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Conduct – Phakchok Rinpoche message in July 2013 สารจากท่าน พักชก ริมโปเช กรกฎาคม 2556

Dear Friends Near and Far,

As always, I hope you have been well and happy this past month. Today on the Guru Rinpoche day of the sixth Tibetan month, which marks the anniversary of Chökhor Duchen (the first teaching of Buddha Shakyamuni), I would like to talk about conduct. The way we conduct ourselves in body, speech, and mind is extremely important, especially if we consider ourselves to be so-called ‘dharma practitioners’. Good conduct is not always as simple as we may think. Sometimes you might think that simply acting in a way that pleases others, for example in accord with the conventions of society, is correct conduct, or that staying alone and not interacting with anyone is correct conduct. But it is really not as simple as that. Conduct refers to all of our actions of body, speech, and mind – how we act, talk, and think.

It is now 9.30 am here in Kathmandu and having just finished breakfast I am sitting in my room in quite a bad mood sunk in deep thoughts, asking myself, “Am I really making good use of my time or not?” “Am I really conducting myself well or not?” In this kind of mood, it is not going to help at all if someone comes and tells me to stop being so angry, to lighten up or something. The only thing that can really help with these kinds of things is one’s own practice, and in particular one’s daily practice sessions, which means placing your butt down on the cushion for as long as you can and focusing one-pointedly on your practice, whatever it may be. During your practice sessions focus solely on your practice and nothing else, but outside of your sessions (before and after) it is very important to spend some time reflecting and thinking about your conduct, any mistakes you’ve made and so on.

In short, there are two types of conduct: conduct that harms others together with the basis for that harm, and conduct that benefits others together with the basis for that. Conduct that harms others refers to the ten non-virtues, which I am sure you all know. They are:

1. Killing
2. Stealing
3. Sexual misconduct
4. Lying
5. Divisive speech
6. Harsh speech
7. Gossip
8. Envy
9. Malice
10. Wrong view

The conduct that benefits others is the four means of magnetizing (generosity, speaking pleasantly, meaningful conduct, and consistent conduct) and the like.

We need to avoid harmful conduct and engage in beneficial conduct. When we talk about avoiding the ten non-virtues, it is important to think not just of the root ten non-virtues but also their associated actions. For example, just avoiding killing is not enough; beating, hitting, or physically hurting someone also pertains to the non-virtue of killing and we need to avoid all of these kinds of actions. Likewise, even if you don’t literally steal something, out of jealousy or resentment or another emotion you might do something to prevent someone from enjoying the things they have. This is an associated aspect of stealing, and something we need to avoid doing. It is the same with sexual misconduct. Making inappropriate remarks to someone, looking at them in an inappropriate way, or writing all sorts of things in emails or on Facebook―that is all part of sexual misconduct.

So it is not enough to just read through the list of the ten non-virtues and leave it at that; we need to consider them in a much broader and subtle sense and reflect on all of the different actions of body, speech, and mind associated with each one of them.

As for the non-virtues of speech, you may not directly lie to someone, but speaking in a circuitous way and not being completely upfront is also a kind of lying since you are not being completely honest. Similarly, though you might not say anything verbally to create problems between people, you might give someone a strange look or act in a slightly suspicious way that makes them then doubtful and think, for example, that maybe you were saying something behind their back or were just told something bad about them. This is an associated aspect of divisive speech. As for harsh speech, basically anything you say without a kind and positive motivation can become a kind of harsh speech and hurt other people’s feelings. As for gossip, any meaningless and empty talk can be considered a part of gossip.

Then we have the three non-virtues of mind, the first of which is envy. This applies to envy in terms of the dharma as well as in the mundane world. Basically it is attachment. This doesn’t mean though that you shouldn’t have hopes and wishes, like wishing for enlightenment and thinking, “How amazing it is that so many people have attained accomplishment, like the mahasiddhas of India! If only I could be like them!” It means you should not fall into the trap of envying and becoming attached to others’ things, whether they be material possessions or spiritual qualities.

Malice is actually any thought, and also the actions you then perform motivated by that thought, that lacks mindfulness, awareness, and carefulness. Because any thought you have that lacks these three qualities is naturally going to end up harming you, the reason being that it will naturally lead to the negative emotions and a lack of benevolence, and that will then also harm others. When we are unaware of our own thoughts and emotions (due to a lack of mindfulness, awareness, and carefulness) then any thought is potentially a kind of malice and will have negative consequences.

Then finally we come to wrong view. Often practitioners think that just having some knowledge of the dharma is an antidote to wrong view, but actually no. If you fail to check your own mind, whether you are really acting and thinking in accord with the dharma or not, you have already fallen into a part of wrong view. For that reason, knowledge alone is not enough; you need to apply that knowledge and check for yourself whether you are making progress, whether you are changing or not.

This was about conduct. As I said, there are different types of conduct, but in brief they can be condensed into harmful conduct which is what we need to avoid and beneficial conduct which is what we need to take up. Harmful conduct can be condensed into the ten non-virtues, but it is extremely important that we contemplate not just the root ten non-virtues but also their associated aspects, which are much more subtle, as I have just mentioned. Being in a bad mood myself this morning I saw several of these associated non-virtues in myself, and motivated by that I thought to share this highlight and reminder on conduct with you.

For all of you receiving this email―friends, acquaintances, students, or strangers―I aspire that you may be able to conduct yourself well, that you have an abundance of happiness and well-being, and that through your conduct you may be able to bring about benefit for yourselves and countless others.

May our minds turn to the dharma,
May our dharma become the path,
May the path clarify confusion,
And may confusion arise as wisdom!

May the strength of virtue increase!
May the power of aspiration grow!
May negativity be swiftly purified!

Sarva Mangalam (May all be auspicious!),

Phakchok Rinpoche

www.phakchokrinpoche.org
www.cglf.org

Nature of Mind – Phakchok Rinpoche message in June 2013 สารจากท่าน พักชก ริมโปเช มิถุนายน 2556

Dear Friends,

 

I hope you have all been healthy and truly happy this past month. As many of you probably know, the previous month in the Tibetan calendar was Saga Dawa, which is regarded as an especially blessed time. Marking the anniversary of both the enlightenment and parinirvana of Buddha Shakyamuni, it is said that the effect of the deeds you perform during this month are multiplied and for that reason the importance of practice is emphasized. During this month, at the blessed Boudhanath stupa and other sacred Buddhist places it was inspiring to witness the stream of devoted pilgrims and practitioners performing prostrations around the stupa, making circumambulations, offering butter lamps, and making aspirations that continued day and night without break.

Inspired by this special month and anniversary, I would like to share with you a short excerpt of a text entitled The Sage Who Dispels the Mind’s Anguish by the late Dilgo Khyentsé Rinpoche. In this short, pithy text Rinpoche explains the practices of shamata and vipashyana based on Buddha Shakyamuni. Towards the end of the text, Rinpoche quotes from the Wisdom of Passing Sutra and explains:

 

Likewise, all of these phenomena, such as death, have no established identity whatsoever, yet like illusory appearances their expression is completely unobstructed. When analyzed they cannot be expressed whatsoever in terms of the extremes of existence and non-existence. They are naturally non-conceptual and luminous. Therefore, one’s own mind that does not abide as any entity or non-conceptual thing whatsoever is primordially luminous; in the state of the present direct awareness all phenomena of samsara and nirvana are totally equal. Therefore, resolve the enlightened mind of the Teacher, Lord of Sages (Buddha Shakyamuni), and one’s own mind as well to be indivisible in the nature of mind, the state of self-existing wakefulness. If without getting distracted from that state you come to possess confidence and develop certainty in it, that is the realization of the true nature of one’s mind. Other than that there is no so-called ‘buddha’ whatsoever.

 

In that state there is no death and birth. Death and so forth are mere concepts; in the truth of the innate nature of mind free from concepts, birth and death are not in any way established. If one passes away resting evenly in that state, you will be reborn in a buddhafield without the deluded appearances of the intermediate state and so forth occurring.

 

If you do not have that level of confidence, but at the time of death and all throughout the intermediate state remember only the Guru, Lord of Sages, and do not forget, simply through that you will be led to a pure realm. Moreover, no matter what terror and suffering you encounter in this life, if you remember the Buddha you will definitely be liberated from those difficulties. No matter what happiness and excellence you may encounter know it to be the great kindness of the Buddha, and visualizing those pleasurable objects as a Samantabhadra offering cloud offer them to the Buddha.

 

Constantly reflect on the three liberations taught by the Teacher, and the meaning of the six paramitas and so forth. With great compassion for all sentient beings arouse the mind of supreme enlightenment and train as much as you are able in the conduct of the bodhisattvas. Recalling the Teacher like this is extremely important, for recalling the Buddha is that which sets one out on the beginning of all the bodhisattva paths and has immeasurable benefits. It generates all the excellent qualities of the path.

 

These days when most people hold the practices of their own school to be the most important, there are only a few people who consider the Teacher, Lord of Sages, as especially important. However, those who have entered into these teachings yet lack the faith and trust that regards the Teacher as supreme lack intelligence. Why is that? Because it is solely due to the compassion of the Teacher demonstrating the acts of the Buddha in this realm and time to us wandering beings of the degenerate age that the teachings—the three pitakas, and not only that, but all the way up to the teachings of the secret mantra Vajrayana, the path that can actualize in one short lifetime of this degenerate age the unified state of no-more learning—appeared. It is also solely due to his compassion that the beings who are the holders of the teachings, those who have entered the teachings of sutra and mantra, the sangha of noble beings as many as they are, appeared.

 

If the Teacher had not radiated out the light of the teachings here in this realm and time, we would not hear even the name of the three jewels. What need to speak then of being able to practice the paths of sutra and mantra? That beings so, whichever tradition one practices, whether it is be the New Schools or the Old School, to have intense faith that acknowledges the Teacher as especially important is indispensable at all times. Therefore, one must be especially devoted to the Teacher and persevere in that practice!

 

Keeping these profound and important instructions in mind, I hope you can find the time this month to joyfully engage in the three wheels Buddha taught his followers: the wheel of study and reflection, the wheel of relinquishing the afflictions through meditation, and the wheel of benefiting others through actions.

 

With constant prayers and aspirations and the best of wishes,

 

Phakchok Rinpoche

Sarva Mangalam!

www.phakchokrinpoche.org
www.cglf.org

Dependent Arising – Phakchok Rinpoche message in April 2013 สารจากท่าน พักชก ริมโปเช เมษายน 2556

Dear Friends Near and Far:
 
I hope you’ve all been well and that your dharma practice is flourishing. On 10th April, here at our main monastery in Boudhanath, Kathmandu Chokling Rinpoche kindly began bestowing upon us the empowerments and oral transmissions for Konchok Chidü (The Embodiment of the Precious Ones), a set of blessed treasure teachings focused on Guru Rinpoche that were revealed by the great master Jatsön Nyingpo (1585 – 1656). These empowerments were specially arranged for the lamas and practitioners from all the villages in Nepal, and lamas from more than forty states in Nepal made the journey down to Kathmandu for this precious event. While the five hundred+ guest lamas were seated inside the main shrine hall together with our own monks and nuns, the monastery’s entire front lawn and courtyards were jam-packed with other lamas, monks, nuns, and laypeople who had come to joyfully receive these rare transmissions. The entire event was sponsored by the Foundation, and this included giving lunch to everyone present (1300kg of rice per day!), as well as water throughout the day and afternoon tea. Of course this was a great expense, but it was also a wonderful opportunity to practice generosity, and on top of this it was inspiring as always to witness the relentless generosity, devotion, and gratitude of the Himalayan people, who in spite of being relatively poor made unstinting offerings day after day. We concluded yesterday with a long-life empowerment that was attended by more than 15,000 people, all of whom devotedly queued up in the monastery for six or more hours in order to receive the blessings in spite of the heat, dust, and crowds. At nine pm when everyone had finally received the blessings, I then began the final teaching session for the Nine Yanas retreat which was attended this year by many international students as well as about thirty of our young monks and nuns. 
 
During the Nine Yanas retreat, with teaching sessions crammed in between the intense schedule of empowerments, we talked in detail about the twelve links of dependent arising which are the focus of the Pratyekabuddhas (self-realised buddhas).  The twelve links are an extremely profound teaching, something that all of us practitioners need to reflect on repeatedly. These twelve links are explained in great detail by Buddha Shakyamuni in sutras such as the Rice Sprout Sutra which I would recommend you all to study and contemplate. In particular, we should understand the benefits of understanding the twelve links, which in short are as follows:
 
  • By gaining an understanding of the twelve links of dependent arising, automatically you will become very skilled in practicing the dharma because you now see and know that samsara and your suffering are in fact created by your own ignorance, nothing and no one else. Having understood that you will also know that the ability to relinquish samsara and gain liberation lies in your own hand;
  • You will naturally gain compassion, and not just superficial compassion but an authentic, grounded compassion towards all sentient beings who are trapped and suffering in this cycle of samsara because of not realizing the process and function of the twelve links;
  • You will gain deep-felt trust in the Buddha’s teaching which reveals to us so clearly the path to liberation; and
  • You will gain an understanding of capacity, how causes and conditions give rise to results; for example, how performing certain actions of body and speech (for example, practices such as prostrations, offerings, and supplication) can lead to profound changes in your own mind. 
 
Keeping the swift and powerful blessings of the Lotus-born One, Guru Rinpoche in my heart, I would like to request all of you to keep the points I have mentioned in mind – generosity, devotion, and gratitude, and the twelve links of dependent arising – and to endeavor each and every day to bring them to mind and let them seep deep into your heart.
 
As always, with many prayers and aspirations,
 
Sarva Mangalam,
 
Phakchok Rinpoche 
 
                                                                     www.phakchokrinpoche.org                                                                        www.cglf.org

The Three Gateways to Liberation – Phakchok Rinpoche message in March 2013 สารจากท่าน พักชก ริมโปเช มีนาคม 2556

The Three Gateways to Liberation
The Ground, Emptiness
The Path, Absence of Characteristics
The Fruition, Wishlessness
Dear Friends Near and Far:
I hope you’ve all been happy and healthy. I’m doing very well and at the moment in Kathmandu sitting in our annual Ngakso Drupchen. For today’s Guru Rinpoche Day, I would like to take you back to the roots. With all your varied backgrounds and the different stages you are in your practice, it is sometimes good to refresh yourself of the basics, the essence. And to those of you who are new to the dharma, this should be a good start for you all.
Buddha’s teachings are extremely vast and for that reason we are often left thinking, where to begin? When first entering or inquiring about the Buddha’s teachings, the starting point should be the view since this forms the ground of the practice to follow. When training on the path, the view should be in accord with the capacity of the individual and for this reason Buddha gave a variety of different teachings. The ultimate, essential view that the Buddha taught howeaver is none other than the profound emptiness and this is the first of the three gateways to liberation.
Having ascertained the view, the second step is to put this view into practice on the path. Yet if you do not know how to practice correctly, then your path will go astray. Thus to prevent us from going astray on the path, Buddha taught freedom from grasping and clinging and told his disciples repeatedly to not fabricate. This is the mode in which we should practice on the path; abscence of characteristics.
But what is the result of doing this kind of practice and holding such a view? One needs to know what the result is and not be mistaken about this. To use a simple example, if you are traveling somewhere you need to know the route and you need legs to get you there and eyes so you can see the path. But you also need to know something about the destination and also how will you know when you have arrived? Likewise, the fruition of the Buddha’s path is the collapse of all hope and fear, all notions and concepts; wishlessness.
In this way, the three gateways to liberation contain the essence of the ground, the path, and the fruition of the Buddha’s ultimate teachings. Thus if you can study, contemplate, and practice these correctly, your path will be unmistaken and will lead to perfect enlightenment without a doubt.
For those of you receiving this note and not knowing how or why and wondering what this note is all about. I can atleast answer the what part, and that is, for the last six years, I have been sending notes to my students all over on each GRD to gently remind them to not go completely astray fom the path and remind them of the three jewels and to bring thier mind home for few minutes and to basically take a pause!
Sending you all much love and affection from the Blessed Valley.
Sarva Mangalam,
Phakchok Rinpoche 
                                                                     www.phakchokrinpoche.org                                                                        www.cglf.org

On the true path – Phakchok Rinpoche message in February 2013 สารจากท่าน พักชก ริมโปเช กุมภาพันธ์ 2556

Dear Friends Near and Far:

I hope you’ve all been happy and healthy. I’m well and at the moment in Kathmandu performing the annual Tsekar or White Amitayus (Buddha of Longevity) Drupchen, a nine day puja based on a collection of liturgies belonging to the “Great Accomplishment Group Sadhana of White Amitayus”. This drupchen beginning on the 8th day of the first lunar month of the Tibetan New Year brings forth auspicious circumstances for the practioner’s two fold attainment of longevity and primordial wisdom.

In the past few evenings of the drupchen, I have been re-reading some of the great texts of Shechen Gyaltsab, Pema Namgyal and in particular, the “Advice from Old Vijaya” which never fails to inspire me. I have taken few lines from the text to remind you of the basic elements of the path which in a way is also an interesting analysis to check whether if you are actually on the true path.

1. Make sure the topics of:

 

– Precious Human Birth

– Death and Impermanence

– Karma: Consequences of Action

– The Defects of Samsara

 

Do not become mere words and ideas, but reflect upon them from the core of your heart.

Once you are well acquainted with them, your mind will have turned away from samsara and towards the sublime Dharma.

 

Once you feel this way, you have already covered half of Dharma practice!

 

2. Constantly keep reminding yourself of the excellent qualities of your Guru and the Three Jewels. Having trained in this, you will seek no other refuge than your Guru and the Three Jewels, no matter what joys or sorrows befall you.

 

Once that happens, you will have become one of the Buddha’s followers.

 

3. Once when you are on the path, train in accepting all sentient being as your parents, and maintaining this attitude uninterruptedly, cultivate loving-kindness, compassion, and awakened mind.

 

Once when you have become accustomed to benefiting others and freed from the chain of selfishness, you deserve the name “child of conquerors.”

 

The merit and benefits of this are beyond measure. 

 

These are the ways in which you avoid going astray from the True Path. And once on it, I hope that you are constantly showered with blessings and have unwavering trust and devotion.

 

Signing off from the Valley with much love and affection on this Guru Rinpoche Day just before midnight!

 

Sarva Mangalam,

Phakchok Rinpoche

www.phakchokrinpoche.org

www.cglf.org

Padmasambhava words – Phakchok Rinpoche message in January 2013 สารจากท่าน พักชก ริมโปเช มกราคม 2556

Dear Friends Near and Far,

 

I hope you have all been happy and healthy. I have been well and at the moment at the Nagi Gonpa Hermitage performing the Ngakso Drupchen (Ocean of Amrita), a vajrayana mending and purification puja.

 

From the hagiography, The Wishfulfilling Tree, Padmasambhava himself says, “People of the future who have not met me, read and see my story”.  It is said that merely hearing the name Padmasambhava brings immense blessing.

 

On this last Guru Rinpoche day of the Water Dragon Year of 2139 and with an understanding of these words of Padmasambhava to be a prophecy, I bring to you all with much joy the news of the unfolding and unfurling of the story of The Lotus Born into a pictorial depiction of moving images.

 

Neten Chokling Rinpoche, one of the incarnations of the Great Treasure revealer; Terchen Chokgyur Lingpa is once again coming out with a true gem and this time none other than the story of the Lotus Born Guru. Rinpoche has previously made a film on the life of Milarepa and Brilliant Moon: Glimpses of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.  

 

Glimpses into scenes from the life story of Padmasambhava– the Enlightened Hero of our time.

 

 

Ext. Samye courtyard, Tibet

 

Under the shade of the peacock feather parasols, the priest Padmasambhava, the abbot Shantarakshita and the king Trisong Duetsen, circumambulate the temple.  Suddenly a shower of arura fruit falls from the skies.  The king’s attendant holding the peacock-feathered parasol exclaims, holding an arura fruit in his hand.

UMBRELLA ATTENDANT

                   Your Majesty, it is an arura!

This medicinal fruit is obtained

only in India.

 

The king looks extremely joyous.

 

 

Int. King’s chamber, Samye

 

PADMASAMBHAVA

                   Since the temple is now established

the Abbot and I ask your permission to

leave for India.

Trisong Duetsen is taken aback. The king clasps his hands at his chest and sorrowfully speaks to the two masters.

TRISONG DUETSEN

     Compassionate Masters, please listen.

                   Tibet is a land of fiends where the

sound of the holy Dharma is not even

heard. Although your kindness has

already been great I humbly

          supplicate that you postpone such an exit!

 

The King sheds tears. The two foreign masters feel compassion for the Tibetan King.

 

PADMASAMBHAVA

      Your Majesty, the three of us have come

        together in Tibet through the ripening of

      karma from the aspirations of our three

         lives. Since we, the three brothers, again

     have this connection as we had in past

         lives, I shall not turn back your request.

ABBOT

Very good, I will do likewise.

 

 

Upper cave at Chimpu Hermitage

 

A young girl of 16 sits on the floor of the hermitage facing Padmasambhava who is sitting on a cushioned platform.

 

PADMASAMBHAVA

                 Tsogyal, when practicing the Dharma,

you must first tame your own mind.

YESHE TSOGYAL

                         What does that mean?

PADMASAMBHAVA

                You must extinguish the scorching flames

of anger, cross the river of desire, crumble

the mountain of pride, overcome the storm

of envy and light the torch of discriminating

knowledge in the darkness of ignorance.

 

Yeshe Tsogyal looks to Padmasambhava with full attention.

 

PADMASAMBHAVA (CONT’D)

                These five poisons of anger, desire, pride,

envy and delusion will ruin your being in

samsara if you uninhibitedly indulge in them.

Do not let them run wild.  There is a danger

in that.

 

Yeshe Tsogyal nods her head.

 

 

Int. Upper cave at Chimpu Hermitage

 

Yeshe Tsogyal is writing down something on a yellow parchment.

YESHE TSOGYAL

                I, Tsogyal, have been serving the master

for a while now.  On different occasions,

he gave advice on Dharma practice that I

persistently retained in my perfect recall,

collected, and wrote down for the sake of

future generations. This is committed to

writing in the Upper Cave at Chimpu on

the twenty fifth day of the second month

of fall in the Year of the Sow.

 

She rolls the small parchment and puts it in a small leather box.  She exits her cave hermitage with it.

 

Standing in front of a big odd shaped boulder, Yeshe Tsogyal presses the small leather box onto the rock surface.  After a gentle push the small box gently sinks into the hard surface of the boulder and disappears from sight.

 

PADMASAMBHAVA (O.S.)

                Since they are not meant to be spread at the

present time conceal them as a precious treasure.

 

 

Outside Samye Gate

An old woman waits by the road near the gate of Samye.  Padmasambhava passes through the gate.  On seeing him, she bows down and joins her palms before him.

 

OLD WOMAN

                Great Master, you are about to leave for your

hermitage and I am about to die.  Please give an

instruction that requires little hardship, that is

simple to grasp, easy to apply and very effective.

 

PADMASAMBHAVA

                        Old lady, who are you?

 

OLD WOMAN

               I am the one who has been sending the bowl of curd.

 

Padmasambhava acknowledges her kindness with a smile.

 

PADMASAMBHAVA

                Old lady, take the cross-legged position

and keep your body upright.

 

The old woman sits down as instructed.

 

PADMASAMBHAVA (CONT’D)

               For a short while, simply remain with totally relaxed attention.

 

 

Gungthang Pass, Tibet

 

YESHE TSOGYAL

(Despondently)

               The sun is setting in our hearts.  Since you are leaving for Chamara we are left without a guide. From the king to the pauper we all rely on you. What will we do after you leave.  What will happen to us? Who do we turn to for advice?

 

Padmasambhava looks to Yeshe Tsogyal.

 

PADMASAMBHAVA

               For the moment you should not worry

because the Dharma is like the sun at noon

in Tibet.  Therefore it makes no difference

whether I am here or not.

 

He looks down to the Tibetans.  Some of the older ones cry.

 

PADMASAMBHAVA

               To those who have faith in me, I have never

departed – I sleep on the threshold of their homes.

From those with erring views I am concealed,

though yet I stand before them.

 

 

Through this film, may the wisdom and compassion of Padmasambhava’s life act as a soothing balm to quell the miseries afflicted out of ignorance.

 

 

Sarva Mangalam,

 

Phakchok Rinpoche

 

 

 

 

                                                                            www.phakchokrinpoche.org                                                                            www.cglf.org

Important points – Phakchok Rinpoche message in December 2012 สารจากท่าน พักชก ริมโปเช ธันวาคม 2555

Guru Rinpoche Day

Dear Friends Near and Far:

I hope you have all been happy and healthy. I am now back in my hometown in Boudhanath, Nepal. I am going to say few things candidly on today’s Guru Rinpoche Day.

Your beliefs don’t make you a better person, your behavior does.
Your mind training doesn’t matter when you don’t have compassion.
Your meditation doesn’t matter when you don’t see your own faults.
Dharma practice doesn’t matter when you don’t have devotion.
Obstacles doesn’t matter when you have the blessings.

Please reflect on the points above. Some of you have met me, came to my retreats, some of you have not but nonetheless, I want to ask you all to practice well and don’t waste your time. I spend more than half of this year traveling continuously and I finally just got back home completely exhausted to a point where I am not seeing anyone at the moment. My motivation to such extensive traveling is purely based on reaching out to you all in all your select cities instead of all of you coming this way. Now as the year is coming to an end and when I reflect back on it, it is my sincerest hope that the teachings have reached you all and that you are applying it accordingly. If not then I simply wasted my time traveling around the world without any sight seeing!

So anyhow, to all of you specially the mahamudra students, I want to let you all know that I constantly make aspirations for you and your practice and as usual on Guru Rinpoche’s Day reaching out to you all to give you motivation. We should all know that we are very fortunate practitioners.

Wishing you and your loved ones a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year filled with genuine happiness and good health!!!

Sarva Mangalam,

Phakchok Rinpoche

Aspiration by Guru Rinpoche – Phakchok Rinpoche message in November 2012 สารจากท่าน พักชก ริมโปเช พฤศจิกายน 2555

Guru Rinpoche Day
 

Dear Friends Near and Far:

Greetings to you all on this tenth day of the tenth month of the dragon year! I hope you’ve all been happy and healthy. I am well and at the moment in Poland wrapping up the teachings here and now yearning to be back home and to the moment of experiencing the descending of the Thai airline into the Valley and having to get the first glimpse of the Great Stupa glittering away at high noon two days from today!

 

Coming back to this auspicious day, I would like to share with you this amazing aspiration made by Guru Rinpoche on the request of Trisong Detsen. This is an aspiration for all the future generations, the precious masters and the precious sanghas.

 

The Aspiration of the Vajradhatu Mandala

Chokchu Dushi – Aspiration by Guru Rinpoche

 

Namo Guru 

 

On the tenth day of the monkey month in the monkey year, Orgyen uttered this aspiration on the occasion of revealing the vajradhatu mandala in the turquoise-coated middle chamber of Samye. Thereafter, the king and the disciples made it their daily practice: All future generations should wholeheartedly take it up as their practice as well! 

 

Victorious ones and your sons in the ten directions and four times,

Assemblies of gurus, yidams, dakinis, and Dharma protectors,

Please come here all of you, numerous as dust motes in the world,

And be seated on the lotus and moon seat in the sky before me.

 

With respectful body, speech, and mind I bow down

And present you outer, inner, secret, and suchness offerings.

In your presence, sugatas, supreme objects of worship,

I feel shame for all my past evil actions

And regretfully apologize for my present non-virtues.

In order to turn away from them in the future I shall restrain myself.

 

I rejoice in all the gatherings of merit and virtue

And ask you, victorious ones, not to pass into nirvana

But to turn the Dharma wheel of the Tripitaka and the unexcelled teachings.

All accumulations of virtue I dedicate to the minds of beings

So they may reach unsurpassable liberation.

 

Buddhas and your sons, please listen to me!

May this excellent aspiration which I have begun here

Be expressed in accordance with the victorious Samantabhadra and his sons

And with the wisdom of noble Manjushri.

 

May all the precious masters, the splendor of the doctrine,

Reach everywhere like the sky.

May they shine on everyone like the sun and moon

And may their lives be firm like mountains.

 

May the precious sangha, the foundation of the doctrine,

Be in harmony, keep pure vows and be wealthy in the three trainings.

May the practitioners of Mantrayana, the essence of the doctrine,

Keep their samaya and perfect the development and completion stages.

 

May the ruler who supports the Dharma, the patron of the doctrine,

Expand his dominion and aid the Buddhist teachings.

May the nobility and chieftains, the servants of the doctrine,

Increase their intelligence and be endowed with resourcefulness.

 

May all rich householders, the sponsors of the doctrine,

Have wealth and enjoyments and be free from harm.

May all the countries with faith in the doctrine

Have peace and happiness and be free from obstacles.

 

May I, a yogi on the path,

Have flawless samaya and fulfillment of my wishes.

May anyone connected with me through either good or evil karma

Both now and ultimately be cherished by the victorious ones.

May all beings enter the gate of the unexcelled vehicle

And attain the vast kingdom of Samantabhadra.

 

Exert yourself in this aspiration during the six sessions. Samaya. Seal. 

 

The great terton Chokgyur Lingpa, emanation of Prince Murub, revealed this treasure among a crowd of people. He took it from underneath the upper part of Piled Jewels Rock Mountain situated on the right slope of the most sacred place, Sengchen Namtrak. Written by Tsogyal in Tibetan shurma letters upon silk paper made from the robe of Vairochana, it was then immediately transcribed correctly by Padma Garwang Lodrö Thaye. May virtuous goodness increase.

 

Keeping you all in my heart and prayers and as always, sending you all much love and affection.

 

Sarva Mangalam,

 

Phakchok Rinpoche

 

 

 

Translated by Erik Pema Kunsang. Edited by Marcia Binder Schmidt, Kerry Moran and Michael Tweed. 

© Rangjung Yeshe Translations & Publications, 1995

www.phakchokrinpoche.org

www.cglf.org

The Prayer in Seven Chapters to Padmakara – Phakchok Rinpoche message in October 2012 สารจากท่าน พักชก ริมโปเช ตุลาคม 2555

The Prayer in Seven Chapters to Padmakara

Dear Friends Near and Far:

I hope you have all been happy and healthy. I am in Arhus, Denmark at our meditation center and all is well here. For today’s Guru Rinpoche Day, I would like to share with you an excerpt from, “The Prayer in Seven Chapters to Padmakara”. And from the forth chapter, “The Prayer Requested by Namkhe Nyingpo”:

Do this towards all you see:
Outside, inside, environment and beings, all things-
Whilst seeing them, without grasping, remain.
This freedom from the trap of duality, subject-object clinging, is
the very form of the deity-luminous and empty.
To this lama, the very self-liberation of desire and
Attachment, we pray!
To the Lotus-born Guru of Orgyen, we pray!

Do this towards all that you hear:
All sounds, grasped as sweet or harsh,
Whilst hearing them, empty, without after-thought, remain.
This empty sound, with no beginning and no end, is the speech of the victorious ones.
To this empty sound, the speech of all the buddhas, we pray!
To the Lotus-born Guru of Orgyen, we pray!

Do this towards all that stirs in the mind:
Whatever thoughts and emotions of the five poisons arise,
Don’t invite them, don’t chase after them, don’t let mind fabricate or contrive:
Simply allowing them to settle in the face of their own arising, is liberation into the dharmakaya.
To this lama, rigpa’s self-realization, we pray!
To the Lotus-born Guru of Orgyen, we pray!

Thus, outwardly purify appearances of their allure;
Inwardly, free mind from grasping;
And, by the self-recognition of lumonisity,
May the compassion of all the sugatas of past, present and future
Inspire and bless beings like us with self liberation!

May we be able to mingle our minds with our Guru when reciting these lines with immense longing and devotion.

Sarva Mangalam,
Phakchok Rinpoche

Hope, Fear and Ego – Phakchok Rinpoche message in September 2012 สารจากท่าน พักชก ริมโปเช กันยายน 2555

Guru Rinpoche Day
 Dear Friends Near and Far:I hope you have all been happy and healthy. I am in Guadalajara, Mexico preparing for todays Guru Rinpoche Day’s feast offering. I am going to keep each and everyone of you in my mind during the feast offering.

So for today’s Guru Rinpoche Day, I would like to share with you a key that helps unlock the root of all hope and fear. To really understand the dharma, to practice the dharma, and to apply the dharma, you really need to understand this key. On a day to day basis, where does all our hope and fear arise from? It arises from identity, feeling, belief, and ego clinging. The root is ego, this self centered ego.

What is hope? Hope is a positive attachment. When you don’t receive that or don’t have that you feel pain. What is Fear? Fear is something that you don’t like to have or don’t want to be. So most of our thoughts and feelings are contained in hope and fear.

Now I am going to give you a short quotation:

“Without cutting or reducing ego clinging, no matter how much you want to practice the dharma or live a positive life it is not going to work.”

As usual, my advice is don’t believe me but see it for your own self. So usually I say “seeing” is the first step, “recognizing” is the second step, “admitting” is the third step, “changing” is the fourth step and “measuring change” is the fifth step.

From another quotation:

“Without cutting the root of ego, meditation is just a creation of mind. Understanding is just labeling. Thinking that you understood is just subtle pride. When you really cut the root of ego, you don’t differentiate between yourself and others, and then you will understand selflessness. It is then when the realization of emptiness and compassion is going to be inseparable.”

So it is very important to reduce the ego. My message today may sound complicating to some, helpful to a handful and completely gibberish to many! But from my part, it is, has been, and will always be a joyful pleasure to connect with each and everyone of you and be a constant reminder of impermanence with each passing GRD one year after another.

Enclosed is a picture of my grandfather, Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche pointing his finger inward. Thinking of you all and keeping you all in the depth of my heart and aspiration.

Sarva Mangalam,

Phakchok Rinpoche

www.phakchokrinpoche.org

www.cglf.org
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