Showing posts with label Meaningful Dharma. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Meaningful Dharma. Show all posts

Monday, May 27, 2019

Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche 2019 teachings on “The Ornament of the Mahayana Sutras” in Singapore


It is 2 years later that Rinpoche continued his teachings in Singapore and this time at Suntec city convention hall!
Similar background settings recycled! 😉
Rinpoche refreshed our memory that the teaching is a commentary to Buddha's teachings.

He expressed his concern that culture, language and tradition hijacked Buddha's teachings.
We human destroyed the world not contributing even bees doing better
We have vague tools like language with lots of assumptions, and generalisation.
What Buddha taught is simple yet we miss it with our invent of language and value.

Temporary beauty like cherry blossom  is impermanence yet people treasure.

This text is relevant to now.
Identity- everything to do with identity to be special such as to have special cuts ,shapes yet afraid also to be different.
Identity is our biggest problem nowadays so Buddha's teaching is direct.
Identity is just an illusion.
Text is still relevant now more than ever.

Identity of me/ I if analyse nothing going beyond geographical truly existing nature.
Wants, needs ,sense drives!
"There yet not there" - Buddhism philosophy of life.
Non duality-  paradox - exists and not exists- Buddha's teachings
Heart sutra -Form is emptiness. Emptiness is formed. - Paradox.
Form not other than emptiness. Emptiness not other than Form. .
Buddhism emphasis much more on wisdom.
Rpc would like to hear that Good Buddhist with view it is there and also not there.

Refuge= Buddhist Baptising ?
= Enrolment ?
Contradicts what Buddha say you are your own master.
"Gochami" - "I go" to Buddha
What triggers one to take Refuge?
3 causes - fear, admiration  and compassion.

Fear -
kindergarten fear - afraid of rain, of hell so  take refuge or prosperity or health problem afraid of losing families so take refuge.
Deluded short sided fear but taking refuge in sublime object so will teach them to alleviate to higher fear.
High school fear - fear of samsara (fed up of clinging to myself which produces so much emotion act upon it these actions lead to more reactions and entangled and suffer...I am afraid cause and result of suffering; I don't want to go round and round of this samsara existence. )
Highest profile fear - paradox like rainbow - samsara and nirvana ; afraid when it is not there afraid it is  there. Dualistic game.

Admiration also has 3 levels - to perfection of non duality -  gain liberation - release me!

Compassion - exclusive in Mahayana
Compassion to all sentient beings to liberate from entanglement.
And this makes Bodhisattva refuge exclusive!

Taking refuge triggered by fear .
Highest Refuge is if Taking refuge because of compassion.
Most of us has kindergarten refuge because of kindergarten fear.
Maybe some of us at times once every 12 years fear of suffering of pain.
How much you know, purified of defilement, gain knowledge of dharma, quality of love and compassion not for yourself .
Mahayana cause of refuge mainly due to compassion.
Compassion is term adopted for long time.
Good thing to do - good is deeply rooted to academic culture.
In Buddhism, you are fundamentally good perfect!
You are taught you are Good.

Tibetan language :
To          Je                 Chen Bo
Mind    reverend     great/Maha

Compassion悲心
Feeling of empathy looking at someone who is suffering.
Dukka -
1. painful feeling mutual feeling object of compassion
2. Any happiness (no last; they change)
Why like because it last for a moment! imagine last a year.  Deluded beings like us like  smell of coffee temporary but Maitreya Buddha would think we are funny.
We like to make things solid ...may you live long...
Compassion triggered by everything is changing all the time.
Everything Subject to time is object of compassion
3. Duality - bad good - reference not good.

Above 2 n 3 are  Mahayana.
3- Exclusive Mahayana.
Triggered motivation to take refuge in Triple Gems.

Surrendering - give your control to someone more powerful sublime  stronger than uou.
According to Mahayana sutra that is not complete .
Gochami- I go to...
Where ? Where's the destination?
I go to the origin of me... what's that ?
Buddha nature!
I take refuge to fundamental Buddhahood for sake of ALL sentient beings.
That makes Bodhisattva tireless and fearless.
If gold merchant and someone gives a kg of raw gold.
As an experienced gold merchant as happy as given polished gold.
Bodhisattva look at world of people with greed delusion like experienced gold merchant they are happy to work with. 😊
Their compassion wisdom increase .

Refuge has this pledge or vow in ceremony .
Take refuge under this  Rpc does not mean marry matchmaker who links the partners .
Vow is path of language.
Anything that happens on the path is not a resolve! it is a discipline.
Discipline is blissful to each individual's needs and capacity.
Not everybody has to keep or lose hair.
There are fundamental views that you are taking refuge to Dharma then to accept non duality.
If you want to take refuge, accept everything is non duality.

Trustable like impermanence
All duality is painful.
All phenomenon has no true existing nature.

Til what time what's the end ?
What we do we have a purpose
If fear of becoming fat then we take path of dieting.
But this path is faulty because it will not lead to ultimate slim state .
U have to avoid the nice food then you regret at end of life.
Side track- 
16hours fasting - So much time in morning when not taking breakfast. 

Build house - does not mean enjoy house til end of life. You need to maintain. 
Refuge - awaken stage is our end. 

On path of challenges and delusions, you have the solution- you do not need to get it elsewhere. 
Problem you have is temporary but the Buddha nature is not temporary.  

Rid - sanskrit word for type/ family 
Tiger in cat family. 
Cast of Indians.

We all have Buddha nature 
we are all in royal family.
This Buddha nature is intact. 
One can be butcher life after life but this Buddha nature still intact.
Most of us unaware of this element.  
It feels like we don't have this potential. 

If not a Buddhist not Mahayana and never heard of Buddha nature. 
As a human being you go thru life.
You achieve what you achieved. 
Eg good grade good job then you feel is it all that is life ? 
Maitreya say this is your element calling...

Fear of wrong doing , Shame - you don't want to do what others do you don' t like - basic goodness 
This progressive goodness fundamental view is different from how you should not harm others

As long as there is a view there is a wrong path.

Paradox - we are looking at something that exist and not exist.
Depend on situation we can never see it as one and due to habit.
It is there, it is taking more precedence. 
Really believe Sth is there -develop longing to it. Jealousy someone gets it. 
Develop eternity view and when doctor tells you are dying. This view of permanence makes you angry why it happen to you forgetting element that it is not there.

We have jealousy and anger generally.
We act upon. 

If at 45, you feel like sth missing.  is this it?
If you take the chance to cultivate you can develop because you have this innate nature.
---
QnA
How to deal with obessions? 
Start from today look for 7 cracks 
Appreciate how things as useful meaningless meaningful as cracks.

What is Buddha nature.
Language is value,  not enough .
What he to say will have flaw.
Buddha nature is not a phenomenon. 
It is beyond subject and object .
Scientists believe big bang exist without subject.
Buddhist believe big bang is....

Buddha nature beyond words.
How to acquire this which is indescribable. 
Think about all that is wrapping BN 
Defilement anger  are destroyable not solid.
Emotion is manipulable. 
If we invest time to purify this.the essence is Buddha nature.
Pure action?
Everything is cause and condition.
Motivation is very important.
Morality and ethics - if you lie to say someone else life. It is accumulation of merits.

Harmful thoughts 
Converting mind
Wrong view of no cause no condition.
Nothing is ultimately good or bad

Subject of race or elements 
Construct path .
4 things indispensable to make a oath.
1. The view-  4thoughts
2. Practice that view - meditation 
3. Behaving with this view and practice 
4. End result of this path. 

Important that practice goes against duality.
Not just meditation on destress. 
If give up everything going but not going against duality then just discipline not practice Buddha Dharma.

Buddhist practice has to go against duality concept. 
Buddhist result is not what you get but eliminating sleep (Buddha- Awaken)
How much you off load.

The Buddha element path exist.
Cup stained by coffee when they wash the cup.
Confidence the stain is washable. 
Stain is temporary separate entity .
If cup is dirty wash .
Cleaning dirty - path.
Fundamentally cup has no dirt.
Motivation to clean. 
Different mtds to clean...
Fundamentally you have Buddha nature .
You can purify.

Tantric  - dirt stain does not bother me.
Clean cup bf it is clean  during it is not clean after it is clean it is one.
it is cup 
Majayana - cup can be cleaned as stain is not with it initially.
Buddha nature Buddha element hence guts to generate this seed: Bodhicitta.

Bodhisattva vow most beautiful vow to take. Aspirations to enlighten these sentient be gs.
Possible because sentient beings are gold in their nature.
We take Step by step by giving vegetables from right hand you left hand.
Develop this wish to like and slowly accustomed to this generosity.
Create joy when hear a suffering n no clinging to self.

Root cause of generating Bodhicitta is generate compassion. 
Wish to liberate suffering of sentient beings. 
There is doubt on how can I a defiled human being liberate sentient the being ?
Even to liberate 1 person proves to be so difficult how can I free limitless sentient beings from suffering ?
You have the info that you have innate Buddha nature. 
Convinced that our defilement can be purified.  
Defilements are temporary. 
Aspirations generate aspirations Bodhicitta. 
Pray freedom of sentient beings has an impact on others.

Your aspirations to free sentient beings of
you existing in this city while others think of fame wealth. This itself is cause or imprint of positive thoughts will have great impact to the surrounding.
Rinpoche shares  Moment by moment story: Mahayana - a pigeon picks a tissue touches mount Everest, one day it will be flat with the touch. This is the period of moment. Time is relative. Moment is eon. It is there and not there. This is Mahayana attitude!

19/5/2019am 5th chapter on generating Bodhicitta.
What rationale to generate Bodhicitta?Recognise a pain to generate Bodhicitta. Someone with so much hatred by nature he is evil ? There is whole potential they can generate Bodhicitta because they know pain!  They know someone is going thru pain via their act of killing. Knowing pain is a very important aspect.
As long as they have hope or fear, the seemingly human robots made in factory, the Buddha nature can be surfaced easily.
If inanimate with sophisticated but no sentiment then No .
Flower dint  have potential to generate Bodhicitta on its own. A coffee bean grown elsewhere unknown is still a coffee potential.

Avalokiteshvara ~ Avalok - looking grazing with compassion. Taken seriously gesture of Grazing to connect innate Buddha nature/element. Consciously mundane world is endless Bodhisattva - courage warriors.

To generate bodhicitta - listen contemplate make offering of flowers/ incense, practising virtues, practising not harming others . Wisdom and method combination practice of Bodhicitta.
May all beings be enlightened with this motivation of offering flower, that becomes Wisdom with method.
Ultimate bodhicitta is understanding emptiness.
Relative bodhicitta like aspiration bodhicitta and generosity for sake of all beings.
Beginning bodhicitta - Aspiration Bodhicitta to enlighten sentient beings to awaken to state of Buddha nature of no personal agenda. Not aspiring for friends or family.
Aspiration is to make them see the truth , nothing better than that! 😊
Act has master of ceremony. Today become human become worthy. I had become a child of Buddha entitled to all Buddha's wealth.
I shall engage in family duty I shall not disgrace Buddha family just as destitute beggar found a jewel I also among all my defilement I have today found kindness compassion precious wish to enlighten sentient beings.
I invite all beings in presence of Buddhas and Bodhisattva. In their presence I have taken Bodhisattva vow therefore all devas rejoice. (God's happy a human being took a Bodhisattva vows)
Symbolic of ultimate Bodhisattva is meditation on emptiness n Rpc lead us in a short meditation.
He gave all the following Refuge name:
Spring is passing
The birds cry, and the fishes fill with tears on their eyes
Ah, tranquility! Penetrating the very rock, a cicada’s voice.
—Helen Craig McCullough, Classical Japanese Prose, 539 https://www.google.com/amp/s/suisekiblog.wordpress.com/2017/08/29/a-haiku-by-basho-cicada-voice/amp/

Merits is described as accumulating Sense of longing to get closer to truth.
Time is there and not there.
Reflection of moon in water.
Gain loss criticism you look young you forget it is there and is not there.
Longing for that truth generating Bodhicitta
3 levels of suffering 2 exclusive 1 exclusive Mahayana compassion.
Bodhicitta is union of method and wisdom. Not mere feeling of empathy . It is big Bodhicitta.

Longing, associating with Buddha Dharma Sangha. Tolerance to Suyata.
You wish to reach state to not to return to samsara, cut root of suffering and causes of suffering.
Practice egolessness. U want peace liberated from samsara.
Nagajuna: non existence of nirvana is samsara.??
Bodhisattva must engage in grand motivation and aspirations like make offerings to all the Buddhas uphold all teachings of Buddha to benefit sentient beings to manifest in many forms. Aspirations to perfect 6 or 10 paramitas. To dwell n enjoy all the characteristics of Buddha field.
 Sutra: how can this rock n field be pureland of Buddha's. Aspire to have ability of sublime of senior bumi bodhisattva to relate to the world.

st bumi Bodhisattva to liberate 1 sentient being. Tolerate Long wait and does not see it as long and enjoy meanwhile.
Meaningful and lead one to enlightenment. Path status antidote solution.
Generate cause to destroy emotion but samsara and nirvana too.

QnA : Buddha nature independent pure how does defilement arise ? You are mixing 2 stages. When we talk about pretty stage of Buddha nature. What do u mean by defilement there are no Defilement no enlightenment no nirvana no samsara.
You are sleeping n night mare of a spider walking in .you are panic. Bf u sleep spider does not exist in sleep n after sleep it does not exist. Ultimate : No panic n no relief of having spider So cannot ask a relative question in ultimate level. Relative level there is culture, education Change dimensions to no time no space but we so stuffed to current.

 

QnA: Form is emptiness Emptiness is form Form is not emptiness. Emptiness is not for. Things exist when it is not there Neither exist nor non exist. Non dualistic - playing with child on beach building a sand castle you know it is not really a castle but also a castle. You play you engage in building the gate the roof of the castle. U as mother has guts and wisdom n say let's go home. Eg barbie doll or toy gun. You realise illusionist aspect of barbie doll and change now to vacuum cleaner or ferrari. Renounce them as time go. Why suffer so much ? Longing for non duality everyone has. Alcohol- when get drunk they get bold people say things they long for duality. Non duality is a gift by India, Shayamuni Buddha to the world. It reflects on Buddhist in eg. Buddhist shop. Simple monk and luxurious Guanyin. As long as there is a view to Taste salt to give sugar etc and say not it. 
U know you are playing game It is not binding you.  It is a real game that binds you it caught you. What is Nirvana and samsara ? We can play but Not caught by the game we play. 

Watch emotion. Any poking is feeding emotions ------- All philosophy especially Buddhism Transcendent and mundane world are illusory there out of necessity. 
 Look at moon not at finger. This is the transcendent world and mundane world. To bridge the 2 world's, we talk about 2 truths relative and ultimate truth. Thus language of 2 truths just for communication. Buddhist don't believe truly ultimate truth.
 None... Ice cube solid can hold it, walk over it if big due to cause and condition such as cold weather but nature of ice is water. The two are neither one nor separate. Teaching of Buddha speak of thus 2 truth. 
All compound things are impermanent. 
In ultimate there is neither permanent nor impermanent. Everything is beyond. Buddha nature - ultimate truth. No time no once upon a time you were ignorance being. Such concept exist only at relative level. 
Path is a fake medicine for illusory problem. Just because there is illusory does not mean there is chaotic. It exist and it does not exist. 

Mandala orderly chaos 6th chapter 
Having grand vision I want to enlighten all sentient being I want to buy a flat in zone A. Mahayana people think 1 achievable but 2 not going to happen. If it happen how you wish it never to happen. Just thinking of 1 that is success already. The glass is clean 99.99% clean . Accomplishment- big vision. 
Bodhisattva path is oldest leadership training. With big vision then death is not going to discourage us. It is just changing an identity for us to continue do big things . The end of Bodhisattva is to enlighten sentient beings . Awaken the people is a better word. 
This is a mask this is a game don't be afraid. Infinite ways to awaken one. 
If it requires being composed, then be it. 
Make them see the truth relative snd ultimate. How things appear and what they are. 
Like ice is solid but nature is water. 
Beginner Bodhisattva may not be savvy initially. 
People love to hear lies if you tell too much truth you get out casted and get discouraged. With good intentions to and on pride of having good intention you get vulnerable hurt easily. 

Slightly matured Bodhisattva know how to pester people what to say Gift of time, gift of space soothing conversation. Born in the mud but not stained like lotus.. Play this game for sake of all sentient beings.
Path of Bodhisattva Important to question whether Buddhism is "spiritual" path or not. Religion - Tibetan: Tru look - look : custom (habit) Dharma - hold characteristics. 
When did everything arise ? Analysing then relative arises... What is Buddha Dharma ? System or path that combines wisdom.and method. Wisdom - Seeing the truth knowing the truth - sooner or later we will all die. .. Contemplating this could be my last cuppacino... See you later...Bye 
When you look at things this way tmr I may not see this ... Appreciate things more -- combining wisdom and method. 
Your attitude towards others values changes. .. Things bother you no longer bother you. As your techniques to combine gets more complicated. - Bumi (ground/earth) Level - how much u unite wisdom and method.
Path of accumulation - contemplate at Starbucks last coffee. 
 Path of application - "Won" - rubbing of twigs to fire. Getting used to this Walking... siting ...sweeping -- all meditation.

I am awakening while you fall asleep When alarms ring; I am dreaming again... Upaya - custom made for different people's needs Taste of being union of wisdom n method. 
Learning to ride bike, bruises here n there then able to ride.... taste ...long for it ...do it again... 
 Mahayana path - Maha grand view... Zero waste path - everything is usable. 
Why entangled in samsara ? 
Ego clinging. .. Cut robe that is clinging - self clinging. .. Bodhisattva wish to be liberated.... Grand view - grand motivation of wishing to enlighten all sentient beings ...
Grand method : unusable by other yanas. Amazing method...inaction... We do not go around killing people because it costs...and difficult. .. Bodhisattva took a vow that I will not kill... I shall not kill ....then sleep n accumulation of merits... Motivation that all who sees my....will have a link with me... Train to think I and others are equal not equivalent to equal rights Mind training I and others are equal Changing position of I and others and Try interact with the world. 

Accustom not to be distracted - Samantha 
Need to know the truth Knowing the truth recognise the truth - Vipasanna - That's it...this is my last drink... When shopping - contemplating I need 20 jeans for next 44 years. .. (plan shopping based on my remaining number of years) 
 As it is.... Citta- 3 characteristics:
  Play knowing you are playing a game Why you play ? To benefit other beings and yourself. You play you enjoy the game. Buddhist No is special Buddhist No. 
Root of Suffering is Dualistic mind. 
World is changing! Buddhist need to think about it. 😉
-----
Pardon for misunderstanding missing info 
Above just pointers captured to remind myself...💖🙏

Tuesday, August 1, 2017

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)

Sunday, April 30, 2017

The color representation of Buddhism flag

佛旗颜色的象征

标准的国际佛旗拥有六条彩色等宽的条纹 – 蓝、黄、红、白、橙, 和由前五色条紋打横排列而成的第六条紋。据说﹐佛陀证悟真理时所释放出的光芒含有这六种色彩。旗帜的颜色各别代表特定佛教教义之精髓。

蓝色 Nīla
蓝色象征和平、无私的大爱及慈悲。佛陀寻找解脱之道,不只是为了他个人的解脱,也基于他对一切众生的悲悯。因此,我们实践佛法,也是对一切有情众生的关爱,让一切苦难的众生离苦得乐。

黄色 Pīta
黄色象征中道,既是不依赖苦行抑制情欲,也不依赖放纵享乐的修行,而是能解脱生老病死与轮回的八正道,即正见、正思惟、正语、正业、正命、正精进、正念和正定。

红色 Lohitaka
红色象征吉祥及福报。通过实践佛法,如佈施、持戒、精进及禅修,我们将获得无上的福报及智慧。

白色 Odāta

白色象征佛法的清净和圣洁。世尊的教诲是超时空的、完美及圆满的。世尊教导陷于苦难中的众生,修证圆满解脱之道。

橙色 Mañjeṭṭha
橙色象征着佛法中的智慧。通过适当的学习、实践和思考,我们可获得透彻的智慧 - 如实看待生活,如实理解一切事物的本质。

五色结合 Pabhāssara
第六竖条纹象征着灿烂辉煌的证悟。这是佛教徒可达成的最大成就,真如不二之义。以慈悲心对待自己和一切众生,遵循八正道,在实践佛法中修持戒、定、慧,获得极大的福慧。从而领悟佛法的圣洁和真理,明了苦,苦的导因,灭苦以及灭苦的方法,得以证悟,最终获得解脱,离苦得乐。

(Source: 
https://www.facebook.com/nalanda.zhongwen/photos/a.215870188609983.1073741828.213863625477306/346464098883924/?type=3&theater)

Monday, March 6, 2017

Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche teaching on “The Ornament of the Mahayana Sutras” in Singapore



Really good teachings by Rinpoche and he began by giving a good introduction to prepare us on the text.
Again below are just some pointers and pardon sought for any misunderstanding or misinterpretation.

Thursday, January 5, 2017

釋迦牟尼佛成道日


農曆十二月初八,吃臘八粥的由來
海濤法師:

2017/1/5 釋迦牟尼佛成道日(法寶節)

農曆十二月初八,是釋迦牟尼佛成道日,也叫「法寶節」。因為釋迦牟尼佛成道,而講出佛法——令任何有情離苦得樂的方法。
更重要的,「成道」,我們要知「道」,瞭解這個「道」。
這個「道」就是我們大家在讀誦的《心經》任何經典,所以也叫「法寶節」。

當然,為了紀念釋迦牟尼佛成道,所以大家吃臘八粥臘八粥有八種殊勝的食物合起來,這個八種,最主要在佛教裏面講的是什麼?就是「八正道」。

「八正道」:
第一、正見。
第二、正思惟。
第三、正業。
第四、正語。
第五、正命。
第六、正精進。
第七、正念。
第八、正定。
有了八正道就可以解脫輪迴。

那麼為什麼要吃臘八粥呢?
因為釋迦牟尼佛脫離苦行後,經過尼連禪河來到菩提迦耶苦行林,那個時候,他找了一棵菩提樹下坐下來:「我要放棄苦行修中道之行」。

那個時候,蘇妲耶牧羊女供養了釋迦牟尼佛,由五百隻牛轉乳…,就是提煉再提煉,合起來的一碗乳糜。然後釋迦牟尼佛把這一碗乳糜,捏成四十九顆。

釋迦牟尼佛講了一句話:「不成正覺,誓不起座」。所以各位,今天還沒開悟的都不能起來喔。
佛陀發這個願,所以就一天吃一顆乳糜,維持整天的身體的營養,這樣要來斷除煩惱,找出所有眾生離苦得樂的方法。

所以我們吃臘八粥不要白吃好不好?
你能夠把佛法應用在你身心的淨化,
你能夠把佛法應用在利益六道有情,
這樣你就在實踐佛陀的 正道。

所以我想,我們也要「常隨佛學,恆順眾生」,我們要按照佛陀的八正道,真實地去實踐自利利他的波羅蜜,更重要的「願六道有情離苦得樂」!
(Source: 
https://m.facebook.com/groups/1628752750755436?view=permalink&id=1666366383660739&ref=bookmarks)

---------------

每年的農曆臘月初八,民間有吃臘八粥的習俗,這一習俗來自於佛教。
大約在兩千五百多年前的一個四月初八日,悉達多太子在印度迦毘羅衛城的釋迦族中誕生。
其母摩耶夫人四十四歲時,夢見白象入胎而有妊。
翌年,途經藍毘尼園時,稍作休息,即誕下悉達多太子於無憂樹下。
相傳悉達多太子是從摩耶夫人的右脅出生的,而且出生後立即步行七步“七步”意指超越六道輪迴),作獅子吼道言:'天上天下,唯我獨尊。'(此“我”係指與宇宙合而為一之大無我,亦可作佛道解,因順此方餘俗,假名“我”)。
悉達多太子長大後,想知道一般老百姓的生活是怎樣的情形,是以出城郊遊,遊了四門後,見到人生,生、老、病、死的慘狀,於是發心離宮出家求道。
首先至苦行林尋師訪道,不知不覺就過了五年;在這五年中間,太子先後跟隨了很多苦行者學習修道的方法,但最後太子發現,這些修道者所追求的不過是想往生天界的快樂!因為天界仍在輪迴內,還會受到生、老、病、死的束縛,不能算是離苦得樂的真實覺道。
於是,再南下摩竭陀國拜訪了阿羅藍仙人與鬱陀羅迦仙人,學習禪定的方法,然而對於如何解脫生死,仍然沒有任何幫助。
心想,既然自己想要追求的真理,無法在別人那裡如願求到,那麼何不用自己的力量來完成呢?於是他決定放棄參學的生活,獨自來到伽耶山附近的苦行林中,開始了苦行的生活。
經過六年苦修,太子心中漸漸的明白,解脫的大事並不是光用肉體受苦就可以得到,因為苦了肉體反而是執著肉體;不能忘懷肉體,心就無法清淨,心不清淨,則一切污穢不能消除;污穢如果不能消除,又哪能走上解脫的大道呢?
於是太子決定放棄苦行,前往伽耶山附近的尼連禪河畔,準備讓清淨的流水,先洗去身上的積垢,再從事心理的清潔。
因為太子的身體經過長時間的苦行後,已非常虛弱了,以致當他浴罷起身的時候,竟因過分的疲勞而倒在尼連禪河的沙灘上。
幸而碰上一位叫做難陀波羅的牧羊女正巧路過,供養乳糜,太子因而恢復了氣力。
渡過尼連禪河,走到伽耶山旁,獨自端坐於菩提樹下,思維解脫之道,並誓言:“我若再不成功,無法了脫生死,而到達正覺涅槃的境界,誓不離開此座。”
最後於臘月八日,終於降服魔軍、魔女,夜睹明星大徹大悟,佛陀在菩提樹下成道時說:“奇哉,奇哉,大地眾生,皆有如來智能德相,但以妄想執著,不能證得。”
而成就無上正等正覺的佛道。
在這六年苦行中,每日僅食一麻一米。後人不忘他所受的苦難,於每年臘月初八吃粥以做紀念。
“臘八”就成了“佛祖成道紀念日”。
臘八”是佛教的盛大節日。以前各地佛寺作浴佛會,舉行誦經,並效仿釋迦牟尼成道前,牧女獻乳糜的傳說故事,用香谷、果實等煮粥供佛,稱“臘八粥”。
並將臘八粥贈送給門徒及善男信女們,以後便在民間相沿成俗。據說有的寺院於臘月初八以前由僧人手持缽盂,沿街化緣,將收集來的米、栗、棗、果仁等材料煮成臘八粥散發給窮人。傳說吃了以後可以得到佛祖的保佑, 所以窮人把它叫做“佛粥”。
南宋陸游詩云:“今朝佛粥更相饋,反覺江村節物新。”
據說杭州名剎天寧寺內有儲藏剩飯的“棧飯樓”平時寺僧每日把剩飯曬乾,積一年的餘糧,到臘月初八煮成臘八粥分贈信徒,稱為“福壽粥”“福壽粥”意思是說吃了以後可以增福增壽。可見當時各寺僧愛惜糧食之美德。
臘八粥在古時是用紅小豆、糯米煮成,後來材料逐漸增多。
南宋人周密著《武林舊事》說:“用胡桃、松子、乳蕈、柿蕈、柿栗之類做粥,謂之'臘八粥'”。
至今江南、東北、西北廣大地區人民仍保留著吃臘八粥的習俗。
所用材料各有不同,多用糯米、紅豆、棗子、栗子、花生、白果、蓮子百合等煮成甜粥。
也有加入桂圓、龍眼肉、蜜餞等同煮的。
冬季吃一碗熱氣騰騰的臘八粥,既可口有營養,又可以感念 釋迦牟尼佛“不為自己求安樂,但愿眾生得離苦”之偉大弘愿。
~ 轉載 ~
(Source:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1921559611413413&set=gm.1286900678022529&type=3&theater)

Thursday, November 10, 2016

Eye treatment

無垢清淨光,
慧日破諸暗,
能伏災風火,
普明照世間

听说这四句普门品的偈语,
治眼疾有靈驗,应至誠念誦。 。。
也许患老花眼的朋友也可试试看。。。

(Sources: Picture from internet 
https://m.facebook.com/groups/119280301501219?view=permalink&id=1154872477941991)
--------

「持誦觀世音菩蕯,普門品中的四句偈語,瞎子竟重見天日」
圖文:谷歌網站

不多久以前,在京滬路中點的常州天寧寺有位雙目失明的出家人,當然,處處都感到不方便,痛苦萬分,後來經寺內住持和尚教導他每天拜佛,念誦『救苦救難大慈大悲觀世音菩薩』聖號一千聲,誦法華經觀世音菩薩普門品,日子久了,一定可以重見光明。

但失明的出家人,學誦困難,僅學念了普門品中的四句偈語:
無垢清淨光,慧日破諸闇,能伏災風火,普明照世間

這一位失明多年的出家人,依了住持和尚的話,每天專注,一心一意的在虔誠的念誦,經過數月的時間,一天忽然重見天日,破除一切障礙。此人仍活在人間,是我煮雲法師親眼所見的事實。

宣化上人:那麼這普門品的四句偈,究竟他怎會醫治眼睛的疾病? 這是不可思議的境界,乃是觀世音菩薩的威神力加被。

總而言之,你要是相信經文,而應用於任何事,都非常靈驗,很有效用。

宣化上人這段開示,就是引述《觀音靈異紀》之『病目獲癒』,裡面提到了(普門品)這四句偈治癒眼疾的事蹟:

以前在台州有一位名叫處蹈的僧人,在他中年的時候患上了眼病,由於他經常持誦大悲神咒,終於感動觀音菩薩在他夢中示現並傳授普門品中的四句法偈,『無垢清淨光,慧日破諸暗,能伏災風火,普明照世間』。令他每天清晨供一杯清淨的水,焚香念偈七遍或四十九遍,念完後用杯中水清洗眼睛。不管是積患多年還是新患的各種眼病,沒有不能治癒的。

處蹈夢醒後,仍然記得非常清楚,於是按照這個方法去做,果然治癒了眼病,並且健康安樂地活到了八十八歲的高壽。

當時記錄這件靈驗事跡的人,也曾經患眼病,足有一個月,有一位名叫孫震元的醫師向他傳授這個方法,實行後也非常靈驗。由於不敢私自保有,於是將這個方法記錄了下來。

觀音普門品中的這首四句偈,有很深的道理在裡面,並不只是可以清洗治癒眼疾,還能清洗心靈,降伏除滅我們內心的三毒惡習種子,所以能消除現行於外在的一切風災、火災、疾病等災難惡業,恢復我們本具的自性清淨光明。


Saturday, February 6, 2016

The Long Soliloquy by Geshe Potowa (1027–1105)

Gems...
This is an excellent teachings that I would like to replicate this article here to constantly remind myself and those with affinity ...
--------------------------------------------------------------------
The Long Soliloquy
by Geshe Potowa (1027–1105)

I prostrate to the gurus of the three times. 

Since beginningless time, we have wandered in the great ocean of suffering, the three realms of samsara. This is because we have not realized our own mind. We have not realized our own mind because of the obscurations. The obscurations come from not knowing that we should gather the accumulations. Not knowing to gather the accumulations is from lacking faith. We lack faith because of not recalling death. Now that, because we fear the suffering of samsara, we want to achieve liberation and omniscience, we must realize the mind. To realize the mind, we must purify the obscurations. To purify the obscurations, we must gather the accumulations. To gather the accumulations, we must have faith. But true faith will not arise if we do not recall death.

When you truly remember death and think that nothing other than Dharma will help, you will pay no heed to any of the bounties of world. At that point, you will have no greed even in the depths of your heart for material things or necessities. Having genuinely lost all attachment to friends and associates, you will curry favor with no one.

Have no ambitions for old age. I think that, without any thought of living until you are old, you should have no concern at all for whether you will be happy or sad in old age, whether people will respect you, whether you will have enough food and clothing, or whether people will criticize you. You should think, “Let people do as they will” and have no thought for the ways and means of this life. You should think, “Whatever will be in this life will be,” and leave it to karma. One arrow cannot kill two deer. One dog cannot bite both your ankles. You cannot sew with a two-pointed needle. If you step forward with one foot and back with the other, you will never get where you are going. Likewise you cannot accomplish both this life and the next, and the next and following lives are more important. Thus you must practice Dharma genuinely.

When you truly remember death, all things will be like hay heaped before a carnivore. When the suffering of samsara truly nauseates you, the thought will frequently occur to you that you need nothing at all. At that time, your mind will genuinely turn away from ambitions for this life, and your attitude will be completely incompatible with anyone else’s. When I see people only doing things to become great and get good things in this life, I wonder, “What are all these people thinking in their hearts?”

Many people have been concerned for me and given me advice—“Don’t be like that. You’ll have trouble when you are old. Keep a few things; it will aid your spiritual practice. You need to nock and shoot your own arrow.” To them I say thank you; your advice to me may be true. But I have never thought they were concerned for me. Instead, I have felt even more depressed and disgusted—none of them think about the Dharma. It might be so if we were not to die, but death is certain. We do not know when we will die. What will you do if you die while still accumulating things? After you die, you could practice Dharma if you are reborn human, but you don’t know where you will be reborn or go after death.

Death is certain, so resolve to practice the Dharma. You do not know when you will die, so resolve not to procrastinate about the Dharma. Nothing else will help at the time of death, so resolve to not be attached to anything. Furthermore, it is said you should be like a traveler returning to his homeland. Sensory pleasures should be like jewelry is to a man being led to his execution. You should be as if mortally wounded. It is said:

If I am to go elsewhere alone,
What good are all those I like or dislike? …

I wonder whether they understand this and get depressed. I think about what they will do if they die tomorrow, and feel compassion for them.

Being Dharma practitioners, we should advise nondharmic people, “Don’t do that; practice Dharma,” and so forth. We should advise those who are dharmic that sentient beings should train in the higher qualities. It is better to keep discipline than to practice generosity, meditation is better than studying, and so forth. It is necessary to train in these higher qualities.

When I say this, some people say, “While we are ordinary beings, we cannot develop what is taught in the Dharma in our beings. Now we are so-called aspiring practitioners.” If it won’t arise in your beings now, it will be even less likely to arise if you are born a dog in your next life. It is less likely still if you are reborn as an ox, donkey, or animal or in another of the eight states that lack leisure. Even now, you cannot get your mind to do anything if your body is even slightly indisposed. So I think there is no better time than now to practice the Dharma. It is always difficult to be an accomplished master or perfect. Now we must go on our aspirations.

“Mara” does not mean some external dark-skinned and grotesque being. It means the inability to develop the higher qualities despite your own good intentions and good companions. I have understood that remembering death alone is the critical point for practicing Dharma from your heart. If you do not recall death, all your listening, contemplating, and meditating and all the difficult austerities such as mountain retreats, sealed retreats, alms, solitude, eating only once per day, and so forth that you do, will go toward how much merit you can generate for this life, how much people will respect you, how much gain and fame will come, and your ambitions for this life. They will not become the Dharma. If water does not enter the top of the channel, it will not come out the bottom. If the arrow has no nock, you can load the bow and shoot it anyway, but it will not go where you want it to. Similarly, Dharma cannot become the path if you do not remember death.

I have had some experience in the meantime. When you truly remember from your heart that you will die, you will be able to give up on this life. For the first time, you will have laid the genuine foundation for the Dharma. You have reached the beginning of the path. The water has entered the top of the channel. You will not have difficulty developing qualities. You have a good internal cause for it, so you will practice the Dharma properly and adversity will be unable to impede you. You will be able to practice as taught in the Dharma. If you do not turn your mind away from this life, you may be able to explain everything found in Dharma texts or enter the gate of the Mahayana Secret Mantra and practice unified nonduality, but you will not be any different from an ordinary layperson.

For this reason, Lord Atisha, summing up the essential meaning of all the scriptures, taught the three types of persons, the lesser, middling, and greater. Among those, the lesser type of person turns their mind away from this life and practices the Dharma from fear of the lower realms in the next life. But there is no way to bring people to develop within themselves even the qualities of a lesser person. This is because people make a Dharma connection such as refuge or bodhichitta with a spiritual friend, but later they will not call him their master out of respect. They think that if they call him their master, others will criticize them, so they keep it secret. If someone asks them, “Isn’t that your master?” they reply, “I only took refuge and bodhichitta with him.” That is failing to understand that refuge and bodhichitta are the root of the entire Dharma, so it is an extremely grave fault. I have found qualities in every word spoken by those from whom I have received Dharma. The only thought that has occurred to me is that I could never buy it for money.

Thus there are few who have turned their minds away from this life. Many say they are bodhisattvas, but I wonder whether really they are focused on this life. I think about what I would do if I were to die tonight and have never considered any ambitions for tomorrow and thereafter. Because of that, I have understood the critical points of Dharma. That alone is also the greatest sustenance for meditation. I have thought it would be so for others, too, but when I tell them, their attitudes have never been compatible with mine. They worry about me, and I get discouraged about them.

Generally, if you do not have some conviction, even knowing a lot of Dharma will not help. They worry that I won’t perfect the accumulations and say, “Aren’t you being a bit extreme?” to make me regret it. Isn’t that one of the black dharmas, making someone regret something they should not regret? The sutras say that if you rejoice in the virtue another has done, you gain half of the virtue. Do they not understand that?

When I say that, some say, “We are not saying you are wrong; we are giving you advice from concern.” It depresses me that concerned people give such advice. It is evidence that they have no other thought than that. I find it astounding. In actuality, they are saying, “Do whatever you can to not be liberated from samsara.” Even if they are concerned, I will not listen.

I have made Dharma connections with some who are said to be great meditators or venerable scholars with great knowledge of the Dharma. With some of them, when we tell each other our stories, our attitudes have not been at all compatible. I felt no desire to converse freely with them and let them prattle on as they wish. Even those said to be good practitioners gather enough food and clothing so that they will not depend on anyone else, saying, “I don’t want to depend on anyone for food in this life.” They think they will go stay in a monastery in some fine valley where there is no need to accumulate misdeeds and do as much spiritual practice as they can. There are no more than just one or two practitioners who think, “Let this life turn out as it will.”

In my opinion, we must flee the suffering of samsara that is to be eliminated. We must accumulate incalculable accumulations to achieve the result, perfect buddhahood. I think we must practice whatever is said to be the greatest merit. If even when selling something such as woolen cloth, we let the other win by four or five pounds without them knowing, I think it will bring great merit.

When I say this, others say it is taking a loss without any return. It would be better to give, they say. Dharma practitioners should not actually want any return and should take delight when other beings, who are like their father and mother, win instead of themselves. If they are not like that, there is no way they will awaken to buddhahood. It is also the opposite of meditating on the four immeasurables. In order to achieve buddhahood, you should be able to give even your body and life if it will benefit sentient beings, not to mention giving away possessions. How could a practitioner who loses a couple of nights’ sleep when they suffer a small loss on their merchandise help anyone else? They are causing themselves great harm.

For example, when people offer tea to the monks of one valley on one morning, someone else might say they have gained merit, and they will think they have done something virtuous. But then they stay in a valley or monastery where many people have gathered. They buy when goods are plentiful and sell when they are scarce. They do not sell at the going rates, or use quarts, ounces, and accepted measures; they keep on pushing until they achieve their wishes, not giving up until others are left powerless and unhappy and their own hopes are fulfilled. This is not just one or two people. It is all beings in the ten directions. It is not just for one day, one month, or one year. They do it their whole lives. In brief, they feel good if they do something virtuous for one morning but do not feel even a moment’s discomfort for spending their entire lives accumulating misdeeds. I wonder what kind of a mind they have? What assurance could they have?

The way that they have come under the control of ego-clinging and desire, there’s no need to speak of them being liberated in the misdeeds’ lack of inherent existence. First of all, they haven’t even heard that the misdeeds ripen as rebirth in the three lower realms in the next life. Even if they have heard, they do not think of it. Instead, without shrinking from ill-repute in this life and suffering in the next, they are able to sacrifice everything—their body, life, and Dharma—if it seems they might gain some riches. They deserve our compassion. That is the epitome of wallowing in the causes of suffering.

I have been to some present-day monasteries and asked them how many fine individuals they have there. They say there are a few. When I ask what they are like, they do not say they are learned, venerable, good, endowed with qualities, or realized, or that they benefit others greatly. I ask who they are, and they tell me about individuals who have gold and turquoise, horses and cattle, and farms and property, who have this many retainers and servants, or that many possessions. They are the life blood of the monastery; the one named this and the one named that are good people, they say. What they call being good is being wealthy, so they must be desirous and interested only in this life. Being very wealthy is usually a sign of not shying away from misdeeds, suffering, or ill-repute. Such a monastery could never be a setting for true Dharma practice. You should leave that place just as a bird leaves a lake when it freezes.

Generally this attachment and greed for the five sensory pleasures leads to lasting suffering in the end. Thus even if you were to help others a little, you would need the result to come to you in this life, and there would be no difference between you and all those who have not even turned their attention toward philosophy. Therefore, anyone who wants to practice Dharma should not expect any favors or reciprocation in return for helping others, who would then think that they needed to repay the favor. If they failed to reciprocate, it is possible that you would get angry, and they would feel ashamed or inadequate, and go astray. Anyone who wants to practice should not give even their fellow practitioners food with the strings of this life attached. If others give it to you, do not eat it. In the end, it will become a back and forth of food that will eventually cause you to lose the Dharma.

Furthermore, instead of bringing their minds to the Dharma, all practitioners gather wealth for fear of being badly off in old age. They make people feel good and look for some insurance. This comes from not developing certainty in the Dharma. If you believe in the Dharma, there is no better insurance than Dharma. If you practice Dharma properly, you will have no fear of being badly off when you are old.

Generally, if we consider those who seem to have confidence that they will live to an old age and have the ambition to do something that might help themselves at that time, in the next lifetime they definitely will experience only the sufferings of samsara. They should make ready some provisions, insurance, or anything that will help with their ambitions for the next life. Instead, they simply act as if old age in this life will happen only to them and the suffering of the next solely to their hostile enemies. Not even Dharma practitioners have thought this through. Not having contemplated the Dharma, they only bring pointless suffering upon everyone, themselves and others. Who could bear to think about them still being like that?

Some say they lack the provisions for Dharma practice and don’t practice, but they find the provisions for committing misdeeds and automatically do them. This is because rich monks in monasteries have never contemplated death and the suffering of samsara, and you important people seem to be responsible. I say they are giving up a small household and taking up a big one. What they do is Dharma, but their ego-clinging is even tighter than a householder’s. This is a sign of wandering in samsara, but they do not understand that. Not finding the provisions to practice Dharma is due to not believing in the Dharma. They are afraid that practicing Dharma will make them suffer and hope that committing misdeeds will make them happy. Hoping to get their hands on some small something, they do whatever they think of in their hearts.

When geshes teach others the benefits of generosity, they all say that possessions have no meaning, saying things that seem quite true. But their innermost thoughts are focused on wealth, and that is depressing. When the Dharma and their actual practice become incompatible, how will anybody want to come listen to them? It is a sign that they seek material offerings when they say to others, “Give alms. Do business. Amass things. If you don’t have a few things, the lama will not pay attention to you and all your friends will get angry.” Their words contradict the Dharma, and that dissipates their warmth.

It is certain that actions and intentions always go together. The sign that their intentions are for this life is that their actions are to work on ambitions for this life. Those whose intention is a wish for emancipation do whatever will liberate themselves from samsara, and bodhisattvas do whatever bene- fit others. That is what they put into practice. We should act as is taught in the Dharma and teach it as we have practiced it ourselves. If we teach others without practicing it properly ourselves, we are like a leper practicing a garuda sadhana, and no one will come to listen.

Geshes give their attention to those who are of good birth, rich, assertive, ambitious, able to get things done, good at whatever they do, and highly regarded by their friends and relatives. But they say that those with faith who seek Dharma from a fear of death are greedy and unreliable. “He’s ineffective, shallow, and unreliable,” they say. In addition to not helping them, their relatives, families, geshes, khenpos, masters, gurus, and companions despise them and try to get rid of them. Assertiveness, wealth, ambitiousness, and being well-connected are antithetical to achieving enlightenment. Those who practice Dharma and are humble see profit, fame, possessions and sensory pleasures as enemies and faults. Geshes who consider those who have given up on this life to be incapable and will not help them, while paying attention to the wealthy, outspoken, and connected, are not true spiritual friends. An authentic spiritual friend, as described, “Teaches beings the Dharma without material offerings.” Thus they should pay attention to those who practice Dharma properly.

A good monk is someone who is fearful of death, diligent, uninterested in this life, and intelligent, and who trusts the Dharma fully. This is because we are fleeing samsara and accomplishing perfect buddhahood. We have faith in the Buddha and seek the Dharma. Those who are very assertive, competent, and ambitious are going further and further away from buddhahood. Thus becoming skillful from today onward in the methods of progressing to buddhahood itself is what we should call ambition. That is what we should call assertiveness. That is what we should call being good at what you do. In terms of a practitioner, that is also being learned. That is being venerable. That is also what is called being a good master. That alone is the method for achieving buddhahood swiftly. That is the abhidharma. That is the sutras. That is the vinaya. That is listening, contemplating, and meditating. That is also bringing together all the arduous austerities and all your capabilities to accomplish buddhahood.

All the sutras, scriptures, and classes of tantra from The Verses on the Vinaya up to Guhyasamaja are Dharma for a single individual. They were taught with specific times and stages in mind; there are none that were said to be unnecessary. All the Dharma is the same. If we say “our Dharma” and “their Dharma” and then criticize someone else’s, we will be reborn in hell, it is said in The Noble EightThousand Verses.

It is not right to talk about any individual. All Dharma is practiced through intention, and we do not know what their intentions are. When we look at people who are focused on this life, it might seem as if they only accomplish things for this life, but there are some who have no thought at all of their own desires and do all they can for the sake of other sentient beings. There are also those who say they are benefitting others but are accomplishing their own aims. Accomplishing one’s own aims can also be of benefit to others.

Some say it is impossible to have no wishes, but the fault is in their own mind.

Some say you need wealth only in order to truly practice Dharma. If you lack resources, you need to curry favor with others, but you will not need to if you have your own wealth. Therefore having a few things is an aid to the Dharma, they say. But none of them have thought about death. That is what someone who has not gained certainty in the Dharma says. If you do not truly think of and recall death from your heart, the Dharma will never happen. If you do genuinely recall death, there is no way you could bear it mentally. At that point how could you have any desire to amass things?

Some reply that they will use their wealth until they die, and then whoever wants it can take it. These are exactly what I call people who are focused on this life. They may have their own wealth and may not need to curry favor with others, but it is certain none of those practitioners will ever practice better than they do now. One needs to put up with a few hardships to achieve perfect buddhahood. When you buy a large gemstone, you need to put up your own money, collateral, and an additional amount. There is no point in them knowing much Dharma. There is no point to profound oral instructions, either.

When you meet a good guru, your mind will likely become the dharmakaya. Now is the time to look for a good guru, but some say, “What good will going to see a guru do? It would be better to fake meditating.” Many people talk like that. You need to gather incalculable accumulations to meet a good guru, so what good will it do to not look now and instead keep faking it? If you meet a good guru, you will develop samadhi through the guru’s blessings. Because of that, you will realize your mind and awaken to buddhahood. But some would rather not be criticized than awaken to buddhahood.

Generally Dharma does not come from ambitiousness and assertiveness. Dharma depends upon faith, diligence, and prajna. Those gathered around a spiritual friend should be there to see how much they can direct their minds toward the Dharma, not to see who is the most ambitious, who the most assertive, and who the biggest swindler.

There are those who, when a spiritual master compassionately gives a profound Dharma teaching, do not call that compassionate, but if he gives something material they do say he has been compassionate. These days they criticize those who go looking for a guru and pith instructions. When someone gets a loan of two bushels, those who care for him say, “Things are working out for you over there. You should go there. In the meantime, I’ll look after your house.” But that is a mistake.

That we will have to leave everything good behind and go off alone is not some tale we have heard, without knowing whether it is true or not. It is plain to see now that people, their eyes agape, leave absolutely everything behind and go. Yet those who are clever, assertive, and ambitious do not sense this. Even old folks who have reached the age of eighty have ambitions for this life. All those with shallow dispositions who act on short-term happiness have little character. You may say you won’t be happy when you are old, but if you only act on ambitions for this life, you will be even less happy in the next.

Some say that you cannot include death in discussions. If you do not include death in your discussions, then you will only think that you won’t die. Your thoughts will only be of this life, so you will think, “Today I’ll do this. Tomorrow I’ll do that. Next year I’ll do this. I’ll do that in my old age.” These are only thoughts of this life. Practitioners should do the opposite and not include immortality in their discussions. Then you can make preparations for death.

Our mind should be comfortable at the time of death. We must leave everything good from this life behind and go, so worldly abundance is incompatible with being a practitioner. Now we admire worldly people and they admire us back. But being incompatible with the worldly means that instead of admiring them, we should turn our backs on them. Merely not getting married does not help. You must turn your back on the eight worldly concerns.

Gathering merit means that your mind becomes the Dharma, not that you are well-respected or have good clothes. You might be sick with leprosy, blind with your hands and feet amputated, your clothes so badly tattered no one could take hold of them, but if your mind becomes Dharma, that is called accumulating merit.

Nowadays everyone seems to call those who are good at accruing wealth men and women of good character. But I have seen many amass wealth and then die. Even animals know very well how to gather wealth—marmots know very well how to gather caches of tubers, bees gather honey, pikas stack hay, and birds construct their nests. If you are generous instead, you will not be born as a hungry ghost, and when born in another realm, you will not be poor, as is said in the Verses Summarizing Prajnaparamita.

We praise having ambitions for old age, but it would be better to sow a long-lasting crop to that same degree by practicing the Dharma properly. To say you understand the Dharma is to say that you know the methods to achieve buddhahood. The words are not the point. Instead of saying you have knowledge of the path, it is better to embark on the path and go. If you do not start practicing right now, you may think that you will meditate after you have made all your preparations, but that time will never come. You will use up your whole life preparing.

Some say that tantra and the vinaya are exclusive of each other, but they have misunderstood. If something occurs that is an inappropriate basis for the mantra, it is not the vinaya. If something occurs that violates the vinaya, it is a sign of it not being the secret mantra. To reap harvests in the fall you must sometimes irrigate the field and sometimes you must till it and make furrows. In doing so, you concentrate all your efforts, and the furrows yield a crop.

Geshes who know Dharma well all love to talk. They do not initially practice Dharma out of a fear of death. They study and learn, thinking that they should at least avoid being criticized by people, be well-respected, and be called a teacher, elder, bhikshu, or geshe. Then the monastery’s stewards and insiders will have to curry favor with them. They take full ordination and pretend to be especially venerable so that everyone will call them practitioners. They first study the scriptures a bit, get a few pith instructions, and then say they practice meditation. They make use of various methods to gain a higher position in the ranks than anyone else and have jostling crowds exclaim, “What an amazing geshe!” Such geshes and so forth are focused on the hubbub of fame and lack any of the causes and conditions for liberation from samsara.

What good is a teacher learned in Dharma that is not an antidote for the five poisons? What can cure an illness that cannot be remedied by medicine? What will high regard, good management, and work do for you if you have not extinguished your own wishes and developed conviction in karmic results deep within? What will acting venerably do for you if you are not revolted by samsara and sensory pleasures? Who can fool the Lord of Death’s mirror of karma? What good is a geshe who doesn’t even have a smidgen of bodhichitta or altruism and really desires the eight concerns? Who will you appoint your helper and friend in sorrow when you experience the ripening of your wrong actions as suffering? You should have thought differently and avoided pursuing only sensory pleasures and greatness in this life, but you did not. You have not done whatever you could to develop the Dharma in your own or anyone else’s being. You have not tried to focus your attitude on the immediate, and that is at fault. You should, like noble Sadaprarudita, want nothing but buddhahood.

Making this life most important and practicing Dharma on the side will not work, but no one will listen. If you do not recall death, you will do whatever is most profitable in this life. You will even be able to violate your guru’s commands if they do not measure up to your ambitions. If it seems it will profit you in this life, you will pretend to be so faithful and so devoted to the guru. Deep down, this annoys me.

The verse “So hard to gain, these leisures and resources…” should be enough on its own, but no one realizes that. They don’t even seek the Dharma. They hope for the merit of the Dharma from their knowledge of the profane. That is profoundly mistaken, but they do not understand. They deserve sympathy. 

If you do not turn your mind away from this life, your fear of being badly off in old age will prevent you from being generous. Even to keep discipline, you must have no desires, but fearing being badly off in old age breeds desire. Therefore without eliminating desires for this life, you will not perfect the accumulations, so it is important to give up on this life. It is important to give up on this life. It is important to give up on this life, I say three times. This contains all the crucial points of the Dharma. This is how you should distinguish samsara and nirvana. All lasting ambitions begin with this. This suppresses all faults. The foundations of all joy and goodness must be laid on this. It is crucially important to abandon all thoughts of this life. You have no chance if you do not. They are what get you into all suffering, so you must eliminate them in whatever way you can.

Before we start to practice Dharma, none of us practitioners have much attachment to wealth and things, and we seldom yearn for those close to us. We do not want to pay attention to work or tasks. But once someone enters the Dharma, they make profane ambitions the most important. They show up for the detailed work and when it’s time to be stingy. Even if they cannot do anything else, they spread the word, speak badly, and bear bad omens. At the very least, they act as the messenger. They go into excessive detail on their possessions, and when doing business, they will go to a degree too difficult for anyone else. When made to practice the Dharma, what they think of is riches. They only do what they are not made to. This, too, is because of not remembering death.

If you practice Dharma properly, your enemies will all be dear to you. It will make all those close to you feel good. All the buddhas and bodhisattvas grant their blessings to that. This satisfies the wishes of all the gurus and spiritual friends. The gods and Dharma protectors will fulfill all your ambitions, and all your intentions will be accomplished as you wish. Therefore understand that your mind becoming Dharma alone is the most critical point. You must know how to bring all the Buddha’s words and classes of scriptures to bear upon your mind alone.

Those who currently are the equals or superiors of their peers, who are eminent and well-known, may seem prominent now, but they too will definitely die. When they die, there will be a difference. 

To bring it together and wrap it up, we must have no regrets at the time of death. When we are stricken with a fatal illness and know we will not escape, it is too late to say, “I am not destined to die like this. I have something better to do than this. If this old ghost doesn’t die, I really will genuinely practice the Dharma.” Therefore stoking the fires of desire now is no help. We are wandering in samsara but have the opportunity to awaken to buddhahood. This brief life will definitely run out. Therefore we must give up on this life and genuinely practice the Dharma.

Even though I do not think it will help anyone else, I could not help but say this to myself. If this was not from the heart, punish me.



This was Guru Potowa’s Long Soliloquy, the ultimate evidence of practicing the Dharma.


Rejoice to those who can attend the teachings by Karmapa at the 33rd Kagyu Monlam...
Karmapa Chenno ...