Dying with mindfulness (a real-life case-study)

Dharma Master Jingjie

When Buddhism was transmitted from India to China, the establishment of various schools was a key reason for the flourishing of Dharma. The past masters of Chinese Buddhism categorized the entire Mahayana canon into eight different schools based on the nature of its content. 

This approach allowed beginners to quickly delve into the essence of the teachings without needing a long period of searching or exploration. Unlike Christianity which has only one authoritative text - the Bible - the Buddhist Tripitaka has over a hundred volumes. It would take a lifetime to study it all and one may still not fully comprehend it.

To make it easier for people to enter the path, the past masters developed eight schools, allowing individuals to choose a path that suited their own inclinations. While these schools greatly strengthened Chinese Buddhism, it also led to sectarianism, particularly by the late Ming Dynasty. 

This created divisions, preventing schools from engaging in mutually beneficial exchange and integration. The master Ouyi said that it was like "drinking from separate parts of a river." Even though the water was the same, people on the east and west sides of the river established their own camps and refused to interact. 

This situation created an ideological divergence within Buddhism. Seeing this problem, the master Yongming Yanshou (the sixth patriarch of the Pure Land school) proposed the concept of "dual cultivation of Chan and Pure Land." 

The Chan school emphasizes the power of the mind, using meditation to develop mental strength. The Pureland school, on the other hand, focuses on the power of Amitabha; it teaches that rebirth in the pureland is due to the compassionate vow of Amitabha Buddha. Before Master Yongming, these two factors—the power of the mind and the power of the Buddha—were seen as mutually exclusive. Those who emphasized the mind's power neglected the power of Amitabha’s aspirations, and vice versa.  This was a tragic situation.

Master Yongming believed that the power of mind and the power of Amitabha should not be separated. Amitabha Buddha would not save us without our own mental effort to connect with him. A tape player reciting the Buddha's name for a lifetime will never have the power to eliminate non-virtue and increase virtue because it lacks consciousness and the nature of knowing. 

Recitation of Amitabha must be driven by the power of mind. This is why when over a hundred people recite Amitabha during a seven-day retreat, the results are different for each person, this is due to the difference in the power of mind of each person.

While Master Yongming proposed this concept of "dual cultivation of Pureland and Zen," he did not provide a clear method. It wasn't until Master Ouyi wrote his commentary on the Amitabha Sutra during the late Ming dynasty that a clear and concrete explanation was provided.

In his commentary, Master Ouyi wrote about the "three inconceivable powers". He explained that when our mind comes into contact with Amitabha’s name, three powers are activated together.  These are the inconceivable power of the mind, the inconceivable power of the Dharma, and the inconceivable power of the Buddha. 

Master Ouyi's work emphasized on the power of mind because it is the mind that activates the power of Dharma and the power of Amitabha. What is the "power of mind" as Master Ouyi described? It is the power of our intrinsic nature, the power of our Buddha-nature. We are not able to fully produce this power as we are constantly distracted by thoughts and past habit patterns. We need to learn to bring out the power of your true nature to unlock your potential.

Next, the "power of Dharma" refers to the power of Amitabha’s name itself. While we have mental power, without the help of Amitabha Buddha, our spiritual path would be much harder. It's our mental power that activates the power of the Dharma, which in turn moves us toward Amitabha's aspiration (power of Buddha).

Therefore, the practice of reciting Amitabha relies on these three powers to achieve the pureland — the power of our own nature, the power of Amitabha’s name, and the power of Amitabha's aspirations. If you understand these three powers, you'll have a clear grasp of the entire philosophy behind Master Ouyi's commentary on the Amitabha Sutra…

If your mind is involved in any distorted thoughts at the point of death, I doubt very much that you can take rebirth in the pureland. Even when you have recited Amitabha very well in your life, if the mind's power (of resting on the innate nature or on mindfulness of Amitabha) doesn't arise at the moment of death and you are still caught up in deluded thoughts, it is not possible to take rebirth in the pureland. 

This is why the pureland school emphasizes the state of clear mindfulness at the point of death. According to this school, it doesn't matter what you have done in the past, the main requirement is to maintain mindfulness at the time of death. If the power of your mind is not present then, the power of Dharma and the power of Buddha will not manifest.

Master Ouyi therefore taught that mindfulness at the end of life comes from our daily practice of mindfulness. He said that without daily mindfulness, there will unquestionably be no mindfulness at the time of death. Therefore, when we recite Amitabha now, in addition to clear recitation, we need to sustain mindfulness; when encountering external objects, we need to ensure our minds do not become attached and our thoughts do not become distorted or deluded.  Then there is clear mindfulness — this point is very crucial!

When you are in a state of distortion without mindfulness, even if Amitabha’s name arises in your mind, it is difficult for it to produce a strong effect on you.  Recitations of Amitabha can only work and gain a response when they are done with clear mindfulness. 

Let me state this again: no one can attain the pureland if they die with distorted thoughts. It's impossible. In such a state, Amitabha Buddha has no way to save you.  Therefore, it is only when we have prepared ourselves thoroughly by truly possessing faith, aspirations, and practice that we can connect with Amitabha Buddha.  This is how the efficacious methods of the pureland school work…

I'll share a real-life story for your reference. This is a case study our old monk-master told us when we were studying in the Buddhist Institute.  He personally witnessed this happening.

There was a Layman Lin in Shanghai who built a very successful career. In his late years, he dedicated himself to the pureland practice. As he grew old, he was aware that life was coming to an end, so he began preparing for the next life, he stopped caring about the present life. He used a portion of his wealth to buy a piece of land for a center for pureland practice.  It was named “Cultivation Garden”. He also personally attended group practice daily and practiced himself diligently.

Later, he fell ill. While he was on his deathbed, many fellow practitioners came to support him with chanting because he had built good affinities with many people throughout his life. With his own merits and this excellent external support, he had everything he needed. He was mindful and turned his attention within.  His countenance was radiant and peaceful.

Layperson Lin had two wives and he was very fond of his second wife. She came to his bedside. Not being a Buddhist, she began to cry and pleaded, "You can't die! What will I do after you're gone?" Mr. Lin was still emotionally attached to her. In his daily practice, he had not fully contemplated and overcome this attachment, so the strong seed of clinging was still there.

As you know, when a seed of attachment meets an external stimulus, the mind and the object combine to manifest a powerful reaction. His second wife's crying awakened his affection and attachment to her. As a result, his entire state of mind changed instantly. His facial expression became dark and unpleasant-looking and he soon passed away.

Shortly after his death, his son had a dream in which his father was reborn as a puppy. In the dream, the place where his father was reborn was shown in great clarity. The son managed to track down the place and retrieved the dog. It was a white dog with a black spot on its head. The son brought this dog to Master Dixian's monastery to be reared.

What does this incident show us? We have engaged in many distorted thoughts and also cultivated many virtuous habits. The problem is which type would manifest at the critical moment of death —is it our virtues or distorted thoughts? This is often something beyond our control.  If you frequently dwell on deluded thoughts, then they gradually become very powerful habit patterns. Therefore, the key is to learn now how to break free from the grip of these deluded thoughts in your daily life.

(Observation: The dog could at least spend its life being looked after in a Buddhist environment due to the merits he had cultivated in his past life. Therefore, these merits still produced their beneficial effect.)

Not becoming a jaded teaching-collector

Khenpo Kathar Rinpoche

If you do not immediately put into practice your understanding of Dharma, you will become a jaded scholar. When you come to an understanding of something or receive some practical instructions, if you do not make use of it immediately, the desire to make use of it becomes less and less over time. You become more and more jaded and start to think less and less of the value of Dharma and the instructions you have received. You keep on receiving more and more instructions and acquiring more and more knowledge or information, but it remains just as information, and you have less and less desire to practice. On the other hand, if you immediately put into practice instructions you receive, your desire to practice them increases. The more practice you do, the more your respect for the instructions and your understanding of their true value will increase.

Kindness, Compassion and experiences of Tara Practice

Khenpo Samdup Rinpoche

When we start practice, after taking refuge, we have loving-kindness and Bodhichitta. Simply, this means to wish everyone to have happiness. It is like the feeling of wishing our own mother to have happiness. We do this from our heart. Then we extend this wish and feeling to every being.

In the meditation, we need to apply this feeling of love — wishing for all beings to be happy — even for our enemies. Then the meditation is going to go in the right direction and we can attain accomplishments.

Many Bodhisattvas are perfect in their meditation, but once out of meditation, they may have some feelings of enmity. For a good practitioner, these negative feelings of anger may arise, but they don’t hold on to it for a long time. I have seen many who are recognised as Bodhisattvas but momentarily you can make them angry too. (Khenpo laughs) But they don’t hold on to it. It arises and dissolves. Ordinary people hold on to it for a long time.

In meditation, you can genuinely and 100% wish for your enemies to have happiness. If you can do that, you are a good practitioner. Post-meditation, this is very hard to do. You can’t find many Bodhisattvas who are able to do this. In the teachings, we concentrate first on wishing happiness for our enemies. That’s our wish, but in reality, to do it is not easy.

In meditation, you can release the anger or unhappiness easily. With meditation on love, compassion can arise very easily. Without love, compassion can’t arise. Compassion means to wish all beings are free from suffering. Love means that you think of all beings as like your mother and see that they do not want suffering.

(Loving-kindness means wishing that all beings are happy. Compassion means wishing all beings to be free of suffering.)

Many people think that as long as my mother is okay, it is okay if I suffer. In Dharma practice, you must have this feeling arising in your mind and then extend it to all other beings.

Loving-kindness and compassion are very important during Tara practice. Tara is the embodiment of love, compassion and Bodhichitta. If you don’t generate these qualities in yourself, you can't connect with Tara’s loving kindness. If you cultivate loving-kindness in yourself and then at the same time you are thinking of Tara, you see a Tara statue or thangka etc, you feel a very strong connection and you feel happy, joyful and blessed.

When we practice compassion, we need to think of suffering beings. We think of the hospitals and many patients, and how they are suffering from sickness and their physical sufferings, then you give rise to compassion for them.

Buddha’s teaching talks a lot about suffering in samsara, in the hell realms, hungry ghosts realms, animal realms, human realms and so forth. All these talk about suffering is for us to generate compassion. As long as we want to have compassion, we need to look at the sufferings of sentient beings.

If compassion is arising in our mind, we purify a lot of negative karma. That’s why we meditate on the suffering in the hell realms, then we generate compassion, and that compassion purifies our karma to be reborn in the hell realm.

Buddha cannot take away our karma. Buddha teaches us how to purify our karma, that’s why Buddha taught a lot about the suffering in the hell realms. Then we meditate on that. Compassion arises from our meditation and purifies our hell-realm karma.

When compassion arises in our mind through thinking of the hell realm beings, it not only purifies our karma, but it connects us to them, then through the chanting of mantra, it can truly benefit them. Compassion connects us to the suffering of the lower realm beings. Devotion connects us to the enlightened beings.

Without compassion, we cannot connect to the beings of the six realms. It is just like we can connect to the rest of the sangha no matter where they are with Wifi. With compassion, we can connect to all beings.

Without compassion, we can’t truly help other beings. As long as your compassion connects to other beings, whatever you do through body, speech and mind benefits them.

Think of the hungry ghost realms, we should think of their sufferings if you don’t want to take rebirth in that realm. We generate compassion, do practice and dedicate to them. This benefits them. There is a nyungnay fasting retreat when we stop taking food and stop talking. We do that and experience a little hunger and thirst —the suffering of the hungry ghosts — then we can generate compassion.

To generate compassion, we need some experience of our own, or else we can’t really have the real compassion. Some people say that they don’t feel much hunger during the Nyungnay fasting, so I think it is less purification for them (Khenpo laughs). If you really feel hunger and thirst, you want to eat everything and drink the whole ocean. You need that kind of desire. That desire arises and you recognize what is the suffering of hungry ghosts.

Hungry ghosts go for years and years with no food or drink. We don’t get it for one day and look how hard it is. Then you think of this suffering of hungry ghosts and feel compassion for them, this purifies your hungry ghost karma. Then any practice we do for them through body, speech or mind and dedicate to them will truly benefit them.

During the Nyungnay fasting, we cannot talk. That helps us understand the experience of animals who cannot communicate. Human beings kill and eat millions of animals everyday. The animal cannot say, “Please don’t kill me! Please don’t eat me!” They can’t say that. Silence during the retreat is a purification of the animal-realm karma.

Due to our fixation and grasping, thinking of “me” and “I”, we do not recognise the sufferings of other beings and what they experience. That’s why the hardship of Nyungnay fasting retreat helps to remind us of what they suffer. Even if they lose their lives, animals cannot speak. Then we can generate compassion for them.

When compassion is arising for animals, we purify our animal realm karma. Then any prayer we do, mantras etc, truly benefits them.

Therefore, compassion is to recognize that our mothers are suffering and how we should help them. We need to think that all the hell realm beings used to be my mothers. When they were my mother, they protected me from heat and cold.

Children need to be protected by their mother from heat and cold or else they cannot survive, right? Now, my mothers are suffering from heat and cold, we have responsibility to protect them. How to protect them? We have to generate compassion and do practice, that is how to help mother sentient beings.

Someone whom you know may be physically handicapped. You generate compassion to that person but you can’t help much. On one level, we are handicapped too. We see the suffering and we can’t do anything to help physically. That’s why we need the yidam deity.

When we see this handicapped person, we give rise to compassion and chant Tara’s mantra. Thinking of Tara, we have the ability to help that person purify karma. Otherwise, you have love and compassion, but what can you do?

People think I can’t do anything, then people cry, that’s the only thing they can do. But truly when love and compassion arises for others, then we need the yidam deity.

You visualize Tara and chant the mantra, it is effective for countering the causes of suffering. Our dedication affects their causes of suffering.

When we see a handicapped person, we give rise to compassion and practice Tara, then that person’s karma for being handicapped is purified and in future, they will not be handicapped. Our own karma for being handicapped in the future is also purified. So we are liberating each other, supporting each other, helping each other.

We call this a win-win situation, right? That’s why the suffering beings are actually the ones liberating us. The problem is that we don’t open our mind. Every single phenomenon is enlightened activity. For example, you see a beautiful flower and if you are mindful and know what to do, you offer it in your mind to Tara and chant some offering verse, that flower is liberating us.

When enlightened activity appears to us, it is presenting us with objects of compassion. But we ignore them. Maybe very suffering people appears to you, then usually we don’t know how to connect to them, we ignore or don’t recognize them. This happens to us daily —there are so many beings in the cities liberating us daily but we don’t take the opportunity.

Many spiritual teachers face great challenges and difficulties. One teacher is Atisha. He met a person who was dying of hunger. Atisha wanted to give him food, but there was no food available. If Atisha went to get food from elsewhere, it would be too late and this person will die. The only choice was to give up his own body, and when Atisha was about to do that, Chenrezig appeared to him. Chenrezig gave Atisha instructions about Dzambhala (wealth-deity) practice.

Usually, we practice Dzambhala in the wrong way, contrary to the reality of Dzambhala. When you give up everything, then Dzambhala is truly arising. When you are trying to get something, you receive very small blessings.

Usually, people are struggling and they have many desires, they chase Dzambhala to the exclusion of all other deities. When there is Dzambhala empowerment, many people come because they want money. Of course, you can get some blessings, but you can’t open up to immeasurable blessings because you are coming to Dzambhala through desire and wanting.

True Dzambala is dropping your fixation, it is the perfection of generosity. That is the real Dzambhala. When you open up and let go of everything, naturally you get everything. It is the other way round, opposite to how people usually think.

Buddha knew how to create the karma of Dzambhala in people. Buddha went to poor families and asked them for offerings. Buddha did not need it for himself but to create the merit for poor people, he went there. The poor woman gave him something and for the rest of her life, she became okay (wealth-wise). Not only for that life, but in future lives, she was okay. Some people are poor in this life and they remain poor in future lives. The same karma repeats due to not accumulating merits. True Dzambala is generosity. Momentarily, we think that we lose something when we give it away, but actually, it is an investment for the future.

We have so many opportunities for creating causes for enlightenment but we don’t use them. Dharma method is totally opposite from samsaric energy. In samsara, the more fixation or attachment you have, the more you hold on to stuff, the more power and success you gain. But in terms of Dharma, the more you let go of everything, let go of selfishness and generate loving-kindness and compassion, practice generosity then everything comes to you naturally.

In a samsaric sense, we think we are helping others, but actually, they are helping us. If you see someone suffering, hungry and thirsty, if you have compassion and give them food and drink, who do you think gets more benefit? (Khenpo pauses to get some response from the audience)

(A reply from the audience: “The person who gives.”)

If you truly give without agenda, out of true compassion, you are freed from the karma of hungry ghosts. That person really liberates us from the hungry ghost realm.

Presently, our situation is deeply connected with the animal realms. We will easily take rebirth in the animal realm. We are using a lot of their bodies and taking their lives. Just for food, we take thousands and thousands of lives — chickens, cows, fishes etc. Even if some people say they are vegetarian, they still take eggs. We use so many products from animals like in shoes and clothings. We have so much karma with them. But we can have a win-win situation or we can be losers. It is up to us. Dharma helps us to recognize the reality that is going on first. Then we generate compassion, we chant Mani mantra and dedicate merits.

All of Buddha’s teachings are in these six syllables of the Mani mantra which liberates all sentient beings. When we create these karma like eating animals, we first recognize the situation, generate compassion, chant the mantra, supplicate and dedicate merits, then we avoid the karma and these beings we eat also receive some benefit in return. That’s why we need the yidam deity. We need Tara or Chenrezig for protecting ourselves and helping others.

As long as we have love and compassion, Bodhichitta naturally comes. Bodhichitta is wanting to reach Buddhahood to liberate all beings. In the prayer it says, “I will help liberate beings to the state of Tara.” Enlightened beings are the embodiment of Bodhichitta.

When Bodhichitta arises in our mindstream, we are always happy and not suffering. There are two Bodhicittas — aspiring Bodhicitta and engaging Bodhicitta. Your good intention “I want to liberate others” is aspiring Bodhicitta. Like today, before joining this teaching, you have the aspiring Bodhicitta. While you are in the teaching, you have engaging Bodhicitta.

Engaging Bodhicitta consists of the six paramitas — generosity, morality, patience. The first three paramitas are more for lay persons. Laypeople can practice them. The last two paramitas - meditation and wisdom -are more for monastics. The fourth paramita “joyful effort” is for both laypeople and monastics. Laypeople have to take care of their families, they can practice the first three paramitas easily. Monastic have to practice them too but they also have to meditate and give rise to wisdom.

All our actions and Buddha’s teachings are within these 6 paramitas. The power of Chenrezig is condensed in the 6 syllables, OM MANI PADME HUNG. Chanting Mani mantra is practicing all 6 paramitas and all of Buddha’s teachings too. When you see beings suffering and compassion is arising, you can chant Mani mantra for them; then we are not handicapped, we have some way to benefit others.

We have to visualize Chenrezig and Tara and chant mantra because we can’t generate compassion easily. These deities are the embodiment of compassion and we need them as a support. Sometimes, we can’t warm up someone who is frozen and cold except by using a supportive condition such as raising a fire. Similarly, the deity practices are used to help others.

Some people wonder why we need to practice yidam deity. “Why can’t we just meditate on loving kindness and compassion and practice the six paramitas? Why must we practice deities? I don’t even know whether Tara exists or not?” Many have this kind of conceptual thoughts.

These are the conceptions of ordinary people who do not understand spiritual energy. Tara is the embodiment of love. Chenrezig is the embodiment of compassion. As long as you believe in love and compassion, these deities exist. All enlightened beings manifest their form bodies due to love and compassion. Through loving-kindness, compassion and devotion, we pray to Buddhas then we can benefit others, otherwise we have no ability of our own.

When we do the practice of Tara, through our devotion, we feel the blessings of Tara, we feel always happy because we know we are protected. We also feel that I have Tara and I am not going to be stuck in samsara suffering because Tara will help me. And I can help others because I have Tara. You feel confidence arising in yourself due to your practice.

When we do these Vajrayana practices, we need the Guru, yidam deity and protectors. With them, we can feel very happy in samsara. Without them, we don’t have a father or a mother, then it is only suffering. Guru is same as father, deity is same as mother and we are like their children. Who takes care of us — our parents.

That’s why practicing yidam deity, becoming more connected to Tara, you feel more blessings, devotion arises and you get more confident. When you do anything, you feel "I can depend on Tara".

Before practice, we need loving-kindness and compassion. Or else when we practice Chenrezig or Tara, we feel empty inside. As long as you have loving-kindness, when you think of Tara, your love expands naturally. We have a very tiny fire of love but we are joining it to a huge fire of Tara’s love. We have a small cup of water or love but we pour it into the ocean of Tara’s love. It is similar to this. Our love joins to the infinite love of enlightened beings and we always feel happy.

As long as love and compassion are in your mind, when you think of Tara, even if you do not chant anything, you feel very blessed and joyful. You feel your whole body becoming same as Tara’s form body. You naturally connect to Tara’s energy, you can feel that energy arising in your body, all kinds of positive feelings.

When you have this experience, you give rise to strong devotion. Tears come to your eyes. You feel Tara is very huge and infinite, you feel yourself as Tara. Absolutely amazing experiences can come, you are freed from obstacles and you feel bliss and joy. When you look at Tara’s thangka, it feels different, it feels alive. Seeing the thangka and statue of Tara, you forget “I” and “self” for a moment, you feel some energy in the body and you say this is a very special object.

When you are momentarily thinking of Tara’s form body, or looking at her thangka, or statue, your compassion and devotion arise, all afflictions and conceptual thoughts dissolve. Very powerful blessings are received; we can get more experience ourselves. We can’t really explain it to others. We cannot say this is the experience of non-duality, but through devotion, yidam deity's blessings is experienced, you can dissolve many negative energies. Naturally, devotion and loving-kindness arise. You feel strong connection when you see Tara’s image. You become always happy. We can say Tara’s thangka is liberation by seeing.

When you feel sad and you look at the Tara’s thangka, sadness is naturally liberated. You feel very happy because Tara’s form body is the embodiment of love and wisdom. Tara’s image always has this power but due to our fixations we don’t recognise it. Even if you don’t do any chanting or prayers, it naturally connects with your heart.

Turning blood-loss and surgery into the path

Khenpo Sodargye

When I was in the hospital, I often had to get blood drawn for tests, sometimes more than ten tubes at a time. Although this blood wasn't for giving, I thought that perhaps some hungry spirits who consume blood could benefit from it. So, every morning when the nurse came to draw blood, I'd be drowsy but I'd think of the Buddha's stories and recite a short giving prayer. Afterward, I'd ask how many tubes they drew and then recite the dedication verse: "Sonam diyi..." The nurses probably thought I was strange, mumbling to myself while they took my blood. In reality, it's a great way to use your own body to practice a small act of generosity.

If you find yourself bleeding in daily life, you can offer your warm, fresh blood to those unseen beings who need it. For instance, before surgery, you can recite a Chod ritual or visualize this: "Although I am not directly offering my flesh and blood, since the blood is going to flow out anyway, if there are any non-human beings who desire it, may they come and enjoy it. Through this surgery, I hope that all beings who seek to collect a debt, take revenge, or harm me will be satisfied. I offer them the flesh and blood removed during this operation. If you want it, may you take it with joy."

Many hungry spirits and yaksha-like beings are in great need of this. If we perform a dedication, it's like giving them permission to use it. This allows them to receive it. Otherwise, hungry spirits are extremely weak and cannot use it without authorization. It's like how we're afraid to touch someone else's things unless the owner willingly gives them to us.

So, even though we may not have the capacity for great acts of generosity like the Buddha did in his past lives, we can start with these small acts.

Motivation, death, Dharma and reality

HH 41st Sakya Trichen

In general, all Tibetan Buddhist schools agree that the most important factor is motivation. Whatever practice we undertake or teaching we receive, the final result depends on our motivation. The motivation in all Tibetan schools is the same: the aspiration to attain enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings.

~~

Chagdud Rinpoche

(Recent Mahasiddha )

In the course of my Buddhist training, I have received teachings on many philosophical topics and meditative methods.  Of all teachings, I find none more important than pure motivation.  If I had to leave only one legacy to my students, it would be the wisdom of pure motivation.  If I were to be known by one title, it would be the 'motivation lama'.

~~

Lama Tsering Everest

The motivation is paramount. Everything that you will accomplish in this path and in your life is dependent on your motivation. Your results would not exceed your motivation.

~~

Lama Tsering Everest

Death is a very important moment. But we have so many habits and our habits of ignorance, desire and anger tend to overwhelm us in that moment. Then we miss the right door (of rebirth or liberation).   That’s why (Chagdud) Rinpoche said that the purpose of life is to prepare to die. Because you need to be able to deal with those habits in this life so that they don’t affect you at that moment of death. Then you can attain enlightenment, not only for yourself but for all beings connected to you. 

For us as Buddhists, we dwell on death, we are obsessive about death. We really look into death and work with that. Rinpoche told me that death should be so close that it is like a tiny bird that goes with you on the shoulder.  It’s with you all the time, every day. One moment the bird pecks you on the cheek and that’s it (i.e., we die). That’s all it is. But at that moment (of death), you need to be a good navigator. You need to be able to leave behind what should be left behind. You need to be free so that you can use that moment to attain enlightenment instead of having it turn into another story of delusion, confusion and suffering.  That’s why we make death a very big deal.

I think Rinpoche must have told me every day for the many, many years that I knew him. If I was with him, he told me that I’m going to die. He never let me forget it. He said, “You’re going to die too.” I used to get irritated, like “Excuse me, I got it, I understand, please, do we have to talk about this again?” Rinpoche would say, “Yes, we have to talk about this again.”  

Because this is our chance to be prepared. It is very important. The purpose of your life is to prepare to die.

(Responding to a question on how to help someone dying with these teachings?)

It’s very difficult. Rinpoche used to say, “It’s too late to build a toilet when you have to poop.” This is why it is important to understand that life is THE preparation to die. When you are in decline, you can use the skill and power of the practice. And you can support the transition of others and be supported in your transition easily… You are not afraid. You are tending to the losses, understanding that things in life come and go. You are gentle minded, you are not upset and distraught and broken as many people are when dealing with the long process of dying.  We just become completely like a shell of ourselves. Just because it is too tiring to deal with how long death can sometimes take. (It is different) when you have the resilience of your Dharma practice such as the resilience of prayer, devotion and the resilience of understanding the two truths — that there is a truth that is more true than (the appearance of) sickness.

~~

Lama Tsering Everest

Dharma looks at things differently. It’s not exactly the same way as how we would (usually) look at things. There is a different way to understand things. That allows you an opportunity to break free of habit patterns and confusion, and to end suffering.  That’s why we listen to Dharma and that’s why in the limited time that we have, because none of us are going to live forever, we have to understand better how to apply the Dharma path in our lives, so that we can really end suffering for ourselves and whoever is connected to us. 

~~

HH 41st Sakya Trichen

Ordinary people are not concerned with asking about the true nature of things or inquiring into the nature of reality. They simply accept life as it appears. But the more intelligent ones strive to understand reality. What we perceive and what is real are two different things. For example, a person afflicted with jaundice may see the moon as yellow due to their illness. What we apprehend—forms, sounds, smells, tastes, and so on—is not the ultimate truth of these phenomena.

Mind over external actions (true story)

Jamyang Rinpoche

When reciting mantras, having visualization or concentration has a much better effect than just reciting mantras (without concentration).  Compared to reciting mantras unclearly, reciting a mantra even once clearly with good enunciation is greater in merit than the former by a hundred or a thousand times. (Rinpoche demonstrates unclear recitation with the Mani mantra). 

Practicing visualization-contemplation with the mind while reciting the mantra is 100,000 times more effective than simply reciting the mantra without any visualization-contemplation according to the stages of the sadhana practice.

Therefore, real practice has to be done with the mind. The real work is on the alaya (most fundamental level of consciousness). Reciting with the mouth only creates merits on the level of speech. It may not generate the virtuous qualities of mind. 

The most important point is the mind. It is the same for non-virtue. Compared to simply scolding a person with harsh words, the non-virtue of generating anger or hatred in the mind is far worse. The negative karma of harsh speech is not that heavy; but giving rise to a moment of anger can destroy 1000 eons of merits. Harsh speech will result in its negative consequences, but it cannot destroy eons of merits like the negative emotion of anger. 

Therefore, for both virtue and non-virtue, it is the mind that creates the strongest and most heinous karmas.  What we have to be mindful of is our state of mind.  If mind is pure, the grounds and paths are pure; if mind is impure, the grounds and paths are impure.  

In my hometown there was a man named Zongtrul. He was a soldier during the Chinese cultural revolution. He probably created some bad karma then. Later he was discharged from the army.  His usual way of speaking is very charismatic with lots of nice words and showing great respect. However, his character inwardly was quite the reverse.  For instance, if he heard that his neighbour suffered a loss or had a livestock (sheep or yak) dying, he would gloat about it. If he heard that someone had fallen off a horse in an accident, then he would feel happy and rejoice in it.  He did not say anything bad outwardly, but his mind was filled with these negative thoughts. 

After his death, Zongtrul’s children went to consult Lama Achuk Rinpoche about where their father had taken rebirth and what pujas to do for him.  Lama Achuk Rinpoche said that Zongtrul had a very black heart and that his mind was extremely dark.  In terms of external actions, Zongtrul did not commit any great misdeed but his mind was very unkind and negative, therefore he had taken rebirth in the hell realms. 

If our minds are non-virtue, it is very harmful even if we do not create any non-virtue externally.  Many Chinese practitioners like to claim that they did not create any major wrongs in their lives and say that they have a kind heart. 

Whether you are kind or not, check your own mind, look at how self-centred you are.  See how you try to ensure the benefits in any situation are for yourself and let others suffer the loss. Look at how you wish to win and let others lose.  Look at your choice of food, the way you grab good seats, how you make sure your living conditions are the best; so long as you are comfortable, it doesn’t matter what others have to endure.  Like how you grab seats on the bus without caring about others in need or how you try to get the best food in the restaurants regardless of others. 

Whether your character is good or not, you can observe for yourself. A person with a kind disposition is, like the Buddha, always attentive to sentient beings, even an ant or mosquito is the object of their care. In Tibet, in the summer time, near dusk, Patrul Rinpoche used to bare his upper body to allow the mosquitoes to feed on his blood. Then he would return home at night and apply butter on the bites to prevent any infection.  The next day he would do the same again.  The realized beings are attentive even to the sufferings of insects. 

To them, the body is just a temporary vessel for the mind.  It is not permanent, therefore they use even the body to practice generosity.  For us, even a few dollars are quite difficult to part with for helping beggars.  Some people even scold the beggars saying they are imposters and cheats. 

I have heard some monastics say similar things, like how the beggars in a particular area are the richest in the whole of India. Think about it, would you do the same as beggars for the sake of money? Think of what they have to endure, what kind of environment, and what treatment they have to accept from others.  Would you be able to lower your dignity like that? These beggars must have had their untold difficulties to stoop to begging.  

Secondly, it is due to these beggars that we have the opportunity to give. It is through their kindness that we can create merits. To complete the accumulation of merits, we need to give, whether it is giving possessions, Dharma or fearlessness.  To give away possessions, which is the most basic way of creating merits, we need a recipient. Without recipients like these beggars, would we have the chance to practice generosity? 

Once, I prepared a lot of loose change to give to beggars while travelling outside.  Usually, there were many beggars gathering at the traffic lights or the bigger junctions but on this day, I did not meet a single beggar despite travelling for more than 40 kilometres.  At first, I thought that these beggars really did not have the merit to get the money. Later, I reflected and realized that it was not the beggars who lacked merits, it was I who lacked the merits. 

I had prepared the money, but I lacked the recipients of generosity. Therefore, the person who suffered the greatest loss was myself because I did not have the chance to give and create merits. Then I realized that the beggars were my wish-fulfilling jewels. Due to them, I could practice generosity and attain Buddhahood. They were my indispensable path to liberation. 

In terms of attaining Buddhahood, it is our enemies who are our wish-fulfilling jewels.  Due to enemies, we have a chance to practice patience. Due to beggars, we can practice giving. Due to a very impure and complicated outer environment, we can practice keeping the precepts.  If the environment is pure, there is no need for precepts or discipline; we would naturally abide in discipline.  

Therefore, a negative and impure environment is a good place for us to practice precepts and Bodhichitta. For instance, if there were no-one drinking alcohol, we need not keep the precept of abstaining from intoxicants. Due to the impure environment, we can keep precepts and gain the benefits of keeping precepts; this in turn brings us closer to Buddhahood. Without these aiding factors, even the path to Buddhahood would not exist. 

If you are a real practitioner, these negative situations are your supportive conditions. We need them and they are our wish-fulfilling jewels.  We have all these distractions like mobile phones and social media which makes us lax and unmindful, but this is exactly where we apply our practice. For instance, we apply the paramita of joyful effort, perseverance and meditation to get rid of distractions, we turn the situation to our advantage. With such difficulties, we have the chance for growth in our practice. In terms of practice, these are supports, not obstacles.

Manjushri flowers

A nice sharing

In 1987, Khenpo Sodargye followed HH Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche to Mt Wutai for the first time. The second pilgrimage was in 1991 and at that time there were some causal-conditions. According to a Chinese monk staying in the Serthar Buddhist Institute in the early years, HH asked Khenpo Sodargye to observe how the karmic conditions were for propagating the Nyingma teachings in the Chinese region. Khenpo Sodargye thus went to Mt Wutai for retreat and also to observe the karmic conditions.

Many auspicious signs appeared during this trip to Mt Wutai. Before Khenpo’s arrival, the Great White Stupa and Manjushri Hair Stupa in Mt Wutai continuously emitted light. A Chinese monk had went ahead to prepare for Khenpo’s arrival and knew of this matter.

On the day Khenpo arrived, after getting off the shuttle bus, this Chinese monk went up to him and reported, "Guru, the Great White Stupa emitted light a few days ago." Guru asked, "Will it emit light again?"  The monk replied, "Of course, the emanation of Manjushri Bodhisattva has arrived." Guru didn't say anything in reply. At 2 or 3am that night, the Great White Stupa began emitting light again. 

Everyone got up to watch, and also woke Guru up to watch. Guru watched it for a while and went back to sleep. The Great White Stupa emitting light was very rare and lasted for a particularly long time.  It wasn’t a figment of people’s imagination. Some saw the stupa becoming translucent, some saw it directly emitting bright light and there were also many fireballs flying around. 

Later, when heading to the East Terrace, the driver stopped midway to add water. For some reason, the car started to roll backward, as if it was going to overturn. People were anxious and some wanted to jump out of the car, but seeing that Guru wasn't moving, they felt embarrassed to jump. What if nothing happened, Guru would tease them about it later. Guru opened the car door and looked behind, then closed the door and didn't bother anymore. Later, a stick appeared from nowhere and blocked the car and the car stopped. At this moment, they saw a young man on the side of the road near the mountain, holding a roll of paper in one hand, an axe in the other, a coil of rope, and also a bunch of flowers. 

Guru waved for him to come over. He came over and offered the flowers in his hand to Guru, saying: "This is for you." Guru took the flowers and smelled it, chatted with him for a while, such as where he came from, where he was going etc. 

The man said he was a woodcutter and left. A monk commented that, at that time, he felt his mind was different from usual; normally, he was very clear-headed and capable, suddenly he become quite muddled and couldn't see the man clearly, only a silhouette. 

While Guru was getting a whiff of the flowers, another Chinese monk, perhaps due to his karmic obstacles, shouted, "Master, you shouldn’t smell it, sometimes flowers are poisonous, some flowers planted in my home are poisonous." 

Guru ignored him, broke off a petal and ate it, saying: "This flower is the Manjushri flower personally identified by HH Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche in 1987. Whoever eats this flower will definitely increase his wisdom." Then he broke off the flower and gave a petal to each of the disciples behind. The one who said not to smell it was not given any. This disciple was very anxious, and on the trip back, he asked the driver to stop the car and made many prostrations at that spot in contrition to repent his mistake.

After returning to Serthar institute from Mt Wutai, from late 1991 to early 1992, Khenpo often bestowed the empowerment of Manjushri Dzogchen. One morning, while giving this empowerment at Samye Stupa, Guru took out this Manjushri flower and said, "These Manjushri flowers were given by an emanation of Manjushri when we were in Mt Wutai, and some others were picked by myself. I kept some for myself and mixed the rest in here. Whoever has the merit will get the actual flower given by the emanation of Manjushri." 

In reality, since both were picked by the two emanations of Manjushri, there is no difference. Guru also described how he met Manjushri and how he gained realisation etc. At that time, we didn't think it was anything special, but later when we went to the same place ourselves, nothing happened at all.

The year before last, Khenpo Sodargye went to Mt Wutai again, intending to retreat for seven days to see Manjushri.  Guru said that if he didn't see Manjushri he wouldn't leave the mountain. Later, he came out of retreat earlier than scheduled. When a disciple asked, Guru said he had already seen Manjushri. He saw him in just three days.

HH Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche once pointed to a Manjushri statue that a disciple was holding and said, "I am Manjushri." At that time, Khenpo Sodargye was also beside him. HH then pointed to Khenpo and said, "He is too."

(Note: These Manjushri flowers of Mt Wutai are red in color, not the golden lotus flowers of Mt Wutai. It is also different from the Manjushri flowers at Serthar Buddhist Institute.)

~~

Khenpo Sherab Dedpa

Khenpo Sodargye has, you could say, spent his entire life propagating the Dharma, which is incredibly remarkable and self-evident. He also said that right up until his last breath, as long as there's even one sentient being who wishes to hear the Dharma, he will continue to teach them without stopping. 

Many disciples don't understand this; they feel that the Guru's enlightened activities should involve frequently displaying supernatural powers or performing other feats, and they don't see daily Dharma teachings as particularly wonderful. 

However, what is most beneficial for sentient beings, according to the Buddha, is the teaching of the Dharma. Therefore, Khenpo Sodargye places great importance on this fundamental aspect. While other things like monasteries and Buddha statues are important, the most fundamental element is the Dharma, because it is through the Dharma that sentient beings' minds are tamed and transformed. Without the Dharma, if there were only external forms of Buddhism, the minds of sentient beings can never be truly transformed. 

Khenpo Sodargye often says that whether the Buddhadharma flourishes or not isn't determined by whether there are hundreds of thousands or even hundreds of millions of followers, nor by how grand the monasteries are or how tall and magnificent the Buddha statues are, or by the number of people attending each Dharma assembly. These are merely external appearances. 

While, from a certain perspective, having so many sentient beings believe in the Buddha indicates that the Buddhadharma has not completely vanished from the world but whether the Buddhadharma is flourishing or not does not depend only on this.

The crucial factor is the degree to which Buddhists understand the meaning of the Dharma. If people have a deeper understanding of the Dharma's meaning, then the authentic Dharma is truly flourishing. If people only have a superficial or even biased understanding of the Dharma, then having a large number of followers is of little use. When the quality of Buddhist disciples is not high, authentic Dharma cannot flourish.

I used to often quote the Dalai Lama, "As a disciple of Buddha, not understanding the Dharma is a disgrace." Whether the Buddhadharma flourishes or not depends mostly on the quality of the followers — that is, their level of understanding of the Dharma. 

If their understanding of the Dharma is deeper, then quality is excellent; if their understanding is superficial, then even a large number of people is useless.

Precepts as Teacher

Khenpo Yeshe Phuntsok

The Sutra Pitaka emphasizes meditation, the Vinaya Pitaka emphasizes precept-discipline (śīla or ethical conduct), and the Abhidharma Pitaka emphasizes wisdom. However, compared to the Sutra and Abhidharma Pitakas, the Vinaya Pitaka holds an even more important position.

Before the Buddha’s mahaparinirvana, Ananda asked the Buddha whom they should take as their teacher after his passing. In the Chinese scriptures, the Buddha replied, "Take the precepts as your teacher." However, the Tibetan scriptures records this reply with more details. The Buddha said, "The Sutra Pitaka and Abhidharma Pitaka represent the teachings, but the Vinaya Pitaka not only represents the teachings but also represents the teacher."

This illustrates the greater importance of the Vinaya Pitaka compared to the Sutra and Abhidharma Pitakas.  The Sutra and Abhidharma Pitakas delve into profound doctrines like emptiness and luminosity, while the Vinaya Pitaka directly explains the standards for what to adopt and what to reject concerning one's physical, verbal, and mental actions. It clarifies what should be done and what shouldn't, and the consequences of transgressions. This is akin to having a personal teacher who directly guides and disciplines a disciple's motivation and conduct.

The Sutra of the Buddha's Last Teachings records the Buddha's final discourse before Nirvana: "You bhikkhus, after my demise, should respect and cherish the Pratimoksha as if encountering a light in total darkness or a poor person finding treasure. Know that this is your great teacher." 

Pratimoksha is a Sanskrit term meaning "precepts of individual liberation". The Buddha instructed that after his parinirvana, if disciples uphold pure precepts and take precepts as their teacher, the radiance of the Dharma will illuminate the world. In short, upholding pure precepts is the Buddha's most earnest teaching.

The Buddha once stated in the Samyutta Agama that whether the Dharma remains in the world depends on whether the Buddha's disciples respect and uphold pure precepts. Wherever the Buddha's fourfold assembly of disciples performs precept-related ceremonies or upholds pure precepts, the Dharma will abide in that place. Otherwise, the Dharma will decline and fade.

In the Mahaparinirvana Sutra, Lord Buddha said: "Although all sentient beings possess Buddha-nature, they must rely on upholding precepts to realize it." The Mahaparinirvana Sutra is one of the most definitive scriptures in the Sutrayana. From this teaching of the Buddha, it is clear that no matter what Dharma of the ultimate truth one learns, upholding precepts must serve as the foundation.

In Nagarjuna’s Letter to a Friend, it states: "Just as all things depend on the earth, all virtues depend on precepts." This means that all things in the world, whether humans, animals, or plants, rely on the earth. Similarly, all merits can only arise on the basis of pure precepts. Likewise, Master Ouyi also said: "Upholding precepts is like the ground from which all things spring; upholding precepts is like a city wall by which demonic obstacles are kept at bay." 

From the perspective of merits, upholding pure precepts accumulates boundless merits. From the perspective of dispelling obstacles, it is like a sturdy city wall that can resist external invasions; upholding pure precepts can keep all obstructing spirits and obstacles away.

~~

Venerable Jingjie

Protecting virtues

I feel that whether one possesses precept-substance or not is the clearest to oneself, despite what others may say.  When the mind comes into contact with objects that could be defiling, does it fall into deluded desire?  Does the mind have no resistance whatsoever to non-virtue? If the mind is unable to guard against non-virtue, how can one claim to have the precept-substance?  The precept-substance should produce some function.  If the substance is present, its function should be working.

When the mind encounters states of defilements, it knows how to protect itself and becomes aware of these perversions, the thought "I shouldn't do this" comes to mind.  This indicates that one definitely holds the precept-substance because the function of preventing non-virtue is working. This means that one has seeds of virtue and these seeds of virtue do not appear with no cause (but comes from the precept-substance)…

Seeds of virtue planted in alaya-consciousness (the most fundamental level of consciousness) are subject to arising and ceasing; it can increase or decrease. It is not unconditioned like nirvana-- beyond arising and cessation. Virtues can arise and they can disappear.

Therefore, even if one has received precepts in accordance with the Dharma and obtained the precept-substance, it does not last forever.  One needs to continuously listen to and contemplate the Dharma to augment one’s mindfulness, in order that these virtues grow and become strong... Mindfulness works to increase one’s ability to introspect and protect one’s virtues obtained from generosity, precept-discipline and patience, so that these virtues are not destroyed by afflictions and negative karma.

~~

Dharma Master Jin Fan

About the precept substance
(slightly editted for clarity)

The precept substance is similar to how we have a body. This precept substance is, however, characterized by non-action or non-doing. You have no need to perform any particular action. 

When you bring forth the Bodhi resolve while taking the Three Refuge, the virtue in your mind is produced and the non-virtue automatically disappears. That is, you turn away from evil and go towards the good. The virtuous dharma wells forth and fills the entirety of your body. The greater your Bodhi resolve is, the more your mind is filled with virtue; the precept substance obtained is thereby greater. The precept substance essentially takes in the inexhaustible virtuous dharmas as our precept substance.

What is the purpose of the precept substance? It has no form or mark. We cannot see it so does it actually exist? Yes it does. The Brahma Net Sutra states: “one carries a lifebuoy to cross the ocean.” The precept substance we obtain from taking the precepts is just like the lifebuoy. When you’re in the middle of a rapidly flowing river, you need to quickly cross over to the land. Likewise, when you’re tossed around in the midst of the sea of birth and death, what should you do? The precept substance is like the lifebuoy that saves us from drowning. Therefore, the precept substance protects us and safely crosses us over the suffering sea of birth and death.

How do we use the precept substance to help us protect and purely uphold our precepts? After taking these precepts, you have to “receive with the mind and uphold with the body”; that is, we receive and uphold the precepts. In every thought, you never forget about the precepts and take the precepts as your teacher. In this way, the precept substance will constantly function. 

When you are about to go against or violate the precepts, the precept substance will come to protect you and prevent you from doing so. When you are asleep, dreaming at night, and not in control, even if there were demonic states or improper situations in your dream, this precept substance will come into action. Being able to uphold the precepts while asleep is precisely due to the functions of the precept substance.

When we go against or violate the precepts, the precept substance will have a puncture, similar to that of a punctured ball or a punctured bicycle tire. They will slowly and eventually deflate. But if the puncture is too big, the bicycle would immediately become immobilized and the ball would be unusable. The precept substance has the same principle. If the precept we violate is minor, the puncture is a little smaller. If the precept we violate is major and more fundamental, then the entire precept substance will disappear. 

What do we do then? There is a method: Repentance. Repentance is like patching the hole of the ball with glue so the ball can continue to work. The tire can also be patched so that you can continue to ride the bicycle. If the puncture is too great, however, you would have to swap in a new tire. In the Theravada teaching, many precepts cannot be recovered even after repentance. But in the Mahayana teaching, you can still recover the precept substance and return to purity through repentance.

~~

Master Xuyun

To achieve the Dharma path, one needs to hold pure vows.  Vows are the very basis of Buddhahood.  Pure precepts give rise to concentration and concentration produces wisdom.  Without precepts, Dharma practice will not go anywhere.  

In the Surangama Sutra, the chapter on the “Clear Exposition of Four Purities” states that if one practices samadhi without upholding pure precepts, one will not be liberated from the defilements.  Even if many insightful meditative states appear, you will still fall into the deviated paths of demons or externalists.  This demonstrates the importance of precept-discipline.  

People who keep pure precepts are protected by the gods and nagas who protect the Dharma.  They are respected and feared by the demons and externalists.  People who break precepts are regarded by spirits as a great thief and are wiped out without a trace.

Right approach to learning Dharma

Khenpo Sodargye

When it comes to learning Dharma, many people’s approach is quite irrational. They are incredibly enthusiastic about empowerments, mantra recitation and pujas. As soon as news of these types of events are released, it becomes the hot topic of the Dharma circles. 

Yet, they show little interest in the mind-training and systematic teachings that are genuinely beneficial for their mindstream.  In particular, people tend to neglect the regular teachings. It’s as if only rarely given teachings or transmissions are precious.  Many people have this misconceived approach.  

The truth is that these regular, systematic classes are what genuinely offer the greatest help for our minds. No matter how many empowerments you receive, they won't mean much if you don't put them into practice. No matter how many mantras you recite, they are of little use if your mind isn’t tamed and made gentle and pliable. 

These external aspects of Dharma can only plant a few virtuous seeds in your mindstream; it's difficult for them to solve fundamental problems (of taking rebirth again and again in samsara). Everyone needs to understand this.

Therefore, when you study this treatise today, approach it with joy, reverence and feel its preciousness. We are living in the age of degeneration, worldly circumstances are complex and ever-changing. At such a time, having the opportunity to listen and contemplate the Dharma is extremely rare. 

Every time I listen to recordings of past masters' teachings, I feel that they are incredibly precious. For me, teaching a class to all of you also feels very precious and hard to come by.

Not taking advantage of others

From The Biography of the Great Master Pema Duddul (who attained rainbow body)

When Pema Duddul’s father passed away, his sister starved to death, and his mother and him (once the family of a government official) were reduced to beggars. Even when they managed to beg a little food, it was stolen from them. An ordinary person would have been filled with resentment, but Pema Duddul perceived that, in a past life, he had abused his power to pay less for 500 sheets of gold foil, causing loss to the seller. Now, as this karma ripened, he became a beggar and even what little he had was stolen.  

Pema Duddul endured immense suffering. Once, while sitting among many monks reciting prayers for a family, the patron angrily drove him away, shouting, "Are we so poor and pitiful that we need a beggar to perform prayers for us?" A revered lama of that time, upon hearing of the master’s plight, was deeply saddened: "My precious Tulku, to think that the death of his father has brought him to such misery!" He then sent for the master and provided him with food and care.  

When the master and his mother went begging, many refused to give them anything, saying that meeting such destitute people was bad luck and contaminating. However, one family in Naqu offered them food, an act that Pema Duddul never forgot. Even in his later years, while teaching his disciples, he would recall this kindness with deep gratitude.

~~

HH Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche

Taking advantage of others or being opportunistic is an act that goes against the principle of cause-and-effect (ie, you wish for benefits but you only end up harming yourself.)  Even if your usual behavior is upright and you have a kind and compassionate disposition, if you do not respect these subtle laws of karma, you will only destroy yourself in the end.

~~ 

Foolish people are greedy about small gains in the short-term while wise people make plans for the long run. Perfecting one’s own inner qualities is creating the most excellent cause for all future happiness and enjoyments.

~~

Losing wealth and possessions is only a temporary setback. A damaged reputation brings suffering for only one lifetime.  But acting without regard to cause-and-effect brings sufferings for countless lives.  Therefore, even if you lose wealth, possessions and reputation, you should never lose the correct view of cause-and-effect.

Opening the door to infinite blessings

Khenpo Sodargye 

Actually, the habit of praying to the Guru is very important.  If you can pray to the Guru frequently, at a certain point, many experiential states will arise, whichever deity you practice will not have any problems.  If you do not open this door (to blessings), then no matter what other practice you do, it is not so easy.  This is the pith instruction given by all the Vidyadhara Gurus.  HH Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche also gave many teachings related to this point on many occasions.

~~

I have always considered HH Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche as Manjushri in person.  I have followed him as if he was exactly and actually Manjushri himself.  I viewed every word he said and his every act with pure vision.  When praying or practicing Guru Yoga, I regarded the Guru as Manjushri himself.  Due to this, even a person as laden with heavy karma as me has received the actual blessings, wisdom, and uncommon loving kindness and compassion of Manjushri.

~~

Interesting anecdote of Khenpo Sodargye

During a Dzogchen teaching given in the very early days to about a hundred disciples, Khenpo Sodargye said, “Since young, I have been given many titles of being such-and-such a Tulku and so forth, but I have never been attached to it or bothered much.  Later, through following HH Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche, I attained realisation. In 1987, when I followed HH Jigme Phuntsok to Mount Wutai to pay respects to Manjushri Bodhisattva, HH revealed the terma of Manjushri Dzogchen at Mount Wutai.  Later when HH gave teachings (on it) at Serthar Buddhist Institute, I attained realisation a second time.  Therefore, not to mention all of you, even many great Khenpos and great Tulkus in the Buddhist Institute cannot be compared to me.  Teaching Dzogchen to you is not something an ordinary person can do.”

(Note: Khenpo Sodargye is the emanation of Dorje Dechen Lingpa.  This is one of the extremely rare occasions when Khenpo proclaimed his own qualities. It was necessary for Khenpo to affirm the qualities of the Dzogchen teacher as faith in the teacher is very important for progress on the path.)

Encapsulating all into one point

Phurpa Tashi Rinpoche

We are completely responsible for what happens to us in the future. No one else can help us. If you do not think about this today and start making the necessary preparations, a time will come soon when your cries for help will fall on deaf ears. You will know true desperation then.  It is better to think of it now and do whatever is necessary, before it happens.  

When we look at what practitioners are doing nowadays —some say they want to make pilgrimage to a holy mountain; some are attending pujas and empowerments all the time; some are learning a lot of theories and texts; some are giving offerings for building monasteries and Buddha statues etc. Yet when I ask myself what I am really looking for, it is not these.  

Since I started practicing Dharma, my aim has been to attain liberation. Is liberation to be found at some place or location? No, it is not found anywhere else other than in one’s own mind.  To purify one’s mind, there are many methods to create virtue, but if we were to look for a more direct method than meditation, I think we will not find it.  

Therefore, Longchenpa once said in the “Clear Mirror of Essential Points” that “there are countless levels of teachings, many Dharma methods for entering the path and many teachings with vast meanings, yet if one fails to grasp the essence of the ultimate meaning, even if one knows a hundred thousand Dharmas, there will not be real benefit at death.”

If one is not able to encapsulate all the teachings into a single point and practice it, even if you read countless books, comprehend endless knowledge and create limitless virtues, I think it is not quite possible for you to attain liberation in this life.

When I think of this, I feel even more convinced that I must accomplish this single point.  Because what will happen to every one of us in the future is not some fairy tale, we know that fairy tales are unreal and fabricated, but death is certain to happen to us. I am sure many of us have seen others pass away.  How much suffering did these people go through when they died? Put yourself in their place, what would you do then?

Ten Dharma activities

Khenpo Yeshe Phuntsok

In his Commentary on the Madhyantavibhaga, omniscient Mipham Rinpoche tells us that all aspects of practice or conduct related to the sacred Dharma can be summarized into ten Dharma activities. These ten activities are:

1. Writing (or copying out scriptures)

2. Making offerings (to the Dharma or scriptures)

3. Giving (Dharma texts to others)

4. Listening (to teachings)

5. Reading (scriptures)

6. Upholding (Dharma with reminding oneself and habituating oneself to it)

7. Expounding (the Dharma)

8. Reciting (scriptures)

9. Contemplating (the meaning)

10. Putting (the teachings) into practice

These ten activities encompass all practices related to the sacred Dharma, hence they are called the Ten Dharma Activities. Engaging in any one of these ten Dharma activities accumulate immeasurable merit. This is because the sacred Dharma is the source of all benefit and happiness.  It is the right path that liberates us from the three realms of existence. 

Therefore, any action connected with it holds immense significance. Even writing or listening to a single verse of the Dharma produces greater merit than any other worldly good deed.

Karma is mind

Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Karma is in the category of mind. Karma is not substantial; it is a formless phenomenon. If the mind is formless whereas the body is form, how can the formless imprints determine something physical like our bodies? This is very simple. Our own daily experiences give us the answer. 

Think about what happens when we are angry. The anger definitely produces physical effects and changes in our body. It is the same when we have strong attachment or strong pride. And because of these changes in us, others are affected. Think of the changes that occur in us and in the people around us at times of really strong fury.

Basically it is the same as when an architect designs something. The building is first there only in his imagination, then it becomes plans and then it is actualized.

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Karma is intention

Karma can be defined as intention (Tib: sem-pa). It can be explained as the action of the principal consciousness. "Karma" is a Sanskrit term that simply means action, so it is an action of the thought. 

Before any act there must be a motivation, an intention, otherwise there would be no energy for the mind to act. That is the motivation of cause. But even during the act there is still some motivating energy and that is the motivation of time. Both are karma.

The first one, the motivation of cause, gets us to initiate the action, like before we meditate the wish to meditate arises. While the action is actually happening, there still needs to be an accompanying motivation, otherwise the action would never be completed, and that intention is called the motivation of time.

These two motivations exist in any action—reciting mantras, reading sadhanas, even mundane actions like walking, sitting, sleeping and so on. There is the intention than initiates the action, the motivation of cause, and the intention that causes the action to continue and be completed, the motivation of time. 

Therefore we need to ensure that we not only have the best possible motivation before we do the action—the motivation of cause—but also while we are doing it—the motivation of time—so that the action is as pure as possible. That way, what we do becomes very powerfully positive karma.

Therefore it is important to check not just before we act but while we are acting. Otherwise, for instance with an act of charity, we can generate a very positive motivation before the act, but while we are doing that action the mind can degenerate into wanting recognition and thanks or some other negative thought. Then we have still created good karma with our initial motivation, but the motivation of time is negative karma and so the action is not completely perfect.

Karma is stored in the subtle body

Kathok Rigzin Chenpo Rinpoche

The body’s energy can be called “bindu” (tib, tigle).  There are gross, subtle, pure and impure forms. It pervades the ovum, blood and all the channels (of the subtle energetic body).  Finally, it culminates in the thought-free meditation.  All these are referred to as “bindu”.  From external to internal, it gets more and more subtle and finally becomes meditation, it can also be called “consciousness”.  

How do humans come into being? How does karma arise?  From the Vajrayana perspective, karma arises from the pranas (winds) and bindu.  The grosser form of bindu can be said to be a soul.  In a subtler form, the bindu is our consciousness. In an even subtler form, it is the mind of our fundamental basis, the original mind. That is to say, the basic wisdom awareness (vidya) gave rise to humans.  Therefore when all these are purified, one attains the fruition of Dharmakaya.  If we were to relate these to the Three Jewels and Three Kayas—the purified channels (nadi) are the Sangha or Nirmanakaya; the purified winds (prana) are the Dharma or Sambhogakaya; the purified drops (bindu) are the Buddha or Dharmakaya.