About HH Rigzin Chenmo of Dorje Drak

Kathok Rigzin Chenpo Rinpoche

Chusang Rinpoche grew up with HH Rigzin Chenmo of Dorje Drak.  Chusang Rinpoche regarded HH as the Buddha himself and had very strong faith in him.  Wherever he went, Chusang Rinpoche would bring HH’s photo and place it in the mandala or shrine.  This was a very old photo. Rinpoche would place HH’s photo there and make prostrations to it. 

Chusang Rinpoche said that the Dharma had truly entered HH Rigzin Chenmo’s mind through his practice.  The mind had merged with the Dharma and so HH's mind was gentle, pliant, and serene. Chusang Rinpoche praised HH as a master who has equalized the Eight Worldly Winds (or concerns).

How was HH unmoved by the Eight Worldly Winds? HH was born into a very large family in Tibet — an aristocratic lineage, one of the eight great noble families of Tibet and he was the eldest son. He had a very prestigious family background and yet when he entered the monastery many people felt that he did not seem aristocratic at all because from childhood he never possessed any pride or arrogance.

All his life until the time of his passing, HH constantly abided in a meditative state. Masters who are completely free from the stain of pride are extremely rare. HH was like that from childhood and has never changed.  He did not get changed because of his noble birth, or because of his power or status, or because his monastery was one of the most important in the Nyingma lineage. 

He remained continuously in the state of equality amid the Eight Worldly Dharmas— this is something ordinary people cannot achieve.

Many people who encountered him praised him in this way. Those who met him found that in his presence their own pride would naturally dissolve; after spending some time with him, many people’s altruistic mind will naturally arise, and they will dedicate themselves entirely to benefiting sentient beings.

HH never sought anything for himself, his monastery or his lineage. This was one of his greatest quality.  He always placed himself and those associated with him last. In all matters he was fair and impartial, always considering entirely for others.  He was a person who had a vast mind to benefit others and possessed vast Bodhicitta.

During the difficult period (of Chinese cultural revolution), HH swept the Barkhor Street. He personally cleaned every toilet. At that time, a highly respected Tulku from Tibet was working together with him. The space beneath the toilets was probably very small (note: these are toilet pits filled with faeces and urine as toilets in Tibet had no modern sewage disposal system), and each time the two of them would compete to go in to clear it first.

HH would say, “My body is bigger and my arms are longer, so it’s more convenient for me to go.” The other would reply, “I’m shorter, so it’s easier for me to get in — you shouldn’t move.” The two of them did the work joyfully. Even while cleaning toilets, they felt no suffering or dejection. They regarded cleaning toilets and sweeping the streets as acts of benefiting sentient beings and did not feel any sense of suffering or distress at all.

HH Rigzin Chenmo was a lay practitioner

Eight Worldly Dharmas

HH Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche

Some people think they are free from the eight worldly dharmas and are critical of others whom they think fall below such standards.  Actually, such a critical attitude is in itself the greatest worldly dharma.  This person is already entangled in the eight worldly dharma and is not any better than the person he is disapproving of.

For instance, when people make offerings to him, although he says that he doesn’t want it, he actually hopes for it in his heart.  This is a worldly dharma. 

Some monastics are particularly attached. They seem to decline anyone’s show of respect for them.  When others set up a throne or high seat for them, they are unwilling to sit on these seats. This is also a worldly dharma.

Also, some people make a show of being humble in front of others, trying to prove that they are free from worldly concerns, hoping that by doing so others will praise them.  This is still a worldly dharma.

(Eight worldly dharmas: wishing for gain, avoiding loss; wishing for a good reputation, avoiding disgrace; wishing for pleasure, avoiding pain; wishing for praise, avoiding criticism. Basically this refers to clinging to the present life with attachment and aversion. 

It is said that only a first bhumi Bodhisattva and above can truly be free from the eight worldly dharmas although a genuine practitioner should still try to reduce and renounce them.)

Best Preparation for Death

Khenpo Kathar Rinpoche

Responding to a question of a student who is unable to gain any meditative stability and is worried about how to handle the bardo transition:

There are definitely means and instructions that will enable you to develop the type of stability that is needed to successfully traverse the bardo. As you indicated in your question, we all want to achieve this kind of stability.

It is not necessarily achieved by practicing a large variety of techniques, but by properly implementing any one complete technique of practice.

Visualizing your body as the deity Chenrezi, repeating the mantra OM MANI PADME HUNG, and dissolving the appearance of the deity into emptiness at the conclusion of the session are the three techniques by which you can achieve the necessary stability for traversing the bardo.

The phase of the meditation where you withdraw or dissolve the appearance of the deity is how to cultivate familiarity with the clear light so that you can recognize the dharmakaya at death.

Meditating upon your body as the body of Chenrezi is how you can gain the ability to achieve liberation as the sambhogakaya in the second phase of the bardo.

Repetition of the mantra OM MANI PADME HUNG is how you can learn to view all sound, including the sounds that appear in the bardo, as mantra.

Furthermore, the motivation of great compassion with which you perform the whole practice is the basis for the altruistic aspiration to reborn as nirmanakaya for the benefit of others, which is the key to traversing the third phase of the bardo, and doing this one complete technique will achieve all that you need.

In contrast, knowledge of a large number of techniques without gaining stability in any one of them will not bring this.

~~

Responding to a student’s question on how to prepare for death with a good amount of confidence:

I am a lot older than you are and so I’ve got more to worry about. Therefore this is of great concern to me too, so I’ll tell you what I really think. The single best preparation that you can have for dying is to recite the mantra OM MANI PADME HUNG.

If you make the commitment to yourself, “I will recite 100 million OM MANI PADME HUNG,” whether or not you complete it in this life, from the day you make that commitment until the day you die, this will have a great effect on you, and you will have tremendous benefit.

As for what you meditate on, you should always visualize above your head either the Buddha Amitabha or the Bodhisattva Chenrezi, it does not matter which. Just think that the deity is the embodiment in one form of all sources of refuge and especially of all of your spiritual teachers. Continually visualize them there, above your head, day and night, and resolve that at death your consciousness will dissolve upward into them.

What you meditate on and visualize is your teacher in the form of Amitabha or Chenrezi above your head and what you recite is the mantra OM MANI PADME HUNG. That is the best preparation.

Pulse of a meditator

TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) Professor Liu Lihong recounted his first meeting with the Chan Master Nan Huai Jin

Time slipped by without our noticing, and nearly two hours had passed (in our discussion on Chinese Medicine)—it was almost time for dinner. Elder Nan (Nan Huai Jin) seemed to notice and smiled as he extended both hands to me. “Check my pulse for me.”

At that moment, I couldn’t help feeling a bit nervous, but seeing the warm smile on Elder Nan’s face, I gathered my courage.

Elder Nan’s pulse belonged to what is called the Six Yang Pulse. It not only ran through the three positions—cun, guan, and chi—but also traveled through the palm and reached both sides of the middle finger. As Elder Li (a famous TCM doctor, Dr Li Ke) once put it, this was the first time he had ever encountered such an extraordinary pulse in several decades.

Normally, a pulse of this kind appears only when a fetus is about to be born. Among folk practitioners skilled in pulse diagnosis, such a pulse can be used to determine the time of delivery. Seeing our puzzled expressions, Elder Nan joked, “This fetus of mine has been ready to be born for decades now, and it still hasn’t come out!”

This was probably what is called the “nurturing of the sacred embryo” in the language of inner alchemy (at this stage, the vital energies have fully gathered at the navel dan-tien region as in the process of pregnancy). At last, we had truly encountered a genuine practitioner.

Note: At the time of pulse taking, Master Nan was more than 85 years of age, he often taught that meditation will change both the body and mind.

 

Sharing merits and loving-kindness with other beings

Interesting sharing by a nun-practitioner:

Someone asked me to share my spiritual experiences and how I overcame suffering in my life. Since I was invited to speak on this topic, I will share my practice with you today.

When I was young, I liked to meditate and practice Buddhism.

However, it was not easy. My parents were not interested in meditation, hence it was quite a challenge for me.

When I was seven or eight years old, I often paid respects to the Buddha (Buddhanusati—recollection of Buddha).

I practiced by myself. No teacher taught me to sit in front of the Buddha. I didn’t know what to do. I just felt very happy sitting like this. I felt that the Buddha would protect me.

Later, someone told me that I could recite the with prayer beads, "itipi so bhagava...". I just recited like this for two hours per day.

This generated happiness, peacefulness, and calmness in me. I liked that feeling.

Then, one day I had a dream, a very clear dream. I saw that there were many sentient beings in a tower. I couldn't count how many sentient beings there were. All these sentient beings only revealed their faces.

Their heads were big but their bodies were small. I didn't know what kind of sentient beings they were.

I heard them wailing in my dream, "We are burning, we are burning, it's very hot and painful, please help us! " But in the dream I replied, "I really want to help you, but I don't know how! "

They replied, "You only need to continue your daily practice (Buddhanusati), and then spread metta (loving kindness) and share your merits with us", they taught me when I was dreaming.

I did this every day. I rushed to meditate after school. As I didn't want to keep all the merits to myself, I have been sharing all my merits with everyone all these years.

After two weeks of doing so, I dreamt that these sentient beings had been liberated from their suffering. Since then, it has generated much happiness in my heart.

They were now free from pain and suffering, and I knew how much pain they have endured in their lives. After I dreamt that they informed me they were free from suffering, I felt peacefulness arise in my heart, and since then I truly generated the wish to help others.

But as I didn't know how to help others, I just practiced every day like this, and continued to practice this way for 15 years.

I am just sharing my own experiences, you can also practice in this way.

Many sentient beings suffer a lot, but most people don’t want to interact with ghosts, however I feel very comfortable with them.

Every time I meditate, I share my merits with them.

Everywhere I go, I feel the sentient beings there. Oh! I am so happy that I can help them. Immediately, I spread loving kindness to them, hence I get along with them very well.

Sometimes during retreats, such as those conducted at some Chinese temples in Singapore, we can see ghosts interfering with meditators.

Immediately, the meditator's behavior and disposition changes, and we can see that their characteristics resemble that of ghosts.

Others are not sure what to do, hence they want to send these meditators to the hospital. I told them that they don’t need to be sent to the hospital. We know that beings are interfering with them.

What should we do? We don’t need to beat them or scold them. We just need to spread loving kindness: "Oh, please don’t interfere. Please listen to me. Please leave, you will get good merit", we will give them the merit.

They are very happy, and immediately they leave. So it is good if you can become friends with sentient beings who are ghosts, and slowly they will listen to you.

After changing their external appearances, these beings no longer look like human beings.

You know, because they are hungry ghosts and they want to eat, so they come over, and I ask my students to give them water from a cup.

They don’t want to drink from a human's cup. So I took the cup and asked them to drink, and they started to drink, like a dog, not like a person.

Having become ghosts and having changed their appearances, they licked the water with their tongues like dogs, this is what we can see. It is not imagination, this is what really happens in actuality in our society.

You can see how much sentient beings suffer, regardless of how much we try to help, although we are all working hard to help them.

I don’t just help the beings in lower realms, I also help the Devas. Since I was seven, I have also been dedicating my merits to the devas.

After I reached the age of ten, I couldn't sleep at midnight.

Every time I slept, someone would nudge me in the back, so I had to get up. As I stayed on the upper floor, I would have to go downstairs to the courtyard, where I would recite the Dhamma Chakrawattana Sutta every night, which was the first scripture taught in Varanasi. I didn't understand the meaning. Hence, I just opened the book and recited it while looking at the sky. I could see that many Devas were listening. I chanted it in Pali. I kept chanting, every night, for 15 years.

I have always liked being alone since young. I didn't have many friends. I only had very few friends, regardless of whether I was in high school or university. I liked to stay in the room with the Devas and with the ghosts too, but I was afraid of people. I did not know why.

After I ordained, I realised human beings were very important. It is easy for human beings to understand the Dharma. No matter how much I help, ghosts cannot become arahants or attain Sottapana because their wisdom is very low and they cannot understand the Dhamma.

Therefore, I feel it's a waste of time. It might be better if I share the Dhamma with human beings. After learning, human beings can gain concentration (samadhi) , develop insight knowledge (vipasanna), and possibly benefit the next generation.

From then on, my thinking has changed. I stopped being fixated on helping other beings. Now, I only devote my energy to teaching humans.

Afterwards, I tried slowly to teach more human beings the Dharma. Since then, over ten years have passed. I have traveled to many countries and interacted with many people. Although I am very young, I wish to go to more countries and meet various people of different religions.

It is very difficult for us females to spread the Dharma in general, let alone travel to spread the Dharma. I believe that there are many Devas who are protecting me. I don’t know what kind of karma has caused me to travel to so many different places.

Everywhere I go, people are very friendly.

They take care of me. I also spread loving kindness to everyone in every country equally. I regard them as my relatives, Dharma brothers and sisters, hence I do not have any animosity towards anyone at all.

I like to practice loving-kindness very much. I spread loving-kindness to many people every day, and I don’t like to think about the faults of others. I understand the nature of human beings.

Sometimes people do bad things and criticize me.

Sometimes in my own life, I have encountered many problems, but I try to overcome them and try to forgive others. If you regard such as human nature, then you can forgive.

I love everyone and every sentient being, so I am always at ease. I have never accused anyone of offending me. I see everyone as equally adorable and cute.

Sometimes some people want to criticize me, sometimes others want to voice their complains to me.

Regardless, from my perspective, they are all adorable and cute, in my heart I always treat them like children.

But my practice is not perfect yet. I try to do my best every day, so it is easy for me to get along with humans without causing any problems. It's the same for all of you.

One day, you will also be like mothers to the sentient beings of children, and you will also have many students in the future.

You will need to teach people from different countries. Hence, this requires you to have a pure mind. If you have a pure mind, anything you see will be beautiful, there will be no negative emotions.

If your mind is not pure, everything you see will be negative, this is the law of kamma at work. 

Buddhahood in 7 days

Khenpo Tsultrim Lodro

Many scriptures in Sutrayana mention that all Bodhisattvas in Sukhavati on the first bhumi (and above) can attain Buddhahood within 7 days if they so choose.  If they do not wish to attain Buddhahood so quickly but prefer to benefit beings in the form of a Bodhisattva, they can delay the attainment of Buddhahood by some hundreds, thousands or even hundreds of millions of great eons.  The 7 days mentioned here refer to the duration of 7 days in the human realm. 

(Note: A person who is reborn in Sukhavati through the Mahayana path attains first Bhumi immediately after the lotus opens and he beholds Buddha Amitabha. This is due to the blessings of Amitabha.)

From this perspective, if a practitioner concentrates on reciting Amitabha from now till his passing, say, some decades later, and immediately takes rebirth in Sukhavati, it merely takes several decades to attain Buddhahood, even including the 7 days in Sukhavati. 

Although this is not (as fast as the Vajrayana method of) attaining Buddhahood in this very life, if we consider that one can attain Buddhahood so rapidly in Sukhavati, then it seems that there is not a great difference between (these two paths).  Therefore, the practice of Amitabha also brings accomplishment very swiftly (like Vajrayana).

In all the 84000 Dharma methods, apart from these two practices, is there any other practice that allows an ordinary person to attain Buddhahood within a few decades?  The answer is a definite no.  In short, one way is Vajrayana, the other way is Amitabha practice.  These two methods are the most crucial practices.  Tibet has many other Sutric and Tantric practices; Chinese Buddhism also has Chan and other methods, and although these practices each have their unique qualities, there is not one that can compare to Dzogchen and Amitabha practice.

Dzogchen can bring accomplishment very swiftly. However, Dzogchen has its requirements.  The main requirement is the capacity of the student.  Then, one has to find a realized teacher who can give the empowerments and confer the pith instructions.  Dzogchen can only be realized when all the various requirements are fully met.

Mind karmas are most consequential

Venerable Xuyun

(Patriarch of five lineages of Chinese Buddhism)

Of the three types of karma (of body, speech and mind), the mind-related karmas are extremely heavy and most consequential.  All virtues or non-virtues start from the mind.  If the thought is virtuous, then it becomes the ten virtues (of body, speech and mind). If the thought is non-virtuous then it becomes the ten non-virtues.

The Dharma path is training precisely this mind.  A Dharma practitioner practices this mind.  The Chan meditator investigates this mind.  The Amitabha pureland practitioner recites with this mind.  In all interactions with others, in all good or bad circumstances, subdue this mind.  

When mingling with people, have a gentle mind. When managing wealth, have a pure and honest mind. In handling matters, have a sincere and loyal mind.  When managing subordinates, have a magnanimous and open mind.  

Treat others with a fair mind. Distribute gifts with an equal mind.  At all places and times, cultivate, refine and control this mind so that it doesn’t become wild, undisciplined, extreme, egoistic or arrogant.  

Even the slightest impurity left untouched in the mind is a demonic obstacle that doesn’t benefit you—one should not practice the Dharma this way.

How to tell misfortune is coming

Kathok Rigzin Chenpo Rinpoche

Before any misfortune strikes, there is always a sign.  An omen will appear for sure. It is only that the person doesn’t notice it, but the sign of the impending misfortune will definitely arise beforehand. 

Where does the sign arise? In one’s own mind. What happens in the mind? The virtuous thoughts diminish. When kindness, compassion and purity of mind are fading away, this means that your misfortune is going to ripen soon.  The misfortune is not caused by others, it is caused by oneself.

We should not blame others.  We always ascribe the problem to others. But actually, it is one’s own problem.  If you did not already have the past negative karma as a cause and if you did not have your present non-virtuous frame of mind as a condition to trigger the cause, it would not be possible for the misfortune to ripen.

The teachings of past great masters often mention that when merit is about to be exhausted and misfortune is about to arrive, the first thing that happens is that a non-virtuous thought arises. This refers to a strong non-virtuous thought based on attachment, aversion or ignorance or the mental poisons.

This non-virtuous thought is like a spark that sets off the blazing fire of related past negative karma, then misfortune happens to you.    

All of us have encountered many problems and obstacles in our lives. If we observed ourselves carefully, in every single case, before the misfortune struck, there would surely be a negative thought or non-virtuous mentality preceding it.  

Our mind-state was most certainly in an unhealthy or unbalanced state. Maybe you had created very heavy karma of anger or desire during that period, or you may have repeatedly committed such karmas, accumulating a snowball effect. You created these negative karmas very eagerly. Thus, your enthusiasm for these negative acts quickly activates similar negative karma from past lives. 

If we are presently encountering many obstacles and difficulties, we should not heap non-virtue upon non-virtue. Instead, it is time for us to confess our negativities. If we make confessions and purify sincerely, the present sufferings can become a positive condition for bringing future happiness and good fortune. 

Sometimes, just before a great merit ripens, we may meet some misfortune too.  Whether this misfortune brings about future good fortune depends on how you react to the suffering.  

In your time of greatest pain and sorrow, if you are able to retain your faith in the Triple Gems, correct your mistakes of body, speech, mind and perform strong confession and purification instead, then this suffering becomes a good condition for future great fortune and happiness. 

If instead you blame others, complain a lot and indulge in your sorrows, then you accumulate a lot of non-virtues such as anger and dissatisfaction etc, due to this, the suffering could be extended indefinitely. 

In such a case, the misfortune will no longer be a herald of coming good fortune; it is not even a purification of your negative karma, because you are continuously creating further negative karma with your attitude and actions.

Bearing hardship for Dharma is completely meaningful

Lama Zopa Rinpoche

The hardships we experience in practicing Dharma are completely different from those generally experienced by people in the world. Look at them. Ordinary people experience hardships—difficulties of body, speech and mind—day and night, all the time. 

Why do they experience all these hardships day and night, working from one Sunday to the next? Check up. All the work they do and all the tiredness and other sufferings they experience are to obtain the temporary happiness of only this life. 

There is no thought of obtaining the happiness of future lives or the ultimate happiness of liberation or enlightenment. There’s not even a single thought of that. All they think about is the small, temporary happiness of only this life—of a few years, a few months, a few days. That’s all. You can see that their whole life from beginning to end is spent on that.

Even though they spend this life in that way, it would be different if they had some success and happiness, some peace in their mind. But, no, they don’t. 

In fact, they experience all these great hardships to continually circle in samsara, to accomplish works that will again cause them to be born in the lower realms and experience the resultant suffering. Again they will have to be reborn in their previous home, the lower realms, and experience suffering, the result of those negative karmas.

This doesn’t happen only in the West; it is also similar in the East. Even around Lawudo, the Sherpa people don’t have time to practice Dharma. When you think of this, it makes you cry. When you see how sentient beings are suffering in samsara, it really makes you generate compassion.

There is a big difference in the way we experience difficulties and suffering to practice Dharma and in our reasons for doing so. The advantages that we receive from this as a Dharma practitioner and the advantages that those who don’t practice Dharma receive are complete opposites. 

Worldly people experience difficulties for a completely useless purpose in the end. All their difficulties cause them to accumulate negative karma. There’s not a single result of happiness or peace from that, just misery. 

The hours of hardship that we experience practicing Dharma have so much advantage, granting us both temporary and ultimate results.

~~

Realizations come when we purify our defilements; otherwise, realizations don’t happen. The more we purify, the more realizations come. It’s like with a mirror: the more dirt you clean from the mirror, the more reflections come in it. Our mind is like a mirror. As we clean the mirror of our mind, it’s able to give more and clearer reflections. Like that, realizations, including enlightenment, come.

Order of karmic ripening

Khenpo Yeshe Phuntsok 

In the Abhidharmakośabhāṣya,  Bodhisattva Vasubandhu writes that many virtuous and non-virtuous karmas ripen at the moment of death.  What determines the order of ripening? 

The heavier karma will ripen first. If two karmas are equal in weight, then the karma that is triggered by the last thought at the moment of death will ripen first.

If two karmas are equally triggered at the moment of death, then the one that has a stronger power of habit will ripen first. 

If even their strength of habituation is equal, then the karma that is created earlier will ripen first.

Geshe Potowa illustrated this with an analogy of people competing to board a boat to cross a river.  The stronger person boards first. If their strength is equal, the one closer to the boat boards first. If both are equally close, the one more familiar with the boatman boards first. If both are equally familiar with the boatman, then the one who first makes the request to board will board first.

Therefore, the birth of sentient beings is not unrelated to their previous death. The continuity of karmic consciousness is like a rushing stream —one moment followed by the next unceasingly— flowing from one end to the other end. 

Each of us has our own character, behavior, speech mannerisms, looks, opinions and thinking. For ordinary beings, these are more or less set in a fixed pattern. It is not likely for a person to alter his habits drastically overnight. This demonstrates the effect of habitual conditioning.

A tree that has long leaned toward the west will ultimately fall toward the west, so too scenes that appear at the time of death are often the result of one’s habitual tendencies in life. 

Whatever wholesome or unwholesome habits we have deeply cultivated during our lifetime are likely to arise at the moment of death.

Looking for Manjushri at Mount Wutai

Stories about Venerable Dushun

When Master Dushun, the first Patriarch of Huayen (Avatamsaka) was about 84 years old, a young monk, Zhichong, came to him and asked for a period of leave from the monastery, saying, “I would like to make a pilgrimage to Mount Wutai to pay respects to Manjushri Bodhisattva.”  

The teacher agreed to his request and said with a smile: 

“The wanderer toils far and long,   

Paying respect to the dirt slopes of Mount Wutai

Manjushri has always been present

What use is there to ask Amitabha?”

Zhichong paid little heed to these words and left for Mount Wutai.  When he was about to arrive there after much travail, he asked an old man for directions, “I am going to Mount Wutai to worship Manjushri, could you give me the directions?” 

The old man exclaimed, “Manjushri is not on Mount Wutai, what is the use of going there?”  

“Where is Manjushri now?”

“He is now at Chang-An teaching sentient beings.”

Zhichong recollected his teacher’s words and got a rude shock when he realised its meaning. He hurriedly turned back to his monastery, but was delayed for three days by a river flooding.  By the time he reached Yishan Monastery, his teacher had already entered parinirvana.  

Master Dushun

~~

Without cause, there is no result

Master Dushun had a new pair of shoes. He told someone, “I have never stolen even as little as a stalk of grass, a needle or a thread from anyone in countless aeons.  Due to that, no one will steal my belongings.  If you do not believe me, I will place this pair of new shoes at the city gate.  If anyone takes it within three days, it will prove that I am lying.” Three days later, the new shoes still remained untouched at the city gates which had many people, rich and poor, passing by.  This proved that the Master’s upholding of precepts was lofty and impeccable.

Intelligence comes from past virtues

Venerable Master Hsuan Hua

There is an old saying that is very useful: "Intelligence is supported by hidden virtues, hidden virtues guide one to intelligence. Without performing hidden virtues, intelligence backfires instead."

Why are we intelligent in this life? It is because, in past lives, we have created many virtuous deeds. What is hidden virtue? It is doing noble deeds of virtue without letting others know. For example, if someone died without a coffin, you secretly buy one and gave them a proper burial, that is hidden virtue—you do the good deed but do not publicize it or seek recognition. 

In short, hidden virtue is benefiting and helping others without making it public knowledge.

Due to hidden virtue accumulated in past lives, one is intelligent in this life. If one had studied or chanted the Buddhist sutras frequently, like reciting the Diamond Sutra tens of thousands of times—one also becomes intelligent in this life. 

Similarly, studying a lot (in past lives) makes one intelligent in this life. Hence, the saying goes “intelligence is supported by hidden virtue.” Intelligence in the present life is the result of cultivating virtue in past lives.

“Hidden virtue guides one to intelligence.” This means that due to a moral character and upright conduct, one becomes intelligent; it is this hidden virtue that brings one to the path of intelligence. 

Without hidden virtue, intelligence can mislead.  If in this life one doesn’t believe in hidden virtue and does not act in an upright and wholesome manner, relying only on cleverness for selfish or harmful purposes, this is what is meant by “intelligence backfires” when misused. 

Your intelligence destroys yourself. Why? If you were not smart, you won’t think about harming others.  But due to being clever, you know what others don’t and you use this advantage to harm others. People do not even realize that you are a bad person.  Therefore, “intelligence backfires”. 

A historical example is Cao Cao, who was extremely clever—almost cleverer than the demons and gods. Yet some of his actions were improper while others were okay. Although his intelligence misled him, at least he had some achievements.  

Those who value intelligence should cultivate virtue after hearing this saying.  Try to do good for others and avoid causing harm.

A story of two disciples

Interesting stories shared by Master Tanxu

(44th Lineage Holder of the Tien-tai School and disciple of Master Dixian)

Dharma Master Dixian had two disciples. The more senior disciple, to tell the story briefly, was recommended by someone to take ordination with Master Dixian. He was already married with a wife and a young daughter. He did not discuss his decision to ordain with his family. Of course, his wife was against it, perhaps she would have changed her mind later, but it is hard to say now.

Anyway, he was firmly determined to leave home, Master Dixian therefore accepted him. This disciple loved Chan meditation. Where did he go to meditate? In China, the most famous Chan monastery was Jinshan Monastery in Zhenjiang. The monastery was built on a small island in the Yangtze River.

Since he made the decision to ordain himself, he was of course very sincere. He gave up his secular life, did not even discuss with his wife before leaving. His daughter was only a few years old and was entrusted to his brother’s family. His wife could not accept his decision and committed suicide by jumping into the river.

This monk did not care. He only wanted to leave home and cultivate. No matter who objected or made noise, he ignored it all. Master Dixian then sent him to Jinshan Chan hall to practice.

He cultivated very seriously for more than ten years. His practice gained him some fame. He accepted quite a few disciples and became the head monk. He had disciples and sponsors. Food, clothing, and lodging were not lacking. Greed then arose in his heart. With food, lodging, and respect from others, his heart became somewhat conceited.

He began to feel that his achievement in Chan was hard-earned. Pride took root in his heart. He did not know that from the moment he ordained, his wife’s spirit had been following him for more than ten years.  His wife did not agree to his ordination so she wanted to obstruct him. Since he had truly gained some skill in Chan practice, the Dharma protectors guarded him and the wife’s spirit could not obstruct him.

However, once he gave rise to thoughts of greed and pride, his spiritual cultivation regressed. The Dharma protectors left. The wife’s spirit succeeded in possessing his body, making him jump into the river. Due to greed and delusion, he had no control over himself.

Jinshan Monastery is surrounded by water. On clear days, the mountain looks as if it is in the sky due to the reflection in the river. Possessed by the spirit, this monk jumped into the river. Someone saw him and rescued him. They asked him what happened. He said he was not aware of what happened.

After a few days, he jumped into the river again, and again someone rescued him.

The abbot of Jinshan Monastery said, “This is bad. The head monk is possessed by demons. He does not know how to swim. He could easily die by drowning! Quickly notify his teacher, Master Dixian, and ask him to bring his disciple back.”

At that time, Master Dixian was in Ningbo rebuilding a temple and sculpting Buddha statues. The temple had collapsed and was being rebuilt.

Jinshan Monastery sent a letter saying, “Your disciple has jumped into the river twice now but survived. When we ask him, he says he does not know what happened. He is in a confused state. Please take him away.”

Master Dixian thought: this is my disciple, it’s my responsibility to bring him back. So Master Dixian personally went to Jinshan Monastery. But the disciple would not leave.

I heard Master Dixian tell this story himself — these are all true events. Actually, the disciple was possessed by the spirit and confused. Normally he spoke well and acted normally, but when it came to jumping into the river, he remembered nothing about it.

Master Dixian said to this disciple, “Come on now, don’t cause trouble. Everyone here is a cultivator. You jump into the river every now and then (and disturb their practice). You should come back with me.”

The boat on their way back was flat-bottomed. There were two bunks inside, one below and one above. Master Dixian slept on the lower bunk while the disciple slept above. He behaved normally the whole way. The journey was peaceful and they returned by boat to Guanzong Monastery in Ningbo.

Since this disciple had lived at Jinshan for more than ten years and had the status of head monk, he had a room all to himself. He settled there to cultivate. Everything seemed fine.

One morning, he did not turn up for breakfast. Master Dixian remembered that this disciple often became confused so he told people to check his room. Sure enough, he was not inside and the back window was open.

Master Dixian said, “Disastrous! The door is closed, but he went out through the window. He probably went to jump into a river.”

They immediately told the whole sangha assembly to search high and low for this disciple. Near the monastery was a very deep moat where boats could pass. They searched in the temple first, then along the riverbank. After searching for about half a mile, they found out that he had already drowned in the river.

There was no choice. They pulled him out, carried him back to the monastery, recited sutras for him and buried him. At that time, his daughter had grown up and gotten married. She had lived with relatives after her father ordained and her mother died. That day she turned up at the temple uninvited. Master Dixian was just about to send someone to inform her of her father’s death. Her home was not far away. She seemed distressed.

She told Master Dixian, “Last night I had a dream. My parents took office today.”

Master Dixian asked, “What office?”

She said, “My father became the earth god and my mother became the earth goddess.”

Master Dixian suddenly understood everything. Coincidentally, a new earth deity temple had just been built not far from the monastery.

The sangha assembly in the temple recited sutras for him while his daughter wept. Master Dixian said to his disciple, “Today you have become an earth god. We are transferring merit to you. You should show some spiritual response to us.”

Suddenly a strong whirlwind arose, spinning for a long time. Master Dixian said this must have been the spiritual response. Master Dixian said this story shows Chan practitioners that even one wrong thought can lead to a bad result.

The scenic Jinshan Monastery on Jinshan Mountain

Speaking of Amitabha recitation, Master Dixian remembered another disciple. These were all stories that Master Dixian personally told.

Master Dixian said, “I also had another disciple. This man was a craftsman, commonly called a “pot-repairer.” Broken bowls, plates, and porcelain wares could be repaired and used again. In those days, this profession still existed. In ancient times, bowls broken into three or four pieces could still be repaired and reused. Foreigners did not understand why Chinese repaired bowls and still used them. People in earlier times were very frugal.

At that time, Master Dixian was practicing Chan at Jinshan. Earlier on, he had lectured on sutras for many years, but people said he had never practiced Chan, so his Dharma talks lacked power. After he practiced Chan at Jinshan for many years, people believed him when he lectured.

At Jinshan he served as guest master. One day a fellow townsman, his childhood playmate, came to see him. Master Dixian had originally been a merchant and had learned medicine from his uncle. This bowl-repair craftsman came and asked to become a monk and his disciple.

Master Dixian said, “You can’t. You are already over forty. You cannot read. You cannot learn Buddhist doctrine. You can’t endure ascetic practice. Becoming a monk would only bring trouble.” Master Dixian advised this craftman many times, but he insisted. Finally Master Dixian said, “If you must leave home, you must follow my instructions.”

The craftsman said, “Of course. If I recognize you as master, I will listen to everything you say.”

Master Dixian said, “At your age it is too late to study doctrine. You will just cultivate instead.”

The man replied, “Whatever you say, I will listen.”

“There was once a craftsman who left home and attained realization. You should follow his example.”

“As long as you accept me as your disciple, I will follow all your words.”

Master Dixian said, “After you ordain, you don’t need to take the full precepts. I will find you a small temple. Just stay in that temple without leaving and recite Amitabha. I will find you sponsors to provide food.”

In Ningbo, many people believed in Buddhism. Almost every village had a small temple. Master Dixian said, “You only need to recite ‘Namo Amitabha Buddha.’ When you are tired, rest. When rested, recite again. Recite day and night without interruption. Don’t worry about anything else. Eat two meals a day.”

Master Dixian arranged everything for this disciple. The master was famous at that time, he had many devotees who helped him arrange this matter. The master taught his disciple the method of Amitabha-recitation and told him to do retreat. This was a kind of convenient retreat or loose retreat. There was only one monastic in the temple. Everyday, an old woman came to cook two meals.

The Master simply told the disciple that Amitabha recitation was a guaranteed good path. The disciple did not even know what exactly the benefits of reciting Amitabha are. Then Master Dixian returned to Jinshan.

So, this disciple practiced for three to four years. He did not leave the temple. Usually people are enthusiastic at the beginning and slowly become lazy over time. As the saying goes, “Ordained for one year and the Buddha is before you; ordained for more than three years and the Buddha is as far away as the Ling mountain.”

But, contrary to this saying, this disciple remained very diligent. He followed Master Dixian’s instructions exactly. When he was awake, he always recited. As he had strong legs from his previous job, he often circumambulated the Buddha while he chanted. When he grew tired, he would sit and chant. Master Dixian had no idea how his disciple was doing.

After about three to four years, one day, he told the old woman who cooked for him, “Tomorrow you needn’t cook for me. I am not taking lunch.” The old woman didn’t think much of it as she assumed someone was inviting him out for lunch. But she had not seen him leave the temple in three to four years. He said he had two relatives or friends staying locally and he wanted to visit them. He told the old woman, “Don’t come and cook tomorrow morning.” The next day, the old woman thought of him at lunchtime and went to see if he was back at the temple.

The temple was poor and they did not fear thieves. The door was never closed. No one responded to the calls of the old woman. She entered and saw him standing by the bed, facing the window, holding prayer beads. He had no response.

She looked carefully and saw he was already dead. He had died standing while reciting Amitabha. The old lady got a fright and told the neighbours, “Shifu (Master) has died standing.”

In one hand he held the rosary; the other hand was clenched close with ashes on his fingers. When this hand was pried opened, there were eight or nine silver coins… then people understood, the monk had hidden his savings in the ash box used for spitting because that was the last place any thief would think of looking for money.

It seemed that he had prepared the money to be used for arranging his funeral ahead of time. This was said by Master Dixian.

Later the devotees who were helping this monk’s retreat informed Master Dixian, writing in the letter, “Your disciple died standing.” Master Dixian arrived the next day by boat. He saw his disciple still standing ramrod straight after two or three days. Master Dixian then made the funeral arrangements.

Master Dixian praised this disciple greatly, “You did not get ordained in vain. Your attainment surpasses those of great Dharma Masters who give Dharma teachings and famous abbots of holy mountains. No one can hold a candle to your achievement.”

One name “Amitabha” with focus and diligence. Not mixing it with other practices. Not breaking the continuity of practice. This is the key to success.

Master Dixian had two disciples. One practiced Chan, the other recited Amitabha. All of you can compare the difference. One cultivated Chan arduously for so many years and ended up as an earth god. The other pot-mender recited Amitabha for three to four years and passed away standing up. He even stood for three days. This is some real kungfu (skill).

I heard Master Dixian telling these stories twice. This really happened. It is a very good demonstration and admonition to us. Now everyone knows how reciting Amitabha is a far superior and easier method… Amitabha recitation can be practiced by anyone without great learning in the Dharma. As long as you are willing to recite, with no doubts, without mixing with other methods and do it with continuity, anyone can go to the pureland.

Guru Yoga will take care of everything

Khenpo Yeshe Phuntsok

Guru Yoga is the king of all practices and source of all attainments.  Why do we say this? This is because the Guru is the embodiment of the Buddhas of the past, present and future.  The Guru is the root of all blessings.  If we are receptive to the Guru, it is the same as being receptive to all Buddhas.  Receiving the Guru’s blessings is receiving all Buddhas’ blessings.  We practice Guru Yoga to swiftly receive the Guru’s mind-transmitted blessing.  This is most direct and ultimate method for attaining realisation.

Many Dharma friends wonder: I don’t have any extensive listening-contemplation or learning of the scriptures, my wisdom is limited, does that mean I can’t gain realisation through Dzogchen?  This doubt was resolved by the extraordinary master Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo long ago. He once proclaimed to hundreds of people in a loud voice, “No matter what, you must develop faith in the Guru as the real Buddha himself. Practice the Guru Yoga diligently.  Even if you don’t have extensive listening-contemplation, you will realize Dzogchen before your death.  There is no need to doubt this!”

Our very kind Guru, HH Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche, also emphasized again and again that we should believe wholeheartedly in this vajra speech (of Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo) and practice Guru Yoga with diligence and joy.

This goes to show that the crux of realisation depends on faith and blessings. The Guru Yoga causes our ordinary mind to mingle with the Guru’s wisdom mind inseparably.  This is the ultimate pith instruction on directly introducing mind’s nature and gaining realisation.

~~

Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche

Guru Yoga is very profound, and is celebrated by all the great masters. In one voice they proclaim that even if you have high realization, you should still keep it as an integral part of your practice. 

The lineage instructions state that even if you have practiced Phowa without seeing any signs of accomplishment, if you do Guru Yoga five times a day you will have no difficulty when death comes—you will easily handle and merge with the last moment of your life. The great Kagyu master Gyalwa Gotsangpa in particular said that practicing Guru Yoga five times a day is the equivalent of Phowa. 

This means that sincerely practicing Guru Yoga will take care of all of your spiritual needs, in this life, in the next life, and in between. The essence of Guru Yoga is devotion. If your devotion wanes, your Guru Yoga practice will become dry and your meditative stability will erode.

Requirements for attaining realisation

Khenpo Tsultrim Lodro

The main criterion for attaining realisation is to have faith in the Vajra Master and Vajrayana.  Then, one needs to purify the karmic obscurations. At the very least, these obscurations need to lessened by some degree to the point where all the very gross and heavy negative karmas are purified.  The third requirement is to have sufficient merits. The last requirement is to have a teacher’s guidance.  

If you wish to realize the Buddha nature, you need to practice Dzogchen or Mahamudra and other practices like these.  If you have a very keen faculty or a high level of mind then even a very busy householder can attain realisation.  You can even gain realisation in the public bus while you are on the way to work.  However, if you do not have such a capacity, then even if you are very studious and memorize all the scriptures without leaving a single word out, it doesn’t help much.  If you do not have faith, you will not gain realisation your entire life.

(Note: Therefore, it is important to build up the capacity and faith through the preliminaries.)

~~

Tantra tells us that before the wisdom of realising emptiness has arisen, we need to use the preliminary practices (ngondro) to cultivate renunciation and Bodhichitta.  We need to practice Vajrasattva to purify our defilements and offer the mandala to accumulate merits.  When the conducive conditions are gathered and the obstructive conditions are cleared, you practice Guru Yoga and attain realisation through the Guru’s blessings.  After realisation, all the views and contemplations of Madhyamika are no longer needed.  One can dispel the two obscurations solely through the wisdom of realising emptiness, revealing the clear light luminosity of the Dharmadhatu.

(About Khenpo Tsultrim Lodro: Khenpo is the vice dean of the Larung Gar Monastic University. It is said the Khenpo is the emanation of Longchenpa.