成佛法

成佛唯一法
----------------
要成佛僅需修一法，就是菩提心，因此菩提心是成佛的主因，也是成佛的根本。

~大寶法王噶瑪巴尊者
2012《三主要道》釋論開示
----
所有我們生活中美好的事物均來自於他人，即使你傲慢地認為自己是世界上最重要的人，你的傲慢與優越感的本身，也還必須仰仗著他人的存在而有。

~大寶法王噶瑪巴《如何開展悲心》
----

作為初發心的大乘修行人，雖然我們已經發願要度化一切眾生，但由於我們目前的修行還沒有到位，所以對眾生的利益還不是很大。

我們千萬不能認為，我是發了菩提心的菩薩，我正在度化眾生，我已經很了不起了，芸芸眾生中我高高在上，眾生都是沒有出息的愚癡者，是我拯救的對象！覺得自己像救世主一樣。

要知道，在無形當中，實際上是這些眾生在幫助我們，這些眾生帶給我們的利益，已經遠遠超過了我們對他們的幫助，我們對眾生做的這些事情都不足掛齒、不值得驕傲，這些眾生才是我們的救星。這樣思維以後，我們的貢高我慢、驕傲自大一下子就會遭到重創。

當然，眾生度我們，是建立在我們發菩提心的基礎上的，這一點是我們自己的功德，如果我們不發菩提心，這些眾生也不會給我們帶來這些利益，這是善有善報的結果，也是佛陀在大乘經典中對菩提心讚歎不已的原因。有了眾生，我們才可以做一件非常殊勝的事情——積累無窮無盡的資糧，所以，我們應當把眾生當作如意寶。

~慈城羅珠堪布
----
把一天當作一生來練習，對於「面對死亡」會有幫助。

甚至要把每一小時、每一分鐘、每一秒都看作是一生。

不是每個人都會長命百歲，現在有人身，現在就要好好修持，從內心生起「沒有時間了，我當下就要修」，要有那樣的急切心態。

～第十七世大寶法王
-----
假如你愛上這一生，你就不是佛法修行者。
假如你愛上這個輪迴，你就沒有出離心。
假如你愛上你自私的目的或你自己，你就不是菩薩。
假如你有某種愛上的感受，你就沒有正見。

~宗薩仁波切
----
在空中，月亮永远都是圆满的，但地球的阴影使它显得时满时弦。在心中，佛性永远都是圆满的，但凡夫的烦恼使它显得时有时无。

~慈城羅珠堪布~ 慧语莲灯 ~
---
生命旅程，會遇上許多困境與艱難，但不論有多少苦，重要的是，回首曾經圓滿完成的一切，並堅定地在選定的道路上走下去，這會幫助我們的心平穩下來。

不管持續多久，我們均應有耐性而忍辱地前進，直到抵達目的地及獲得圓滿成就，都不應過於專注在痛苦或快樂上，否則祈求目標不會到來。

~噶瑪巴尊者 語錄
---
(Sources: Internet )

How to Offer a Khata

Offering a scarf may seem to be a very simple gesture but in Tibetan traditions it has its own significance and protocol and is governed by tradition. 

To present a Khata, you first fold it in half length-wise. This represents the interdependence of each other. 
Then when you offer the scarf to a person, you offer the open edges facing the person you are giving; the folded section will be towards you, which represents your open pure heart, with no negative thoughts or motives in the offering.

There are two general purposes for offering Khatas, with greetings and well wishes being common to both:

RESPECT/GRATITUDE. For holy sites, honored monks, teachers, dignitaries and elders, the scarf is given with folded hands near your forehead, with a humble bow before them, with head bent over and palms joined in respect.
You never put the Khata over their neck in this situation. In most cases the giver will receive his or her Khata back from the given, as a token of blessing back to them, especially when you visit high lamas and teachers.
It is custom to put Khatas over statues, thangka painting, pictures of reincarnated Rinpoches and altar spaces.
A Khata offered to H. H. the Dalai Lama and received back by a Tibetan personally will be cherished and preciously kept as it is now a very special blessing, a talisman and protector. It may never come back into recirculation from that Tibetan again.
It is also flown and put on Prayer Flags before one hangs them as a sign of your prayers being sincere and pure, also as on offering to the gods for swift accomplishment of prayers and wishes.

(source: from internet)

AFFECTION/CELEBRATION. This is for special events, like marriage, birthdays, New Year, farewell and safe journey, welcome home, honor celebration of events and happenings, death ceremony and other day to day events in life’s journey. On these occasions you can offer khatas around the neck of recipients provided they are not from the first category, or lay it over the body, in the case of someone who is deceased.

Khata Meanings

Color	Directional	Elements	Symbolic Meaning of Colors
blue	center	sky	wisdom
white	east	water	peace
red	west	fire	power
green	north	wind	confidence
yellow	south	earth	happiness

(text source: https://stbcportland.wordpress.com/dharma-etiquette/how-to-offer-a-khata/)

Teaching on the Four Yogas of Mahamudra Meditation

Compassionate Garchen Rinpoche started the teachings late by about an hour as he rushed from Airport to Om centre. (was told he decided to rush to Taiwan for an emergency case after a day's teaching yesterday. He travelled midnight and rushed back immediately this afternoon to continue the teachings)

While waiting for Rinpoche 's return,  Chimi Dorjee Rinpoche related in English how Garchen Rinpoche had always did such travelling after a day's teaching or chanting for the sake of beings and rushed back for next day's retreat when he was in China. 

Travelled for sake of all beings...

Without rest himself just to benefit all beings...

We are really fortunate to have met such a compassionate Bodhisattva in this era.

Amituofo _/|\_

Barely panting for breathe, Garchen Rinpoche immediately started the teachings once he reached the centre.

Single pointedness~recognise the view arises from mind to resolve appearance are from one's mind. 
Self clasping is also from mind - single basis all arise from mind.
All phenomenon arise from your mind. 
Look at your mind when you meditate ~  many thoughts arise , virtuous and non virtuous thoughts etc , like dust articles in sunrays. Aware and recognise these thoughts. awareness to sustain but does not pursue the thoughts. Awareness arise wisdom what to do and not to do and on karma of cause and effect.
Recognise awareness that is always there and habitual use till state of single-pointedness. 
4 kinds of placement of mind/ body /feelings /phenomenon. 
When mind distracted awareness sustain mindfulness.
Thru not following thoughts but mindful awareness of it that is mindfulness and meditation.
Afflictive emotions followed caused accumulation of karma and cause of wandering in samsara, ongoing of karmic ripening.
Single pointedness - non distraction in day to day life should be practiced. 
Meditation is state of non distraction.
Non clasp at thoughts that arise. Sustain awareness without distract by thought is meditation and continuity of that sustained  is single pointedness. 
Carry on to dreams, recognise in deep sleep state and develop single-pointedness in all day and night. 
Remain in state without clasping and distractions then one is said to achieve state of single-pointedness. 

Nature of mind is clear and knowing of thoughts arise with clarity let go dissolve of thoughts.
Nature of emptiness is clarity and nature of clarity is emptiness. 
Spotaneous existence.  Self knowing 
Unfabricated is opposite of deliberated effort. 
Thought of I want to meditate is also clasping. 
No intention it just happens naturally.  Awareness know it happens .
Primordial awareness-  one single essence of mind; timeless like space is always there so is nature of mind. 
Exists naturally. Clear and empty like space is natural state of mind.

2nd stage freedom from elaboration; stage of  Away from playwords.
Once single pointedness is achieved,  recognise underlying awareness, see it arising 
Sustain awareness thoughts arise without analysing or investigating. If analyse in existence then you cannot find it but also cannot say it didn't exist as it is the mind that created existence.  Just sustain it , let it be in unaltered state because if conceptualise and clasp the thoughts, the mind becomes confused and habitual thoughts causes fixation. It will  disappear like wave subside to water on its own, without needing to do anything.
Just sustain clarity. 
Whatever arise, let it be and thoughts will dissolve on its own.
Mind free from concept is blissful at natural state.

All our suffering arises from  conceptual elaboration e.g. you think someone has negative intention towards you and you keep ponder and anger arises over and over again towards that person and you suffer in your mind. You may even cry in suffering.
If you don't clasp then nothing affects you  e.g. Don't think about the angry person you don't suffer.
Anger is temporary by that person who has also Buddha nature and reacted badly as he is temporarily faulty or sick. Regard him like a mother caring for sick child and that affliction is sickness. 
We also have that similar affliction ourselves and it disappears like wave in water too.
If you see people who trigger you in past without anger now,then you have achieved freedom from elaboration. 
Make effort in practice to obtain freedom from elaboration. 
Habitualise thru meditation thru sustaining in day to day practice. 
Mind free from elaboration is like space as cannot analyse in terms of existence and space is not affected by anything so what thought arise does not affect the mind. Everything is impermanent. 
Happiness sadness are all impermanent.  Let it be and you are liberated.  Milarepa said Happiness and sadness are the same and if able to see it this way then one achieve state of great bliss and highest level of freedom from elaboration. Space is example of free from elaboration.  
We must understand natural state of mind and Put that understanding into practice and become personal experience and become state free from conceptual elaboration.  
Let go of thoughts that arise - free from elaboration. If not, mind is not free from elaborations. 

One taste of Buddha and Sentient beings and Samsara and Nirvana (BSSN) are indivisible. 
No duality of self and others. Understand mind is an expanse of  space.
Disappear of clasping and conception by Buddha. 
Beings do not recognise that their own mind is non dual from others as long as don't recognise this,  we perceive reality with others. It is just consciousness and meditate on it then it become premordial wisdom. 

Consciousness transform to premordial wisdom if non duality is recognised.
One taste when no duality seeing BSSN.
One taste of BSSN. Everything seem equal of one taste.
One in samsara see diversity though it is just one taste.
If realised nature of mind, diversity becomes  one taste.

It's intrinsic of mind. No duality- all are same .
Nature of mind is like space and investigate space of existence you find no duality .
No need to think if I am the Buddha or not.
Know clear nature of mind like space
Clear and empty space as nature.
Clear - knowing capacity of empty space like nature. Awareness is empty so it is like space.
State of one taste is Enlightened mind of Buddha.

Affliction arise but with awareness becomes primordial awareness and wisdom.

As awareness mindfulness arise, emotion of anger arise awareness - thought transform to primordial awareness.
Primordial Awareness always present and affliction becomes support for awareness .
All beings have Buddha nature.
One is  liberated upon arising of thought with awareness.
All beings with not realised nature  suffer in misery.
Seeing pervasive compassionate nature of mind is Buddha. Gain confidence in yourself.

4th state- Non meditation 
When angry, arises awareness of anger, due to the recognition, the thought is transformed into primordial awareness.
Thought arises simultaneously with awareness then thought itself becomes essence of primordial awareness. 

Primorial Awareness is always there and thru power of sustained awareness, the 5 affliction becomes wisdom as you rest in state of one taste. 
The moment afflictions arises, it becomes wisdom fire of primordial awareness. 
Imminent presence of awareness is primordial pure, spontaneously present...Nature state of Awareness. 
Beings all possess Buddha nature and primordially not different from Buddha and natural state when thoughts arise with awareness , naturally thought is seem as awareness itself.
Upon afflictions arising , it  is liberated. 
And move on to next realised state of Buddha . Recognise qualities of Buddha of 3 Kayas are  complete within your own mind...when you look at your mind the empty essence of mind which is like space has no centre and boundary is referred to wisdom of empty essence which is Dharmakaya nature.
That nature possesses a natural awareness clarity which is like space but space  also clear liveliness of its empty nature and is the quality  of Sambhogakaya.
That clear empty nature also  has pervasive compassion energy and all beings not recognised that nature , their suffering is incredible even slightest  problems create misery. Even though they are and possess  Buddha nature,  they have not recognised that, hence suffer. 
Pervasive make unbiased compassion.
The state of kayas are natural radiant and compassionate quality and natural state of mind. 

Seeing that gain confidence in yourself .
Habitual awareness hence state of non meditation. 

Increasing clarity in empty nature of mind. As we engage in meditation practice, Quality of meditation increase, mind becomes increasing clear. Ultimately we would like to sustain in body, speech and mind. 
Essence of thoughts becoming primordial awareness.

In summary:
Single-pointedness is when a thought arises is able to suppress, let go of thought.
Essence of Freedom from elaboration is that  not only to suppress the thought but uproot/ undo the thought. 
One taste when thought arise as primordial awareness naturally is there.
Non meditation- no more  effort required. Right now meditation practice with some effort but once reach state of primordial awareness that arise naturally, no effort is required and awareness arises naturally day and night.
-----------
Pardon is sought again as above is what I tried to gather as much I could of the teaching.

Reflecting on above teachings, the verses of Heart Sutra arose in my mind...  _/|\_

Empowerment , Commitment & Samaya

Question: If we have taken different empowerments of different deities and there are commitments to recite a certain number of their mantra, if we miss out any of them, would it be the same if we in our mind know that there is actually no difference in reciting any of them? Or is it compulsory that we have to recite each and every one of them?

Garchen Rinpoche Answered: "Even though you have received many empowerments, if you understand the nature of the deity, you understand that it is sufficient to only practice a single deity. By practicing a single deity genuinely, you are accomplishing the essence of all deities. 

In fact, it is better to focus on the practice of just one deity, because then it will be easier to habituate to the deity to the point where you will not forget about the deity. To accomplish the deity means to never forget about the deity, it means that the deity always remains in your mind, it never separates from you. As it is always in your mind, you become the deity. 

If you never separate from the deity, you will also remember the deity in the Bardo after death, upon which you will attain enlightenment into the samboghakaya form of the deity. 

Sometimes people worry about receiving too many empowerments because they think that they cannot keep all the samayas. Actually if you practice the root samaya of love, compassion and mindfulness, you are keeping all samayas of all deities, even if you only recite the mantra of one deity. In order to understand this you must understand the essence of the deity. If you think that the deities are all separate, there will be a conflict. Actually the power of one wisdom deity is contained within all deities. 

Various deities appear in order to suit the various thoughts and inclinations of sentient beings, but actually their nature is one and the same. The nature of all deities is bodhichitta. Therefore, if you practice bodhichitta and mindfulness, and only recite the mantra of one deity, you are keeping all your samayas. If you do not practice bodhichitta and mindfulness, no matter how many different mantras you recite, you are not keeping your samayas. 

That is because bodhichitta is the very life-energy of the deity. Without bodhichitta the deity is like a dead body. However, it is necessary to practice at least one deity on a daily basis. 

In the various empowerment texts it is mentioned in the section of repeating the samaya that one must recite the mantra of that deity, but this must be mentioned in each sadhana because in old days the masters would only receive this one empowerment and then practice this for the rest of their lives. For this reason it must be mentioned in each empowerment text. But for us, since we receive so many empowerments nowadays, it is crucial to understand the meaning and essence of the empowerment: It is said: "In the expanse of primordial wisdom, all the Buddhas are one."

问题：我们领受过不同本尊的灌顶，因此有誓言必须念诵一定数量的咒语。如果我们没有完全照做，因为了解念诵任何一个咒语都没有分别，但是否是这样？或者是每天一定要念诵每一种本尊的咒语？

噶千仁波切回答：尽管你领受了许多灌顶，如果你明白本尊的本质，你就能明白其实修持一个本尊就足够了。以至诚修持一个本尊，你将能获得一切本尊的精要。

实际上，最好是能专注修持一个本尊，因为这将让我们易于熟习本尊，以至不会忘失本尊。要获得本尊成就，必须永不忘失本尊，本尊一直常驻在你心中，从不与你分离。因为本尊一直在心中，你就成了本尊。如果你从不与本尊分离，你将能在死亡后的中阴阶段忆起本尊，并在当下以本尊的报身佛形象证悟佛果位。

如果你认为本尊都是不同的，将会产生冲突。一个智慧尊的力量都包含在所有本尊当中。

不同的本尊的显现是为了适应不同众生的思想和倾向，但他们的本质是相同如一的。

一切本尊的本质就是菩提心。因此，如果你修持菩提心和正念，仅仅是持诵一个本尊的咒语，你已经持守所有的三昧耶戒。如果没有修持菩提心和正念，不论你持诵多少不同的咒语，也是等于没有持守三昧耶戒。因为菩提心是本尊的关键生命力。缺少菩提心的本尊，就犹如死尸一般。不过，每天至少观修一个本尊是有必要的。

不同的灌顶仪轨都会重复念诵三昧耶戒律文，其中一条是你必须持诵本尊咒语。这个誓言会出现在每一个灌顶仪轨中，因为过去的年代，大师都只领受一个灌顶，并终身修持。因此，所有灌顶仪轨都有这条戒律。如今，我们都领受许多的灌顶，因此重要的
是要明白灌顶的意义和精要：颂曰：“在广阔的本初智之中，诸佛是一体的。”

(Text source:
http://www.amidewa-retreat.com/web/question-answer?start=28
Picture source: Internet)