The Way Out

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

When we practice Guru Yoga, we actually begin to develop the view that the lama is the source of liberation.  We begin to understand using traditional, prescribed images.  For instance, we are taught that we should think of samsara as being like a burning room. In samsara there is a great deal of suffering, and it’s actually just as probable that you will experience adversity as it is probable that you will experience felicity.  It is just as probable that you will experience suffering as it is that you will experience happiness and joy.  So we think of samsara as being untrustworthy, and we think—and this is true—that within samsara, because of our confusion and our lack of awareness about what our nature actually is,  we are constantly giving rise to the causes for more suffering.  This is constantly the case.  So we think of samsara as being like a burning room with no windows, that there is no escape except for this one door.  In our practice we think that the Lama is like that door.

The Lama is considered to be the door to liberation, the very means by which the blessing comes to us.  Without the Lama, we would not have been hooked onto the path.  Without the Lama, we would not receive the teaching.  Without the Lama, we would not understand the teaching.  Without the Lama, our minds would not be empowered and ripened and matured.  That is the responsibility of the relationship between the guru and disciple.  The mind must be matured in order to progress on the path.  So we rely on the Lama for all of these things without which we remain wandering in samsara experiencing birth/death/birth/death/birth/death with very little control.

Of course, when life is going well we think that this must not be true.  It looks like we have a lot of control in our life.  But if you think that, then you should read the newspaper more frequently, and you should talk to people who have been inflicted with incurable, diseases, who were afflicted completely out of the blue, not expecting that their lives would come to this.  You should talk to people who have suffered through circumstances that seemed to come from outside, misfortune, the loss of a job, the loss of loved ones.  These are terrible sufferings for us as human beings, and until we have experienced our fair share of them — and we will, eventually; old age, sickness and death, these things occur to all of us — we have the delusion of a certain kind of control in our life.  Ordinarily that kind of delusion comes with youth, and then later on, as we pass the age of supreme omniscience at about 30, we begin to discover that, in fact, we are not totally in control, that life seems to control us.

So we think of samsara as being this untrustworthy, inescapable difficulty, and we think of the lama as being the door to liberation.  We hold that kind of regard.  It isn’t that we worship a personality.  Of course, it’s not like that.  That would be very superficial and useless.  What good is a personality?  If we conceive of the Lama as a personality, what good would that do us?  We are a personality, and look where it’s gotten us!  That’s nothing to rely on.  So we rely on the Guru as the condensed essence of all the objects of refuge: all the Buddhas, all the Bodhisattvas, all the Lamas, all the meditational Deities, the Dakinis and the Dharma protectors all rolled into one, including all of the teachings.  These are the liberating truths of Dharma.  These are the objects of refuge.  So the Lama becomes the door through which we exit samsara.

© Jetsunma Ahkön Lhamo

Astrology 10/31/2018

10/31/2018 Wednesday by Jampal & Wangmo

Theme: The big picture

Mercury has entered the sign of Sagittarius for the next month. This enhances the study of religion, philosophy and law. The focus is on the big picture and far away places and cultures. The challenge is to not overlook details and think before you speak. The Moon has entered Leo which encourages creativity and play. The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.~Eleanor Roosevelt

Astrology for 10/30/2018

10/30/2018 Tuesday by Wangmo & Jampal

Theme: Intuitive healing

There continues to be a strong subjective and intuitive quality to tap into today. This quality is linked to the understanding of your own suffering and having compassion not only for yourself but others. This is a deep feeling day but it’s not easy. Watch out for subconscious forces undermining harmonious relationships. Our prime purpose in life is to help others. And if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them.~HH Dalai Lama

Today the Moon is Void of Course from 10.32 pm EST USA until 10.43 pm! If you’re in another country check what that means for you time-wise. It’s best to avoid making major decisions or signing contracts during this time.

Astrology for 10/29/2018

10/29/2018 Monday by Wangmo & Jampal

Theme: Balance and flow

There is a flow today between the body, mind and the spirit. You are likely to be more attuned today to the needs of others. On a personal level healing old spiritual wounds offers you the opportunity to move into the world more confidently. Avoid swinging at windmills for the next week until the planet mars is more connected to other planets. Faith is an oasis in the heart which will never be reached by the caravan of thinking.~Kahlil Gibran

Astrology for 10/28/2018

10/28/2018 Sunday by Jampal & Wangmo

Theme: Innovative philosophies and emotional expression

Today, if you open yourself to a bigger picture regarding the world you live in there is another opportunity for seeing possibilities you hadn’t seen before. The challenge today is to get beyond superficial and changeable emotional responses and to pick up the cues of people around you. I am indebted to my father for living, but to my teacher for living well.~Alexander the Great

Today the Moon is Void of Course from 12.39 am EST USA until 7.28 pm. If you’re in another country check what that means for you time-wise. It’s best to avoid making major decisions or signing contracts during this time.

What Is Your Refuge?

The following is an excerpt from a teaching by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo called “Antidoting the Mantra of Samsara”

When we practice prostrations we are applying the antidote to pride. Well, you think to yourself, if that’s what we’re doing, I’ll just stop being proud!  And how long do you think that’s going to work because you know what you’ve already done?  You’ve already said I could figure out how to do this better than the Buddha did!  You don’t think there’s a little pride in that?  Hm?  Hm?  I do. There’s pride in that already.  Instead of being oriented towards engaging in non-virtuous activity and creating non-virtuous habitual tendency and continuing our delusions, instead we should make prostrations. And how do we make prostrations?  We say, “I take refuge in the Buddha, in the Dharma and in the Sangha.”  The Three Precious Jewels—the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. Now why is it necessary to do that 100,000 times and to bend our bodies when we do that?  Because inside ourselves we are constantly saying “I take refuge in what-I-want, what-I’m-gonna-get, and what-I’ll-have-in-the-future. I take refuge in you-love-me, you-take-care-of-me, you-give-me-stuff.”  We are constantly taking refuge in stereo, TV, CD player. We are taking refuge in chocolate. What else?  What do you like?  Cake?  Ice cream!  I mean, these are the ways that we think!  We don’t realize that, but when you go for something, what do you go for?  You go for something else!  You don’t go for the Buddha, the Dharma or the Sangha.  You go for ice cream!  You go for a new car!  You go for anything but the Buddha the Dharma and the Sangha!

Copyright © Jetsunma Ahkon Norbu Lhamo.  All rights reserved

Astrology for 10/27/2018

10/27/2018 Saturday by Wangmo & Jampal

Theme: Healing the divide

With the Moon in Gemini communication is lively but watch for the trickster side of Gemini which signals changing viewpoints. The tendency for escapism is high today. Today there is a stronger possibility of healing schisms in relationships. You may be offered some insights into how to do this. Reconciliation requires changes of heart and spirit, as well as a social and economic change. It requires symbolic as well as practical action.~Malcom Fraser

The Fourfold Prayer For Motherly Sentient Beings Equal To Space

The following prayer is from the Nam Cho Ngondro, The Great Perfection Buddha in the Palm of Hand

MA NAM KHA DANG NYAM PA’I SEM CHEN THAM CHED

I pray that all motherly sentient beings, countless as space,

LAMA SANGYE CHÖ KYI KU LA SÖL WA DEB SO

May realize the Guru’s Dharmakaya Buddha Body.

MA NAM KHA DANG NYAM PA’I SEM CHEN THAM CHED

I pray that all motherly sentient beings, countless as space,

LAMA DE CHEN LONG CHÖD DZOG PA’I KU LA SÖL

WA DEB SO

May realize the Guru’s Great Bliss Sambhogakaya Body.

MA NAM KHA DANG NYAM PA’I SEM CHEN THAM CHED

I pray that all motherly sentient beings, countless as space,

LAMA THUG JE TRUL PA’I KU LA SÖL WA DEB SO

May realize the Guru’s Great Bliss Nirmanakaya Body

MA NAM KHA DANG NYAM PA’I SEM CHEN THAM CHED

I pray that all motherly sentient beings, countless as space,

Astrology for 10/26/2018

10/26/2018 Friday by Wangmo & Jampal

Theme: Too much of a good thing

Today it’s a social time for gathering with friends and enjoying life. You could overdo it. Watch out for those killer cream puff pastries! Emotional partnerships are important today. Over the next month there is an underlying urge to transform the world you live in by focusing on the deep issues that impact life. The more clearly we can focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the universe about us, the less taste we shall have for destruction.

Today the Moon is Void of Course from 10.50 am ESDT USA until 3.42 pm. If you’re in another country check what that means for you time-wise. It’s best to avoid making major decisions or signing contracts during this time.

Gossip: Understanding The Poison

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

Any time you talk badly about someone you actually shorten your life force. Or at the least you endanger your ability to draw trusting friends and the ability to be well-spoken in future times. And no one will believe you.

I don’t like gossip – it does no good and tastes like poison. And it comes back.

Question from Twitter Follower: “What is the distinction between gossip and recounting your experiences with others?”

Jetsunma’s response: Intention is the difference. Tell stories, I do. Usually we know when we are being mean-spirited.

Copyright © Jetsunma Ahkon Norbu Lhamo. All rights reserved

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