Study but do not neglect practice

Khenpo Tsultrim Lodro

Many people are studying the Five Great Treatises, and this is very good.  If you have the time, you should study them as well. But it is important to remember that the Dharma is as vast as the ocean—boundless and inexhaustible. One could spend an entire lifetime and still not learn it all.

Therefore, after reaching a certain level of study, one must understand the importance of practice. If one keeps studying without practicing, one may eventually degenerate into a mere theorist—someone who lacks renunciation, bodhicitta, and faith, and can only talk eloquently about Buddhism without genuinely embodying it.

Much of the content in the Five Great Treatises is not merely theoretical; it has practical significance and can guide us in real life. There is no need to wait until attaining Buddhahood or being reborn in the Sukhavati (for results from Dharma practice). Even in this very life, one can benefit from Dharma.

For example, when we encounter afflictions, old age, sickness, or other hardships, we realize that things we usually value so much—money, fame, philosophy, logic etc—become meaningless, whereas many of the principles taught in Buddhism turn out to be very useful.

However, we should also be careful. Once we reach a certain stage of learning, we may become so absorbed in study that we cannot pull ourselves away. We continue studying endlessly, reluctant to let go, and even find it highly enjoyable. From there, two outcomes are possible.

One possibility is positive. Because we understand many Buddhist teachings, our faith in the Guru and the Three Jewels becomes even stronger. We become deeply aware that the only truth of real value in this world is the Dharma, we lose interest in everything else and wish to devote ourselves wholeheartedly to practice.

The other possibility is negative. As our learning and reflection increase, our actual practice naturally decreases. Instead of applying Buddhist teachings to our own cultivation, we use them for debating, preaching, and scrutinizing others.

Taking Buddhist principles as a measuring stick, we begin judging other people's strengths and shortcomings. At that point, we have started going downhill, and in the end, we may even regress from the path altogether.

If we notice such a tendency in ourselves, we should immediately make adjustments and intensify our practice. We should put great effort into cultivating faith, compassion, and renunciation. By doing so, we can reverse the situation and get back on track.

Remembering impermanence is the mark of a practitioner

Khenpo Sodargye

In Dharma practice, thinking of impermanence is of the highest importance. If we lack the remembrance of impermanence, we are no different from ordinary worldly people. Sometimes, we see certain Khenpos, Geshes, or other figures of high stature whose speech and behavior seem to lack the understanding of impermanence.  Then, their Dharma practice will not be good either. If one lacks the contemplation of impermanence, one clings to permanence, leading to afflictions and negative karma which ultimately brings suffering.

For practitioners, the contemplation of impermanence is of the highest importance among all practices… Just as the teachings of the Kadampa masters show, when the feeling of impermanence arises in our mindstream, we no longer have much interest in worldly matters, realizing that if we do not listen, contemplate, and practice Dharma as soon as possible, this brief human life will pass by in the blink of an eye.

Amitabha's light

Khenpo Yeshe Phuntsok

When you recite Amitabha with utmost sincerity, you are connecting to the mind of Amitabha. Amitabha will immediately bless you and your mind will gradually undergo a transformation.

As Lord Buddha Shakyamuni stated in the Contemplation Sutra, Amitabha Buddha radiates infinite light upon countless universes in the ten directions, blessing and guiding those who recite his name, without leaving out anyone.

Pureland Patriarch Shandao also mentioned in his Pratyutpanna Praise that the Amitabha’s light shines universally upon those who practice Amitabha-recitation. Amitabha’s light possesses boundless, inconceivable functions to benefit beings. When your recitation resonates with Amitabha, you will naturally receive blessings.  The more you recite Amitabha, the greater the joy and bliss that arises in your mind.

Therefore, reciting Amitabha is by no means dry or boring. The peace and joy it brings can only be experienced by those who recite with genuine sincerity. As you continue to recite Amitabha, your mind gradually becomes purified and your faith and feeling for Amitabha will grow and deepen.

When you reach the point where you experience the peace and joy, you will be unwilling to stop reciting even if someone told you to do so. Amitabha’s ocean of aspirational vows has infallible blessings. Amitabha guides and cares for sentient beings through his light; his sacred name is a medium for sentient beings to connect with Amitabha’s power.

As long as you sincerely recite Amitabha, the Buddha's light begin to enter your mind. As your recitation progresses and your communion with Amitabha deepens, the blessings you receive will also become greater and greater.

Hence, reciting Amitabha is akin to bathing in the Buddha's light. The better you recite, the more obvious will be the receipt of blessings. It can bring peace and strength to your body and mind; it can eliminate karmic obstacles. Sometimes you can feel it yourself during the recitation that you are truly bathing and immersed in the Buddha's light, your mind naturally becomes very pure and joyful.

This is because Amitabha’s light is also called the "Blissful Light ". When you receive the blessing of Amitabha’s light, joy naturally wells up in your mind. Furthermore, when you recite Amitabha with a sincere heart, the dust obscuring your mind will gradually be cleared away and your virtuous roots will be activated and manifest effortlessly more and more.

For example, your body and mind feels gentle and workable, your hairs may stand on end, or you may find yourself weeping as you recite; sometimes a heart of great compassion may arise, making you aspire to benefit all sentient beings without end... These are all signs of your virtuous roots being activated. (However, do not become attached to these signs as these are natural processes.)

Normally, when we are not reciting the Amitabha, our body and mind remain in an impure state of afflictions. Yet, when you recite Amitabha well, even for just a short period of time, your body and mind feels as though they have been thoroughly washed clean, becoming extremely pure and joyful, and your entire body-mind feels refreshed and transformed.

From various biographies as well as the personal experiences of the Buddhist friends around us, we know of some blind people who have recovered their sight through Amitabha-recitation. Some have had their tumors disappear, some have become so full of energy that they do not need to sleep much because they receive the blessings of Amitabha’s light all day long and are free from wandering thoughts.  They have already attained recitation-samadhi. There are even patients with terminal illnesses who had been told by hospitals to prepare for their death, but through single-minded recitation of Amitabha were cured of their very severe illnesses.

This is because when people reach that critical stage, they have no other hope and their sole recourse is to single-mindedly take refuge in Amitabha Buddha. Thus, the sincerity of their recitation produces a spiritual response very quickly. These are all results of Amitabha recitation and receiving the blessings.

I have told the story of Venerable Zhaoyue's mother many times. When she was first brought to the monastery by her son, she missed her son every day, and she spoke of nothing but worldly matters. Later, the monk urged his mother to recite Amitabha and refused to discuss any other topics with her, leaving her with no choice but to recite Amitabha.

In the beginning, she was extremely reluctant and only did it because there was nothing else to do, forcing herself to recite half-heartedly. After three years of continuous practice, she became used to it and derived great benefit. She no longer thought about worldly affairs and achieved a rather pure practice of Amitabha recitation.

One day, while reciting Amitabha in front of a Buddhist pagoda (stupa), her mind suddenly opened up and all she could see was a vast boundless light. All ordinary appearances vanished from her consciousness and she directly beheld a golden world (ie, Sukhavati).  From then on, her six sense faculties became serene and still, and whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, she no longer gave rise to any discursive thoughts.

There was also a man named Blacksmith Huang. He was a smith who worked all day beside a high-temperature furnace which was exceptionally grueling labor. Later, he began to recite Amitabha while striking iron. Because his recitation connected to Amitabha’s blessings, he no longer felt tired or miserable at all.  His mind was always restful, joyful and deeply at peace.

The Dharma practice of Amitabha recitation is by no means a shallow or inferior method. As long as one continuously invokes this great name of myriad virtues, when the recitation reaches full maturity, the body and mind will dissolve into emptiness, the duality of subject and object will collapse and one's nature of mind will manifest and be realized. This is what is known as attaining "One-Mindedness in Principle." (See note below)

Of course, reaching One-Mindedness in Actuality or One-Mindedness in Principle belongs to a very high level of attainment, which ordinary people cannot achieve for the time being. However, this does not matter; as long as your faith and aspirations are firm and resolute, you will certainly achieve rebirth in Sukhavati.

After being reborn in Sukhavati and having received the blessings of Amitabha Buddha, you will absolutely attain realisation. Therefore, as long as you recite Amitabha with utmost sincerity, the Buddha's power will produce its function in your mind and you will reap immense benefit.

Our main goal right now is to urge everyone to get on the path; otherwise, if you never take this first step, you will never be able to get on the path. As the proverb goes, "The first step is always the hardest." At the beginning of practicing Amitabha recitation, there will indeed be some difficulties because you have never habituated yourself to it, making the practice feel very foreign and unfamiliar.

But this is not a problem at all. As you recite over time, you will become proficient in it and really obtain the Dharma bliss from your recitation. Right now, we are using the power of group practice to urge everyone forward, helping everyone get accustomed to Amitabha recitation.

People's spiritual acumen vary. Some find it hard to sustain their recitation, this type of person needs to strengthen their faith and vows, or combine it with other methods of practice. On the other hand, some people have very simple, pure minds and can sustain their recitation easily, having no problem reciting all day long. Therefore, since there are many different situations, we must apply different methods to handle them in accordance with each individual's capacity.

(Note: Read past posting in this group on Venerable Yuan's life of practice for an example of attaining realisation of mind-nature through Amitabha practice.)

Useful in Countering Afflictions

Jamyang Rinpoche

For instance, when we hear pleasant sounds, we are happy; when someone says something harsh, we get really upset. If we are still behaving like that, it means that our practice is not really good. If we had a good practice, we would have at least dissolved this sort of fixation. If we can’t dissolve this fixation, then we can say a great deal about the Dharma but it doesn’t do the slightest bit of good for our practice or afflictions. 

Being unable to overcome our afflictions means that our practice has failed.  If the military trains troops for a few years, yet these troops do not know how to fight their enemies on the battlefield, then the military is a failure and all its efforts are useless.  

Afflictions are the enemies for a practitioner. If afflictions win, then the practitioner has failed.  One can check for oneself if your practice has succeeded or failed. There is no need to ask the Guru.

When afflictions arrive, our training in renunciation and bodhichitta are completely lost, needless to mention emptiness —then your Dharma practice has been useless to you.  What is the use of listing out all the amazing practices you have done? Useless! If Dharma is useful when it comes to dealing with your afflictions, then you are truly successful.

~~

Constantly trying to rest your mind in a state free of thoughts and thinking that this is Dharma practice is incorrect. In Tibet, many small animals called marmots hibernate for about 6 months each year. Keeping your mind in such a state is similar to the minds of these hibernating animals.  

It is not necessary to control your mind in this way. What we need to address is the source of afflictions. We need to investigate where afflictions come from.  

There is a certain sect in India that trains in keeping the mind still for hundreds of years. In history, the adherents of this sect have been said to achieve this feat.  Long-life devas can also still their minds for hundreds of years. After all that effort, the only result is that they remain trapped in samsara.  

The cause of samsara is self-grasping.  When we rest our minds in stillness, this self-grasping is not dissolved, instead, on top of that, we add another layer of clinging at stillness.  

In other words, we already have self-grasping, but this type of practice adds another layer of self-grasping on top of our existing self-grasping. In the meditation, a watcher observes the mind for distractions and brings it back to stillness; this watcher becomes another artificially created layer of self-grasping. Therefore, one remains entrapped in samsara instead of moving closer to liberation.

When this type of training is engaged in for a long time, one approaches a kind of state when consciousness seems to be extinguished.  If this habit becomes deeply entrenched, then one takes rebirth as a long-life deva. These devas are still firmly enslaved by self-grasping. 

The true view of Buddhism is to dismantle self-grasping. This is the only way to liberation.  Beginning with self-grasping, discrimination arises, and the various objects of the five senses are judged as pleasant or unpleasant, attachment and aversion arises, one reacts and creates karma and all of samsara unfolds from there on…

Uprooting obstructions for pureland rebirth before death arrives

Dharma Master Jingjie

Pureland practitioners are inclined to emphasize on creating virtues while neglecting to stop existing non-virtuous habits.  When we recite Amitabha, we are cultivating a positive force in our minds to take rebirth in Sukhavati.  However, there remains many forces in our mind that obstruct pureland rebirth —these are our strong habits.  

Compared to these obstructing habits, the positive force to take rebirth in Sukhavati is far weaker.  Therefore, this becomes a hurdle you fail to cross when you are dying. You cannot expect someone to be there to counsel you when you are on the verge of dying.  As a practitioner, you should now constantly examine what kind of thoughts arise in your mind and see where these karmic forces lead to.

When these disturbing thoughts arise, you can’t say, “Ah! Just recite Amitabha and distract myself.”  Even if you succeed in distracting yourself from the disturbing thought, its underlying attachment still functions, therefore the habit is hidden and waiting to ambush you at any time.  

Instead, you need to completely release this attachment through contemplation, analysis and investigation of its nature. You need to convince yourself that this attachment arises from deluded thinking and that it is the nature of suffering, only then can the mind completely relinquish this attachment and no longer give rise to such thoughts.  This obstructing force would thus be removed from the mind.

Therefore, all pureland practitioners should support and encourage each other.  Pureland practice is cultivating the positive force for rebirth in pureland, at the same time, one should also try one’s best to remove all countering forces that are obstacles to pureland rebirth.

Merits and the lack of it

Jamyang Rinpoche

In my hometown there was a poor family. In autumn, they sometimes did not have enough to eat and had to borrow food from neighbours. They had many children.

Once, the price of cordyceps rose suddenly, and this family (who relied on digging cordyceps for a living) had many children to dig up the cordyceps, and they made a small fortune of maybe several tens of thousand yuan. Many locals were envious of their sudden luck, thinking that they have struck a fortune this year. 

But then their eldest son suddenly fell seriously ill, and sought treatment in Ganze.  The medical cost was something like 7 to 8 thousand yuan. Then during some heavy rains, an epidemic spread among the livestock and half of their cattle died, leaving them in more dire straits than before they had struck a fortune. 

Soga Rinpoche (an emanation of Amitabha) commented then, “Look, when there is a lack of merits, no matter how you try, you end up with nothing.” …

Making a mountain of effort is not as useful as creating a small drop of merit.  In Tibet, people have the habit of making offerings and giving charity.  For instance, when they buy groceries for themselves, the first thing they think of is to save 1 dollar from their shopping budget for an offering to the Triple Gems or helping others, maybe releasing lives or offering lamps.

Tibetans would always set aside some portion of their butter for making offerings. My mother would set aside two portions— one for offering to the monastery sangha during pujas, and one for making butter lamps. We had only a few cows then, so it was only enough for one lamp. Later when the number of cows increased, we could offer five or ten lamps. We offered lamps daily in our shrine.  We did not think about our own consumption first when we got the butter, we thought about making offerings to the sangha; next we thought about making butterlamp offerings.

But when they get their income, the first thing many people think of is not the Triple Gems, but on how to spend their money on enjoyments such as vacations, good food, seafood, meat etc.  Therefore, we are meritless and prosperity cannot stay long with us. 

When a person has merit, even a small bowl of tsampa (roasted barley flour) would make them totally satisfied and contented.  If you have no merit, even the most delicious meals feel like the food of hungry spirits (pretas), you do not feel happy or contented.  In Tibet, we have a saying, when a particular region of people has merits, no matter how simply they eat, each meal makes them fully satisfied and happy. They do not feel hungry or needy.

When a person lacks merit, no matter how good the food is, one feels dissatisfied.  No matter how good the food, beverage or clothing is, one feels something is lacking.  This is a lack of merit. 

For instance, you have so many shoes in your cabinets and so many clothes hanging in your closets, if even half of that is used for creating merits like releasing lives, offering lamps, offering to the sangha, that will bring enormous merits and enjoyments for future lives.

Also, I will point out one mistake for all Dharma brothers and sisters.  This year, during our Amitabha Sukhavati puja, some Dharma friends wrote so many names for one dollar of offering.  They wanted to take advantage of the opportunity. But isn’t this just a kind of dishonesty or cheating?

On the other hand, when you bring your friends or clients out for a meal, you are happy to spend extravagantly for a meal of meat and alcohol for the sake of face or reputation. Think for yourself what you are doing to your own merits — are you exhausting your merits or increasing your merits?

Our Sukhavati puja takes place once a year. Some people think, “Oh this puja is free!” so those clever ones give only 10 dollars and write a hundred names.  I think it is better if you learn not to take advantage of others.  This is a kind of habit that will carry on into your future lives, and it will quickly deplete your store of merits. 

Personally, when I accumulate merits, I never consider how much money I have left. When I went to India for learning Dharma, I left Yarchen monastery with only 70 yuan. By the time I reached Lhasa, I was left with about 30+ yuan.

That was my first visit to Lhasa. I went to the Jokhang Temple to offer a lamp.  There were various types of lamps for offering, 15 yuan; 6 yuan etc. I bought the one that cost 15 yuan.  I thought that it was a most precious opportunity to make offerings at this holy temple.  Then there was the gold leaf offering to the Buddha statue, I offered another 15 yuan for that and all my money was finished.   I was left penniless. I did not even consider if I had money for my next meal or lodgings.

That night, I stayed in a place for beggars, in a makeshift tent.  There were many lice but it couldn’t be helped.  I spent the night there.  They made tea and I wondered if I could get some.   They shared tea but not the food. I spent two nights there and for three days, I had nothing to eat.  Finally, I could not stand it and used my last 50 cents for a cup of milk at a tea-place opposite the Jokhang Temple.  On the third day, my hunger was so bad that it affected my eyesight. I couldn’t see far away.  After this cup of milk, I regained some strength and went to circumambulate the Jokhang Temple. 

Suddenly, I ran into a nun from Yarchen monastery.  Her uncle was sick and she came with him for treatment in Lhasa.  The nun invited me for a meal and I was very happy. She offered me a bag of tsampa but I did not take it. Later, I wondered if I had been very stupid to reject this offer. Afterall, she had given it willingly.  What was I to survive on then?  Then I thought of selling the three turquoises on my rosary, I had bought them at Yarchen when I had some money.  They fetched more than 30 yuan and with that I made my way to Shigatse.  That used up all the money. 

That night I spent a night in a horse shed.  The next day, I went to Tashi Lhunpo monastery of the Panchen Lama to beg for alms, saying that I needed it to go to circumambulate Mount Kailash, an old lady gave me 5 yuan and I was elated to receive it…

The point is that when it comes to making offerings, I do not consider much.  When it comes to spending on myself, I will consider more.  But when I look at how people make offerings at the Amitabha puja, they seem to have so many reservations. Maybe you have not enough money for groceries tomorrow, or maybe there is not enough to buy clothing, or not enough to buy an air ticket for travelling…

One should never make offerings stingily.  This is a negative karma. One should rejoice and feel that it is a precious opportunity to accumulate merits.  No matter how much you offer, you should do it this way.  With merits, whatever you do can be accomplished perfectly; your Dharma practice will also be accomplished auspiciously.

When I was in Yarchen monastery, I was the poorest and had not enough to eat.  But I had a method that was easy to use in Yarchen because they were all fellow-disciples.  I used to look at whose chimney was smoking and went to that house to get a meal.  They all knew that if I came to their home, it was to get a meal. They knew that I was poor so no one turned me down.

There was this old practitioner who later got ordained. He liked to scold others.  He often called me the poor Tulku of Tsopu monastery who was like a wandering beggar.  Although he scolded me, I did not mind as what he was saying was true.  I did not get angry or feel defensive.  It was true that I was poor and begging for food. 

But his words somehow got known by Lama Achuk Rinpoche.   One day, Lama Achuk Rinpoche said publicly during his teaching, “Today, you think of this Tulku as a poor beggar. But he is not poor. You are the poor one since countless lives in samsara.  And in future lives, you will still be poor.  But not this Tulku! There will come a day when this Tulku receives so much offerings that he will not know where to keep them and he will even reject these offerings.  Such a time will come.”

Everyone thought this was the Guru’s words of encouragement to me.  Everyone did not take it seriously because I was the poorest in the monastery. In the past, my cousin told me not to just keep begging and to try instead to achieve something in life.  

I told my cousin, “If I wanted to achieve something, I will definitely succeed. But I am not interested in it, because everything is like an illusory dream in this samsara, there is nothing worth pursuing.  It is all so laughable.”  My monastery also wanted me to be a big achiever with something to show, but I did not want to choose this path. 

Later, when I became abbot of Tsopu monastery, one had to sooth the egos of government authorities and meet the wishes of those who depend on you.  It is a high throne and a high position but it comes with much sufferings. I made the aspiration that in all my lives I will never become an abbot of a monastery again. 

Nagarjuna also wished never to become a monastery manager in all his lives and I think he was right. When I was young, I could practice as I wish; now I have to keep all these peoples’ expectations and wishes in mind, taking care not to offend them. It is indeed a heavy suffering.

 

Reciting Amitabha is not a simple practice

Venerable Elder Guangqing

Reciting Amitabha is not a simple practice. You need to thoroughly let go and cast aside all internal and external distractions, single-mindedly chanting Amitabha —only then can you gain attainments.

Recite Amitabha’s powerful name clearly and hear your recitation clearly without having a single thread of doubt. Distracting thoughts dissolve and you will definitely enter a state of one-pointed concentration.

If you believe my words, recite Amitabha genuinely. Whether walking, stationery, sitting or reclining, do not be apart from this thought of Amitabha. Even in your dreams, you can sustain the (mental) recitation of Amitabha and not be distracted by the sense perceptions.

Once you reach this stage, your mind will drop all attachments and be unconfused. When your practice reaches maturity, Sukhavati will naturally manifest before you. You must not be careless about this!

If the mind is sincere, wondrous fragrances and bright lights will appear when reciting Amitabha. Even if you are dwelling in the mountains, with only three blades of grass as an incense, an extraordinary fragrance will emit from the incense. Buddhas and Bodhisattva pervade all of space, they are not only present in the monastery. If the mind is sincere, you connect to Amitabha.

All Dharma practices come down to this mind. Our daily practice is essentially to cultivate this mind. If this mind possesses meditative stability, it will be like pure and still water. Such water reflects all images without exception. Therefore, when our minds are very pure, we naturally perceive the true nature of all things.

Our practice of reciting Amitabha is meant to cultivate this mind until it is as pure and tranquil as water. If the mind is scattered and impure, it is like muddy water. There are many non-virtuous thoughts, the mind judges what is good and bad, what is tasty or not, what is fragrant or foul-smelling; it becoming attached to "forms, sounds, smells, tastes, tactile sensations and mental objects."

When the recitation of Amitabha reaches a point where this mind is clear, bright and free from impurities, one will naturally cease to cling to the "five aggregates." In this way, the six sense organs will no longer be affected by the six sense objects; afflictions will be severed, and the five aggregates will be realized as empty.

You will naturally transcend all suffering and difficulty, manifest the luminous wisdom of your self-nature, and penetrate the profound and subtle Dharma.

The emphasis in Amitabha recitation is on “mental focus" and "pure dedication". One sustains the recitation day and night without interruption or distraction. Reciting with the mouth, listening with the ears and being mindful with the mind is the way to make the effort.

Gradually and naturally, you will reach the state where there is no distinction between day and night, one recites single-mindedly without distractions. Through reciting Amitabha, one attains concentration; from concentration, wisdom opens and one is certain to accomplish results.

Knowing time of death beforehand

Venerable Elder Guangqing

If there are many thoughts when chanting Amitabha, the method is to ignore these thoughts.  Just recite Amitabha. If you try to get rid of distracting thoughts, that is adding one more thought or affliction on top of what you already have. Once you have recited Amitabha sufficiently, thoughts will be reduced on their own.  Also, your worldly desires will decrease and it will be easier to reach single-minded focus…

When reciting Amitabha, every thought is never apart from Amitabha.  You recite clearly and hear each recitation clearly. Every syllable is clearly recited.  Your mind is placed on the sound of Amitabha that you hear through your ears while your mouth is reciting. In this way, the Amitabha chant engages your mind fully. You let go of everything else and suspend your attention on this sound, this is how you reach a single-pointed mind…

There are many methods of chanting Amitabha.  When you have not reached a certain level, you often waver between methods.  Sometimes you feel this method makes you concentrate better, later you feel another method is better.  This is because our mind lacks stability. Sometimes we think “this is good, or is that better?”

This comparison of better or worse is from our discriminating mind. Before reaching a certain stage, one has such fluctuations and mind cannot settle down.  Actually, every method is good. They are only an expression of our self-nature.  If you let go, that is your self-nature.  If you use a certain method, that is also your self-nature.  Therefore, it is not necessary to generate such attachments when you practice…

When you are dying, do not hope for or try to see visions of Buddhas or Bodhisattvas.  Whatever you seek is false or unreliable.  Without any expectation of seeing anything, simply recite Amitabha with a pure mind; whatever arises from your mind naturally is then true.  

Don’t speak of gaining anything, if there is something to gain, one has not yet reached.  When reciting Amitabha, recite until there is only this one thought of Amitabha left in your mind without any other distracting thoughts.  Then you will know your time of death beforehand.  If there are other thoughts, they will obscure you and you will not know the time of death beforehand.

No control in the bardo (Story)

An account by the Terton Jatson Nyingpo about his mother

At the same time I heard that my mother was dying, so I went to her; she died with her head pillowed in my lap. I performed the ejection of consciousness (phowa) and recited dedications and aspirations. I placed a liberation-through-wearing yantra on her body and placed samaya substances in her mouth. I cremated her myself. For seven weeks I dedicated virtue to her. 

During those weeks I repeatedly met her in dreams; I would say to her, "Meditate on Chenrezig. Repeat the Mani mantra. Let your mind rest naturally, without alteration."  During the first week she replied, "That is not easy; I don't trust myself. My awareness is vague and indistinct; it has no stability. I have seen no happiness in this world, only suffering. My son, do whatever you can to help me!"

During the second week I dreamed that she was as real as when alive. I taught her Dharma to clarify the bardo state as before, and she replied, "Oh father! Oh mother! I had no idea the bardo was going to be like this! All the people who don't practice Dharma during their lives are foolish, foolish! Guru! Three jewels! When I look up I see penetrating light rays and hear empty sound. When I look down I am terrified and hear wails of agony. I have no control over what I do now. Please keep trying to help me!"

I offered a lot of butter lamps, enlisted the help of the Three Jewels, and made burnt offerings including samaya substances; my mother was reborn as an animal.

Having witnessed what she had gone through I realized how much good I was doing myself by practicing Dharma. I wrote many songs then out of sadness. I repeatedly sponsored tea service for all those staying at softwater spring; distributed grain, salt, and butter, and gave them whatever ragged clothing I had to give; gave barley meal and other food to starving villagers; protected the area from blights and hail; caused rainfall; prevented sickness and epidemics; protected the area from predators; gave medicine to the sick; gave yantras for eating and wearing to those who mistook their own thoughts to be demons; gave authorizations and blessings; and banished obstructors. With the best intentions, I really did whatever I could to help everyone in the area.

(Note: Jatson Nyingpo was a famous treasure revealer who revealed the Konchok Chidu cycle.  He did confined retreat for 17 years and was the Guru to the 10th Karmapa amongst other great masters.)

Be careful about criticizing others

HH Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche

If we created the karma of abandoning Dharma, there will be no chance for liberation.  This is something we have to be very careful about.  What does the karma of abandoning Dharma include?  It includes slandering or criticizing Bodhisattvas.  We do not know at all where the Bodhisattvas are, therefore we should behave carefully towards anyone. There are Bodhisattvas amongst the monastics and laypeople.  We will not know if even an animal is a Bodhisattva.

(Note: According to the sutras, the karma of abandoning Dharma prevents one from taking birth in Sukhavati. One must quickly confess and purify it if one has committed such karmas.)

Going to Sukhavati despite heavy killing karma

Kathok Rigzin Chenpo Rinpoche

There was an old man in Gansu named Langde. He was a war hero of his tribe, stayed in Mula village, his descendants are still around today. 

In his youth, during the Mongol wars and tribal conflicts, he killed many people and created heavy negative karma. In his later years, he constantly repented. He recited an enormous number of Amitabha mantra and name over a long period of time and also recited Dampa Deshek’s phowa prayer.

In the 1950s, he was imprisoned for many years. After being released, he passed away in the Luqi County in Gansu. He said to the person who received him upon his release from prison, “I won’t be able to return to my home but I have done a great deal of Amitabha practice. My negative karma has been purified and I am about to go to Sukhavati.” Joyfully, he sat on the roadside reciting Dampa Deshek’s phowa prayer and passed away with total freedom and peace.

The same thing happened to my maternal grandfather. During chaotic times, he also killed many people and created very heavy karma. Later, he too recited Amitabha’s mantra and practiced phowa, attaining rebirth in Sukhavati.

In short, this Dharma method has immense blessings and power. Many ordinary people have practiced it and attained rebirth in Sukhavati. Although they do not have any attainment in the generation or completion stages, they possess sincere faith and a mind of repentance, through which even very grave karma can be purified.

When doing this practice, think often of Amitabha’s qualities and powers. In this world, people most easily resonate with practices related to the Lotus Family among the Five Buddha Families — such as Avalokiteshvara, Amitabha, and Guru Rinpoche. For beings with strong desire, the deities of the Lotus Family are especially effective. The requirements for practice is also easy—as long as you have faith in Amitabha, you can practice.

Of course, unwavering, stable faith, loving-kindness and compassion are in themselves not easy qualities to have. Perseverance is not easy either. The two people mentioned above did not attain their accomplishment in an easy manner. I once asked others about how they practiced.

Although they had created very heavy killing karma, they were also loyal, courageous and trustworthy people. Later on, for more than ten years, they diligently repented and did the practice of Amitabha. Langde did a walking pilgrimage from Gansu to Lhasa. For three years he avoided idle talk and devoted himself solely to Amitabha practice. My grandfather was the same. For over a decade he practiced continuously. Every day, he recited Amitabha’s mantra and practiced the phowa prayer without talking unnecessarily.

Thus, their accomplishment of Sukhavati did not come easily without substantial causes. The main point is to have determination and make a firm resolve. With this determined mindset, there is no problem, you too can definitely accomplish it.

~~

Dampa Desheg's Phowa Prayer 

DE WA CHEN DU JANG SEM LO DRO’I NYING

Bodhisattva of Sukhavati, Lodro Nying

KHA WA CHEN DU CHO JE KA THOG PA

Lord of Dharma in the snowy land of Tibet, the one from Kathog

MA JON DE SHEG TSHE PAG MED PA ZHE

Who will manifest as Protector Sugata Amitayus in future

DRAG PAY TSA GYUD LA MAR SOL WA DEB

I pray to the renowned Root and Lineage Gurus 

DE WA CHAN DU KYE WAR THUG JE ZUNG

Hold us with your compassion so that we may take rebirth in Sukhavati

(Note: Dampa Deshek is the founder of the Nyingma Kathok lineage and said to be an emanation of Amitabha himself.)

Entering the Wrong Door

An interesting story by Chan Master Nan Huaijin

When I was studying Buddhism in China, I had a friend who was meditating one day and something extraordinary happened…

In Chengdu, there was a monastery that we, the students from the Central Military Academy, knew well. The academy was located at Chengdu’s North Parade Ground and Manjushri Monastery, a large monastic complex, was just nearby.

(Note: Master Nan served in the military when he was young.)

After classes, the students would sometimes sneak out. Even as officers, we occasionally slipped out to relax. I lived at Mt Wudan near the North Parade Ground, it was only a short distance to the monastery—just a turn and you’d be there. The monastery was huge, with hundreds of monks, and I was very familiar with every one of them. Whenever I went, they would call out, “Come over here!” I could visit any monk’s room.

So our group of Buddhists often gathered there. It was really a matter of merit—how else could one have such a conducive environment for learning Dharma? I went to the monastery frequently. When the bugle sounded, I could run back to the academy in time without any problem, therefore I never neglected my duties.

Behind the monastery was a vast garden with towering nanmu trees. They were incredibly tall—if you tilted your head up while wearing a cap, the cap might fall off! The trees were beautifully arranged, and their leaves seemed to embody kindness and humility. Each leaf grew in such a way that when it approached another leaf, it naturally gave way, leaving a small gap between them. It was indescribably wonderful—a genuine practice place of Bodhisattvas, no way else to describe it!

There was also a pig enclosure behind the monastery. People might think that the monks were raising pigs to eat, but that wasn’t the case. These were “liberation pigs” (animals released to be spared from slaughter). A monk in charge of growing vegetables—whom we regarded as a living Arhat—took care of them. He worked tirelessly, filthy all day from labor.  Two monks grew food to offer to hundreds of monks. This monk carried manure and did all the dirty work—truly an Arhat or Bodhisattva!

He fed leftover food from the kitchen to a pair of pigs, one male and one female. Under the protection of two monks, they reproduced continuously, and soon there were many piglets. We would joke with him, “Gardener monk! How about giving a couple to our military academy?”

He would reply, “No! You soldiers would just kill and eat them!” And he kept the gate tightly shut, not even letting us look at the pigs. We said that we just wanted to play with them and not eat them.  The monk only relaxed after we left. He was afraid we would kill the pigs and eat them.

So, as I was saying, one of our friends practiced Chan meditation. One day, while sitting in meditation, he suddenly felt himself slip into a state of unconsciousness for a while. In this state, he saw a familiar elderly woman appear before him, saying, “Come, come, I’ll treat you to tea.”

In Sichuan, people love tea. After drinking the tea, she led him to a place of incredible beauty—clear mountains, flowing water, birds singing, flowers fragrant—everything was perfect. The old woman said, “There’s an even better place. Follow me!”

She led him somewhere that felt both familiar and unfamiliar. Eventually, they arrived at a grand mansion which was high-class and magnificent, with large red gates and bronze rings that clanged when struck.  (In Chengdu there were such old mansions that belonged to extremely wealthy families of high position and great power.)

She said, “Come in.” He hesitated: “This is someone’s home. I don’t even know them—why are you bringing me in?” “It doesn’t matter,” she said.

Inside, it was splendid with corridors and gardens like something out of the novel “Dream of the Red Chamber”. Then she led him to a private chamber and told him, “Go in and take a look.”

He protested, “This is someone’s bedroom! How can I just go in?” She replied, “If you want to go, go. If not, I can’t force you.”  He felt annoyed—why was she so improper, bringing him here? But as he turned to leave, curiosity got the better of him. He opened the window and peeked inside. Inside, a woman was giving birth.

He was startled and disgusted: “What bad luck! Why did you bring me here to see this?” He immediately turned and ran away.  At that moment, he woke up from meditation, covered in cold sweat.

He thought, “I’ve never fallen asleep during meditation before. This shouldn’t have happened. Even if it wasn’t an out-of-body experience, it was still a kind of demonic state, like a dream.  It was a state of unclarity and ignorance. Something’s wrong.”

He went to Manjushri Monastery and wandered to the back garden where the vegetable-growing monk was. The monk said, “Ah! Our old sow has just given birth!”

“How many?” 

“Six. One was stillborn.”

“Where?”

“Over there—go take a look.”

When he went to look, he saw a red paper sign posted at the pigpen’s entrance. It was exactly the same sign he had seen in his “dream” with the same handwriting by the monk. It said, “Do not enter—sow is giving birth.”

Except, in his dream, he saw “Do not enter—mother is giving birth.”

He was shocked. “My goodness! If I had gone in, I would have become one of those piglets!”

Out of the six piglets, one had been born dead. He believed that was because his “bardo body” had not entered it. This brief lapse into sleep had almost led him there.

Just think it as me babbling a fairytale! (Audience laughed.)

This story shows that when beings are reborn in the animal realm, they don’t feel like they’ve become animals. They still feel like they are humans. In the desire realm, craving and desire are extremely strong. This force of desire is irresistible—stronger than magnetism. Once it pulls you, you are drawn in instantly. Space and time pose no difficulty or obstruction.

That is how frightening attachment and desire truly are.

 

The challenge of the final moment

Dharma Master Jingjie

The eighth consciousness (alaya-consciousness) is usually inactive, however, it begins to manifest as we are dying. This vast storehouse (of your deepest consciousness) that holds immeasurable afflictions and karmic forces accumulated over countless eons only appears at two times: at the time of dying and at the moment of rebirth.

When the eighth consciousness appears, it does not “hold back”. It does two things: inwardly, it produces afflictive thoughts in your mind; outwardly, it manifests as karmic appearances.

Some people are perfectly fine in ordinary times but become confused and afflicted at the moment of death. This is not really their fault because the eighth consciousness is inactive during daily life. But, it is activated when we are dying and manifests the things we have been most deeply attached to over countless lifetimes.

These thoughts repeatedly arise and you clutch to them, afflictions and deluded thoughts surface from the depths of the eighth consciousness at the moment of death. Also, karma (within our eighth consciousness) that is near maturation will manifest a kind of bardo body which misleads us.

Therefore, a dying person is said to face both inner and external disturbances.

If you have not prepared well during ordinary times, many people who recite Amitabha well in daily life fail to pass this critical hurdle at the moment of death because it is an entirely different situation.

Everyone should understand that mindfulness of Amitabha in daily life and mindfulness of Amitabha at the moment of death are two completely different situations, because the states are very different.

In daily life, you are dealing with only a small portion of life’s suffering. At death, you are facing a total upheaval of your life. Naturally, these are not the same.

Many pureland practitioners mistakenly think that reciting Amitabha in daily life is exactly the same as when dying. They just go along practicing but when the final moment comes, they cannot get through it.

Therefore, we must prepare ourselves well. No matter what happens at the moment of death, the key is that you must develop the inner mental strength to overcome obstacles on your own.

Good quality life depends on a quiet mind

Phurpa Tashi Rinpoche

We must learn how to rest our minds no matter where we are.  If a person has a constantly restless mind, this becomes a habit.  If we allow this to become our habit, our minds are unable to settle down whenever we do Dharma practice. 

There are two types of people: those who are impatient and those who are relatively slower in their reactions.  It is much better to be slower. Slow down your thoughts and physical actions, then your mind can slowly become tranquil.  If you can do this, no matter where you are, you will feel happiness and peace in your mind.

When one’s mind is restless, even eating delicious and expensive food, or wearing beautiful and luxurious clothes will not make a lot of difference to you.  Time passes in a flash due to your lack of mindfulness. 

The happy person is able to experience every single moment fully.  This is only possible when one’s mind is settled and quiet.  If I were to ask a person whose mind is very restless and distracted, “How did you pass your day yesterday or the day before?” this person is usually unable to recollect how he spent his time, because his life is spent in a lack of awareness, with a restless and distracted mind. 

On the other hand, if you are able to savour and experience every passing minute and moment, being very present, it means that your mind is clear and in a state of purity.

When a person’s mind is restless, time passes very fast without being noticed.  “Oh! It’s afternoon already!” “Oh! It’s night time already!”  (audience laughs.)  Therefore, one must learn to relax the mind, don’t simply allow your mind to wander. Otherwise, you do not experience much during your entire life.

I recall my days in the retreat center (in Yarchen monastery) with great fondness.  We were not allowed to go anywhere beyond the yard. During the 100 days of winter, time seemed to stretch on infinitely.  Each day seemed to last a very, very long time.  We had a lot of time and there was the feeling of having infinite time.  Every single part of the day seemed to stretch on endlessly. 

But presently, I feel like I am skipping over blocks of time unknowingly. This is due to the restless mind — a mind that is unable to quieten down. 

The days I spent in the retreat center were filled with an incredible happiness.  Even making a meal seemed so leisurely and time moved slowly, unlike nowadays when we seem to be missing entire blocks of time because mind is not allowed to rest.

A good quality life depends on a quiet and centered mind.  A restless mind will definitely reduce the quality of our lives. Even if you fill your life with quality enjoyments like good food and beautiful clothing, you will not be able to enjoy the experience fully. It is almost like putting beautiful clothes on an unfeeling corpse. Someone who lacks the sense of smell will not really appreciate good food.

Basically, our present state is quite similar to not having these senses.  This is owing to our restless mind.  So, we must learn to settle into the flow of life. When mind is quiet and rested, life becomes very enjoyable.  When mind is restless, you always feel something is lacking, something is left undone. You are constantly wandering around somewhere. This kind of life feels so meaningless and shallow. 

For a practitioner, quieting the mind is essential and of greatest help to the practice. Therefore, applying such mindfulness to our life is very helpful to our practice. We need to subdue or tame the mind, therefore this is very important!

Some people say that a rich life depends on the quality and not on the length of the life.  (Rinpoche chuckles) Yet, who truly manages to experience their life fully? They think that luxuries of good food and good clothes bring a premium, top-tier life. But these are not the factors that bring about quality of life at all!

If you gave these wonderful food and clothes to a dead person, would it make a difference to them?  Although we have the sensory functions of sight, taste and touch, we can’t truly utilize them to truly experience our lives because our minds are restless and distracted.  

Our lives become quite sad and pathetic because of this.  We are like walking robots or corpses simply passing the remaining time of our life.

Today, we live for tomorrow. Tomorrow, we live for the next day. Everyone says, “Live in the present.” Yet, who truly does?  A restless and distracted person will never be able to live in the present. We are always planning. “Where should we go tomorrow?” “What should we do tomorrow?”  We are living in the future, not in the present.  This is the sign of being restless.  

I am also an impatient person who eats very quickly. My doctor advised me to eat slower to help my digestion. Therefore, the quality of my life is quite lousy too…  Okay, I have said a lot about this. That’s all for now, I still have recitations to do.

Lifetime of cultivation vs karma

Dharma Master Jingjie

When I was studying at the Buddhist College, I was present at the passing of two senior Dharma masters. One was a Chan (Zen) practitioner. He had received the lineage transmission from Master Miaoguo, and his meditative power was formidable.

He told us that in the early days of his Chan training, they would meditate for twelve hours a day. Of course, the essence of Chan is not just in cultivating meditative concentration. Within that stillness, one must practice the Perfection of Wisdom by contemplating the emptiness of the self and phenomena, investigating what is your original face (ultimate nature). 

One could see that this master’s wisdom regarding emptiness was very strong. His lifestyle was very simple, he accepted any conditions that happened to him with detachment. 

Later, he had cancer and was dying. Naturally, he did not recite the Amitabha's name, nor did he wish for us to do so for him. When he was dying, it was understandable that he experienced pain. He initially asked his disciples to help him into a seated posture. But after sitting for a while, it was too much to bear and he had to lie down. As he lay there, I looked at his expression; he was enduring the pain and his brow was slightly furrowed.

Compared to the karmic forces accumulated over beginningless eons, we say that the cultivation of a single lifetime might still run into problems. A Chan practitioner does not usually take refuge in Amitabha’s name, therefore, they are entirely at the mercy of their karma.

The other senior Dharma master was a Pureland practitioner who passed away a year after the Chan master. We were also by his side to assist in the supportive recitation of Amitabha’s name.

A pureland practitioner is certainly different. This elderly monk also had cancer, and he felt pain at the end of his life—you could see it in his facial expression. However, when we chanted beside him to assist his passing, his mouth started chanting along with us.  This activated his object of refuge. 

After reciting for a while, something incredible happened. As his mouth kept moving with us, his expression—which originally looked pained—gradually became at ease. His complexion turned from pale to rosy. After a while, he gestured with his hand to indicate that he wanted to lie in the Auspicious Reclining Position. We helped him into that position and continued reciting.  After a short while, he passed away peacefully in the midst of chants of Amitabha.

I witnessed both of these masters' passings. From the perspective of self-power, I believe the Chan master’s qualities of Discipline (Shila), Concentration, and Wisdom surpassed those of the Pureland master.  We could see that as we all lived together. But why was the Pureland master able to pass on so well? It is because in his life there was an additional force of Buddha’s blessings and Buddha’s blessings are inconceivable.

Amitabha’s mind is equal to all beings, like the sun shining everywhere on earth. But for the Buddha’s blessings to illuminate you, it cannot be one-sided. If you have no mind of taking refuge in the Buddha and do not recollect or think of him, how can there be a response?

I believe the reason this Pureland master was able to transcend his suffering was largely due to the Buddha's power.  This is what is referred to by "passing on with mindfulness".

At the moment of death, our only recourse is Faith, Aspiration and Amitabha’s name — relying on Other-power. The Buddha’s compassionate vows are infallible.  Amitabha’s retinue will appear before one to provide comfort and guidance. Therefore, one remains unconfused and achieves rebirth in Sukhavati with ease.