Tibetan Buddhist Altar » Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

Relying on the Lineage and the Guru: Full Length Video Teaching

Jetsunma — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:52:34 +0000

The following is a full length video teaching by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo offered at Kunzang Palyul Choling:

Relationship with the Guru is the “rocketship of Vajrayana”. These teachers appear for only one reason – us. So, we can rely utterly on their blessing.

Identifying What is Important

Jetsunma — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:30:37 +0000

The following is an excerpt from a teaching by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo called Commitment to the Path:

These two particular teachings about the preciousness of this human rebirth and the impermanence of all things samsaric are supposed to make us see, recognize and call to mind and to be mindful of the difference between what is ordinary and what is extraordinary. What is ordinary experiences birth and death. It doesn’t travel with you. It’s a product of samsara and its building blocks, which are delusion, and the senses, which are also deluded. And while this is what builds samsara (and this is nothing to feel comfortable in), once you identify that, you can also identify what is extraordinary. And what is extraordinary is the Buddha nature.

We think about the Buddha nature as it appears in the world as the ground, the method and the fruit. The ground is that the Dharma, Buddhism—the way that the Buddha enters into the world—always comes from the mind of enlightenment. Whenever the Buddha speaks, the Buddha speaks from enlightenment, from the Buddha nature that does not experience rebirth. All teachings in Dharma, then, arise from the foundation, the ground. All teachings in Dharma are expressed as the method, or path. One thing that distinguishes us from other religions is that we have method, real solid method and many different methods, to suit different karmic propensities. But the method is given rise by the Buddha nature, so the method and the Buddha nature are not only similar; they are the same taste, the same stuff. So the path is enlightened as well. The result, of course, is Buddhahood, liberation from ordinary death and rebirth and the realization of the primordial wisdom nature, that awakened state that the Buddha described. That’s the result—Buddhahood which arises from Buddhahood, which is Buddhahood and remains Buddhahood. The ground, the method and the result are indistinguishable.

So now we have identified what is impermanent. We have identified what is useless. Now we begin, because of that teaching, to identify what is extraordinary, what is of benefit. From that knowledge we can begin to make choices about how to practice our path. You can see how it would be difficult to make a real commitment without understanding that. It would be a fad for you, a thing.

Tibetan Buddhism is really kind of stylish right now. We’re in vogue, but that’s not how we should approach this. We have to approach it with eyes open. And believe me, as you get older, you’re going to realize that, just like the Buddha taught, our lives are like a waterfall rushing down a mountain. Oh, you might think, that’s not bad. Waterfalls last a long time, but don’t you get it? You’re looking at a condition. When you see a waterfall, you’re looking at a condition. The cup of water that falls from the top reaches the bottom in a heartbeat and we’re like that. We look at life and we think, oh, it’s constant. Been here for a while. Probably be here for a while. But that cup of water falls down so fast that we come to the point at the end of our lives and we wonder. We look in the mirror and we see ourselves. We have graying hair and like I said, everything is falling south and all these changes are happening. For me, I look in the mirror and here is this middle age woman and I go, how did that happen.? I am just a kid. I’m just learning something here. How did that happen? And that is the experience that we have. It goes that quickly.

And while life seems like a jewel to be enjoyed, we do not understand that if we spend our time enjoying it, it will be over in a flash and we will have gone to a precious continent and brought nothing back. And it’s not to say you shouldn’t enjoy it. I’m trying to enjoy my life, but I get the big picture. And that’s the thing we need to do here. We need to get the big picture. If we are in this place of great benefit and we have met with the teacher and met with the path, we must encourage ourselves to take advantage of this precious opportunity. I hope that you’ll think about this again and again and again.

Lord Buddha teaches us that all sentient beings are suffering, that all of samsara is pervaded with suffering, that we are wandering in cyclic existence helplessly. We are taught that all sentient beings are the same in their nature and the same in the fact that they all wish to be happy. Even when they do crazy things, they are trying to be happy, to feel good. And we realize while there is all this suffering, there is an end to this suffering and that end is liberation. And that’s the only good news in all of life.

We the People

Jetsunma — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 19:55:46 +0000

The following is from a series of tweets by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo:

Tons of people partying now, paying crazy prices for the Superbowl.
The poor and hungry are still hungry. The homeless have no homes.

I feel ashamed. So much money to entertain the “haves.” While the poor weep, we mindlessly party. Chips? Pizza? Not food groups. Hunger needs real food.

Does USA still have a heart? I can’t tell. But I see the eyes of the poor, hungry, cold and they haunt me. Where is the love?

It is hard to celebrate America’s games while so many are in dire need. Are we celebrating the great divide? Some get seats, others not! When did American values get turned upside down? Wait. I remember. Not worth blaming. Only worth fixing.

Anyway, I once wrote songs about the truth.

So we feed and clothe the poor and sing our songs, desperately praying for relief. For their sake – we the people.

With Loving Concern

Jetsunma — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 13:30:01 +0000

An excerpt from a teaching by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo called Turning Adversity Into Felicity

The result of poverty and not having enough is due, according to the Buddha’s teachings, to not having been particularly generous or forthcoming in our support or caring for others in the past, perhaps even before this lifetime. So we might look at our lives now with a sense of honesty. Is that the case now? Perhaps it’s also the case now, and we just haven’t thought of it that way. Or perhaps if we really look in our heart of hearts we might discover that there is a certain dark corner in there somewhere that has a strong element of selfishness and lack of giving. We might see it sneak out every now and then. Maybe not all the time, but it’s in there. Or we might discover that perhaps in our past, in our deep past, we have been less than generous.

So, in order to create the causes of having plenty, to open the doors and liberate the conditions under which support and wealth and prosperity would come to us, we would create the causes, by transforming our minds through practice into that which is supremely generous. If we have only $5 to our name, a good idea is to give maybe 50¢ of that, maybe a dollar of that, to somebody who doesn’t have 50¢ or a dollar. If you have nothing, I’m sure you can get it together to have enough to place a simple candle on the altar and make prayers that the merit generated by offering this light would help all sentient beings see their way through the darkness. A small offering like that and prayers to benefit sentient beings begins the process of creating the causes by which our suffering or lack begins to change, and as well our minds begin to transform into that which is filled with kindness. We begin to create the habit of caring for others, of kindness.

The idea is that we proceed with confidence in the teachings and in the teacher who has given them to us. That’s how you have faith in the Guru—not by making some bland statement with no depth, not by faking your way through samsara, not by controlling your mind with positive thoughts so that delusion only increases and you have no idea what you are perceiving—but instead by creating the causes through acts of generosity.

On the other hand, if we have experienced great disappointment in love, let’s say, the first thing that we think is, “Oh, now I’ve lost my boyfriend, or girlfriend or whatever, so I have to do everything I can to get them back.” Grasp, grasp, grasp! And when that doesn’t work—it doesn’t, you know—then what you do is you make prayers to the Guru: “Oh please, oh please, oh please!” And we hope and pray that the lotto will come for us on the romantic level. And then we even think stupid thoughts like, “Oh, please deliver him or her to me now! Along with the check, put him in the mailbox. I’ll pick him up tomorrow.” You know that’s the kind of thinking that we have. It’s like magical thinking, but that’s a different religion. That’s not our religion.

In our religion, if that had happened, we would look for the causes. What are the causes of such a loss? Perhaps I have not been kind and loving. I’ll tell you how it is, if no love is given, no love will be received. It’s like that. If we do not invest in generosity and caring and loving concern and regard for others in an unselfish way, there will not be a great deal of love forthcoming freely into our lives because we have not created the causes. We have not held up our part of the bargain. And so we begin, therefore, to create the causes: a real concern, a real interest in the welfare and well being of others. Not just the one you want back. That’s easy. Others, all others, with kindness and love and generosity coming forth from our hearts. That’s the investment that’s needed here, that we ourselves would be responsible for not abandoning and leaving without comfort, loved ones and friends, not just the one we want, but all our loved ones and friends. And then take it further than that. Not only our friends and loved ones, but also our not-so-friendly friends, maybe the people we don’t have much concern for, maybe even our enemies. A loving concern for them is what’s required here.

Only You Can Awaken Bodhicitta Within: Full Length Video Teaching

Jetsunma — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 13:30:41 +0000

The following is a full length video teaching offered by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo in Sedona Arizona:

Shown 9/20/09. Given just after the 9/11 tragedy, Jetsunma encourages us to look within and reinvigorate our practice within. She also explains the imbalance at this time between the male and female. As women are defiled, so Tara is defiled and it’s up to us to uphold her.

The Dharma

Jetsunma — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:37:03 +0000

The following is from a series of tweets by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo:

The Dharma is as vast as samsara, and is also as stable, as long as there is samsara there will also be Dharma.

As long as there is Dharma there will also be Samsara, because the Dharma is natural, uncontrived and would not exist without Samsara.

The Mind as Your Guru Part 1 of 3: Full Length Video Teaching

Jetsunma — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:48:01 +0000

The following is a full length video teaching offered by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo at Kunzang Palyul Choling:

In order to practice Spiritual Fidelity – being true to your own nature you need to understand what that nature is. Also, understand what it isn’t. This involves studying the faults of cyclic existence, so we can avoid those faults and stay directly focused on enlightenment to benefit all beings.

Today

Jetsunma — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:04:34 +0000

The following is from a series of tweets by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo:

We are women
We are delicate and fragile
And inconceivably strong
Worlds are born from us
We are sacred
We are the oceans of the Earth
Seducing and touching the sand
This is our time

Realize Your Natural State: Full Length Video Teaching

Jetsunma — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:25:43 +0000

The following is a full length video teaching offered by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo:

Developing concepts based on the teachings of the Buddha is a good first step. But then one must apply the antidotes to purify perception to really realize the natural state of luminosity and compassion. Don’t mistake the concept for the actuality.

How to Generate Meritorious Activity

Jetsunma — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:17:46 +0000

The following is a full length teaching offered by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo:

Every religion has a concept of what is considered compassionate or virtuous. What we find is that often we “look” compassionate instead of deepeing in our practice of Vajrayana. This generates the ultimate result of enlightenment.