Dear fellow practitioners,

The Buddha often uses the word 'Tathagata' when referring to himself in the suttas. This interesting word can be translated as meaning both "Thus Come" and "Thus Gone." Through the final birth and Enlightenment the Buddha had finally truly and magnificently come. Yet through his realisations there was no longer any attachment to any condition either in himself or in the world – and no identification with anything as being a 'self' or 'mine.' So the Buddha truly is both wonderful and marvellous, as well as purified and Empty. Everything he did and taught from the Enlightenment onwards was the purest expression of compassion, mindfulness and wisdom.

This talk that was given in The Lumbini Grove in Nepal – the place where the Bodhisatta Siddartha Gotama was born. Here we take a closer look at conditions that give rise to "The Maha Bodhisatta"… the being destined for Buddhahood. In recollecting the love, compassion and self-sacrifice demonstrated by this extraordinary being, we come quite naturally to feel grateful and indeed quite blessed through coming into contact with the result of the Bodhisattas awesome efforts encompassing thousands of aeons - that is to say, the liberating  teachings and practices handed down to us from the Enlightened One himself.

​I hope that this talk and reading given at the Holy site may be both informative and uplifting.

With Loving-Kindness    

Dear fellow practitioners,

Having recently returned from leading a Pilgrimage in Northern India I am excited to be able to share the first of one of the talks given at the Holy Sites. 

The subject of asking for forgiveness is a delicate one. Many people feel reluctant to have an honest look at their faults. Perhaps we fear that what we will find will harm our self-esteem which can already be quite challenged? Being able to admit when we have made a mistake… and being able to look at our weak points with an objective awareness that is motivated by Compassion however, can actually be an incredible gift to oneself. For it is in seeing these things clearly that we can train ourselves to improve and to do better, and in doing so we become happier and have much less suffering.

This talk was given on the evening before I lead an asking for forgiveness ceremony at the Bodhi Tree in Bodhgaya. The actual ceremony is also included at the very end of the talk. I hope that listeners are able to feel some of the power and purity of the atmosphere and that this is encouraging for you.

​With Loving-Kindness