Love – a Solid Foundation

From a series of tweets from @ahkonlhamo

I am hoping to teach on Sunday, if merit prevails.   I am aware that we are growing, and that new students are coming.  I would like to help them get a good foundation, and who doesn’t need more Bodhicitta training, Dzogchen View and Guru Yoga? We all do.

Kyabje His Holiness Penor Rinpoche always taught a solid foundation was necessary and resisted teaching Dzogchen for years. He felt we must rely on the Guru and taught a lot of Guru Yoga at first. But the most important thing is to give rise to Bodhicitta.

Without the preliminaries, higher Tantra cannot take root. Like seeds falling on stone, there is no way it can anchor and grow. Like a hard, dry mind, seeds cannot awaken. Even if one is completely convinced of their “realization” it is not the case. Bodhicitta is the very essence and display of Primordial Buddhanature.

Kyabje His Holiness Penor Rinpoche always displayed such kindness. Even when he was wrathful it was based on Bodhicitta, the wish to remove obstacles. And he did.  In the end, I only remember the loving kindness he always showed me – his giggle, his power, his love and support, which I ache for now.