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Astrology

Congratulations, your emotions are stable and you are able to wait out a slow-moving situation.  This is a great time to engage in renovation and beautification projects.  Spiff things up!  Material objects are excellent, and encouragement comes from things you can see and touch.  Good shopping! Medical issues are well resolved, and work is motoring [...]

The First Object of Refuge

The First Object of Refuge

The following is an excerpt from a teaching by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo called “Essence of Devotion”

Although the Buddha that we remember as Siddhartha, Gautama Buddha, Shakyamuni is not present in his physical body as we understand it right now, we look at the Lama as the embodiment of the qualities, intentions, compassion and [...]

Astrology

An important message, letter or communication happens today.  It’s most crucial to speak in a kind, diplomatic manner.  Angry or demanding speech harms your cause and you will be ignored, or worse.  The urge to “tell people off” is strong today, as is the wish to push others who aren’t responding the way you would [...]

Right Speech

Right Speech

An excerpt from a teaching called The Eightfold Path by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

Right speech is the first principal of ethical conduct on the Eightfold Path.  And on the Eightfold Path is really based on ethical conduct.  It’s one of the things that I like best about Buddhism.  It isn’t based on a pie-in-the-sky [...]

The Four Immeasureables

In Tibetan Buddhism the idea of compassion is talked about by using the idea of “Bodhicitta.” Bodhicitta actually means compassion, but for Westerners, the idea of compassion is often that the “haves” give to the “have-nots.” There is a sense of one person having or being in a position to give, and [...]

Booboos and the Guru’s Blessing

An excerpt from a teaching called Viewing the Guru:  The Seven Limb Puja by Jetsunma Ahkon Norbu Lhamo on October 18, 1995

Since we are in the face of the Guru constantly the next posture we should keep ourselves in is beseeching the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas and the Lamas to remain.  Where would you [...]

Reflection of Failure

[Adapted from an oral commentary given by His Holiness Penor Rinpoche in conjunction with a ceremony wherein he bestowed the bodhisattva vow upon a gathering of disciples at Namdroling in Bozeman, Montana, November 1999. ---Ed.]

Sometimes, although you are maintaining the bodhisattva vow internally and your intention is purely to benefit others, externally it [...]

Calling His Holiness Penor Rinpoche

When will I see my Guru in the flesh again? He will be young; I am getting old. He will be beautiful to my eyes as he is to my heart.

When will my heart leap and my spirit be refreshed? OM AH HUNG BENZAR GURU PEDMA NORBU SIDDHI HUNG!

Why must I be [...]

Root Downfalls

[Adapted from an oral commentary given by His Holiness Penor Rinpoche in conjunction with a ceremony wherein he bestowed the bodhisattva vow upon a gathering of disciples at Namdroling in Bozeman, Montana, November 1999. ---Ed.]

As the ancient literature states, there are five vows that pertain to rulers or kings, and those vows concern [...]

Aspirational Bodhicitta

[Adapted from an oral commentary given by His Holiness Penor Rinpoche in conjunction with a ceremony wherein he bestowed the bodhisattva vow upon a gathering of disciples at Namdroling in Bozeman, Montana, November 1999. ---Ed.]

Cultivation of aspirational bodhicitta involves three aspirations, four dark dharmas to reject, and four white dharmas to accept. The [...]

Buddhahood for All Beings

[Adapted from an oral commentary given by His Holiness Penor Rinpoche in conjunction with a ceremony wherein he bestowed the bodhisattva vow upon a gathering of disciples at Namdroling in Bozeman, Montana, November 1999. ---Ed.]

The ultimate nature of all phenomena is empty and free from elaboration and limitation. From the relative point of [...]

Bodhicitta – Inexhaustible Virtue

[Adapted from an oral commentary given by His Holiness Penor Rinpoche in conjunction with a ceremony wherein he bestowed the bodhisattva vow upon a gathering of disciples at Namdroling in Bozeman, Montana, November 1999. ---Ed.]

With bodhicitta, nonvirtues are naturally purified. An analogy commonly used to describe that is one about traveling to a [...]

Requesting the Buddhas & Bodhisattvas to Remain in the World

[Adapted from an oral commentary given by His Holiness Penor Rinpoche in conjunction with a ceremony wherein he bestowed the bodhisattva vow upon a gathering of disciples at Namdroling in Bozeman, Montana, November 1999. ---Ed.]

This is important because in cyclic existence there are many ignorant beings that fail to recognize the precious noble [...]

Rejoicing

[Adapted from an oral commentary given by His Holiness Penor Rinpoche in conjunction with a ceremony wherein he bestowed the bodhisattva vow upon a gathering of disciples at Namdroling in Bozeman, Montana, November 1999. ---Ed.]

Consider all ordinary virtue, which is virtue accumulated by ordinary individuals, and all stainless virtue, which is virtue accumulated [...]