An idea that challenges, confuses and sometimes even angers people is that each of us could be reborn as an animal. When I recently blogged about karma, quite a few of the comments asked more about this subject. So, what is the Tibetan Buddhist perspective? It’s important not to be encumbered with ideas from Western culture and society...
Others’ bad karma is no cause to rejoice
It’s not that unusual to hear people talk about the bad karma that others have created – and how happy they will be when that karma comes back to bite their adversary in the butt. But this is actually an idea that could backfire terribly! People don’t just say these things. They also post stuff on social...
Can you be a Buddhist if you don’t believe in karma and reincarnation?
I am sometimes asked this question, especially at the end of an introductory class on Buddhism. The person asking me will usually have been struck by one of the life-enhancing insights offered by the Dharma. Perhaps they have experienced the gentle but powerful impact that meditation has on our state of mind. Many Buddhist teachings...
Who was your pet in a previous lifetime? Tibetan Buddhist wisdom
Like most people who spend time around cats, the superior attitude of some of my feline friends has often made me wonder who they were in a previous lifetime. Princess Wussik, the inspiration for The Dalai Lama’s Cat, frequently reminded us where we stood in the overall scheme of things. Delighted to find a new...