Observe your thoughts, their arising, and their subsiding. Observe the arising and the subsiding of your afflicted emotions. Through your practice, understand what is your true nature of mind, what is your Buddha nature, what is rigpa. Practice! Observe your mind! Apply the required antidotes. Practise diligently, practice conscientiously! Practice is like oxygen, do not … Continued
25 of us enjoyed a day at Folkuniversitetet in Jönköping, Sweden, sharing the importance of maintaining a healthy state of mind, developing loving kindness towards ourselves and others, and some related meditation practices. • the day event included the importance of our mind and how to find peace and happiness within.• practising sitting and walking … Continued
Last Wednesday, March 22nd, Lama Lakshyong gave a teaching in Bruges, Belgium, inside the Holy Magdalena church. The location was generously provided by YOT who manage the building. They also organize various other activities related to religion and spirituality. Their coordinator for “new rituals”, Eline Van Steenkiste, gave a short introduction about the location and … Continued
Wishing everyone a happy Losar!!!! Losar starts on the 21st February. 21st February – 7th March 2023Losar (Tibetan New Year) falls on 21st February 2023, starting the year of the Water Hare. The first 15 days are celebrated as the fifteen Days of Miracles, it is a very special and auspicious time of the year. … Continued
Buddhism is a science, it investigates everything, the external world and our inner world. Buddhism investigates our inner world really thoroughly and through Buddhist logic and understanding we can, within our mind stream, leave behind many of our afflictions, suffering and this darkness of ignorance.
The essence of this world is impermanence. This is the true nature of this world. Who can change this? Today everything is good, tomorrow it will be very difficult. It is the natural way things are. Today we are healthy, tomorrow we are sick; for a while we are very wealthy, then we become like … Continued
The happiest people are those whose minds are very pure, very open. They have very few requirements. They become like bamboo. In whatever environment they find themselves, they can be compassionate, they can carry on living. They only need something simple to eat, something simple to wear and no one brings troubles to them.
May everyone in 2023 and the year of the rabbit enjoy freedom, freely liberate our afflictions, be joyful and in peace. Enjoy, cherish, appreciate today (every day).
Live in the moment, practice in the moment. Repent everything, change everything, let go of everything. If you really can do this, you can attain enlightenment very quickly.
When we are starting to practice, of course there will be obstacles, maybe difficulties at home, with the family, with relationships. But let go! Gradually, go through the process of letting go. Look at the life of Shakyamuni Buddha, it took him three eons to attain enlightenment. So, what about us? Do not be too … Continued
What do we mean by confusion and ignorance? These mean that although we have this true nature of mind, this Buddha nature, we do not know it. When you get to know this nature – rigpa, you need to practice, to be patient and go through the process of returning back to realizing this true … Continued
Sometimes we are pursuing happiness, however our methods of pursuing happiness cause problems. The sole purpose of our practices seems to be that we are embarking on the wish for our own happiness, that everything for us can be pleasant, and can be auspicious. If we use our wisdom and our awareness, we really wouldn’t … Continued
When we are feeling sick, think “how wonderful, what an opportunity, this karma has ripened; I have been waiting for this opportunity (to practice). In all my lifetimes, how much negative karma have I generated, how many sentient beings have I harmed?” Meditate on this suffering and think “May I substitute the suffering of all … Continued
All the great realizers, look at what we consider to be negative as something positive. In their state of mind nothing is considered an obstacle, a difficulty or trouble. If we are sick, they teach us to give rise to renunciation. If our back is painful, we should say, “good, keep the mind pure and disciplined”. … Continued
The Great Perfection is directly pointing at the very nature of mind. Simply maintaining recognition of the very nature of mind by following the Guru’s pith instructions is the power of this profound path. That is why most essential is that we have faith in your Guru.
The right mindfulness is the mind without any thought. This pure state of mind is of clarity, of luminosity. When you start meditating, abide in a state which is not too lax, not too tight, abide in a state of equanimity, in a state of calm abiding. Then, support this calm abiding with the right … Continued
Why do we pay homage to our Guru? Because our root Guru is our Buddha on earth right now, he is the Buddha that helps us understand the teachings. He is our guidance, the lamp that dispels the darkness. He guides us out of the darkness of ignorance, he is our light in the darkness.
Today is Lhabab Duchen. Lhabab Duchen celebrates the anniversary of Buddha Shakyamuni’s descent from heaven after repaying the kindness of his mother by liberating her from Samsara and teaching Dharma to the gods. It is another auspicious occasion and one of four major Buddhist festivals. Lhabab Duchen occurs on the 22nd day of the ninth … Continued
Sometimes you are just reciting the words of a prayer, not really thinking about the suffering of sentient beings. When you really practice properly, when you really think of the suffering of sentient beings and really wish them to be free of suffering, this really has very great, very vast merit. In every practice that … Continued
Every time you begin listening to any teachings, give rise to auspicious bodhicitta to benefit countless suffering sentient beings. The foundation of all Mahayana and Vajrayana practices is bodhicitta. In order to achieve the highest levels of Buddhism, whatever dharma you are practicing, – irrespective of whether you are practicing meditation, making lamp offerings, listening … Continued
Our enlightened Guru is our light in the darkness. May we too be a lamp that lights the path so others may also see clearly. May all beings know rigpa and our realisations be as vast as space Total lamps lit: 20,007
When can we really say that we have entered the door, that we started practicing the secret Vajrayana? When we are clear about the four types of liberation. And what are these four types of liberation? In meditative concentration, there is liberation through [naked] bare attention, liberation as soon as it arises, self-liberation and primordial … Continued
The Guru is just your mirror. The mirror is your teacher. When you meet your teacher, then you know the state of your practice, what kind of person you are. It’s like looking in the mirror. You know what state you are in, where you floated to, what level of practice you have, whether your … Continued
Once you overcome the hatred within your mind, you will discover that in the world outside, there is no longer any such thing as even a single enemy. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche Our lives have no outcome other than death, just as rivers have no end other than the ocean. At the moment of death, our … Continued
You can practice anytime, anyplace as long as you want to practice. Enlightenment happens in a moment. So, we are completely upside down. We think and think and because of all this thinking we are in samsara. We think, we think, morning to night, we are thinking random thoughts, we are thinking about afflictive emotions. … Continued
No matter how profound the Dharma, if you have a method, you are able to practice it perfectly. It does not matter how low the Dharma is, if you do not have a method, you are not going to be able to practice it. It has nothing to do with one’s age, it is not … Continued
Aspiring for world peace, good health, Dashain, the quick and auspicious return of HH Moktsa Rinpoche and the enlightenment of all sentient beings we will do a daily light offering at the Stupa every day for the next 30 days. Participate by offering a butter lamp each day yourself at home or contribute to the … Continued
What are the pith instructions? They are what enables an afflicted sentient being, who has been afflicted since beginningless time until now, to transform this confused afflicted mind and to attain liberation. This can only be done through the secret Vajrayana. Only through the Great Perfection can we get this result.
Let your mind calm down. If you want to meditate and if you want to practice the ultimate Dharma, first bring your mind to calm abiding. If you want to attain Enlightenment, if you want to attain liberation, the first requirement or the very foundational condition, is that your mind must be able to come … Continued
When you wake up in the morning, use this time to meditate. Many people say: “I can’t meditate!”. Look at the moon, look at the stars, look up into the skies, use [as objects for meditation] what is in front of your eyes. The moon, the skies, the mountains, they can all be the objects … Continued
While you have energy and good health, stop all the samsaric activities. While you have the energy, use this time to practice, to meditate, and then, when our mood is not very good or when we are very tired, then, use this time to carry out the samsaric activities.
Start practicing properly, start practicing by repenting, start from taking refuge, and then, practice Bodhicitta. Many people do not understand renunciation. How many years have they been practicing, and they still do not understand renunciation? Everyday they are visualizing suffering. If you are observing suffering every day, are you not going to go crazy? Likewise, … Continued
What qualities are important to be a Buddhist? Everyday we are talking about compassion, love, and kindness, but why is it that we do not have compassion, love, and kindness? Everyday we say wisdom, wisdom, wisdom, however when we are practicing why is it that we do not have any wisdom?
Buddha has so many reincarnations. In regards to his future appearances, before the attainment of Buddhahood, Buddha made 500 great aspirations. You do not know how they may appear. They are not just those that are wearing robes and sitting on the Dharma throne teaching.
Our final stop is in Taxila. Taxila is a famous location ( UNESCO Site) where many Stupas were erected in the time of King Ashoka. Buddhism was most prolific here between the 3rd Century BC and 5th Century AD. It is along one branch of the Silk Road and had Persian and Greek influence which is evident … Continued
As long as you want to attain liberation, practice! If you do not want to attain liberation then, why play Buddhism games? What are the objects of your refuge? The Three Jewels. Why do we follow our teacher, our Guru? To attain Enlightenment, to attain Buddhahood. So, protect your liberation, your Enlightenment well. Do not … Continued
The negative actions of body: taking what is not given and sexual misconduct.Best, if you can be generous and trustworthy in relationships.If not, at least don’t take what is not given and engage in sexual misconduct.
As our short yet auspicious and wonderful journey ended with a final stop at Kambardan (dan means lake) on route back to Islamabad. It is said there was a lake here on which there were many lotus’s, however, this lake dried up 40-60 years ago. Now it is built up and known as Kambardan. Is … Continued
As long as there is happiness, behind it there is suffering. Happiness and suffering go together. As long as you have attachment to happiness, there is suffering waiting. As soon as we leave the happiness, the suffering appears. When we are happy, we do not realize there is suffering but as soon as happiness leaves, … Continued
Next via Barikot to the Torkadara (dara means gorge) ( Najigram) and Amlukdara Stupas which are a few kilometers apart from each other. The way to Torkadara Stupa passes very narrow windy roads. After this to Torkadara Stupa which has the scenic Elam Mountain in the background. “Legend tells of a serpent king, the … Continued
Where does bodhicitta come from? Is bodhicitta not this mind of ours? It is this mind of ours, isn’t it? Renunciation is this mind, wisdom is this mind, compassion is this mind. Remember, enlightenment is also this mind!
The next morning we paid a visit the Palace of King Indrabuti, in Udegram. There is approximately a 30 minute walk from the entrance to the site of King Indrabuti’s palace ruins. From the ruins of the palace there is a scenic view over Udegram ( ancient scriptures describe as Uri ) and the snowy … Continued
All the Buddhas, all the great practitioners of the past, how did they attain Buddhahood? Through realizing their own inner minds. And what is being liberated? The afflictions, the confused mind, the afflicted mind, the mind that sleeps, the one that eats, the one that wants to drink water.
Next we visited the Swat Museum, in Saidusharif town. Here, amongst many different other artifacts, are foot prints of Buddha and a rock carving which is believed to possibly be a carving of Padmasabhava. (See: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swat_Museum ) Not far from here, we went to Butkadah 1 Stupa which is said to have had many carvings … Continued
Which Buddha has attained Buddhahood by practicing through the external world? Taking as an example all the Buddhas, from Samantabhadra to now, do they (realize) practice through external appearances? Not one of the Buddhas did this, with respect to all of the history and all of the Buddhas. They attained Buddhahood by transforming their mind, … Continued
The Jahanabad Buddha rock carving lies in a side valley off the main River Swat near the road from Saidu Sharif and Mingora which tracks along the edge of the main river. It is a huge 7th-century Buddha carved on a cliff dominating the approach up the valley. At six meters tall the Jahanabad Buddha … Continued
What is bodhicitta? Within ourselves we have the true nature of mind, this inherent state of mind. How do we discover this true nature of mind within our lives? How do we return to this true nature of mind that is called bodhicitta? Everyone of us has the true nature of mind, everyone of us … Continued
Our first stop in the Swat valley being Shingadara (Ghandhara Stupa) which has a relic of Buddha in it. The Shingardar stupa was identified by Colonel Deane and S.A Stein with the famous stupa built by King Uttarasena on the spot where the white elephant that carried the Kings share of the relics of the … Continued
When we understand the true nature of this world, we will naturally have renunciation, we will have bodhicitta, compassion. You will then understand all beings’ suffering of suffering, suffering of change and suffering of everything composite.
The source of all samsara is clinging. This is the essence of samsara, suffering. When you have incessant grasping, you have suffering. So the 84000 Dharma are for this purpose, to remove this attachment of ours. There is no other Dharma apart from these.
What are all the Dharma requirements for? To purify our negative karma, so that all of our body, speech and mind karma can be purified. Practice, practice with purity. It’s quite simple.
We arrived in Islamabad on the evening of the 15th May and left the next morning to head towards the Swat valley (Swat from the word Suesto which means fair dwelling), a valley rich in cultural heritage dating back for thousands of years. This and other areas in Pakistan had rich, abundant, thriving and flourishing … Continued
Receiving the Dharma from external sources, means creating arising-causes-Dharma. True practice of Dharma is practicing within. So how do we practice looking within? We must bring back our mind. Don’t let it run outside or project outside, instead, reflect in. First, calm down your mind, gather your affliction in. How do we do this? By … Continued
Living in the negative emotions is just like a crazy monkey. She is jumping around all the time. And she is very tired because she is living like this. Because of this, sometimes we feel lost, sometimes we feel fear, sometimes we feel anxiety. And when this is happening, you’ve completely left Rigpa.
Saga Dawa, the 4th lunar month which runs from 31st May until 29th June 2022, is known as the month of merits, it is also called bumgyur dawa, which means “merits multiplied by a hundred thousand times”. Accordingly, practitioners make extra efforts during this month in practicing Dharma, generosity, kindness and compassion accumulating virtuous merit … Continued
We are sometimes very lazy. Laziness has no bodhicitta and the karmic winds of our karmic and conceptual obscurations will blow us in the direction of that karma.
Truly, being just in a dazed state (not positive, not negative), in a state of laziness or without awareness, you are not truly using your time to practice. And if we do not practice, when the time of death arises, what are we going to be able to handle? And we will never put an … Continued
Everyone has lived many lives and the experiences of those lives are influenced by the karmic seeds stored in our mindstream as a result of our actions of our body, speech and mind.
Why was it that Buddha Shakyamuni left his palace? Over there he had the comfort; you see, he had fame, fortune, status. It is because, in order be able to practice properly, he did not need all of these comforts. If he did not leave the palace, all sorts of difficulties and obstacles may have … Continued
Why am I mentioning this to you? When we face death, we cannot deceive ourselves. Practice, practice this great perfection well! And if you do, for certain, one day you will attain liberation.
Padmasambhava said this is the age of nuns attaining Enlightenment quicker than the monks. Does this mean that the monk should think ‘oh, no, no, I cannot attain Enlightenment?’ No, it is just that nuns will attain Enlightenment quicker; before it used to be the monks. Padmasambhava said this is the most auspicious time to … Continued
[At the moment of death] All of these material concerns, all of these phenomena are not ours. For instance, look at my mother, if she didn’t practice well what would she be able to take with her? The only thing that would be able to follow her would be her own tears. However, as practitioners … Continued
Whether you go in or whether you go out, there is attachment, aversion, and ignorance. This is what everybody in the city is doing. In this environment, how do you practice? – we are not enlightened yet, are we? So, in this type of environment how are you going to realize the practices? It is … Continued
Be constantly aware of impermanence The nature of this world is everything is impermanent. This is the 8th of a series of 10 short videos on impermanence and death.
Great compassionate Dharma protectors and students, one day, you are going to die. I am also going to die; my mother has just died. What is this telling us?: that every single one of us is going to die, so do not have too many pursuits and do not get too attached. It is impossible … Continued
Whatever is born will one day die,Whatever rises will one day fall,Whatever gathers together will one day part,Whatever is built up will one day fall,Whatever is accumulated will be used up. This is the 7th of a series of 10 short videos on impermanence and death.
We do teach very vastly for boundless bodhicitta, however as it is said in The Way of the Bodhisattva as taught by Shantideva, if you can just give rise to ultimate bodhicitta for just a moment, all past karma, all of those selfish thoughts, self-grasping from which we have hurt others, all our karma thereof, … Continued
What happens if we don’t contemplate impermanence and death? What are the benefits of contemplating death and impermanence? Every day think as you wake up, I am alive, I have a precious human life….🔑 This is the 5th of a series of 10 short videos on impermanence and death.
So why is it that we must practice bodhicitta? When we have realised bodhicitta, then, all our merit and all our practices have been perfected. With respect to bodhicitta, we start practicing with little steps, with little things.
Only our mind continues after death, all material possessions are left behind. Great kings and leaders, even realised beings leave this world. How often do we consider death and impermanence? This is the 4th of a series 9 of short videos on impermanence and death.
In this Tibetan New Year, sincerely wish for world peace, prosperity for all, harmony in the society, unity amongst the people, freedom/ relief from the pandemic and sickness, happiness for everyone ; wishing all family and friends, good health, happiness and Tashi Deleg!
If we organize our time properly daily, truly practicing, then your liberation won’t be a problem. Your attainment of Enlightenment won’t be a problem. The problem that we have is that we spend all our time involved in material concerns. All you need to do is allocate three or four percent of your time to … Continued
Everything is changing, time passes like a dream and due to our attachment we suffer. The causes human life are few and the causes of death are many. This is the 3rd of a series 9 of short videos on impermanence and death.
When you discover Rigpa, when you abide in Rigpa then, you are free of all negative emotions. The universal energy is called Rigpa. Everyone has Rigpa within themselves. But if you do not find it, you will continue existing at the level of trouble, negative emotions. And if you are living into that changing, always … Continued
It is better to prepare for the certainty of death, not just think we will face death when it happens. How we live our life may help at the time of death. This is the 2nd of a series of short videos on impermanence and death.
