An Eternal Now

12 Dec 09, 01:03

I have consolidated and closed the separate Dharma Teachings topics created by Nahahwu into a single one for better referencing.

1000 Arms Chenrezig Nyung Ne Retreat Dec 2009

1000 Arms Chenrezig Nyung Ne Retreat Dec 2009
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/palyulsglive
1000 Arms Chenrezig Empowerment 3 Dec 2009 8pm
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/2700281
Thousand Arms Chenrezig Nyung Ne Retreat Dec 4 2009
Receive Vows & Morning Practice I
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/2703058
Thousand Arms Chenrezig Nyun g Ne Retreat Dec 4 2009 8 pm
Teaching by Khenpo Tashi Norbu Rinpoche
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/2707994
Thousand Arms Chenrezig Nyung Ne Retreat Dec 5 2009
9.30am Session
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/2713585
Thousand Arms Chenrezig Nyung Ne Retreat Dec 5 2009
2009 Singapore 2pm Session
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/2715748
Palyulsglive 12/05/09 03:03AM
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/2716785
Palyulsglive 12/05/09 03:04AM
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/2716791
Palyulsglive 12/05/09 03:12AM
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/2716794
Palyulsglive 12/05/09 04:14AM
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/2716839

An Eternal Now

12 Dec 09, 01:50

Ground, Path, and Fruition

An Eternal Now

12 Dec 09, 01:51

Auspicious Prayers in Tibetan

An Eternal Now

12 Dec 09, 01:52

Khandro Kunga at Thekchen Choling

Khandro Kunga at Thekchen Choling
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBJHdZn2XUo&feature=related
http://www.thekchencholing.org/component/option,com_thekchen/task,caplist/gfid,33/pg,1
http://www.thekchencholing.org/component/option,com_thekchen/task,caplist/gfid,33/pg,2
http://www.thekchencholing.org/component/option,com_thekchen/task,caplist/gfid,33/pg,3
http://www.thekchencholing.org/component/option,com_thekchen/task,caplist/gfid,33/pg,4
http://www.thekchencholing.org/component/option,com_thekchen/task,caplist/gfid,33/pg,5

Prayer by Khandro Kunga 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0HsV6h2bZM&NR=1
Prayer by Khandro Kunga 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xu2WGDFQp8U&feature=related
Prayer by Khandro Kunga 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDL-OCJ2K-Y&feature=related

'It happened at the last minute. I didn’t have the intention, and I
didn’t have the money to travel. I followed a sign that came in my
dreams. There was a bus blowing its horn indicating its departure, and
until I got on the bus I was unaware of where I was heading. I learnt
from the other people on that bus that they were going to Lhasa and
thence to Shigatse. A couple of days into the journey I learnt that
they were also planning to go to Mount Kailash.

“One day, while we had stopped our journey at Shigatse, I was
circumambulating Tashi Lhunpo Monastery when I came across an elderly
man dressed in an Indian cloth doti. This complete stranger gave me
2000 gormo. He asked me to sit beside him, and begun to tell me many
unusual stories. He told me that India was just beyond this mountain,
and that I should be meeting with His Holiness the Dalai Lama and many
other lamas. He kept urging me to head for India – and at the time it
didn’t feel at all strange, although when I recall it now it seems
amazing to me.”

There was much hardship. I had no mission of my own and was just
following the pilgrims. I don’t remember very clearly how long the
journey was, but I did fifteen koras round Mount Kailash and due to my
unusual actions and the words that I was speaking, rumors were going
around that I was a dakini. People began to line up to see me, even
seeking blessings from me. It was very tiring for me to deal with the
crowds, but a very kind monk from a nearby monastery took good care of
me with food and drink. He even organized a better system for the
people who came to see me for blessings, etc. Many of those people
expressed their wish to go to India with me. One night, quite suddenly
and without any discussion, I made up my mind to leave for India and
so a man who was our guide led seventeen of us from the bus along the
trail that leads to the border. He wasn’t very experienced and it took
seventeen days to reach Kathmandu in Nepal. It should have taken only
seven days. We were in no man’s land, and as there were no real paths
or people to ask, it was impossible to tell whether we were even out
of Tibet. We had to just follow the signs I got in my dreams. When we
were confused about the way, I was instructed to go in the direction
where there appeared a circle of light. Maybe this was the blessing of
the Dalai Lama or Palden Lhamo.

“Sometimes we had to walk all day without any food or drink, and
sometimes we had to walk all through the night. We were not prepared
for such a long journey.

“When I arrived in Nepal, I fell seriously ill with food poisoning and
could not continue with my companions towards India. I had to stay at
the reception center in Kathmandu, vomiting blood, which made the
staff suspicious that I had a contagious disease. I was left to sleep
outside the building in a field. I was so weak that I couldn't change
position. When I needed to move, they used long sticks to push me back
and forth because they were afraid to touch me with their hands. As my
condition worsened, the staff thought I wouldn’t survive, and so asked
me if I wanted to leave a last message for my family and asked for the
address to deliver it.

“So I made a request for monks from a monastery to do prayers after I
died and to take my body for cremation to a peak which I later found
out is the holy Nagarjuna hill where Buddha had spoken the sutra
called Langru Lungten.

“I asked them to take my urine in a bottle and give it to whomever
they met first at the Boudhanath Stupa entrance. By now I was
semi-conscious, but they were kind enough to do this favor for me. The
person who took my urine met a man at the gate who turned out to be a
Tibetan physician. He tested my urine and diagnosed that I had been
poisoned with meat, prescribed some medicine and even sent me some
blessing pills. My health improved dramatically and I had many good
dreams. When I recovered, I was sent to the Dharamsala reception
center, together with some other newly-arrived people.'

An Eternal Now

12 Dec 09, 01:54

Tibetan calligraphy by Palden Oshoe

A
     a http://lrc.cornell.edu/medialib/ti/twc/chapter_30/twc30-01.html
     i http://lrc.cornell.edu/medialib/ti/twc/chapter_30/twc30-02.html
     u http://lrc.cornell.edu/medialib/ti/twc/chapter_30/twc30-03.html
     e http://lrc.cornell.edu/medialib/ti/twc/chapter_30/twc30-04.html
     o http://lrc.cornell.edu/medialib/ti/twc/chapter_30/twc30-05.html

An Eternal Now

12 Dec 09, 01:58

Chenrizig Mantra recited by His Holiness Penor Rinpoche

Chenrizig Mantra recited by His Holiness Penor Rinpoche
http://www.pathgate.org/Tib_pm_05.html?height=190&width=600

Medicine Buddha Mantra recited by His Holiness Penor Rinpoche
http://www.pathgate.org/Tib_pm_06.html?height=190&width=600

Green Tara Mantra recited by His Holiness Penor Rinpoche
http://www.pathgate.org/Tib_pm_07.html?height=190&width=600

Yellow Zambala Mantra recited by His Holiness Penor Rinpoche
http://www.pathgate.org/Tib_pm_08.html?height=190&width=600

The Great Compassionate Dharani
http://www.pathgate.org/Tib_pm_04.html?height=190&width=600

The Verses of Prayer to the Eight Noble Auspicious Ones Recited by Lopen Pasang
http://www.pathgate.org/Tib_pm_03.html?height=300&width=580

The Seven Line Prayer to Guru Rinpoche Recited by Lopen Pasang
http://www.pathgate.org/Tib_pm_01.html?height=255&width=570

Refuge and Bodhicitta Recited by Lama Tashi
http://www.pathgate.org/Tib_pm_12.html?height=170&width=570

The Seven Branch Offering Prayer Recited by Lama Dorje Gonpo
http://www.pathgate.org/Tib_pm_11.html?height=170&width=570

Mandala Offering Recited by Khenpo Tsewang Gyatso
http://www.pathgate.org/Tib_pm_14.html?height=225&width=570

Food Offering Prayer Recited by Khenpo Tsewang Gyatso
http://www.pathgate.org/Tib_pm_16.html?height=170&width=580

The King of Aspirational Prayers Recited by Khenpo Sangye Wangdi
http://www.pathgate.org/Tib_pm_20.html?height=315&width=570

Praises to the Buddha Sakyamuni Recited by Khenpo Sangye Wangdi
http://www.pathgate.org/Tib_pm_24.html?height=315&width=570

Confession To the Root Guru Recited by Khenpo Sangye Wangdi
http://www.pathgate.org/Tib_pm_22.html?height=315&width=570

Narak Kong Shak – ‘The Supreme Confession for Purifying All Violations
and Breakages (of Vows), and

All Negative Actions and Obscurations’ Recited by Khenpo Sangye Wangdi
http://www.pathgate.org/Tib_pm_21.html?height=315&width=570

The Sutra of Reflecting on the Three Jewels Recited by Khenpo Sangye Wangdi
http://www.pathgate.org/Tib_pm_23.html?height=315&width=570

Heart Sutra Recited by Khenpo Sangye Wangdi
http://www.pathgate.org/Tib_pm_15.html?height=315&width=570

Dulga, The Reversing Ritual of White Umbrella Recited by Khenpo Nyima Dondrup
http://www.pathgate.org/Tib_pm_17.html?height=225&width=570

Sinha Mukha The Sadhana of Lion-Faced Dakini Recited by Khenpo Nyima Dondrup
http://www.pathgate.org/Tib_pm_18.html?height=225&width=570

Twenty-One Homages to Tara Recited by Lopen Pasang
http://www.pathgate.org/Tib_pm_19.html?height=315&width=570

Supplication Prayer for the Swift Rebirth of H.H. Penor Rinpoche
Recited by Lopen Pasang
http://www.pathgate.org/Tib_pm_25.html?height=315&width=570

Dedication of Merit Prayer Recited by Lopen Pasang
http://www.pathgate.org/Tib_pm_09.html?height=275&width=580

One Hundred Syllable Mantra Recited by Lopen Pasang
http://www.pathgate.org/Tib_pm_27.html?height=275&width=580

An Eternal Now

12 Dec 09, 01:59

3 Year Retreat Of Venerable Lama Karma Samten Gyatso

When I was twenty-one, I had to decide whether to continue with my studies or to practise. I chose to practise. This is partly because I felt I already had a basic understanding of dharma but mainly it was because I was concerned about death, I had seen so much of it in my family. Soon after I took full ordination, I entered the traditional three year, three month and three day retreat. I did two retreats in succession. The meditations practised during the retreat are as follows:

        First is seven days of Dorje Phurba practice to remove obstacles and to
        provide protection. This practice is also done every evening and is
        continued until the end of the retreat.
        Then follows seven days of White Tara which is practised to insure long
        life and good health. This is also continued each morning until the end
        of the retreat.
        Four sessions of Lotog Namzhi. These are the "Ordinary Preliminary
        Practices", the "Four Thoughts which Change the Mind".
        Four months of Ngön Dro, the "Extraordinary Preliminary Practices".
        These consist of 111 111 prostrations, to purify the body; 111 111 Dorje
        Sempa mantras, to purify the speech; 111 111 mandala offerings, to
        purify the mind; and 111 111 Guruyoga recitations, to invoke the
        blessing of the lineage.
        One month of Lojong Dondün, "Seven point Mind Training", this consists
        of reading and meditating on bodhicitta.
        One month Semdzin, this is shine and lhatong (Skt: shamata and
        vipashana).
        One month Marpa Guruyoga.
        One month Milarepa Guruyoga.
        One month Gampopa Guruyoga.
        One month Karma Pakshi Guruyoga.
        Seven months Vajrayogini.
        Four months Chakrasambhava.
        Seven months Naro Cho Drug: the Six Yogas of Naropa.
        Three months Gyalwa Gyamtso: Red Avalokiteshvara.
        Fifty days Amitabha: O Pagme.
        One month Akshobhya: Mi Drugpa.
        One month Vairochana.
        One month Mahakala.
        One month Chod.
        One month White Tara: Drolma Karpo.

On the completion of my second retreat, I spent another three years in solitary retreat in a forest near the retreat centre. All my instruction was from H.E. Beru Khyentse Rinpoche and Venerable Kalu Rinpoche. I thought I would spend the rest of my life in retreat but, in 1981, His Holiness the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa and His Eminence Beru Khyentse Rinpoche requested me to come to New Zealand and Australia

An Eternal Now

12 Dec 09, 02:01

Dharma Talks By Geshe Ngawang Dakpa

Born in Nagchu, Central Tibet, a village at an altitude of 14,000 feet with year round ice and snow, he lived with his nomadic family. At the age of ten he entered Orbak Monastery, where he learned to read and write. He was ordained as a novice monk at 13 and memorized sutras ritual prayers and pujas , and learned how to build mandalas and play ritual instruments. He studied Tibetan grammar, poetry and astrology. In 1953, he traveled to the capital of Lhasa and entered Sera, one of the three great monastic universities in Tibet, and home to 7,200 monks. It was the Junior Tutor of the Dalai Lama who fully ordained him as a monk. His contemporaries at Sera were Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa, founders of Tse Chen Ling.

In 1959, during the cultural revolution, chinese troops shelled Sera. Geshe La's life hung on a thread for days. When he learned that the Dalai Lama had fled, he decided to follow and escaped to India. He continued his studies at the Sanskrit University in Benares (Varanasi), where he earned an M.A. with honors. Invited by the Queen of Sikkim to teach Tibetan at the University of Sikkim, he ended up staying for 20 years before returning to Sera Je monastery in South India to gain his Geshe degree. At the top of his class, he became an expert in Dharma (Buddha's teachings), astrology, Tibetan education, grammar and poetry, as well as in philosophy. Before coming to San Francisco he was resident teacher at the FPMT Center in Taipei, Taiwan.

Refuge Ceremony and Advice
Refuge Ceremony What does it means to take refuge in the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma and Sangha), and the essential practices of refuge. Includes thee ceremony for taking the vows and their role in enhancing our spiritual growth.
http://www.archive.org/details/Tse_Chen_Ling_Geshe_Dakpa_Refuge_20040822

Ten Kadampa Geshes-Stories of Buddhist Practioners - Ven. Geshe Ngawang Dakpa
Ten Kadampa Geshes Stories of Buddhist Practitioners The Kadampa Geshes were an amazing and dedicated group committed to attaining enlightenment at all costs. Their stories still serve as inspiration today, many hundreds of years after their time. This particular teaching showcases these forefathers of the Gelug tradition
http://www.archive.org/details/Tse_Chen_Ling_Geshe_Dakpa_10_Inner_Kadampas_20050626

Daily Practice in Tibetan Buddhism
Daily Practice in Tibetan Buddhism Ven. Geshe Ngawang Dakpa provides an overview of spiritual practice from our waking moments to the end of the day. He describes the basic practices that comprise the morning session; practices we take into the routines of our daily lives; and closing out the daily activities.
http://www.archive.org/details/Tse_Chen_Ling_Geshe_Dakpa_Daily_Practice_20050705

Stages of the Path—, Lamrim
Stages of the PathLamrim Special Insight "With study comes understanding; but this must be put to use. It is therefore vital to put as much as one can of what one has studied into practice." The Stages of the Path (lam.rim) is the celebrated synthesis of the essential teachings of sutra, from guru devotion and renunciation up to supreme altruism and the view of the Middle Way. Based on the classical Middling Lam.rim studied in monasteries, these teachings are easy to understand and apply
http://www.archive.org/details/Tse_Chen_Ling_Geshe_Dakpa_Stages_20051120

Jorcho Practice
Six Preliminary Practices The Six Preparatory Practices adorning the Buddha's sublime doctrine explaining how to perform the preliminaries to a meditation session, such as cleaning the room, setting up offerings, arranging the seat and so forth. Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism, Philosophy, Mahayana, Lamrim, Stages of the Path, Meditation, Bodhicitta, Wisdom, Emptiness, Offerings, Mandala, Seven Limb Prayer
http://www.archive.org/details/Tse_Chen_Ling_Geshe_Dakpa_Jorcho_Practice_20040919

Offering the Mandala

How to Make a Mandala Offering When Buddhist practitioners make a mandala offering, they are offering the universe to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. One can imagine this universe as spectacular as one can, offering all that is precious to oneself. Geshe Dakpa explains the practice offering hands on advice in this visualization practice.

http://www.archive.org/details/Tse_Chen_Ling_Geshe_Dakpa_Mandala_Offering_20041024

Applying the Five Forces
Applying the Five Forces Often these are referred to In Tibetan Buddhism, as practices relating to the time of death; however they are practices to be cultivated throughout one's life. Reciting the names of the buddhas, reciting mantras, reciting certain sutras; meditating on emptiness; making offerings; and anything done in relation to images. Here Geshe Dakpa provides simple and practical advice to carry out the five forces
http://www.archive.org/details/Tse_Chen_Ling_Geshe_Dakpa_5_Forces_20040829

Seven Limb Prayer
The seven lines of this prayer help us to purify our negative emotions and actions and to accumulate a wealth of positive potential. From prostrations, offering, confessing to requesting our teachers to teach and to stay, this concise yet simple prayer is a powerful tool for our daily practice.
http://www.archive.org/details/Tse_Chen_Ling_Geshe_Dakpa_7_Limb_Prayer_20040708

Relying on the Spiritual Teacher
The basis of the achievement of any goal, whether one seeks to become a pianist or a painter, is one's teacher. This is profoundly true in Tibetan Buddhism where it is taught that the Spiritual Teacher is the foundation of all of our qualities and devotion to this teacher is the fuel for progression and attainments upon the path. Geshe Dakpa, leads us through the traditional Tibetan approach to finding, investigating, serving and devoting oneself to a Spiritual Teacher.
http://www.archive.org/details/Tse_Chen_Ling_Geshe_Dakpa_Marin_Spiritual_Teacher_20040803

Preliminary Practices

As Buddhist practitioners, we formalize our daily according to the outline described in the Stages of the Path. The practice is divided into the preliminary practices; the actual meditation session and the concluding practices. In this series of lectures, Geshe-la teaches on the six preliminary practices prior to beginning a meditation session. From cleaning the room to visualizing the refuge field, these lectures are pith instruction for any Tibetan Buddhist practitioner.
http://www.archive.org/details/Tse_Chen_Ling_Geshe_Dakpa_6_Preliminaries_20040806
http://www.archive.org/details/Tse_Chen_Ling_Geshe_Dakpa_6_Preliminaries_20040812
http://www.archive.org/details/Tse_Chen_Ling_Geshe_Dakpa_6_Preliminaries_C_20040730
http://www.archive.org/details/Tse_Chen_Ling_Geshe_Dakpa_6_Preliminary_Practices_072904_

Emptiness for Beginners
"Emptiness is dependent arising; dependent arising is emptiness." Geshe Dakpa provides an overview of the unique Buddhist philosophy of emptiness; the lack of inherent existence of self and phenomena. Conjoined with the understanding of dependent arising, the view can begin to change our experience
http://www.archive.org/details/Tse_Chen_Ling_Geshe_Dakpa_Emptiness_Beginners_20050731

Introduction to Kalachakra
Kalachakra Introduction Kalachakra means Time-Wheel, as "Kala" is Sanskrit for Time and "Cakra" (or Chakra) is Wheel in Sanskrit. One could also translate it as Time-Cycles. Much in this tradition revolves around the concept of time and cycles: from the cycles of the planets, to the cycles of our breath and the practice of controlling the most subtle energies within one's body on the path to enlightenment
http://www.archive.org/details/Tse_Chen_Ling_Geshe_Dakpa_Kalachakra_20040422

Four Noble Truths
Four Noble Truths The Four Noble Truths were taught by the Buddha in his first teaching of the Dharma after his actual enlightenment. Known as the truth of suffering; the cause of suffering, the cessation of suffering and the path to the cessation of suffering, these basic doctrines form the backbone of all Buddhist traditions.
http://www.archive.org/details/Tse_Chen_Ling_Geshe_Dakpa_4_Noble_VPI_06_2004

8 Verses of Thought Transformation
Eight Verses of Thought Transformation This mind training (lojong) text goes back over 800 years following the introduction of the Kadampa School by Atisha when Geshe Langri Tangpa set down these extremely profound teachings in brief form
http://www.archive.org/details/Tse_Chen_Ling_Geshe_Dakpa_8_Verses_052104

Six Session Guru Yoga
Six Session Guru Yoga Restricted Students who have taken a mahanuttaratantra initiation in the Gelug tradition, undertakes a commitment to recite the Six Session Guru Yoga prayer daily.
http://www.archive.org/details/Tse_Chen_Ling_Geshe_Dakpa_Six_Session_2005

Karma— Law of Cause and Effect
KarmaThe Law of Cause and Effect "What goes around comes around" is a simple idea of how what we do now becomes what kind of experience we have later. The Buddha taught that Karma is the true creator of our world and ourselves so if we truly understand what this means we can create the world we want. Karma, Cause and Effect, Reincarnation, Morality, Virtues, Nonvirtues, Four Opponent Powers, Actions, Results
http://www.archive.org/details/Tse_Chen_Ling_Geshe_Dakpa_Marin_Karma_20050405

Death, Intermediate State, and RebirthThree Basic Bodies
Death, intermediate state and rebirth underpin samsara, the condition of repeated rebirth impelled by previous action and delusion. But they are also the three basic bodies of Highest Yoga Tantra practice, forming the bases for altruistic transformation into the Truth, Enjoyment and Emanation Bodies of a Buddha. This transformation is brought about by means of simulating in meditation the stages of the death process that result in manifestation of the clear light mind.
http://www.archive.org/details/Tse_Chen_Ling_Geshe_Dakpa_3_Bodies_03_04

Four Opponent Powers, Practice of Purifying Negative Actions
To purify our negative karma we must practice the four opponent powers: the power of regret, the power of reliance, the power of remedy, and the power of resolve. Within these four, one begins by reflecting on regret; the awareness that actions we have committed bring suffering to ourselves and others. We further identify the reliance (or refuge) of one such as the Buddha, who inspires us with his example; with the power of remedy we commit ourselves to a practice which alleviates the results of the actions we have done. We complete with the power of resolve resolving not to repeat those actions which bring suffering to ourselves and others.
http://www.archive.org/details/Tse_Chen_Ling_Geshe_Dakpa_Four_Opponent_Powers_20040711

Grounds and Paths of Secret Mantra
Grounds and Paths of Secret Mantra Restricted to those with Highest Yoga Tantra empowerment. "In brief, the Buddhahood achieved over countless eons, you will attain in this birth, through the most excellent bliss, or the state of Vajradhara." An overview of the structure of the tantric path. Tantra distinguishes itself in particular through a unique combination of method and wisdom
http://www.archive.org/details/Tse_Chen_Ling_Geshe_Dakpa_Tantra_Grounds_20051130

Karma and the Mental Afflictions
Karma and the Mental Afflictions (Kleshas) Geshe Dakpa provides an overview of how Karma (the law of cause and effect) works and what Kleshas (mental afflictions or disturbing emotions)are. Karma and Kleshas keep us in suffering, but can be purified and eliminated altogether the result is full enlightenment.
http://www.archive.org/details/Tse_Chen_Ling_Geshe_Dakpa_Karma_Klesha_200508

Refuge Ceremony and Advice
What does it means to take refuge in the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma and Sangha), and the essential practices of refuge. Includes the ceremony for taking the vows and their role in enhancing our spiritual growth.
http://www.archive.org/details/GD_RefugeSunday_20070812

An Eternal Now

12 Dec 09, 02:08

Zurmang Ngondro Teaching by HE Zurmang Gharwang Rinpoche XII

Zurmang Ngondro Teaching by His Eminence Zurmang Gharwang Rinpoche XII
at Jakarta on 9-10 April 2009

An Eternal Now

12 Dec 09, 02:19

Thrangu Rinpoche in East Tibet

An Eternal Now

12 Dec 09, 02:19

Six Session Yoga by Ngulchu Jeydrung

- Six Session Yoga (extremely abbreviated) by Ngulchu Jeydrung
  http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/x/nav/group.html_1831251282.html
  Six Session Yoga (abbreviated) by Ngulchu Jeydrung
  http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/x/nav/group.html_2039132468.html
  Panchen Lama Extensive 6 Session Yoga
  http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/archives/practice_material/prayers/six_session_yogas/orig_panchen_lama_6-session_yoga_01.html
  Extensive 6 Session Yoga 1st Panchen Lama and Pabongka
  http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/archives/practice_material/prayers/six_session_yogas/orig_panchen_lama_6-session_yoga_01.html
  
  Names Of Manjusri
  http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/archives/practice_material/prayers/kalachakra/guru_yoga_prayers/concert_names_manjushri.html
  Manjushri Prayer
  http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/archives/practice_material/prayers/general/praise_intell_one_manjushri.html
  Open Admission of Faults through Three Continuums
  http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/archives/practice_material/prayers/general/open_admission_faults.html
  Seven-Limb Prayer by Shantideva
  http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/archives/practice_material/prayers/general/7-limb_prayer_01.html
  A Prayer for Constructive Actions in the Beginning, Middle, and End by Tsongkhapa
  http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/x/nav/group.html_1909248478.html
  A Maitreya Prayer for Future Lives by Geshe Ngawang Dhargyey
  http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/archives/practice_material/prayers/general/maitreya_prayer_future_lives.html
  Hundreds of Deities of Tushita
  http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/archives/practice_material/prayers/guru_yogas/hundreds_deities_tushita.html
  An Offering Ceremony to the Spiritual Masters by First Panchen Lama
  http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/archives/practice_material/prayers/guru_yogas/guru_puja_lama_chopa.html
  Introduction to Kalacakra Translations
  http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/archives/practice_material/prayers/kalachakra/sadhanas/foreword_kalachakra.html
  Verses to begin Kalacakra Practice
  http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/archives/practice_material/prayers/kalachakra/guru_yoga_prayers/verses_begin_kc.html
  Kalacakra Guru Yoga by 3rd Panchen Lama
  http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/archives/practice_material/prayers/kalachakra/guru_yoga_prayers/kc_guru_yoga_85.html
  Shambala Prayer
  http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/archives/practice_material/prayers/kalachakra/guru_yoga_prayers/prayer_shambhala.html
  Single Deity Kalacakra Sadhana(abbreviated)
  http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/archives/practice_material/prayers/kalachakra/sadhanas/abbreviated_single_kc_sadhana.html
  9 Daity Kalacakra Sadhana(abbreviated)
  http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/archives/practice_material/prayers/kalachakra/sadhanas/abbreviated_9_deity_kc_sadhana.html
  Kalacakra Mind Mandala Sadhana
  http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/archives/practice_material/prayers/kalachakra/sadhanas/abbreviated_mind_sadhana_kc.html
  Kalacakra Body, Speech and Mind Sadhana
  http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/archives/practice_material/prayers/kalachakra/sadhanas/abbreviated_complete_kc_sadhana.html

An Eternal Now

12 Dec 09, 02:20

Tibetan Longevity Practice

Tibetan Yoga became popular in US after Peter Kelder wrote the book
Ancient Secret Of The Fountain Of Youth in 1930, recording the
experiences of his friend who spent two years with the Lamas in Tibet
and returned with his arthritis and eyesight improved. According to
Kelder, Bradford's stay in the lamasery transformed him from a
stooped, old gentleman with a cane to a tall and straight young man in
the prime of his life. Additionally, he reported that Bradford's hair
had grown back, without a trace of gray

http://www.mkprojects.com/pf_TibetanRites.htm

What makes this form of exercise relevant even today is that
practising it takes only 15 minutes and so more professionals are
turning to the Tibetan rites.

The Five Rites attract the universal energy into our body, balancing
the seven chakras which promote the free flow of prana (chi energy),
revitalising the body and mind. They activate endocrine glands and
regulate hormonal output.

The first of the five rites requires you to stand erect with arms
stretched out in line with your shoulders, palms facing downwards and
spin around clockwise, all the while taking deep breaths. The number
of turns is gradually increased every day.

Comprising five yoga-like exercises and an energising breathing
technique, these rites blend ancient practises and modern needs
improves circulation, boosts the immune system and improves the
absorption of nutrients and removal of wastes, improves the
functioning of the digestive, respiratory, nervous, cardiovascular,
endocrine and lymphatic systems.

Your body gets stronger and more flexible. It keeps diabetes and
weight in check, improves sleep and relieves backache, arthritis pain
and depression.

http://message2.myvideowebstream.com/view/...JQGC6Z3HDURU1AP

Effects & Benefit of Asanas

Benefits
The results reported by participants who did Tibetan yoga for just 15
days were as follows:

* Feeling very energetic & youthful so can work better & longer
time without tiring.
* Concentration & memory improved.
* Felt relaxed and better able to cope with stress.
* Digestion & quality of sleep improved.
* Relief from backache, spondylitis, & arthritis.
* Weight, Blood pressure and diabetics brought under control.
* Great sense of well-being & overall fitness – no more
depression.

Benefits of performing the rites
The Five Tibetan Rites have curative powers and that some of the
benefits of regular daily practice include:

* Relief from joint pain and arthritis
* Relief from back pain & spondelitis
* Improved memory
* Improved vision
* Hair growth
* Weight loss
* Increase in physical strength, energy, endurance and vigor
* Improved physical and mental health
* Increased sense of well-being
* Sound sleep
* Relief from migraine headaches.
* Rejuvenation and looking & feeling younger.

An Eternal Now

12 Dec 09, 12:44

Words of Truth Pacifying the Dangers of Weapons

OM MANI PADME HUM

Great Loving Victorious One (Maitreya Buddha), Transcendental Sublime Compassionate Eye Looking One,
Wrathful Victorious Hayagriva, Fully Accomplished Totally Pure (Jetsun) Tara and so forth,
Merely hearing your holy names eliminates all dangers,
Objects of refuge in the nature of compassion, please pay attention!

When the sentient beings of the time of quarrelling and five degenerations
By the explosion of the great ocean of evil karma and jealousy
Are tormented by the intensive suffering of fighting and quarrelling
Please dry this up by the power of transcendental wisdom and compassion.

By letting great rainfalls of the nectar of loving-kindness fall
On the migratory beings who are enflaming the conflagration of hatred-fire
Please grant blessings with the recognition of each other like father-mother
Then increase happiness and auspiciousness.

May the multitudes of the vicious evil spirits
Who enter the mental continuum and
Change it instantly to the mind of asura
From now on never run in this area (country/world).

I am requesting for even all the sentient beings who have died in the war
To abandon from that time onward all the evil karma, cause and effect,
Then having entered and been born in the Blissful Field (Amitabha's Pure Land)
To lead all others to that Pure Land.

Please bless all those who are born and die (samsaric beings)
To have a long life, no sicknesses, to pacify all quarrelling and fighting,
Enjoy the ten virtues, have rainfall at the right times, always have good harvests
And for all the habitat and inhabitants to be auspicious and increase.

By the ultimate reality which is pure by nature,
By phenomena having ultimate reality, cause and result are unbetrayable,
And by the compassion of the Guru, Mind-seal Deity and Rare Sublime Ones,
May these pure extensive prayers be completed.

'When there was unceasing war in Kham, Me Nyak, Tibet, and nobody was able to create harmony, the Great Lord Yogi Tang Tong Gyalpo came to Kham, generated bodhicitta, and just by merely saying these true words and sprinkling flowers, all the vicious minds of jealousy and anger were completely pacified and the war that had been continuous, ceased. There were prosperous harvests and so forth. The country became auspicious and peaceful. This is blessed vajra speech.This is one of the prayers of the Great Tantric Yogi Tang Tong Gyalpo. The other prayers that he composed were to stop famine and epidemics.

An Eternal Now

12 Dec 09, 12:47

Fivefold Mahamudra by Lord Jigten Sumgon

After Phagmodrupa passed away Jigten Sumgon went into retreat in a cave.
When he achieved enlightenment, he fully understood the mode of
abiding of all phenomena. When he instructed his disciples, he told
them we have to practice the fivefold mahamudra. Jigten Sumgon taught
many systems of practice. But in essence they all come back to the
fivefold mahamudra. Some were pith instructions and some were more
extensive, but they all came back to the fivefold mahamudra. We should
all be practicing the fivefold mahamudra. Because the fivefold
mahamudra is the path to enlightenment, if you do not practice the
fivefold mahamudra, your practice will not lead to enlightenment. The
fivefold mahamudra comes down to the three excellences: first
generating the enlightened attitude, performing the practice, and
finally dedicating the merit.

The first branch of fivefold mahamudra is bodhicitta, which is the
essence of the cause.. The second is the yidam deity, which is the
essence of practice. The third branch is guru yoga, which is the
essence of qualities. The fourth branch is mahamudra, which is the
essence of meaning. The fifth branch is dedication, which is the
essence of method. If we look at sutra and tantra, the generation of
bodhicitta and dedication fall into the sutra vehicle. The creation
and completion stages of deity practice. are the essence of tantra,
method and wisdom. Creation stage refers to Chakrasamvara yidam
practice and completion stage refers to mahamudra practice. To meet
with success in the path you need the blessing of guru yoga, so it is
like a helper for the four other methods.

So why do we need all five of these? Of these five, mahamudra is the
root of the other branches. But if you just meditate on mahamudra,
your practice has emptiness but lacks compassion and will not lead to
full enlightenment. If you have compassion without emptiness you will
not gain enlightenment. Emptiness without compassion will only lead to
the fruit of the lower vehicles. So you need to develop both. We need
both method, the creation stage, and wisdom, the completion stage.
Completion stage purifies obscuration of mind and creation stage
purifies the obscuration of appearances. So that is why both are
necessary. When we do creation stage, we need completion stage, so
that we do not view the form of the deity as a substantial reality. So
in this way each branch depends upon the others.

Bodhicitta is the essence of the Mahayana. Without it all the other
branches cannot lead to full enlightenment. When we do each practice
there are many places where we can get tripped up. To avoid these we
need the blessing to follow the path, which comes from guru yoga. If
you want to give rise to primordial wisdom, you need to see the lama
in the form of the dharmakaya. If you don't enlightenment will not
arise in you. All the previous Kagyu masters have relied on devotion,
so if you lack it, you are off the path. When an ordinary being meets
their teacher they cannot see them as other than ordinary. As we
practice, we can see the teacher as Nirmanakaya. As we progress we can
see the teacher as Sambhogakaya. Finally we can see the teacher as
dharmakaya. So we practice visualizing the lama as the four kayas,
including Svabhavikaya. You can understand these as being
progressively profound and subtle, the outer, inner, secret, and
essence practices. As you see the lama, you receive the blessings from
the four kayas. Eventually you realize you do not need to look outside
yourself any more.

I will not go into too much more detail. First we generate the mind of
enlightenment, do the creation and completion stage practice, then the
guru yoga and finally the dedication. The dedication is so that we do
not lose merit of practice through the faults of anger, wrong view,
doubt, or regret. We have to look into our purpose for doing the
practice. Dedication is what makes the fruit come forth. Practice
without dedication is like an arrow that has not been shot. Dedication
is divided into relative, and absolute, which does not conceive of the
three spheres of dedicator, dedication, and beings dedicated to.

So now you see the need for these five stages of practice: First there
is bodhicitta. Without bodhicitta, practice does not lead to
enlightenment. Why? Because without it you fall into the lower
vehicle, because you only think of your own benefit. Secondly, we have
the yidam deity practice. Without it you cannot overthrow ordinary
appearances. Then thirdly, you must have devotion to the lama to give
rise to experience. So it is extremely important. Fourth is mahamudra.
Without it you cannot cut off the root of existence. The fifth,
dedication of merit, is necessary because without it whatever merit
generated will not last. So now if you have all five branches, all
stages of practice are included and you do not need anything else.

We have five afflictive emotions and this practice transforms them.
Bodhicitta transforms hatred. Yidam practice is the antidote to
arrogance, the grasping to a self. Meditating on the lama counteracts
jealousy. Mahamudra counteracts ignorance or delusion. Tilopa said
that thousands of eons of darkness can be vanquished with one lamp. So
similarly mahamudra counteracts delusion. Finally dedication
counteracts desire and attachment. Desire is attachment and clinging
and keeps us from giving. So giving counteracts attachment.

So we have five dharmas brought onto the path through the fivefold
mahamudra. These five fruits are relative bodhicitta, which gives rise
to absolute bodhicitta which is mahamudra. Yidam practice exhausts the
appearances of ordinary body, speech and mind. The guru yoga leads to
the true nature of mind itself. When you meditate on your mind as
inseparable from the lama's you give rise to unfabricated devotion and
realize the true lama, the nature of your mind. Practicing the
mahamudra leads you to find the Buddha is not outside yourself and
leads beyond hope and fear. Fifth, dedication results in the
accomplishment of your aims without effort.

Next comes how fivefold mahamudra overcomes the five classes of
demons. Bodhicitta overcomes the male demons, which are the result of
hatred. Yidam practice overcomes the spirits of Mara, which are the
result of arrogance. Guru yoga overcomes samaya breaking spirits, the
results of jealousy. Mahamudra overcomes the naga spirits, who take
birth as a result of illusion. Dedication overcomes female evil
spirits, who are the embodiment of desire.

Practice overcomes birth in the five realms, which is the result of
the five kleshas. Asuras and humans are grouped as one, so there are
five realms instead of six. Mahamudra also develops the five
primordial wisdoms. Each wisdom is the purification of its
corresponding klesha. Bodhicitta leads to mirrorlike wisdom. Yidam
practice leads to the wisdom of equanimity. Guru yoga leads to the all
accomplishing wisdom. Mahamudra leads to the wisdom of the
dharmadhatu. Dedication leads to discriminating wisdom.

There is much more I can say and I can't say I fully understand the
text. Beginners should practice each stage in succession. But at the
end we see they are all not separate from the nature of mahamudra. So
why do we do them in succession? When bodhicitta is complete we call
it bodhicitta mahamudra. When in creation stage we realize the unity
of emptiness and appearance, we call this mahamudra of the deity. When
we realize our minds are inseparable from the lamas and give rise to
unfabricated devotion, this is devotion mahamudra. In mahamudra when
we see all phenomena in samsara and nirvana are not dual, we realize
the mahamudra of the abiding nature. When we dedicate without
dedicator, object dedicated, or beings dedicated to, we realize
mahamudra that is beyond the three spheres. These are not just nice
words. If we practice we will realize this.

When we practice, we should practice all five in a single session. In
every moment we should practice all five. So how do you do this? How
do you make sure you don't leave anything out? If you do Chenrezig
practice, you begin with refuge and generation of the enlightened
mind, which is bodhicitta practice. When you visualize yourself as
Chenrezig, that is yidam practice. Visualizing Amitabha on your crown
is the lama practice. Completion stage practice is mahamudra. At the
end is dedication, which is dedication practice. When you eat, you
should meditate on compassion, which is bodhicitta. See your body as
the abode of the deity, which is yidam. Visualize your lama in your
throat which is guru yoga. See everything as a dream, which is
mahamudra. And dedicate at the end of the meal, which is dedication.

In brief, the Drikung tradition of the fivefold mahamudra is practiced
by all the Kagyu traditions. The Drukpa Kagyu and Karma Kagyu
mahamudra texts accept fivefold mahamudra as valid. All the great
Kagyu masters have come to enlightenment on this path. But the
individual must be diligent and work hard. If not practiced the
qualities of the practice will not manifest.. Buddha said I only; show
the path. Jigten Sumgon said I have extracted butter from milk.
Whether you taste it is up to you.

An Eternal Now

12 Dec 09, 12:54

Heart Advice of Achos Rinpoche

Here is the will of Precious Abbot Achos, who achieved the rainbow body when near to passing away.

I reverently prostrate to the perfect gurus and to all the victorious ones, and offer a few meaningful words to you disciples who traverse great distances. From the pure karma collected in the past and by pure prayer you have achieved the freedoms and endowments of the perfect human rebirth and reached the holy seat, the place of origin of the Buddha’s teaching.

Guided by the holy virtuous friend, and so forth, you have all the inner and outer conditions gathered in having this precious opportunity. In order to repay the kindness of His Holiness who embodies all the objects of refuge, it is worthwhile to attend, listen to, and reflect upon these teachings. Do not cling to this life, which has SMALL BENEFIT AND GREAT DANGER.

Always make effort in the divine Dharma, which definitely benefits the entire future. The Victorious Buddha advised: “Engage the activities of the three doors for the sake of others, thus one’s own success is achieved along the way.”1 There is no difference between male and female as evil friends of negative karma who make you lose this and all future lives therefore throw them far away like a stone used for cleaning your bottom.

The virtuous friend and virtuous companion is the originator of qualities therefore correctly devote and dedicate yourself. Pure morality and great wisdom are the main qualities therefore you should know them. The great and lesser vehicle is just a way of thinking therefore do not separate from bodhicitta. If you engage in too much meaningless talk it becomes a basis for fighting therefore limit your speech.

If you create turmoil within a group of the sangha then hell is the place you will go therefore be careful not to cause disunity among the sangha. If you become very partisan with regard to doctrinal schools then you collect the negative karma of abandoning the holy Dharma therefore train the mind in pure appearance regarding all the Dharma.

If you don’t both memorise the words and reflect on their meaning it is difficult to become self-disciplined by just hearing the teachings therefore engage in both. In short, harmonise the instructions of your own spiritual teachers and the Buddha’s teachings; this is sufficient advice. Other than that, there is no need for further explanation it is better to let this old monk recite OM MANI PADME HUM. I am here requesting and praying to the three Sublime Ones, Buddha, Dharma, Sangha for you to have happiness in this and future lives. I offer this as a present to the assemblies who have a karmic connection with me.

This was bestowed as instruction to many disciples who went to study the Dharma, by the possessor of learning, the abbot Achos Rinpoche, the invisible hidden great yogi who, when near to passing away into the sorrowless state, left in a rainbow body. May all be virtuous and auspicious.

An Eternal Now

12 Dec 09, 12:55

Angrig Lami Sangdrud

Refuge and Bodhichitta:

Sangye chosdang stokkyi chognram la!

In the supreme Buddha ,Dharma, and assembly,

Shungchub vardu dagni kyabsu chi!

I take refuge until attaining enlightenment.

Dakgi jinsog gyipai sonam kyis!

Through the merit of practicing generosity and so on,

Drola phanchyir sanggys drubpar shok!

May I attain Buddhahood in order to benefit beings.

The Seven Line Prayer:

In the north-west of the land of Orgyen,

In the heart of a lotus flower,

Endowed with the most marvelous attainments,

You are renowned as the lotus-born,

Surrounded by many hosts of dakinis.

Following in your footsteps

I pray to you: Come and bless me with your grace!

OM AH HUNG GURU PADMA SIDDHI HUNG.

Seven Limb Prayer:

Whatever merit I have gathered through prostrations, offerings, confession, rejoicing, requesting, and praying for the sake of the enlightenment of all sentient beings,

All this I dedicate.

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-liberation, 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 luminosity,

May the compassion of all the Sugatas of past, present and future

Inspire and bless beings like us with self liberation!

Main practice:

AH RANG RIG PAD MA GYAL PO LA

Ah, Rigpa Guru Padma Gyalpo,

RANG NGO SHE PI KYAB SU CHI

I take refuge in the self-recognizing nature of my mind.

TRUL WAR CHAM PI DRO DI DAG

Because of their ignorance sentient beings are wandering in samsara,

RANG DROL CHEN PO SEM KYED TO

May all sentient beings reach the great liberation.

DHOD NEA KA DAG KUN ZANG LA

By recognizing their nature as the primordial awareness of Samantabhadra,

TRUL TOG GHEG TSOK MING YANG MED

All demons and malicious forces, even their concepts and names fall apart.

CHOS NYID CHEN POR JAM LEA PI

The nature of all phenomena is dharmadhatu and

RANG CHUNG YE SHI SO SOR SUNG, JYA NA RAK CHA HUNG

The unchanging self-arising wisdom is your only protection

JYA NA RAK CHA HUNG

GHAG MED STOK DRUG NANG VI CHOS

Phenomena perceived through the six kinds of consciousness

(the five senses and the mind consciousness)

ZIN MED CHOS NYID RIG PI TSAL

without attachment are recognized as the rays of rigpa,

NANG TRID DAG PA RAB JAM SHER

All surroundings appear as Buddha fields and sentient beings as Buddhas,

YE SHI NYAG CHIG SHIN CHEN PHOB, JYA NA AH WE SHA YA PHEM

Everything is the blessing of wisdom, JYA NA AH WE SHA YA PHEM/

AH DHOD NEA RANG SHUNG DON GYI PADMA JUNG

Primordial self-arising ultimate Padmasambhava

SZAL SHAG ZIN PA LEA DEA VUM KI LONG

Appears as my rigpa space there is no face, no limbs, no image,

YE NEA CHAB DAL RIG TSAL KU SUM DZOG

Primordial rays of rigpa fully encompass the three kayas

GOM SHA GOM SHED LO SHI DRI MA DRAL

Without the impurity coming from discursive mediation.

YE YIN DON GYI RANG RIG LAMA LA

Primordial nature of my rigpa is my guru,

DHOD NEA DU DRAL MED PAR SHAN DREN SHEG

There is no coming and going In every moment I welcome his presence,

CHOS NYID CHAB DAL LONG DU TAN PAR SHUG

Everything firmly abides in dharmadhatu.

MA RIG RANG NGOR SANG PI CHAG GYI WO

I prostrate to the understanding of the real nature that eliminates ignorance,

STOK DRUG GANG SHAR RANG DROL CHOD PA BUL

I offer recognition of the Buddha nature in objects of the six kinds of consciousness,

GO SUM DOR JE SUM GYI NGO WOR TOD

I praise the nature of the vajra three kayas of the body, speech and mind.

DRAL THOB MED PI CHOS NYID CHEN PO LA

In the great unchanging dharmadhatu

PANG LANG MED PAR YONG DROL LA MI THUK

All moral ethics is encompassed in the pure guru mind.

DRA DRAG RANG SHIN TONG PA NYUG MI SUNG

I recognize the deepest empty nature of all sounds and speech,

GANG NANG CHOS NYID ROL VI NGANG NEA DHA

In all my activity I recognize its dharmadhatu nature and recite the mantra:

OM AH HUNG VAJRA GURU PADMA SIDDHI HUNG/

Vajra guru siddi chi nus dha, thar ge ngo ni

Recite the mantra of Guru Rinpoche as many times as you can and dedicate as follows:

AH ZAG CHEA ZAG MED GE TSA CHI CHHEA PA

With all the good virtue I have accumulated in samsara and nirvana,

MAR GYUR DROR NGO TRUL TOG GYUN CHAD DE

I pray that discursive thought of all sentient beings would be eliminated,

ZSON NU VUM KUI TAN SRID SHIN GYUR NEA

That they would achieve the ultimate liberation and

JA LUS PHO CHEN LA MI KU DRUB SHOK

Obtain the rainbow body just like Rigpa Guru Padmasambhava’s.

Sa ma ya! Gya gya gya zse Lama Rigzin Dho Ngag Gya Stos nan gyi kul ngor

Nea chen Ma Gyal Pom Rai nub go gos ku chen mo nea nub van pea gang dran chal

chol dun ea pa te yi ge pa ni Padma Sam Zin Gyi gyea pa gelega phel, manghlam

On a strong request of Lama Rigzin Dho Ngag Gya Stos, this mind terma was received by Nupchen Sangye Yeshe in the great place of Ma Gyal Pom Rai mountain in the west and written down by Padma Sam Zin for the benefit of all sentient beings.

Prayer for the flourishing and Spread of the Dzogchen Teachings:

As the one and only short path of all the victorious Buddhas,

The victorious ones have acclaimed the supreme yana, Dzogpachenpo,

The Ancient Translation tradition of the victorious Lord, Padmasambhava;

May all be auspicious for these victorious teachings to spread, and pervade the universe!

Bodhichitta, the excellent and precious mind.

Where it is unborn, may it arise.

Where it is born, may it not decline.

But ever increase, higher and higher.

Shantideva

An Eternal Now

12 Dec 09, 12:56

The Dark Red Amulet, Practice of Vajrakilaya

"The practice of Vajrakilaya blazes at the heart of the ancient Vajrayana traditions of Tibet. The wrathful heruka Vajrakilaya is the yidam deity who embodies the enlightened activity of all the buddhas, manifesting in an intensely wrathful yet compassionate form in order to subjugate the delusion and negativity that can arise as obstacles to the practice of Dharma. In fact, the practice of Vajrakilaya is famous in the Tibetan Buddhist world as the most powerful for removing obstacles, destroying the forces hostile to compassion, and purifying the spiritual pollution so prevalent in this age."--Sogyal Rinpoche

The Dark Red Amulet presents the Vajrayana practice of Vajrakilaya according to the oral transmission lineage of the great seventeenth-century treasure-revealer Tsasum Lingpa. Vajrakilaya embodies the enlightened activity of all the buddhas that subjugates delusion and negativity in order to clear obstacles to spiritual practice. The essential purpose of Vajrakilaya practice is to "discover the absolute vajra nature that will transform every duality hindrance into clear wisdom and compassion."

In this text, the renowned scholars and meditation masters Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche and KhenpoTsewang Dongyal Rinpoche present the history of this lineage and the miraculous story of how Tsasum Lingpa revealed this terma teaching. Their line-by-line commentary on the short and condensed sadhanas provides an invaluable guide for practitioners to combine the skillful means of compassion and wisdom that are the foundation of Tibetan Buddhism.

Ven. Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche and Ven. Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche are co-founders and co-directors of Padmasambhava Center, based at Padma Samye Ling in upstate New York
http://www.padmasambhava.org/

When he was nearly eighteen, Tsasum Lingpa dreamt that Guru Padmasambhava and Yeshe Tsogyal told him that he would have begun to reveal terma teachings at around age fifteen, or even thirteen, but due to many obstacles and hindrances he was prevented from revealing them. They said, "Now you are approaching age eighteen, and if you are unable to reveal terma teachings within three years, all your missions of this life and future lifetimes could be jeopardized! Therefore, you have to be prepared and determined to carry on and change your life."

Guru Padmasambhava and Yeshe Tsogyal gave him many empowerments and teachings in this dream. They took him by the hand and pointed to a large storehouse filled with countless jewels and precious objects and said, "There are many treasures inside, choose one!" A lady appeared (who was actually a dakini), and they told him, "She will be your companion. You and she will undertake many beneficial activities. Today you must select the terma keys you would like to take from among these treasures." He asked, "How can I choose?" and the lady told him, "Choose the keys!" Tsasum Lingpa and the lady in the dream went into the storehouse, and he took a blue key made of sapphire. She told him to take another one, and he took a red key made of ruby. The lady took a white key made of silver.

When they returned, Yeshe Tsogyal smiled and looked at Guru Padma sambhava and said, "Our son chose the right keys!" Then Tsasum Lingpa asked, "What are these keys? What is their purpose?" They said, "The sapphire key is the key of all the oceanlike tantra teachings, the ruby key is the key of the voice of the Buddha's teaching, and the silver key is the key related to the skillful means of visualization, the creation-stage practice. These three keys symbolize the three kayas of the ultimate nature. If you had chosen the yellow key, you would have become very wealthy and powerful as a universal king, but you would have had many obstacles and distractions. If you had chosen the green key, it would have benefited yourself, but not others.

Therefore, the keys you have chosen are good. Please keep them well protected." Then Guru Padmasambhava and Yeshe Tsogyal gave Tsasum Lingpa three small rolls of paper in red, white, and blue colors, telling him, "Keep these symbols of the three kayas close to you."

Guru Padmasambhava handed a dorje and drilbu (bell) to Tsasum Lingpa and said,"Keep these with you as well," and so he kept them with a lot of respect and prayed. He had been wearing multicolored thread on his ring finger, and he untied the thread and wrapped it around the three rolled papers that he received so that he could wear the three rolled papers on his ring finger. Then Guru Padmasambhava said, "Son, near the right side of the glacier mountain of Jowo Zegyal there is a mountain called Ahmye Mutri, where you will see a rock that looks as though it is jumping up in the sky. In that rocky place, you will find special instructions about that ruby key that you took, which you must reveal before the fifteenth day of this month. You must go there very quickly—if you delay, you could miss that opportunity. Soon, after one year, I will send you another message with another invitation, but in the meantime, after you reveal this, you must travel far and wide, don't stay in one place." Tsasum Lingpa then bowed with great respect to Guru Rinpoche.

At that moment wisdom dakini Yeshe Tsogyal changed into an ordinary lady's form. She gave him other instructions and teachings, and then other ladies, some wrathful, some peaceful and beautiful, gave him numerous instructions and took him to wondrous places in this dream.

And at the end Yeshe Tsogyal said, "Now you go back and we will return to Udiyana, and soon we will meet again." In his dream Tsasum Lingpa asked,"If you don't accompany me, then who will accompany me?" Yeshe Tsogyal told him, "Don't worry, you will have soon an assistant. There is a place called Tashu, and there is an emanation of the wisdom dakini from Tashu who has all the characteristics of the Ratna family. This dakini will await your arrival at the place where you are going due to your aspirations your bodhichitta commitment. Later we will also come and help you." She and another dakini then flew up in the sky, and then Tsasum Lingpa woke up. He looked around and saw that the sun was already on the mountain's peak.

An Eternal Now

12 Dec 09, 12:56

Treasure Dances of Pema Lingpa and Shanag

Treasure Dances of Pema Lingpa
The dance is the according to the vision of the great terton Pema Lingpa

Treasure Dances of Pema Lingpa
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vc5Gm4yHdk
Gomches(Lay practioners) in Ramjar
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnjUu4k_sH8
Punakha Dzhong
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSdM62CdmS8

The Black Hat Dance (Shanag)
The black hat dancers assume the role of yogis with the power
to subdue and create life. The dancers wear brocade robes,
wide brimmed black hats and aprons with the face of a
protective deity.

Black Hat Dance, Tshechu , Wangdue Phodrang
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3Zk0CnQVik
Thangbi Mani Festival in Bumthang, Bhutan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gq2PweajwKw
Black Hat Dance at Honolulu Academy of Arts
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9FSLY2AD2E
Nyimalung Black Hat Dance
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJ1nyqsPQxI
Benchen Monastery, Kathmandu Nepal
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEHkXQ_furY
Kurjey Tshescu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZqoA2UlS8E
Thimphu Tsechu 2006
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIc1wcVW2so
8 manifestations of Padmasambava
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5veP3_K3ptI
Trashigang Festival Tsechu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uqJWynIoYk
Dramitse Ngacham
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVwYTptIwTs
Wangdi Phodrang Tsechu : 2008
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNZspRdGkHw
Tamshing Phala Choepa
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G17UH-Khdek
Dramitse Ngacham
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFkbptfw54Q

An Eternal Now

12 Dec 09, 13:01

Teachings, Prayers and Sadhanas, Osel Shen Phen Ling

Preliminary Practices

* The Prayer to Manjushri
http://www.fpmt-osel.org/meditate/pryrmanj.htm
* The Heart of the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra
http://www.fpmt-osel.org/meditate/hrtsutra.htm
* Prayers for the Beginning of Meditation
http://www.fpmt-osel.org/meditate/prelims.htm
* Long Mandala Offering with instructions and llustrations
http://www.fpmt-osel.org/meditate/mandala.htm

Sadhanas

* Buddha Shakyamuni Meditation
http://www.fpmt-osel.org/meditate/pryrmanj.htm
* Vajrasattva Purification Practice
http://www.fpmt-osel.org/meditate/vjrstva.htm
* Praises and Requests to the Twenty-One Taras
http://www.fpmt-osel.org/meditate/21taras.htm
* White Tara Sadhana
http://www.fpmt-osel.org/meditate/white_tara.htm
* Four-Armed Chenresig Meditation
http://www.fpmt-osel.org/meditate/l4chnres.htm
* Abbreviated Four-Armed Chenresig Meditation
http://www.fpmt-osel.org/meditate/s4chnrsg.htm
* Thousand-Armed Chenresig Meditation
http://www.fpmt-osel.org/meditate/1000chen.htm
* Medicine Buddha Meditation
http://www.fpmt-osel.org/meditate/medicine.htm
* The Bodhisattva's Confession of Ethical Downfalls
(Prostrations to the Thirty-Five Buddhas)
http://www.fpmt-osel.org/meditate/35buddha.htm
* General Confession
http://www.fpmt-osel.org/meditate/general.htm

Prayers for the Dedication of Merit

* Prayers for the Conclusion of Meditation
http://www.fpmt-osel.org/meditate/conclusn.htm
* Precept Dedication Prayer
by Shantideva, revised by His Holiness the Dalai Lama
http://www.fpmt-osel.org/meditate/hhdedica.htm

Lama Thubten Yeshe

* Attachment: The Biggest Problem on Earth
http://www.fpmt-osel.org/teachings/3.htm
* Relating to Your Path
http://www.fpmt-osel.org/teachings/2.htm
* Spirituality and Materialism
http://www.fpmt-osel.org/teachings/1.htm
* A Brief History of Maitreya
http://www.fpmt-osel.org/teachings/maitreya.htm
* Christmas Dharma
http://www.fpmt-osel.org/teachings/christmas.htm

Lama Zopa Rinpoche

* Anger
http://www.fpmt-osel.org/teachings/anger.htm
* Death and Impermanence
http://www.fpmt-osel.org/teachings/death.htm
* Advice on the Benefits of Prayer Wheels
http://www.fpmt-osel.org/teachings/wheels.htm
* How to Make Light Offerings and to Accumulate the Most Extensive Merit
http://www.fpmt-osel.org/teachings/lights.htm
* Practicing Dharma in Daily Life
http://www.fpmt-osel.org/teachings/daily.htm

Lama Tsong Khapa

* The Great Praise to Maitreya Buddha
http://www.fpmt-osel.org/teachings/praise.htm

An Eternal Now

12 Dec 09, 13:02

The Benefits Of Nyung Nay Practice, No lower realm rebirth

By keeping the 8 vows which are:

l. No killing
2. No stealing
3. No sex
4. No telling lies
5. No drinking alcohol
6. No singing or dancing, makeup or ornaments
7. No evening meals
8. No sitting in high seats

for a period of 24 hours, along with The Chenrezig Practise
and reciting The Mani Mantra, by doing these things brings a real
benefit to the practioner and to the place where he or she practices.
By keeping the 8 vows thoroughly for 24 hours purifies
the bad karma that will cause an individual to fall into The Hell
Realm and by fasting one purifies the bad karma to be reborn in The
Hungry Ghost Realm. By keeping silent one purifies the bad karma to
be reborn in The Animal Realm.

All suffering and misfortune comes front negative powers, so The
Nyung Nay practice is to increase the positive powers so that it can
bring happiness and harmony. It is one of the most effective
practices to purify our defilements, and to purify environmental
pollution.

By doing group practice one creates a very efficient method for
extending our lives, and stopping disease, drought, and also war. The
Nyung Nay practice was founded by Bhikshuni Phalmo who was a serious
leprosy patient. By doing this practice for a period of twelve years
along with The Chenrezig practice, she became a great Siddhi. By
reciting The Mani Mantra it purifies the six seeds of the six realms
and it pacifies the suffering of all beings and brings peace to the
world, so in this degenerate time it is the best practice for the
cause of World Peace. Finally, it brings enlightenment, Bhikshuni
Phalmo attained The Celestial Body, she sees Chenrezig anytime.

'We start before sunrise on the first day, with the first puja (we do three pujas the first two days, one puja on the last day). If you don't know already, a puja is a collection of prayers etc that are compiled into a text, or sadhana. Usually the first day lama will do a lot of it in English and give additional instruction and teachings especially if there is anyone who hasn't done the practice before. Every time I do this retreat, I learn something new. The first time you do it, just go along for the ride and don't expect yourself to keep up. Pretty much every thing you need to know about Tibetan Buddhist meditation and rituals is in this retreat, so it's highly informative but can also be overwhelming in the beginning. You will get a chance to chant, do prostrations, do various mudras, recite mantras and visualize 1000-armed Chenrezig (Avalokiteshvara). You'll get even more out of this retreat once you have the long dharani memorized and the visualization down.

You can drink clear fluids all that first day. We have a vegetarian meal before noon there are particular ingredients that are not allowed and after that we are pau with food until the end of the retreat. After the last puja of the day usually over around 7pm, once you fall asleep, say goodbye to fluids and talking as well.

To get the most out of the retreat, if is recommended that on your breaks you continue to meditate, read dharma texts, work on memorizing mantras etc. You can do other activities as long as they don't lead you to break one of the vows, but you won't be maximizing your gains if they aren't dharma related. Napping is okay as well. I have a really hard time sleeping the last night, so I try to get some sleep in during the day.If you accidentally speak or dance or some such thing, go up to the shrine and purify yourself again with the saffron water. No one expects you to be perfect. Intentional transgressions of vows, on the other hand, can't be good.

The last day we get up very early so that the puja will be over around sunrise. At the end of it we drink hot lemon water when the lama okays it. Then we do dedication prayers and other prayers and eat, usually a meal of rice soup. If you haven't had the 1000-armed Chenrezig empowerment, lama will usually do that ceremony after we eat. Then you get your "I survived Nyungne" t-shirt (just kidding).'

An Eternal Now

12 Dec 09, 13:04

Healing Chod Of Most Venerable Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche

During the retreat at Jangchubling Monastery in India in March 2000,
Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche solely received the Chod tantra empowerment as
well as the dharma instrument from His Holiness Drikung Kyabgon
Chetsang Rinpoche in His Holiness’s retreat room. It was too pitch
dark to see anything when the lama led Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche the way
from Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche’s retreat room to that of His Holiness
Chetsang Rinpoche. At the time of the perfect completion of the
empowerment and transmission of teaching upon Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche
from His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche in His Holiness’s retreat room,
thunder growled in the sky above the retreat room and His Holiness
immediately foretold that Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche’s dharma activities
would flourish and come to perfection in the future, thus benefiting
more sentient beings. Later on when Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche was on way
back to the retreat room after receiving the empowerment and
transmission of teaching from His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche, the dark
clouds disappeared and the sky became so clear that the moon and stars
were particularly brilliant, which is a very auspicious sign. Human
bones that are made for the dharma instruments represent impermanence
to remind people that there is nothing but only bones left after they
die, and therefore there is nothing worth being attached to! The
dharma instrument (made of the tibia bone of a young woman who had
died from an accident), which Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche uses during
conduction of the Chod rituals was the one that His Holiness, Rinchen
Dorjee Rinpoche’s root Guru, he used for performing Chod (photos 1, 8,
13). In 2006, His Holiness Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche bestowed
upon Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche this Dharma instrument, symbolizing that
Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche has directly received the Chod of Drikung
Kagyu tradition. Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche ever enlightened that there
will be more and more people attending the Chod puja if the conduction
of Chod ritual could be completed perfectly to transfer the
consciousness of the deceased.

http://www.gloje.org/en/a-brief-biography

For the years, Most Venerable Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche conducts Chod
puja regularly in Taiwan. At present, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche conducts
Chod pujas once per month in Taipei, Taiwan, each of which is always
attended by more than 1000 people, including those unable to speak,
and those unable to move and suffering from serious ill or cancer Some
followers even take flights from distant places such as United States,
Japan, India, and Holland etc to attend the pujas. Many cancer
patients, and those with other serious medical disorders or chronic
diseases, have had their conditions improved or even cured by
attending Chod pujas.

http://www.gloje.org/en/event_calendar

The Most Venerable Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche, the Vajra Master of the
Glorious Jewel Buddhist Center, is the root disciple of His Holiness
The 37th Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche (7th reincarnation).
Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche has performed several retreats at
Jangchubling, India, under His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche’s personal
supervision and received from him the heart of Mahamudra and other
Drikung empowerments. In April 1999, His Holiness held a grand
enthronement ceremony for Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche and bestowed a
ceremonial hat and garment upon him. In the face of all the Rinpoches
and lamas at the monastery, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche was officially
ordained as a Drikung Guru and the only ngakpa guru of han ancestry in
the history of Drikung Kagyu Order of Tibetan Buddhism. Both Most
Venerable Tenzin Nyima Rinpoche and Most Venerable Yunga Rinpoche of
the Drikung Kagyu Lineage are also the root gurus of Rinchen Dorjee
Rinpoche. Even though these two great Rinpoches are in long-term
retreats and usually do not meet with visitors, they still personally
transmitted empowerments and terma teachings to Rinchen Dorjee
Rinpoche. Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche is the only lay disciple of Most
Venerable Tenzin Nyima Rinpoche. Furthermore, in 2005, Most Venerable
Yunga Rinpoche confirmed and recognized Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche to
have attained the siddhi of the Spranbrala Yoga in Mahamudra practice.

Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche established “The Glorious Jewel Buddhist
Center” in 1997 to propogate Buddhism in Taiwan. “Glorious Jewel”
(Ratna Shri) was the ordain name of the founder of the Drikung Kagyu
Lineage, Lord Jigten Sumgon. His Holiness Drikung Kagyu Chetsang took
this ordain name and bestowed it upon the center. Additionally, His
Holiness personally wrote the authorization for “The Glorious Jewel
Buddhist Center” to disseminate the Drikung doctrine of orthodox
Buddhism on behalf of the Drikung Kagyu Lineage. Taking up nearly 1000
square meters in Taipei city and with almost one thousand disciples,
it has now become the biggest Drikung Kagyu center in both size and
scope. His Holiness came to Taiwan in 2004 to preside over the
center’s inauguration ceremony and personally wrote a Long Life Prayer
for Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche at the request of the disciples. In 2006,
His Holiness explicitly pronounced: “Yen (Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche’s
family name) Rinpoche is the best disciple I’ve ever had. His
achievement in practice comes in a natural way. He has been learning
and practicing outstandingly.” During the great pujas held in recent
years, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche was allowed to sit and walk beside
Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang. This clearly indicates the siddhi attained
by Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche. On the official website of the Drikung
Kagyu Order, the siddhi of Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche has also been
clearly recognized!”

http://www.gloje.org/en/rare-difficult-to-obtained-chod

Chod puja in Jalandhar, Punjab
http://www.gloje.org/en/2008/12/501#more-501

Chod Puja on the running scenic train of the Sagano Scenic Railway in Kyoto, Japan
http://www.gloje.org/en/2008/01/144

Chod Puja at Glorious Jewel Buddhist Center in Kyoto, Japan
http://www.gloje.org/en/2008/09/285

Traces of Liberating Beings
http://www.gloje.org/en/traces-of-liberating-beings

Glorious Jewel Buddhist Center of Drikung Kagyu Lineage
Address: 17F, 136, MinQuan West Road, Taipei 103, Taiwan
TELï¼š+886-2-87809794~5 FAXï¼š+886-2-87809793

http://maps.google.com.au/maps?hl=en&q=taipei+road+map&um=1&ie=UTF-8&split=0&gl=au&ei=OIulSuntEaT66gO-6c3mCw&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=title&resnum=1

An Eternal Now

12 Dec 09, 13:13

A River that Cannot be Frozen by Garchen Rinpoche

On Meditation

Ratnashri Tibetan Meditation Center, Sept. 15, 2001

"A few years ago when I was in my monastery in Tibet, an American visited me and asked for teaching. I had a difficult time talking to him because I knew no English and the American didn't understand Tibetan. So I composed this prayer in Tibetan and gave it to him. He spent a week with me in the monastery. He didn't know how to eat Tibetan food like tsampa [salt butter-tea and roast barley mix] and I had to show him. I had a nice time with him. The teaching I gave him was later translated, but it has been a long time since I wrote it and I've forgotten what that teaching was all about.

Buddha Shakyamuni taught eighty-four thousand different teachings according to the interests and abilities of his disciples. There are three types of disciples: those of greater, middling and lesser abilities, and Buddha taught them accordingly. There are some teachings for the very intelligent that liberate in this lifetime. For the middling there are teachings that will liberate in the next life or in some future life. And for those of lesser ability, there are teachings that will prevent rebirth in the lower realms.

There are immense benefits in practicing and hearing the dharma. You don't have to feel discouraged because of lack of improvement in your practice, because there are many layers of obscuration. Just as deep snow takes a long time to melt, those with thick obscurations will see improvement slowly. So don't feel discouraged.

The teaching of the Buddha is that the nature of mind contains the seed of enlightenment. All sentient beings, even the smallest insect are equal in that regard. But insects must endure more suffering as a result of their negative karma. There are special means for saving beings like insects, through mantra and blessing pills that will liberate them from their suffering.

Even though the nature of mind carries the seed of enlightenment, we have many sufferings. Enlightened beings like Shakyamuni Buddha are liberated from suffering. The qualities of buddhas are vast -- like space or the ocean. We are obscured, like a cloud[-y sky], and enlightened beings are un-obscured, like space. There are few enlightened beings and many who are ordinary. Enlightened beings [are those that] have realized the equality of samsara and nirvana. They have realized the inseparability of appearance and emptiness. But ordinary beings have not realized this. Once they understand impermanence and that the mind cannot be found, they will have no attachment to phenomena. When they have no attachment, they will be freed from samsara.

In reality, the basic mind of ordinary beings and buddhas are equal. It is like water colored with different colors. Despite the colors, it is all water. Similarly, the minds of ordinary beings and buddhas are the same. But because we search all the time for happiness in this life and [seek] to avoid suffering, we are bound by afflictive emotions. That is how ordinary beings and buddhas are different.

The deluded minds of ordinary beings see the unreal as real. It is like a jaundiced person who sees a white conch shell as yellow [sic.] The deluded mind sees phenomena as existent, concrete, and permanent. Even though there is no self in form, the deluded mind grasps at form as a self.

There are different levels of people. Some have practiced the dharma in previous lives. When they hear the teachings, they immediately have confidence in them, because their obscurations are few. Others do not have such confidence, because their obscurations are thick. Some scientists are brilliant, but they cannot see the nature of mind. Only an enlightened being like Shakyamuni Buddha can really understood the nature of mind.

There are many jewels in this world, but only the dharma is the Wish-fulfilling Jewel: It can remove the root of suffering. That is why the dharma is regarded as the incomparable jewel. The three refuges are Buddha, dharma, and sangha. Buddhas were once like us, but through their practice, they have become a refuge to all beings and show the way to attain enlightenment. The essence of all the methods for attaining enlightenment is relative and ultimate bodhicitta. The refuge [that is] the Buddha are the enlightened beings of the past, present, and future. Their teachings are the dharma. And those who hear and practice this teaching are the sangha. In order for the sangha to be enlightened, they have to understand the nature of mind. The teacher represents all three refuges, because the teacher's mind is Buddha, his teaching is Dharma, and his form is Sangha.

Teachers have two kinds of teaching, the absolute and relative teachings. The absolute teaching is very simple. It is just understanding the nature of mind. When mind is understood, so are all phenomena, because all phenomena come from the mind. Then all phenomena are seen as impermanent and all suffering and happiness are seen as coming from mind. When you look at mind you will discover absolute truth for yourself. Those students who are ready to practice the absolute teachings will definitely trust what the Buddha has taught. They will trust the teaching that happiness and suffering comes from the mind and all phenomena arise from mind.

When they look at thought in meditation, it will disappear. By being mindful of thoughts in this way, no further karma will arise for them. When no karma arises, there will be no suffering.

When you understand the genuine teaching of the Buddha it will remove your suffering because from the teachings you understand the truths of impermanence and suffering. With this understanding, a mother will see her own child is impermanent and must eventually die. If the child suddenly dies, the mother will be aware that this is just how things are. But if the mother thinks of the child as permanently existing and the child dies, the mother will suffer greatly. The reason we do not understand our own mind is because of so many layers of obscuration. When a child is born, attachment and obscurations are born at the same time in the mind of the mother.

You have to look at the nature of obscurations and eliminate them, whether they are greed, anger, or ignorance. It is very important to know how obscurations develop. If you don't know this, you can't dispel them. I spoke of the analogy of the child and its mother. First the mother likes the child, which is one layer, then the mother sees the child as beautiful, which is a second layer, then as intelligent which is a third layer. It is like being bound by a rope. If the child dies because of impermanence the mother will suffer greatly. If you know how obscuration develops, you can immediately look at the nature of the obscuration when it appears. Our minds are like ice that is frozen by the cold of the afflictive emotions. In order to melt it, we need sunlight, which is the cultivation of bodhicitta. Ordinarily, if your enemy harms you, you will feel anger. This is like cold freezing water into ice. In a situation like this it is important to be mindful and to cultivate bodhicitta.

If you can make the distinction between thoughts and mind, within that moment you can be enlightened. If you see the nature of mind and remain in that awareness you are enlightened. But when thoughts appear and you fail to recognize their nature, you become ordinary. So ordinary beings and enlightened beings are only separated by one moment. So first you must know the nature of your own mind.

If you have questions, you can ask them after the break.

Q: What is the difference between relative and absolute bodhicitta?

A: Relative bodhicitta is based on the understanding of cause and effect and karma. Absolute bodhicitta is based on seeing the nature of afflictive emotions. When you see their nature is emptiness, that is absolute bodhicitta. Then you are beyond these concepts. Cause, effect and karma do not affect absolute bodhicitta because absolute bodhicitta is beyond concept. But until you have realized absolute bodhicitta, you must believe in cause, effect, and karma. Until then you should practice virtuous actions. The unity of absolute and relative bodhicitta will happen when you understand emptiness as the nature of the mind. At this time you will develop great compassion for those who have not seen it. So at that point relative and absolute
bodhicitta unite.

Q: I have meditated for eight years and once when working I lost my mind and didn't know what to do for ten minutes ... ?

A: You have to continue with your practice of meditation, you can't start and stop.

Q: Please tell us a mantra to use for animals.

A: Recite Om mani padme hum. You can chant any mantra, but the 'mani' is the best and easiest way to practice. When you chant you should chant to dispel the sufferings of all sentient beings. If you wish to practice for those who have died in this attack [of Sept. 11, 2001 when over 3,000 died as a result of terrorist acts including plane crashes into the Pentagon and the World Trade Center, and in a field outside Pittsburg] visualize Amitabha and dissolve all beings who have died into his form. Then dissolve Amitabha's form into emptiness and rest there. That is a very effective practice.

When you practice absolute bodhicitta, you meditate on the nature of your own mind. Milarepa has said that this nature is our ordinary mind. Tilopa says when you look at the mind there is nothing to be seen. This may be a familiar teaching to you, but those new to the dharma may not have heard it. For beginners, when you meditate you should not chase after your thoughts, just recognize them. Through practicing in this way, experience develops and you get a glimpse of the nature of mind.

If you have trust in your teacher, when you look at the nature of your own mind you can also think of him or her, or remember the kindness of Milarepa. Then [that] devotion and the practice of recognizing the mind can work together. Especially in Kagyu, devotion is emphasized. Having devotion to the guru, you will gain enlightenment in this life. There are two teachers, the outer teacher and recognizing the mind. The combination of these two teachers is the best teacher.

The practice of recognizing the mind will weaken your afflictive emotions, strengthen your compassion and [your] devotion to your teachers and lead you to see the nature of your own mind.

Progress in your practice depends on devotion. With great devotion, there will be great progress. If you see your teacher as enlightened, you will receive the blessings of an enlightened being. If you see him or her as an ordinary being, you will get the blessing of an ordinary being. If your teacher does a negative action and you only see him or her as enlightened, you can only receive blessings.

The mind of the teacher and the mind of enlightened beings are connected, even if the teacher is not fully enlightened. It is like electricity and a wire. When the connection is made, there is light. The teacher and the student are also connected like that. So it is important to practice with devotion to the teacher. It is also important to make practice a habit. You should practice at all times by working with emotions. You should graduate from observing the smaller emotions when you are relaxed, to observing stronger emotions. When you have succeeded in doing this, your ability to see the nature of mind will be like a raging fire and emotion will be like grass which only feeds it. Naropa said that once you are well trained, you will not grasp after appearances. Good or bad things will happen but they will pass you by

Obscuration has no form that you can see. Still, there are countless layers of obscuration. All these layers are removed by confidence in the law of cause and effect and by practice and devotion to the root guru. These will dispel obscurations no matter how strong. Obscurations will lessen and the nature of the mind, which is like a clear diamond, will shine forth. Then there need be no effort to see it. It will shine effortlessly. Reading the life story of Milarepa will lessen your obscurations. So will the practice of Chenrezig, or chanting the mantra of the guru.

Until now our life has been like watching a movie which increases our obscurations. Chenrezig's practice is like watching a movie which decreases them. When they are gone, there will be enlightenment.

Until now we have not practiced mindfulness. That is the basis of our obscurations and how our perceptions have become deluded. Now is the time to be mindful of our thoughts and how they arise so that our afflictive emotions will lessen. In that way mindfulness is like a strong fire.

Even though you have received this method, through past habitual tendencies you cannot dispel your emotions. To do so you should put more effort into your practice. But in the practice of absolute bodhicita you cannot make an effort, except by strengthening your devotion. When looking at the mind, the mind must remain natural. You cannot apply effort. But when practicing relative bodhicita you can apply effort by generating compassion. From now on you must make a decision that the nature of your own mind is enlightenment. In order for this nature to appear you must apply effort in practicing relative bodhicitta. It is like an antidote for your obscurations. It is like warmth which melts the ice of your obscurations.

The great Jigten Sumgon, who is like the Buddha, said the only way to understand absolute bodhicitta is to practice relative bodhicita. You start with the person who you love the most and then expand that love to your friends, those you you feel indifferent to, then to your enemies and finally all sentient beings. If you practice relative bodhicitta it will liberate you from the suffering of the bardo, because when you practice relative bodhicitta all being become like your mother and there is no way you will gather afflictive emotions. In that way you will not fear the bardo state. you will see all beings in the bardo as your mother.

If instead of practicing compassion you have anger, it will lead you to hell. When you are angry you will never be happy. It will even influence your dreams and you will have nightmares. If you have anger in the bardo you will also have bad experiences. When I was young I was very short tempered and I had horrible dreams. But my root teacher taught me compassion and I no longer have bad dreams.

If you practice detachment it will be easier to keep it in the intermediate state. If you are mindful and do not follow your attachments now, when you are in the bardo and see your future parents, you will not be attached to them and not be reborn in this world. The mind is like a flowing stream. It will not stay in a cup but will go where it will go. If you do not practice well your mind will flow away. When the glass of your body is broken, it will go where it will, just as water would land where it spills.

I have said many things but there are two main points. First, you have to see all beings as your beloved. This has an immense benefit, like a wish fulfilling jewel. This is the practice of relative bodhicitta. The second point is absolute bodhicitta. You have to be aware of the nature of mind, no matter how many thoughts arise. You should not be distracted by thoughts, but be mindful.

All disasters are caused by mistaken thought. Mistaken thoughts cause disasters when you are careless. Not only will there be attacks from the outside, but from the inside too. The attacks from the inside are the afflictive emotions. Supporting the practice of recognizing the nature of mind is relative bodhicitta, Of all emotions, anger is the worst. It will destroy yourself and others. So you have to be careful. The result of anger is obvious in the recent attacks. There will be endless destruction if you engage in anger. If you attack one, they will attack two, and so forth. So you should be mindful of the result of anger. Think that if anger arises again it is like committing suicide.

The members who come here are very fortunate to have this center. You have a wonderful teacher and you should learn from him. He [Khenchen Konchog Gyaltsen] has been practicing from childhood. I am like nothing. I am just myself. So you should feel happy about that. The spiritual teacher is very important, like your eyes or heart. You should respect them like your own eyes."

~ courtesy Bernie Simon who was there in Fredericksville, Maryland.

An Eternal Now

12 Dec 09, 13:15

The 3 Excellent Teachings by Choeze Kuchen Rinpoche

First Excellence - Pure Motivation and Great Conviction

Pure motivation and great conviction are very important regardless of whether the activity performed is great or negligible. Pure motivation is what results in great merit.

Impure motivation is having jealousy, greed, desire of benefitting oneself or one's family and other negative and selfish thoughts before performing the deed. Pure motivation is doing the virtuous deed without any prior negative and selfish thoughts.

How do we generate pure motivation? There are 3 ways, 1st is that of the shepherd, 2nd is that of the boatman and 3rd is that of the king.

1. The shepherd lets the herd go in front and will count all the animals in the herd to ensure none of the animals are missing. The motivation like that of the shepherd is to lead all sentient beings to enlightenment before one attains enlightenment.
2. The boatman ensures all the travellers in his boat reach safely to the other shore together with him. The motivation like that of the boatman is to attain enlightenment together with all sentient beings at the same time.
3. The king cultivates himself and takes measures to put himself in a position to lead his country before actually doing something for his country to make the country strong and make his citizens contented. The motivation like that of the king is to become enlightened first before leading others towards enlightenment.

The best motivation is that of the shepherd. Some may think, "If I lead others, then what about myself?" That is an unnecessary worry. If you have already lead others towards enlightenment, it is impossible that you alone would stay in samsara by yourself. Why we remain in samsara is due to our selfishness. Buddhas and Bodhisattvas always do things for others and do not care for themselves. Actually, if you have the motivation of the shepherd, you would probably gain enlightenment much faster than if you had the other two motivations.

As a vajrayana practitioner, we should have the motivation of a shepherd. Before we perform any deeds, we should consider if our motivaion is pure or impure. At that instant, if you find that your motivation is impure, you should change it to be a pure one. You must constantly perform the checking yourself. It is easy to check our mind as it belongs to us and nobody else. The real practice is to check our mind frequently.

Pure motivation is very important especially to those who are in a profession where they directly help others, such as doctors and teachers. They must have pure motivation in order to help much more people effectively and efficiently. Take for example 2 doctors, one who has good qualifications but not genuinely concerned about helping others and one who does not have good qualifications but has the pure motivation to benefit others. When trying to cure patients, the patients of the doctor with the pure motivation would be the ones who see better results as the doctor would put in much more effort in curing and caring for the patient. With pure motivation, one will benefit more people better and at a faster speed. This is especially true for teachers and doctors who are in a profession where they can help many directly.

If you have impure motivation, on the outside the deed you perform may look good, but the result will be negative as the deed is unvirtuous due to impure motivation. If you light just one small lamp with pure motivation, the merit would last much longer than performing a great deed with impure motivation. The best motivation to have is that of the shepherd man.

Pure motivation can be applied to whatever activity you perform, regardless if it is related to Dharma. Slowly we start this practice and with experience, the pure motivation would come easily. We have to change our bad habits which are due to ignorance. Through countless lifetimes, we have accumulated much negative karma, we must have the patience to slowly change ourselves. It will not be easy, but with time, we can make the change.

For lay people, especially businessmen, it is very difficult to have pure motivation when working. They feel that they have to tell lies or their business will not be so good. But you can still try to do business with a good motivation. How to do so? For example, before starting on a deal, think that whatever profit I get, I will donate 40% to charity and for the rest, I will keep for myself and my family. If you do this, then it is ok. It may even make your business more successful as you had kind intentions before starting out on the deals. Even if you can't give 40%, even 5% is good, as long as you have thought of benefitting others, and not just only yourself.

We have to try to think for others, not just ourselves. If you think for others, you will become very relaxed in your mind. If you only think for yourself, gradually you will develop stress and feel more pressure. So try to think of benefitting others. Even though you can't benefit masses, if there is just only one person in front of you who needs help and you have given assistance with pure motivation, it would make you happy and your mind relaxed.

Wealth, good facilities, infrastructure and material goods, these give us good health and comfort, but not true permanent happiness. That is why you can observe that there are rich people who are very stressed. Poor people may have to live in discomfort, but they may not be unhappy if they are contented and do not harbor selfish thoughts. Material wealth may cause one more suffering due to the grasping and attachment one has for it.

Past Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and great masters took refuge in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, they did not take refuge in material wealth! Material wealth only gives you temporary happiness. We all need material wealth to survive, but we should not put in extra effort just to gain material wealth. Take for example a diamond ring, we wipe it and make it shiny, we carry it around with us, tell it that we love it very much and show it off proudly to others, but the diamond ring cannot reciprocate our love or do anything for us, it may even make us feel uncomfortable having to wear it on our finger. So it only makes us look stupid that we spend so much time and attention on an object that cannot love or care. That is what attachment does to us.

Motivation is important, like when parents discipline their children, from the outside, it looks bad, but actually the parents only want the best for their children. Their motivation is pure. We should not only focus on appearances, it is the motivation that counts. There is a story, a few centuries ago, about the Jowo statue in Tibet which is very precious. A king during Buddha's time requested that the statue be made and invited a statue maker from the deva realms. The statue was invited from India to China and then to Tibet. In Tibet there is a saying that if you do not visit the Jowo statue, then your life has been a waste. People put in great effort to go and visit the Jowo statue. There was a man from the southern side of Tibet who was simple-minded. He saw the shrine and thought that the offerings were food for Jowo. He thought that the lamp was lit up to ensure that the butter did not harden in the cold weather. As he was hungry, he took the torma (food offering) and dipped it into the butter and ate it. When he looked at Jowo's face, it was still smiling and he thought that Jowo was so nice as he was happy to share his food. He then told Jowo that he will now circumambulate him and put his shoes in front of Jowo and asked Jowo to help take care of them. When the caretaker of the temple came, he was very upset as he saw that the shrine was ruined and someone has disrespectfully put his shoes in front of the Buddha statue. He wanted to throw the shoes out, but the Jowo statue spoke and said, "Do not throw them away. Gonpo Ben has asked me to take care of them, it is my duty to do so." When Gonpo Ben has finished his circumambulation, he thanked the Jowo statue and invited Jowo to his home. Jowo accepted the invitation. Gonpo Ben then went home to tell his wife that Jowo would be visiting them. One day when his wife went to the river to get water, she saw that the Jowo statue was inside the river. She ran back to tell Ben who went to the river and dived in to fetch the statue. He actually managed to get the statue out. When he reached a stone on the road however, Jowo told him that he cannot enter a lay person's house and disappeared inside the rock. Ben had very pure motivation and therefore managed to see, talk to and even touch a real Buddha. Even though his actions appeared disrespectful, it did not matter as he had pure motivation.

2nd Excellence - The Perfect Way to Practice

All types of Buddhist practice are included within the Vajrayana way of practice, the creation and completion stages. The generation stage practice is to do visualization. We visualize our body as a form of wisdom body or that of a deity. We also visualize Samantabhadra's form of offerings to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the 10 directions. If visualization is done with concentration, it brings the same benefit as doing Shamatha (stabilization/ concentration) meditation. It is very important to visualize one-pointedly in the generation stage. For the beginner, it is very very difficult, one needs time to gain experience. We must practice more often. An obstacle is having an active mind during visualization, thinking about other things. This is an evil during visualization. We must have a stable mind during visualization and meditation, we should not think of the past or future, but remain in the present. During meditation you should not feel heavy in the mind like when we are sleeping but feel very light. There is a method to go to this state of mind. Many practitioners practice for a long time without getting a sign of successful practice. Some of them then think that there is a problem with the practice or that there is a problem with their guru. But actually the problem is with themselves! If one has wandering thoughts during visualization, one will not obtain any results as one is not practising correctly and in the proper way.

During visualization and meditation, worldly and conceptual thoughts that come are the real evil. They are the biggest obstacle. We have to put in effort to resolve this problem. We cannot forcefully stop the thoughts from coming as it would make the situation worse. More thoughts would come, and if you get angry, that is very bad. When thoughts come, just do not follow them, release the thoughts naturally. Come to the natural state of your mind. Do not think of the past or future, stay in the present. Conceptual thoughts will then be released naturally. We have to try this everyday, at times of trouble etc., try to release the tension in our minds through this method. With attachment, our mind becomes heavy. Be light in your mind without any attachment. We cannot possibly stop our mind from thinking, simply do not follow thoughts and just release. If we do this more often, it will help us during the introduction to the true nature of phenomena. When there is strong anger, hatred, desire or ignorance, practise this method to release your mind from negativity and conceptual thoughts. When meditating, open your eyes and look at any object in front of you, but do not grasp onto the object. Have no conceptions. There is only this one method and there are no other ways.

Through this practice, one will obtain long life. Breathing will slow down and become relaxed. Your life will go at a slower speed. This is different from when one is angry, the breath is fast and labored. Breathing will be long and smooth during practice and this will cause your life to become long. This practice can be done anywhere. Most imporantly, release all thoughts and be without conceptions when yo visualize or meditate. This will be the prefect way to practice.

In a lifetime, we must recognize the true nature of our mind after receiving instructions from a great master. There are a lot of conditions which must be met before we can do this. The 4 foundations (Ngondro) is important as a precursor to all practices.

3rd Excellence - Perfect Dedication

After practising, we accumulate merit and we should dedicate this merit. This teaching explains how to do perfect dedication. Without dedication, even if you have accumulated merits for thousands of aeons, all of the merits may be destroyed by a single negative thought. Merit is like a drop of water. If you put it on a dry ground, it will evaporate in a short period of time. If you do dedication, it will be like putting the drop of water in an ocean, the drop of water will last as long as the ocean is still around. Only if we dedicate merit, can the merit last. So dedication is very important. How should we do dedication? We should dedicate all the past, present and future merits of ourselves, all sentient beings, all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas as well as the source of all good deeds, our Buddha nature. This is the special method of Kyobpa Jigten Sumgon, the founder of the Drikung Kagyud lineage. Why should we dedicate future merit? We may forget to dedicate merits in future when we have done good deeds, so we dedicate merit now for those circumstances. Dedicating future merits will also make it easier for us to accumulate merit in the future.

Primordial merit is the merit of our natural self or our Buddha nature. Our original mind or self is kind and pure in nature. There are many people who are without religion but are naturally compassionate and kind. Why? Because their nature itself is good and kind. Even for animals, you can see how good they are to their children, they also possess compassion. We survive in this world through compassion, kindness and care given by our mother. We can see that the real nature of sentient beings is compassion. This strong and powerful compassion, is the seed of all merits. We should dedicate this.

For any deeds that we perform, whether it is Dharma-related or not, we need these 3 excellences. Pure motivation, perfect way to practice and perfect dedication. It applies to every practice and is very much essential and necessary.

An Eternal Now

12 Dec 09, 13:50

Rangjung Yeshe Prayer Book, sung by Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche

GA_googleFillSlot("sgforums_mpu");

An Eternal Now

12 Dec 09, 13:52

The 37 Practices of a Bodhisattva by Togme Zongpo

Namo Lokesvaraya

You who see that experience has no coming or going,
Yet pour your energy solely into helping beings,
My excellent teachers and Lord All Seeing,
I humbly and constantly honor with my body, speech, and mind.

The fully awake, the buddhas, source of joy and well-being,
All come from integrating the noble Way.
Because integration depends on your knowing how to practice,
I will explain the practice of all bodhisattvas.

Right now, you have a good boat, fully equipped and available hard to find.
To free others and you from the sea of samsara,
Day and night, fully alert and present,
Study, reflect, and meditate this is the practice of a bodhisattva.

Attraction to those close to you catches you in its currents;
Aversion to those who oppose you burns inside;
Indifference that ignores what needs to be done is a black hole.
Leave your homeland this is the practice of a bodhisattva.

Don't engage disturbances and reactive emotions gradually fade away;
Don't engage distractions and spiritual practice naturally grows;
Keep awareness clear and vivid and confidence in the way arises.
Rely on silence this is the practice of a bodhisattva.

You will separate from long-time friends and relatives;
You will leave behind the wealth you worked to build up;
The guest, your consciousness, will move from the inn, your body.
Forget the conventional concerns this is the practice of a bodhisattva.

With some friends, the three poisons keep growing,
Study, reflection, and meditation weaken,
And loving kindness and compassion fall away.
Give up bad friends this is the practice of a bodhisattva.

With some teachers, your shortcomings fade away and
Abilities grow like the waxing moon.
Hold such teachers dear to you,
Dearer than your own body this is the practice of a bodhisattva.

Locked up in the prison of their own patterning
Whom can ordinary gods protect?
Who can you count on for refuge?
Go for refuge in the Three Jewels this is the practice of a bodhisattva.

The suffering in the lower realms is really hard to endure.
The Sage says it is the result of destructive actions.
For that reason, even if your life is at risk,
Don't engage in destructive actions this is the practice of a bodhisattva.

The happiness of the three worlds disappears in a moment,
Like a dewdrop on a blade of grass.
The highest level of freedom is one that never changes.
Aim for this this is the practice of a bodhisattva.

For time without beginning, mothers have lovingly cared for you.
If they are still suffering, how can you be happy?
To free limitless sentient beings,
Give rise to awakening mind this is the practice of a bodhisattva.

All suffering comes from wanting your own happiness.
Complete awakening arises from the intention to help others.
So, exchange completely your happiness
For the suffering of others this is the practice of a bodhisattva.

Even if someone, driven by desperate want,
Steals, or makes someone else steal, everything you own,
Dedicate to him your body, your wealth, and
All the good you've ever done or will do this is the practice of a bodhisattva.

Even if you have done nothing wrong at all
And someone still tries to take your head off,
Spurred by compassion,
Take all his or her evil into you this is the practice of a bodhisattva.

Even if someone broadcasts to the whole universe
Slanderous and ugly rumors about you,
In return, with an open and caring heart,
Praise his or her abilities this is the practice of a bodhisattva.

Even if someone humiliates you and denounces you
In front of a crowd of people,
Think of this person as your teacher
And humbly honor him this is the practice of a bodhisattva.

Even if a person you have cared for as your own child
Treats you as his or her worst enemy,
Lavish him or her with loving attention
Like a mother caring for her ill child this is the practice of a bodhisattva.

Even if your peers or subordinates,
Put you down to make themselves look better,
Treat them respectfully as you would your teacher:
Put them above you this is the practice of a bodhisattva.

When you are down and out, held in contempt,
Desperately ill, and emotionally crazy,
Don't lose heart. Take into you
The suffering and negativity of all beings this is the practice of a bodhisattva.

Even when you are famous, honored by all,
And as rich as the god of wealth himself,
Don't be pompous. Know that the magnificence of existence
Has no substance this is the practice of a bodhisattva.

If you don't subdue the opponent inside, your own anger,
Although you subdue opponents outside, they just keep coming.
Muster the forces of loving kindness and compassion
And subdue your own mind this is the practice of a bodhisattva.

Sensual pleasures are like salty water:
The deeper you drink, the thirstier you become.
Any object that you attach to,
Right away, let it go this is the practice of a bodhisattva.

Whatever arises in experience is your own mind.
Mind itself is free of any conceptual limitations.
Know that and don't generate
Subject-object fixations this is the practice of a bodhisattva.

When you come across something you enjoy,
Though beautiful to experience, like a summer rainbow,
Don't take it as real.
Let go of attachment this is the practice of a bodhisattva.

All forms of suffering are like dreaming that your child has died.
Taking confusion as real wears you out.
When you run into misfortune,
Look at it as confusion this is the practice of a bodhisattva.

If those who want to be awake have to give even their bodies,
What need is there to talk about things that you simply own.
Be generous, not looking
For any return or result this is the practice of a bodhisattva.

If you can't tend to your needs because you have no moral discipline,
Then intending to take care of the needs of others is simply a joke.
Observe ethical behavior without concern
For conventional existence this is the practice of a bodhisattva.

For bodhisattvas who want to be rich in virtue
A person who hurts you is a precious treasure.
Cultivate patience for everyone,
Completely free of irritation or resentment this is the practice of a bodhisattva.

Listeners and solitary buddhas, working only for their own welfare,
Are seen to practice as if their heads were on fire.
To help all beings, pour your energy into practice:
It's the source of all abilities this is the practice of a bodhisattva.

Understanding that reactive emotions are dismantled
By insight supported by stillness,
Cultivate meditative stability that passes right by
The four formless states this is the practice of a bodhisattva.

Without wisdom, the five perfections
Are not enough to attain full awakening.
Cultivate wisdom, endowed with skill
And free from the three domains this is the practice of a bodhisattva.

If you don't go into your own confusion,
You may just be a materialist in practitioner's clothing.
Constantly go into your own confusion
And put an end to it this is the practice of a bodhisattva.

You undermine yourself when you react emotionally and
Grumble about the imperfections of other bodhisattvas.
Of the imperfections of those who have entered the Great Way,
Don't say anything this is the practice of a bodhisattva.

When you squabble with others about status and rewards,
You undermine learning, reflection, and meditation.
Let go of any investment in your family circle
Or the circle of those who support you this is the practice of a bodhisattva.

Abusive language upsets others
And undermines the ethics of a bodhisattva.
So, don't upset people or
Speak abusively this is the practice of a bodhisattva.

When reactive emotions acquire momentum, it's hard to make remedies work.
A person in attention wields remedies like weapons,
Crushing reactive emotions such as craving
As soon as they arise this is the practice of a bodhisattva.

In short, in everything you do,
Know what is happening in your mind.
By being constantly present and alert
You bring about what helps others this is the practice of a bodhisattva.

To dispel the suffering of beings without limit,
With wisdom freed from the three spheres
Direct all the goodness generated by these efforts
To awakening -- this is the practice of a bodhisattva.

Following the teachings of the holy ones
On what is written in the sutras, tantras, and commentaries,
I set out these thirty-seven practices of a bodhisattva
For those who intend to train in this path.

Because I have limited intelligence and little education,
These verses are not the kind of poetry that delights the learned.
But because I relied on the teachings of the sutras and the revered
I am confident that The Practices of a Bodhisattva is sound.

However, because it's hard for a person with limited intelligence like me
To fathom the depths of the great waves of the activity of bodhisattvas,
I ask the revered to tolerate
Any mistakes contradictions, non sequiturs, and such.

From the goodness of this work, may all beings,
Through the supreme mind that is awake to what is ultimately and apparently true,
Not rest in any limiting position existence or peace:
May they be like Lord All Seeing.

Tog-me, the monk, a teacher of scripture and logic, composed this text in a cave
near the town of Ngülchu Rinchen for his own and others' benefit.

Dharma Teachings (Text/Audio/Video) as Posted by Nahahwu

1000 Arms Chenrezig Nyung Ne Retreat Dec 2009

Ground, Path, and Fruition

Auspicious Prayers in Tibetan

Khandro Kunga at Thekchen Choling

Tibetan calligraphy by Palden Oshoe

Chenrizig Mantra recited by His Holiness Penor Rinpoche

3 Year Retreat Of Venerable Lama Karma Samten Gyatso

Dharma Talks By Geshe Ngawang Dakpa

Zurmang Ngondro Teaching by HE Zurmang Gharwang Rinpoche XII

Thrangu Rinpoche in East Tibet

Six Session Yoga by Ngulchu Jeydrung

Tibetan Longevity Practice

Words of Truth Pacifying the Dangers of Weapons

Fivefold Mahamudra by Lord Jigten Sumgon

Heart Advice of Achos Rinpoche

Angrig Lami Sangdrud

The Dark Red Amulet, Practice of Vajrakilaya

Treasure Dances of Pema Lingpa and Shanag

Teachings, Prayers and Sadhanas, Osel Shen Phen Ling

The Benefits Of Nyung Nay Practice, No lower realm rebirth

Healing Chod Of Most Venerable Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche

A River that Cannot be Frozen by Garchen Rinpoche

On Meditation

The 3 Excellent Teachings by Choeze Kuchen Rinpoche

Rangjung Yeshe Prayer Book, sung by Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche

The 37 Practices of a Bodhisattva by Togme Zongpo