Bodhicitta

Princess Mandarava Emanation of Primoridal Wisdom

by

From a series of tweets by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo:

Everyone on twitter seems so excited about the Shorty awards. LOL! Does it make us better Buddhists? Typists? Or do we, as the name implies, just get SHORTER? Haha. I am 5’7″ and very happy being kinda tall. I don’t even know what the categories are. Except I’ve been nominated for Buddhism. It would be nice if there were awards for kindness, eithics, making a better world, you know – all that “sissy” stuff. That is the bottom line for me. That sappy stuff that really helps. Buddhism is, after all, a non-theistic system of ethics on many levels. To see Buddhism in USA these days, you would never know it. There should be a kinder, more ethical feel. I’m not perfect, but I’m trying my best to love without conditions like the sun does, in all directions, no prejudice, no concepts, just shine and pour!

Tonight I will quote from Guru Padmasambava, Rinpoche. This is from “The Lives and Liberation of Mandarava”

“Dissolving in the expanse of space like a rainbow, without remains,

She departed to the Akanishta Paradise of Pamavynha.

She transformed into the embodiment of the Supreme Consort, the secret Primordial Wisdom Dakini.

To the feet of Mandarava I supplicate!

Together with nine hundred pure awareness disciples,

after dissolving into a rainbow body, she manifested herself again for the benefit of others.

Mandarava emanated unceasingly, manifesting herself as a dakini to tame the minds of beings in every essential way.

To the feet of Mandarava, I supplicate!” Guru Padmasambava Rinpoche

This wonderful writing by Guru Padma was offered to me at the 20th anniversary of Ordination at the Rinchen Terzod. Also a dedication was offered; ” By our own impartial service to others may all beings attain Buddhahood together.” This is beautiful! This was how His Holiness Kyabje Penor Rinpoche taught, this is how I teach, this what my community has learned. And it is beautiful! EH MA HO!

Copyright © Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo.  All rights reserved

We Are the Ones

by

It seems, these days, that the world is divided up in slices, like a pie. There are those who build, create, heal, teach, add and love. Then there are those who break it down, destroy, hate, blow their egos up, hurt others, lie and bring harm. Of course, there are also those who are themselves victims, hurt, alone, afraid, undone and suffering.

This has for me been a time of truly awakening to the suffering of the world. I had always believed in the underlying good in humans. I still do, but more in the sense that all beings are themselves the seed of Buddha. In the last three years of my life I have seen more hate, more meanness, more corruption then I ever did growing up, and that was bad!

This is to me heartbreaking. Those who love and care are terribly outnumbered. Those who would beat up the whole world for fun are too many. I cannot understand hating for entertainment. Is it too much to ask for that haters leave us to our own choices? Many of us choose a path that involves morality and ethical behavior. To the hate side, that is not cool. To the caring side there is no love without ethics and morals.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama teaches the value of dialogue. I agree – to a point. When we dialogue and are only greeted with rage and rant there is nothing to work with. The two sides have very different goals. The haters love confusion, delusion, harm, chaos, destruction. The caring ones want a good result; plenty for all, loving kindness, a bright and giving society – basically to make this world a better, more loving place by having been here. Since we cannot take anything with us but our own karma, we give it all for the sake of all beings. The ignorant do not understand – a huge funeral, crypt, whatever, to inflate ego does no good at all. It is our deeds that speak the loudest.

I have this idea, for instance, of offering my body to feed polar bears, since we have nearly destroyed them. My Lineage will likely not allow. But it is my dream to have my body fed to a mother sow and her cubs. It may save their lives. Who cares if the ego is treasured? It is nothing, and healing hunger is something. I had a dream that I would be allowed to do that. I was so happy to do it.

Who are you, then? A caring one? A hating one? A victim? A BEAR??? This is one lonely planet we must all share, like that pie. What is your goal? What do you hope to accomplish?

My profound wish is to nurture and benefit this world and all sentient beings. I want to die on my feet trying. I want to hold the world in my arms. May I feed the hungry, clothe the poor, save the animals from suffering, and teach the young and the lost. And when I die, may I bring life again by offering my body. Can you understand that? Why waste anything when there is so much NEED? Why play ego games when there is so much at stake? Give it all. You have nothing to lose. Make a difference. Be a mensch. Grow up and love like everything depended on you. Because it DOES.

Indeed, we are the ones we have been waiting for, as our President says. There is no one else. Be kind while you can. It has always been up to you, to us – all. Choose. Then walk your talk.

OM MANI PEDME HUNG!

Copyright © Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo.  All rights reserved

Cultivating Awareness

by

From a series of Tweets by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo:

Did you know that there is a fundamental difference between Vajrayana Buddhism and other faiths? All faiths improve our life, our minds and hearts, and give us structure and aspiration, hope. Buddhism has all that in common. The difference is that Vajrayana Buddhism does not recognize self-nature to be inherently real. In relative view we perceive self as solid through the five senses which also are empty, yet are themselves perceived as real and solid. The entire reason we compile our lives as seemingly solid is that once we fall prey to the concept of duality – self and other – both of which are dream-like, we simply cannot see the great expanse of truth.

Conceiving self and other as real sets us up to react to what is perceived as outside this supposed “self.” We always react with hope, fear, or indifference. Like I hope you will love me. I fear you will abandon me. I hope there is food and money. And fear it will not be enough. I hope you will not harm me – I fear you will. Indifference is involved when both views have been applied and neither does. I hope there is something coming from you but I see nothing will – therefore I am indifferent to you. In fact most people and things that do not excite our hope or fear usually are not even on our radar. Our five gross senses are meant to recognize what seems to be “other” and to measure and assess that. So you see – this whole perceptual event occurs instantly, before we even realize it has. So our entire awareness is based on that, meant to perform in a certain way. That is the only means to sense at that level.

In meditation we close out the gross senses and give rise to those awarenesses which are far more subtle and intuitive – quite gossamer, in fact. Much more spacious and formless themselves, this subtle awareness is what is needed to fully recognize the primordial ground of being, and the spacious empty luminosity that is our true face, the same taste as Buddhahood.

One must meditate to dispel the illusions of separateness and solidity. And we enhance the more subtle (and true) view that is the essence of true discernment and the precious awakening called enlightenment. It takes time! As we begin to awaken we develop compassion as we are not separate and no different on the relative level as all sentient beings struggle to be happy, while being unaware of their true nature.

I am asked- if we are empty of self nature, then who gave birth? Had that heart attack? Who says “ouch” when pinched? And what is it that reincarnates?

In Buddhism we see no self. What happens is rebirth. Buddha said we are cycling through death and re-birth and suffering because of desire. So true! Not a separate entity, but the thread of desire and other habitual tendencies rise up as our mindstream and continue on. We, then, with the five (made for this) senses believing in separation consciousness then measure, contrive and support it. Then once again we believe that we and all phenomena are all entirely solid and real. It is sort of real in that we react. Ouch! Yet not real in that there is no pinch no pincher, no pinchee, no hand, no no-hand, no pain, no no-pain, no self, no sorrow and no one to gain from self cherishing. And all of this is dream-like and without substance; no here, no there, no hate, no love, no one to hate or love. Yet our nature is love itself, BODHICITTA!

Copyright © Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo.  All rights reserved

How Far Will You Go?

by

From a series of tweets by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo (@jalpalyul) on November 11, 2010

In my experience anything can be used to propagate the Dharma – TV, radio, magazines, books, Internet blogs and Twitter. Ways to introduce Dharma are as plentiful as leaves on a tree. It depends on view, of course. The one with dirty glasses will never see well. The one who has dirty ears will not hear as well. The one who is ignorant will not accomplish well. The one with an oversized ego will not assimilate well and will lose their way due to pride and arrogance. Grasping will ensure there is nothing in the bank. The next life will be worse.

How can one’s mind not matter?  If it is view, relative mind will not be stable. If there is poverty of respect and love for all beings there is no result in Dharma.

You can tell a great deal by seeing someone’s past. A criminal always remains dangerous. A blow-hard tends to blow! No kindness there.

Buddhism is like a wedding cake, many levels. First level is purification of gross karma, the mindstream. Second level is intellectual and scholarly pursuit.  The top level is realization, awakening, result, and accomplishment.  The Bodhisattva or awakening being – this cannot be attained without Bodhicitta, and view of emptiness.

One may take exception, thinking they are unique and special, and have no ethics.  Buddhism is a philosophy of ethics. We build on ethics.  Personally I feel without ethics and compassion there is no realization. I myself practice self-honesty every day. I wish to face all poisons!  I feel that if one is unwilling to purify the poisons, and the karma of body, speech and mind, do not become Buddhist! We are change! And you must grow!

I wish you a life of joy, health and wealth!  I wish you a life of goals attained!  May you have long life and love!  Get it now as you accomplish method!  For all sentient beings.

© Jetsunma Ahkön Lhamo

Courageous Compassion

by

From a Series of Tweets by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo:

Good HOT afternoon, Twitterverse from Barnesville MD where I am better and the pack is well. I feel like my body is processing dark energy and I have been able to throw it off.

The thing is to transform it to bliss, light; if one bounces it back to the sender you are as evil as them.

I would NEVER go low and dark like that. There is no place for that in my life, and the planet does not need it. We need pure Bodhicitta.

There is never an excuse for causing harm to others. Lord Buddha taught us this. If we cannot cure, then at least do no harm.

As for me, I always try to take on and transform negativity; I never let it harm others. I pray for the courage and strength to endure.

May the great ancient ones who Protect Palyul especially come forth and protect PURE DHARMA and PURE PRACTIONERS! #stopthehate #Tibet

Follow ahkonlhamo on Twitter

Love – a Solid Foundation

by

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.

Speaking Of Love

by

A teaching by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo (via @ahkonlhamo)

Why do I speak of LOVE? Because I AM in love! With the sublime Bodhicitta- the truest, purest life beyond life LOVE. Fill the earth! Love.

My daughter is not adopted, she is cherished and LOVED! My dogs are not rescued, they are gifts. They rescue ME. Our flock is no burden.  Our flock is a joy, a beauty, sentient beings that need love and teach us to FLY. We are filled with the JOY of helping others!

Happiness cannot be known by those who have no Bodhicitta in their hearts, no LOVE. May all be healed by sublime Love!!!

© Jetsunma Ahkön Lhamo

Our Nature Is Love

by

A teaching by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo (via @ahkonlhamo on Twitter)

The poison of HATE fouls the Beauty of LIFE.

The poison of HATE desecrates the pure nectar of Dharma.

The face of HATE is so ugly that it makes haters themselves UGLY.

The damage caused by HATE is equally damaging to the perpetrator as it is to the VICTIM!

The sickness of HATE only makes the Hater even SICKER.

To HATE is to murder one’s own heart and mind. Our nature is Bodhicitta…LOVE!

Hatred, greed, and ignorance are the three main root poisons. If hate isn’t destroyed in this human rebirth, then WHEN?

© Jetsunma Ahkön Lhamo

Walking the Talk

by

cardinal in winter

A red Cardinal sits on a snowy Pine bough, all fluffed up, right outside my window, looking in. Bet he’s cold. When I see nature in it beauty and suffering, I think of the Bodhicitta. How pith. How essential. There is no Enlightenment without it.

Often we see Dharma students discuss, pontificate, and indulge in masturbatory mental games. What a foolish waste of time. To give rise to Bodhicitta even if there is no knowledge of Sutras, Tantras, to offer one prayer, one crust of bread, one mantra is so precious…To save the life of or bring comfort to one sentient being is so much better than to love to hear yourself talk about Dharma.

When I see this Dharma-babble amongst those who do only that and have no heart for Bodhicitta, I feel sick and sad. How pitiful! We are taught “Like going to a continent of Precious Jewels and coming away empty handed. How pitiful!” They miss the point.

What benefit is there in a good old boy’s Dharma club where you sit around and compliment each other’s meaningfulness? A joke- And an unfortunate display of the shallowness of one’s practice. Everyone sees the shame of it except for the “fool on the hill” shouting. What ego, what pride, what ignorance drives one to distort the Dharma and its true value that way? Self cherishing, at the expense of others.

Give me one honest follower with a good heart, respect, compassion, and willingness to learn new and grow. I will do anything for that one. Show me a dried up bitter heart without Bodhicitta, and a rigid mind claiming to know Dharma- ‘scuse me while I laugh. And those who do more proclaiming their own glory in as many religious costumes as they can collect? What is the use?

When I’m not teaching I wear American clothes. Jeans. If my students cannot see me as Primordial Nature, well- there’s work to do. Dharma is unelaborated, uncontrived, free of conceptualization just as it is. Quit talking and judging and heal the heart. Thrill me.

Copyright © Jetsunma Ahkon Norbu Lhamo.  All rights reserved

WP2Social Auto Publish Powered By : XYZScripts.com