Mani Recitation Retreat 2009

Part 3

Below is extract of what I had summarized from the Dharma talks given by His Eminence , the 12th Nubpa Rinpoche, ( also greatly appreciate the translator who did a great job translating from Mandarin to English ) during the Mani retreat 2009.
Pardon is sought if there is any wrong remembrance or misinterpretation.

27/12/09 Morning
We are fortunate to be human among the 6 realms and have the opportunity to meet & have trust in the Dharma.
Few people have such opportunities to practice and fewer to gain attainment & achievement.
Especially in such a developed nation of Spore that we took time to practice in accordance of Dharma.
We are always working hard but when we are about to leave the world, what follows us?
The positive and negative karmic deeds follow us like shadows.

3 most important steps of practice (not quite sure if this 3 identification header is right)


1) Take Refuge & Motivation
As Buddhist, we take refuge; without good motivation, we could not label ourselves as Mahayana practitioner.


2) Generation of Avalokiteshvara: accumulation of merits & wisdom are the causes & conditions for Perfect Buddhahood.
When practicing, we see our body as Avalokiteshvara, our mind in terms of Loving-kindness, our speech into 6 syllabuses.


3) Purify Body, Speech & Mind.
While reciting, visualize the 6 Syllabus to all ten directions to make offerings to All Buddhas & also light to all sentient beings who convert to Avalokiteshvara. All beings are Avalokiteshvara and all our thoughts Bodhicitta.


Visualize oneself as Avalokiteshvara and on crown of our head:
Amitabha Buddha --> our Root Guru and visualize always having blessings.
We receive Guru’s blessings, progress on to recognize own nature of mind.


Methods: 1) Gather accumulation; 2) Guru’s blessings
Root Guru dissolve into light to our heart & hence mind of Guru and us is the same. As we rest in this state, Relative & Ultimate Bodhicitta is generated.

Today is 3rd day & best opportunity to accumulate merits and benefit all beings.
Practice is long run.
From now on, we should try all ways & means to generate Bodhicitta.
It is only with Bodhicitta that we can truly practise & not make mistakes in our practice.
27/12/09 Evening Closing SpeechDedication is important. Why we had not become Buddha?
It is because we do not know how to dedicate our merits.
When practise along the path, we gathered good deeds and accumulation but because we do not dedicate enough, merits exhausted & greed, jealousy, etc generated affect the merit.


Therefore, while dedicating merits, we need to have a goal & having done good deeds we should be dedicating to all sentient beings (past parents). This helps generate Bodhi & accumulate merits to Buddhahood. This way to dedicate with goal is with Form.


What goal? The Goal to liberate all sentient beings to Buddhahood.


Ways to dedicate from Ultimate Bodhicitta ---> Emptiness of 3 Spheres.


Concept of “I” & “Others” not existing --> Dedicate


Finally, Rinpoche wishes all of us Good Health, Progress in Practice, Always watch our mind, develop Loving-kindness & Compassion within us, and open up our personal wisdom.
Wisdom and Compassion is together. (Like bird with 2 wings)
Wisdom is knowing what to do & not to do, and then one will not lose direction..


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Amituofo

May All Beings Be Well & Happy

May All Progress along the Right Path

Om Mani Padme Hung