Jamyang Rinpoche
When reciting mantras, having visualization or concentration has a much better effect than just reciting mantras (without concentration). Compared to reciting mantras unclearly, reciting a mantra even once clearly with good enunciation is greater in merit than the former by a hundred or a thousand times. (Rinpoche demonstrates unclear recitation with the Mani mantra).
Practicing visualization-contemplation with the mind while reciting the mantra is 100,000 times more effective than simply reciting the mantra without any visualization-contemplation according to the stages of the sadhana practice.
Therefore, real practice has to be done with the mind. The real work is on the alaya (most fundamental level of consciousness). Reciting with the mouth only creates merits on the level of speech. It may not generate the virtuous qualities of mind.
The most important point is the mind. It is the same for non-virtue. Compared to simply scolding a person with harsh words, the non-virtue of generating anger or hatred in the mind is far worse. The negative karma of harsh speech is not that heavy; but giving rise to a moment of anger can destroy 1000 eons of merits. Harsh speech will result in its negative consequences, but it cannot destroy eons of merits like the negative emotion of anger.
Therefore, for both virtue and non-virtue, it is the mind that creates the strongest and most heinous karmas. What we have to be mindful of is our state of mind. If mind is pure, the grounds and paths are pure; if mind is impure, the grounds and paths are impure.
In my hometown there was a man named Zongtrul. He was a soldier during the Chinese cultural revolution. He probably created some bad karma then. Later he was discharged from the army. His usual way of speaking is very charismatic with lots of nice words and showing great respect. However, his character inwardly was quite the reverse. For instance, if he heard that his neighbour suffered a loss or had a livestock (sheep or yak) dying, he would gloat about it. If he heard that someone had fallen off a horse in an accident, then he would feel happy and rejoice in it. He did not say anything bad outwardly, but his mind was filled with these negative thoughts.
After his death, Zongtrul’s children went to consult Lama Achuk Rinpoche about where their father had taken rebirth and what pujas to do for him. Lama Achuk Rinpoche said that Zongtrul had a very black heart and that his mind was extremely dark. In terms of external actions, Zongtrul did not commit any great misdeed but his mind was very unkind and negative, therefore he had taken rebirth in the hell realms.
If our minds are non-virtue, it is very harmful even if we do not create any non-virtue externally. Many Chinese practitioners like to claim that they did not create any major wrongs in their lives and say that they have a kind heart.
Whether you are kind or not, check your own mind, look at how self-centred you are. See how you try to ensure the benefits in any situation are for yourself and let others suffer the loss. Look at how you wish to win and let others lose. Look at your choice of food, the way you grab good seats, how you make sure your living conditions are the best; so long as you are comfortable, it doesn’t matter what others have to endure. Like how you grab seats on the bus without caring about others in need or how you try to get the best food in the restaurants regardless of others.
Whether your character is good or not, you can observe for yourself. A person with a kind disposition is, like the Buddha, always attentive to sentient beings, even an ant or mosquito is the object of their care. In Tibet, in the summer time, near dusk, Patrul Rinpoche used to bare his upper body to allow the mosquitoes to feed on his blood. Then he would return home at night and apply butter on the bites to prevent any infection. The next day he would do the same again. The realized beings are attentive even to the sufferings of insects.
To them, the body is just a temporary vessel for the mind. It is not permanent, therefore they use even the body to practice generosity. For us, even a few dollars are quite difficult to part with for helping beggars. Some people even scold the beggars saying they are imposters and cheats.
I have heard some monastics say similar things, like how the beggars in a particular area are the richest in the whole of India. Think about it, would you do the same as beggars for the sake of money? Think of what they have to endure, what kind of environment, and what treatment they have to accept from others. Would you be able to lower your dignity like that? These beggars must have had their untold difficulties to stoop to begging.
Secondly, it is due to these beggars that we have the opportunity to give. It is through their kindness that we can create merits. To complete the accumulation of merits, we need to give, whether it is giving possessions, Dharma or fearlessness. To give away possessions, which is the most basic way of creating merits, we need a recipient. Without recipients like these beggars, would we have the chance to practice generosity?
Once, I prepared a lot of loose change to give to beggars while travelling outside. Usually, there were many beggars gathering at the traffic lights or the bigger junctions but on this day, I did not meet a single beggar despite travelling for more than 40 kilometres. At first, I thought that these beggars really did not have the merit to get the money. Later, I reflected and realized that it was not the beggars who lacked merits, it was I who lacked the merits.
I had prepared the money, but I lacked the recipients of generosity. Therefore, the person who suffered the greatest loss was myself because I did not have the chance to give and create merits. Then I realized that the beggars were my wish-fulfilling jewels. Due to them, I could practice generosity and attain Buddhahood. They were my indispensable path to liberation.
In terms of attaining Buddhahood, it is our enemies who are our wish-fulfilling jewels. Due to enemies, we have a chance to practice patience. Due to beggars, we can practice giving. Due to a very impure and complicated outer environment, we can practice keeping the precepts. If the environment is pure, there is no need for precepts or discipline; we would naturally abide in discipline.
Therefore, a negative and impure environment is a good place for us to practice precepts and Bodhichitta. For instance, if there were no-one drinking alcohol, we need not keep the precept of abstaining from intoxicants. Due to the impure environment, we can keep precepts and gain the benefits of keeping precepts; this in turn brings us closer to Buddhahood. Without these aiding factors, even the path to Buddhahood would not exist.
If you are a real practitioner, these negative situations are your supportive conditions. We need them and they are our wish-fulfilling jewels. We have all these distractions like mobile phones and social media which makes us lax and unmindful, but this is exactly where we apply our practice. For instance, we apply the paramita of joyful effort, perseverance and meditation to get rid of distractions, we turn the situation to our advantage. With such difficulties, we have the chance for growth in our practice. In terms of practice, these are supports, not obstacles.
