Tibetan Buddhist Altar

Taking Responsibility for Our Path

November 27, 2017 by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

The following is an excerpt from a teaching by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo called “Neurotic Interaction to Guru Yoga”

Today we are going to continue the process of looking at two main and fundamental foundational teachings associated with the Buddhadharma. We have examined and re-examined the Bodhicitta, which is one of the main foundational attitudes and practices and accomplishments that one should gather on the path, and now we are moving towards the Guru Yoga. There are many areas in which these two subjects connect, and one has to develop the foundational thoughts, as I’ve indicated many times before, the thoughts that turn the mind towards Dharma. Also one has to develop the thoughts that make one understand the condition of sentient beings and the failings of samsara, or the sufferings of samsara. If one were to understand these in a logical and realistic way, and go through the effort of contemplating them so that a real understanding is arrived at, and take responsibility for that, then it’s easy, or at least easier, to move into a deeper practice of the Guru Yoga, a deeper understanding of Bodhicitta, the twofold accomplishment of wisdom and knowledge. These things are much more easily arrived at when one studies the foundational teachings. So try to remember that. No matter what stage you’re at in practicing the path, one has to reorient oneself all the time. It’s similar to, let’s say, you’re forty years old and you’ve had the experience of living for forty years so you have certain things about living that you’re comfortable with, that you’re certain about. You know by this time the sun is most likely going to rise and set.

We find that if we are to continue to keep ourselves spiritually on the mark to where we feel satisfied about our spiritual practice, we find that periodically we have to reorient ourselves, and for some of us it might take different forms. Many of us have realized by now that we need a certain amount of time spent alone in contemplation. Many of us realize now that we need to reorient ourselves with nature—that one should align oneself with the cycles of life, the cycles of night and day, the cycles of the seasons, the natural directions and natural occurrences that occur in our world—and that is useful and good too.

When it comes to Dharma this is certainly the case, but the need here is more specific. Yes, you may find that you do need a certain amount of time alone. I think really that all people do. That you do need a certain amount of time out in nature and you do need a certain amount of meditation time and so forth and so on. But beyond that, particularly and specifically with Dharma, one needs to reorient oneself on the path by discovering and rediscovering again the faults of cyclic existence—the thoughts that turn the mind, the linking cause and effect conditions that we find in samsara. Turning the mind—this is something that one needs to accomplish on a regular basis. There never is a time when you are actually finished with that.

So this is something that I speak about constantly. I know that you feel that you’ve already heard this. I agree that you may have already had it meet with your ears, but the hearing part, well that’s a different story. We don’t know if that’s actually happened yet or not, because the level of personal responsibility that I’m talking about is absolutely essential.

Astrology for 11/27/2017

November 27, 2017 by AniWangmo

11/27/2017 Monday by Jampal & Wangmo

Theme: Targeted awareness

Every day is an earth day – it supports us all. How can you give back to the earth today? Keep it simple. Think globally and act locally! Draw on your own experience and be open to transformation. Our own experience of suffering can be useful to others. Restrained optimism is one way of describing today. How can you use your optimism to bring tangible results? It isn’t pollution that’s harming the environment. It’s the impurities in our air and water that are doing it. Day Quayle

Words of Honor: Advice from HH Penor Rinpoche

November 26, 2017 by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

The following is an excerpt from a teaching by Kyabje His Holiness Penor Rinpoche offered at Palyul Ling Retreat:

When I was in Tibet I studied all this Dharma with my teacher, Khenpo Nuden. He was a great Dzogchen master. We received the transmission on the four volume text called Duba Do, which he has composed. There were five of us receiving this Dharma. We all tried to maintain the disciplines of being very humble and respectful, and not disturbing the lama’s mind.

We also had another Khenpo with us. This Khenpo always had coughing fits. He was always coughing. To announce the start of class each morning, a gong would ring. But one morning nobody rang the gong. We went to the lama’s place anyway, and asked, “Why was there no gong?” The lama was really angry and told us that there was no need to ring the gong. I went to him, and said, “It is time now. May I ring the gong?” He said, “No.” Then I asked, “Are you sick or something?” And he said, “No, I’m not sick.” Then I asked, “Did you have a disturbing dream?” He said, “No.” After asking a few questions, he said, “You guys are not really respecting me.” Then I said, “We all do respect you. We are just trying to maintain good discipline.” Then the lama said, “Well, you know Khenpo clears his throat a lot, coughing up stuff.” What to do? He had an illness. It was natural, but we told him not to be too loud. We made a commitment to maintain discipline, and then later the lama started the teaching. No one dared to cough loudly in front of the lama. Talking to each other or making noise or getting up and down in front of the lama never happened when we visited the lama. One should be careful when visiting the lama. There is a whole book that gives lessons on how to relate with the master.

Disturbing the lama’s mind a little bit obscures one’s path and bhumis. Once one actualizes these stages of realization and the path, then one can do whatever one wants to do. Until achieving the ultimate fruition, the Buddhahood, enlightenment, until then we must relate to and rely on a master. One should respect and follow, and through that one can receive the blessing. Then there is benefit. Even with millions of dollars, there is no way to buy the Dharma teaching through which one can attain complete enlightenment. Because if there is even a tiny breakage of samaya, then it obscures one’s own power or realization. The life force of the Dharma is the words of honor, the samaya. Even though you guys are very good, it is still good to understand how these things should be done.

Astrology for 11/26/2017

November 26, 2017 by AniWangmo

11/26/2017 Sunday by Jampal & Wangmo

Theme: Spiritual gifts and unexpected outcomes

A good day for spiritual sustenance and reaping the benefits of your past efforts. A sense of expansiveness is evident. Pay attention to intuition and think in terms of long-term plans. On a practical note be aware of your spatial surroundings. If you’re driving, drive carefully and defensively where possible. Generosity is a safeguard against antagonism.“There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.” ― John Holmes.

Waking Up from a Dream

November 25, 2017 by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

An excerpt from a teaching called How to Pray by Being by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

Sometimes when we dream, we know that we’re supposed to change something in the dream. If we learn how to work in our dream state, through practices like dream yoga, we can actually wake up during the dream or hold the line between waking and dreaming and know exactly where we are.

There are many things that can be accomplished in dreams. That’s because the dream state is a bardo that’s not much different from our waking state. If we can train ourselves to wake up from a dream, why is it that we can’t train ourselves to wake up from our dualistic reality? The reason is that we have experienced dreaming and something else—waking—so we can wake ourselves from a dream. We know where we are going. But we can’t wake ourselves up from this dream of our life because we don’t know what to awaken to. Yet it’s a dream just the same.

Astrology for 11/25/2017

November 25, 2017 by AniWangmo

11/25/2017 Saturday by Jampal & Wangmo

Theme: Relationship awareness and attention to detail

Today is a good day to explore what promotes intransigence versus flexibility in relationships with others. Sometimes it’s just a habit to be a ‘stick in the mud’. All habits can be changed including dietary habits . Read the packaging first to know what you’re eating – and offset the pounds or kilos with a good work-out. “Eat responsibly. You don’t have to be a saint with your food, but you can’t eat like every day is thanksgiving either” – Brad Pilon

The Power of a Bodhisattva

November 24, 2017 by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

An excerpt from a teaching called How to Pray by Being by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

I once asked His Holiness Penor Rinpoche, “What is a bodhisattva? What is a Buddha?” And he said, “It’s like this. Ordinary practitioner can practice their whole life and accomplish something. Perhaps they will accomplish a very auspicious rebirth or the chance to achieve a higher level of realization in their next life. But when bodhisattvas practice, even if they don’t sit down, even if they simply make a wish, (for example “I wish a temple would grow up here. I wish sentient beings would find a way to the path. I wish sentient beings would be happy on the path and revel in the strength of the path. I wish sentient beings would receive the connection of this blessing that absolves and dissipates suffering.”), the world is benefited beyond measure. That thing will be done because there is no separation between the lamas of the lineage and that bodhisattva.”

How can great bodhisattvas command that a thing be done? It comes from being fully mixed with the nectar of the bodhicitta, being fully aware that their nature is the bodhicitta. That is the power of the bodhisattvas and the Buddhas. That’s why they can do miraculous things. When we think about His Holiness Penor Rinpoche, he just had a few monks but he built his tremendous monastery. He had nothing, and he became the king of the Nyingmapa, the king of Dharma. There is no one that surpassed His Holiness. Think about that.

Astrology for 11/24/2017

November 24, 2017 by AniWangmo

11/24/2017 Friday by Jampal & Wangmo

Theme: Freedom of thought

An unexpected windfall could occur today. Mental efforts pay off today including writing and communication generally. It’s a half way point in the project you started on the new moon. How are you going? Generally speaking be optimistic but don’t overdo it. Don’t let optimism become arrogance. There is more capacity for seeing the way forward today – and more tolerance for new ideas. “I’m a success today because I had a friend who believed in me and I didn’t have the heart to let him down.” Abraham Lincoln.

Self-absorption Leads to Unhappiness

November 23, 2017 by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

An excerpt from a teaching called How to Pray by Being by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

The Buddhist path is not a selfish trip. It’s not a self-absorbed trip. In fact, as Buddhist practitioners, we strive to become less and less self-absorbed. Being self-absorbed is the exact opposite of prayer–180 degrees away from it. But most of us, unfortunately, have the habit of self-absorption, and so we spend most of our lives holding a prayer that is based on samsara. That has no good result. Without exception, self-absorbed people are the unhappiest people on the face of this earth, whether they have money or they don’t. Whether they have a home and a car or they don’t. Whether they live in a simple thatched hut or they live in a mansion, the people that are self absorbed and locked up in their own inner phenomena are the unhappiest people on the face of this earth.

The tragedy is that in our culture we are taught to think more about ourselves than about others. We are taught that if we buy cars and other stuff and maybe line up a few parties and relationships and line up a few fun retreats, we will be happy. That is simply not the case. Happiness never comes from self-absorption. It comes from being concerned about the welfare of other sentient beings.

Astrology for 11/23/2017

November 23, 2017 by AniWangmo

11/23/2017 Thursday by Jampal & Wangmo

Theme: A Thanksgiving to remember

Today is the day many Americans come together and give thanks for the hospitality offered to the new migrants to North America by the indigenous peoples. However, today deep breaths or something stronger might be helpful. This is because peoples emotions are a wee bit disturbed today, and yet, in America, people are thrown together to share in a meal. The morning could start our fractiously but soften by evening as the better part of peoples natures comes to the surface. Seeing others perspectives helps.