Saturday, 28 February 2026

HOME

 

The World of Buddhism and Spirituality
 Archive of Lama Geshe Tharchin G. Lharampa Rinpoche

DHARMA NOTES
 
Social activities


བོད་ཡིག
 



May all beings everywhere be happy and free.
Che tutti gli esseri, ovunque, siano felici e liberi.
Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu 
འཇིག་རྟེན་ཁམས་ཀུན་ཕན་བདེ་དང་རང་དབང་གིས་ཁྱབ་པར་སྨོན།


Posted by at

The Illusion of Reality

The Illusion of Reality

Imagine that everything you see, touch, and experience is not exactly as it appears. This idea—that all our perceptions might be illusions—has captured the attention of scientists, philosophers, and spiritual traditions alike. One fascinating voice in this conversation is Donald Hoffman, who proposes the theory of the perception interface. According to Hoffman, our brains don’t show us the world as it truly is. Instead, they create a user-friendly interface designed for survival, a kind of “desktop” that lets us navigate life efficiently, not accurately.

Our brains receive limited sensory information—just two-dimensional light signals from our eyes. Yet, they manage to build rich, colorful, three-dimensional worlds in our minds. Remarkably, about 90% of what we “see” comes from the brain’s predictions and memories rather than raw data. This means our experience of reality is mostly a mental construction, optimized for quick decisions and survival rather than truth.

This idea aligns intriguingly with insights from quantum physics and Buddhism, despite their very different origins. Quantum physics reveals that what feels solid and real—tables, chairs, even our own bodies—is mostly empty space. Atoms are largely void, and their solidity comes from electromagnetic forces, not true contact. Moreover, particles don’t have fixed properties until they are observed, existing instead as waves of probability. This “observer effect” echoes the Buddhist teaching that reality is impermanent and dependent on perception.

Buddhism speaks of Maya, the illusion of a permanent, separate world. It teaches that everything is interconnected and constantly changing—a concept called anicca, or impermanence. The Buddhist view suggests that our sense of a solid, separate self is a misconception that leads to suffering. Similarly, quantum entanglement shows that particles can be instantaneously connected across vast distances, highlighting the deep interdependence of all things.

Both Buddhism and quantum physics challenge the idea of an objective, unchanging reality. While quantum physics studies matter through math and experiments, Buddhism explores the mind and suffering through meditation and philosophy. Yet both reach a strikingly similar conclusion: what we experience as reality is a constructed, fluid, and interconnected web rather than a fixed, independent world.

Understanding this can be both humbling and liberating. It reminds us that our brains act as prediction engines, crafting a useful but subjective reality that supports survival. Our perceptions are not perfect mirrors but creative interpretations shaped by memory, context, and expectation. This doesn’t mean the world doesn’t exist—our actions still have consequences—but it does mean we live inside a kind of mental simulation.

In the end, this perspective invites us to rethink what we consider real. It bridges science and spirituality, offering a shared glimpse into the mysterious nature of existence. Whether through the lens of neuroscience, quantum physics, or ancient wisdom, the story is the same: reality is less about solid facts and more about dynamic relationships, unfolding in the interplay between observer and observed.

This is a first draft by Geshe Gedun Tharchin

ROME: February 28, 2026


Posted by at

Sunday, 22 February 2026

Chötrul Dawa ཆོ་འཕྲུལ་ཟླ་བ་ “Miraculous Month” and Losar ལོ་གསར་ the Tibetan New Year of 2026


 
“Chötrul Dawa”  ཆོ་འཕྲུལ་ཟླ་བ་  “Miraculous Month”

(This year, 2026, from 18 February and last for 15 days)



The term 'Chotrul Dawa' is translated as 'Miraculous Month' or 'Month of Miracles' and refers to 
the first month of the Tibetan lunar calendar. This period is of significant importance and is
known as Losar, the Tibetan New Year. The event is scheduled to commence on 18 February
2026 and is expected to span a duration of 15 days.

This period is commemorated to mark the time when Buddha Shakyamuni performed a different 
and profound miracle every day for 15 days. The objective of this undertaking was twofold: 
firstly, to enhance the merit and devotion of prospective disciples, and secondly, to rectify the 
erroneous views of six rival teachers (tirthika) and to instil faith in his adherents.

It is evident that the occurrence of the miracles took place in Shravasti, and that these reached 
their zenith on the fifteenth day, with a variety of manifestations of divine power. The fifteenth 
day of the first month, when the moon is full, is known as Chötrul Düchen ('Great Day of 
Miraculous Manifestations') and is one of the four main Buddhist holidays. Consequently, Chötrul 
Düchen is not solely a commemoration of past marvels; it continues to signify a perpetual 
occasion.

It is a commonly held belief that every act of generosity, prayer, mantra recitation, offering and 
kindness during these days carries immense spiritual power. However, it is important to note that 
in order to accumulate merit, it is essential to act with pure intentions.
It is imperative to fortify one's dedication to the Three Jewels.
It is imperative to abstain from any actions that could be perceived as harmful.
It is imperative to dedicate all virtues to the enlightenment of all beings. 

Two other significant spiritual events are celebrated in this same month: Ramadan and Lent. 
These events, which originate from different traditions, symbolise the unity of humanity and the 
deep connection between spiritual practices, despite their beautiful and fruitful diversity.

It is hoped that these extraordinary days will serve to inspire deeper faith, with an enthusiastic
desire to deepen one's practice in order to bring peace and liberation to the entire world.


*** 
 


Losar 2026, the Tibetan New Year of the Fire Horse,

 falls on 18 February!


Tibetans will celebrate Losar from 18 to 21 February 2026. According to the Tibetan lunar calendar, the Year of the Fire Horse begins, symbolising courage, energy, and transformation. 
                 The Fire Horse has a strong presence and encourages us to move forward courageously, overcome obstacles and explore new paths with passion. 
                Losar is a celebration of gratitude for the past year and hope for the future, offering a moment of reflection on the passage of time.Losar is a time of conscious renewal. 
               In Tibet, homes are cleaned, altars are adorned with ritual offerings, and new prayer flags are hung to invite blessings from all directions. Families gather to share festive foods such as guthuk and khapse, offer prayers and wish each other happiness.
               Traditionally, Tibetans mark changes in age based on zodiac sign changes, meaning those born in the previous Horse year will reach the age of thirteen during the new year.


Happy Losar and Tashi Delek


བཀྲ་ཤིས་བདེ་ལེགས།



Posted by at
Subscribe to: Comments (Atom)