage.org/gems/

Came across YouTube and saw this.

I visited a temple on a cliff this weekend in Korea called Saseongam.

The temple stands dramatically on the edge of a steep cliff. The temple itself is beautiful, and the view from there was absolutely breathtaking.

Definitely one of the most amazing temple views I’ve seen in Korea.