With hearty welcome to puppy Lucy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyXFyXK0Cj4&NR=1
"Beerwah, Australia — With creatures great and small around him, the Dalai Lama called Wednesday for a halt to lab experiments on animals and made the case for eating only fruits and vegetables - all at the zoo of the late "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin.
The spiritual head of Tibetan Buddhists delicately handled a Burmese python and petted a koala as he was feted like a rock star at Australia Zoo, speaking to a sold-out crowd of 5,000 at its open-air "Crocoseum."
"Hunting, beef, sheep farms, piggeries, millions, billions, die," the Dalai Lama said. "We can be so cruel to animals."
Although he sometimes sparked laughter with his remarks, the Dalai Lama's 30-minute address also had a more serious note: He criticized companies and organizations that he said "remain indifferent" to the rights of animals by experimenting on them.
Irwin, host of the TV wildlife show "Crocodile Hunter," died last September when the barb from a stingray pierced his chest while he was diving on the Great Barrier Reef.
The Dalai Lama thanked Irwin's family for their support of wildlife.
"Taking care of animals is essential to developing more happiness in human beings," he said. "I appreciate Steve Irwin and his wife, Terri, all their dedication."
The hourlong zoo tour was a change for the Dalai Lama, whose trip to Australia has prompted lawmakers to express concern about meetings with the man China considers an exiled troublemaker.
After weeks of hedging, Prime Minister John Howard agreed to see the Dalai Lama on Friday. Howard is anxious not to offend Beijing because Australia's economy is closely tied to China's booming demand for natural resources.
China, which rules Tibet, has used diplomatic pressure to discourage governments from meeting with the Dalai Lama, and Beijing immediately criticized Howard's decision to see him.
The Dalai Lama, his long red robe flapping in the wind, received a standing ovation as he took the stage at the Crocoseum on a sunny but crisp winter morning.
Some of the crowd waved Buddhist prayer flags, and about a dozen Australian native birds, including black cockatoos and rainbow lorikeets, unexpectedly flew into the stadium just as he began speaking.
The Dalai Lama described the benefits of being a vegetarian, saying he became meat, dairy and egg-free in 1965, although he acknowledges he now eats meat occasionally. He said he used to buy animals to save them from the slaughterhouses when he was a young man in Tibet.
Asked to speak about the importance of family, the Dalai Lama urged parents to show as much compassion as possible to their children, and suggested that children be taught "warmheartedness" as part of the school curriculum.
The 71-year-old admitted he's not sure how he'd cope as a parent.
"I'm a monk, so I have no children ... but I may lose my temper," he said with a laugh.
The Dalai Lama's visit ended when Terri Irwin and her children, Bindi and Bob, came on stage, with Bindi carrying a koala.
"He is rather lazy ... just like myself," the Dalai Lama joked of the koala before presenting the Irwin family with Buddhist white scarves, or katas, which are used to signal the positive start of new relationships."
Picture Dalai Lama with Koala: http://www2.ljworld.com/photos/2007/jun/14/126573/
June 29, 2010
June 27, 2010
Worldly pursuits.
"All worldly pursuits have but the one unavoidable end, which is sorrow: acquisitions end in dispersion; buildings in destruction; meetings in separation; births, in death. Knowing this, one should, from the very first, renounce acquisition and heaping up, and building, and meeting; and faithful to the commands of an eminent guru, set about realizing the Truth (which has no birth or death)."
Milarepa
Milarepa
June 26, 2010
10 Facts About Tibet
1. The invasion of Tibet began in 1949. Chinese occupation has resulted in the death of over one million Tibetans, the destruction of over 6,000 monasteries, nunneries and temples, and the imprisonment and torture of thousands of Tibetans.
2. The Dalai Lama*, Tibet's political and spiritual leader, fled Tibet in 1959 to Dharamsala, India, followed by over 100,000 Tibetans and established the Tibetan Government-in Exile. In 1989, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for a steadfast dedication to non-violence.
3. Tibet, before occupation, was a nation with an established sovereign government, currency, postal system, language, legal system, and culture. Prior to 1950, the Tibetan government also signed treaties with foreign nations. The Chinese government claims that Tibet has always been part of China, yet its invasion of Tibet resembles imperialist aggression that China accuses other powers of exhibiting.
4. The "Tibetan Autonomous Region" (TAR) is not Tibet, nor is it autonomous. The Chinese government has divided historical Tibet into one region and several prefectures and counties, with the TAR encompassing only the central area and some eastern regions of Tibet.
5. The basic freedoms of speech, religion, and assembly are strictly limited, and arbitrary arrests continue. There are currently hundreds of political prisoners in Tibet, enduring a commonplace punishment of torture.
6. The Chinese government increasingly encourages Han Chinese to migrate to Tibet, offering them higher wages and other inducements. This policy is threatening the survival of Tibetan people. Tibetans are becoming a minority in the TAR. Yearly, thousands of Tibetans still flee from Tibet, making the treacherous journey over the Himalayas into a world of exile.
7. Historical Tibet was a vast country, with an area roughly equal to Western Europe. Tibet is the source of five of Asia's largest rivers, which provide water for two billion people. Tibet's fragile environment is endangered by Chinese strip-mining, nuclear waste dumping, and extensive deforestation.
8. The Chinese government claims to have “developed” Tibet, with “developments” mainly benefiting the new majority Chinese, not Tibetans. China, neglecting education and healthcare, has spent millions of dollars building infrastructure; many roads, buildings, and power plants directly support heavy militarization, allowing China to maintain Tibet as a police state.
9. The Chinese government aggressively seeks foreign investment for its “Go West” campaign, with use of these international funds to develop Tibet as a resource extraction colony and consolidate regional control. Foreign investments in Chinese companies legitimise China's colonisation and exploitative projects that harm Tibet.
10. The United Nations and international community have done very little to address the core issue of China’s illegal occupation of Tibet. China represents an enormous market and cheap labour force, and its associated businesses have such a strong lobby that officials are reluctant to take substantive measures. Since western countries adopted policies of so-called “constructive engagement” with China in the 1990s, the human rights situation in Tibet has only deteriorated.
-Source
2. The Dalai Lama*, Tibet's political and spiritual leader, fled Tibet in 1959 to Dharamsala, India, followed by over 100,000 Tibetans and established the Tibetan Government-in Exile. In 1989, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for a steadfast dedication to non-violence.
3. Tibet, before occupation, was a nation with an established sovereign government, currency, postal system, language, legal system, and culture. Prior to 1950, the Tibetan government also signed treaties with foreign nations. The Chinese government claims that Tibet has always been part of China, yet its invasion of Tibet resembles imperialist aggression that China accuses other powers of exhibiting.
4. The "Tibetan Autonomous Region" (TAR) is not Tibet, nor is it autonomous. The Chinese government has divided historical Tibet into one region and several prefectures and counties, with the TAR encompassing only the central area and some eastern regions of Tibet.
5. The basic freedoms of speech, religion, and assembly are strictly limited, and arbitrary arrests continue. There are currently hundreds of political prisoners in Tibet, enduring a commonplace punishment of torture.
6. The Chinese government increasingly encourages Han Chinese to migrate to Tibet, offering them higher wages and other inducements. This policy is threatening the survival of Tibetan people. Tibetans are becoming a minority in the TAR. Yearly, thousands of Tibetans still flee from Tibet, making the treacherous journey over the Himalayas into a world of exile.
7. Historical Tibet was a vast country, with an area roughly equal to Western Europe. Tibet is the source of five of Asia's largest rivers, which provide water for two billion people. Tibet's fragile environment is endangered by Chinese strip-mining, nuclear waste dumping, and extensive deforestation.
8. The Chinese government claims to have “developed” Tibet, with “developments” mainly benefiting the new majority Chinese, not Tibetans. China, neglecting education and healthcare, has spent millions of dollars building infrastructure; many roads, buildings, and power plants directly support heavy militarization, allowing China to maintain Tibet as a police state.
9. The Chinese government aggressively seeks foreign investment for its “Go West” campaign, with use of these international funds to develop Tibet as a resource extraction colony and consolidate regional control. Foreign investments in Chinese companies legitimise China's colonisation and exploitative projects that harm Tibet.
10. The United Nations and international community have done very little to address the core issue of China’s illegal occupation of Tibet. China represents an enormous market and cheap labour force, and its associated businesses have such a strong lobby that officials are reluctant to take substantive measures. Since western countries adopted policies of so-called “constructive engagement” with China in the 1990s, the human rights situation in Tibet has only deteriorated.
-Source
Tibet Online
This is a very excellent website, I recommend taking a peek.
Tibet Online
There's tons of accurate news, cultural information, activist information, links to other important Tibet sites, and information about the state of Tibet today. And much more!
Tibet Online
There's tons of accurate news, cultural information, activist information, links to other important Tibet sites, and information about the state of Tibet today. And much more!
Lamdre in July
His Holiness the Sakya Trizin will be giving Lamdre teachings July of this year. Here's a link to his 2010 schedule:
http://www.hhthesakyatrizin.org/calendars/2010/10_7.html
http://www.hhthesakyatrizin.org/calendars/2010/10_7.html
June 17, 2010
Interesting Contest
Enter the Soul’s Code Contest!
www.soulscode.com
Soul's Code would like YOU to win one of three meaning to pause® bracelets! The meaning to pause® bracelet was created by Cindy Graham and Krizia Irish in 2008.
www.soulscode.com
Soul's Code would like YOU to win one of three meaning to pause® bracelets! The meaning to pause® bracelet was created by Cindy Graham and Krizia Irish in 2008.
Compassion and the Individual
Compassion and the Individual
Posted by The LLHHDL Team on August 29, 2009
Tenzin Gyatso; The Fourteenth Dalai Lama
The purpose of life
ONE GREAT QUESTION underlies our experience, whether we think about it consciously or not: What is the purpose of life? I have considered this question and would like to share my thoughts in the hope that they may be of direct, practical benefit to those who read them.
I believe that the purpose of life is to be happy. From the moment of birth, every human being wants happiness and does not want suffering. Neither social conditioning nor education nor ideology affect this. From the very core of our being, we simply desire contentment. I don't know whether the universe, with its countless galaxies, stars and planets, has a deeper meaning or not, but at the very least, it is clear that we humans who live on this earth face the task of making a happy life for ourselves. Therefore, it is important to discover what will bring about the greatest degree of happiness.
How to achieve happiness
For a start, it is possible to divide every kind of happiness and suffering into two main categories: mental and physical. Of the two, it is the mind that exerts the greatest influence on most of us. Unless we are either gravely ill or deprived of basic necessities, our physical condition plays a secondary role in life. If the body is content, we virtually ignore it. The mind, however, registers every event, no matter how small. Hence we should devote our most serious efforts to bringing about mental peace.
From my own limited experience I have found that the greatest degree of inner tranquility comes from the development of love and compassion.
The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater our own sense of well-being becomes. Cultivating a close, warm-hearted feeling for others automatically puts the mind at ease. This helps remove whatever fears or insecurities we may have and gives us the strength to cope with any obstacles we encounter. It is the ultimate source of success in life.
As long as we live in this world we are bound to encounter problems. If, at such times, we lose hope and become discouraged, we diminish our ability to face difficulties. If, on the other hand, we remember that it is not just ourselves but every one who has to undergo suffering, this more realistic perspective will increase our determination and capacity to overcome troubles. Indeed, with this attitude, each new obstacle can be seen as yet another valuable opportunity to improve our mind!
Thus we can strive gradually to become more compassionate, that is we can develop both genuine sympathy for others' suffering and the will to help remove their pain. As a result, our own serenity and inner strength will increase.
Our need for love
Ultimately, the reason why love and compassion bring the greatest happiness is simply that our nature cherishes them above all else. The need for love lies at the very foundation of human existence. It results from the profound interdependence we all share with one another. However capable and skillful an individual may be, left alone, he or she will not survive. However vigorous and independent one may feel during the most prosperous periods of life, when one is sick or very young or very old, one must depend on the support of others.
Inter-dependence, of course, is a fundamental law of nature. Not only higher forms of life but also many of the smallest insects are social beings who, without any religion, law or education, survive by mutual cooperation based on an innate recognition of their interconnectedness. The most subtle level of material phenomena is also governed by interdependence. All phenomena from the planet we inhabit to the oceans, clouds, forests and flowers that surround us, arise in dependence upon subtle patterns of energy. Without their proper interaction, they dissolve and decay.
It is because our own human existence is so dependent on the help of others that our need for love lies at the very foundation of our existence. Therefore we need a genuine sense of responsibility and a sincere concern for the welfare of others.
We have to consider what we human beings really are. We are not like machine-made objects. If we are merely mechanical entities, then machines themselves could alleviate all of our sufferings and fulfill our needs.
However, since we are not solely material creatures, it is a mistake to place all our hopes for happiness on external development alone. Instead, we should consider our origins and nature to discover what we require.
Leaving aside the complex question of the creation and evolution of our universe, we can at least agree that each of us is the product of our own parents. In general, our conception took place not just in the context of sexual desire but from our parents' decision to have a child. Such decisions are founded on responsibility and altruism - the parents compassionate commitment to care of their child until it is able to take care of itself. Thus, from the very moment of our conception, our parents' love is directly in our creation.
Moreover, we are completely dependent upon our mothers' care from the earliest stages of our growth. According to some scientists, a pregnant woman's mental state, be it calm or agitated, has a direct physical effect on her unborn child.
The expression of love is also very important at the time of birth. Since the very first thing we do is suck milk from our mothers' breast, we naturally feel close to her, and she must feel love for us in order to feed us properly; if she feels anger or resentment her milk may not flow freely.
Then there is the critical period of brain development from the time of birth up to at least the age of three or four, during which time loving physical contact is the single most important factor for the normal growth of the child. If the child is not held, hugged, cuddled, or loved, its development will be impaired and its brain will not mature properly.
Since a child cannot survive without the care of others, love is its most important nourishment. The happiness of childhood, the allaying of the child's many fears and the healthy development of its self-confidence all depend directly upon love.
Nowadays, many children grow up in unhappy homes. If they do not receive proper affection, in later life they will rarely love their parents and, not infrequently, will find it hard to love others. This is very sad.
As children grow older and enter school, their need for support must be met by their teachers. If a teacher not only imparts academic education but also assumes responsibility for preparing students for life, his or her pupils will feel trust and respect and what has been taught will leave an indelible impression on their minds. On the other hand, subjects taught by a teacher who does not show true concern for his or her students' overall well-being will be regarded as temporary and not retained for long.
Similarly, if one is sick and being treated in hospital by a doctor who evinces a warm human feeling, one feels at ease and the doctors' desire to give the best possible care is itself curative, irrespective of the degree of his or her technical skill. On the other hand, if one's doctor lacks human feeling and displays an unfriendly expression, impatience or casual disregard, one will feel anxious, even if he or she is the most highly qualified doctor and the disease has been correctly diagnosed and the right medication prescribed. Inevitably, patients' feelings make a difference to the quality and completeness of their recovery.
Even when we engage in ordinary conversation in everyday life, if someone speaks with human feeling we enjoy listening, and respond accordingly; the whole conversation becomes interesting, however unimportant the topic may be. On the other hand, if a person speaks coldly or harshly, we feel uneasy and wish for a quick end to the interaction. From the least to the most important event, the affection and respect of others are vital for our happiness.
Recently I met a group of scientists in America who said that the rate of mental illness in their country was quite high-around twelve percent of the population. It became clear during our discussion that the main cause of depression was not a lack of material necessities but a deprivation of the affection of the others.
So, as you can see from everything I have written so far, one thing seems clear to me: whether or not we are consciously aware of it, from the day we are born, the need for human affection is in our very blood. Even if the affection comes from an animal or someone we would normally consider an enemy, both children and adults will naturally gravitate towards it.
I believe that no one is born free from the need for love. And this demonstrates that, although some modern schools of thought seek to do so, human beings cannot be defined as solely physical. No material object, however beautiful or valuable, can make us feel loved, because our deeper identity and true character lie in the subjective nature of the mind.
Developing compassion
Some of my friends have told me that, while love and compassion are marvelous and good, they are not really very relevant. Our world, they say, is not a place where such beliefs have much influence or power. They claim that anger and hatred are so much a part of human nature that humanity will always be dominated by them. I do not agree.
We humans have existed in our present form for about a hundred-thousand years. I believe that if during this time the human mind had been primarily controlled by anger and hatred, our overall population would have decreased. But today, despite all our wars, we find that the human population is greater than ever. This clearly indicates to me that love and compassion predominate in the world. And this is why unpleasant events are news, compassionate activities are so much part of daily life that they are taken for granted and, therefore, largely ignored.
So far I have been discussing mainly the mental benefits of compassion, but it contributes to good physical health as well, According to my personal experience, mental stability and physical well-being are directly related. Without question, anger and agitation make us more susceptible to illness. On the other hand, if the mind is tranquil and occupied with positive thoughts, the body will not easily fall prey to disease.
But of course it is also true that we all have an innate self-centeredness that inhibits our love for others. So, since we desire the true happiness that is brought about by only a calm mind, and since such peace of mind is brought about by only a compassionate attitude, how can we develop this? Obviously, it is not enough for us simply to think about how nice compassion is! We need to make a concerted effort to develop it; we must use all the events of our daily life to transform our thoughts and behavior.
First of all, we must be clear about what we mean by compassion. Many forms of compassionate feeling are mixed with desire and attachment. For instance, the love parents feel of their child is often strongly associated with their own emotional needs, so it is not fully compassionate. Again, in marriage, the love between husband and wife - particularly at the beginning, when each partner still may not know the other's deeper character very well - depends more on attachment than genuine love. Our desire can be so strong that the person to whom we are attached appears to be good, when in fact he or she is very negative. In addition, we have a tendency to exaggerate small positive qualities. Thus when one partner's attitude changes, the other partner is often disappointed and his or her attitude changes too. This is an indication that love has been motivated more by personal need than by genuine care for the other individual.
True compassion is not just an emotional response but a firm commitment founded on reason. Therefore, a truly compassionate attitude towards others does not change even if they behave negatively.
Of course, developing this kind of compassion is not at all easy! As a start, let us consider the following facts:
Whether people are beautiful and friendly or unattractive and disruptive, ultimately they are human beings, just like oneself. Like oneself, they want happiness and do not want suffering. Furthermore, their right to overcome suffering and be happy is equal to one's own. Now, when you recognize that all beings are equal in both their desire for happiness and their right to obtain it, you automatically feel empathy and closeness for them. Through accustoming your mind to this sense of universal altruism, you develop a feeling of responsibility for others: the wish to help them actively overcome their problems. Nor is this wish selective; it applies equally to all. As long as they are human beings experiencing pleasure and pain just as you do, there is no logical basis to discriminate between them or to alter your concern for them if they behave negatively.
Let me emphasize that it is within your power, given patience and time, to develop this kind of compassion. Of course, our self-centeredness, our distinctive attachment to the feeling of an independent, self-existent �I�, works fundamentally to inhibit our compassion. Indeed, true compassion can be experienced only when this type of self- grasping is eliminated. But this does not mean that we cannot start and make progress now.
How can we start
We should begin by removing the greatest hindrances to compassion: anger and hatred. As we all know, these are extremely powerful emotions and they can overwhelm our entire mind. Nevertheless, they can be controlled. If, however, they are not, these negative emotions will plague us - with no extra effort on their part! - and impede our quest for the happiness of a loving mind.
So as a start, it is useful to investigate whether or not anger is of value. Sometimes, when we are discouraged by a difficult situation, anger does seem helpful, appearing to bring with it more energy, confidence and determination.
Here, though, we must examine our mental state carefully. While itis true that anger brings extra energy, if we explore the nature of this energy, we discover that it is blind: we cannot be sure whether its result will be positive or negative. This is because anger eclipses the best part of our brain: its rationality. So the energy of anger is almost always unreliable. It can cause an immense amount of destructive, unfortunate behavior. Moreover, if anger increases to the extreme, one becomes like a mad person, acting in ways that are as damaging to oneself as they are to others.
It is possible, however, to develop an equally forceful but far more controlled energy with which to handle difficult situations.
This controlled energy comes not only from a compassionate attitude, but also from reason and patience. These are the most powerful antidotes to anger. Unfortunately, many people misjudge these qualities as signs of weakness. I believe the opposite to be true: that they are the true signs of inner strength. Compassion is by nature gentle, peaceful and soft, but it is very powerful. It is those who easily lose their patience who are insecure and unstable. Thus, to me, the arousal of anger is a direct sign of weakness.
So, when a problem first arises, try to remain humble and maintain a sincere attitude and be concerned that the outcome is fair. Of course, others may try to take advantage of you, and if your remaining detached only encourages unjust aggression, adopt a strong stand, This, however, should be done with compassion, and if it is necessary to express your views and take strong countermeasures, do so without anger or ill-intent.
You should realize that even though your opponents appear to be harming you, in the end, their destructive activity will damage only themselves. In order to check your own selfish impulse to retaliate, you should recall your desire to practice compassion and assume responsibility for helping prevent the other person from suffering the consequences of his or her acts.
Thus, because the measures you employ have been calmly chosen, they will be more effective, more accurate and more forceful. Retaliation based on the blind energy of anger seldom hits the target.
Friends and enemies
I must emphasize again that merely thinking that compassion and reason and patience are good will not be enough to develop them. We must wait for difficulties to arise and then attempt to practice them.
And who creates such opportunities? Not our friends, of course, but our enemies. They are the ones who give us the most trouble, So if we truly wish to learn, we should consider enemies to be our best teacher!
For a person who cherishes compassion and love, the practice of tolerance is essential, and for that, an enemy is indispensable. So we should feel grateful to our enemies, for it is they who can best help us develop a tranquil mind! Also, itis often the case in both personal and public life, that with a change in circumstances, enemies become friends.
So anger and hatred are always harmful, and unless we train our minds and work to reduce their negative force, they will continue to disturb us and disrupt our attempts to develop a calm mind. Anger and hatred are our real enemies. These are the forces we most need to confront and defeat, not the temporary enemies who appear intermittently throughout life.
Of course, it is natural and right that we all want friends. I often joke that if you really want to be selfish, you should be very altruistic! You should take good care of others, be concerned for their welfare, help them, serve them, make more friends, make more smiles, The result? When you yourself need help, you find plenty of helpers! If, on the other hand, you neglect the happiness of others, in the long term you will be the loser. And is friendship produced through quarrels and anger, jealousy and intense competitiveness? I do not think so. Only affection brings us genuine close friends.
In today's materialistic society, if you have money and power, you seem to have many friends. But they are not friends of yours; they are the friends of your money and power. When you lose your wealth and influence, you will find it very difficult to track these people down.
The trouble is that when things in the world go well for us, we become confident that we can manage by ourselves and feel we do not need friends, but as our status and health decline, we quickly realize how wrong we were. That is the moment when we learn who is really helpful and who is completely useless. So to prepare for that moment, to make genuine friends who will help us when the need arises, we ourselves must cultivate altruism!
Though sometimes people laugh when I say it, I myself always want more friends. I love smiles. Because of this I have the problem of knowing how to make more friends and how to get more smiles, in particular, genuine smiles. For there are many kinds of smile, such as sarcastic, artificial or diplomatic smiles. Many smiles produce no feeling of satisfaction, and sometimes they can even create suspicion or fear, can't they? But a genuine smile really gives us a feeling of freshness and is, I believe, unique to human beings. If these are the smiles we want, then we ourselves must create the reasons for them to appear.
Compassion and the world
In conclusion, I would like briefly to expand my thoughts beyond the topic of this short piece and make a wider point: individual happiness can contribute in a profound and effective way to the overall improvement of our entire human community.
Because we all share an identical need for love, it is possible to feel that anybody we meet, in whatever circumstances, is a brother or sister. No matter how new the face or how different the dress and behavior, there is no significant division between us and other people. It is foolish to dwell on external differences, because our basic natures are the same.
Ultimately, humanity is one and this small planet is our only home, If we are to protect this home of ours, each of us needs to experience a vivid sense of universal altruism. It is only this feeling that can remove the self-centered motives that cause people to deceive and misuse one another.
If you have a sincere and open heart, you naturally feel self- worth and confidence, and there is no need to be fearful of others.
I believe that at every level of society - familial, tribal, national and international - the key to a happier and more successful world is the growth of compassion. We do not need to become religious, nor do we need to believe in an ideology. All that is necessary is for each of us to develop our good human qualities.
I try to treat whoever I meet as an old friend. This gives me a genuine feeling of happiness. It is the practice of compassion.
Source
Posted by The LLHHDL Team on August 29, 2009
Tenzin Gyatso; The Fourteenth Dalai Lama
The purpose of life
ONE GREAT QUESTION underlies our experience, whether we think about it consciously or not: What is the purpose of life? I have considered this question and would like to share my thoughts in the hope that they may be of direct, practical benefit to those who read them.
I believe that the purpose of life is to be happy. From the moment of birth, every human being wants happiness and does not want suffering. Neither social conditioning nor education nor ideology affect this. From the very core of our being, we simply desire contentment. I don't know whether the universe, with its countless galaxies, stars and planets, has a deeper meaning or not, but at the very least, it is clear that we humans who live on this earth face the task of making a happy life for ourselves. Therefore, it is important to discover what will bring about the greatest degree of happiness.
How to achieve happiness
For a start, it is possible to divide every kind of happiness and suffering into two main categories: mental and physical. Of the two, it is the mind that exerts the greatest influence on most of us. Unless we are either gravely ill or deprived of basic necessities, our physical condition plays a secondary role in life. If the body is content, we virtually ignore it. The mind, however, registers every event, no matter how small. Hence we should devote our most serious efforts to bringing about mental peace.
From my own limited experience I have found that the greatest degree of inner tranquility comes from the development of love and compassion.
The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater our own sense of well-being becomes. Cultivating a close, warm-hearted feeling for others automatically puts the mind at ease. This helps remove whatever fears or insecurities we may have and gives us the strength to cope with any obstacles we encounter. It is the ultimate source of success in life.
As long as we live in this world we are bound to encounter problems. If, at such times, we lose hope and become discouraged, we diminish our ability to face difficulties. If, on the other hand, we remember that it is not just ourselves but every one who has to undergo suffering, this more realistic perspective will increase our determination and capacity to overcome troubles. Indeed, with this attitude, each new obstacle can be seen as yet another valuable opportunity to improve our mind!
Thus we can strive gradually to become more compassionate, that is we can develop both genuine sympathy for others' suffering and the will to help remove their pain. As a result, our own serenity and inner strength will increase.
Our need for love
Ultimately, the reason why love and compassion bring the greatest happiness is simply that our nature cherishes them above all else. The need for love lies at the very foundation of human existence. It results from the profound interdependence we all share with one another. However capable and skillful an individual may be, left alone, he or she will not survive. However vigorous and independent one may feel during the most prosperous periods of life, when one is sick or very young or very old, one must depend on the support of others.
Inter-dependence, of course, is a fundamental law of nature. Not only higher forms of life but also many of the smallest insects are social beings who, without any religion, law or education, survive by mutual cooperation based on an innate recognition of their interconnectedness. The most subtle level of material phenomena is also governed by interdependence. All phenomena from the planet we inhabit to the oceans, clouds, forests and flowers that surround us, arise in dependence upon subtle patterns of energy. Without their proper interaction, they dissolve and decay.
It is because our own human existence is so dependent on the help of others that our need for love lies at the very foundation of our existence. Therefore we need a genuine sense of responsibility and a sincere concern for the welfare of others.
We have to consider what we human beings really are. We are not like machine-made objects. If we are merely mechanical entities, then machines themselves could alleviate all of our sufferings and fulfill our needs.
However, since we are not solely material creatures, it is a mistake to place all our hopes for happiness on external development alone. Instead, we should consider our origins and nature to discover what we require.
Leaving aside the complex question of the creation and evolution of our universe, we can at least agree that each of us is the product of our own parents. In general, our conception took place not just in the context of sexual desire but from our parents' decision to have a child. Such decisions are founded on responsibility and altruism - the parents compassionate commitment to care of their child until it is able to take care of itself. Thus, from the very moment of our conception, our parents' love is directly in our creation.
Moreover, we are completely dependent upon our mothers' care from the earliest stages of our growth. According to some scientists, a pregnant woman's mental state, be it calm or agitated, has a direct physical effect on her unborn child.
The expression of love is also very important at the time of birth. Since the very first thing we do is suck milk from our mothers' breast, we naturally feel close to her, and she must feel love for us in order to feed us properly; if she feels anger or resentment her milk may not flow freely.
Then there is the critical period of brain development from the time of birth up to at least the age of three or four, during which time loving physical contact is the single most important factor for the normal growth of the child. If the child is not held, hugged, cuddled, or loved, its development will be impaired and its brain will not mature properly.
Since a child cannot survive without the care of others, love is its most important nourishment. The happiness of childhood, the allaying of the child's many fears and the healthy development of its self-confidence all depend directly upon love.
Nowadays, many children grow up in unhappy homes. If they do not receive proper affection, in later life they will rarely love their parents and, not infrequently, will find it hard to love others. This is very sad.
As children grow older and enter school, their need for support must be met by their teachers. If a teacher not only imparts academic education but also assumes responsibility for preparing students for life, his or her pupils will feel trust and respect and what has been taught will leave an indelible impression on their minds. On the other hand, subjects taught by a teacher who does not show true concern for his or her students' overall well-being will be regarded as temporary and not retained for long.
Similarly, if one is sick and being treated in hospital by a doctor who evinces a warm human feeling, one feels at ease and the doctors' desire to give the best possible care is itself curative, irrespective of the degree of his or her technical skill. On the other hand, if one's doctor lacks human feeling and displays an unfriendly expression, impatience or casual disregard, one will feel anxious, even if he or she is the most highly qualified doctor and the disease has been correctly diagnosed and the right medication prescribed. Inevitably, patients' feelings make a difference to the quality and completeness of their recovery.
Even when we engage in ordinary conversation in everyday life, if someone speaks with human feeling we enjoy listening, and respond accordingly; the whole conversation becomes interesting, however unimportant the topic may be. On the other hand, if a person speaks coldly or harshly, we feel uneasy and wish for a quick end to the interaction. From the least to the most important event, the affection and respect of others are vital for our happiness.
Recently I met a group of scientists in America who said that the rate of mental illness in their country was quite high-around twelve percent of the population. It became clear during our discussion that the main cause of depression was not a lack of material necessities but a deprivation of the affection of the others.
So, as you can see from everything I have written so far, one thing seems clear to me: whether or not we are consciously aware of it, from the day we are born, the need for human affection is in our very blood. Even if the affection comes from an animal or someone we would normally consider an enemy, both children and adults will naturally gravitate towards it.
I believe that no one is born free from the need for love. And this demonstrates that, although some modern schools of thought seek to do so, human beings cannot be defined as solely physical. No material object, however beautiful or valuable, can make us feel loved, because our deeper identity and true character lie in the subjective nature of the mind.
Developing compassion
Some of my friends have told me that, while love and compassion are marvelous and good, they are not really very relevant. Our world, they say, is not a place where such beliefs have much influence or power. They claim that anger and hatred are so much a part of human nature that humanity will always be dominated by them. I do not agree.
We humans have existed in our present form for about a hundred-thousand years. I believe that if during this time the human mind had been primarily controlled by anger and hatred, our overall population would have decreased. But today, despite all our wars, we find that the human population is greater than ever. This clearly indicates to me that love and compassion predominate in the world. And this is why unpleasant events are news, compassionate activities are so much part of daily life that they are taken for granted and, therefore, largely ignored.
So far I have been discussing mainly the mental benefits of compassion, but it contributes to good physical health as well, According to my personal experience, mental stability and physical well-being are directly related. Without question, anger and agitation make us more susceptible to illness. On the other hand, if the mind is tranquil and occupied with positive thoughts, the body will not easily fall prey to disease.
But of course it is also true that we all have an innate self-centeredness that inhibits our love for others. So, since we desire the true happiness that is brought about by only a calm mind, and since such peace of mind is brought about by only a compassionate attitude, how can we develop this? Obviously, it is not enough for us simply to think about how nice compassion is! We need to make a concerted effort to develop it; we must use all the events of our daily life to transform our thoughts and behavior.
First of all, we must be clear about what we mean by compassion. Many forms of compassionate feeling are mixed with desire and attachment. For instance, the love parents feel of their child is often strongly associated with their own emotional needs, so it is not fully compassionate. Again, in marriage, the love between husband and wife - particularly at the beginning, when each partner still may not know the other's deeper character very well - depends more on attachment than genuine love. Our desire can be so strong that the person to whom we are attached appears to be good, when in fact he or she is very negative. In addition, we have a tendency to exaggerate small positive qualities. Thus when one partner's attitude changes, the other partner is often disappointed and his or her attitude changes too. This is an indication that love has been motivated more by personal need than by genuine care for the other individual.
True compassion is not just an emotional response but a firm commitment founded on reason. Therefore, a truly compassionate attitude towards others does not change even if they behave negatively.
Of course, developing this kind of compassion is not at all easy! As a start, let us consider the following facts:
Whether people are beautiful and friendly or unattractive and disruptive, ultimately they are human beings, just like oneself. Like oneself, they want happiness and do not want suffering. Furthermore, their right to overcome suffering and be happy is equal to one's own. Now, when you recognize that all beings are equal in both their desire for happiness and their right to obtain it, you automatically feel empathy and closeness for them. Through accustoming your mind to this sense of universal altruism, you develop a feeling of responsibility for others: the wish to help them actively overcome their problems. Nor is this wish selective; it applies equally to all. As long as they are human beings experiencing pleasure and pain just as you do, there is no logical basis to discriminate between them or to alter your concern for them if they behave negatively.
Let me emphasize that it is within your power, given patience and time, to develop this kind of compassion. Of course, our self-centeredness, our distinctive attachment to the feeling of an independent, self-existent �I�, works fundamentally to inhibit our compassion. Indeed, true compassion can be experienced only when this type of self- grasping is eliminated. But this does not mean that we cannot start and make progress now.
How can we start
We should begin by removing the greatest hindrances to compassion: anger and hatred. As we all know, these are extremely powerful emotions and they can overwhelm our entire mind. Nevertheless, they can be controlled. If, however, they are not, these negative emotions will plague us - with no extra effort on their part! - and impede our quest for the happiness of a loving mind.
So as a start, it is useful to investigate whether or not anger is of value. Sometimes, when we are discouraged by a difficult situation, anger does seem helpful, appearing to bring with it more energy, confidence and determination.
Here, though, we must examine our mental state carefully. While itis true that anger brings extra energy, if we explore the nature of this energy, we discover that it is blind: we cannot be sure whether its result will be positive or negative. This is because anger eclipses the best part of our brain: its rationality. So the energy of anger is almost always unreliable. It can cause an immense amount of destructive, unfortunate behavior. Moreover, if anger increases to the extreme, one becomes like a mad person, acting in ways that are as damaging to oneself as they are to others.
It is possible, however, to develop an equally forceful but far more controlled energy with which to handle difficult situations.
This controlled energy comes not only from a compassionate attitude, but also from reason and patience. These are the most powerful antidotes to anger. Unfortunately, many people misjudge these qualities as signs of weakness. I believe the opposite to be true: that they are the true signs of inner strength. Compassion is by nature gentle, peaceful and soft, but it is very powerful. It is those who easily lose their patience who are insecure and unstable. Thus, to me, the arousal of anger is a direct sign of weakness.
So, when a problem first arises, try to remain humble and maintain a sincere attitude and be concerned that the outcome is fair. Of course, others may try to take advantage of you, and if your remaining detached only encourages unjust aggression, adopt a strong stand, This, however, should be done with compassion, and if it is necessary to express your views and take strong countermeasures, do so without anger or ill-intent.
You should realize that even though your opponents appear to be harming you, in the end, their destructive activity will damage only themselves. In order to check your own selfish impulse to retaliate, you should recall your desire to practice compassion and assume responsibility for helping prevent the other person from suffering the consequences of his or her acts.
Thus, because the measures you employ have been calmly chosen, they will be more effective, more accurate and more forceful. Retaliation based on the blind energy of anger seldom hits the target.
Friends and enemies
I must emphasize again that merely thinking that compassion and reason and patience are good will not be enough to develop them. We must wait for difficulties to arise and then attempt to practice them.
And who creates such opportunities? Not our friends, of course, but our enemies. They are the ones who give us the most trouble, So if we truly wish to learn, we should consider enemies to be our best teacher!
For a person who cherishes compassion and love, the practice of tolerance is essential, and for that, an enemy is indispensable. So we should feel grateful to our enemies, for it is they who can best help us develop a tranquil mind! Also, itis often the case in both personal and public life, that with a change in circumstances, enemies become friends.
So anger and hatred are always harmful, and unless we train our minds and work to reduce their negative force, they will continue to disturb us and disrupt our attempts to develop a calm mind. Anger and hatred are our real enemies. These are the forces we most need to confront and defeat, not the temporary enemies who appear intermittently throughout life.
Of course, it is natural and right that we all want friends. I often joke that if you really want to be selfish, you should be very altruistic! You should take good care of others, be concerned for their welfare, help them, serve them, make more friends, make more smiles, The result? When you yourself need help, you find plenty of helpers! If, on the other hand, you neglect the happiness of others, in the long term you will be the loser. And is friendship produced through quarrels and anger, jealousy and intense competitiveness? I do not think so. Only affection brings us genuine close friends.
In today's materialistic society, if you have money and power, you seem to have many friends. But they are not friends of yours; they are the friends of your money and power. When you lose your wealth and influence, you will find it very difficult to track these people down.
The trouble is that when things in the world go well for us, we become confident that we can manage by ourselves and feel we do not need friends, but as our status and health decline, we quickly realize how wrong we were. That is the moment when we learn who is really helpful and who is completely useless. So to prepare for that moment, to make genuine friends who will help us when the need arises, we ourselves must cultivate altruism!
Though sometimes people laugh when I say it, I myself always want more friends. I love smiles. Because of this I have the problem of knowing how to make more friends and how to get more smiles, in particular, genuine smiles. For there are many kinds of smile, such as sarcastic, artificial or diplomatic smiles. Many smiles produce no feeling of satisfaction, and sometimes they can even create suspicion or fear, can't they? But a genuine smile really gives us a feeling of freshness and is, I believe, unique to human beings. If these are the smiles we want, then we ourselves must create the reasons for them to appear.
Compassion and the world
In conclusion, I would like briefly to expand my thoughts beyond the topic of this short piece and make a wider point: individual happiness can contribute in a profound and effective way to the overall improvement of our entire human community.
Because we all share an identical need for love, it is possible to feel that anybody we meet, in whatever circumstances, is a brother or sister. No matter how new the face or how different the dress and behavior, there is no significant division between us and other people. It is foolish to dwell on external differences, because our basic natures are the same.
Ultimately, humanity is one and this small planet is our only home, If we are to protect this home of ours, each of us needs to experience a vivid sense of universal altruism. It is only this feeling that can remove the self-centered motives that cause people to deceive and misuse one another.
If you have a sincere and open heart, you naturally feel self- worth and confidence, and there is no need to be fearful of others.
I believe that at every level of society - familial, tribal, national and international - the key to a happier and more successful world is the growth of compassion. We do not need to become religious, nor do we need to believe in an ideology. All that is necessary is for each of us to develop our good human qualities.
I try to treat whoever I meet as an old friend. This gives me a genuine feeling of happiness. It is the practice of compassion.
Source
June 16, 2010
A Good Friend
"A good friend who points out mistakes and imperfections and rebukes evil is to be respected as if he reveals the secret of some hidden treasure." - His Holiness the Dalai Lama
Shared with you by the LLHHDL Team
Shared with you by the LLHHDL Team
June 15, 2010
Audio Recordings of "In the Buddha's Words"
Bhikkhu Bodhi's lectures based on his book "In the Buddha's Words" are available here: Click me
The audio makes this outstanding introduction to the Pali Canon even more useful and instructive...
The book is based on the scheme he came up with for the MN course, but makes a lot of use of SN Suttas to illuminate the crucial areas.
Thanks to Mike at Dharma Wheel
The audio makes this outstanding introduction to the Pali Canon even more useful and instructive...
The book is based on the scheme he came up with for the MN course, but makes a lot of use of SN Suttas to illuminate the crucial areas.
Thanks to Mike at Dharma Wheel
Dharma Wheel Forum
Dharma Wheel is starting to pick up more. That's good. I woke up to find a slew of new posts and some new members there. But most importantly, Silent Bob is registered at DW.
June 14, 2010
Tweeting?
Twitter is weird! I was just reading some tweets. It's just so very exposed and out there. I thought blogging was weird anyhow, but twitter is really strange.
But I heard HHDL tweets. Wish I could find his...
But I heard HHDL tweets. Wish I could find his...
Amulets, I know I'm not a Nyingma
I know I'm not a Nyingma but I don't care. I have a ghau that needs proper filling. This site is really cool.
Sky Dancer Press
Sky Dancer Press
June 13, 2010
June 12, 2010
I spoke
I spoke at the services today. People approached me after that to thank me, and there were some tears. I hope I did okay; I felt so nervous and self-conscious afterwards. But I'm glad I did it, Anna was very special and her life was precious.
Universal Responsibility
"If you must be selfish, then be wise and not narrow-minded in your selfishness. The key point lies in the sense of universal responsibility. That is the real source of strength, the real source of happiness. If we exploit everything available, such as trees, water and minerals, and if we don´t plan for our next generation, for the future, then we´re at fault, aren´t we? However, if we have a genuine sense of universal responsibility as our central motivation, then our relations with the environment, and with all our neighbours, will be well balanced."
- His Holiness the Dalai Lama
- His Holiness the Dalai Lama
June 10, 2010
Yangjin Lamu Yoga-Prajna Heart Sutra
Yangjin Lamu Yoga- Prajna Heart Sutra / 央金拉姆- 西藏天籟女聲- 涅槃心經
Yangjin Luma, a legendary woman from Tibet, sings out the voice of Heaven, the voice of earth and the voice of your heart. The combination of western folk instruments, such as guitar, banjo, and mandolin, ...Yangjin Lamu- Yangjin Lamu Yoga- Prajna Heart Sutra / 央金拉姆- 西藏天籟女聲- 涅槃心
-Courtesy of Lise Ryder on Facebook
Yangjin Luma, a legendary woman from Tibet, sings out the voice of Heaven, the voice of earth and the voice of your heart. The combination of western folk instruments, such as guitar, banjo, and mandolin, ...Yangjin Lamu- Yangjin Lamu Yoga- Prajna Heart Sutra / 央金拉姆- 西藏天籟女聲- 涅槃心
-Courtesy of Lise Ryder on Facebook
June 09, 2010
Obituary
I wrote up an obituary for a friend today. She was my next door neighbor too. Over the last four years I grew quite attached to her. She had a son with mental illness and when my anxiety or craziness was acting up she knew just the words for me, and just the way to say them that just made it all stop dead in its tracks. She was so smart. And her humor and realness were so wonderful. She was one of the most real people I'd ever met.
I'm poor, I have very little money. On Christmas she spent her own money (and she made $8.00 per hour) to buy my daughter gifts, and she got us a tree every year. She cared about people. Not just me, or my daughter, but she cared about everyone.
I keep thinking that I need to pour an extra cup of coffee, black, to take to her so we can have our morning coffee. And then I was tasked this morning with the obituary. The word itself "obituary" made my stomach hurt.
I know death is a reality of life, suffering is a foundation of Buddhist understanding. But it doesn't always make it hurt less. I miss Anna a lot, every day.
I'm poor, I have very little money. On Christmas she spent her own money (and she made $8.00 per hour) to buy my daughter gifts, and she got us a tree every year. She cared about people. Not just me, or my daughter, but she cared about everyone.
I keep thinking that I need to pour an extra cup of coffee, black, to take to her so we can have our morning coffee. And then I was tasked this morning with the obituary. The word itself "obituary" made my stomach hurt.
I know death is a reality of life, suffering is a foundation of Buddhist understanding. But it doesn't always make it hurt less. I miss Anna a lot, every day.
June 07, 2010
The Bonpo's Tradition Before Tibetan Buddhism
The Bonpo's Tradition before Tibetan Buddhism...
Tibet's oldest spiritual tradition is Bon religion. 'Tonpa Shenrab', the founder of this religion, said to have been born in the mythical land of Olmo Lung Ring, renounced the world at the age of 30. Like all 'Bodisattvas' he lead a life of austerity and helped people out of their misery and suffering. During his time he arrived in Tibet in the region of Mount Kailash known as 'The Land of Zhang Zhung'...the historical principal seat of Bon Culture and doctrine.
Today, His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala the Head of Tibetan Buddhism has stressed the importance of preserving the traditions of Bon religion as the indigenous source of ancient Tibetan culture. The doctrine taught by Tonpa Shenrab are classified into two types..'The Four Portals and One Treasury' and 'The Nine Ways of Bon.' The Nine ways of Bon is further synthesised into three : The first four as the 'Casual Ways', the second four as the 'Resultant Ways' and the ninth one as the 'Way of Great Completion!' These are all contained in the Bon Canon compromising more than 200 volumes under four sections. The 'Sutras'..the 'Prefection of Wisdom'.. the 'Tantras'..and last is 'Knowledge'.
With the increasing patronage of Tibetan Buddhism, Bon religion was not into practice from the 08th to the 11th century. However from the 11th century it emerged again inspite of Rituals of Tibetan Buddhism with the efforts of Bon scholars. Menri and Yungdrung in Tibet and Tashi Menri Ling in Himachal Pradesh, India are famous Bon monasteries for study of this religion today.
The Bonpo's Tradition before Tibetan Buddhism...
Tibet's oldest spiritual tradition is Bon religion. 'Tonpa Shenrab', the founder of this religion, said to have been born in the mythical land of Olmo Lung Ring, renounced the world at the age of 30. Like all 'Bodisattvas' he lead a life of austerity and helped people out of their misery and suffering. During his time he arrived in Tibet in the region of Mount Kailash known as 'The Land of Zhang Zhung'...the historical principal seat of Bon Culture and doctrine.
Today, His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala the Head of Tibetan Buddhism has stressed the importance of preserving the traditions of Bon religion as the indigenous source of ancient Tibetan culture. The doctrine taught by Tonpa Shenrab are classified into two types..'The Four Portals and One Treasury' and 'The Nine Ways of Bon.' The Nine ways of Bon is further synthesised into three : The first four as the 'Casual Ways', the second four as the 'Resultant Ways' and the ninth one as the 'Way of Great Completion!' These are all contained in the Bon Canon compromising more than 200 volumes under four sections. The 'Sutras'..the 'Prefection of Wisdom'.. the 'Tantras'..and last is 'Knowledge'.
With the increasing patronage of Tibetan Buddhism, Bon religion was not into practice from the 08th to the 11th century. However from the 11th century it emerged again inspite of Rituals of Tibetan Buddhism with the efforts of Bon scholars. Menri and Yungdrung in Tibet and Tashi Menri Ling in Himachal Pradesh, India are famous Bon monasteries for study of this religion today.
Source: http://www.dalai-lama-dharma-dharamsala-miniguide.com/Tibetan-Buddhism.html
Tibet's oldest spiritual tradition is Bon religion. 'Tonpa Shenrab', the founder of this religion, said to have been born in the mythical land of Olmo Lung Ring, renounced the world at the age of 30. Like all 'Bodisattvas' he lead a life of austerity and helped people out of their misery and suffering. During his time he arrived in Tibet in the region of Mount Kailash known as 'The Land of Zhang Zhung'...the historical principal seat of Bon Culture and doctrine.
Today, His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala the Head of Tibetan Buddhism has stressed the importance of preserving the traditions of Bon religion as the indigenous source of ancient Tibetan culture. The doctrine taught by Tonpa Shenrab are classified into two types..'The Four Portals and One Treasury' and 'The Nine Ways of Bon.' The Nine ways of Bon is further synthesised into three : The first four as the 'Casual Ways', the second four as the 'Resultant Ways' and the ninth one as the 'Way of Great Completion!' These are all contained in the Bon Canon compromising more than 200 volumes under four sections. The 'Sutras'..the 'Prefection of Wisdom'.. the 'Tantras'..and last is 'Knowledge'.
With the increasing patronage of Tibetan Buddhism, Bon religion was not into practice from the 08th to the 11th century. However from the 11th century it emerged again inspite of Rituals of Tibetan Buddhism with the efforts of Bon scholars. Menri and Yungdrung in Tibet and Tashi Menri Ling in Himachal Pradesh, India are famous Bon monasteries for study of this religion today.
The Bonpo's Tradition before Tibetan Buddhism...
Tibet's oldest spiritual tradition is Bon religion. 'Tonpa Shenrab', the founder of this religion, said to have been born in the mythical land of Olmo Lung Ring, renounced the world at the age of 30. Like all 'Bodisattvas' he lead a life of austerity and helped people out of their misery and suffering. During his time he arrived in Tibet in the region of Mount Kailash known as 'The Land of Zhang Zhung'...the historical principal seat of Bon Culture and doctrine.
Today, His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala the Head of Tibetan Buddhism has stressed the importance of preserving the traditions of Bon religion as the indigenous source of ancient Tibetan culture. The doctrine taught by Tonpa Shenrab are classified into two types..'The Four Portals and One Treasury' and 'The Nine Ways of Bon.' The Nine ways of Bon is further synthesised into three : The first four as the 'Casual Ways', the second four as the 'Resultant Ways' and the ninth one as the 'Way of Great Completion!' These are all contained in the Bon Canon compromising more than 200 volumes under four sections. The 'Sutras'..the 'Prefection of Wisdom'.. the 'Tantras'..and last is 'Knowledge'.
With the increasing patronage of Tibetan Buddhism, Bon religion was not into practice from the 08th to the 11th century. However from the 11th century it emerged again inspite of Rituals of Tibetan Buddhism with the efforts of Bon scholars. Menri and Yungdrung in Tibet and Tashi Menri Ling in Himachal Pradesh, India are famous Bon monasteries for study of this religion today.
Source: http://www.dalai-lama-dharma-dharamsala-miniguide.com/Tibetan-Buddhism.html
Sunyata as a Remedy for Ignorance and Suffering
Ignorance
Motivated by compassion, the wise teach sunyata as a remedy for suffering. According to Madhyamika, the root of all suffering lies in the ignorance of clinging, the error of mistaking the relative for the absolute, the conditioned for the unconditioned. We take imagined separation as real, supposed division as given. By virtue of self- consciousness, we have an awareness of the unconditioned reflected in our conditioned nature, a sense of the real. But under ignorance we do not discriminate between the unconditioned and conditioned, causing us to confuse them and take the relative as absolute. "The error of misplaced absoluteness, the seizing of the determinate as itself ultimate, is the root-error."[116] Sunyata is the antithesis to this error, the antidote for suffering.
The most important instance of this error of misplaced absoluteness is with regard to our own selves: "The intellect, owing to the operation of ignorance, wrongly transfers its sense of unconditionedness which is its ultimate nature to itself in its mundane nature."[117] Thus, inherent existence is wrongly applied to the mind-body complex; we take our determinate, conditioned existence as unconditioned and self-existent. In this way there arises the false sense of "I" and the belief in an eternal soul as a particular entity. This error "makes the individual unrelated to the organic, dynamic course of personal life and deprives the latter of all significance."[118] For with the positing of an absolute "I" there is the necessary "not-I" to oppose it. The individual is then forever divided from and in conflict with the world. Since this separation is taken as absolute, their relation is inconceivable and there is no hope for reconciliation: we are bound to a life of continual conflict and frustration.
Following the pattern of this error which gives rise to the false sense of "I," the intellect then posits substantiality upon every object it finds. It distinguishes objects and invents distinct names for them, then takes the apparent difference it has created as a real given. "To seize the determinate is really to allow oneself to be misled by names; it is to imagine that different names mean separate essences; this is to turn relative distinctions into absolute divisions."[119] As a result, not only is the individual person in conflict with the world, but the world is now in conflict with itself. The parts, conceived as independent entities, are isolated from each other and the organic unity that relates them in harmony is lost.
To complete the fall, the intellect mistakes its own relative views and conceptual systems as unlimited and absolute, putting it at war with itself. For the dogmatic assertion of a single point of view necessarily excludes other views: the former as true is divided from the others as false and conflict results. Furthermore, every view, taken as exclusively true, ultimately ends in self-contradiction. Clinging to extremes, one is necessarily led to contradictions and dead ends. Then we either swing from extreme to extreme or reject the whole enterprise of thought altogether, subjecting ourselves to self-exile in a philosophical wasteland. But in both cases we are lead to our suffering by the same root-error.
The error of misplaced absoluteness which is the root of all ignorance and suffering takes two general forms: the error with regard to the mundane truth and with regard to the ultimate truth. The error with regard to the mundane truth is, as we have been discussing, to take the conditioned as unconditioned, to cling to the fragmentary as complete. This error results in (among other things) dogmatic views and the false sense of self. Sunyata, as a remedy for this error with respect to the mundane, teaches the relativity of all things, the dependent arising of determinate entities. As mundane truth, sunyata means that all things are empty of inherent existence.
But if one were to take this understanding of the emptiness of things as itself absolute, this again would be clinging: clinging to sunyata. This mistake is the error not with regard to the mundane nature of things but with regard to their ultimate nature. It is to take the conditionedness of the conditioned as itself unconditioned. But "this would mean an absolute division between the conditioned and the unconditioned, the divided and the undivided, the permanent and the impermanent, and in this case the undivided would not be the truly undivided, as it would be divided from the divided."[120] Thus one teaches the sunyata of sunyata: in the ultimate truth even sunyata is empty of absoluteness. Ultimately, even the division between the conditioned and the unconditioned is not absolute. Therefore we are not forever bound to our conditionedness because we, as conditioned entities, already are (in our ultimate nature) the unconditioned reality. In short, there is an end to ignorance and suffering.Ignorance
Motivated by compassion, the wise teach sunyata as a remedy for suffering. According to Madhyamika, the root of all suffering lies in the ignorance of clinging, the error of mistaking the relative for the absolute, the conditioned for the unconditioned. We take imagined separation as real, supposed division as given. By virtue of self- consciousness, we have an awareness of the unconditioned reflected in our conditioned nature, a sense of the real. But under ignorance we do not discriminate between the unconditioned and conditioned, causing us to confuse them and take the relative as absolute. "The error of misplaced absoluteness, the seizing of the determinate as itself ultimate, is the root-error."[116] Sunyata is the antithesis to this error, the antidote for suffering.
The most important instance of this error of misplaced absoluteness is with regard to our own selves: "The intellect, owing to the operation of ignorance, wrongly transfers its sense of unconditionedness which is its ultimate nature to itself in its mundane nature."[117] Thus, inherent existence is wrongly applied to the mind-body complex; we take our determinate, conditioned existence as unconditioned and self-existent. In this way there arises the false sense of "I" and the belief in an eternal soul as a particular entity. This error "makes the individual unrelated to the organic, dynamic course of personal life and deprives the latter of all significance."[118] For with the positing of an absolute "I" there is the necessary "not-I" to oppose it. The individual is then forever divided from and in conflict with the world. Since this separation is taken as absolute, their relation is inconceivable and there is no hope for reconciliation: we are bound to a life of continual conflict and frustration.
Following the pattern of this error which gives rise to the false sense of "I," the intellect then posits substantiality upon every object it finds. It distinguishes objects and invents distinct names for them, then takes the apparent difference it has created as a real given. "To seize the determinate is really to allow oneself to be misled by names; it is to imagine that different names mean separate essences; this is to turn relative distinctions into absolute divisions."[119] As a result, not only is the individual person in conflict with the world, but the world is now in conflict with itself. The parts, conceived as independent entities, are isolated from each other and the organic unity that relates them in harmony is lost.
To complete the fall, the intellect mistakes its own relative views and conceptual systems as unlimited and absolute, putting it at war with itself. For the dogmatic assertion of a single point of view necessarily excludes other views: the former as true is divided from the others as false and conflict results. Furthermore, every view, taken as exclusively true, ultimately ends in self-contradiction. Clinging to extremes, one is necessarily led to contradictions and dead ends. Then we either swing from extreme to extreme or reject the whole enterprise of thought altogether, subjecting ourselves to self-exile in a philosophical wasteland. But in both cases we are lead to our suffering by the same root-error.
The error of misplaced absoluteness which is the root of all ignorance and suffering takes two general forms: the error with regard to the mundane truth and with regard to the ultimate truth. The error with regard to the mundane truth is, as we have been discussing, to take the conditioned as unconditioned, to cling to the fragmentary as complete. This error results in (among other things) dogmatic views and the false sense of self. Sunyata, as a remedy for this error with respect to the mundane, teaches the relativity of all things, the dependent arising of determinate entities. As mundane truth, sunyata means that all things are empty of inherent existence.
But if one were to take this understanding of the emptiness of things as itself absolute, this again would be clinging: clinging to sunyata. This mistake is the error not with regard to the mundane nature of things but with regard to their ultimate nature. It is to take the conditionedness of the conditioned as itself unconditioned. But "this would mean an absolute division between the conditioned and the unconditioned, the divided and the undivided, the permanent and the impermanent, and in this case the undivided would not be the truly undivided, as it would be divided from the divided."[120] Thus one teaches the sunyata of sunyata: in the ultimate truth even sunyata is empty of absoluteness. Ultimately, even the division between the conditioned and the unconditioned is not absolute. Therefore we are not forever bound to our conditionedness because we, as conditioned entities, already are (in our ultimate nature) the unconditioned reality. In short, there is an end to ignorance and suffering.
Copywrited Thomaas J. McFarlane 1995
Read the full essay here: http://www.integralscience.org/sacredscience/SS_sunyata.html
Motivated by compassion, the wise teach sunyata as a remedy for suffering. According to Madhyamika, the root of all suffering lies in the ignorance of clinging, the error of mistaking the relative for the absolute, the conditioned for the unconditioned. We take imagined separation as real, supposed division as given. By virtue of self- consciousness, we have an awareness of the unconditioned reflected in our conditioned nature, a sense of the real. But under ignorance we do not discriminate between the unconditioned and conditioned, causing us to confuse them and take the relative as absolute. "The error of misplaced absoluteness, the seizing of the determinate as itself ultimate, is the root-error."[116] Sunyata is the antithesis to this error, the antidote for suffering.
The most important instance of this error of misplaced absoluteness is with regard to our own selves: "The intellect, owing to the operation of ignorance, wrongly transfers its sense of unconditionedness which is its ultimate nature to itself in its mundane nature."[117] Thus, inherent existence is wrongly applied to the mind-body complex; we take our determinate, conditioned existence as unconditioned and self-existent. In this way there arises the false sense of "I" and the belief in an eternal soul as a particular entity. This error "makes the individual unrelated to the organic, dynamic course of personal life and deprives the latter of all significance."[118] For with the positing of an absolute "I" there is the necessary "not-I" to oppose it. The individual is then forever divided from and in conflict with the world. Since this separation is taken as absolute, their relation is inconceivable and there is no hope for reconciliation: we are bound to a life of continual conflict and frustration.
Following the pattern of this error which gives rise to the false sense of "I," the intellect then posits substantiality upon every object it finds. It distinguishes objects and invents distinct names for them, then takes the apparent difference it has created as a real given. "To seize the determinate is really to allow oneself to be misled by names; it is to imagine that different names mean separate essences; this is to turn relative distinctions into absolute divisions."[119] As a result, not only is the individual person in conflict with the world, but the world is now in conflict with itself. The parts, conceived as independent entities, are isolated from each other and the organic unity that relates them in harmony is lost.
To complete the fall, the intellect mistakes its own relative views and conceptual systems as unlimited and absolute, putting it at war with itself. For the dogmatic assertion of a single point of view necessarily excludes other views: the former as true is divided from the others as false and conflict results. Furthermore, every view, taken as exclusively true, ultimately ends in self-contradiction. Clinging to extremes, one is necessarily led to contradictions and dead ends. Then we either swing from extreme to extreme or reject the whole enterprise of thought altogether, subjecting ourselves to self-exile in a philosophical wasteland. But in both cases we are lead to our suffering by the same root-error.
The error of misplaced absoluteness which is the root of all ignorance and suffering takes two general forms: the error with regard to the mundane truth and with regard to the ultimate truth. The error with regard to the mundane truth is, as we have been discussing, to take the conditioned as unconditioned, to cling to the fragmentary as complete. This error results in (among other things) dogmatic views and the false sense of self. Sunyata, as a remedy for this error with respect to the mundane, teaches the relativity of all things, the dependent arising of determinate entities. As mundane truth, sunyata means that all things are empty of inherent existence.
But if one were to take this understanding of the emptiness of things as itself absolute, this again would be clinging: clinging to sunyata. This mistake is the error not with regard to the mundane nature of things but with regard to their ultimate nature. It is to take the conditionedness of the conditioned as itself unconditioned. But "this would mean an absolute division between the conditioned and the unconditioned, the divided and the undivided, the permanent and the impermanent, and in this case the undivided would not be the truly undivided, as it would be divided from the divided."[120] Thus one teaches the sunyata of sunyata: in the ultimate truth even sunyata is empty of absoluteness. Ultimately, even the division between the conditioned and the unconditioned is not absolute. Therefore we are not forever bound to our conditionedness because we, as conditioned entities, already are (in our ultimate nature) the unconditioned reality. In short, there is an end to ignorance and suffering.Ignorance
Motivated by compassion, the wise teach sunyata as a remedy for suffering. According to Madhyamika, the root of all suffering lies in the ignorance of clinging, the error of mistaking the relative for the absolute, the conditioned for the unconditioned. We take imagined separation as real, supposed division as given. By virtue of self- consciousness, we have an awareness of the unconditioned reflected in our conditioned nature, a sense of the real. But under ignorance we do not discriminate between the unconditioned and conditioned, causing us to confuse them and take the relative as absolute. "The error of misplaced absoluteness, the seizing of the determinate as itself ultimate, is the root-error."[116] Sunyata is the antithesis to this error, the antidote for suffering.
The most important instance of this error of misplaced absoluteness is with regard to our own selves: "The intellect, owing to the operation of ignorance, wrongly transfers its sense of unconditionedness which is its ultimate nature to itself in its mundane nature."[117] Thus, inherent existence is wrongly applied to the mind-body complex; we take our determinate, conditioned existence as unconditioned and self-existent. In this way there arises the false sense of "I" and the belief in an eternal soul as a particular entity. This error "makes the individual unrelated to the organic, dynamic course of personal life and deprives the latter of all significance."[118] For with the positing of an absolute "I" there is the necessary "not-I" to oppose it. The individual is then forever divided from and in conflict with the world. Since this separation is taken as absolute, their relation is inconceivable and there is no hope for reconciliation: we are bound to a life of continual conflict and frustration.
Following the pattern of this error which gives rise to the false sense of "I," the intellect then posits substantiality upon every object it finds. It distinguishes objects and invents distinct names for them, then takes the apparent difference it has created as a real given. "To seize the determinate is really to allow oneself to be misled by names; it is to imagine that different names mean separate essences; this is to turn relative distinctions into absolute divisions."[119] As a result, not only is the individual person in conflict with the world, but the world is now in conflict with itself. The parts, conceived as independent entities, are isolated from each other and the organic unity that relates them in harmony is lost.
To complete the fall, the intellect mistakes its own relative views and conceptual systems as unlimited and absolute, putting it at war with itself. For the dogmatic assertion of a single point of view necessarily excludes other views: the former as true is divided from the others as false and conflict results. Furthermore, every view, taken as exclusively true, ultimately ends in self-contradiction. Clinging to extremes, one is necessarily led to contradictions and dead ends. Then we either swing from extreme to extreme or reject the whole enterprise of thought altogether, subjecting ourselves to self-exile in a philosophical wasteland. But in both cases we are lead to our suffering by the same root-error.
The error of misplaced absoluteness which is the root of all ignorance and suffering takes two general forms: the error with regard to the mundane truth and with regard to the ultimate truth. The error with regard to the mundane truth is, as we have been discussing, to take the conditioned as unconditioned, to cling to the fragmentary as complete. This error results in (among other things) dogmatic views and the false sense of self. Sunyata, as a remedy for this error with respect to the mundane, teaches the relativity of all things, the dependent arising of determinate entities. As mundane truth, sunyata means that all things are empty of inherent existence.
But if one were to take this understanding of the emptiness of things as itself absolute, this again would be clinging: clinging to sunyata. This mistake is the error not with regard to the mundane nature of things but with regard to their ultimate nature. It is to take the conditionedness of the conditioned as itself unconditioned. But "this would mean an absolute division between the conditioned and the unconditioned, the divided and the undivided, the permanent and the impermanent, and in this case the undivided would not be the truly undivided, as it would be divided from the divided."[120] Thus one teaches the sunyata of sunyata: in the ultimate truth even sunyata is empty of absoluteness. Ultimately, even the division between the conditioned and the unconditioned is not absolute. Therefore we are not forever bound to our conditionedness because we, as conditioned entities, already are (in our ultimate nature) the unconditioned reality. In short, there is an end to ignorance and suffering.
Copywrited Thomaas J. McFarlane 1995
Read the full essay here: http://www.integralscience.org/sacredscience/SS_sunyata.html
June 06, 2010
This Life
This human life is so precious and rare. A couple of days ago my neighbor passed away and she was very young! She couldn't have been older than fifty.
So suddenly it hit me, that I'll go too. I knew it but I didn't know it. So suddenly, and in such a real way, I intend now to make use of every moment, every second, and be happy as often as possible. I tend to wallow in misery and agony, but I need to stop that. This life is for family and dharma, and that's exactly where I want to direct my attention. My baby girl is the most precious gift that has walked this earth and she is going to know it, if she didn't before.
When my kind teacher had a stroke it still didn't hit me so much, because I didn't have my morning coffee with her every day and she's getting on in years. I was very sad and prayed many times a day for her. And I made offerings and practiced. But Anna, we shared coffee and jokes and bitches about life. She was my friend.
Anna was young, and she was part of my regular day. Then suddenly out of nowhere something burst in her brain and she was just gone.
Human life is so precious. We hear it, but do we really, really think about it? I do now. And I'm trying to make use every second. No more glazing out in my own inner agony, I must extend myself to this world.
So suddenly it hit me, that I'll go too. I knew it but I didn't know it. So suddenly, and in such a real way, I intend now to make use of every moment, every second, and be happy as often as possible. I tend to wallow in misery and agony, but I need to stop that. This life is for family and dharma, and that's exactly where I want to direct my attention. My baby girl is the most precious gift that has walked this earth and she is going to know it, if she didn't before.
When my kind teacher had a stroke it still didn't hit me so much, because I didn't have my morning coffee with her every day and she's getting on in years. I was very sad and prayed many times a day for her. And I made offerings and practiced. But Anna, we shared coffee and jokes and bitches about life. She was my friend.
Anna was young, and she was part of my regular day. Then suddenly out of nowhere something burst in her brain and she was just gone.
Human life is so precious. We hear it, but do we really, really think about it? I do now. And I'm trying to make use every second. No more glazing out in my own inner agony, I must extend myself to this world.
June 05, 2010
Emptiness, Nagarjuna, and the Middle Way
People love to talk about emptiness. It's a fairly new concept to people in the Western Hemisphere who have primarily been exposed to different religions which posit an eternal thingy which lasts no matter the state of our body or mind. So I study a bit of the Middle way and I'm sharing an excerpt here. I hope you enjoy. There's much more to the article if you click the link. This is meaty stuff.
To be able to understand the controversy regarding deity yoga, the similarities and distinctions between Mahayana and Vajrayana must be carefully examined. The heart of the teachings of both schools is the practice of cultivating the two levels of enlightened mind (bodhicitta), the conventional and the ultimate. The conventional bodhicitta is the mind of great compassion (mahakaruna) that is the desire to work for the benefit of all sentient beings. Recognizing, however, that physical means of benefit are temporal and impermanent and that only an enlightened being can provide lasting benefit by dispelling ignorance, the conventional bodhicitta gives rise to the altruistic desire to achieve enlightenment as the most expedient way of exercising compassion. The ultimate bodhicitta is the bodhisattva wisdom cognizing emptiness. The cultivation of conventional bodhicitta is requisite for the attainment of ultimate bodhicitta. The ultimate bodhicitta operates in a non-dual mode of perception in which good and bad, pure and impure, or extra-samsaric and intra-samsaric do not have independent self-existence. The ultimate bodhicitta perceives the emptiness (sunyata) of inherent existence of all phenomena.
The doctrine of emptiness is one of the most important teachings of Mahayana Buddhism and one of the most difficult to understand fully. Madhyamika, the philosophy of the Middle Way, employs a system of reductio ad absurdum which slips between all extremes of "this" and "that" in order to show that emptiness is the ultimate nature of reality. There are two standard lines of reasoning by which one cultivates an understanding of emptiness.3 First, nothing has independent self-existence because everything is made of parts. Since all things are dependent on their parts, they cannot have independent self-existence. Second, nothing can be said to have independent self-existence as a group of many individual things because all of the component parts are shown not to have independent self-existence by the first line of reasoning. If the parts of the whole are dependent upon their parts, then the whole cannot be independently self-existent.
However, the philosophy of Madhyamika does not deny the existence of things on the relative level. This misunderstanding of the Middle Way teachings would lead one to assert one of two wrong positions. The first is nihilism, in which one would have found nothing left on the relative level of truth by which to recognize things and would dismiss all conceptions or understanding of things on the relative level as being untrue. This might lead one to conclude that emptiness, as misunderstood to assert the lack of inherent, independent self-existence of things on the relative level, was itself incorrect. According to the Mahasmrtyupasthanasutra, abandoning sunyata would cause one to be reborn in the Avici Hell.4 The second wrong position would be to accept emptiness on the ultimate level of truth, but to see all things on the relative level as mere mental conceptions which are mistaken by the mind as being real. This could cause one to abandon Dharma teachings and practices such as meditation and taking refuge which bring good karmic effects. Both of these positions are misunderstandings of emptiness and would lead individuals to believe that they had attained everything when in fact they had attained nothing at all.
A correct understanding of the teaching of emptiness is the ability to hold both truths, the relative and the ultimate, in the mind at the same time without seeing any contradiction between them. Ashvaghosa has said, "You should never ignore the relative level of truth because of sunyata. Rather, you should understand that the relative level of truth and sunyata on the ultimate level work in harmony with each other."5 For this reason, the Madhyamika philosophy is said to steer a middle course between eternalism and nihilism.
Nagarjuna, the dialectical master of the Madhyamika school, uses a cyclic strategy to discredit the assertions of his opponents and to support the doctrine of emptiness. He begins by accepting the notion of own-being (svabhava) and then showing the absurdities implicit in such a "realistic" view point. His attack on these metaphysical propositions is that they do not provide the knowledge they claim to. Nagarjuna shows that they cannot possibly fulfill their promise because "words and expression-patterns are simply practical tools of human life, which in themselves, do not carry intrinsic meaning and which do not necessarily have meaning by referring to something outside the language system."6 By disproving all extreme views of "this" and "that" without offering a viewpoint of his own, Nagarjuna allows the wisdom of emptiness to manifest itself. Since emptiness cannot be described due to the limitations of language just mentioned, this method is the only way to truly share a profound understanding of emptiness. By using this strategy, Nagarjuna consistently replaces apparently common sense notions which are in fact highly metaphysical with apparently metaphysical notions which are in fact common sense.
A excerpt from "Bodhicitta: The Heart of the Mahayana and Vajrayana Teachings"
To be able to understand the controversy regarding deity yoga, the similarities and distinctions between Mahayana and Vajrayana must be carefully examined. The heart of the teachings of both schools is the practice of cultivating the two levels of enlightened mind (bodhicitta), the conventional and the ultimate. The conventional bodhicitta is the mind of great compassion (mahakaruna) that is the desire to work for the benefit of all sentient beings. Recognizing, however, that physical means of benefit are temporal and impermanent and that only an enlightened being can provide lasting benefit by dispelling ignorance, the conventional bodhicitta gives rise to the altruistic desire to achieve enlightenment as the most expedient way of exercising compassion. The ultimate bodhicitta is the bodhisattva wisdom cognizing emptiness. The cultivation of conventional bodhicitta is requisite for the attainment of ultimate bodhicitta. The ultimate bodhicitta operates in a non-dual mode of perception in which good and bad, pure and impure, or extra-samsaric and intra-samsaric do not have independent self-existence. The ultimate bodhicitta perceives the emptiness (sunyata) of inherent existence of all phenomena.
The doctrine of emptiness is one of the most important teachings of Mahayana Buddhism and one of the most difficult to understand fully. Madhyamika, the philosophy of the Middle Way, employs a system of reductio ad absurdum which slips between all extremes of "this" and "that" in order to show that emptiness is the ultimate nature of reality. There are two standard lines of reasoning by which one cultivates an understanding of emptiness.3 First, nothing has independent self-existence because everything is made of parts. Since all things are dependent on their parts, they cannot have independent self-existence. Second, nothing can be said to have independent self-existence as a group of many individual things because all of the component parts are shown not to have independent self-existence by the first line of reasoning. If the parts of the whole are dependent upon their parts, then the whole cannot be independently self-existent.
However, the philosophy of Madhyamika does not deny the existence of things on the relative level. This misunderstanding of the Middle Way teachings would lead one to assert one of two wrong positions. The first is nihilism, in which one would have found nothing left on the relative level of truth by which to recognize things and would dismiss all conceptions or understanding of things on the relative level as being untrue. This might lead one to conclude that emptiness, as misunderstood to assert the lack of inherent, independent self-existence of things on the relative level, was itself incorrect. According to the Mahasmrtyupasthanasutra, abandoning sunyata would cause one to be reborn in the Avici Hell.4 The second wrong position would be to accept emptiness on the ultimate level of truth, but to see all things on the relative level as mere mental conceptions which are mistaken by the mind as being real. This could cause one to abandon Dharma teachings and practices such as meditation and taking refuge which bring good karmic effects. Both of these positions are misunderstandings of emptiness and would lead individuals to believe that they had attained everything when in fact they had attained nothing at all.
A correct understanding of the teaching of emptiness is the ability to hold both truths, the relative and the ultimate, in the mind at the same time without seeing any contradiction between them. Ashvaghosa has said, "You should never ignore the relative level of truth because of sunyata. Rather, you should understand that the relative level of truth and sunyata on the ultimate level work in harmony with each other."5 For this reason, the Madhyamika philosophy is said to steer a middle course between eternalism and nihilism.
Nagarjuna, the dialectical master of the Madhyamika school, uses a cyclic strategy to discredit the assertions of his opponents and to support the doctrine of emptiness. He begins by accepting the notion of own-being (svabhava) and then showing the absurdities implicit in such a "realistic" view point. His attack on these metaphysical propositions is that they do not provide the knowledge they claim to. Nagarjuna shows that they cannot possibly fulfill their promise because "words and expression-patterns are simply practical tools of human life, which in themselves, do not carry intrinsic meaning and which do not necessarily have meaning by referring to something outside the language system."6 By disproving all extreme views of "this" and "that" without offering a viewpoint of his own, Nagarjuna allows the wisdom of emptiness to manifest itself. Since emptiness cannot be described due to the limitations of language just mentioned, this method is the only way to truly share a profound understanding of emptiness. By using this strategy, Nagarjuna consistently replaces apparently common sense notions which are in fact highly metaphysical with apparently metaphysical notions which are in fact common sense.
A excerpt from "Bodhicitta: The Heart of the Mahayana and Vajrayana Teachings"
June 04, 2010
An Interview with His Holiness the Sakya Trizin
This interview touches me and it's rarely seen I think. In it, His Holiness the Sakya Trizin addresses the importance of Tara and women in Buddhism. It's well worth the read.
Q: Your Holiness, what does lineage mean?
Tara is actually the perfection of wisdom, and she is the mother of all the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Shravakas and Pratyeka Buddhas. This wisdom is actually beyond any forms or signs or descriptions. But out of great compassion, in order to help sentient beings she appears in physical form that is the Tara . The word Tara means “Saviour” or “One Who Saves”.
Q: Who isTara ?
Tara is actually the perfection of wisdom, and she is the mother of all the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Shravakas and Pratyeka Buddhas. This wisdom is actually beyond any forms or signs or descriptions. But out of great compassion, in order to help sentient beings she appears in physical form that is the Tara . The word Tara means “Saviour” or “One Who Saves”.
Q:Tara is called the female Buddha. Can your Holiness elaborate on why she is different from the historical Buddha Shakyamuni that most people are familiar with?
There are male and female Buddhas just as there are male and female people. There are many female Buddhas, not just Tara and Vajrayogini; there are so many female deities! For some people it is much easier to practise female deities. It depends on one’s own karmic connections. For some, female deities are more suited, and for others, male deities are more suited. Although is it said, in terms of their wisdom, compassion and power, that all deities are the same, but due to their motherly figure it is easier to invoke the blessing of female deities.
Q: Why is Tara in particularly regarded for her compassion?
Basically all the deities are the nature of compassion and emptiness; butTara is special in two ways: firstly, she is in motherly figure, and secondly, she is an emanation of Avalokiteshvara, the manifestation of all the Buddhas’ compassion. Therefore, there is a particular connection between compassion and Tara .
Q: Was Tara a real woman, if so, when did she live?
In actuality, of course, she is not a person because the true nature ofTara is the perfection of wisdom, mother of all the Buddhas and noble ones, and that wisdom is beyond form or any signs or descriptions. But out of compassion at the relative level she appears in the form of Tara . But then there are also historical Taras . Like it is said that many, many aeons ago there was a princess whose name was Gyana Chandra. She created the enlightenment mind in front of Buddha Amoghasiddhi. In order to save sentient beings she took the vow to remain in the female form all through the path, and even after enlightenment. So that indicates that there is a historical figure as well.
Q: We have heard many stories aboutTara 's help? Is there a special story or experience that your Holiness would like to share with us?
I do not have any personal experience as such, butTara is very, very important and there are very many beautiful stories. One is related to the continuation of the Khön lineage. It is a story about Zangpopa who was the 11th Sakya throne holder counting from Khön Khoncho Gyalpo who first established the Sakya Monastery. Zangpopa’s grandfather had five sons, but the one who was Zangpopa’s father, Lopon Yeshe Jungne, was the son of a maid who was not of one of the official queens. One of the official sons, Chogyal Phagpa, was the throne holder and guru of the Chinese Emperor in his time. Another son, Drogon Chagma, had a son called Dharmapalarakshita who was the 9th throne holder. When he died in 1287, there was not an official Khön lineage heir after him. So Jamyang Chenpo from Sharpa took the thrown.
At this point, there was no officially recognised Khön lineage heir. Even though Zangpopa was alive, the people had doubts about Zangpopa’s father as his mother had not been an official queen. Zangpopa had been invited toChina China
When Dharmapalarakshita (the 9th throne holder) passed away, the Emperor was distressed over his loss. Placing the bones of Dharmapala on his head, he cried. Because there was no issue in his Guru’s hereditary lineage and how sad it was. There had been only one daughter of the lineage, a princess, and when she passed away there were rainbows and her body had many relics. This altered the mind of the Emperor who now said that any connection to his Guru’s hereditary lineage, was holy.
At that time, Zangpopa was living in a distant part ofChina Tara . Tara appeared and placed her hand over the crown of his head and said, “Those who wish to have a child, can have a child Those who wish to have wealth, can have wealth All your wishes will be granted and your obstacles will be cleared.”
After he received that blessing, some Tibetan lamas helped the Emperor find Zangpopa. Being a nephew of Chogyal Phagpa, he was then recognized by the Emperor and was brought back to the palace. There he was officially enthroned as the Sakya Khön lineage prince. The Emperor then said, “It is very important to continue the historical lineage.” At this point he gave his own sister to Zangpopa as his queen. This emperor reigned in the Yön dynasty of the Mongol empire ofChina
Q: What is the historical significance of Tara Temple inTibet
It no longer exists. It was build by Bari Lotsawa. Actually it is said thatTara accompanied Bari Lotsawa all the time in real human form. Then one day, she absorbed into a statue (or stone) in this particular place. He then built this temple to enshrine her. The temple and all the outer images were completely demolished during the Cultural Revolution. But innermost stone, where the real human form of Tara was absorbed, that particular image, was saved by someone. So now we have built another 21 Tara images, and that stone is placed inside the main Tara image. Now there is not a separate Tara temple but it is in the main temple of the Sakya. Actually we donated these 21 images, made in Nepal and sent to Tibet Tara pujas, everyday. So it is a Tara temple because of the connection between Tara and Bari Lotsawa . Actually Sakya has four wondrous shrines, one of them is Tara one of them is Manjushri, one of them is Goddess Vijaya and one of them is Mahakala.
Q: What is the connection betweenTara with Drolma Podrang? Was there a Sakya Nunnery?
Actually our palace is not called Drolma Phodrang, it is called Pünphal Phodrang. But as the palace is right next to this very famousTara shrine, most people call it Drolma Phodrang. In fact, now nobody now calls it Pünphal Phodrang. Everyone calls it Drolma Phodrang. No, there was no nunnery. The nunnery was located on the other side.
Q: Could His Holiness say something about famous Sakya Female Practitioners? Upon which meditational deities did they concentrate?
Sakya has many, many very famous female practitioners. So many of them, even recently, for example Jetsuma Chime Tenpei Nyima, Jetsun Tamdring Wangmo, Jetsun Pema Thrinley. It seems that for most of them their main deity for practice was Vajrayogini.
There is one temple in Sakya where there is a very famous Vajrayogini statue. When I was there no one doing any pujas. But it is said that in ancient times, all the princesses, all those Jetsumas who were nuns, came together to this temple on every tenth and every twenty fifth day (of the lunar month) and did the puja. And it is said that this Vajrayogini statue was just like any other female in that every month there was menstrual flow from the statue, with nectar coming down from the statue.
Q: IsTara meditation only for women?
No of course not, everybody can receiveTara .
Q: Can your Holiness tell us about the types of meditation that might be given at the “initiation” or “ blessing ceremony” ?
Initiations differ in the sense that there are major empowerments, there are blessings, and there are simple initiations. Taking as an example in a simple initiation, there are three kinds of meditations. First, physically visualising oneself in the form of the deity; then, verbally repeating the mantra, and finally, mentally meditating on the primordial wisdom, which is away from all descriptions, away from all activities, beyond speech, beyond thought. So this is the meditation.
Q: What happens at a Tara Initiation or Blessing Ceremony?
Initiations are all the same in the sense that, during the initiation, ones own body voice and mind are blessed. From that moment onwards, one is authorised to do the visualisation, recite the mantra, and do the meditation on primordial wisdom ofTara .
Q: How can we determine which Tantric practice would be most effective for ourselves?
I think it mainly depends on the individual. Some people are suited to the Kriya tantra, some are suited to the Carya tantra, some are suited to the Yoga tantra, and so on. Similarly for some people theTara tantra is more suitable than the other tantras.
Q: Is there any special advice for today’s present female practitioners who have to balance family, work and spiritual life? Are there better conditions than in previous times?
InTibet
Generally, convenience does not necessarily improve the practice. First of all, we are in a different time; this is a degenerated time! Nowadays, people do not possess so much faith or devotion, and have much more doubt than ancient times. Therefore it is much harder in these times. Even though it is easier to practice and to have access to the teachings, I feel the result takes much longer.
Q: Impermanence is always emphasized in the teachings, which in turn has created insecurity, in view of our relationships and careers. In Vajrayana, though, we are reminded to put our total trust in the Root Guru, until we gain enlightenment. Is this a contradiction of the impermanence teachings, which we are supposed to view things with detachment rather than attachment? Could your Holiness give some advice on how to balance impermanence with faith in the Guru?
I do not understand this (referring to the insecurity). Because everything is impermanent you need faith, I think. Because everything is impermanent, because life is impermanent, and we are going to die one day. We are going to lose all our possessions, and wealth and everything. At the time when we leave, our mental consciousness is alone travelling to an unknown destination, the only thing that one could seek for help is the Dharma. Dharma can only be learned from the Guru; so therefore you need faith and the trust in the Guru. Isn’t that so? I don’t see any conflict. A nice life is not what we are seeking for – this life is not nice, even the nicest life is not nice. Actually it is a suffering, just another kind of suffering. So we need to renounce this, we need to awake from this illusion. And the way to awake is with the support and help from the Guru and the Dharma.
Q: Similarly, when pondering the sufferings of hell and so forth, we sometimes feel panic rather than calm. If we cannot overcome our panic of while meditating on these fundamental teachings (in the Nang Sum), are we then really ready for further instructions, such as the Lam Dre teachings?
This again I don’t understand. You see, life is panic; everything is impermanent, and everything is suffering. If you try to avoid that, then you cannot overcome it. You cannot avoid it; that is a reality. We don’t want it, we want to live a really happy life. But the reality of it, though, is not happiness. The reality is suffering and that we can’t avoid. We have to face it, and only by facing it can we overcome it. Otherwise if you try to avoid it, you will still have to face it some time. And at that time, when you are forced to face it, then you are in a terrible and desperate situation. The way to overcome this is to deal with it, by knowing it and knowing how to overcome it through the Lam Dre teachings.
Q: Must one take the opportunity to practice dharma upon oneself?
Of course. Basically with Buddhism everything you have to do it yourself. As the Buddha said, “Only you can save yourself. Nobody else can save you.” So the main help has to come from one’s own side. If one is ready, then deities are always ready. But if one is not ready, then deities cannot help.
Q: We hear about practitioners gaining realisation through Guru devotion. They have been put through many physical and mental and spiritual trials. Luding Khenchen Rinpoche said that if a Guru really put modern disciples through traditional Guru devotion practices, all the disciples would run away. How would modern and traditional Guru Devotion practices compare?
I think generally it is the same as before. But what Senior Luding Khen said is true. Modern people could not bear such hardships, so therefore we cannot do that kind of thing. We have to do things that are suitable with the present circumstances and it also depends on the individuals. Similarly speaking, in ancient times some people did not have much hardship, whereas some people have to go through a great deal.
Q: Can more be mentioned about female practitioners in the Sakya lineage?
There are, as you know, many, many female practitioners. JetsumaTenpei Nyima had so many disciples. Almost all the Sakya and Ngorpa masters received teachings from her. Also some Dagmo’s were also very famous. Indeed, one of the pioneers of the Sakya Teachers, Drogmi Lotsawa, who was the first Tibetan Lama to receive the Lam Dre teachings, had four female disciples. One of them I remember very clearly is Tömo Dorje Tso. She was not a nun but a very ordinary person. She came, in fact, from a very rich family and then she was married into another very rich family, and that family was very powerful. She gave birth to five sons. So then, they had wealth, manpower and everything. They were a very, very powerful family but somehow the people of the village didn’t like them. So, one day the whole village came and killed the father, killed all the five sons and took away all the wealth. Tömo Dorje Tso was left alone there. At that point, she was almost insane with grief, crying day and night and suffering so much. Then Drogmi Lotsawa heard about it. He saw that there was a connection between her and himself, and so he called for her. She was also one of the disciples who did not have to go through so much hardship. After she was called by him, Drogmi Lotsawa did not give her many teachings. He just gave her the Hevajra Cause empowerment and after that a “Beyond Thought” meditation, not the Vajrayogini but another one with Hevajra. Just by practicing that, within a very short period of time, she got the realisation. She became a very great Yogini and it is said that, in the later part of her life, she could travel between the different Buddha fields and then also return to her Tibetan residence.
Q:Tara is said to be staying in Potala, an island in the south. Her Buddha family is Amitabha, why isn't her Buddha-field in Sukhavati? Does anyone do prayers to be reborn in Potala ?
Potala is of course actually a physical place, but sometimes you can see it and sometimes you don’t see it at all. Every Buddha has his own Buddha-field. People do pray to be in Potala but it is not as popular as Sukhavati. It is very difficult for ordinary people with their obscurations to be born in Buddha-fields. But Buddha Amitabha especially created Sukhavati so that even those with negative karma, even those who have obscurations can be born there. So, we ordinary people should pray to be born there because it is actually possible. To be reborn in other Buddha-fields is not so easy.
Q: DoesTara protect and heal only those who call on her?
Actually it is just like the sun; the sun is all the time shining, but sometime we see it and sometime we don’t see it. Just like that,Tara is all the time showering her blessings to every sentient being, but some people, due to their lack of faith, belief and confidence, cannot receive that blessing. You see, in order to save someone you need the hook and the ring – Tara is all the time throwing out her hook of compassion to catch beings, but to be saved you need the ring of the faith. If you have the ring of the faith then the hook of compassion will be caught in that and then one will be saved.
Q: IsTara only for Buddhists?
Of course not.Tara sees all sentient beings as her only child. Every mother loves her child, particularly those mothers with only one child. In their minds, they are constantly thinking about that child, the welfare and well-being of that child. Tara has such great compassion and such great love that all sentient beings are her only child, without any discrimination or exception.
This Interview was requested by Pee Lee, April and Gabriela and conducted by Inge Kunga Soedron at Drolma Podrang,Rajpur , India
source: http://sg.geocities.com/sakyadrotonling/index.html
Q: Who is
Q:
There are male and female Buddhas just as there are male and female people. There are many female Buddhas, not just Tara and Vajrayogini; there are so many female deities! For some people it is much easier to practise female deities. It depends on one’s own karmic connections. For some, female deities are more suited, and for others, male deities are more suited. Although is it said, in terms of their wisdom, compassion and power, that all deities are the same, but due to their motherly figure it is easier to invoke the blessing of female deities.
Basically all the deities are the nature of compassion and emptiness; but
In actuality, of course, she is not a person because the true nature of
Q: We have heard many stories about
I do not have any personal experience as such, but
At this point, there was no officially recognised Khön lineage heir. Even though Zangpopa was alive, the people had doubts about Zangpopa’s father as his mother had not been an official queen. Zangpopa had been invited to
When Dharmapalarakshita (the 9th throne holder) passed away, the Emperor was distressed over his loss. Placing the bones of Dharmapala on his head, he cried. Because there was no issue in his Guru’s hereditary lineage and how sad it was. There had been only one daughter of the lineage, a princess, and when she passed away there were rainbows and her body had many relics. This altered the mind of the Emperor who now said that any connection to his Guru’s hereditary lineage, was holy.
At that time, Zangpopa was living in a distant part of
After he received that blessing, some Tibetan lamas helped the Emperor find Zangpopa. Being a nephew of Chogyal Phagpa, he was then recognized by the Emperor and was brought back to the palace. There he was officially enthroned as the Sakya Khön lineage prince. The Emperor then said, “It is very important to continue the historical lineage.” At this point he gave his own sister to Zangpopa as his queen. This emperor reigned in the Yön dynasty of the Mongol empire of
Q: What is the historical significance of Tara Temple in
It no longer exists. It was build by Bari Lotsawa. Actually it is said that
Q: What is the connection between
Actually our palace is not called Drolma Phodrang, it is called Pünphal Phodrang. But as the palace is right next to this very famous
Q: Could His Holiness say something about famous Sakya Female Practitioners? Upon which meditational deities did they concentrate?
Sakya has many, many very famous female practitioners. So many of them, even recently, for example Jetsuma Chime Tenpei Nyima, Jetsun Tamdring Wangmo, Jetsun Pema Thrinley. It seems that for most of them their main deity for practice was Vajrayogini.
There is one temple in Sakya where there is a very famous Vajrayogini statue. When I was there no one doing any pujas. But it is said that in ancient times, all the princesses, all those Jetsumas who were nuns, came together to this temple on every tenth and every twenty fifth day (of the lunar month) and did the puja. And it is said that this Vajrayogini statue was just like any other female in that every month there was menstrual flow from the statue, with nectar coming down from the statue.
Q: Is
No of course not, everybody can receive
Q: Can your Holiness tell us about the types of meditation that might be given at the “initiation” or “ blessing ceremony” ?
Initiations differ in the sense that there are major empowerments, there are blessings, and there are simple initiations. Taking as an example in a simple initiation, there are three kinds of meditations. First, physically visualising oneself in the form of the deity; then, verbally repeating the mantra, and finally, mentally meditating on the primordial wisdom, which is away from all descriptions, away from all activities, beyond speech, beyond thought. So this is the meditation.
Q: What happens at a Tara Initiation or Blessing Ceremony?
Initiations are all the same in the sense that, during the initiation, ones own body voice and mind are blessed. From that moment onwards, one is authorised to do the visualisation, recite the mantra, and do the meditation on primordial wisdom of
Q: How can we determine which Tantric practice would be most effective for ourselves?
I think it mainly depends on the individual. Some people are suited to the Kriya tantra, some are suited to the Carya tantra, some are suited to the Yoga tantra, and so on. Similarly for some people the
Q: Is there any special advice for today’s present female practitioners who have to balance family, work and spiritual life? Are there better conditions than in previous times?
In
Generally, convenience does not necessarily improve the practice. First of all, we are in a different time; this is a degenerated time! Nowadays, people do not possess so much faith or devotion, and have much more doubt than ancient times. Therefore it is much harder in these times. Even though it is easier to practice and to have access to the teachings, I feel the result takes much longer.
Q: Impermanence is always emphasized in the teachings, which in turn has created insecurity, in view of our relationships and careers. In Vajrayana, though, we are reminded to put our total trust in the Root Guru, until we gain enlightenment. Is this a contradiction of the impermanence teachings, which we are supposed to view things with detachment rather than attachment? Could your Holiness give some advice on how to balance impermanence with faith in the Guru?
I do not understand this (referring to the insecurity). Because everything is impermanent you need faith, I think. Because everything is impermanent, because life is impermanent, and we are going to die one day. We are going to lose all our possessions, and wealth and everything. At the time when we leave, our mental consciousness is alone travelling to an unknown destination, the only thing that one could seek for help is the Dharma. Dharma can only be learned from the Guru; so therefore you need faith and the trust in the Guru. Isn’t that so? I don’t see any conflict. A nice life is not what we are seeking for – this life is not nice, even the nicest life is not nice. Actually it is a suffering, just another kind of suffering. So we need to renounce this, we need to awake from this illusion. And the way to awake is with the support and help from the Guru and the Dharma.
Q: Similarly, when pondering the sufferings of hell and so forth, we sometimes feel panic rather than calm. If we cannot overcome our panic of while meditating on these fundamental teachings (in the Nang Sum), are we then really ready for further instructions, such as the Lam Dre teachings?
This again I don’t understand. You see, life is panic; everything is impermanent, and everything is suffering. If you try to avoid that, then you cannot overcome it. You cannot avoid it; that is a reality. We don’t want it, we want to live a really happy life. But the reality of it, though, is not happiness. The reality is suffering and that we can’t avoid. We have to face it, and only by facing it can we overcome it. Otherwise if you try to avoid it, you will still have to face it some time. And at that time, when you are forced to face it, then you are in a terrible and desperate situation. The way to overcome this is to deal with it, by knowing it and knowing how to overcome it through the Lam Dre teachings.
Q: Must one take the opportunity to practice dharma upon oneself?
Of course. Basically with Buddhism everything you have to do it yourself. As the Buddha said, “Only you can save yourself. Nobody else can save you.” So the main help has to come from one’s own side. If one is ready, then deities are always ready. But if one is not ready, then deities cannot help.
Q: We hear about practitioners gaining realisation through Guru devotion. They have been put through many physical and mental and spiritual trials. Luding Khenchen Rinpoche said that if a Guru really put modern disciples through traditional Guru devotion practices, all the disciples would run away. How would modern and traditional Guru Devotion practices compare?
I think generally it is the same as before. But what Senior Luding Khen said is true. Modern people could not bear such hardships, so therefore we cannot do that kind of thing. We have to do things that are suitable with the present circumstances and it also depends on the individuals. Similarly speaking, in ancient times some people did not have much hardship, whereas some people have to go through a great deal.
Q: Can more be mentioned about female practitioners in the Sakya lineage?
There are, as you know, many, many female practitioners. JetsumaTenpei Nyima had so many disciples. Almost all the Sakya and Ngorpa masters received teachings from her. Also some Dagmo’s were also very famous. Indeed, one of the pioneers of the Sakya Teachers, Drogmi Lotsawa, who was the first Tibetan Lama to receive the Lam Dre teachings, had four female disciples. One of them I remember very clearly is Tömo Dorje Tso. She was not a nun but a very ordinary person. She came, in fact, from a very rich family and then she was married into another very rich family, and that family was very powerful. She gave birth to five sons. So then, they had wealth, manpower and everything. They were a very, very powerful family but somehow the people of the village didn’t like them. So, one day the whole village came and killed the father, killed all the five sons and took away all the wealth. Tömo Dorje Tso was left alone there. At that point, she was almost insane with grief, crying day and night and suffering so much. Then Drogmi Lotsawa heard about it. He saw that there was a connection between her and himself, and so he called for her. She was also one of the disciples who did not have to go through so much hardship. After she was called by him, Drogmi Lotsawa did not give her many teachings. He just gave her the Hevajra Cause empowerment and after that a “Beyond Thought” meditation, not the Vajrayogini but another one with Hevajra. Just by practicing that, within a very short period of time, she got the realisation. She became a very great Yogini and it is said that, in the later part of her life, she could travel between the different Buddha fields and then also return to her Tibetan residence.
Q:
Potala is of course actually a physical place, but sometimes you can see it and sometimes you don’t see it at all. Every Buddha has his own Buddha-field. People do pray to be in Potala but it is not as popular as Sukhavati. It is very difficult for ordinary people with their obscurations to be born in Buddha-fields. But Buddha Amitabha especially created Sukhavati so that even those with negative karma, even those who have obscurations can be born there. So, we ordinary people should pray to be born there because it is actually possible. To be reborn in other Buddha-fields is not so easy.
Q: Does
Actually it is just like the sun; the sun is all the time shining, but sometime we see it and sometime we don’t see it. Just like that,
Q: Is
Of course not.
This Interview was requested by Pee Lee, April and Gabriela and conducted by Inge Kunga Soedron at Drolma Podrang,
source: http://sg.geocities.com/sakyadrotonling/index.html
Her Eminence Jetsun Kushok Chimey Luding, A Biography
Jetsün Kushok Chimey Luding
Jetsün Kushok Chimey Luding (Wyl. rje btsun 'chi med klu sdings) is one of the most respected female teachers of Tibetan Buddhism.
Born in 1938, she is the elder sister of the current head of the Sakya lineage, one of the four main schools of Tibetan Buddhism, she received much of her training alongside her brother, His Holiness the Sakya Trizin, from such legendary teachers as Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö. Devoting herself to Buddhist practices from an early age, she completed her first retreat at age 10. Many more important retreats like Hevajra, and Vajrayogini were to follow, enabling her to become one of fewer than a dozen masters (and one of the three women in the history of Sakya) who are qualified to transmit the Lamdré or "The Path that Together with its Results." Lamdré, like Dzogchen, Shyijé Chöd and Kalachakra Yogas, is among Tibet's "Eight Chariots," or unique and complete systems of practices leading to enlightenment. Jetsun Kushok gave her first transmission of the Lamdré, along with all the necessary empowerments, at age 17.
In 1959, Jetsün Kushok left Tibet in exile and, by way of India, eventually settled in Vancouver, Canada with her family in 1971. Struggling to care for her children and make a living in a new country, she had to partition her time between working as a knitwear designer and keeping up her meditation practices, often to the point of staying up all night. At the repeated request of the Sakya Trizin, Jetsün Kushok selflessly started to teach in Vancouver in the early 1980's and now all over the world. Beloved by all her students, Jetsün Kushok is both strict and warm, transmitting only genuine Buddhadharma in the traditional way, seasoned by her pragmatic experience of practicing and working in the West. Having overcome life's twists and turns with diligence and perseverance, Jetsün Kushok is an inspiration for Buddhists, both male and female, who are looking to integrate the Dharma with their daily lives.
She is spoken of as an emanation of Vajrayogini.
And Interview with Her Eminence Jetsun Kushok Chimey Luding
And Interview with Her Eminence Jetsun Kushok Chimey Luding
- Your Eminence, this is the first time that you have bestowed the 21 Taras in Australia. What advice do you have to us as to how to incorporate Green Tara both as individual practitioners and at our Centres?
- My observation is that as a group you have done pretty well, with regard to having this retreat centre and that you have even bigger projects for the future. You are already doing Green Tara Puja at the Centre every day and have made her the main deity of your group practices. Goddess Tara is a goddess of enlightened activities. The fact that you are doing this and that you keep doing this is very good and will be very helpful.
As individual practitioners, do the sadhana for Goddess Tara every day, if possible. If you are not able to do this, memorize the Praises to Tara in either tibetan or English and recite it at least three times for activities that you do: visualizing Goddess Tara in the space in front of you and yourself as an ordinary person. You can also recite these prayers when walking or driving. Reciting praises to Green Tara has enormous benefit.
- Your Eminence, who are your teachers? Did you have a guru teacher relationship with His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche?
- My teachers include my father: Ngakchang Ngawang Kunga Rinchen, Dampa Rinpoche Zhenphen Nyingpo, Khangsar Shabdrung Ngawang Lodro Nyinpo, Lama Ngaklo Rinpoche, His Holiness Sakya Trizin and His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche. His eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche is one of the main teachers of His Holiness Sakya Trizin. I myself have received teachings from him and have great faith and deep respect for him. His Eminence has been so kind in his activities to the Sakya tradition. Ever since I received Hevajra Cause and Path empowerment from Chogye Rinpoche in 1988 in my home in Vancouver, I have been able to keep my daily Hevajra practice. So His Eminence's kindness to me is inexpressible. Also, because I have received the White Tara empowerment from His Eminence, I'm blessed with good health and able to serve the Dharma.
- All of our sister centres are under His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche's Holy Umbrella. What is your advice for us now that He has passed away?
- His Eminence has given teachings to all the students, so it is important that all of you practice the teachings that he has given. It is good to maintain the samayas and the vows as purely as one can.
Generally speaking, whether one's guru is alive or whether one's guru has changed realms so to speak, from the side of the guru there is no discrimination, the compassion of the guru is similar. The guru is a bodhisattva and the bodhisattva's love and compassion has no discrimination as to whether someone is close or far. From the side of the disciple, whatever teachings and empowerments that you have received from the guru, it is important that you maintain the practices as they will be of enormous benefit.
Regarding your reference about the sister centres - this is similar to having a sister as you have all received teachings from the guru. It is important that you keep a good relationship with the other Sakya centres as sisters also. Maintain pure samayas (pledges) and foster connectedness, friendship, affinity and love between you.
- Your Eminence, many women are inspired by you. You are a mother and a great practitioner. What advice do you have for us about balancing the roles that we have?
- When I look at myself I do not think of myself as if I have some sort of power or ability. Since I have been living in the West, I have maintained my practices as well as having to work. Where my practice is concerned, I have made samayas from my masters to do certain practices so I have made the concession that I have to sleep less. I get up early to do my practices and then I do my work. It is very important to be decisive; when you are, then things get easier. If one's mind is not decisive, then it becomes difficult. In the West as soon as people stand up they say they are tired and this makes it difficult. Whatever I have to do, whether it is working at home or looking after the kids or the cleaning and so on, I am decisive because that is what I have decided to do. This helps.
(taken from the Clear Mind newsletter of Sakya Losal Choe Dzong, Australia 11/12 2007 #82)
http://tibetanbuddhism.tribe.net/thread/957216de-0856-4296-bcfd-ee60450cd5ce
- Your Eminence, this is the first time that you have bestowed the 21 Taras in Australia. What advice do you have to us as to how to incorporate Green Tara both as individual practitioners and at our Centres?
- My observation is that as a group you have done pretty well, with regard to having this retreat centre and that you have even bigger projects for the future. You are already doing Green Tara Puja at the Centre every day and have made her the main deity of your group practices. Goddess Tara is a goddess of enlightened activities. The fact that you are doing this and that you keep doing this is very good and will be very helpful.
As individual practitioners, do the sadhana for Goddess Tara every day, if possible. If you are not able to do this, memorize the Praises to Tara in either tibetan or English and recite it at least three times for activities that you do: visualizing Goddess Tara in the space in front of you and yourself as an ordinary person. You can also recite these prayers when walking or driving. Reciting praises to Green Tara has enormous benefit.
- Your Eminence, who are your teachers? Did you have a guru teacher relationship with His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche?
- My teachers include my father: Ngakchang Ngawang Kunga Rinchen, Dampa Rinpoche Zhenphen Nyingpo, Khangsar Shabdrung Ngawang Lodro Nyinpo, Lama Ngaklo Rinpoche, His Holiness Sakya Trizin and His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche. His eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche is one of the main teachers of His Holiness Sakya Trizin. I myself have received teachings from him and have great faith and deep respect for him. His Eminence has been so kind in his activities to the Sakya tradition. Ever since I received Hevajra Cause and Path empowerment from Chogye Rinpoche in 1988 in my home in Vancouver, I have been able to keep my daily Hevajra practice. So His Eminence's kindness to me is inexpressible. Also, because I have received the White Tara empowerment from His Eminence, I'm blessed with good health and able to serve the Dharma.
- All of our sister centres are under His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche's Holy Umbrella. What is your advice for us now that He has passed away?
- His Eminence has given teachings to all the students, so it is important that all of you practice the teachings that he has given. It is good to maintain the samayas and the vows as purely as one can.
Generally speaking, whether one's guru is alive or whether one's guru has changed realms so to speak, from the side of the guru there is no discrimination, the compassion of the guru is similar. The guru is a bodhisattva and the bodhisattva's love and compassion has no discrimination as to whether someone is close or far. From the side of the disciple, whatever teachings and empowerments that you have received from the guru, it is important that you maintain the practices as they will be of enormous benefit.
Regarding your reference about the sister centres - this is similar to having a sister as you have all received teachings from the guru. It is important that you keep a good relationship with the other Sakya centres as sisters also. Maintain pure samayas (pledges) and foster connectedness, friendship, affinity and love between you.
- Your Eminence, many women are inspired by you. You are a mother and a great practitioner. What advice do you have for us about balancing the roles that we have?
- When I look at myself I do not think of myself as if I have some sort of power or ability. Since I have been living in the West, I have maintained my practices as well as having to work. Where my practice is concerned, I have made samayas from my masters to do certain practices so I have made the concession that I have to sleep less. I get up early to do my practices and then I do my work. It is very important to be decisive; when you are, then things get easier. If one's mind is not decisive, then it becomes difficult. In the West as soon as people stand up they say they are tired and this makes it difficult. Whatever I have to do, whether it is working at home or looking after the kids or the cleaning and so on, I am decisive because that is what I have decided to do. This helps.
(taken from the Clear Mind newsletter of Sakya Losal Choe Dzong, Australia 11/12 2007 #82)
http://tibetanbuddhism.tribe.net/thread/957216de-0856-4296-bcfd-ee60450cd5ce
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Care for animals: more happiness in human life.
>> June 29, 2010
With hearty welcome to puppy Lucy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyXFyXK0Cj4&NR=1
"Beerwah, Australia — With creatures great and small around him, the Dalai Lama called Wednesday for a halt to lab experiments on animals and made the case for eating only fruits and vegetables - all at the zoo of the late "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin.
The spiritual head of Tibetan Buddhists delicately handled a Burmese python and petted a koala as he was feted like a rock star at Australia Zoo, speaking to a sold-out crowd of 5,000 at its open-air "Crocoseum."
"Hunting, beef, sheep farms, piggeries, millions, billions, die," the Dalai Lama said. "We can be so cruel to animals."
Although he sometimes sparked laughter with his remarks, the Dalai Lama's 30-minute address also had a more serious note: He criticized companies and organizations that he said "remain indifferent" to the rights of animals by experimenting on them.
Irwin, host of the TV wildlife show "Crocodile Hunter," died last September when the barb from a stingray pierced his chest while he was diving on the Great Barrier Reef.
The Dalai Lama thanked Irwin's family for their support of wildlife.
"Taking care of animals is essential to developing more happiness in human beings," he said. "I appreciate Steve Irwin and his wife, Terri, all their dedication."
The hourlong zoo tour was a change for the Dalai Lama, whose trip to Australia has prompted lawmakers to express concern about meetings with the man China considers an exiled troublemaker.
After weeks of hedging, Prime Minister John Howard agreed to see the Dalai Lama on Friday. Howard is anxious not to offend Beijing because Australia's economy is closely tied to China's booming demand for natural resources.
China, which rules Tibet, has used diplomatic pressure to discourage governments from meeting with the Dalai Lama, and Beijing immediately criticized Howard's decision to see him.
The Dalai Lama, his long red robe flapping in the wind, received a standing ovation as he took the stage at the Crocoseum on a sunny but crisp winter morning.
Some of the crowd waved Buddhist prayer flags, and about a dozen Australian native birds, including black cockatoos and rainbow lorikeets, unexpectedly flew into the stadium just as he began speaking.
The Dalai Lama described the benefits of being a vegetarian, saying he became meat, dairy and egg-free in 1965, although he acknowledges he now eats meat occasionally. He said he used to buy animals to save them from the slaughterhouses when he was a young man in Tibet.
Asked to speak about the importance of family, the Dalai Lama urged parents to show as much compassion as possible to their children, and suggested that children be taught "warmheartedness" as part of the school curriculum.
The 71-year-old admitted he's not sure how he'd cope as a parent.
"I'm a monk, so I have no children ... but I may lose my temper," he said with a laugh.
The Dalai Lama's visit ended when Terri Irwin and her children, Bindi and Bob, came on stage, with Bindi carrying a koala.
"He is rather lazy ... just like myself," the Dalai Lama joked of the koala before presenting the Irwin family with Buddhist white scarves, or katas, which are used to signal the positive start of new relationships."
Picture Dalai Lama with Koala: http://www2.ljworld.com/photos/2007/jun/14/126573/
Worldly pursuits.
>> June 27, 2010
"All worldly pursuits have but the one unavoidable end, which is sorrow: acquisitions end in dispersion; buildings in destruction; meetings in separation; births, in death. Knowing this, one should, from the very first, renounce acquisition and heaping up, and building, and meeting; and faithful to the commands of an eminent guru, set about realizing the Truth (which has no birth or death)."
Milarepa
10 Facts About Tibet
>> June 26, 2010
1. The invasion of Tibet began in 1949. Chinese occupation has resulted in the death of over one million Tibetans, the destruction of over 6,000 monasteries, nunneries and temples, and the imprisonment and torture of thousands of Tibetans.
2. The Dalai Lama*, Tibet's political and spiritual leader, fled Tibet in 1959 to Dharamsala, India, followed by over 100,000 Tibetans and established the Tibetan Government-in Exile. In 1989, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for a steadfast dedication to non-violence.
3. Tibet, before occupation, was a nation with an established sovereign government, currency, postal system, language, legal system, and culture. Prior to 1950, the Tibetan government also signed treaties with foreign nations. The Chinese government claims that Tibet has always been part of China, yet its invasion of Tibet resembles imperialist aggression that China accuses other powers of exhibiting.
4. The "Tibetan Autonomous Region" (TAR) is not Tibet, nor is it autonomous. The Chinese government has divided historical Tibet into one region and several prefectures and counties, with the TAR encompassing only the central area and some eastern regions of Tibet.
5. The basic freedoms of speech, religion, and assembly are strictly limited, and arbitrary arrests continue. There are currently hundreds of political prisoners in Tibet, enduring a commonplace punishment of torture.
6. The Chinese government increasingly encourages Han Chinese to migrate to Tibet, offering them higher wages and other inducements. This policy is threatening the survival of Tibetan people. Tibetans are becoming a minority in the TAR. Yearly, thousands of Tibetans still flee from Tibet, making the treacherous journey over the Himalayas into a world of exile.
7. Historical Tibet was a vast country, with an area roughly equal to Western Europe. Tibet is the source of five of Asia's largest rivers, which provide water for two billion people. Tibet's fragile environment is endangered by Chinese strip-mining, nuclear waste dumping, and extensive deforestation.
8. The Chinese government claims to have “developed” Tibet, with “developments” mainly benefiting the new majority Chinese, not Tibetans. China, neglecting education and healthcare, has spent millions of dollars building infrastructure; many roads, buildings, and power plants directly support heavy militarization, allowing China to maintain Tibet as a police state.
9. The Chinese government aggressively seeks foreign investment for its “Go West” campaign, with use of these international funds to develop Tibet as a resource extraction colony and consolidate regional control. Foreign investments in Chinese companies legitimise China's colonisation and exploitative projects that harm Tibet.
10. The United Nations and international community have done very little to address the core issue of China’s illegal occupation of Tibet. China represents an enormous market and cheap labour force, and its associated businesses have such a strong lobby that officials are reluctant to take substantive measures. Since western countries adopted policies of so-called “constructive engagement” with China in the 1990s, the human rights situation in Tibet has only deteriorated.
-Source
Tibet Online
This is a very excellent website, I recommend taking a peek.
Tibet Online
There's tons of accurate news, cultural information, activist information, links to other important Tibet sites, and information about the state of Tibet today. And much more!
Lamdre in July
His Holiness the Sakya Trizin will be giving Lamdre teachings July of this year. Here's a link to his 2010 schedule:
http://www.hhthesakyatrizin.org/calendars/2010/10_7.html
Interesting Contest
>> June 17, 2010
Enter the Soul’s Code Contest!
www.soulscode.com
Soul's Code would like YOU to win one of three meaning to pause® bracelets! The meaning to pause® bracelet was created by Cindy Graham and Krizia Irish in 2008.
Compassion and the Individual
Compassion and the Individual
Posted by The LLHHDL Team on August 29, 2009
Tenzin Gyatso; The Fourteenth Dalai Lama
The purpose of life
ONE GREAT QUESTION underlies our experience, whether we think about it consciously or not: What is the purpose of life? I have considered this question and would like to share my thoughts in the hope that they may be of direct, practical benefit to those who read them.
I believe that the purpose of life is to be happy. From the moment of birth, every human being wants happiness and does not want suffering. Neither social conditioning nor education nor ideology affect this. From the very core of our being, we simply desire contentment. I don't know whether the universe, with its countless galaxies, stars and planets, has a deeper meaning or not, but at the very least, it is clear that we humans who live on this earth face the task of making a happy life for ourselves. Therefore, it is important to discover what will bring about the greatest degree of happiness.
How to achieve happiness
For a start, it is possible to divide every kind of happiness and suffering into two main categories: mental and physical. Of the two, it is the mind that exerts the greatest influence on most of us. Unless we are either gravely ill or deprived of basic necessities, our physical condition plays a secondary role in life. If the body is content, we virtually ignore it. The mind, however, registers every event, no matter how small. Hence we should devote our most serious efforts to bringing about mental peace.
From my own limited experience I have found that the greatest degree of inner tranquility comes from the development of love and compassion.
The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater our own sense of well-being becomes. Cultivating a close, warm-hearted feeling for others automatically puts the mind at ease. This helps remove whatever fears or insecurities we may have and gives us the strength to cope with any obstacles we encounter. It is the ultimate source of success in life.
As long as we live in this world we are bound to encounter problems. If, at such times, we lose hope and become discouraged, we diminish our ability to face difficulties. If, on the other hand, we remember that it is not just ourselves but every one who has to undergo suffering, this more realistic perspective will increase our determination and capacity to overcome troubles. Indeed, with this attitude, each new obstacle can be seen as yet another valuable opportunity to improve our mind!
Thus we can strive gradually to become more compassionate, that is we can develop both genuine sympathy for others' suffering and the will to help remove their pain. As a result, our own serenity and inner strength will increase.
Our need for love
Ultimately, the reason why love and compassion bring the greatest happiness is simply that our nature cherishes them above all else. The need for love lies at the very foundation of human existence. It results from the profound interdependence we all share with one another. However capable and skillful an individual may be, left alone, he or she will not survive. However vigorous and independent one may feel during the most prosperous periods of life, when one is sick or very young or very old, one must depend on the support of others.
Inter-dependence, of course, is a fundamental law of nature. Not only higher forms of life but also many of the smallest insects are social beings who, without any religion, law or education, survive by mutual cooperation based on an innate recognition of their interconnectedness. The most subtle level of material phenomena is also governed by interdependence. All phenomena from the planet we inhabit to the oceans, clouds, forests and flowers that surround us, arise in dependence upon subtle patterns of energy. Without their proper interaction, they dissolve and decay.
It is because our own human existence is so dependent on the help of others that our need for love lies at the very foundation of our existence. Therefore we need a genuine sense of responsibility and a sincere concern for the welfare of others.
We have to consider what we human beings really are. We are not like machine-made objects. If we are merely mechanical entities, then machines themselves could alleviate all of our sufferings and fulfill our needs.
However, since we are not solely material creatures, it is a mistake to place all our hopes for happiness on external development alone. Instead, we should consider our origins and nature to discover what we require.
Leaving aside the complex question of the creation and evolution of our universe, we can at least agree that each of us is the product of our own parents. In general, our conception took place not just in the context of sexual desire but from our parents' decision to have a child. Such decisions are founded on responsibility and altruism - the parents compassionate commitment to care of their child until it is able to take care of itself. Thus, from the very moment of our conception, our parents' love is directly in our creation.
Moreover, we are completely dependent upon our mothers' care from the earliest stages of our growth. According to some scientists, a pregnant woman's mental state, be it calm or agitated, has a direct physical effect on her unborn child.
The expression of love is also very important at the time of birth. Since the very first thing we do is suck milk from our mothers' breast, we naturally feel close to her, and she must feel love for us in order to feed us properly; if she feels anger or resentment her milk may not flow freely.
Then there is the critical period of brain development from the time of birth up to at least the age of three or four, during which time loving physical contact is the single most important factor for the normal growth of the child. If the child is not held, hugged, cuddled, or loved, its development will be impaired and its brain will not mature properly.
Since a child cannot survive without the care of others, love is its most important nourishment. The happiness of childhood, the allaying of the child's many fears and the healthy development of its self-confidence all depend directly upon love.
Nowadays, many children grow up in unhappy homes. If they do not receive proper affection, in later life they will rarely love their parents and, not infrequently, will find it hard to love others. This is very sad.
As children grow older and enter school, their need for support must be met by their teachers. If a teacher not only imparts academic education but also assumes responsibility for preparing students for life, his or her pupils will feel trust and respect and what has been taught will leave an indelible impression on their minds. On the other hand, subjects taught by a teacher who does not show true concern for his or her students' overall well-being will be regarded as temporary and not retained for long.
Similarly, if one is sick and being treated in hospital by a doctor who evinces a warm human feeling, one feels at ease and the doctors' desire to give the best possible care is itself curative, irrespective of the degree of his or her technical skill. On the other hand, if one's doctor lacks human feeling and displays an unfriendly expression, impatience or casual disregard, one will feel anxious, even if he or she is the most highly qualified doctor and the disease has been correctly diagnosed and the right medication prescribed. Inevitably, patients' feelings make a difference to the quality and completeness of their recovery.
Even when we engage in ordinary conversation in everyday life, if someone speaks with human feeling we enjoy listening, and respond accordingly; the whole conversation becomes interesting, however unimportant the topic may be. On the other hand, if a person speaks coldly or harshly, we feel uneasy and wish for a quick end to the interaction. From the least to the most important event, the affection and respect of others are vital for our happiness.
Recently I met a group of scientists in America who said that the rate of mental illness in their country was quite high-around twelve percent of the population. It became clear during our discussion that the main cause of depression was not a lack of material necessities but a deprivation of the affection of the others.
So, as you can see from everything I have written so far, one thing seems clear to me: whether or not we are consciously aware of it, from the day we are born, the need for human affection is in our very blood. Even if the affection comes from an animal or someone we would normally consider an enemy, both children and adults will naturally gravitate towards it.
I believe that no one is born free from the need for love. And this demonstrates that, although some modern schools of thought seek to do so, human beings cannot be defined as solely physical. No material object, however beautiful or valuable, can make us feel loved, because our deeper identity and true character lie in the subjective nature of the mind.
Developing compassion
Some of my friends have told me that, while love and compassion are marvelous and good, they are not really very relevant. Our world, they say, is not a place where such beliefs have much influence or power. They claim that anger and hatred are so much a part of human nature that humanity will always be dominated by them. I do not agree.
We humans have existed in our present form for about a hundred-thousand years. I believe that if during this time the human mind had been primarily controlled by anger and hatred, our overall population would have decreased. But today, despite all our wars, we find that the human population is greater than ever. This clearly indicates to me that love and compassion predominate in the world. And this is why unpleasant events are news, compassionate activities are so much part of daily life that they are taken for granted and, therefore, largely ignored.
So far I have been discussing mainly the mental benefits of compassion, but it contributes to good physical health as well, According to my personal experience, mental stability and physical well-being are directly related. Without question, anger and agitation make us more susceptible to illness. On the other hand, if the mind is tranquil and occupied with positive thoughts, the body will not easily fall prey to disease.
But of course it is also true that we all have an innate self-centeredness that inhibits our love for others. So, since we desire the true happiness that is brought about by only a calm mind, and since such peace of mind is brought about by only a compassionate attitude, how can we develop this? Obviously, it is not enough for us simply to think about how nice compassion is! We need to make a concerted effort to develop it; we must use all the events of our daily life to transform our thoughts and behavior.
First of all, we must be clear about what we mean by compassion. Many forms of compassionate feeling are mixed with desire and attachment. For instance, the love parents feel of their child is often strongly associated with their own emotional needs, so it is not fully compassionate. Again, in marriage, the love between husband and wife - particularly at the beginning, when each partner still may not know the other's deeper character very well - depends more on attachment than genuine love. Our desire can be so strong that the person to whom we are attached appears to be good, when in fact he or she is very negative. In addition, we have a tendency to exaggerate small positive qualities. Thus when one partner's attitude changes, the other partner is often disappointed and his or her attitude changes too. This is an indication that love has been motivated more by personal need than by genuine care for the other individual.
True compassion is not just an emotional response but a firm commitment founded on reason. Therefore, a truly compassionate attitude towards others does not change even if they behave negatively.
Of course, developing this kind of compassion is not at all easy! As a start, let us consider the following facts:
Whether people are beautiful and friendly or unattractive and disruptive, ultimately they are human beings, just like oneself. Like oneself, they want happiness and do not want suffering. Furthermore, their right to overcome suffering and be happy is equal to one's own. Now, when you recognize that all beings are equal in both their desire for happiness and their right to obtain it, you automatically feel empathy and closeness for them. Through accustoming your mind to this sense of universal altruism, you develop a feeling of responsibility for others: the wish to help them actively overcome their problems. Nor is this wish selective; it applies equally to all. As long as they are human beings experiencing pleasure and pain just as you do, there is no logical basis to discriminate between them or to alter your concern for them if they behave negatively.
Let me emphasize that it is within your power, given patience and time, to develop this kind of compassion. Of course, our self-centeredness, our distinctive attachment to the feeling of an independent, self-existent �I�, works fundamentally to inhibit our compassion. Indeed, true compassion can be experienced only when this type of self- grasping is eliminated. But this does not mean that we cannot start and make progress now.
How can we start
We should begin by removing the greatest hindrances to compassion: anger and hatred. As we all know, these are extremely powerful emotions and they can overwhelm our entire mind. Nevertheless, they can be controlled. If, however, they are not, these negative emotions will plague us - with no extra effort on their part! - and impede our quest for the happiness of a loving mind.
So as a start, it is useful to investigate whether or not anger is of value. Sometimes, when we are discouraged by a difficult situation, anger does seem helpful, appearing to bring with it more energy, confidence and determination.
Here, though, we must examine our mental state carefully. While itis true that anger brings extra energy, if we explore the nature of this energy, we discover that it is blind: we cannot be sure whether its result will be positive or negative. This is because anger eclipses the best part of our brain: its rationality. So the energy of anger is almost always unreliable. It can cause an immense amount of destructive, unfortunate behavior. Moreover, if anger increases to the extreme, one becomes like a mad person, acting in ways that are as damaging to oneself as they are to others.
It is possible, however, to develop an equally forceful but far more controlled energy with which to handle difficult situations.
This controlled energy comes not only from a compassionate attitude, but also from reason and patience. These are the most powerful antidotes to anger. Unfortunately, many people misjudge these qualities as signs of weakness. I believe the opposite to be true: that they are the true signs of inner strength. Compassion is by nature gentle, peaceful and soft, but it is very powerful. It is those who easily lose their patience who are insecure and unstable. Thus, to me, the arousal of anger is a direct sign of weakness.
So, when a problem first arises, try to remain humble and maintain a sincere attitude and be concerned that the outcome is fair. Of course, others may try to take advantage of you, and if your remaining detached only encourages unjust aggression, adopt a strong stand, This, however, should be done with compassion, and if it is necessary to express your views and take strong countermeasures, do so without anger or ill-intent.
You should realize that even though your opponents appear to be harming you, in the end, their destructive activity will damage only themselves. In order to check your own selfish impulse to retaliate, you should recall your desire to practice compassion and assume responsibility for helping prevent the other person from suffering the consequences of his or her acts.
Thus, because the measures you employ have been calmly chosen, they will be more effective, more accurate and more forceful. Retaliation based on the blind energy of anger seldom hits the target.
Friends and enemies
I must emphasize again that merely thinking that compassion and reason and patience are good will not be enough to develop them. We must wait for difficulties to arise and then attempt to practice them.
And who creates such opportunities? Not our friends, of course, but our enemies. They are the ones who give us the most trouble, So if we truly wish to learn, we should consider enemies to be our best teacher!
For a person who cherishes compassion and love, the practice of tolerance is essential, and for that, an enemy is indispensable. So we should feel grateful to our enemies, for it is they who can best help us develop a tranquil mind! Also, itis often the case in both personal and public life, that with a change in circumstances, enemies become friends.
So anger and hatred are always harmful, and unless we train our minds and work to reduce their negative force, they will continue to disturb us and disrupt our attempts to develop a calm mind. Anger and hatred are our real enemies. These are the forces we most need to confront and defeat, not the temporary enemies who appear intermittently throughout life.
Of course, it is natural and right that we all want friends. I often joke that if you really want to be selfish, you should be very altruistic! You should take good care of others, be concerned for their welfare, help them, serve them, make more friends, make more smiles, The result? When you yourself need help, you find plenty of helpers! If, on the other hand, you neglect the happiness of others, in the long term you will be the loser. And is friendship produced through quarrels and anger, jealousy and intense competitiveness? I do not think so. Only affection brings us genuine close friends.
In today's materialistic society, if you have money and power, you seem to have many friends. But they are not friends of yours; they are the friends of your money and power. When you lose your wealth and influence, you will find it very difficult to track these people down.
The trouble is that when things in the world go well for us, we become confident that we can manage by ourselves and feel we do not need friends, but as our status and health decline, we quickly realize how wrong we were. That is the moment when we learn who is really helpful and who is completely useless. So to prepare for that moment, to make genuine friends who will help us when the need arises, we ourselves must cultivate altruism!
Though sometimes people laugh when I say it, I myself always want more friends. I love smiles. Because of this I have the problem of knowing how to make more friends and how to get more smiles, in particular, genuine smiles. For there are many kinds of smile, such as sarcastic, artificial or diplomatic smiles. Many smiles produce no feeling of satisfaction, and sometimes they can even create suspicion or fear, can't they? But a genuine smile really gives us a feeling of freshness and is, I believe, unique to human beings. If these are the smiles we want, then we ourselves must create the reasons for them to appear.
Compassion and the world
In conclusion, I would like briefly to expand my thoughts beyond the topic of this short piece and make a wider point: individual happiness can contribute in a profound and effective way to the overall improvement of our entire human community.
Because we all share an identical need for love, it is possible to feel that anybody we meet, in whatever circumstances, is a brother or sister. No matter how new the face or how different the dress and behavior, there is no significant division between us and other people. It is foolish to dwell on external differences, because our basic natures are the same.
Ultimately, humanity is one and this small planet is our only home, If we are to protect this home of ours, each of us needs to experience a vivid sense of universal altruism. It is only this feeling that can remove the self-centered motives that cause people to deceive and misuse one another.
If you have a sincere and open heart, you naturally feel self- worth and confidence, and there is no need to be fearful of others.
I believe that at every level of society - familial, tribal, national and international - the key to a happier and more successful world is the growth of compassion. We do not need to become religious, nor do we need to believe in an ideology. All that is necessary is for each of us to develop our good human qualities.
I try to treat whoever I meet as an old friend. This gives me a genuine feeling of happiness. It is the practice of compassion.
Source
A Good Friend
>> June 16, 2010
"A good friend who points out mistakes and imperfections and rebukes evil is to be respected as if he reveals the secret of some hidden treasure." - His Holiness the Dalai Lama
Shared with you by the LLHHDL Team
Audio Recordings of "In the Buddha's Words"
>> June 15, 2010
Bhikkhu Bodhi's lectures based on his book "In the Buddha's Words" are available here: Click me
The audio makes this outstanding introduction to the Pali Canon even more useful and instructive...
The book is based on the scheme he came up with for the MN course, but makes a lot of use of SN Suttas to illuminate the crucial areas.
Thanks to Mike at Dharma Wheel
Dharma Wheel Forum
Dharma Wheel is starting to pick up more. That's good. I woke up to find a slew of new posts and some new members there. But most importantly, Silent Bob is registered at DW.
Read more...Tweeting?
>> June 14, 2010
Twitter is weird! I was just reading some tweets. It's just so very exposed and out there. I thought blogging was weird anyhow, but twitter is really strange.
But I heard HHDL tweets. Wish I could find his...
Amulets, I know I'm not a Nyingma
I know I'm not a Nyingma but I don't care. I have a ghau that needs proper filling. This site is really cool.
Sky Dancer Press
Good Tibetan Buddhism Calendar
>> June 13, 2010
Here is a good Tibetan Buddhism calendar to use:
Click here
I spoke
>> June 12, 2010
I spoke at the services today. People approached me after that to thank me, and there were some tears. I hope I did okay; I felt so nervous and self-conscious afterwards. But I'm glad I did it, Anna was very special and her life was precious.
Read more...Universal Responsibility
"If you must be selfish, then be wise and not narrow-minded in your selfishness. The key point lies in the sense of universal responsibility. That is the real source of strength, the real source of happiness. If we exploit everything available, such as trees, water and minerals, and if we don´t plan for our next generation, for the future, then we´re at fault, aren´t we? However, if we have a genuine sense of universal responsibility as our central motivation, then our relations with the environment, and with all our neighbours, will be well balanced."
- His Holiness the Dalai Lama
Yangjin Lamu Yoga-Prajna Heart Sutra
>> June 10, 2010
Yangjin Lamu Yoga- Prajna Heart Sutra / 央金拉姆- 西藏天籟女聲- 涅槃心經
Yangjin Luma, a legendary woman from Tibet, sings out the voice of Heaven, the voice of earth and the voice of your heart. The combination of western folk instruments, such as guitar, banjo, and mandolin, ...Yangjin Lamu- Yangjin Lamu Yoga- Prajna Heart Sutra / 央金拉姆- 西藏天籟女聲- 涅槃心
-Courtesy of Lise Ryder on Facebook
Obituary
>> June 09, 2010
I wrote up an obituary for a friend today. She was my next door neighbor too. Over the last four years I grew quite attached to her. She had a son with mental illness and when my anxiety or craziness was acting up she knew just the words for me, and just the way to say them that just made it all stop dead in its tracks. She was so smart. And her humor and realness were so wonderful. She was one of the most real people I'd ever met.
I'm poor, I have very little money. On Christmas she spent her own money (and she made $8.00 per hour) to buy my daughter gifts, and she got us a tree every year. She cared about people. Not just me, or my daughter, but she cared about everyone.
I keep thinking that I need to pour an extra cup of coffee, black, to take to her so we can have our morning coffee. And then I was tasked this morning with the obituary. The word itself "obituary" made my stomach hurt.
I know death is a reality of life, suffering is a foundation of Buddhist understanding. But it doesn't always make it hurt less. I miss Anna a lot, every day.
The Bonpo's Tradition Before Tibetan Buddhism
>> June 07, 2010
The Bonpo's Tradition before Tibetan Buddhism...
Tibet's oldest spiritual tradition is Bon religion. 'Tonpa Shenrab', the founder of this religion, said to have been born in the mythical land of Olmo Lung Ring, renounced the world at the age of 30. Like all 'Bodisattvas' he lead a life of austerity and helped people out of their misery and suffering. During his time he arrived in Tibet in the region of Mount Kailash known as 'The Land of Zhang Zhung'...the historical principal seat of Bon Culture and doctrine.
Today, His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala the Head of Tibetan Buddhism has stressed the importance of preserving the traditions of Bon religion as the indigenous source of ancient Tibetan culture. The doctrine taught by Tonpa Shenrab are classified into two types..'The Four Portals and One Treasury' and 'The Nine Ways of Bon.' The Nine ways of Bon is further synthesised into three : The first four as the 'Casual Ways', the second four as the 'Resultant Ways' and the ninth one as the 'Way of Great Completion!' These are all contained in the Bon Canon compromising more than 200 volumes under four sections. The 'Sutras'..the 'Prefection of Wisdom'.. the 'Tantras'..and last is 'Knowledge'.
With the increasing patronage of Tibetan Buddhism, Bon religion was not into practice from the 08th to the 11th century. However from the 11th century it emerged again inspite of Rituals of Tibetan Buddhism with the efforts of Bon scholars. Menri and Yungdrung in Tibet and Tashi Menri Ling in Himachal Pradesh, India are famous Bon monasteries for study of this religion today.
The Bonpo's Tradition before Tibetan Buddhism...
Tibet's oldest spiritual tradition is Bon religion. 'Tonpa Shenrab', the founder of this religion, said to have been born in the mythical land of Olmo Lung Ring, renounced the world at the age of 30. Like all 'Bodisattvas' he lead a life of austerity and helped people out of their misery and suffering. During his time he arrived in Tibet in the region of Mount Kailash known as 'The Land of Zhang Zhung'...the historical principal seat of Bon Culture and doctrine.
Today, His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala the Head of Tibetan Buddhism has stressed the importance of preserving the traditions of Bon religion as the indigenous source of ancient Tibetan culture. The doctrine taught by Tonpa Shenrab are classified into two types..'The Four Portals and One Treasury' and 'The Nine Ways of Bon.' The Nine ways of Bon is further synthesised into three : The first four as the 'Casual Ways', the second four as the 'Resultant Ways' and the ninth one as the 'Way of Great Completion!' These are all contained in the Bon Canon compromising more than 200 volumes under four sections. The 'Sutras'..the 'Prefection of Wisdom'.. the 'Tantras'..and last is 'Knowledge'.
With the increasing patronage of Tibetan Buddhism, Bon religion was not into practice from the 08th to the 11th century. However from the 11th century it emerged again inspite of Rituals of Tibetan Buddhism with the efforts of Bon scholars. Menri and Yungdrung in Tibet and Tashi Menri Ling in Himachal Pradesh, India are famous Bon monasteries for study of this religion today.
Source: http://www.dalai-lama-dharma-dharamsala-miniguide.com/Tibetan-Buddhism.html
Sunyata as a Remedy for Ignorance and Suffering
Ignorance
Motivated by compassion, the wise teach sunyata as a remedy for suffering. According to Madhyamika, the root of all suffering lies in the ignorance of clinging, the error of mistaking the relative for the absolute, the conditioned for the unconditioned. We take imagined separation as real, supposed division as given. By virtue of self- consciousness, we have an awareness of the unconditioned reflected in our conditioned nature, a sense of the real. But under ignorance we do not discriminate between the unconditioned and conditioned, causing us to confuse them and take the relative as absolute. "The error of misplaced absoluteness, the seizing of the determinate as itself ultimate, is the root-error."[116] Sunyata is the antithesis to this error, the antidote for suffering.
The most important instance of this error of misplaced absoluteness is with regard to our own selves: "The intellect, owing to the operation of ignorance, wrongly transfers its sense of unconditionedness which is its ultimate nature to itself in its mundane nature."[117] Thus, inherent existence is wrongly applied to the mind-body complex; we take our determinate, conditioned existence as unconditioned and self-existent. In this way there arises the false sense of "I" and the belief in an eternal soul as a particular entity. This error "makes the individual unrelated to the organic, dynamic course of personal life and deprives the latter of all significance."[118] For with the positing of an absolute "I" there is the necessary "not-I" to oppose it. The individual is then forever divided from and in conflict with the world. Since this separation is taken as absolute, their relation is inconceivable and there is no hope for reconciliation: we are bound to a life of continual conflict and frustration.
Following the pattern of this error which gives rise to the false sense of "I," the intellect then posits substantiality upon every object it finds. It distinguishes objects and invents distinct names for them, then takes the apparent difference it has created as a real given. "To seize the determinate is really to allow oneself to be misled by names; it is to imagine that different names mean separate essences; this is to turn relative distinctions into absolute divisions."[119] As a result, not only is the individual person in conflict with the world, but the world is now in conflict with itself. The parts, conceived as independent entities, are isolated from each other and the organic unity that relates them in harmony is lost.
To complete the fall, the intellect mistakes its own relative views and conceptual systems as unlimited and absolute, putting it at war with itself. For the dogmatic assertion of a single point of view necessarily excludes other views: the former as true is divided from the others as false and conflict results. Furthermore, every view, taken as exclusively true, ultimately ends in self-contradiction. Clinging to extremes, one is necessarily led to contradictions and dead ends. Then we either swing from extreme to extreme or reject the whole enterprise of thought altogether, subjecting ourselves to self-exile in a philosophical wasteland. But in both cases we are lead to our suffering by the same root-error.
The error of misplaced absoluteness which is the root of all ignorance and suffering takes two general forms: the error with regard to the mundane truth and with regard to the ultimate truth. The error with regard to the mundane truth is, as we have been discussing, to take the conditioned as unconditioned, to cling to the fragmentary as complete. This error results in (among other things) dogmatic views and the false sense of self. Sunyata, as a remedy for this error with respect to the mundane, teaches the relativity of all things, the dependent arising of determinate entities. As mundane truth, sunyata means that all things are empty of inherent existence.
But if one were to take this understanding of the emptiness of things as itself absolute, this again would be clinging: clinging to sunyata. This mistake is the error not with regard to the mundane nature of things but with regard to their ultimate nature. It is to take the conditionedness of the conditioned as itself unconditioned. But "this would mean an absolute division between the conditioned and the unconditioned, the divided and the undivided, the permanent and the impermanent, and in this case the undivided would not be the truly undivided, as it would be divided from the divided."[120] Thus one teaches the sunyata of sunyata: in the ultimate truth even sunyata is empty of absoluteness. Ultimately, even the division between the conditioned and the unconditioned is not absolute. Therefore we are not forever bound to our conditionedness because we, as conditioned entities, already are (in our ultimate nature) the unconditioned reality. In short, there is an end to ignorance and suffering.Ignorance
Motivated by compassion, the wise teach sunyata as a remedy for suffering. According to Madhyamika, the root of all suffering lies in the ignorance of clinging, the error of mistaking the relative for the absolute, the conditioned for the unconditioned. We take imagined separation as real, supposed division as given. By virtue of self- consciousness, we have an awareness of the unconditioned reflected in our conditioned nature, a sense of the real. But under ignorance we do not discriminate between the unconditioned and conditioned, causing us to confuse them and take the relative as absolute. "The error of misplaced absoluteness, the seizing of the determinate as itself ultimate, is the root-error."[116] Sunyata is the antithesis to this error, the antidote for suffering.
The most important instance of this error of misplaced absoluteness is with regard to our own selves: "The intellect, owing to the operation of ignorance, wrongly transfers its sense of unconditionedness which is its ultimate nature to itself in its mundane nature."[117] Thus, inherent existence is wrongly applied to the mind-body complex; we take our determinate, conditioned existence as unconditioned and self-existent. In this way there arises the false sense of "I" and the belief in an eternal soul as a particular entity. This error "makes the individual unrelated to the organic, dynamic course of personal life and deprives the latter of all significance."[118] For with the positing of an absolute "I" there is the necessary "not-I" to oppose it. The individual is then forever divided from and in conflict with the world. Since this separation is taken as absolute, their relation is inconceivable and there is no hope for reconciliation: we are bound to a life of continual conflict and frustration.
Following the pattern of this error which gives rise to the false sense of "I," the intellect then posits substantiality upon every object it finds. It distinguishes objects and invents distinct names for them, then takes the apparent difference it has created as a real given. "To seize the determinate is really to allow oneself to be misled by names; it is to imagine that different names mean separate essences; this is to turn relative distinctions into absolute divisions."[119] As a result, not only is the individual person in conflict with the world, but the world is now in conflict with itself. The parts, conceived as independent entities, are isolated from each other and the organic unity that relates them in harmony is lost.
To complete the fall, the intellect mistakes its own relative views and conceptual systems as unlimited and absolute, putting it at war with itself. For the dogmatic assertion of a single point of view necessarily excludes other views: the former as true is divided from the others as false and conflict results. Furthermore, every view, taken as exclusively true, ultimately ends in self-contradiction. Clinging to extremes, one is necessarily led to contradictions and dead ends. Then we either swing from extreme to extreme or reject the whole enterprise of thought altogether, subjecting ourselves to self-exile in a philosophical wasteland. But in both cases we are lead to our suffering by the same root-error.
The error of misplaced absoluteness which is the root of all ignorance and suffering takes two general forms: the error with regard to the mundane truth and with regard to the ultimate truth. The error with regard to the mundane truth is, as we have been discussing, to take the conditioned as unconditioned, to cling to the fragmentary as complete. This error results in (among other things) dogmatic views and the false sense of self. Sunyata, as a remedy for this error with respect to the mundane, teaches the relativity of all things, the dependent arising of determinate entities. As mundane truth, sunyata means that all things are empty of inherent existence.
But if one were to take this understanding of the emptiness of things as itself absolute, this again would be clinging: clinging to sunyata. This mistake is the error not with regard to the mundane nature of things but with regard to their ultimate nature. It is to take the conditionedness of the conditioned as itself unconditioned. But "this would mean an absolute division between the conditioned and the unconditioned, the divided and the undivided, the permanent and the impermanent, and in this case the undivided would not be the truly undivided, as it would be divided from the divided."[120] Thus one teaches the sunyata of sunyata: in the ultimate truth even sunyata is empty of absoluteness. Ultimately, even the division between the conditioned and the unconditioned is not absolute. Therefore we are not forever bound to our conditionedness because we, as conditioned entities, already are (in our ultimate nature) the unconditioned reality. In short, there is an end to ignorance and suffering.
Copywrited Thomaas J. McFarlane 1995
Read the full essay here: http://www.integralscience.org/sacredscience/SS_sunyata.html
This Life
>> June 06, 2010
This human life is so precious and rare. A couple of days ago my neighbor passed away and she was very young! She couldn't have been older than fifty.
So suddenly it hit me, that I'll go too. I knew it but I didn't know it. So suddenly, and in such a real way, I intend now to make use of every moment, every second, and be happy as often as possible. I tend to wallow in misery and agony, but I need to stop that. This life is for family and dharma, and that's exactly where I want to direct my attention. My baby girl is the most precious gift that has walked this earth and she is going to know it, if she didn't before.
When my kind teacher had a stroke it still didn't hit me so much, because I didn't have my morning coffee with her every day and she's getting on in years. I was very sad and prayed many times a day for her. And I made offerings and practiced. But Anna, we shared coffee and jokes and bitches about life. She was my friend.
Anna was young, and she was part of my regular day. Then suddenly out of nowhere something burst in her brain and she was just gone.
Human life is so precious. We hear it, but do we really, really think about it? I do now. And I'm trying to make use every second. No more glazing out in my own inner agony, I must extend myself to this world.
Emptiness, Nagarjuna, and the Middle Way
>> June 05, 2010
People love to talk about emptiness. It's a fairly new concept to people in the Western Hemisphere who have primarily been exposed to different religions which posit an eternal thingy which lasts no matter the state of our body or mind. So I study a bit of the Middle way and I'm sharing an excerpt here. I hope you enjoy. There's much more to the article if you click the link. This is meaty stuff.
To be able to understand the controversy regarding deity yoga, the similarities and distinctions between Mahayana and Vajrayana must be carefully examined. The heart of the teachings of both schools is the practice of cultivating the two levels of enlightened mind (bodhicitta), the conventional and the ultimate. The conventional bodhicitta is the mind of great compassion (mahakaruna) that is the desire to work for the benefit of all sentient beings. Recognizing, however, that physical means of benefit are temporal and impermanent and that only an enlightened being can provide lasting benefit by dispelling ignorance, the conventional bodhicitta gives rise to the altruistic desire to achieve enlightenment as the most expedient way of exercising compassion. The ultimate bodhicitta is the bodhisattva wisdom cognizing emptiness. The cultivation of conventional bodhicitta is requisite for the attainment of ultimate bodhicitta. The ultimate bodhicitta operates in a non-dual mode of perception in which good and bad, pure and impure, or extra-samsaric and intra-samsaric do not have independent self-existence. The ultimate bodhicitta perceives the emptiness (sunyata) of inherent existence of all phenomena.
The doctrine of emptiness is one of the most important teachings of Mahayana Buddhism and one of the most difficult to understand fully. Madhyamika, the philosophy of the Middle Way, employs a system of reductio ad absurdum which slips between all extremes of "this" and "that" in order to show that emptiness is the ultimate nature of reality. There are two standard lines of reasoning by which one cultivates an understanding of emptiness.3 First, nothing has independent self-existence because everything is made of parts. Since all things are dependent on their parts, they cannot have independent self-existence. Second, nothing can be said to have independent self-existence as a group of many individual things because all of the component parts are shown not to have independent self-existence by the first line of reasoning. If the parts of the whole are dependent upon their parts, then the whole cannot be independently self-existent.
However, the philosophy of Madhyamika does not deny the existence of things on the relative level. This misunderstanding of the Middle Way teachings would lead one to assert one of two wrong positions. The first is nihilism, in which one would have found nothing left on the relative level of truth by which to recognize things and would dismiss all conceptions or understanding of things on the relative level as being untrue. This might lead one to conclude that emptiness, as misunderstood to assert the lack of inherent, independent self-existence of things on the relative level, was itself incorrect. According to the Mahasmrtyupasthanasutra, abandoning sunyata would cause one to be reborn in the Avici Hell.4 The second wrong position would be to accept emptiness on the ultimate level of truth, but to see all things on the relative level as mere mental conceptions which are mistaken by the mind as being real. This could cause one to abandon Dharma teachings and practices such as meditation and taking refuge which bring good karmic effects. Both of these positions are misunderstandings of emptiness and would lead individuals to believe that they had attained everything when in fact they had attained nothing at all.
A correct understanding of the teaching of emptiness is the ability to hold both truths, the relative and the ultimate, in the mind at the same time without seeing any contradiction between them. Ashvaghosa has said, "You should never ignore the relative level of truth because of sunyata. Rather, you should understand that the relative level of truth and sunyata on the ultimate level work in harmony with each other."5 For this reason, the Madhyamika philosophy is said to steer a middle course between eternalism and nihilism.
Nagarjuna, the dialectical master of the Madhyamika school, uses a cyclic strategy to discredit the assertions of his opponents and to support the doctrine of emptiness. He begins by accepting the notion of own-being (svabhava) and then showing the absurdities implicit in such a "realistic" view point. His attack on these metaphysical propositions is that they do not provide the knowledge they claim to. Nagarjuna shows that they cannot possibly fulfill their promise because "words and expression-patterns are simply practical tools of human life, which in themselves, do not carry intrinsic meaning and which do not necessarily have meaning by referring to something outside the language system."6 By disproving all extreme views of "this" and "that" without offering a viewpoint of his own, Nagarjuna allows the wisdom of emptiness to manifest itself. Since emptiness cannot be described due to the limitations of language just mentioned, this method is the only way to truly share a profound understanding of emptiness. By using this strategy, Nagarjuna consistently replaces apparently common sense notions which are in fact highly metaphysical with apparently metaphysical notions which are in fact common sense.
A excerpt from "Bodhicitta: The Heart of the Mahayana and Vajrayana Teachings"
An Interview with His Holiness the Sakya Trizin
>> June 04, 2010
This interview touches me and it's rarely seen I think. In it, His Holiness the Sakya Trizin addresses the importance of Tara and women in Buddhism. It's well worth the read.
Q: Who is
Q:
There are male and female Buddhas just as there are male and female people. There are many female Buddhas, not just Tara and Vajrayogini; there are so many female deities! For some people it is much easier to practise female deities. It depends on one’s own karmic connections. For some, female deities are more suited, and for others, male deities are more suited. Although is it said, in terms of their wisdom, compassion and power, that all deities are the same, but due to their motherly figure it is easier to invoke the blessing of female deities.
Basically all the deities are the nature of compassion and emptiness; but
In actuality, of course, she is not a person because the true nature of
Q: We have heard many stories about
I do not have any personal experience as such, but
At this point, there was no officially recognised Khön lineage heir. Even though Zangpopa was alive, the people had doubts about Zangpopa’s father as his mother had not been an official queen. Zangpopa had been invited to
When Dharmapalarakshita (the 9th throne holder) passed away, the Emperor was distressed over his loss. Placing the bones of Dharmapala on his head, he cried. Because there was no issue in his Guru’s hereditary lineage and how sad it was. There had been only one daughter of the lineage, a princess, and when she passed away there were rainbows and her body had many relics. This altered the mind of the Emperor who now said that any connection to his Guru’s hereditary lineage, was holy.
At that time, Zangpopa was living in a distant part of
After he received that blessing, some Tibetan lamas helped the Emperor find Zangpopa. Being a nephew of Chogyal Phagpa, he was then recognized by the Emperor and was brought back to the palace. There he was officially enthroned as the Sakya Khön lineage prince. The Emperor then said, “It is very important to continue the historical lineage.” At this point he gave his own sister to Zangpopa as his queen. This emperor reigned in the Yön dynasty of the Mongol empire of
Q: What is the historical significance of Tara Temple in
It no longer exists. It was build by Bari Lotsawa. Actually it is said that
Q: What is the connection between
Actually our palace is not called Drolma Phodrang, it is called Pünphal Phodrang. But as the palace is right next to this very famous
Q: Could His Holiness say something about famous Sakya Female Practitioners? Upon which meditational deities did they concentrate?
Sakya has many, many very famous female practitioners. So many of them, even recently, for example Jetsuma Chime Tenpei Nyima, Jetsun Tamdring Wangmo, Jetsun Pema Thrinley. It seems that for most of them their main deity for practice was Vajrayogini.
There is one temple in Sakya where there is a very famous Vajrayogini statue. When I was there no one doing any pujas. But it is said that in ancient times, all the princesses, all those Jetsumas who were nuns, came together to this temple on every tenth and every twenty fifth day (of the lunar month) and did the puja. And it is said that this Vajrayogini statue was just like any other female in that every month there was menstrual flow from the statue, with nectar coming down from the statue.
Q: Is
No of course not, everybody can receive
Q: Can your Holiness tell us about the types of meditation that might be given at the “initiation” or “ blessing ceremony” ?
Initiations differ in the sense that there are major empowerments, there are blessings, and there are simple initiations. Taking as an example in a simple initiation, there are three kinds of meditations. First, physically visualising oneself in the form of the deity; then, verbally repeating the mantra, and finally, mentally meditating on the primordial wisdom, which is away from all descriptions, away from all activities, beyond speech, beyond thought. So this is the meditation.
Q: What happens at a Tara Initiation or Blessing Ceremony?
Initiations are all the same in the sense that, during the initiation, ones own body voice and mind are blessed. From that moment onwards, one is authorised to do the visualisation, recite the mantra, and do the meditation on primordial wisdom of
Q: How can we determine which Tantric practice would be most effective for ourselves?
I think it mainly depends on the individual. Some people are suited to the Kriya tantra, some are suited to the Carya tantra, some are suited to the Yoga tantra, and so on. Similarly for some people the
Q: Is there any special advice for today’s present female practitioners who have to balance family, work and spiritual life? Are there better conditions than in previous times?
In
Generally, convenience does not necessarily improve the practice. First of all, we are in a different time; this is a degenerated time! Nowadays, people do not possess so much faith or devotion, and have much more doubt than ancient times. Therefore it is much harder in these times. Even though it is easier to practice and to have access to the teachings, I feel the result takes much longer.
Q: Impermanence is always emphasized in the teachings, which in turn has created insecurity, in view of our relationships and careers. In Vajrayana, though, we are reminded to put our total trust in the Root Guru, until we gain enlightenment. Is this a contradiction of the impermanence teachings, which we are supposed to view things with detachment rather than attachment? Could your Holiness give some advice on how to balance impermanence with faith in the Guru?
I do not understand this (referring to the insecurity). Because everything is impermanent you need faith, I think. Because everything is impermanent, because life is impermanent, and we are going to die one day. We are going to lose all our possessions, and wealth and everything. At the time when we leave, our mental consciousness is alone travelling to an unknown destination, the only thing that one could seek for help is the Dharma. Dharma can only be learned from the Guru; so therefore you need faith and the trust in the Guru. Isn’t that so? I don’t see any conflict. A nice life is not what we are seeking for – this life is not nice, even the nicest life is not nice. Actually it is a suffering, just another kind of suffering. So we need to renounce this, we need to awake from this illusion. And the way to awake is with the support and help from the Guru and the Dharma.
Q: Similarly, when pondering the sufferings of hell and so forth, we sometimes feel panic rather than calm. If we cannot overcome our panic of while meditating on these fundamental teachings (in the Nang Sum), are we then really ready for further instructions, such as the Lam Dre teachings?
This again I don’t understand. You see, life is panic; everything is impermanent, and everything is suffering. If you try to avoid that, then you cannot overcome it. You cannot avoid it; that is a reality. We don’t want it, we want to live a really happy life. But the reality of it, though, is not happiness. The reality is suffering and that we can’t avoid. We have to face it, and only by facing it can we overcome it. Otherwise if you try to avoid it, you will still have to face it some time. And at that time, when you are forced to face it, then you are in a terrible and desperate situation. The way to overcome this is to deal with it, by knowing it and knowing how to overcome it through the Lam Dre teachings.
Q: Must one take the opportunity to practice dharma upon oneself?
Of course. Basically with Buddhism everything you have to do it yourself. As the Buddha said, “Only you can save yourself. Nobody else can save you.” So the main help has to come from one’s own side. If one is ready, then deities are always ready. But if one is not ready, then deities cannot help.
Q: We hear about practitioners gaining realisation through Guru devotion. They have been put through many physical and mental and spiritual trials. Luding Khenchen Rinpoche said that if a Guru really put modern disciples through traditional Guru devotion practices, all the disciples would run away. How would modern and traditional Guru Devotion practices compare?
I think generally it is the same as before. But what Senior Luding Khen said is true. Modern people could not bear such hardships, so therefore we cannot do that kind of thing. We have to do things that are suitable with the present circumstances and it also depends on the individuals. Similarly speaking, in ancient times some people did not have much hardship, whereas some people have to go through a great deal.
Q: Can more be mentioned about female practitioners in the Sakya lineage?
There are, as you know, many, many female practitioners. JetsumaTenpei Nyima had so many disciples. Almost all the Sakya and Ngorpa masters received teachings from her. Also some Dagmo’s were also very famous. Indeed, one of the pioneers of the Sakya Teachers, Drogmi Lotsawa, who was the first Tibetan Lama to receive the Lam Dre teachings, had four female disciples. One of them I remember very clearly is Tömo Dorje Tso. She was not a nun but a very ordinary person. She came, in fact, from a very rich family and then she was married into another very rich family, and that family was very powerful. She gave birth to five sons. So then, they had wealth, manpower and everything. They were a very, very powerful family but somehow the people of the village didn’t like them. So, one day the whole village came and killed the father, killed all the five sons and took away all the wealth. Tömo Dorje Tso was left alone there. At that point, she was almost insane with grief, crying day and night and suffering so much. Then Drogmi Lotsawa heard about it. He saw that there was a connection between her and himself, and so he called for her. She was also one of the disciples who did not have to go through so much hardship. After she was called by him, Drogmi Lotsawa did not give her many teachings. He just gave her the Hevajra Cause empowerment and after that a “Beyond Thought” meditation, not the Vajrayogini but another one with Hevajra. Just by practicing that, within a very short period of time, she got the realisation. She became a very great Yogini and it is said that, in the later part of her life, she could travel between the different Buddha fields and then also return to her Tibetan residence.
Q:
Potala is of course actually a physical place, but sometimes you can see it and sometimes you don’t see it at all. Every Buddha has his own Buddha-field. People do pray to be in Potala but it is not as popular as Sukhavati. It is very difficult for ordinary people with their obscurations to be born in Buddha-fields. But Buddha Amitabha especially created Sukhavati so that even those with negative karma, even those who have obscurations can be born there. So, we ordinary people should pray to be born there because it is actually possible. To be reborn in other Buddha-fields is not so easy.
Q: Does
Actually it is just like the sun; the sun is all the time shining, but sometime we see it and sometime we don’t see it. Just like that,
Q: Is
Of course not.
This Interview was requested by Pee Lee, April and Gabriela and conducted by Inge Kunga Soedron at Drolma Podrang,
source: http://sg.geocities.com/sakyadrotonling/index.html Read more...
Her Eminence Jetsun Kushok Chimey Luding, A Biography
Jetsün Kushok Chimey Luding
Jetsün Kushok Chimey Luding (Wyl. rje btsun 'chi med klu sdings) is one of the most respected female teachers of Tibetan Buddhism.
Born in 1938, she is the elder sister of the current head of the Sakya lineage, one of the four main schools of Tibetan Buddhism, she received much of her training alongside her brother, His Holiness the Sakya Trizin, from such legendary teachers as Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö. Devoting herself to Buddhist practices from an early age, she completed her first retreat at age 10. Many more important retreats like Hevajra, and Vajrayogini were to follow, enabling her to become one of fewer than a dozen masters (and one of the three women in the history of Sakya) who are qualified to transmit the Lamdré or "The Path that Together with its Results." Lamdré, like Dzogchen, Shyijé Chöd and Kalachakra Yogas, is among Tibet's "Eight Chariots," or unique and complete systems of practices leading to enlightenment. Jetsun Kushok gave her first transmission of the Lamdré, along with all the necessary empowerments, at age 17.
In 1959, Jetsün Kushok left Tibet in exile and, by way of India, eventually settled in Vancouver, Canada with her family in 1971. Struggling to care for her children and make a living in a new country, she had to partition her time between working as a knitwear designer and keeping up her meditation practices, often to the point of staying up all night. At the repeated request of the Sakya Trizin, Jetsün Kushok selflessly started to teach in Vancouver in the early 1980's and now all over the world. Beloved by all her students, Jetsün Kushok is both strict and warm, transmitting only genuine Buddhadharma in the traditional way, seasoned by her pragmatic experience of practicing and working in the West. Having overcome life's twists and turns with diligence and perseverance, Jetsün Kushok is an inspiration for Buddhists, both male and female, who are looking to integrate the Dharma with their daily lives.
She is spoken of as an emanation of Vajrayogini.
And Interview with Her Eminence Jetsun Kushok Chimey Luding
And Interview with Her Eminence Jetsun Kushok Chimey Luding
- Your Eminence, this is the first time that you have bestowed the 21 Taras in Australia. What advice do you have to us as to how to incorporate Green Tara both as individual practitioners and at our Centres?
- My observation is that as a group you have done pretty well, with regard to having this retreat centre and that you have even bigger projects for the future. You are already doing Green Tara Puja at the Centre every day and have made her the main deity of your group practices. Goddess Tara is a goddess of enlightened activities. The fact that you are doing this and that you keep doing this is very good and will be very helpful.
As individual practitioners, do the sadhana for Goddess Tara every day, if possible. If you are not able to do this, memorize the Praises to Tara in either tibetan or English and recite it at least three times for activities that you do: visualizing Goddess Tara in the space in front of you and yourself as an ordinary person. You can also recite these prayers when walking or driving. Reciting praises to Green Tara has enormous benefit.
- Your Eminence, who are your teachers? Did you have a guru teacher relationship with His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche?
- My teachers include my father: Ngakchang Ngawang Kunga Rinchen, Dampa Rinpoche Zhenphen Nyingpo, Khangsar Shabdrung Ngawang Lodro Nyinpo, Lama Ngaklo Rinpoche, His Holiness Sakya Trizin and His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche. His eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche is one of the main teachers of His Holiness Sakya Trizin. I myself have received teachings from him and have great faith and deep respect for him. His Eminence has been so kind in his activities to the Sakya tradition. Ever since I received Hevajra Cause and Path empowerment from Chogye Rinpoche in 1988 in my home in Vancouver, I have been able to keep my daily Hevajra practice. So His Eminence's kindness to me is inexpressible. Also, because I have received the White Tara empowerment from His Eminence, I'm blessed with good health and able to serve the Dharma.
- All of our sister centres are under His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche's Holy Umbrella. What is your advice for us now that He has passed away?
- His Eminence has given teachings to all the students, so it is important that all of you practice the teachings that he has given. It is good to maintain the samayas and the vows as purely as one can.
Generally speaking, whether one's guru is alive or whether one's guru has changed realms so to speak, from the side of the guru there is no discrimination, the compassion of the guru is similar. The guru is a bodhisattva and the bodhisattva's love and compassion has no discrimination as to whether someone is close or far. From the side of the disciple, whatever teachings and empowerments that you have received from the guru, it is important that you maintain the practices as they will be of enormous benefit.
Regarding your reference about the sister centres - this is similar to having a sister as you have all received teachings from the guru. It is important that you keep a good relationship with the other Sakya centres as sisters also. Maintain pure samayas (pledges) and foster connectedness, friendship, affinity and love between you.
- Your Eminence, many women are inspired by you. You are a mother and a great practitioner. What advice do you have for us about balancing the roles that we have?
- When I look at myself I do not think of myself as if I have some sort of power or ability. Since I have been living in the West, I have maintained my practices as well as having to work. Where my practice is concerned, I have made samayas from my masters to do certain practices so I have made the concession that I have to sleep less. I get up early to do my practices and then I do my work. It is very important to be decisive; when you are, then things get easier. If one's mind is not decisive, then it becomes difficult. In the West as soon as people stand up they say they are tired and this makes it difficult. Whatever I have to do, whether it is working at home or looking after the kids or the cleaning and so on, I am decisive because that is what I have decided to do. This helps.
(taken from the Clear Mind newsletter of Sakya Losal Choe Dzong, Australia 11/12 2007 #82)
http://tibetanbuddhism.tribe.net/thread/957216de-0856-4296-bcfd-ee60450cd5ce
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