Contemporary Buddhism

Quiz: Dalai Lama facts and trivia

Katinka Hesselink — Fri, 04 Mar 2016 18:09:48 +0000

Tenzin Gyatso, born Lhama Dhondup, and named Kundun after having been named the future 14th Dalai Lama (which he now is) is the leader of the Tibetan people in exile. He and his people have suffered greatly under Chinese rule. The troubles there are, unfortunately, not nearly over. The Dalai Lama is known for his … Continue reading Quiz: Dalai Lama facts and trivia

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Vaibhasika – Buddhist Philosophy Quiz

Katinka Hesselink — Fri, 04 Mar 2016 16:36:33 +0000

The Vaibhasika are the first of the four Buddhist schools recognized by the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. They are seen as a Hinayana school, i.e. they don’t aim at becoming a Buddha but ‘merely’ an arhat. The result is that one does attain liberation, but can’t help all sentient beings do the same. In some ways … Continue reading Vaibhasika – Buddhist Philosophy Quiz

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How do Buddhists live? Buddhist lifestyle!

Katinka Hesselink — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 11:36:56 +0000

How to live like a Buddhist? Buddhists live all over the world. They live in all kinds of ways, so there is no simple all encompassing answer to the question how Buddhists live. Still, there are a few things to take into account: Real Buddhists have taken refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha … Continue reading How do Buddhists live? Buddhist lifestyle!

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Pema Chodron – famous Buddhist teacher

Katinka Hesselink — Mon, 27 Apr 2015 17:54:54 +0000

A mother of two turned Buddhist nun. It’s not a common happening, and it was even more rare when Deirdre Blomfield-Brown did it, because the Tibetan Buddhist nun’s tradition no longer existed. So despite being a student of Mahayana Buddhism, she had to go around the world to Hong Kong where she was ordained in … Continue reading Pema Chodron – famous Buddhist teacher

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Is Buddhism a Religion or a Philosophy?

Katinka Hesselink — Wed, 08 Apr 2015 13:38:40 +0000

To me Buddhism is a religion – do you agree? There is a long tradition in the West to regard Buddhism as a philosophy. This tradition was started by Enlightenment philosophers (those who like rational thinking so much) who saw in Buddhism an ancient religion which fit their ideal of a rational way of life. … Continue reading Is Buddhism a Religion or a Philosophy?

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Best Books on Emptiness / No-Self doctrine in Buddhism

Katinka Hesselink — Wed, 11 Feb 2015 12:50:14 +0000

I have studied Sunyata (emptiness) for over a decade. I have received teachings, read transcripts and meditated on the topic. Emptiness is a topic that I find deepens with time. Each time I look at the topic, I find new levels, new nuances and more application to my daily life. The books that follow are the … Continue reading Best Books on Emptiness / No-Self doctrine in Buddhism

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Why Leave Cyclic Existence – and Emptiness (some questions)

Katinka Hesselink — Tue, 10 Feb 2015 18:47:18 +0000

Is suffering something to be avoided? Do we have to want to leave cyclic existence as Buddhists? Most people aren’t really driven to leave cyclic existence. Traditionally most Buddhists were only invested in getting a good next rebirth – you know, by ethics and generosity. So if you can live with that option, you’re still … Continue reading Why Leave Cyclic Existence – and Emptiness (some questions)

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Commercial Intent – aka Buddhism, money and making a living (online)

Katinka Hesselink — Sat, 06 Jul 2013 09:07:44 +0000

As I write this, this blog has a whopping 4 visitors a day, on average. As a seasoned web professional of over 10 years, I knew that it was never going to get a lot of traffic overnight. Why not? Because I started this blog with the intent of simply writing about what I care … Continue reading Commercial Intent – aka Buddhism, money and making a living (online)

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Embodied Buddhism – in an on-screen world

Katinka Hesselink — Wed, 26 Jun 2013 08:07:32 +0000

As I sit here, I have a body. That’s perhaps self evident, but when most of our communication happens on screens, it might be easy to forget. I’m on both sides of that equation: I make a living online, which means I meet my colleagues on the online water coolers of Facebook and forums. On … Continue reading Embodied Buddhism – in an on-screen world

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Are gurus made up by people because of their need to follow?

Katinka Hesselink — Tue, 14 May 2013 09:21:04 +0000

There are basically two approaches to the ‘guru’ question. The first is that people simply need help on the spiritual path, which is why there are gurus. The second is that people create gurus by their need to follow someone. This second view leads to the conclusion that all gurus should just stop being gurus … Continue reading Are gurus made up by people because of their need to follow?

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