10/08/2017 - Treat Everyone as the Buddha (Mingyur Rinpoche)

BY YONGEY MINGYUR RINPOCHE| AUGUST 9, 2017

“The one time people ask me about ethics is when scandals or controversies happen in Buddhist communities,” says Mingyur Rinpoche. But, as he notes, ethical conduct has always been central to the Buddhist path. Here he explains what it means to live a virtuous life, what a student a should look for in a teacher, what to do when serious ethics violations occur, and more.

As a Buddhist teacher, I am often asked questions about meditation and profound Buddhist principles, like interdependence and emptiness. I am happy to share what I know on these topics. But I have noticed that people rarely ask me about ethics and how to live a virtuous life.

It is true that meditation is important in the Buddhist tradition. There’s no question about that. The same can be said about studying Buddhist ideas and philosophies. But in many ways, ethics and virtue are the foundation of the Buddhist path.  more...