Originally written and published by Lee Kane of Buddha Weekly: Buddhist Practices, Mindfulness, Meditation. Copyright Buddha Weekly.

Venerable Zasep Rinpoche teaching at a Tara weekend using the commentary book, Tara in the Palm of Your Hand, as a reference.

Green Tara is almost certainly one of the most popular Englightened Buddhas in Vajrayana Buddhism. Tara’s mantra is chanted daily by many Buddhists around the world. Tara — the Liberator, the saviour, the healer — is the “Mother of all Buddhas. Please enjoy and benefit from this guided meditation video on Green Tara practice for both uninitiated and initiated practitioners, with animated visualizations of the Tam syllable, green light and Green Tara, by H.E. Zasep Rinpoche, author of Tara in the palm of your hand — the authoritative English commentary on Surya Gupta 21 Taras>>

Relax, sit straight, half close your eyes, and listen to H.E. Venerable Zasep Rinpoche guide you through visualizing Tara and chanting her mantra. Then, chant along with Yoko Dharma’s amazing voice at the end of the meditation — with yet more beautiful meditational images.

[Full transcript of the teaching below the video.] Venerable Zasep Tulku Rinpoche has taught in the West for 40 years and is spiritual head of Gaden for the West centres in Canada, U.S. and Australia.

Full 25 minute guided visualization and mantra chanting, with animated visualizations and images:

 

 

View more teaching videos (and please subscribe) on our YouTube Channel>>

Transcript of teaching

Today I’m speaking about Tara practice visualization, healing practice, and recitation of the mantra of Tara. Tara is the liberator. Tara means, Tibetan word is Drolma. So there’s a different ways of practicing Tara Sadhana.

Those of you have not received Tara initiation, you can visualize Tara in front of you, and then visualize Seed syllables, mantras, and lights, and you recite the mantra of Tara for the purpose of receiving blessings, and inspirations, and healing, and then, at the end, Tara dissolving into you.

Those of you have received Tara initiations, then you can visualize yourselves as a Tara.

I will explain Tara visualization and practice for those of you have not received Tara initiations.

So you first sit on a meditation cushion comfortably, relax your body, and try to have a calm abiding mind. If your mind is not very calm, and if your mind is not settled, then you could do mindfulness of breathing meditation for five minutes. Breathe in and breathe out, breathe in slowly for long one, breath out slowly, a long one. This way it will relax your body and mind.

Then, you visualize Tara in front of you, not too high, not too low, about the same level as your forehead, about five feet in front of you, and imagine a beautiful blue sky. In this sky you imagine, instantly, a green Tam syllable appeared. T-A-M, English letter, T-A-M you visualize. If you know how to visualize Tibetan syllable Tam, green one, that would be good, otherwise the English letter is fine. Visualize Tam syllable, green one, and a very beautiful Tam syllable with a nature of light and energy.

And then, after you visualize this tam syllable, and then imagine beautiful green light emanating from the Tam syllable. Then gradually, the Tam syllable transform into Green Tara.

So now you have a Green Tara appeared, and she is sitting on the lotus and moon cushion, a beautiful lotus cushion. In other words, the cushion is made with lotus petals. Pink and white petals. And on the top of this lotus cushion, you visualize white moon disc horizontal. Then on top of this moon disc, visualize a green Tam letter again. A beautiful green Tam letter appeared spontaneously, you visualize.

And then light emanating from that green Tam syllable, more light emanating, and then instantly Tara herself appeared. And she had a beautiful green color like the color of emerald, precious stone. And she has one face, two hands, she’s sitting on the lotus and moon cushion. Her right foot is stretched, and left foot is bent, and in her hands she’s holding blue utpala flowers. Right hand is on the top of the right knee holding blue utpala flower with the petals open, and she’s holding the trunk of the utpala flower. Left hand she’s holding also the trunk of the utpala flower, and the petals open on your left side of the shoulder. And her fingers in the mudra representing the left hand is in the mudra of representing Buddhas of the three times. What that means is that Tara herself, embodiment of the Buddhas of the past, present, and future. So here’s three fingers up, that symbolizes she herself representing the three Buddhas of the three times.

And then her thumb is meeting with the ring finger. This is symbol of meeting … How should you say … Meeting or merging of the two truths. Ultimate truth — and conventional truth. And also this symbolize love and compassion, and so forth. So there’s different ways of interpreting these mudras. They’re not always fixed, there different ways you can explain.

Her right hand is in a mudra of giving blessings, and giving realizations. She’s wearing beautiful silk dresses, upper garments and lower garments. She’s wearing her beautiful jewel ornaments, crown ornament, earrings, and necklaces, and bracelets, and so forth. She has long hair with a top knot, rest of hair hanging loose behind her body.

And also when you visualize, you imagine the deities divine body is always pure, always perfect, and transparent. A nature of clear light and bliss, and not solid material body.

So now you visualize Tara in front of you. Then you visualize a small moon disc at Tara’s heart. In the middle of the moon disc you visualize Tam syllable standing upright at her heart. Now when I say her heart, means actually right in the middle of her chest between the two breasts. In middle, small moon disc.

Then visualize green Tam syllable standing upright. And this green tam syllable is surrounded by ten syllable Tara mantra, Om Tā re Tu ttā re Tu re Svā hā, ten syllables. These ten syllables standing clockwise, not counter clockwise. Some people think well it should be counterclockwise because it’s mother tantra, so forth. No, according to Tara teaching, it said that it should be clockwise.

The mantra is also green. And there also nature of light and energy, and also each syllable’s producing the sound of each syllable or the sound of the mantra producing self-sounding, Om Tā re Tu ttā re Tu re Svā hā. Self-sounding. Maybe you can hear the sound. This is a Holy sound, and divine sound of Tara mantra.

So now, it’s lot for some people who are new with Tibetan Buddhism and visualization, maybe a little bit complicated, but you have to try. We have to try, and we have to practice patience and perseverance. And then slowly, slowly it will happen. Nothing is easy, nothing is fast or instant, it isn’t how it work. You need to put great deal of effort and patience.

And now, when you start reciting the mantra, Om Tā re Tu ttā re Tu re Svā hā, you recite the mantra. When you reciting the mantra, you can also use beads, the mala, and you can use any kind of mala you like. And so you usually hold the mala in the left hand in case of mother tantra, or you can hold in right hand no problem.

So if you have mala, if you like to use mala, then it is good. And holding mala is good, it feels good, and it helps to connect yourself, your heart, to the mantra. And at this point if you don’t have mala, that’s okay.

You recite the mantra, you say Om Tā re Tu ttā re Tu re Svā hā, and when you recite the mantra, you don’t recite too fast because you might miss one or two syllables. And when you recite too fast, you can’t pronounce the syllables. If you recite too slow, then your mind may start wandering. You may not be able to focus your mind onto the mantra, or onto the deity. That’s why you don’t say too slow or too fast, not too loud and not too quiet. Just quiet enough that you can hear Om Tā re Tu ttā re Tu re Svā hā.

So now, I like to explain a little a brief meaning of the mantra. Most mantras always begin with om syllable, AUM (OM). And the mantra ends with syllable Soha [sk. Svaha] or PET (pronounced Pay) and so on. Now here AUM, AUM is one syllable constructed three letters together. Au, oo, and ma. Au, oo, ma. Three. Put together you say AUM (OM). Instead of saying slowly, au, oo, ma, saying OM.

Au represents the divine body of all the Buddhas, and oo represents the speech of all the Buddhas, and ma represents the like mind of all the Buddhas. So in this case when you say Om Tare Tuttare Ture Soha,  Om is representing the divine body, speech, and mind of Tara. So you’re invoking the divine blessings of the body, speech, and mind of Tara. Om Tare Tuttare Ture Soha.

First when you say Om Tare, it’s liberating our temporary sufferings, physical sufferings, mental suffering, pain, aches, so on and so forth. And mental stress, anxiety, fear, and so forth. Liberating, freeing, Om Tare.

Okay, second one, Tuttare. Tuttare mean to purify the causes of suffering. There are many causes, right. External causes like chemicals, all kinds of problems in the world, in our environmental problems and so on, social problems, all kinds of external problems right. And also internal problems such as stress and disease, and cause of suffering. So Tuttare, to remove and to release, and liberate from those temporary causes. Om Tare Tuttare.

Ture Soha, the last part, is liberating ourselves completely from cause of suffering, cause of samsara, cycling existence, liberating, freeing ourselves from mental defilement such as ignorance, anger, attachment, and all the different kinds of delusions, and also freeing ourselves from karma, and then to obey enlightenment of Tara.

So this brief meaning of Om Tare Tuttare Ture Soha. But also on top of that, as I said before, in your invoking and blessing, bringing the blessings of Tara’s divine body, speech and mind. OM Tare Tuttare Ture Soha. Soha means to establish these realizations and blessings within my own body, speech, and mind.

Okay, this is the brief explanation on how to visualization Tara in front of you, those who don’t have initiation.

Now I’m going to explain a little bit how to visualize Tara for those of you who have received initiation before. So now, first you do is meditate on emptiness. You say the Sanskrit term, Om Svabhava Shuddha Sarva Dharma Svabhava Shuddho Ham. [This means we ] do not have inherent nature, and never had in the past. Everything is empty of inherent existence. And that means including my own consciousness, my own being as a person, everything is inherently void.

So this point, you imagine your ordinary body form, feeling, perceptions, mental condition, and consciousness, are all dissolved into voidness, into Sunyata. This ordinary body dissolves.

Now instead of this body, you imagine first a syllable Pam appeares [Pam is syllable for Padma, which is lotus). Pam transforms into lotus cushion. On top of this Pam syllable then white letter Ah. Ah transforms into moon cushion. Then on top of the moon cushion, you imagine green Tam syllable appear [Tara’s seed syllable]. And imagine this green Tam syllable is your essence of your own consciousness. Then green light emanating from this Tam syllable, much light emanating, and then gradually you yourself appear as a Green Tara.

So now I will not explain all the details because I already explained earlier when you visualized Tara in front of you. So you visualize yourself as the Tara. Then you try to generate strong appearance of Tara, all the details if possible. And this generation, try to see yourself as a Tara clearly, is called self-generation, and divine physical appearance. And then you also generate divine pride of yourself. And you say to yourself, “I am Tara. I am a Buddha. I am a female Buddha. I am a mother of all the Buddhas.”

Okay, so this is called divine pride, and it is not ordinary pride, and driven by ego, like ordinary term, “I’m this, I’m that”, not that kind of I, because there is no I, because it already dissolved into sunyata. Wher is this ‘I’ anyway, when you look at I, you never find I. This is emptiness. [Empty of independent inherent existence./

So what you have here is Tara, you are Tara. You are enlightened one. You are here for the sake of all sentient beings. You are doing healing practice, visualization of Tara for the benefit of all sentient being.

So now, again, if you are a beginner, it’s a little bit difficult to visualize all these details I’m explaining, but what do when you don’t see all these images of yourself, my guru said to me, “If you can’t see yourself as a Tara, that’s okay. You just say to yourself, ‘I am a Tara. There’s a Tara in me. In my heart also I am Tara,’ and you have to trust yourself, you have to say to yourself, ‘I am Tara,’ then you can have it, because everything is your mind. Everything is mind. Everything is mental projection.

So, visualize yourself as your Tara. Then again, visualize moon disc at your heart, and then visualize tam syllable in the middle, then visualize the mantra around the tam at your heart.

So this time now, self-healing. What you do is, you imagine light shining from the Tam syllable from your heart, and light goes up to your crown, down to the bottom of your feet, all over your body, everywhere. Your entire body filled with green light, the divine light, the blessing of Tara. Imagine your entire body is purified, and healed, and transformed again yourself as a Tara. More like confirming yourself as a Tara.

This is how you visualize yourself a Tara, and do the healing of yourself, then you say the mantra again. So you say the mantra minimum 21 times each time, because 21 reciting the mantra represents the 21 Taras.

Okay, 21 is three times seven right. So seven is a magic number, and auspicious number, you say three time, it is more powerful. You say the mantra.

Now what about healing for other people? Yes, there’s endless healings. We have so many healing modalities, and I can speak about healing of Tara for weeks and weeks, different modalities, different level of Tara practice, like Green Tara, White Tara, Red Tara, Yellow Tara, and the Chittimani Tara, one of the highest Taras, and so forth. But we have to go step-by-step.

So here’s the simple, healing practice for others. So you visualize Tam syllable at your heart, and the ten syllable mantra at your heart, and emanate green light from your heart. Light goes out to all sentient beings, especially someone that you know that he or she is suffering and going through lots of difficult times, physically and mentally. Then you imagine that person the way that person is, you send a light from your heart, from the Tam syllable, the green light. And the light goes to that person, reaching that person, this light gives peace, gives comfort, gives support, gives encouragement, and imagine that person feels very calm and peaceful, very nourishing spiritually in his or her heart. Feel very grateful. And you keep sending the light and say the mantra. This will be very helpful, beneficial.

I think that’s all for now. Thank you very much.

[Filmed at Gaden Choling Toronto during H.E. Zasep Rinpoche’s December 2017 visit.]

About H.E. Zasep Rinpoche

Venerable Acharya Zasep Tulku Rinpoche is Spiritual Director of Gaden for the West, with meditation centers in Canada, Australia and the United States. Rinpoche is popularly known for his approachable teaching style, strong humor and teachings based on a long lineage of great lamas. His own gurus included the most celebrated of Gelug teachers: His Holiness Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche, His Holiness Kyabje Ling Rinpoche, Venerable Geshe Thupten Wanggyel, His Holiness Kyabje Zong Rinpoche, Venerable Lati Rinpoche, Venerable Tara Tulku Rinpoche and Venerable Khalkha Jetsun Dampa Rinpoche. Rinpoche is spiritual director of many temples, meditation centres and retreat centres in Australia, the United States and Canada. He was first invited to teach in Australia by Lama Thubten Yeshe in 1976.

H.E. Zasep Tulku Rinpoche with a line from his “long life prayer” which was composed by his teacher HH Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche.

The post Green Tara guided meditation video, guided by H.E. Zasep Rinpoche with beautiful Tara images and animations; finishing with magnificent Tara mantra chanted by Yoko Dharma appeared first on Buddha Weekly: Buddhist Practices, Mindfulness, Meditation.

Originally written and published by Lee Kane of Buddha Weekly: Buddhist Practices, Mindfulness, Meditation. Copyright Buddha Weekly.

Guru Rinpoche’s teachings to the Lady Tsogyal are as clear and wonderful today as they were centuries ago. Reading the recorded words of the Lotus Born Padmasambhava is almost like sitting at the feet of the great Guru Buddha.

Guru Rinpoche, the Lotus Born, came to Tibet in the 8th Century to establish Dharma.

Om Ah Hum Vajra Guru Padma Siddhi Hum

Guru Rinpoche and Yeshe Tsogyal were living examples of the Guru-Student relationship; and also the relationship between Guru and Yidam. One of the most concise, and stimulating exchanges is their session regarding Yidam, Guru and how to choose and practice yidams — including a discussion on many timely issues modern Buddhists still struggle with, such as: one yidam versus many, peaceful yidam versus wrathful, and why wrathful deities trample on noble beings (such as Brahma.)

Lady Yeshe Tsogyal was consort and student to the great Lotus Born Padmasmbhava. She recorded his teachings.

The Lotus Born, Padmasambhava — as teacher — and the Dakini Yeshe Tosgyal — here, as student — share timeless wisdoms that remain clear and “modern”, absent of the arcane. One reason Vajrayana is known as the “lightening path” (a literal translation of Vajra Yana) is this special teaching guru-student relationship that is participatory and practice-oriented.

By engaging in daily, concise, clear, meaningful — and guided — practice, our progress towards Enlightenment should be exponentially faster — when compared to a student who self-learns through quiet meditation alone.

The sessions between Master Padma, the Lotus Born, and Yeshe Tosgyal, here excerpted from Dakini Teachings [1], show this intimate and fruitful relationship at its best.

Nowhere is this more obvious than in a famous session between the teacher and his consort, speaking about the role of “guru” and “yidam.” All the questions, below, were asked by Lady Tsogyal:

Which is more important, the master or the yidam deity?

The master replied: Do not regard the master and the yidam as different, because it is the master who introduces the yidam deity to you. By always  generating the master at the crown of your head you will be blessed and your obstacles will be cleared away. If you regard the master and yidam as being different in quality or importance you are holding misconceptions.

Why is it important to practice the yidam deity?

The master replied: It is essential to practice a yidam deity because through that you will attain siddhis, your obstacles will be removed, you will obtain powers, receive blessings, and give rise to realization. Since all these qualities result from practicing the yidam deity, then without the yidam deity you will just be an ordinary person. By practicing the yidam deity you attain the siddhis, so the yidam deity is essential.

Guru Rinpoche.

When practicing a yidam deity, how should we meditate and practice in order to attain accomplishment?

The master replied: Since means and knowledge are to practice the spontaneously present body, speech, and mind through the method of yoga sadhana, they will be accomplished no matter how you carry out the sadhana aspects endowed with body, speech, and mind. They will be accomplished when the sadhana and recitation are practiced in a sufficient amount.

Yeshe Tsogyal.

How should we approach the sugata yidam deity?

The master replied: Realize that you and the yidam deity are not two and that there is no yidam deity apart from yourself. You approach the yidam deity when you realize that your nature is the state of nonarising dharmakaya.

Which yidam deity is better to practice, a peaceful or a wrathful one?

The master replied: Since means and knowledge are practicing the spontaneously present body, speech, and mind through the method of yoga sadhana, all the countless sugatas, peaceful and wrathful, chief figures and retinues, manifest in accordance with those to be tamed in whichever way is necessary — as peaceful and wrathful, chief figures and retinues.

But as they are all of one taste in the state of dharmakaya, each person can practice whichever yidam he feels inclined toward.

Guru Rinpoche, the Lotus Born enlightened Buddha, came to Tibet to bring the Dharma in the 8th century.

If we practice one yidam deity, will that be the same as practicing all the sugatas?

The master replied: The body, speech, and mind of all deities are manifested by the three kayas in accordance with the perception of those to be tamed. In fact, no matter how they appear, if you practice one you will be practising them all. If you accomplish one you will have accomplished them all.

Is there any fault in practicing one yidam deity and then practicing another?

The master replied: Although the sugatas manifest as various kinds of families and forms, out of skillful means to tame beings, they are in actuality inseparable, the state of equality.

If you were to practice all the Buddhas with this realization of their inseparability, your merit would be most eminent. But if you were to do so while regarding the yidam deities as having different qualities which should be either accepted or rejected, you would be immeasurably obscured.

It is inappropraite to regard the yidams as good or bad, and to accept or reject them. If you do not regard them like that, it will be excellent no matter how many you practice.

Lady Yeshe Tsogyal recorded the teachings of Master Padma.

Through performing the approach to one Tathagata, will we accomplish the mind of all sugatas?

The master replied: By practicing with a vast view and remaining in the innate nature, you will attain stability in a yidam deity. When you complete the recitation, you will accomplish the activities of all the victorious ones without exception by simply commencing them.

NOTES

[1] Excerpt from Padmasambhava Guru Rinpoche. Dakini Teachings (p. 104). Rangjung Yeshe Publications. Kindle Edition.

The post Guru Rinpoche answers: Should we practice one or many yidams? Is the master or the Yidam more important? Why is it important to practice the yidam deity? appeared first on Buddha Weekly: Buddhist Practices, Mindfulness, Meditation.

Originally written and published by Lee Kane of Buddha Weekly: Buddhist Practices, Mindfulness, Meditation. Copyright Buddha Weekly.

Zasep Tulku Rinpoche teaches in Dharma centres around the world and is spiritual head of Gaden for the West in Canada, U.S., and Australia.

In the second of a new Buddha Weekly Video Series, three students ask a teacher about foundation practices, Medicine Buddha, Black Manjushri and healing practices for the self and others.

Question 1: “Even if you haven’t finished foundation practices, are there benefits to doing practices such as Tara and Medicine Buddha?”

Question 2: “Do you recommend Medicine Buddha or Black Manjushri practice for healing? Or is it good to have both. If you’re healthy should you go for Black Manjushri initiation?”

Question 3: “Can you do healing for others? Does the person have to be with you in the room for you to do the healing?”

Answered by Venerable Acharya Zasep Tulku Rinpoche, Spiritual Director of Gaden for the West, with meditation centers in Canada, Australia and the United States.

Play video here [full transcript below]:

Transcript:

Student Question: “Even if you haven’t finished foundation practices, are there benefits to doing practices such as Tara and Medicine Buddha?”

Answer Zasep Rinpoche

“Certain amount of is there, definitely. It will. Any deity yoga, Medicine Buddha, Tara, Kalachakra. Doesn’t matter. As long as you have strong faith and devotion, there is lots of benefit. I mean, results.

“When I talk about foundation practices — these foundation practices, like Refuge, Guru Yoga, Mandala offering, Vajrasattva practice [purification] — they are the same foundation for all the different deity yogas. You don’t have to do again, and again. [Laughing] Another set. Another set. You don’t have to do 100,000 Vajrasattva mantras five times! Or ten times. You don’t have to. Once you’ve done the sets of foundation practice, you’re good!

“Unless you’re doing a three year retreat. It’s different. In the Gelugpa tradition, in our lineage, you do three year retreat. Then you have  to do — there’s actually more foundation practices. One is called the water offerings. You have to offer 100,000 water bowls. You have to make a little statue [Tsa Tsas], in  a mold, 100,000 times. Also you have to do fire puja for Vajradaka. You burn sesame, black sesame seeds, 100,000 times. Then, you do another deity called Samaya Vajra. Another 100,000.

In Gelug tradition, if you are doing, say, Vajrayogini or Yamantaka, three year retreat, you have to eight foundation practices — each of them 100,000. So, actually, in order to do a three-year retreat, it almost takes three years to finish the first, foundations. So, you end up doing a six-year retreat. It’s very auspicious.

If you are a Yogi, or a Nun, or you are retired, then you’ve got time, you know? [Laughs.] Or, you don’t have other commitments, obligations and responsibilities, then, go and do retreat. Six years, whatever.

One of my students, a Mongolian Lama, he did four year retreat in the Gobi desert. He’s the first Mongolian Lama to do three or four year retreat after Communism, after Soviet Union collapsed. Another student is doing a three-year retreat in Australia. Now, he’s finished first year. Two more years to go.

Student Question: “Do you recommend Medicine Buddha or Black Manjushri practice for healing? Or is it good to have both. If you’re healthy should you go for Black Manjushri initiation?” [Black Manjushri is renowned for effectiveness with serious illnesses such as cancer and HIV.]

Answer Zasep Rinpoche

“I think, if you’re healthy at the moment, I would say just practice Medicine Buddha. Generally speaking. For healing, its really good. Medicine Buddha’s good.

Student: “And, do not go for Manjushri initiation?”

Answer Zasep Rinpoche

“I’m not saying don’t take Manjushri initiation. But, you don’t have to do both practices. Unless you have lots of time. [Laughs.] Or, you take initiation and do the practice in the future. When it’s necessary.

Or, especially — healing for others.

You mentioned this morning about healing for others, right? So, I should say a little a bit about healing for others. See, the thing is, Black Manjushri practice, Medicine Buddha practice, Hayagriva practice — all of those are very beneficial for healing for others. And, we should do it for others, right? Especially while we’re healthy, ourselves, then we should do others. If we’re not healthy, how can we do healing for other people? So, it’s really important, now, it’s never too early, to do the healing for others.

What you do is, you either tell the person, ‘I’m doing this healing practice for you, maybe you could to the mantra, we do it together. You can coach and guide — go through the practice. Or, if the person is not sure, not clear, not ready for this kind of mantra and visualization — but, seeking help, right? — then you can do it for the person.

You visualize yourself as Black Manjushri or Medicine Buddha and do the mantra. And visualize light coming from your heart, and going towards the person, descending into his or her body, and giving lots of energy — purifying the sickness. You do the healing. Also, you can do hands-on healing. If you do some kind of healing work, healing modalities — you can do hands-on healing, acupuncture, moxibustion, massage — and then say the mantras, combine together. It can be very beneficial.

Student: “Does the person have to be with you in the room for you to do the healing?

Answer Zasep Rinpoche

“No, no. You don’t have to be in the same room. You can do it from a distance. It would be nice, it’s good, if possible, to be one-to-one, face-to-face — it would be more powerful. But, if that’s not possible, you can still do healing from a distances. Far away, on the other side of the world. With prayers, there’s no distance, right? It works. Doesn’t matter.

We pray for all sentient beings.”

Next, week Zasep Rinpoche responds to a student question on Guru Yoga.

ABOUT VENERABLE ZASEP TULKU RINPOCHE

Rinpoche is popularly known for his approachable teaching style, strong humor and teachings based on a long lineage of great lamas. His own gurus included the most celebrated of Gelug teachers: His Holiness Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche, His Holiness Kyabje Ling Rinpoche, Venerable Geshe Thupten Wanggyel, His Holiness Kyabje Zong Rinpoche, Venerable Lati Rinpoche, Venerable Tara Tulku Rinpoche and Venerable Khalkha Jetsun Dampa Rinpoche.

Rinpoche is spiritual director of many temples, meditation centres and retreat centres in Australia, the United States and Canada. He was first invited to teach in Australia by Lama Thubten Yeshe in 1976.

More on Zasep Tulku Rinpoche>>

Gaden for the West Meditation Centres

Australia

• Vajra Ling, Uralla, N.S.W.
• Losang Gyalwa Mandala, Sydney, N.S.W.
• Tenzing Ling Centre, Quamaa, N.S.W.
• Dorje Ling Retreat Centre, Lorina Valley, Tasmania

Canada

• Chittamani Mahayana Buddhist Meditation Centre, Ottawa, Ontario
• Gaden Choling, Toronto, Ontario
• Medicine Buddha Centre, Calgary, Alberta
• Potala Tibetan Buddhist Meditation Centre, Thunder Bay,Ontario
• Tashi Choling, Nelson, B. C.
• Zuru Ling Society, Vancouver, B.C.

United States

• Golden Blue Lotus Tara Meditation Center, Moscow, Idaho
• TsongKhapa Center, Kalamazoo, Michigan
• Vajrayogini Center, Seattle, Washington

The post Healing and Foundation Practices Video: Learning from the Teachers Video Series with Venerable Zasep Tulku Rinpoche appeared first on Buddha Weekly: Buddhist Practices, Mindfulness, Meditation.

Originally written and published by Lee Kane of Buddha Weekly: Buddhist Practices, Mindfulness, Meditation. Copyright Buddha Weekly.

Lama Yeshe Ling in Hamilton, Ontario will host the return visit of Geshe Sherab for a workshop and commentary on Shantideva’s Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life. “A Bodhisattva in The Bodhisattva’s Way of Life is someone who is striving for Bodhi (wisdom of the ultimate nature of reality) as a remedy for the suffering of all beings.” The workshop focuses on cultivating both compassion and wisdom — and counter-acting their opposites: self centredness and disturbing emotions.

• For an interview with Geshe Sherab in Buddha Weekly, please see>>

Geshe Sherab with a student at an event.

Central and crucial to Mahayana Buddhism is Bodhichitta — the compassionate goal to gain enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings. Bodhi — which can translate as “wisdom understanding the true nature of reality” is also central to the Bodhisattva. Sattva can be translated as “quality of goodness, positivity, truth, wholesomeness, serenity, wholeness, creativity, balance, confidence, peacefulness and virtuousness.” [1]

Geshe Sherab teaching (previous teaching):

One of the Dalai Lama’s favorite prayers comes from Shantideva’s text:

As long as space remains,
As long as living beings remain,
Unil then may I too remain
To dispel the suffering of the world.

Geshe Sherab teaching.

Teacher Geshe Sherab

Geshe Sherab feels it is important to preserve traditional ways, while skillfully teaching with an understanding of Western Culture:

“We also need to understand Western culture and psychology so that we, as Geshes, can be more effective and bring more benefit. However, we should not take too many liberties in changing the traditional ways of doing things, just because it doesn’t suit the Westerners’ way or because they don’t like it. We should always think of the long-term benefit as opposed to simply short-term results.”

Lama Sherab “was born in 1967 in a very small village in the western part of Nepal.” Geshe Sherab studied with some of the great Geshes and Lamas: “like Geshe Jampa Gyatso and Geshe Doga who came to Kopan to teach, as well as the late Geshe Jampa, and of course Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Lama Lhundrup and Geshe Lama Konchog, as well as H.E. Khensur Rinpoche Losang Tsering, H.E. Jangtse Choje Rinpoche Losang Tenzin and H.E. Khensur Rinpoche Losang Delek.. They are my main root gurus, and I have great respect for them; they were role models for me and inspired me to study.”

Event Details

March 2: The Way to Wise and Compassionate Living – Public Talk

Mark this special public talk on your calendars. More details at the Eventbrite site>>

Date and Time

Location

March 3: The Way to Wise and Compassionate Living – Workshop

Mark this special workshop on your calendars if you will be anywhere near Ontario, Canada. More details at the Eventbrite site>>

Date and Time

Location

NOTES

[1] Gerald James Larson (2001). Classical Sāṃkhya: An Interpretation of Its History and Meaning. Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 10–18, 49, 163. ISBN 978-81-208-0503-3.

The post “The Way to Wise and Compassionate Living”: Geshe Sherab returns to GTA (Canada) to lead a workshop at Lama Yeshe Ling March 2-3 appeared first on Buddha Weekly: Buddhist Practices, Mindfulness, Meditation.

Originally written and published by Lee Kane of Buddha Weekly: Buddhist Practices, Mindfulness, Meditation. Copyright Buddha Weekly.

“If being a woman is an inspiration, use it. If it is an obstacle, try not to be bothered by it.” — Jetsun Khandro Rinpoche.

Lama Acharya Dr. Shannon Young.

“I feel that there could always be more female Buddhist role models and teachers,” said Lama Acharya Dr. Shannon Young when we asked her to comment on a Buddha Weekly poll that indicated 92.3 percent of respondents felt there were not enough female teachers. She added, “I am grateful for the strong women who have been the trailblazers in the western adoption of Buddhism, but I would like to see more women in leadership positions in traditionally Buddhist countries as well.” [FULL Interview with Lama Shannon Young inset below.]

One such trailblazer, Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo (Diane Perry) took Female Buddha Tara’s vow as her own: “I took the vow to attain enlightenment in a female body.” [5] She adds, “Even Tibetan masters are beginning to realize, if you want real devotion and focus, you have to look to the nuns.”

Does Buddhism Really Embrace the Female Divine?

Mahayana Buddhism embraces the Female Enlightened Manifestation (Is F.E.M. too cute an acronym?). Most Mahayana Buddhists revere Female Enlightened Manifestations — Guan Yin, Tara, Vajrayogini, Palden Lhamo, Yeshe Tsogyal, and many other aspects of divine wisdom. It’s safe to say Enlightened Goddess Tara became the most popular of these, in part because of her resounding promise to “always be born as a woman” and in part because she, like a mother, would do anything to protect her children. [4] (For more on Tara as the rescuer, and her activities in modern life, see this earlier BW feature>>)

Green Tara’s kind face. Tara is known as Tara the Rescuer.

“Lord Buddha had prophesied that Arya Tara would manifest as a woman and would benefit living beings in this form,” explained Venerable Choje Lama Phunstock. “Actually, there is no difference between men and women, but there are less manifestations of women who engage in Bodhisattva activities than men.”

Venerable Phunstock may be right — there do seem to be correspondingly fewer women teachers. But, is this changing for the better? We decided to ask these questions of students (internet poll, results in this feature) and also the teachers —  including an interview with Lama Archarya Dr. Shannon Young (Biography at end of feature). [Watch for a full teacher profile interview of Lama Dr. Young in February..]

When asked “are there enough female Buddhist teachers” the vast majority gave variants on “no.” On an optimistic note, 58% said “no, but it’s getting better.”

Poll: 92.3 percent Say Not Enough Female Teachers

In a survey conducted by Buddha Weekly (February 2017, see note below), 88 percent of respondents said they practice a female Buddha, Bodhisattva or Yidam, while — amongst  the same respondents — 92.3 percent indicated that there weren’t enough female teachers. To be fair, 57.7 percent voted “No, but it’s getting better” — but it still begs the question: in Mahayana Buddhism, whose practitioners honor the Enlightened Feminine so overwhelmingly, why are there not enough female teachers? Or are there?

88% of respondents practice a Female Enlightened Buddha according to a Buddha Weekly Poll in February 2017.

When we asked Lama Dr. Shannon Young (of the Dzogchen lineage) this question, she diplomatically answered:

 “I think it does matter to have the diversity of leadership in today’s world. This is why I am very proud that four of the eight lamas that I was authorized with are women. Two of us are from the US and the other two are from Asia.”

Sangye Khandro, a well known teacher in Vajrayana Buddhism, supports this view. She said, “The notion that Vajrayana is male-oriented is mistaken.” [1]

Well-known Buddhist teacher Sangye Khandro.

Long List of Great Female Teachers

Khandro ma Ani Mumtso.

This seems to be confirmed by the long list list of famous female Buddhist teachers practicing today. According to one respondent to our poll, among the most famous female teachers are:

“Pema Chödrön, Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo, Ven. Thubten Chödron, Sangye Khandro, Lama Yeshe Dechen Wangmo, Ven. Robina Courtin, Judith Lief, Jan Bays, Chozen Roshi,  Joan Halifax, Roshi Joko Beck,  Pat O’Hara,  Enkyo Roshi, Wendy Nakao, Roshi Geri Larkin, and many, many more whose faces I can see but whose names I can’t recall.”

Historically, perhaps the most famous female teacher was Machik Labdron, who founded an entire lineage based on precious Chod practices.

Today’s dynamic and precious teachers, such as Pema Chodron certainly represent great role models who embody the “wisdom” of the Female Enlightened. Just a quick look at her book titles provokes a deep thought, titles such as When Things Fall Apart, Start Where We Are, and Places that Scare You.

Pema Chodron is a vibrant and wonderful teacher.

In When Things Fall Apart she provokes the vastness of the wisdom voyage with:

“Embarking on the spiritual journey is like getting into a very small boat and setting out on the ocean to search for unknown lands.”

Scary stuff? Maybe. But it speaks to the depth of Buddhist Wisdom. It also evokes the “scary” wisdom of the wild Enlightened Dakini, iconic of the Divine Feminine in Buddhism.

Video of Pema Chodron: The Importance of Teachers:

Indeed, we do have many well-known, wise, and wonderful female teachers. Lama Shannon Young said that her teacher actively encouraged her to become a teacher:

“My teacher is Dzogchen Khenpo Choga Rinpoche. He sincerely believes that the best way you can benefit beings is by teaching them the Dharma and he believes that people of different cultures should be taught by members of their own culture. From my first teachings with him, he was always encouraging every student to aspire to become a teacher.”

Poll: 88 percent Practice Female Manifestations

In Mahayana equal emphasis is placed on male and female aspects — representing compassion and wisdom, respectively. Both are vital and equal on the journey to Enlightened mind. Classically, Compassion is represented by Male manifestations (especially Chenrezig or Avalokiteshvara), while Wisdom (understanding Emptiness) is symbolized in the Feminine (especially Tara or Prajnaparamita or the elusive Enlightened Dakini).

Yeshe Tsogyal

Lama Dr. Shannon Young puts it this way:

“Female manifestations are important as they help transform a practitioners’ mind from narrow, ego-centric notions of self and identity to something more inclusive and powerful. We can then begin to realize our innate love, compassion, and wisdom.”

It would not be incorrect to say that practice is incomplete without both compassion and wisdom, male and female manifestations. In advanced practices, the manifestations are often visualized as consorts (both in union) to symbolize this profound truth — and both equally important.

Vajrayogini, an aspect of Tara, is the Mother of All Buddhas as she embodies Blissful Wisdom.

Tara and the “A List” Female Enlightened Manifestations

Before diving into the big topic of female teachers in Buddhism, it’s useful to point to those shining examples of Wisdom in female form. The Female Buddhas are “A list” manifestations, not supporting consorts.

“If Bodhicitta is the basis of both the Mahayana and Vajrayana path then the basis of cultivating Bodhicitta is remembering the kindness of a mother,” explains Lama Dr. Shannon Young. “Invoking the blessings, love, and compassion of Tara, being the great Mother, is essential as support for increasing one’s own intention of enlightened wisdom, which is Bodhicitta.”

For these reasons, Tara is called the Mother of All Buddhas. The same can be said of Prajnaparamita, Vajrayogini, and other Female Enlightened Manifestations. Since Wisdom realizing emptiness must be embraced to reach the lofty goal of Enlightenment, it can be said that the female manifestations, representing wisdom, are the Mothers of all the Buddhas and Bodhiasattvas. (For more on this, see this previous extensive feature on Tara>>)

Many faces of Wisdom. Upper left Blue Tara, Centre top Vajrayogini, top right Vajravarahi, bottom left White Tara, centre bottom Palden Lhamo, bottom right Green Tara.

How important are the Female Enlightened Manifestations? “Arya Tara was the main Yidam of the great past sages and saints Nagarjuna, Atisha, and Chandragomin,” writes Venerable Lama Phunstock. “She was also one of the main Yidams of many most renowned Tibetan Lamas, specifically of the First Gyalwa Karmapa, Düsum Khyenpa, who had five Yidams that accorded with the five aspects of enlightened activity. Arya Tara represents the aspect of speech and the elimination of obstacles. The First Karmapa’s other Yidams were Vajrayogini, Chakrasamvara, Gyalwa Gyatso who is Red Chenrezig, and Hayagriva. If we whole-heartedly supplicate Arya Tara and ask her to help us overcome our problems, then we will succeed and, until solved completely, our problems will not affect us as strongly.” Of the First Karmapa’s meditational deities, two of the most important were female — Tara and Vajrayogini.

Green Tara. From a 18th century prayer:
“From my heart I bow to Divine Mother Tara, essence of love and compassion, the most precious objects of refuge gathered into one. From now until I reach enlightenment, hook me with your great love and kindness to liberate me.”

Lama Shannon Young punctuates the importance of all forms of the Enlightened: “Boundless love, compassion, and wisdom will always manifest in various forms in order to benefit beings.”

Mahayana and Vajrayana are Not Male Oriented?

If you equate gender equality to the importance of female Enlightened Buddhas and Yidams, you would have to conclude Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism are unbiased and inclusive. Without question, the majority of Vajrayana and Mahayana Buddhists practice a Female Buddha — 88 percent in our poll — most notably beloved Mother Tara or Guan Yin, and for Highest Yoga Tantra practices, Vajrayogini or Vajravarahi, Palden Lhamo and others.

Poll: Do you feel there are enough opportunities for women to become Buddhist teachers?

So, is Buddhism sexist? A search online reveals many opinions that seem to affirm that label. Yet, it seems unlikely in the context of Shakyamuni Buddha’s trail-blazing, and the vast array of Female Enlightened Manifestations practiced.

One of Shakyamuni’s previous incarnations as a woman, as Bodhisattva Never Disrespectful

Shakyamuni Buddha “was the first religious Teacher who gave religious freedom to women,” writes Venerable K. Shri Dhammananda Maha Thera. “Before the Buddha… women were not even allowed to enter any temple or recite any religious scripture.”

Shakyamauni Buddha was also born as a woman many times in past lives according to the Jakarta Tales. Venerable Thera writes: “The Buddha Himself was born as a woman on several occasions during His previous births in Samsara.”

“I disagree with blaming sexism on Tibetan Buddhism,” said well-known teacher Sangye Khandro. “During my years among Tibetans, I have not been disadvantaged on account of being female — just the opposite. From the very beginning, I was given every opportunity to learn, sometimes even more so than men!”

Buddha Weekly Poll: Have you received Buddhist teachings from a female teacher?

In our February 2017 poll, only 12 percent indicated their main teacher was female, while 31 percent  received teachings from female teachers occasionally, and 19 percent  received teachings “many times”. Only 3.8 percent  said the “never” received teachings from a female teacher. This does support accessibility of teachings from female teachers.

Enough Female Teachers in Buddhism?

Sangye Khandro spoke about sexism: “Your question about sexism makes me think of a visit I made to Larung Gar, Eastern Tibet, where there is a large, thriving practice community I certainly didn’t see any patriarchal Buddhism there. It has more Khenmos [female abbots] than Khenpos [male abbots]. The female practitioners run the show. The head lama for those tens of thousands of practitioners is Khandro-ma Ani Mumtso, a nun. She’s the one who gives the empowerments for all the transmissions. No one has a problem with that. It’s a given that women can teach men there.”

Lama Acharya Dr. Shannon Young.

In our poll we didn’t ask about sexism, and it was clear there were a lot of teaching opportunities with female lamas. What was equally clear was that the majority of respondents practice Female Enlightened Buddhas. An overwhelming 88 percent said they practice Female Buddhas regularly, and only 8 percent  said they did not. (Four percent  indicated they’d rather not say).

Full Interview with Lama Dr. Shannon Young

Lama Shannon Young with Rigzin Tarchen Rinpoche working on One Path Outreach.

BW:  From your perspective as a teacher, are there enough female Buddhist teachers? Does it matter? Why?

I feel that there could always be more female Buddhist role models and teachers. I am grateful for the strong women who have been the trailblazers in the western adoption of Buddhism, but I would like to see more women in leadership positions in traditionally Buddhist countries as well. I think it does matter to have the diversity of leadership in today’s world. This is why I am very proud that four of the eight lamas that I was authorized with are women. Two of us are from the US and the other two are from Asia.

BW: What inspired you to become a teacher?

My teacher is Dzogchen Khenpo Choga Rinpoche. He sincerely believes that the best way you can benefit beings is by teaching them the Dharma and he believes that people of different cultures should be taught by members of their own culture. From my first teachings with him, he was always encouraging every student to aspire to become a teacher.

BW: Do you feel there are enough opportunities for women to become Buddhist teachers? If not, what can be done about it?

I definitely think there could be more, but I also think it depends on the lineage or program. Candidly I think that in my lineage there are plenty of opportunities. But I think in the public sphere, the notion of female Buddhist teachers and Lamas needs to be more widely embraced. Especially in terms of authority.

BW: What do the female Enlightened Deities represent?

Boundless love, compassion, and wisdom will always manifest in various forms in order to benefit beings.

BW: Why are Female manifestations important?

Female manifestations are important as they help transform a practitioners’ mind from narrow, ego-centric notions of self and identity to something more inclusive and powerful. We can then begin to realize our innate love, compassion, and wisdom.

BW: Tara is iconic of the Female Enlightened. What does She represent?

If Bodhicitta is the basis of both the Mahayana and Vajrayana path then the basis of cultivating Bodhicitta is remembering the kindness of a mother. Invoking the blessings, love, and compassion of Tara, being the great Mother, is essential as support for increasing one’s own intention of enlightened wisdom, which is Bodhicitta.

Lama Biography — Venerable Archarya Lama Shiwa Dr. Shannon Young

Venerable Archarya Lama Shiwa, Dr. Shannon Young, Pema Shiwa Tso, is an authorized Lama and Dharma Teacher in the Dzogchen Lineage of Buddhism. Shannon received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree in 2001 and has been a practicing Pharmacist for over 16 years. She first studied with her root teacher His Eminence Dzogchen Khenpo Choga Rinpoche in 2003 and for over 13 years has studied and practiced with Rinpoche while helping establish the Dzogchen Retreat Center, USA. and the Dzogchen Shri Singha Foundation.

Lama Shannon graduated from seven Dzogchen Lineage Internships along with many seasonal retreats. In 2014, Lama Shannon also received an advanced degree of Tantra Practitioner at the first Dzogchen Lineage Internship commencement ceremony at the Dzogchen Retreat Center USA. In the same year, Dzogchen Khenpo Choga Rinpoche authorized Lama Shannon, along with eight other Lamas, as a Venerable Archarya Lama. The Lamas were selected through a dynamic process of divination, prayer, Rinpoche’s 10-year evaluation, and a majority vote of the 2014 Dzogchen Lineage Internship Sangha.

Lama Acharya Dr. Shannon Young.

Lama Shannon has taught many students in public teaching events, weekend workshops, and tutoring during Dzogchen Lineage Internships. Following her teacher’s aspirations, Lama Shannon has dedicated her life to practicing and teaching the Dharma, serving as a Director on the the Board of the Dzogchen Shri Singha Foundation, and recently, founding One Path Outreach, a humanitarian aid organization which just completed their second medical mission in remote villages of Tibet.

Lama Shannon  a devoted wife and mother who also helped establish the Dzogchen Children’s Association which supports Dzogchen Sangha parents to integrate a modern daily life that is centered on teaching Dharma and engaging in Dharma activities. Lama Shannon aspires to continue to fulfill her teacher’s aspirations to teach and heal others while establishing a stable Dharma system throughout the world that benefits all beings.

About the Buddha Weekly Poll

The Buddha Weekly poll consisted of four questions and was an unscientific internet poll kept live for one week in February 2017. Although the response rate was high, the nature of the questions and the media would not be considered as accurate as blind polls from marketing companies. Never-the-less, the results are reasonable and likely reflect the broader opinions of Mahayana Buddhists. Do you disagree? Comment below.

NOTE

[1] Dakini Power page on Sangye Khandro

[2] Tantra in the West, Tricycle article, interviewing Sangye Khandro

[3] Buddhism and Women, by Venerable K. Sri Dhammananda Maha Thera

[4] Noble Green Tara, Venerable Choje Lama Phunstock

[5] Ten Tibetan Buddhist Women You Need to Know, Elephant Journal

The post Female Enlightened Manifestations and Female Teachers and Lamas — Wisdom in Action; Reader Poll and Interview with Lama Shannon Young appeared first on Buddha Weekly: Buddhist Practices, Mindfulness, Meditation.

Originally written and published by Lee Kane of Buddha Weekly: Buddhist Practices, Mindfulness, Meditation. Copyright Buddha Weekly.

In the seventh in a new video series, “Advice from the Teachers”, the Venerable Acharya Zasep Tulku Rinpoche, Spiritual Head of Gaden for the West Centers, answers a student’s question:

What advice would you give to a student for keeping motivated and excited about daily practice?

Rinpoche explains the importance of regular daily practice, inspired by meditating on impermanence. He strongly advises study of the lives of the great Yogis and Yoginis, and also study of the Lamrim teachings to help inspire enthusiasm.

Full transcript below video. Play video here:

Transcript:

“This is a good question. I would say, in order to have good motivation, first you have to study Dharma, study Lamrim. You have to learn, and you have to know, the importance of Dharma practice in every day life. And the benefit of Dharma practice in every day life.

Zasep Rinpoche meditating by the river near the Tashi Choling Retreat Centre in B.C. Rinpoche uses the metaphor of the river or creek to explain the importance of continuous practice. Picture is a frame from the documentary “Come Again.”

Continuity, ongoing, is very important. It’s like a river, or say a creek. If it’s always running, it will help the area, the valley I would say. It will keep the moisture along the bank of the river. Plants and trees, flowers and so forth will grow. Also, animals will be there. They come to the water.

Like that, if you are always practicing — doesn’t matter how much — the continuity will be there, the moisture is there. Then, there’s ongoing merit, virtues always growing! Then, when you have more time, more energy, it will be easier to resume, because you are always practicing.

Instead of practicing for awhile, then stop, then start all over again. That would take time, and it will be harder. That’s why continuity is very important.. For that reason, motivation and understanding the daily practice, and continuity is very important. You need that motivation.

The sage Milarepa. Rinpoche advises students to study the life stories of the great sages, Yogis, Yoginis, Mahasiddas and Gurus as inspiration for our own practice.

As I said, in order for you to have the motivation, you have to understand the benefit of Dharma practice. That’s why one should study Lamrim.

Also, there are other [ways] to generate motivation. Study the life stories of previous masters — previous great Yogis and Yoginis ­— who did so much practice. They accomplished Dharma realization. So, when you read the life stories of great masters, Yogis and Yoginis, and Gurus, then, it will give you inspiration and motivation to do the practice.

Another motivation to practice Dharma is to meditate on impermanence of life. And this is mentioned in the Lamrim teachings. According to the Kadam and Gelug tradition, it says that at the beginning of our Dharma practice, or at the beginning of our meditation, if you concentrate a little bit on the impermanence of life, including death and dying, that will give you motivation to do Dharma practice, because you realize life is very transient, life is short. So, Dharma practice is the most valuable thing, and everything else is secondary. That makes you thin, ‘I should practice Dharma.’

Why? Because Dharma practice is always helpful. Dharma practice is the path to Enlightenment. So, Dharma practice is the most valuable thing. Everything else is secondary.

A monk holds the hand of a deceased person found on a train platform in China. RInpoche advises us to meditate on impermanence, death and dying to help inspire our sense of urgency to practice today and continuously. Precious human life is too short.

Think a little bit about the impermanence of life. Of death and dying. All the time, people are dying. See what’s happening in the world — there’s so much suffering, people are dying everywhere to illness, disease, calamities, natural disasters, wars, and so forth. When you think about it like that, it makes you think, ‘I should practice more Dharma.’

Also, end of our life, towards death, Dharma practice is also very important. Some people might think ‘What is the purpose of practicing Dharma at the end of your life. Your life has ended, anyways.’ That sort of thinking is wrong thinking, because, especially when your life is ending, when you are dying, there are different kinds of Dharma practice. There are Dharma practices especially for Death and Dying, such as Phowa practice, meditation on compassion and love, devotional practice, Guru Yoga, these are very important at the time of death so that the Gurus will guide us, our Yidam deities will guide us, at the time of death. And Phowa practice helps us to move on. Instead of going to the Bardo, and being confused, instead we can ‘eject our consciousness’ straight to the Pure Land. And that is why meditation on impermanence is very important. It gives you the motivation.

To motivate Dharma, I would say meditation on impermanence is very beneficial.”

Next week, in Buddhist Advice Video 8, Venerable Zasep Rinpoche answers the student question:

“What practical advice would you give to new students to purify their mental defilements and bad karma? Can you speak about Vajrasattva Purification?”

PREVIOUS BUDDHA WEEKLY ADVICE FROM THE TEACHERS VIDEOS:

Video 1: Advice for Students on Karma>>

Video 2: Advice for Students dealing with loss of a loved one>>

Video 3: Advice for Students coping with memory loss, Alzheimers or early dementia>>

Video 4: Advice for Students coping with the loss of a beloved pet>>

Video 5: Advice for Students coping with aggressive illnesses such as cancer, looking for supportive practices>>

Video 6: Advice for the New Student to Buddhism>>

Video 7: Advice for Keeping Motivated in Your Daily Practice>>

Video 8: Purifying Negative Karma>>

Video 9: Advice for Advanced Vajrayana Students on Managing Commitments>>

TEACHING SCHEDULE OF ZASEP TULKU RINPOCHE

Mongolia

Venerable Zasep Rinpoche on a previous trip to Mongolia (2016). He is currently teaching in Mongolia 2017, then on to Zuru Ling, Vancouver BC (April 2017) and Gaden Choling Toronto (May 2017).

Zasep Rinpoche is currently in Mongolia on an extended round of teachings

Vancouver, Canada

Rinpoche will be teaching at Zuru Ling, Vancouver in April: “Zuru Ling is extremely pleased to announce that our precious teacher Acharya Zasep Tulku Rinpoche will be teaching in Vancouver in April 2017:

• How to do personal retreat, setting up an altar and torma making. Wednesday April 26th, 2017 starting at 7 til 9 pm.
• Green Tara Initiation – Friday 28th April starting at 7 til 9 pm.
• Black Manjushri Initiation – Saturday 29th April 2 til 4 pm.
• Teaching on healing and protection of the Black Manjushri practise – Sunday 30th April starting 10 am til 4 pm.
• Information: Zuru Ling website>>

Teaching Schedule of Zasep Tulku Rinpoche for spring 2017 at Gaden Choling Toronto, Canada.

Toronto, Canada

Rinpoche will be at Gaden Choling in Toronto, Canada in May for two weeks.

• Mahamudra teachings: Saturday, May 20th, 10am to 5pm
• Lama Chopa Guru Yoga: Sunday May 21st, 10am to 5pm
• Hayagriva Highest Yoga Tantra Initiation: Thursday, May 25th, 7pm to 9pm
• Green Tara: Friday, May 26th, 7pm to 9pm
• Black Manjushri Initiation: Saturday May 27th 2-5pm
• Black Manjushri Practice and Commentary (requires initiation) Sunday May 28th, 10am-5pm
• Information to be posted soon at Gaden Choling website>>

About Venerable Zasep Tulku Rinpoche

Venerable Zasep Tulku Rinpoche.

Rinpoche is popularly known for his approachable teaching style, strong humor and teachings based on a long lineage of great lamas. His own gurus included the most celebrated of Gelug teachers: His Holiness Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche, His Holiness Kyabje Ling Rinpoche, Venerable Geshe Thupten Wanggyel, His Holiness Kyabje Zong Rinpoche, Venerable Lati Rinpoche, Venerable Tara Tulku Rinpoche and Venerable Khalkha Jetsun Dampa Rinpoche.

Rinpoche is spiritual director of many temples, meditation centres and retreat centres in Australia, the United States and Canada. He was first invited to teach in Australia by Lama Thubten Yeshe in 1976.

More on Zasep Tulku Rinpoche>>

Gaden for the West Meditation Centres

Australia

• Vajra Ling, Uralla, N.S.W.
• Losang Gyalwa Mandala, Sydney, N.S.W.
• Tenzing Ling Centre, Quamaa, N.S.W.
• Dorje Ling Retreat Centre, Lorina Valley, Tasmania

Canada

• Chittamani Mahayana Buddhist Meditation Centre, Ottawa, Ontario
• Gaden Choling, Toronto, Ontario
• Medicine Buddha Centre, Calgary, Alberta
• Potala Tibetan Buddhist Meditation Centre, Thunder Bay,Ontario
• Tashi Choling, Nelson, B. C.
• Zuru Ling Society, Vancouver, B.C.

United States

• Golden Blue Lotus Tara Meditation Center, Moscow, Idaho
• TsongKhapa Center, Kalamazoo, Michigan
• Vajrayogini Center, Seattle, Washington

The post Buddhist Teacher Advice Video 7: Keeping Motivated in Your Daily Practice, Answered by Venerable Zasep Tulku Rinpoche appeared first on Buddha Weekly: Buddhist Practices, Mindfulness, Meditation.

Originally written and published by Lee Kane of Buddha Weekly: Buddhist Practices, Mindfulness, Meditation. Copyright Buddha Weekly.

Sitting retreats are important opportunities to “still the mind”, allowing us to develop “realizations.” 

There is something very special about the Buddhist Retreat. We all look forward to our first (or next) retreat, but hectic modern life makes it very difficult for many of us. Who can take six weeks or three months off work (and away from family!) to do intensive remote retreat in the mountains? How do you explain to your significant other that you need to be away from the family for a month to three months? If you are self employed, but not idly rich, it will never happen. If you are employed, you’d need a very understanding employer. Not to mention a husband or wife who is beyond very understanding.

Based on this it would seem that only the rich or retired could afford the luxury or a formal long-term retreat. Yet, it is said that even lay Buddhists should do one major retreat before they die.

From a previous feature in Buddha Weekly: “In Zen Buddhism, silent retreat is a very important practice. In Vajrayana Buddhist practice — where much of the practice is designed to help us transform “ordinary perceptions” — the extensive practice and mantra retreat is considered a must, at least once in a practitioner’s lifetime.”

Formal teaching retreat. Nothing can replace the formal long retreat, even for lay practitioners. But formal retreat can be a once-in-a-lifetime event. For the serious student, how do we progress at home, while waiting for the precious opportunity to undertake a long retreat?

Problem is, in accordance with unpredictable impermanence, we could die anytime. If we wait until we retire, or wait until we can afford it, or wait for our families grow up (leaving us more time?) — it might be too late. And, all that stress might kill us.

There is a solution to our dilemma. Venerable Zasep Tulku Rinpoche, a teacher very in touch with Western lifestyle and needs, recommends a home working retreat. During a Vajrayogini weekend teaching, he suggested just how to do it.  Before discussing the how, it’s important to discuss the “why” it’s important.

Please also see our previous feature “Buddhist Home Retreat: What the Teachers Say”>>

Monks, who renounce daily lay life, can engage in retreat whenever their teachers instruct them. Retreat has always been important in “developing realizations.” For lay practitioners we rarely have the option of three year retreats.

Why Retreat is Important

Famously, the sage Milarepa spent much of his time in various caves, eating only nettle soup — with only his own mind for company. He developed profound realizations.

Most of the great masters — from Shakyamuni Buddha to Lama Tsongkhapa and Milarepa —developed realizations through meditation that involved withdrawing entirely from mundane life for a period of intense reflection; Shakyamuni, famously, under the Bodhi tree, Milarepa walled up in his cave, Lama Tsonkhapa performing a million mandalas while working his arm to bloody tatters (he was so poor, he used a stone as a mandala plate). In those days, often this was possible due to sponsors who supported renunciates and monks. That isn’t as likely in a modern, fast-paced world.

Still, without withdrawal from daily life for a period of intense reflection, the realizations are elusive. Some of us, the lucky ones, save holidays and money for those long three month (or even just six week) retreats. We also have to bank a lot of karma-points with our spouse and families to justify a phones-off retreat.

Home Retreat — The Need for “Time and Space”

Can’t get away from the picking up the kids at school? Can’t take time off work? Can’t afford a couple thousand a week for retreat accommodations on a modern, formal retreat? Home Retreat might be the interim solution, allowing you the “time and space” needed to develop “limitless compassion and wisdom.”

The great Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche.

In a teaching in Spain in 1983, the Most Venerable Lama Thubten Yeshe said:

“Why is retreat important? In order for our spirituality, pure morality, wisdom, single-pointed concentration and insight into reality to grow, we need time and space. The normal twentieth-century environment does not give us this. It induces either distraction or sluggishness, and retreat can take us beyond both. As human beings, we have the potential for unlimited growth, for limitless compassion and wisdom, bodhicitta and the six perfections. So retreat is very important in expediting this.”

Home Retreat: A How To

Home retreat does not replace the teaching retreat or the remote retreat. Yet, according to the Venerable Zasep Rinpoche (asked by the author of this teacher during a teaching weekend), it is helpful to your practice. There are some basic guidelines that would apply to any home retreat. We should treat the home retreat the same way as we do a remote non-working retreat, meaning — when doing your practice you must do so with the full intensity of a “real retreat. When you have to go back “to work” and to the family, you basically hit a virtual pause button. On your next session (usually at least twice a day) you “unpause” and continue where you left off, trying to stay in full retreat frame of mind.

Tara in the Palm of Your Hand, a book by Venerable Zasep Tulku Rinpoche

Although Venerable Zasep Rinpoche is a teacher of the Vajrayana tradition, some core principals would probably apply to any school:

1. Time — You need to commit as much time as possible each day to a home retreat, ideally at least two long sessions per day, morning and evening. If you can’t manage three-five hours a day, by giving up TV and other activities, you aren’t ready for the commitment.
2. Consistency — You should practice at the same times each day, and for the same duration each day until it becomes a habit
3. Goal — You should have a goal, either time goal (six hours a day for three months), or, in the case of mantra retreat, by counting mantras. For example, 3 months silent contemplation, three hours morning, three hours, night. Or, for a 100,000 mantra retreat you keep going however many days it takes, also three hours a night.
4. To maintain the retreat, you can never miss a session. If you committed to three hours morning and three hours evening for three months, if you miss one day, you basically start again. Even if you are sick or tired, you try to push your way through, even half-heartedly. The key is not to miss a session.
5. Separate mundane and retreat: coach family and friends to not disturb you during your regular hours of retreat.
6. Even if you have spare time “left over” after your three hours of retreat (and after the kids are in bed and other obligations are met), spend your time only on Dharma activities: studying sutra, reading the Buddhist commentaries, watching Buddhist documentaries.
7. Create Importance: Make Dharma retreat time your one fundamental, unchangeable component of the day. Perform family and work obligations as necessary, but use all leisure time for Dharma study or activity (in other words, no TV, no night at the movies.) The goal is to bring the feeling of retreat into as much of your day as possible during the length of your retreat.
8. Format: Follow your teacher’s guidance on format. Usually Taking Refuge in the Three Jewels will begin most sessions, and Dedicating the Merit might finish each session. In Vajrayana there might be the mandatory long sadhana, followed by mantra counting. In other traditions, there might be silent meditation.
9. Exercise: Even in format retreats, the participants alternate some activity with contemplation. This is important for health reasons. During retreat time, however, try to make exercise Dharma practice. For example, walking mindfulness meditation.

Setting up a shrine with offerings is important for Vajrayana retreat. Normally, after set up of the altar, you should not move anything (other than to renew offerings) until retreat is finished.

Recommendations specific to Vajrayana Practice

In addition to the above suggestions, a Vajrayana counting retreat might also add some additional recommendations:

1. Your retreat at home should be treated as seriously as a “remote” retreat. This means you set up a cushion (seat) in one place, always returning only to that seat when you resume your retreat. You never count time or mantras performed off the cushion. It’s good to do a mindfulness walking session, or mantras while bird watching, but you don’t count either of these to your committed session.
2. With Vajrayana you normally will perform the sadhana (guided meditation/visualization ) twice (one per session) plus your mantras. Normally, if there is a long version, you always use the long one.
3. Normally you must set up physical offerings (to reinforce the “visualized” offerings), which would consist of torma cakes, the eight sensory offerings, and for higher tantra the inner offering.
4. You normally set up an altar with an image of the meditational deity, ideally a Dharma book and offerings. The altar should not be moved until the retreat is finished.
5. Usually, for Vajrayana retreats you’d undertake the practice of your “Yidam” (heart meditation emanation of Enlightenment) but if you do not have initiations, you can undertake a Shakyamuni Buddha, Green Tara or Avalokiteshvara (Chenrezig) sadhana and mantra retreat. These three do not require initiation as long as you visualize the Yidam in front of you — instead of yourself as the Yidam.

As an example, please see the suggestions below for a retreat that does not require special permissions or initiations, for Green Tara, the “activity of compassion.”

Example Retreat: Green Tara Retreat — the Mother of All Retreats

Green Tara (Drolma in Tibetan), often described as the Mother of All Buddhas, is a suitable meditational deity for any retreat and for any person. Tara is accessible to everyone. You could say, a Tara Retreat is the Mother of All Retreats. (Sadhana below)

Venerable Zasep Tulku Rinpoche, here pictured in a recent trip to Mongolia. Rinpoche teaches Green Tara practice, and recently wrote a book titled “Tara in the Palm of Your Hand.”

“Tara is without a doubt the most beloved female deity in Tibetan Buddhism, revered for Her swiftness in helping those who rely on her,” writes the most Venerable Achayra Zasep Tulku Rinpoche in his recent book Tara in the Palm of Your Hand. “She has been described as a Buddha for our modern age, a sublime personification of compassion and wisdom in female form at a time when sorrow and suffering seem to be increasing everywhere.”

It is, perhaps, the fact that Tara represents enlightened activity that endears Her to Her endless followers.  “Tara represents enlightened activity,” Bhikshuni Thubten Chodron writes in How to Free Your Mind: Tara the Liberator. “Tara is an emanation of bliss and emptiness… By appearing to us in this physical form of Tara, the wisdom of bliss and emptiness of all Buddhas inspires us to cultivate constructive attitudes and actions.”

Bhikshuni Thubten Chodron introduces the practice of Tara during a retreat (Sravasti Abbey). Thubten Chodron is the author of the very popular book How to Free Your Mind: Tara the Liberator.

With Tara as our retreat inspiration, we are stimulated to right conduct, right speech and other “actions” that generate merits, and we find ourselves averse to actions that might generate negative karma. This is why, no matter how busy modern life becomes, a regular retreat in Green Tara can be a beneficial practice.

The Thirteenth Zasep Tulku, Archarya Zasep Tulku Rinpoche, an Internationally Respected Teacher, who is spiritual director of several meditation centres in North America and Australia.

For those unable to find formal retreat opportunities, a private weekend of solitary contemplation is still helpful, as is regular practice. Or, as described above, a longer retreat committing to two sessions a day. When the opportunity arises, try to attend teachings or actual retreat on Green Tara.

“Of all the Buddhas, Tara is the most accessible,” explained Venerable Zasep Tulku Rinpoche in Tara in the Palm of Your Hand. The venerable teacher points out both temporal benefits and ultimate benefits in his commentary on Tara practice. “When you practice Tara you become closer to Her and can feel Her motherly love; you feel well-loved and nurtured by the most beautiful Mother of All Buddhas.”

Tara, the Mother of All Buddhas

Tara is often called the Mother of All Buddhas of all times. This can be understood in many ways. One way to understand the affectionate title of Mama Tara is in Her role as the embodiment of Wisdom Compassion Activity.  Tara is green, connoting wind and activity, because she is the “Swift One.” In the 21 Praises to Tara, She (in one of Her forms) is described as: “the Swift One, the Heroine, Whose eyes are like an instant flash of lightning…” In this way, the Swift One, The Rescuer Tara comes to the aid of those in need, like a mother protecting her children.

Green Tara’s kind face. Tara is known as Tara the Rescuer.

“Tara can be understood on many different levels,” explained Thubten Chodron. She explained Tara can be understood at three levels:

• as a person who became an Enlightened Buddha
• as a manifestation of awakened qualities
• as our own Buddha Nature (Buddha Potential) in its future fully purified and evolved form.

“Her female form represents wisdom, the essential element needed to remove the ignorance that misconstrues reality and is the root of our suffering,” wrote Thubten Chodron in How to Free Your Mind: Tara the Liberator. “Thus she is called ‘the mother of all Buddhas,’ for the wisdom realizing reality that she embodies gives birth to full enlightenment, the state of freedom from self-grasping ignorance and its attendant, self-centeredness.”

Like a Mother, Tara cares for us, and supports us. “Aspirations made in the presence of Green Tara may easily grow into results, and requests made to Her may be quickly actualized,” wrote Thubton Chodron. “We are energized to create the causes for happiness, and to eliminate interferences in our Dharma practice.

Below: Part 1 of a series of videos from Thubton Chodron on Tara (taped during a Tara Retreat).

Retreat and the Stages

“Dharma experiences come only when you put yourself in a Dharma situation,” said Lama Yeshe in a 1983 teaching in Spain. “The first stage of your spiritual growth occurs during your first retreat. The second stage happens in your second retreat; the third stage in your third…and so on. Spiritual growth is not an intellectual thing. It has to be organic. It is beyond the intellectual; it has to become your own experience.”

Retreats are, by definition, Dharma situations, with minimal distractions, and they are certainly experiential rather than intellectual. Lama Yeshe had this advice for students in retreat: ” Successful retreat demands discipline. The fundamental discipline is living ethically in pure morality. On that basis you need to follow a strict schedule and avoid all outside activity. You should not meet with other people or talk nonsense. Best, of course, is to maintain silence for the duration of your retreat and not meet people at all.”

Green Tara’s Mantra

Like Tara Herself, Her mantra is accessible to everyone. Benefits of Tara practice and Tara’s mantra arise quickly. Those who find time for daily practice, and those with empowerment, benefit even more quickly.

Nearly every Tibetan grew up with a morning recitation of Tara’s 21 Praises and Her mantra is common. Tibetan Buddhists, even those without initiation into Tara, often chant Tara’s mantra, especially when they are afraid, or in need of protection.

“I myself have had many experiences of the power of Tara, starting from when I was a boy in Tibet,” wrote Zasep Tulku Rinpoche in Tara in the Palm of Your Hand. “I, along with my attendant, were riding on a mountain path. Suddenly, we came across a mother bear with three cubs. She turned on us as if to attack. My grandmother quickly recited Tara’s mantra. Instantly the bear turned her back on us and ambled off…”

Tara’s mantra is

Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha

Green Tara, the Mother of All Buddhas, is a suitable meditational Buddha for all practitioners. Inset, the most Venerable Zasep Tulku Rinpoche.

Retreat Sadhana

A sadhana is a “guided meditation” that ensures all elements of good meritorious practice are included. These are normally the “seven limbs” of practice.

Tara Visualization

The next step in visualization of Tara would be formal Vajrayana meditation—which actively uses our minds on a near epic scale, and has been proven to enhance intelligence and concentration. Research has proven the cognitive benefits of Vajrayana visualization. (Please see our feature: Science: Research Proves Vajrayana Meditation Techniques Improve Cognitive Performance.)

To benefit from visualization, while chanting the mantras, build more and more complex visualizations, beginning with Tara’s elegant beauty and important attributes, and progressively increasing the image in detail. The easiest approach is to study an image of Tara, preferably an ironically correct one—since very aspect of the visualization means something.

Correct, simplified Green Tara visualization. Each gesture, implement and even the posture, flowers and pose mean something important.

Your teacher, may give you a proper meditation, but if you have not yet formalized your practice you can think in these terms: Tara is a beautiful young deity, youthful, perhaps sixteen visually—certainly youthful and timeless—of emerald color. Her right hand is in the gesture of supreme generosity, hand open to give blessings, with thumb and index touching and the other three fingers outstretched. The touching fingers represent the union of Wisdom and Compassion. The three remaining fingers represent the three jewels: Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. In this hand She lightly holds the stem of an uptala flower, a blue Lotus.

Her left hand is at her heart, in the gesture of bestowing refuge in the three jewels. This mudra (hand gesture) also incorporates the gesture of protection, of fearlessness. This time Her thumb and ring finger are connecting in the Wisdom-Compassion loop. She is saying, “come, I’ll protect you.” In this hand, too, is the stem of an uptala flower. There are three blooms, one open, one half open, one just about to open, representing the Buddhas of the past, present and future.

She is adorned in the most precious ornaments, and seated in an aura of spectacular light. On Her head is a five-sided crown, depicting the five Dhani Buddhas. Above that, are ornaments, rainbow lights, wish-fulfilling gems. And surmounting all, is Her own Guru, Amitabha Buddha, the Buddha of Infinite Light, glowing red.

Her legs are Her most significant attributes. One is drawn in, showing her mastery and enlightenment. Her other is outstretched, in a gesture that appears to indicate She’s ready to leap up to our aid. She sits on a moon cushion, which arises on top of a Lotus.

In more advanced visualizations, at Her heart is her precious seed syllable, TAM (see below), radiating green light, sending out blessing energy to all beings in the universe.

The Tam syllable, seed syllable of Tara, is most often visualized at Her heart, glowing and emanating healing green light. TAM normally sits on a lotus.

Basic Practice Without Empowerment

Tara can be practiced by anyone, any time. She is all-inclusive. Although empowerments and initiations help advance our progress with Tara, none is required.

A good basic daily practice, if you are not yet being instructed by a qualified teacher, would normally include:

• Taking refuge in the Three Jewels: Buddha (Enlightened one), Dharma (Enlightened teachings) and Sangha (the community supporting the Enlightened)
• An offering: water bowls, or just a mentally visualized offering, or more elaborate if preferred (provided physical offerings do not derive from theft, greed, or any negativitiy)
• Four immeasurables: wishes for all beings to be happy, not to suffer and dwell in equanimity
• Seven-limb practice: a seven limb prayer that re-affirms a good practice of praise, offering, declaration of non-virtues, request for Tara to remain as your teacher, request that Tara teach the Dharma, and a dedication of the merit to the cause for enlightenment.

The eight sensory offerings from left to right are: water for drinking, water for washing (the feet), flowers for beauty, incense for smell, light (candles, buttlerlamps or light) for seeing, perfumes, food for eating, and sound or music for listening.

These basic practices, together, take five minutes, to which you might add the above visualization and mantra practices.

Here are some basic words/thoughts that frame the above practice:

Refuge

Until I reach enlightenment, I take refuge in the Three Jewels: the Buddhas, the Dharma and the Sangha. By the merit of practicing generosity and other perfections, may I attain Enlightement in order to benefit all beings.

Offerings

Mentally visualize seven or eight bowls of water. Or, actually fill up seven or eight bowls of water and offer them mentally. You can supplement the blessing by reciting Tara’s mantra, or, alternately, “Om Ah Hum”. For a more elaborate offering, you could add the meditation in our feature, “Water Bowl Offerings as an Antidote to Attachment”, where the bowls are visualized as the eight traditional sense offerings: water for drinking, water for washing, flowers for the eye senses, incense for the smell sense, butter lamps for illumination, perfume, food for the taste sense, and music for the sound sense. More here>>

Four Immeasurables 

May all beings have happiness and its causes,

May they never have suffering or its causes.

May they constantly dwell in joy transcending sorrow;

May they dwell in equal love for both near and far.

Seven Limbs

To You Venerable Arya Tara, with my body, speech and mind, I respectfully prostrate.

I offer flowers, incense, butter lamps, perfume, food, music and a vast collection of offerings, both actually set out and emanated through wisdom and imagination.

I declare all my non-virtuous acts since beginningless time.

I rejoice in the virtuous merit accumulated by Holy and ordinary beings.

I request You turn the wheel of Dharma.

I beseech You to remain until samsara ends. Please, with your boundless compassion, look upon all beings drowning in the ocean of suffering.

May whatever merit I have accumulated be transformed into the cause for Enlightenment so that I may help all sentient beings.

Mantra

Visualize Tara as described above — in front of you if you do not have initiation — and then focus mindfully on the spoken mantra, repeating it in a low voice, over and over. For a normal practice you might repeat 108 times. For a retreat, your goal is normally 100,000 total, in three months or so in a home retreat format (for example).

Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha

Pronounced

Ohm Tah-ray Tew-Tah-ray Tew-rey Svah-ha.

In Tibetan:

Om Tare Tuttare Ture Soha

Final Dedication

If you have a formal practice from a teacher there will be more steps. Otherwise, close off with the all-important final dedication:

I dedicate the merit of this practice to the cause for enlightenment, for the benefit of all beings.

21 Praises

Optionally, include the 21 Praises to Tara. Around the world, many people begin and end their day with Tara’s twenty-one praises. This practice has been credited with many benefits, including protection from harm, prosperity, and swift progress on the path of enlightenment.

It can be beneficial to chant this in the world’s oldest known language—Sanskrit. The nuances of this practice, the originating sounds, is similar to mantra practice. In Sanskrit:

Tankha depicted Mother Tara and the 21 Taras.

Om namah spukasam namah Taraye mi Tara

1 Namas Tare Ture vire

kshanair dyuti nibhekshane

trailokya nat ha vaktrabja

vikasat kesharobhave

 

2 Namah shata sharac chandra

sampurna patalanane

Tara sahasra nikara

prahasat kira noj jvale

 

3 Namah kanaka nilabja

pani padma vibhu shite

dana virya tapah shanti

titik sha dhyana gochare

 

4 Namas tat hagatosh nisha

vijayananta charini

ashesha paramita prapta

jina putra nishevite

 

5 Namas Tuttara Hum kara

puritasha dig antare

sapta loka kramakranti

asheshak arshanak shame

 

6 Namah shakranala Brahma

marud vishvesh varachite

bhuta vetala gand harva

gana yaksha puras krte

 

7 Namas trad iti phat kara

para yantra pramardani

praty alid ha pada nyase

shik hi jvalakulek shane

 

8 Namas Ture maha ghore

mara vira vinashani

bhrku ti krta vaktrabja

sarva shatrum nishudani

 

9 Namas tri ratna mudranka

hrdyanguli vibhushite

bhu shitashesha dik chakra

nikara sva Karakule

 

10 Namah pramudita topa

muku ta kshipta malini

hasat prahasat Tuttare

mara loka vashamkari

 

11 Namah samanta bhu pala

patalakarshana kshame

chalat bhrku ti hum kara

sarvapada vimoch ani

 

12 Namah shikhanda kandendu

muku tabha ranojjvale

Amitabha jata bhara

bhasvare kirana dhruve

 

13 Namah kalpanta hutabhug

jvala malan Tara sthite

alidha muditabandha

ripu chakra vinashani

 

14 Namah kara talaghata

charana hata bhu tale

bhrkuti krta Hum kara

sapta patala bhedini

 

15 Namah shive shubhe shante

shanta nirvana gochare

svaha pranava samyukte

maha papaka na shani

 

16 Namah pramudi tabandha

ripu gatra vabhedini

dashakshara pada nyashe

vidya Hum kara dipite

 

17 Namas Ture pada ghata

Hum karakara bijite

meru mandara kailasa

bhuvana traya chalini

 

18 Namah sura sarakara

harinika karast hite

Tara dvir ukta Phat kara

ashesha visha nashani

 

19 Namah sura ganadh yaksha

sura kimnara sevite

abandha mudita bhoga

kali duhs vapna nashani

 

20 Namah chandrarka sampurna

nayana dyuti bhas vare

hara dvir ukta Tuttare

vishama jvara nashani

 

21 Namas tri tattva vinyasa

shiva shakti saman vite

graha vetala yakshaugha

nashani pravare Ture

 

21 Praises to Tara in English

The praises do lose some of the “mystery” and intensity and sheer sound-power in English, but the intention and praise is maintained. Many people chant the praise in English:

1 Homage to you, Tara, the swift heroine,

Whose eyes are like an instant flash of lightning,

Whose water-born face arises from the blooming lotus

Of Avalokiteshvara, protector of the three worlds.

 

2 Homage to you, Tara, whose face is like

One hundred full autumn moons gathered together,

Blazing with the expanding light

Of a thousand stars assembled.

 

3 Homage to you, Tara, born from a golden-blue lotus,

Whose hands are beautifully adorned with lotus flowers,

You who are the embodiment of giving, joyous effort, asceticism,

Pacification, patience, concentration, and all objects of practice.

 

4 Homage to you, Tara, the crown pinnacle of those thus gone,

Whose deeds overcome infinite evils,

Who have attained transcendent perfections without exception,

And upon whom the sons of the Victorious Ones rely.

 

5 Homage to you, Tara, who with the letters TUTTARA and HUM

Fill the (realms of) desire, direction, and space,

Whose feet trample on the seven worlds,

And who are able to draw all beings to you.

 

6 Homage to you, Tara, venerated by Indra,

Agni, Brahma, Vayu, and Ishvara,

And praised by the assembly of spirits,

raised corpses,
Gandharvas, and all yakshas.

 

7 Homage to you, Tara, whose TRAT and PHAT

Destroy entirely the magical wheels of others.

With your right leg bent and left outstretched and pressing,

You burn intensely within a whirl of fire.

 

8 Homage to you, Tara, the great fearful one,

Whose letter TURE destroys the mighty demons completely,

Who with a wrathful expression on your water-born face

Slay all enemies without an exception.

 

9 Homage to you, Tara, whose fingers adorn your heart

With the gesture of the sublime precious three;

Adorned with a wheel striking all directions without exception

With the totality of your own rays of light.

 

10 Homage to you, Tara, whose radiant crown ornament,

Joyful and magnificent, extends a garland of light,

And who, by your laughter of TUTTARA,

Conquer the demons and all of the worlds.

 

11 Homage to you, Tara, who are able to invoke

The entire assembly of local protectors,

Whose wrathful expression fiercely shakes,

Rescuing the impoverished through the letter HUM.

 

12 Homage to you, Tara, whose crown is adorned

With the crescent moon, wearing ornaments exceedingly bright;

From your hair knot the buddha Amitabha

Radiates eternally with great beams of light.

 

13 Homage to you, Tara, who dwell within a blazing garland

That resembles the fire at the end of this world age;

Surrounded by joy, you sit with your right leg extended

And left withdrawn, completely destroying all the masses of enemies.

 

14 Homage to you, Tara, with hand on the ground by your side,

Pressing your heel and stamping your foot on the earth;

With a wrathful glance from your eyes you subdue

All seven levels through the syllable HUM.

 

15 Homage to you, Tara, O happy, virtuous, and peaceful one,

The very object of practice, passed beyond sorrow.

You are perfectly endowed with SOHA and OM,

Overcoming completely all the great evils.

 

16 Homage to you, Tara, surrounded by the joyous ones,

You completely subdue the bodies of all enemies;

Your speech is adorned with the ten syllables,

And you rescue all through the knowledge-letter HUM.

 

17 Homage to you, Tara, stamping your feet and proclaiming TURE.

Your seed-syllable itself in the aspect of HUM

Causes Meru, Mandhara, and the Vindhya mountains

And all the three worlds to tremble and shake.

 

18 Homage to you, Tara, who hold in your hand

The hare-marked moon like the celestial ocean.

By uttering TARA twice and the letter PHAT

You dispel all poisons without an exception.

 

19 Homage to you, Tara, upon whom the kings of the assembled gods,

The gods themselves, and all kinnaras rely;

Whose magnificent armor gives joy to all,

You who dispel all disputes and bad dreams.

 

20 Homage to you, Tara, whose two eyes – the sun and the moon –

Radiate an excellent, illuminating light;

By uttering HARA twice and TUTTARA,

You dispel all violent epidemic disease.

 

21 Homage to you, Tara, adorned by the three suchnesses,

Perfectly endowed with the power of serenity,

You who destroy the host of evil spirits, raised corpses, and yakshas,

O TURE, most excellent and sublime!

 

The post How a Home Retreat Helps Busy People Manage Time and Save Money; How to Do It, and Why it is Necessary appeared first on Buddha Weekly: Buddhist Practices, Mindfulness, Meditation.

Originally written and published by Lee Kane of Buddha Weekly: Buddhist Practices, Mindfulness, Meditation. Copyright Buddha Weekly.

Zasep Tulku Rinpoche.

In the ninth in a Buddhist practice video series, “Advice from the Teachers”, the Venerable Acharya Zasep Tulku Rinpoche, Spiritual Head of Gaden for the West Centers, answers a student’s question [play video below]:

What advice do you have for advanced students for their daily practice when they are too busy? Can you merge practices to simplify?

[Transcript below video]

Background: The student asking the question had received many initiations and commitments over the years and wanted to simplify, or even combine practices without giving up commitments or breaking vows. He also had several commitment practices with Guru Yoga, wanted to know how to simplify.

Rinpoche, in his answer emphasized the importance of commitment — “either do … or don’t do” that’s up to you — but if you do, he advised focusing intensely on the Yidam practice, while still undertaking other commitments in more concise form.

Note: For a schedule of Zasep Rinpoche’s teachings, see the end of this feature.

Play video here:

Transcript

Zasep Tulku Rinpoche: “Senior students should do daily practice. Do the minimum practice, if you are having some difficulties. At the same time, it is important to choose one practice as a main practice.

Zasep Tulku Rinpoche is currently teaching in Mongolia (photo of teaching in a traditional yurt (tent) April 2017) — after several weeks of intense teachings all over Australia. In April he will be teaching in Zuru Ling Vancouver, and beginning May 20, Rinpoche will teach at Gaden Choling Toronto for two weeks in 2017.

Let’s say you have your particular deity, what we call Yidam, or principal deity, a deity you feel very connected to. So, you choose one as a main Yidam. Do that practice, spend more time on that. Do that practice, sadhana, mantras. Then, other mantras, as a minimum commitment. I think that would be good.

You cannot do one mantra, trying to make it as a sort of substitute for all the other mantras [and practice commitments], thinking in your mind: ‘Well, all the Buddhas are One. A lot these Buddhas are emanations of Prajnaparamita, or, let’s say, Chenrezig, or Tara, so therefore why not just say one mantra to be substitute for other mantras.’

You can’t really do that because you don’t have permission. You know, we can think about things like that, trying to debate in our mind, or trying to justify. It doesn’t really work like that.

You either do the mantra properly — or don’t do. That’s how it works.”

Student asked a clarifying question: “What if you have a commitment to do several types of practice, like Six Session Guru Yoga, Vajrayogini Sadhana and Yamantaka Sadhana?”

“Six session guru yoga is a commitment after receiving initiation in a higher yoga tantra like Yamantaka, or let’s say Guhyasamaja. That is a commitment, one has to do. One must do that.

Then, there is a little bit of guru yoga practice in Chittimani Tara practice, long sadhana; there is a little bit of guru yoga practice in Vajrayogini, long Sadhana. I would say make those practices shorter. You can make it very concise. Short. [Except for your Yidam Practice. That, you keep long.]

You see, in the short sadhanas, there is almost none. Maybe there’s a few words, a few lines about Guru Yoga. Very concise. So you can make it that way. Make it very concise.

But — you can’t completely escape all those Guru Yogas. You can make it very short. Concise.”

Next: In Part 10 of this Series, students ask Rinpoche the question: “What advice do you have for students who have difficulties visualizing their Yidam to improve clarity and stabilization? How do you pick a personal Yidam for your practice?”

PREVIOUS BUDDHA WEEKLY ADVICE FROM THE TEACHERS VIDEOS:

Video 1: Advice for Students on Karma>>

Video 2: Advice for Students dealing with loss of a loved one>>

Video 3: Advice for Students coping with memory loss, Alzheimers or early dementia>>

Video 4: Advice for Students coping with the loss of a beloved pet>>

Video 5: Advice for Students coping with aggressive illnesses such as cancer, looking for supportive practices>>

Video 6: Advice for the New Student to Buddhism>>

Video 7: Advice for Keeping Motivated in Your Daily Practice>>

Video 8: Purifying Negative Karma>>

Video 9: Advice for Advanced Vajrayana Students on Managing Commitments>>

Teaching Schedule of Zasep Tulku Rinpoche

Mongolia

Venerable Zasep Rinpoche on a previous trip to Mongolia (2016). He is currently teaching in Mongolia 2017, then on to Zuru Ling, Vancouver BC (April 2017) and Gaden Choling Toronto (May 2017).

Zasep Rinpoche is currently in Mongolia on an extended round of teachings

Vancouver, Canada

Rinpoche will be teaching at Zuru Ling, Vancouver in April: “Zuru Ling is extremely pleased to announce that our precious teacher Acharya Zasep Tulku Rinpoche will be teaching in Vancouver in April 2017:

• How to do personal retreat, setting up an altar and torma making. Wednesday April 26th, 2017 starting at 7 til 9 pm.
• Green Tara Initiation – Friday 28th April starting at 7 til 9 pm.
• Black Manjushri Initiation – Saturday 29th April 2 til 4 pm.
• Teaching on healing and protection of the Black Manjushri practise – Sunday 30th April starting 10 am til 4 pm.
• Information: Zuru Ling website>>

Teaching Schedule of Zasep Tulku Rinpoche for spring 2017 at Gaden Choling Toronto, Canada.

Toronto, Canada

Rinpoche will be at Gaden Choling in Toronto, Canada in May for two weeks.

• Mahamudra teachings: Saturday, May 20th, 10am to 5pm
• Lama Chopa Guru Yoga: Sunday May 21st, 10am to 5pm
• Hayagriva Highest Yoga Tantra Initiation: Thursday, May 25th, 7pm to 9pm
• Green Tara: Friday, May 26th, 7pm to 9pm
• Black Manjushri Initiation: Saturday May 27th 2-5pm
• Black Manjushri Practice and Commentary (requires initiation) Sunday May 28th, 10am-5pm
• Information to be posted soon at Gaden Choling website>>

About Venerable Zasep Tulku Rinpoche

Rinpoche is popularly known for his approachable teaching style, strong humor and teachings based on a long lineage of great lamas. His own gurus included the most celebrated of Gelug teachers: His Holiness Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche, His Holiness Kyabje Ling Rinpoche, Venerable Geshe Thupten Wanggyel, His Holiness Kyabje Zong Rinpoche, Venerable Lati Rinpoche, Venerable Tara Tulku Rinpoche and Venerable Khalkha Jetsun Dampa Rinpoche.

Rinpoche is spiritual director of many temples, meditation centres and retreat centres in Australia, the United States and Canada. He was first invited to teach in Australia by Lama Thubten Yeshe in 1976.

More on Zasep Tulku Rinpoche>>

Gaden for the West Meditation Centres

Australia

• Vajra Ling, Uralla, N.S.W.
• Losang Gyalwa Mandala, Sydney, N.S.W.
• Tenzing Ling Centre, Quamaa, N.S.W.
• Dorje Ling Retreat Centre, Lorina Valley, Tasmania

Canada

• Chittamani Mahayana Buddhist Meditation Centre, Ottawa, Ontario
• Gaden Choling, Toronto, Ontario
• Medicine Buddha Centre, Calgary, Alberta
• Potala Tibetan Buddhist Meditation Centre, Thunder Bay,Ontario
• Tashi Choling, Nelson, B. C.
• Zuru Ling Society, Vancouver, B.C.

United States

• Golden Blue Lotus Tara Meditation Center, Moscow, Idaho
• TsongKhapa Center, Kalamazoo, Michigan
• Vajrayogini Center, Seattle, Washington

The post Video Buddhist Advice 9: How Can Advanced Vajrayana Students Simplify and Manage Commitments and Practice? Answered by Venerable Zasep Tulku Rinpoche appeared first on Buddha Weekly: Buddhist Practices, Mindfulness, Meditation.

Originally written and published by Lee Kane of Buddha Weekly: Buddhist Practices, Mindfulness, Meditation. Copyright Buddha Weekly.

Geshe Thubten Sherab, an accomplished and well respected teacher with FPMT,  kindly agreed to a short interview with Buddha Weekly during a teaching visit to Lama Yeshe Ling in Ontario Canada. Although trained rigorously in monasteries, Geshe is known for his skillful approach to teaching in the west, emphasizing “the most important thing is to try to integrate ones study and practice.”[1]

Geshe Sherab teaching.

Geshe Sherab feels it is important to preserve traditional ways, while skillfully teaching with an understanding of Western Culture:

“We also need to understand Western culture and psychology so that we, as Geshes, can be more effective and bring more benefit. However, we should not take too many liberties in changing the traditional ways of doing things, just because it doesn’t suit the Westerners’ way or because they don’t like it. We should always think of the long-term benefit as opposed to simply short-term results.”

Geshe Sherab.

Lama Sherab travels widely to teach at FPMT centres , but teaches regularly at Thubten Norbu Ling in Sante Fe, New Mexico. Some of his teaching topics are: “Vajrasattva Practice”, “Enlightened Courage”, and “Seeing Things as They Really Are”.  While at Lama Yeshe Ling, his teaching topics were “Stages of the Path to Enlightenment” and Lama Tsongkhapa. Some of Geshe’s audio teachings can be played here>>

The Rigorous Life of a Monk

Lama Sherab “was born in 1967 in a very small village in the western part of Nepal.” As a young boy, he became a monk at Kopan Monestary — years away from family, and a rigorous study day from 5:30am to 9:30pm. “When I was a teenager, as any normal teenager, I struggled a lot, not knowing whether it was best for me to continue or to disrobe. But then, just before I went to Sera, I made the strong decision that being a monk continuously was how I was going to spend my life.” He went on to even more intense studied at Sera Je.

The young monks at Sera Je.

Geshe Sherab studied with some of the great Geshes and Lamas: “like Geshe Jampa Gyatso and Geshe Doga who came to Kopan to teach, as well as the late Geshe Jampa, and of course Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Lama Lhundrup and Geshe Lama Konchog, as well as H.E. Khensur Rinpoche Losang Tsering, H.E. Jangtse Choje Rinpoche Losang Tenzin and H.E. Khensur Rinpoche Losang Delek.. They are my main root gurus, and I have great respect for them; they were role models for me and inspired me to study.” [1]

In the interview, he kindly shared his experiences with the intense rigor of study at Sera Je— practice, memorization, debate school, meditation, again 5:30am until late at night. He highlighted importance of Lama Tsongkhapa practice and “Stages of the Path to Enlightenment”, the subject of his teaching in March 2017 at Lama Yeshe Ling.

Interview

1. You taught on Lama Tsongkhapa meditation practice.  Why are Lama Tsongkhapa practices so valued by modern Buddhists?

Geshe Thubten Sherab teaching.

Geshe Sherab: Lama TzongKhapa is known sometimes as the second Buddha and second Nagarjuna. No other Tibetan master or holy being has contributed to dharma as much he did through his writing, example, inspiration and practices. Also Lama TzongKhapa is known as manifestation of Manjushri, Avalokiteshvara, and Varjapani. So practicing Lama TzongKhapa Guru Yoga is equivalent to practicing the sadhana or practice of all those three deities.

2. You also taught the “Stages of the Path to Enlightenment”. What are some of the key stages and methods you covered?

Geshe Sherab: I cover precious human rebirth, death and impermanence, renunciation, bodhichitta and emptiness.

3. You were accepted as a monk by Lama Yeshe at Kopan Monestary at a very young age. What is life like for the young monk in a monastery?

The life for young monk like any young boy in boarding school. Of course many monks could not see their parents for few years as they live too far away. It is not easy for both parents and the young monk but that is part of training.

Lots of discipline and studies but not much time to relax and enjoy. So, it is tough and many will drop the robe. Starts the day at 5.30am to go to bed at around 9-10pm.

4. Who were some of your teachers?

His Holiness the Dalai Lama is one of Geshe Sherab’s teachers.

H.H.Dalai Lama, H.E. Jangtse Choje Rinpoche, late H.E. Khensur Losang Tsering,H.E. Khensur Losang Delek, Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche are the main teachers.

My other teachers included H.H.Sakya Trizin Rinpoche, late Chodon Rinpoche, late Dema Locho Rinpoche, late Dulgo Khentse Rinpoche, late Paglung Rinpoche, late Ugen Tseten Rinpoche,late Khensur Lama Lhundup, late Geshe Losang Jampa, late Geshe Jampa Gyatso, Geshe Doga.

5. You studied at Sera Je Monastery for the Geshe degree starting in 1987. Why did you decide to work towards the Geshe degree?

Geshe Sherab: I went to Sera to study further but not necessarily to become a Geshe. But once I was close to finishing my study I thought of taking Geshe exams.

6. What was a typical day or week like at Sera Je for a student working towards a Geshe degree?

Geshe Sherab: 5.30-7 am puja, 7-9 am memorization, 9-11.30 am debate class, 11.45 am lunch, 12.30-5 pm rest time, receiving teachings from teachers, and self studies, 5 pm dinner, 6-9.30 pm evening debate class, 9.30- 10 or 11 pm to recite and repeat what has been memorized. Every Tuesday is off day.

Monks of Sera Je

7. How does teaching to Western students differ from how you might teach both monastics and lay people in Nepal?

Geshe Sherab: Yes, since it is different culture and psychology, the method has to be little different. In essence it is same but we have to present slightly differently.

Geshe Sherab teaching video:

8. For Westerners, especially, is it more difficult to teach integration of study and practice, or integration of Dharma with daily life? How do you approach this?

Geshe Sherab.

It is different for different students. Some students are more interested in studies and philosophy but not much interested in practice. Some other are more interested in practice, but not much studies.

So I encourage all students to integrate both studies and practice together. We cannot ignore either of them. Practice means both meditation on cushion as well integrating the Dharma with our every day or daily life.

Life at Sera Je Monastery

Geshe Sherab:  “Within Sera Je Monastery there are two divisions for study. For young monks of age of 7 to 18, they attend the Sera Je School which provides general modern education with subjects such as English, Mathematics, Science and Arts in addition to Tibetan Grammar, Buddhist Philosophy etc. At the moment there are around five to six hundred students in the school from grade 1-12.

Once they have graduated from the school, they proceed to join the Monastery’s main University to study Buddhist Philosophy in more detail. The system of study in Sera Je is similar to that of Nalanda Monastery in ancient India. Nalanda was the largest Monastery and university in India for the study of Buddhism during its peak. The Monastery produced many great masters and practitioners such as Nagarjuna, Shantideva and Dharmakirti, to mention just a few. This system involves debating in order to understand the texts correctly, to dispel any misconceptions or misunderstanding of the subject and particularly to help to understand their essential points.” [2]

There are five great scriptures studied in Monastic University: Abhiddharma Kosha, Parmanavartika, Abhisamaya Aalamkara, Madhyamika, Madhyamika. Gesehe Sherab explains: “It takes at least 16 years of intensive studies to complete these five great scriptures. There are 13 grades within the University. The first seven grades require a year of study in each grade. 2 to 3 years for the eighth grade, 3 to 4 years for the ninth grade, 2 to 4 years for the tenth grade and eleventh grades and several years for the final twelfth and thirteenth grades.” [2]

Daily Schedule of a Typical Monk:

Geshe Sherab described the typical day of a monk at Sera Jay, clearly a life of dedication and hard work:

“A typical daily schedule of a monk in Sera Je:

5.00 am Wake up and wash.
5.30 am Morning prayers. Breakfast will be served during prayer session if there is any sponsor.
7.30 to 9.00 am Memorizing prayers and scriptures.
9.00 to 10.00 am Debating class.
10.00 to 10.30 am Chanting Sutras and reciting prayers as preliminary practices as well as to eliminate obstacles toward one’s study and practices.
10.30 to 11.30 am Debating class.
11.30 to 12.30 pm Lunch with prayers and dedications for sponsors and all sentient beings.
12.30 to 1.00 pm Break time.
1.00 to 2.00 pm Receiving teachings from teachers.
2.00 to 4.00 pm Homework. Reading, reflecting and discussing on the subjects, covered particularly by the teacher on that day.
4.00 to 5.00 pm Receiving teaching from teachers.
5.00 to 5.30 pm Dinner with prayers.
5.30 to 6.00 pm Break time.
6.00 to 7.00 pm Evening debating class.
7.00 to 8.30/9.00 pm Prayers and meditation. Reciting Heart Sutra, 21 Tara praises many times and reciting many other prayers as preliminary practices and to eliminate obstacles toward one’s study and practices.
9.00 to 10/11.00 pm Debating class (Some of the monks will continue until midnight or 1 am).
10/11.00 to 12.00 mn Reciting the prayers and scriptures which have been memorized so that one does not forget.
12.00mn Bed time but many monks will study till 1 or 2 am.” [2]

LINKS

Geshe Thubten Sherab website

Lama Yeshe Ling in Ontario Canada>>

NOTES

[1] Biography on Geshe Sherab website>>

[2] “Life in Sera Je Monastery” from FPMT website>>

The post BW Interview with Geshe Thubten Sherab: Skillfully Teaching Traditional Tibetan Buddhism for Western Students appeared first on Buddha Weekly: Buddhist Practices, Mindfulness, Meditation.

Originally written and published by Lee Kane of Buddha Weekly: Buddhist Practices, Mindfulness, Meditation. Copyright Buddha Weekly.

Zasep Tulku Rinpoche teaches in Dharma centres around the world and is spiritual head of Gaden for the West in Canada, U.S., and Australia.

In the second of a new Buddha Weekly Video Series, three students ask a teacher about foundation practices, Medicine Buddha, Black Manjushri and healing practices for the self and others.

Question 1: “Even if you haven’t finished foundation practices, are there benefits to doing practices such as Tara and Medicine Buddha?”

Question 2: “Do you recommend Medicine Buddha or Black Manjushri practice for healing? Or is it good to have both. If you’re healthy should you go for Black Manjushri initiation?”

Question 3: “Can you do healing for others? Does the person have to be with you in the room for you to do the healing?”

Answered by Venerable Acharya Zasep Tulku Rinpoche, Spiritual Director of Gaden for the West, with meditation centers in Canada, Australia and the United States.

Play video here [full transcript below]:

Transcript:

Student Question: “Even if you haven’t finished foundation practices, are there benefits to doing practices such as Tara and Medicine Buddha?”

Answer Zasep Rinpoche

“Certain amount of is there, definitely. It will. Any deity yoga, Medicine Buddha, Tara, Kalachakra. Doesn’t matter. As long as you have strong faith and devotion, there is lots of benefit. I mean, results.

“When I talk about foundation practices — these foundation practices, like Refuge, Guru Yoga, Mandala offering, Vajrasattva practice [purification] — they are the same foundation for all the different deity yogas. You don’t have to do again, and again. [Laughing] Another set. Another set. You don’t have to do 100,000 Vajrasattva mantras five times! Or ten times. You don’t have to. Once you’ve done the sets of foundation practice, you’re good!

“Unless you’re doing a three year retreat. It’s different. In the Gelugpa tradition, in our lineage, you do three year retreat. Then you have  to do — there’s actually more foundation practices. One is called the water offerings. You have to offer 100,000 water bowls. You have to make a little statue [Tsa Tsas], in  a mold, 100,000 times. Also you have to do fire puja for Vajradaka. You burn sesame, black sesame seeds, 100,000 times. Then, you do another deity called Samaya Vajra. Another 100,000.

In Gelug tradition, if you are doing, say, Vajrayogini or Yamantaka, three year retreat, you have to eight foundation practices — each of them 100,000. So, actually, in order to do a three-year retreat, it almost takes three years to finish the first, foundations. So, you end up doing a six-year retreat. It’s very auspicious.

If you are a Yogi, or a Nun, or you are retired, then you’ve got time, you know? [Laughs.] Or, you don’t have other commitments, obligations and responsibilities, then, go and do retreat. Six years, whatever.

One of my students, a Mongolian Lama, he did four year retreat in the Gobi desert. He’s the first Mongolian Lama to do three or four year retreat after Communism, after Soviet Union collapsed. Another student is doing a three-year retreat in Australia. Now, he’s finished first year. Two more years to go.

Student Question: “Do you recommend Medicine Buddha or Black Manjushri practice for healing? Or is it good to have both. If you’re healthy should you go for Black Manjushri initiation?” [Black Manjushri is renowned for effectiveness with serious illnesses such as cancer and HIV.]

Answer Zasep Rinpoche

“I think, if you’re healthy at the moment, I would say just practice Medicine Buddha. Generally speaking. For healing, its really good. Medicine Buddha’s good.

Student: “And, do not go for Manjushri initiation?”

Answer Zasep Rinpoche

“I’m not saying don’t take Manjushri initiation. But, you don’t have to do both practices. Unless you have lots of time. [Laughs.] Or, you take initiation and do the practice in the future. When it’s necessary.

Or, especially — healing for others.

You mentioned this morning about healing for others, right? So, I should say a little a bit about healing for others. See, the thing is, Black Manjushri practice, Medicine Buddha practice, Hayagriva practice — all of those are very beneficial for healing for others. And, we should do it for others, right? Especially while we’re healthy, ourselves, then we should do others. If we’re not healthy, how can we do healing for other people? So, it’s really important, now, it’s never too early, to do the healing for others.

What you do is, you either tell the person, ‘I’m doing this healing practice for you, maybe you could to the mantra, we do it together. You can coach and guide — go through the practice. Or, if the person is not sure, not clear, not ready for this kind of mantra and visualization — but, seeking help, right? — then you can do it for the person.

You visualize yourself as Black Manjushri or Medicine Buddha and do the mantra. And visualize light coming from your heart, and going towards the person, descending into his or her body, and giving lots of energy — purifying the sickness. You do the healing. Also, you can do hands-on healing. If you do some kind of healing work, healing modalities — you can do hands-on healing, acupuncture, moxibustion, massage — and then say the mantras, combine together. It can be very beneficial.

Student: “Does the person have to be with you in the room for you to do the healing?

Answer Zasep Rinpoche

“No, no. You don’t have to be in the same room. You can do it from a distance. It would be nice, it’s good, if possible, to be one-to-one, face-to-face — it would be more powerful. But, if that’s not possible, you can still do healing from a distances. Far away, on the other side of the world. With prayers, there’s no distance, right? It works. Doesn’t matter.

We pray for all sentient beings.”

Next, week Zasep Rinpoche responds to a student question on Guru Yoga.

ABOUT VENERABLE ZASEP TULKU RINPOCHE

Rinpoche is popularly known for his approachable teaching style, strong humor and teachings based on a long lineage of great lamas. His own gurus included the most celebrated of Gelug teachers: His Holiness Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche, His Holiness Kyabje Ling Rinpoche, Venerable Geshe Thupten Wanggyel, His Holiness Kyabje Zong Rinpoche, Venerable Lati Rinpoche, Venerable Tara Tulku Rinpoche and Venerable Khalkha Jetsun Dampa Rinpoche.

Rinpoche is spiritual director of many temples, meditation centres and retreat centres in Australia, the United States and Canada. He was first invited to teach in Australia by Lama Thubten Yeshe in 1976.

More on Zasep Tulku Rinpoche>>

Gaden for the West Meditation Centres

Australia

• Vajra Ling, Uralla, N.S.W.
• Losang Gyalwa Mandala, Sydney, N.S.W.
• Tenzing Ling Centre, Quamaa, N.S.W.
• Dorje Ling Retreat Centre, Lorina Valley, Tasmania

Canada

• Chittamani Mahayana Buddhist Meditation Centre, Ottawa, Ontario
• Gaden Choling, Toronto, Ontario
• Medicine Buddha Centre, Calgary, Alberta
• Potala Tibetan Buddhist Meditation Centre, Thunder Bay,Ontario
• Tashi Choling, Nelson, B. C.
• Zuru Ling Society, Vancouver, B.C.

United States

• Golden Blue Lotus Tara Meditation Center, Moscow, Idaho
• TsongKhapa Center, Kalamazoo, Michigan
• Vajrayogini Center, Seattle, Washington

The post Healing and Foundation Practices Video: Learning from the Teachers Video Series with Venerable Zasep Tulku Rinpoche appeared first on Buddha Weekly: Buddhist Practices, Mindfulness, Meditation.

Originally written and published by Lee Kane of Buddha Weekly: Buddhist Practices, Mindfulness, Meditation. Copyright Buddha Weekly.

Padmasambhava, Guru Rinpoche, the Enlightened Padmakara, once taught Lady Tsogyal how to practice perfectly with self-discipline — basically, the message: I can’t do it for you. In the teaching, “The Crystal Garland of Faultless Practice”, the great and perfect Buddha taught the importance of overcoming laziness and “practicing incessantly” and — preferrably — in seclusion during sessions.

“If you wish to attain enlightenment within one lifetime but do not enter the path of self-discipline, the practice will not be taken to heart. It is therefore essential to engage in self-discipline.” Guru Rinpoche [1]

The teaching to the Lady Tsogyal, delivered at the hermitage Pearl Crystal of Pamagong, also stressed the importance meditations in seclusion — away from distractions. Today that would mean a closed door and a turned-off cell phone. A handy meditation cave would be nice, too.

Guru Rinpoche stresses the importance of alone time. Even if you can’t get away to a handy “meditation cave” a closed door and a turned-off cell phone is sometimes the best we can do.

To begin the teaching — classically, the student always asks the teacher for the teaching — the Lady Tsogyal asked Guru Rinpoche: “How does one enter the path of self-discipline?”

No success for the lazy and pretentious

The great master replied, ” When first practicing the Dharma, if you do not practice with self- discipline but are indolent, lazy, and pretentious, you will have no success.” Among other things, he strongly discouraged the daytime nap: “Do not sleep during the daytime. This will bring numerous defects so give it up by all means.

“In general, if you desire happiness, carry through with your Dharma practice, undertaking self-discipline and accepting unpleasant conditions. Divide your days and nights into parts and practice in measured sessions. Your happiness will then be long lasting. Keep that in mind!”

In answer to a follow up question from the Lady, he answers: “give up idling. Engage instead in Dharma activities such as making offerings to the master and the Precious Ones, making supplications and presenting tormas to the yidam, dakinis, and Dharma protectors.”

“No useless chatter”

Temple statue of the great Buddha Padmasambhava, the Lotus Born Guru Rinpoche.

In this day of social media, his advice to avoid “useless chatter” will likely not resonate, although clearly for someone in retreat it’s a must:

“Of all the distractions, the greatest is useless chatter. Consequently, unconnected empty talk is fatal to spiritual practice.”

Of course, in today’s culture, this would mean turning off the cell phone and computer when doing  daily practice — even if you are not in retreat — and letting the family know not to disturb during your meditations.

Practice purification and offering “incessantly”

Even the most advanced of practitioners can never submit to laziness and give up the basics of daily purification and offerings. He advises:

“You should do what is called “taking Dharma activities as one’s path.” That is, you should transform into an unconditioned path the Dharma activities of meditation, making offerings, circum-ambulation, making tsa-tsa and tormas, reading aloud, chanting, copying texts, and so forth. Perform these activities incessantly. Through clinging, tiredness, and so forth, you do not accomplish the main objective.”

Importance of mantra recitation

When not in retreat, he stressed that during practice-time itself, silence from non-Dharma chatter is imperative, and advised the minimum sessions of mantra

Incessant practice and mantra recitation are recommended by Guru Rinpoche.

recitations to keep uninterrupted from daily chatter: “When doing recitations, designate each of the three or four parts of the day a session, and vow to recite both day and night, at best one thousand, at the second best five hundred, or at least one hundred and eight recitations. Until completing that number, keep silence and do not interrupt your recitation with ordinary talk. In this way no obstacles will arise.”

Guru Rinpoche advises “do not allow your lips to be idle but continuously gather even single syllables of mantra. This is most important. Then at some point there will be accomplishment.”

If you do not have any other mantra, or as an appendix to your mantras, the great teacher recommends OM AH HUNG: “Of all types of recitation, recite the three syllables, OM AH HUNG, which are the essence of body, speech, and mind of all the sugatas. They are the most profound and all-inclusive. Therefore it brings great blessings to pledge to recite them or to append them at the head of all other mantra recitations.”

Guru Rinpoche, the Lotus Born, the second Buddha who brought Dharma to Tibet.

Bringing practice into daily life

To help avoid excuses, laziness and to further progress in understanding, Guru Rinpoche explains the importance of making daily life a Dharma activity:

“If you cannot mingle the Dharma with daily life activities, you will be fettered by the meditation session.”

Lady Tsogyal from a tangkha by Laura Santi.

When the Lady Tsogyal asked for clarity, he answered: “The dharmata devoid of constructs that you experience in your being while resting evenly in meditation should be put into practice in every situation during postmeditation; whether walking, moving around, lying down, or sitting. By never separating from this Dharma practice no matter what daily activity you perform, you will always remain in the state of dharmata. Thus your meditation will transcend sessions. In general, the meditator who imprisons his body and mind without applying the vital points of meditation is fettered by a chain. Keep that in mind!”

Importance of solitary time and retreat

To progress on the path, it is important to take some time for solitary retreat as well. Most Vajrayana teachers today advise at least one major retreat before we die, and ideally one retreat a year for serious practitioners — even if they are home retreats.

Guru Rinpoche explains, during retreat in particular: ” In general, much talk that is not Dharma practice or concerning Dharma is meaningless. There is no need for that. If you do not strive toward unexcelled enlightenment with your voice engaged in reciting and chanting after stopping ordinary talk, you are anyway like a mute. Keep that in mind!”

This is why, the master explained, the successful student who develops realizations seek out seclusion. For those who can, he recommends ” go to a retreat place such as a charnel ground, a highland area, a snow mountain, a remote hermitage, the dwelling place of a siddha, or a forest in auspicious months such as the seasons of summer and autumn, or on auspicious days such as the eighth day or the new and full moon days.”

He explains the normal methods of creating a retreat space, such as sweeping, making the seat, preparing a mandala and offerings and a shrine with “representations of enlightened body, speech and mind.” This is followed by preventing tormas.

“Giving up idling”

The point of retreat is, perhaps, more valid today than ever. In a private, alone-time retreat space, you give up the excuses to be lazy, to put off practice, and all the distractions of samsara.

“In the daytime you should train in regarding your perceptions as being dreams. That is to say, rest naturally and relaxed without correcting what appears. Leave your experience spontaneously free and open. Rest wide awake and without fixation. During evening time you should take awareness as the path. That is to say, heighten awareness at the close of day and rest alertly and wakefully without falling subject to drowsiness and stupor. At midnight mingle the state of deep sleep with dharmata and sleep in the state of nonthought. Apply the strong determination of thinking, I will recognize my dreams to be dreams! Through that you will be able to remember dharmata while dreaming and be liberated from elation or nightmare. At morning time you should take dharmata as path. That is to say, when you awake from sleep and your body feels at ease, bring dharmata to mind and practice this self-existing mindfulness without fixating, meditating, or slipping away into drowsiness. Do not give in to indulging in sloth and indolence, but practice wide awake while keeping the right measure of self-discipline.”

NOTES

[1] Padmasambhava Guru Rinpoche. Dakini Teachings (p. 138). Rangjung Yeshe Publications. Kindle Edition.

The post Padmasambhava, the Lotus Born: “giving up idling and laziness” the importance of practicing incessantly and the path to self-discipline ; as recorded by Lady Tsogyal appeared first on Buddha Weekly: Buddhist Practices, Mindfulness, Meditation.

Originally written and published by Lee Kane of Buddha Weekly: Buddhist Practices, Mindfulness, Meditation. Copyright Buddha Weekly.

Medicine Buddha and his mantra. Chanting his mantra does not require permission or empowerment and is famous for its healing potential. Medicine Buddha, in his sutra, made twelve great vows, including: “I vow that all beings who are physically disabled or sick in all aspects be blessed with good health, both physically and mentally. All who pays homage to Buddha faithfully will be blessed.”

Medicine Buddha practices are universally popular and very effective for self-healing. Millions of Buddhists around the world rely on Medicine Buddha practices to support their healing journeys. Our feature story on Medicine Buddha Bhaisajyaguru is our second most popular story for good reason. [Story here>>]

Reading about the “First Doctor, Medicine Buddha Bhaisajyaguru” is very empowering. Chanting his mantra is very effective in training our own minds to heal ourselves. Attending a full weekend event, with an emminent teacher, is a rare opportunity.

H.E. Zasep Rinpoche — spiritual director of the many meditation centres of Gaden for the West — was invited by Endless Ground [website here>>], a secular community of meditation and mindfulness practitioners in Owen Sound (Ontario), to lead a weekend retreat March 31st. In the evenings there will be further teachings from well-known meditation teacher Theodore Tsaousidis. [Event details below, or on the Endless Ground website.]

A Healing Opportunity

Even mainstream medicine recognizes the profound power of the mind to help heal our bodies.  Healing Medicine Buddha practices tap into that extraordinary power. Although effective generally, these practices are especially effective when guided by a highly-realized teacher — such as H.E. Zasep Rinpoche — who can not only properly guide the visualizations, but is there to answer your questions.  [H.E. Zasep Rinpoche’s short biography below. For a full interview feature on Rinpoche, see>>]

A short guided meditation on Medicine Buddha by H.E. Zasep Rinpoche, the well-known international teacher who will be guiding this full weekend event:

• For other video guided meditations from Zasep Rinpoche see>>

March 31-April 1st weekend: Medicine Buddha Retreat

From the Engless Ground website:

“A Medicine Buddha Healing Retreat is an opportunity to support our own healing journey as well as beneficial to professionals engaged in their own healing practices.

[Details on the event below.]

“The dedicated nature of the retreat helps one to connect deeper to the primordial source of healing, and awaken to our own innate healingcapacities. These ancient teachings have been reverently handed down through unbroken lineage and used to help heal all aspects of the human condition and our planet.

H.E. Zasep Rinpoche leading a Medicine Buddha and La Gug retreat in Owen Sound.

In this retreat, we will have the opportunity to listen to lectures, engage in group discussion, practice meditation, recite mantras and do visualizations — gaining first hand experience to understand what is required to become our own inner alchemists — the foundation for living a life of peace, health, happiness and clarity.

The retreat is open to anyone of any faith or philosophy and appropriate for beginning or advanced practitioners.”

[See disclaimer below.]

A previous event with Zasep rinpoche, also in Owen Sound, a weekend on Medicine Buddha and La Gug “Life Force Recovery” was very popular. Here is ten minutes of the event from 2016:

About Medicine Buddha

Visualizing the Medicine Buddha Mantra and rays of healing Lapis Lazuli light emanating from the Buddha, and absorbed into the patient (or self) is a healing practice.

Buddha Weekly’s various stories on Medicine Buddha are invariably popular. Medicine Buddha is both a sutra and tantra practice. It is in the Medicine Buddha Sutra we find the twelve great vows of the King of Medicine, Medicine Buddha. [To hear a full recitation of the Medicine Buddha Sutra, Jason Espada narates the twelve great vows here, on a video>>]

Reciting his sutra is considered to be a healing practice. Especially popular around the world is recitation of his mantra. In sanskrit this is:

 TADYATHA  AUM BHAISHAJYE  BHAISHAJYE MAHA BHAISHAJYA SAMUDGATE SVAHA

More commonly, this is chanted in Tibetan:

Om Bhekandze Bekhandze Maha Bhekandze Bhekandze Randza Sumungate Soha

From a previous story on Medicine Buddha: “Tibetan doctors rely on Medicine Buddha for their healings. Regular practice with the Medicine Buddha also empowers one to heal others. In China and Japan, Medicine Buddha is a refuge in times of illness. Around the world, literally millions call out the name or mantra of Bhaisajyaguru (भैषज्यगुरु). It is even written in the sutras that if you speak the name of the Medicine Buddha in the ears of a dying animal or human they will be ensured good rebirth regardless of their past karma. No wonder the Medicine Buddha is so popular.” [Full story here>>]

Event Details

Location: Best Western Inn On The Bay, 1800 2nd Ave. East, Owen Sound, N4K 5R1 (Google Maps link)

Times:  Friday March 30th, 7:30pm-9pm (optional talk*)

Saturday March 31st, 9am – 5pm;

7:30pm-9pm (optional talk*)

Sunday April 1st, 9am-5pm

*Please note, there will be two talks given by Theodore Tsaousidis as part of the retreat: Friday March 30th 7:30 pm, Healing Power of Visualization and Mantra

When we chant and do visualizations, we use our voice and our mind as a vehicle to cultivate a quality of physical, emotional and mental well being. These benefits are not dependent on having any special ability of voice or mind. Everyone is capable. All that is required is sincerity and clear intention to help ourselves and others. Our sincere efforts are a reflection of our innate power and wholeness.

March 31st 7:30 pm, Illness and Health: Causes and Conditions and the Practice of Medicine Buddha

Illness springs from physical, environmental, psychological and spiritual disharmony. The practice of Medicine Buddha supports us in minimizing or eliminating the impact of illness and disease by mirroring our own true nature which is whole, complete, powerful, lacking nothing.

These two talks will include a practice component with a Q & A following.

Cost: $50 per day or $90 for the weekend.  Evening talks given by Theodore Tsaousidis are by donation.

Chairs will be provided.  If you would prefer a floor space please notify us ahead of time by email:  secularmindfulness@gmail.com

One may come for part or all of the retreat.  Everyone is welcome.

For questions please contact us by email: secularmindfulness@gmail.com

The post Healing event: rare weekend Medicine Buddha healing mini-retreat with H.E. Zasep Tulku Rinpoche in Owen Sound, March 31-April1 appeared first on Buddha Weekly: Buddhist Practices, Mindfulness, Meditation.

Originally written and published by Lee Kane of Buddha Weekly: Buddhist Practices, Mindfulness, Meditation. Copyright Buddha Weekly.

H.E. Zasep Tulku Rinpoche’s much anticipated return to Ontario, Canada promises to be rare opportunity to receive rarely offered empowerments from the famed cycle of 13 initiations: the “Clear Vision” of the legendary Gelugpa Yogi and Mahasiddha Takpuwa Dorje Chang. These two special empowerments — requested by senior students of Rinpoche — are only two of 6 events in Toronto and Owen Sound, Ontario, planned for March 23-April 4, 2018. [More details on the Gaden Choling website>>]

[View some of the teaching videos and guided meditations of H.E. Zasep Rinpoche below and on our YouTube channel. Or, read the 3-part interview with Rinpoche on Buddha Weekly>>]

Photo of a Chittamani Tara thangka. On her crown is Amitabha Buddha, her “spiritual father” — she is part of the Compassion Lotus family of Amitabha. She is also green, associating her with Buddha Amoghisiddi, and “action.” Chittamani Tara is distinguished by two night lotus (Uptala) flowers over her shoulders. She still has her right leg outstretched, as with Green Tara, ready to leap to the aid of her followers. For a full story on Chittamani Tara, visit>>

The two treasured empowerments of Mahasiddha Takpuwa Dorje Chang are:

• Chittamani Tara Empowerment: a Highest Yoga Tantra (Anutara) aspect of Green Tara, the heroic Buddha of Compassion and Wisdom (March 27th) [For a full, detailed feature article in Buddha Weekly on Chittamani Tara, visit>>]
• Guru Padmasambhava and Amitayus Empowerment: uniquely combined deity practice of Amitayus, Buddha of Infinite Life with Guru Yoga practice of Guru Rinpoche (very rarely taught, and considered a profound “long life” practice. [For a video from Rinpoche on Amitayus Powa practice see below.]

Rinpoche will also offer empowerments in Vajrasattva Yab-Yum, commentary weekend on Yamantaka practice (for those who already have initiation) a teaching on how to perform Tantric Sadhanas and Tsog offerings, and a very special weekend Medicine Buddha retreat.

Note: Vajrasattva empowerment has the normal Refuge vow and Bodhisattva vows. Chittamani Tara Empowerment is a Highest Yoga Tantra practice, and as such includes Bodhisattva and Tantric vows and commitments — recommended for more experienced students who are already practicing deity yoga, particularly with an affinity for Tara. There is a practice commitment to do a daily short uncommon Guru Yoga daily. 

Full schedule of events

Fri., Mar 23rd, 7pm-9pm: Vajrasattva Yab-Yum Tantric Initiation.

Vajrasattva is a manifestation of Buddha Conquerer Vajradhara and his practice is one of the most powerful healing and purification techniques in Vajrayana Buddhism. Purifying your past negative karmas is empowering and healing. [For more on Vajrasattva, see>>]

Sat. & Sun., Mar. 24th & 25th, Both days 10am-4pm: Commentary on Yamantaka Tantric Practice

Yamantaka is the Anutara or Highest Yoga Tantra aspect of the Buddha of Wisdom, Manjushri. This practice is at the heart of the Gelugpa Tradition and a source of the highest spiritual attainments. H.E. Zasep Rinpoche will give detailed commentary and instruction and lead discussion on the many aspects of Yamantaka practice. A “must-have” for those who have received the Yamantaka Empowerment. Open to Initiates of Yamantaka practice. [For a feature story in Buddha Weekly on Yamantaka, visit>>]

A short guided-meditation on Green Tara by H.E. Zasep Rinpoche at Gaden Choling:

Tues., Mar. 27th, 7pm-9pm: Chittamani Tara Empowerment

Tara in the Palm of Your Hand, a book by Venerable Zasep Tulku Rinpoche is available on Amazon.ca in paperback from Wind Horse Press.

Chittamani or “Mind-Jewel” Tara is the Anutara or Highest Yoga Tantra aspect of Green Tara, the Buddha of Compassion and Wisdom. Chittamani Tara is a relatively new practice, coming from a cycle of 13 Initiations from the “Clear Vision” of famed Gelugpa Yogi and Mahasiddha Takpuwa Dorje Chang in the 19thC and is unique to the Gelugpa Tradition. A peaceful, direct but very profound practice of Green Tara, Chittamani Tara is a source of the highest spiritual attainments in Tantra. [For a full feature on the Highest Yoga Tantras aspect Chittamani Tara, see our feature>>]

March 31 – April 1st  Weekend Medicine Buddha healing teaching in Owen Sound

This Medicine Buddha Healing Retreat is an opportunity to support our own healing journey as well as beneficial to professionals engaged in their own healing practices.

A short guided Powa meditation by H.E. Zasep Rinpoche (Amitabha / Amitayus Pureland):

Amaitayus is a form of Amitabha. He is visualized in princely atire and crown (instead of a monk) and his practice is for “long life.” Amitayus translates as “Infinite Life.”

Tues. April 3rd, 7pm-9pm: Guru Padmasambhava and Amityus Empowerment

This Initiation is extremely rare, again from the “Clear Vision” of famed Gelugpa Yogi and Mahasiddha Takpuwa Dorje Chang in the 19thC, like Chittamani Tara and is both unique to the Gelugpa Tradition and unique in that it combines the Deity practice of Amitayus, the Buddha of Infinite Life with the Guru Yoga practice of Guru Rinpoche. In terms of Gelug practice, this makes it very singular & special. It is a healing and long-practice as well.

Wed. April 4th, 7pm-9pm: How to do Tantric Sadhanas and Tsog offerings

H.E. Zasep Rinpoche will teach and give commentary on how to do basic Tantric practice & rituals as well as Tantric Feast Offerings.

All Events (except the weekend retreats): $25. Members / $30. Non-Members per event

Mar. 24th & 25th weekend package: $40. Member / $50. Non-Member

NOTE: No sincere student will be turned away due to costs. The costs defray the venue expenses, however if you sincerely wish to benefit from the teachings, and have difficulty with the suggested fees, contact the organizers, from the website>>

ABOUT VENERABLE ZASEP TULKU RINPOCHE

Rinpoche is popularly known for his approachable teaching style, strong humor and teachings based on a long lineage of great lamas. His own gurus included the most celebrated of Gelug teachers: His Holiness Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche, His Holiness Kyabje Ling Rinpoche, Venerable Geshe Thupten Wanggyel, His Holiness Kyabje Zong Rinpoche, Venerable Lati Rinpoche, Venerable Tara Tulku Rinpoche and Venerable Khalkha Jetsun Dampa Rinpoche.

Rinpoche is spiritual director of many temples, meditation centres and retreat centres in Australia, the United States and Canada. He was first invited to teach in Australia by Lama Thubten Yeshe in 1976.

More on Zasep Tulku Rinpoche>>

Zasep Tulku Rinpoche

Gaden for the West Meditation Centres

Australia

• Vajra Ling, Uralla, N.S.W.
• Losang Gyalwa Mandala, Sydney, N.S.W.
• Tenzing Ling Centre, Quamaa, N.S.W.
• Dorje Ling Retreat Centre, Lorina Valley, Tasmania

Canada

• Chittamani Mahayana Buddhist Meditation Centre, Ottawa, Ontario
• Gaden Choling, Toronto, Ontario
• Medicine Buddha Centre, Calgary, Alberta
• Potala Tibetan Buddhist Meditation Centre, Thunder Bay,Ontario
• Tashi Choling, Nelson, B. C.
• Zuru Ling Society, Vancouver, B.C.

United States

• Golden Blue Lotus Tara Meditation Center, Moscow, Idaho
• TsongKhapa Center, Kalamazoo, Michigan
• Vajrayogini Center, Seattle, Washington

ALWAYS SEEK MEDICAL ADVICE

Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.

The post H.E. Zasep Tulku Rinpoche brings two rare Buddhist teachings from the “clear vision” of famous Yogi Takpuwa Dorje Chang to Ontario, Canada in March appeared first on Buddha Weekly: Buddhist Practices, Mindfulness, Meditation.

Originally written and published by Lee Kane of Buddha Weekly: Buddhist Practices, Mindfulness, Meditation. Copyright Buddha Weekly.

Venerable Zasep Tulku Rinpoche has taught in the West for 40 years and is spiritual head of Gaden Choling for the West centres in Canada, U.S. and Australia.

Is it possible to achieve longevity? And what about karma?

H.E. Zasep Rinpoche answers these questions and gives a short video teaching on White Tara, known and loved for her long-life activities and healing energy. Rinpoche teaches the benefits, then — in great detail — how to visualize White Tara and the healing and protective energy. As he says at the end of the video: “It’s wonderful. Wonderful protection, wonderful for longevity, good health. And I wish you have longevity and much more happiness.”

NOTE: Special Event Notice: For those in the Ontario Canada area, Rinpoche will be in town for 2 weeks for an extensive round of teachings: Medicine Buddha weekend retreat, Vajrasattva initiation, Chittamani Tara Initiation, Yamantaka weekend retreat (for those with previous initiation). Information here>>

This video, new from the Buddha Weekly Guided Meditation Series, plays here [Full transcript below video] :

Note: If you have initiation, you would visualize as Rinpoche outlines in detail. If you do not have initiation, you can still do the practice and mantra by visualizing White Tara in front of you, facing you, with healing light coming into you — rather than yourself as Tara.

Full transcript of teaching

H.E. Zasep Rinpoche: I would like to give some instructions and explanation on how to practice White Tara longevity. There are different Tara practices. White Tara practice is for longevity and good health.

Question: Is it possible to achieve longevity? And what about karma? Some people ask the question. Maybe it’s already predetermined, how long one could live once a lifespan. Yes, of course. Everything is karma, but that doesn’t mean we cannot practice long-life practice, and it does not mean that long-life practice does not have effect on us.

Because when you practice long-life sadhana, long-life mantras like White Tara or Amitayus Buddha, and so forth, you are also creating good karma, or long life, this very moment. So, there’s many different karmas; karmas of the past life, karmas of the present life, karmas of now, and future karma, and so forth.

White Tara is very popular. Although she is Tara, in this aspect she helps us develop long-life siddhi.

So, I will explain how does it work for practicing long-life mantras and sadhanas. Okay, so when you practice long-life sadhana, such as White Tara, and recite the mantras, it purifies unwholesome karmas of your past life, that you may have unwholesome karma that you’ve created in the past life that makes your life shorter. You may have a number of unwholesome karmas, or maybe one big one, or maybe one little one. You don’t know. We don’t know. But we assume so, because from the reincarnation point of view, that we have no beginning. We do know people have a short lifespan. And we also know, ourselves, that somehow genetically we may not live very long when you look through your experiences about your grandparents and ancestors and they died from a short life. And so forth. And, today is very difficult time, and there are so many causes for shortening life. Disease and all kinds of things, as you know, I don’t need to explain to you. So, this is why we practice long-life Buddhas, so it purify the past life karmas.

Meditation and visualization, and especially practices like White Tara, help us work out negative karmas, here symbolized by storm clouds.

Good karma and merit

And also, I’m not only talking about negative karmas of the past life. We have, also, positive karmas. We have virtues and many, many, many lifetimes we have created good karma and virtues and merit. Some of you might think, how do we know that we have created good karma in the past life? Well, we don’t know everything, of course. Human beings don’t know everything, and this is why we call the Buddhas our ‘All-Knowers’ and ‘Omniscient’. So, we don’t know.

But when you look at this life, you have a good life, a fairly wholesome life, and especially you have opportunity to practice dharma. You are already practicing dharma. This means that you have created wonderful, good karma in the past life. So then, you may have many, many good karmas and also good karmas of long life. So when you practice long-life sadhanas, such as White Tara and mantras, it brings those karmic seeds that you created in the past life, bringing those karmic seeds, bringing the previous life, long-life karmic seeds out, ripening in this life — to ripen in this life. Because it will be very helpful at this moment, at this life, we have the opportunity to practice dharma. So, why not you make the life longer? In other words, extend your life. It’s like you’re getting extension Visa to extend your life. So, this is why we practice long life, White Tara sadhanas and mantras, and other long-life Buddha practices, such as Amitayus. This is why we do it.

White Tara. If you have initiation, in this practice you will visualize yourself arising (generating) as White Tara. If you do not have initiation, usually you visualize Tara in front of you instead of yourself as Tara.

How to: White Tara visualization

Okay, now, how do we do long-life White Tara practice? Traditionally, you have to receive the initiation of White Tara from a qualified master, qualified guru. And if you don’t have the initiation, you can also ask mantra transmission to the Lama. And we call Lung, a Tibetan word. Lung means transition, and you can get that from Lama. And if you don’t have the lung, you can still practice and say the mantra, there’s no problem because with good intention, with the devotion, you can say the mantra anytime and any place.

So, now, let’s say those of you who have received White Tara initiation, then you visualize yourself as White Tara. And you’re sitting on the lotus and moon cushion. So, you say the Sanskrit mantra

OM SVABHAVA SHUDDHA SARVA DHARMA SVABHAVA SHUDDHO HAM.

Everything becomes empty in inherent existence, and from the state of emptiness, I arise myself as the White Tara. I generate myself, visualize myself as a venerable, holy White Tara. So, when you say OM SVABHAVA SHUDDHA SARVA DHARMA SVABHAVA SHUDDHO HAM, imagine your ordinary body and ordinary perceptions and ordinary mind dissolve into śūnyatā, emptiness.

Visualize a White Tam arising out of emptiness (or oneness). This is the Tibetan Tam. If you can’t visualize this, you can visualize a white TAM in English characters.

And from the state of voidness [emptiness], you appear yourself as the White Tara. First you visualize a lotus moon cushion, and then little of the moon cushion you visualize white TAM syllable. T-A-M, TAM syllable, in English. If you don’t know the Tibetan syllable, then you visualize the English syllable, white TAM. And if you know the Tibetan one, syllable, then you visualize Tibetan syllable, TAM. That will be good. And you can also learn, and you can learn the Tibetan letter alphabet.

So visualize white TAM syllable, standing on the moondisc. When you visualize the syllable, imagine there are a nature, the syllable is in the nature of light and transparent, and beautiful white TAM syllable. Then, white light shining. White light shining, white light goes out all in directions, ten directions. And especially white light goes to Buddha realms, pure lands of the Buddhas. And this white light bringing the blessings of all the Buddhas. Also, specially, blessings of White Tara in the form of white lights descending. Lots of white lights descending from all directions, dissolve into the white TAM syllable.

Tam at the heart of myself as White Tara. If you do not have initiation, usually you visualize Tara in front of you instead of yourself as Tara.

After that, the white TAM syllable getting bigger and bigger, and slowly bigger. And then slowly merging myself into White Tara. So, I, myself becomes White Tara. And imagine I am sitting on the lotus and moon cushion, I’ve got white color, and white color is color of peace, color of purity. So I have one face, two hands. At this time I am sitting cross-legged Vajra Asana. White Tara sit cross-legged. Different than Green Tara posture. I’m wearing beautiful silk dresses and jewel ornaments, earrings, necklace, and bracelets and so forth. Crown ornaments. I have a ushnisha above my head. I have long hair with top-knot, and the rest of the hair loose and hanging behind my body. I am holding a blue uptala flower in my left hand. And sometimes you visualize lotus flower, so either way is fine. Uptala flower or lotus flower, is an alternative, or optional.

So, my left hand is in the mudra of representing Buddhas of the three times; Buddhas of the past, present, and future. That means I, myself, as White Tara, am the embodiment of the Buddhas of the past, present, and future.

Right hand is in the mudra of giving blessing, giving realizations, or helping you to have spiritual realizations. Also, White Tara has seven eyes. One eye on the forehead, wisdom eye, so that makes three eyes, then one eye in each palm of hand, and then also eyes at the bottom of her feet. So altogether, seven eyes.

So now, I visualize myself as White Tara. Once you visualize yourself as White Tara, then you visualize moondisc at your heart, horizontal. Then at the top of the moondisc, in the middle of the moondisc, you visualize white TAM syllable, seed syllable. And this time the seed syllable is surrounded by mantra of White Tara.

Surrounding the TAM is the White Tara mantra.

So, White Tara mantra is different than Green Tara mantra. You visualize Om Tare Tuttare Ture Mama Ayu Punye Jnana Pushtim Kuru Soha. That’s the mantra. So, longer. Extra mantra. You say Mama Ayu Punye Jnana Pushtim Kuru Soha.

Om Tare Tuttare Ture Soha mean liberating myself from this world and from suffering and disease and so forth. Om Tare Tuttare is liberating from the cause of suffering; karma and delusions. And Om Tare Tuttare Ture Soha means liberating myself completely from this life, cycle of lives, from Samsara, to reach enlightenment; Om Tare Tuttare Ture.

Then you say Mama Ayu Punye Jnana Pushtim Kuru Soha. So that increasing wisdom, virtues. Mama Ayu is increasing long life. Punye is virtues. Jnana is wisdom. Punye Jnana Pushtim Kuru Soha. Punye karma, and good karma and virtues. So, increase your long life, virtues, and wisdom. Punye Jnana Pushtim Kuru Soha. To achieve long life siddhi So, visualize White Tara mantra at your heart, then light shining from your heart. And then you say White Tara mantra, repeat White Tara mantra.

White Tara mantra in English with the glowing light body of White Tam.

While you’re repeating white Tara mantra, imagine white light shining from your heart, from those syllables. And light goes inside your body through the top of your head to the bottom of your feet. Entire body is filled with white light. Also your mind, your consciousness, is filled with light of longevity and good health. Your senses filled with white light of longevity. Your sense consciousness filled with white light of longevity. Your sense consciousness, primary mind, sixth sense consciousness, they are what we call primary mind. Eye consciousness, ear consciousness, nose consciousness, tongue consciousness, body consciousness, and tactile consciousness, and the main consciousness. All of them, purified.

Within this consciousness and the body, if there are any kind of stains, or suffering, or pain, or trauma, or defilement, and subtle disease, subtle defilement, cause of disease, whatever, karmic imprints, all of them are purified. Completely purified. No more. And you achieve long life siddhi. Sanskrit word siddhi means realizations, and powerful realizations. Siddhi.

Now, I will explain a little bit more visualization this time. Protection. Protection for your life force. So, we have life. We are alive right now. And because our consciousness is based in your heart chakra, from the tantric Buddhist point of view, the heart chakra. Your consciousness is supported by prana called life-sustaining prana. So, this prana is important prana. It’s very, very, very subtle prana. And this is the most subtlest prana, and it’s called indestructible prana. Life-sustaining prana depends on your karma in this life. So when your karma is exhausting and diminishing, then your life-sustaining prana becomes weak. When the prana of life-sustaining becomes weak, then your consciousness becomes weak. Of course, your body becomes weak, everything becomes weak. Then, gradually, life force is diminishing. Then it makes the life getting shorter, shorter, shrinking, shrinking the life force. This is why people have short life.

For protection, you visualize white light going out from the TAM at your heart and forming a barrier, a “tent” around you. You imagine no negativity can enter.

So, when you do the long-life Tara mantra and breathing meditation, visualization, it purifies unwholesome karmas; it creates virtuous karma. Then your life-sustaining prana becomes stronger, powerful. So it’s like in the oriental philosophy, they talk about chi, inner chi. Same thing. So, your prana becomes stronger and then your consciousness can remain on this life-sustaining prana comfortably and happily. You feel that you want to stay, you are optimistic, and this is how you achieve long life siddhi. Siddhi. And also, you get inspiration in your mind. Positive mind. You get positive imprint. That’s very important. Uplifting, healing. Then you feel, I have purpose, reason to live. I’m not just sitting here waiting, an old man or old lady. I have a purpose to live. So this is why people can live long, and not only live long, but with good health and with good energy.

One of my spiritual mentors, he was Mongolian lama, he lived 100 [years] and one month. I’m told the last day of his life, his mind is absolutely sure, clear. And he’d did so much spiritual work, healing, and community service, and rebuilding Buddhism in Mongolia. His name was Guru Dewa Rinpoche. Everybody knows Guru Dewa Rinpoche, and many Tibetan people in India know him very well. So, I believe that he had a long-life siddhi.

So, now, I’m going to give you a short explanation on how to do the protection. So then, you focus your meditation at your heart at the white TAM syllable. Now, imagine your white light shining from your heart — it goes outside your body: this time it goes all the way around like a tent. Like a yurt. So, these are white lights, totally, completely solid. The white light symbolizes peace, siddhi of peace. So then you imagine your body-mind is all protected. And you say Om Tare Tuttare Ture Mama Ayu Punye Jnana Pushtim Kuru Soha. Then, outside that white light you visualize another light. This time, yellow light. Again, yellow light emanating from your heart, from the TAM syllable, goes outside the white light. Another layer of yellow light, like a tent outside a tent. White light is the symbol of peace. Yellow light is a symbol of longevity and prosperity. These lights are very solid. Strong. Nothing can enter, no negative forces.

After the initial practice, you visualize protecting your life force with barriers of solid light, first white, then yellow, then red, blue, green.

Now, between … Okay, I’ll explain that later. Then, after the yellow light, again, red light shining from your heart, from the TAM syllable, goes out in a layer of red light like a tent. And the red light is a symbol of power. You have long life; power. And then, you visualize blue light. Blue light shines from your heart from the TAM syllable, goes out and outside the red light. Very strong, round, solid, and give you power.

Then, last one, you imagine green light shining from the TAM syllable, goes straight outside the blue light. So, the green light is what we call the light of action.

So, five colors of light: white, yellow, red, blue, and green. These all symbolize peace, knowledge, prosperity, power, and blue is energy (symbolizes energy and healing), and the green one symbolizes action, activity — like a green color is action and like a green grass, green forest, when spring comes and the leaves are changed, the color becomes green. Like that, action color. So you have five kinds of what we call siddhi, in Sanskrit, peaceful siddhi. Siddhi of knowledge and wisdom, siddhi of power, siddhi of energy, siddhi of action (karma). Sanskrit word is Sita, Ratna, Padma, Vajra, and action [Karma]. White color represents Sita, siddhi of peace. The yellow color symbolizes Ratna siddhi. The red color symbolizes Padma siddhi. The blue color symbolizes Vajra siddhi. And green light symbolizes Karma siddhi. I studied Sanskrit, myself, in Sanskrit University; Sanskrit in India, so I know a little bit about Sanskrit. It is very helpful to know Sanskrit.

Between the barriers of protective light you can visualize a layer of purple lotus petals.

So, you imagine now you have all the siddhis around and you are protected. On top of that, one last thing, between these layers of lights you visualize purple color, lotus petals. Purple color of lotus petals filled between all the layers of colors. Then you say the mantra Om Tare Tuttare Ture Mama Ayu Punye Jnana Pushtim Kuru Soha. It’s wonderful. Wonderful protection, wonderful for longevity, good health. And I wish you have longevity and much more happiness. Thank you very much.

About H.E. Zasep Rinpoche

Venerable Acharya Zasep Tulku Rinpoche is Spiritual Director of Gaden for the West, with meditation centers in Canada, Australia and the United States. Rinpoche is popularly known for his approachable teaching style, strong humor and teachings based on a long lineage of great lamas. His own gurus included the most celebrated of Gelug teachers: His Holiness Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche, His Holiness Kyabje Ling Rinpoche, Venerable Geshe Thupten Wanggyel, His Holiness Kyabje Zong Rinpoche, Venerable Lati Rinpoche, Venerable Tara Tulku Rinpoche and Venerable Khalkha Jetsun Dampa Rinpoche. Rinpoche is spiritual director of many temples, meditation centres and retreat centres in Australia, the United States and Canada. He was first invited to teach in Australia by Lama Thubten Yeshe in 1976.

NOTE: Special Event Notice: For those in the Ontario Canada area, Rinpoche will be in town for 2 weeks for an extensive round of teachings: Medicine Buddha weekend retreat, Vajrasattva initiation, Chittamani Tara Initiation, Yamantaka weekend retreat (for those with previous initiation). Information here>>

The post White Tara long life practice video with guided visualization from H.E. Zasep Rinpoche, with mantra and beautiful Tara visualizations appeared first on Buddha Weekly: Buddhist Practices, Mindfulness, Meditation.

Originally written and published by Lee Kane of Buddha Weekly: Buddhist Practices, Mindfulness, Meditation. Copyright Buddha Weekly.

How many of us actually find time for even a weekend retreat in today’s hectic world? Many Buddhists — and non-Buddhists — aspire to the quiet energy of retreat, not just to de-stress, but to actually still the mind sufficiently to progress mindfully. As meditation teacher Theodore Tsaousidis puts it: “silence is so extraordinary.” [Full talk transcript below.]

Theodore Tsaousidis teaching.

Yes, our daily practices and meditation are vital, but most Buddhist teachers from all traditions and schools, advise retreats at least once in a lifetime, and preferrably each year for serious students. After, all, human life is a precious, rare opportunity, and no matter how good our genes, we are all knocking on death’s door sometime in the near future. Time passes quickly, and opportunities are fleeting. Some of us are forced to engage in what is lightly called “working retreats” — where we continue our day job, but dedicate all non-work hours, for a certain period of weeks, to a few hours of meditative retreat. It may not have the same impact as a dedicated group retreat, but it’s a partial solution.

Still, as Theodore points out, ” it is extraordinarily rare to meditate together with other people.”

Of course, ultimately, the solitary closed retreat — iconically, the meditator alone in a cave on the mountain — is the highest aspiration in retreat. Finding time, let alone a mountain cave, is, needless-to-say, difficult. Finding time for group retreat is challenging enough for most of us.

At the opening of one of Theodore Tsaousidis’s retreat events, the “Touching Earth Retreat”, he spoke on “Why do we go to a meditation retreat?” With permission, we publish the transcription of his fascinating and insightful talk.

Theodore Tsaousidis teaching.

Why Do We Go To a Meditation Retreat?

 

Transcribed from a talk at the TOUCHING EARTH RETREAT 2016, FRIDAY MAY 20.

On the first night of a multi-day retreat, there is generally an opening talk to remind us of the reasons why we are here and what we came to do –thus setting the tone for the retreat. So tonight I would like to address a few points that I hope will provide encouragement to all of you as you begin and as you move through the following days.

 

Silent meditation can helps us feel the oneness with all. “Here we are sitting in silence without looking at each other but every single one of us feels more connected to each other.”

 

The first point I would like to address is our actual presence at this retreat or any other meditation retreat for that matter.  Whether it is a work retreat, whether it is a healing or a metta/lovingkindness retreat, or another, doesn’t matter.  And whether it is a Buddhist or secular retreat doesn’t matter.  We need to ask ourselves not only why we’re here, but how is it out of millions of people in Ontario, we have chosen to be here today.  There are many meditation centers and temples in this province, but how many people actually take the opportunity to recognize the benefit and understand the privilege of actually being in places like this that exist only for your benefit and well-being? Why are you here and why are others not? You came in spite of all the logistical demands of work, family, health and life in general. You came in spite of knowing the challenges intrinsic to the meditation experience. Challenges which are basically all the struggles you have in life brought up close and personal by the work you have chosen to do here. You knew that retreats are as exacting as they are beneficial and you still made the choice to come

Theodore Tsaousidis

Words cannot begin to describe when we start to feel this connection with all things; not just with other human beings, but with all beings and things in the world — bugs, trees, grasses, flowers, the sun, the moon, the air, the cushion you’re sitting on, the chair.  In this experience of non-separateness, you may try to write a poem about it or try to describe it, but you simply can’t.  There is nothing you can say that comes close to it but this experience is enough to transform your life.

And because of the experience of this One Mind/Body, when we sit, we sit together as one. When we stand, we stand together as one, we walk together as one, we eat together as one, and we work together as one.  When you have even a glimpse of this oneness, it shatters all illusions of separation, all illusions of aloneness.  It begins to wear away at that feeling of loneliness, of that confusion about what’s going on — Who am I? What is this?  Even that begins to be worn away.

So is a meditation retreat special? Is it something different from other things?  Absolutely yes! It’s probably the most important resource to recognizing and discovering oneself. I know this to be so in my own life.  To recognize or rediscover yourself – your true self, you actually have to drop that little self that is immersed in self-cherishing and constantly complaining.  By realizing that all of us here are really One Self, we begin to experience this One Body/One Mind that my teacher talks about.  So I don’t think it can be overstated that the rarest and most important thing in the universe is to sit in meditation with others, to work together — and be able to do this in spite of all our personal challenges.

Even if you can’t get away to a handy “meditation cave” a group retreat under guidance of a qualified teacher can help the meditator progress.

 

Thirdly, meditation retreats are not as many believe to achieve a state of bliss. Although a bliss state may occur, the recommendation is to move past it just as you do with the thinking mind. Retreats are in actual fact simple, but not easy, and unfinished business from the past may rear its head, as do our present struggles.   As mentioned previously, we all came to this retreat in spite of all our personal challenges, the demands of work, family, health and our general day to day struggles.    We all have different narratives from which we come – family culture, society, traumas, life experiences, and so on — and we all have different baggage which we bring. Meditation retreats also provide guidance and support through one to one teacher interviews, formal teachings and the very structure of the retreat itself.

The power and the strength that is generated in retreat by all of us creates an environment of healing, acceptance, safety and transformation. We have an opportunity to face whatever shows up and all we have to do is to keep breathing and putting one foot in front of the other, not thinking or worrying about the next step or the next breath. With this group energy and with one to one guidance of the teacher, we begin to see into the truth (or not truth) of our thoughts, feelings, emotions and beliefs. This exploration happens on a deep level. There is nothing you need to do except just be with your practice and not resist anything that comes up.

The post Meditation retreat today is vital and precious and helps us have direct experience of “One Mind, One Body”: teacher Theodore Tsaousidis appeared first on Buddha Weekly: Buddhist Practices, Mindfulness, Meditation.

Originally written and published by Lee Kane of Buddha Weekly: Buddhist Practices, Mindfulness, Meditation. Copyright Buddha Weekly.

Venerable Robilna Courtin managed to give Buddha Weekly some time out of her busy teaching schedule to discuss the Three Higher Trainings and other Buddhist topics. Screen grab from video (below.)

Venerable Robina Courtin known for her clarity and energetic teaching style, covers a broad range of important Buddhist topics in this short interview video with Buddha Weekly. [Full video and transcript below.] Here, she speaks about mind and happiness, karma and habits, and the importance of ethics, concentration and wisdom.

A Tibetan nun for over forty years, she was a close pupil of the great Lama Thubten Yeshe and remains a devoted student of Lama Zopa Rinpoche. To attend one of her teachings is an experience not to be missed, especially for Western students looking to “punch through” the more obscure wisdom teachings. She says,

“I’m a Buddhist, so I’m buying into Buddhist views about reality and views about the mind. And even though we tend to think of Buddhism as spiritual, which is true, but actually Buddhist expertise is the mind. And that’s possibly surprising to us because we have these very mystical views about the Buddha, but actually, his expertise is the mind.”

Venerable Robina is currently travelling for teachings. [Ven. Robina will be in Toronto, Canada area for three teachings: details on bottom of this page, or here>>].

Venerable Robina found 25 minutes in her busy schedule Buddha Weekly as she stoped over in Boston. We missed our opportunity when she was in Mexico, almost caught up to her in Nepal, and finally spoke to her in Boston. The interview was extraordinary — if marred by technical difficultes. We hope you’ll look past some sound diffulties — caused by internet noise from an ice/wind storm — and listen to this concise but profound interview with Venerable Robina Courtin.

Full interview on video [with full written transcript just below the video.] May all beings benefit:

Full Transcript

BW: You’re recorded as saying, “Happiness is the mind that is free from junk: clear, blissful, happy, and stable.” My question is, is that an achievable goal in today’s world and how can we achieve it?

Venerable Robina: I mean that’s the Buddhist deal. I’m a Buddhist, so I’m buying into Buddhist views about reality and views about the mind. And even though we tend to think of Buddhism as spiritual, which is true, but actually Buddhist expertise is the mind. And that’s possibly surprising to us because we have these very mystical views about the Buddha, but actually, his expertise is the mind. He came out of this amazing Indian tradition, of these remarkable thinkers more than 3,000 years ago, who are the ones who actually mapped the mind on the basis of this extraordinary, skillful, psychological technique called single-pointed concentration, which the world vaguely knows as mindfulness.

And actually, Buddha’s deal, Buddha’s point, is we have this phenomenal potential to unpack and unravel the contents of our mind and reconfigure it. And that essentially means getting rid of the neurosis, and ego, and fears, and dramas, which we totally believe at the core of our being and to be able to develop wisdom, and clarity, and happiness, and all the rest.

Venerable Robina Courtin teaching. Behind her on the altar are framed images of her famous teachers Lama Thubten Yeshe (left) and Lama Zopa Rinpoche (right.)

This works pretty simple. That’s exactly what Buddhist deal is. That comes down to what Buddhism is. So of course it’s possible, that’s the point.

BW: Wonderful. The other topic mentioned in the events is, “Undoing destructive habits through mind training”, that’s the theme of your first talk actually, ‘Staying sane in a crazy world’, which is very cool. Is that mind training, is that referring to Lojong?

Venerable Robina: It is actually. Yes, exactly. It’s, in fact, a more advanced level of Buddhist psychology. And I think this is something again too that might surprise us, Derek. We learn music and mathematics and botany, we know it’s a gradual process. You start at grade one, you increase your knowledge and then you graduate. So I think we get confused about spiritual and think it’s a bit of a hippy, trippy, mystical thing where you cross your fingers and have some kind of experience. But actually, the Tibetan Buddhist approach, the Buddhist approach in general, it’s a gradual incremental development about this amazing potential of our mind.

Frame  from the video

So the more advanced level … The very first level, Buddhist entry-level junior school for the Buddha actually is forget the mind. He’s simply telling us to do what our grandmother says which is behave nicely and essentially, exhorts us not to kill, not to lie, not to steal, not to have bad behavior, not to harm others. But his crucial reason of not harming isn’t the same as Jesus’s or the usual creator religions, the usual reason to not harm others.

I have a Jesuit priest friend and I asked him, “By definition, what is a sin?” Well, he said, “By definition, it’s doing what God said not to do.” And I think that’s our view of morality in the world. My mother says don’t do that and I’m naughty because she said so, so whereas the Buddha’s view is more of a natural law.

He’s simply like a doctor who advises us because he found from his own experience, and this is a point now, that whatever we think and do and say kind of programs us and brings its own results. We’re like our own creators. That’s how the Dalai Lama put it.

Dalai Lama (centre) with young Venerable Robina Courtin (first row, second from right).

So then the very first level of practice, given Buddhist view that we’re driven by all these crazy delusions, we’re driven by ego grasping, attachment, anger, fears, jealousy, the stuff that we consider totally normal but what he says are really mental illness. Because we’re driven by that first, the very first level of practice for our own benefit is to not, at least, follow the crazy delusions. Our body and speech basically are like the servants of our crazy mind, so by first harnessing our physical and verbal energy, we start to develop some discipline and then some self-respect because these actions will cause us suffering, forget about how many others.

Then, we got ability to go to the next level of practice which is … Well, as one of my teachers puts it, become your own therapist, which is really the job of being a Buddhist. As we already indicated before, where you learn single-pointed concentration, you learn Buddhist psychology and you learn to unpack and unravel your own mind and reconfigure it, and that really is the job of being a Buddhist.

Then, the most advanced level is compassion wing, the Mahayana component and that’s where you continue to work on your mind. There’s no difference now, but the logic being you kind of harness your physical and verbal and mental levels so marvelously. You continue to work on your mind in relation to helping others but now you enter into the most sophisticated level of practice where they talk about actually using problems themselves and beginning to greet problems and delight in problems because they’re the challenge that’ll help you rip out ego, rip out all the delusions and all our neurosis, so you learn to see …

Lama Zopa Rinpoche

As what Lama Zopa says, “You learn to like problems like you like ice cream.”

You begin to delight in problems. In the beginning stages, you got to avoid them because they make us crazy but now we’re so advanced, the logic is you attempt it where you greet problems with a happy mind and this puts atomic bombs under all the ridiculous delusions and makes us even a more marvelous, more courageous person. It’s something like that.

BW: Absolutely. Great answer. The second event you’re running is called, “Karma, the ultimate life hack.” I was really interested in the language.

Venerable Robina: The what? The karma of the what? What did they say?

BW: Karma, the ultimate life hack. Looks like you’re…

Venerable Robina: What?

BW: As in computer hacking.

Venerable Robina: Oh, okay.

BW: Oh, it wasn’t your language. Okay.

Venerable Robina:  I can imagine. But karma really … I think again so many times we make such clichés out of all these concepts because they’re ancient Indian and whatever, but it’s really if they’re valid tools, they should be very contemporary. So karma really is simply the Buddha’s own observation and indeed, it’s the observation of those before him, we mustn’t discount them, these geniuses that came before the Buddha. Due to their remarkable skill of developing their mind and single-pointed concentration, which implies access in the most subtle level of consciousness, and we don’t even posit as existing in our materialist models and this is why it’s such a very radically different view. With this subtle level of mind, we can get complete control over our minds, number one, and number two, to really do the job of achieving our own liberation. One of the consequences of this is much more wisdom. We see the past, we see the future. That’s the capability of the mind at the subtle level.

So all these teachings about karma, they’re not revelation which is a typical view about religion. They’re not coming from on high somewhere, the whole teachings about karma is that Buddha has observed that this is a natural law that runs the universe. It’s not like some big stick that we use to beat ourselves up with. This is how we think of bad and good, as some kind of moralistic punishment, reward system.

There’s no punisher in Buddhism, there’s no rewarder in Buddhism. Buddha says we create our own happiness, our own suffering. And so, the moral of karma is this natural law that Buddha’s observed within which the universe runs. And so, he relates it to happiness and suffering and essentially he says that suffering is the result of past programming about our own mind of negativity and happiness is the result of past programming of positivity, speaking simply.

And so, it’s the law that a Buddhist — if they’re trying to be a decent Buddhist — you’re trying to abide by the laws of karma. Not kill, not lie, not steal, not create future suffering for yourself basically and then you become your own therapist and you learn to radically change your mind. That’s only creating virtuous karma, thus only creating your future happiness and eventually your own Nirvana. So it’s this natural law that’s the real point, that runs the universe.

And it’s a surprise to us because we tend to think life is a big surprise. In the materialist view certainly, we didn’t ask to get born, it’s not our fault, Mommy and Daddy made us. Life is good life and bad life, which is kind of very nihilistic really. The Christian view is, of course, God made the universe. He’s got the laws and he runs the show, and that’s okay too.

But the Buddhist one is we run it, so we better learn these laws so we can live according to them, so we can create happiness and stop suffering and therefore, help others.

An interview with Venerable Robina Courtin, a Buddha Weekly video.

BW: When the topic of karma comes up, often rebirth is associated with it and that becomes a difficult topic for some Western students. How do you approach that topic?

Venerable Robina:  So I think the interesting point is, we’re so addicted to misery, as soon we hear about karma, we hear just punishment. We’ve got to analyze and we’ve got to be intelligent. We got to be grown up and open our minds to listen to Buddha’s views; he’s a very sophisticated thinker. We don’t think like that. And because we have an assumption of morality being someone else punishing us, we extrapolate and use that view but that’s no good, you’re mistaken. In Buddhism, there is no such concept of punishment and reward because there’s no creator. There’s no concept of a punisher and a rewarder, but we have to give some thinking to it so we can hear this intelligently instead of leaping in emotionally.

And the second point is … And I said whenever we hear about karma, we assume it’s about negativity only. I joke and I say, “I’m not joking, I’ve never ever heard a person ever ask me the question, ‘Robina, why do good things happen?'”

It’s only why do bad things happen because we tend to take the good for granted. We sort of see it out there as coming in its own side as good luck and bad luck where Buddhist says there’s a logic to it all and the logic starts in our own reality, because we’re not created by somebody else, we’re not someone else’s victim.

Lama Yeshe (right) with his student Venerable Robina Courtin.

So it takes a bit of thinking about it to unpack it but we’re intelligent, we can do, we just have to want to that’s all. Karma’s a natural law that runs the universe. It’s not like a thing or a big stick that you use. Happiness is the fruit of our past positive programming and suffering is a fruit of our past negative programming. So demand to take responsibility to hear this first. Whereas, we tend to think of suffering is something that somebody else causes and, “It’s not fair. I don’t deserve it.” But happiness is also something that we think someone else causes and we don’t care if we don’t deserve it, we just want more praise. So we’ve really got to look at our assumptions and really break it down very carefully. That’s what the Buddhist approach demands and we’re intelligent and we can do it but we have to try, if we want to.

BW In that talk, are you going to be talking about methods as well?  Methods to life hack, I guess you could say.

Venerable Robina:  Well, the methods are like all methods. If you want to study, if you want to play the piano, you just don’t leap onto the piano, do you? You’ve got to learn some theories first, don’t you? And if you want to learn mathematics, you just can’t start writing sums with your pencil, you’ve got to learn the theories. Well, surprisingly, Buddhism is the same.

It’s a vast world view actually, so the methods start with learning, comprehending Buddhist views about emptiness, about happiness, about suffering, about impermanence, about karma. Learning these things theoretically and then gradually, we can figure in our mind because the practice is in the mind. The theories are in the mind but so is the practice.

So we have to learn to reconfigure our way of understanding ourselves and the world, and then apply those in day-to-day life. That’s what practice is.

And then you can enhance that practice, the day-to-day practice, with learning single-pointed concentration so you can learn to focus your mind at a deeper level, so we can do that job of being our own therapist. As Lama Yeshe puts it, “In a much more powerful, sophisticated way.” That’s the function of meditation. Sometimes I think we seem to think that being a Buddhist means you sit down with your eyes closed and something mystical happens. I’m not being cynical but there’s far more to it than that. Do you know?

BW: Well, speaking of practice, the big weekend for you is on the three higher trainings. Can you, for our readers and viewers, give us a high-level view of the three precious trainings and the summary of what you plan to cover?

Venerable Robina: Well, there’s a nice analogy in Buddhism that a bird needs two wings. It’s the Mahayana view. We need wisdom and we need compassion. So the compassion wing, if you like, is the point. That’s where you put your money where your mouth is and you help others. This is the bottom line. Whether you call yourself a Hinayanist, Mahayanist, I don’t care. The bottom line is if you want to help others with health, you learn your wisdom first, you learn acupuncture, you learn medicine, then you can help others. Well, here, the wisdom we use, putting together your own self based upon Buddhist view about karma and the mind and how it functions, which is the nuts and bolts of being a Buddhist.

Virtuous acts of compassion exemplify the Buddha’s Eightfold Path. Here, Buddha helps a sick monk.

On the basis of this, you transform yourself into this marvelous person. Less neurotic, less miserable, more accountable, more kind and then you’re able to get out there and help others on the compassion wing.

Well, the three higher trainings is another way of presenting the wisdom wing really. The third is the insight into how things exist and this is Buddha’s fundamental deal. He went through this amazing system with all those Indians at that time and then he diverged in his own direction, in particular, in relation to his own findings, his own direct experiential findings about the nature of self that all these amazing Indians before him were investigating. Well, he suggested he went further so that’s where now Buddhism exists and it relates indirectly with his own particular findings about the nature of self. And this is where all the wisdom teachings about so called Emtiness and Dependent Arising come in.

That’s the result, that’s the third of the three higher trainings where in order to understand wisdom, you got to have the second one which is development of single-pointed concentration. This amazing technique, sophisticated psychological skill called single-pointed concentration. Samatha as we know, calm binding or the development of this marvelous samadhi, the single-pointed concentration, first developed by these amazing Indians more than 3,000 years ago. The Buddhists then used and still continues to use.

Single pointed concentration is central to the second of the Three Precious Trainings.

But in order to have single-pointed concentration which is so extraordinary, you’ve got to have the first of the three which is the first stages of practice, which is essentially the practice of good ethics. Controlling your body, controlling your speech, controlling your mind. So in a way, the entire Buddhist path is one way of packaging the entire Buddhist path.

BW: It’s a workshop, so are you going to alternate between teachings and meditations?

Venerable Robina: The two way I tend to do, whether it’s a retreat, depends. But usually it’s talking about these things and then I open it up to discussion. We have lots of discussion and then we have some meditations as well, and then discussions after the class. I know when I first studied Buddhist philosophy and psychology with my philosophy teacher back in the late ’70s, he’d always say … This is based on the Tibetan Buddhist Monastic University system.

Debate and discussion are critical to development in Buddhist practice. Here, monks traditionally debate.

He’d always say that 25% of what you get is when you listen but then 75% is what you get from what they call debate, which is really what we call discussion. Unpacking and unraveling it, working it out internally so that we can then go and really get to meditate on it, so it’s this gradual process.

Lama Tsongkhapa talks about the wisdom that comes from listening, the wisdom that comes from thinking and contemplating and then the wisdom that comes finally from meditating, so it’s this gradual process.

BW: The workshop’s open to anyone, isn’t it?

Venerable Robina: Yes, for sure.

BW: Okay, great.

Venerable Robina: Anybody. Also, I don’t mind, people can come for just the morning, just the afternoon, whatever they like. I’m very open to that.

BW: Oh, okay. Great. I guess the top line question for a lot of people is how did you end up becoming a Buddhist

VenerableRobina: Being Buddhist. Okay, sure, I’ll tell. Well, I’m Australian. I was born in 1944. So I was part of a Catholic family, many kids, Mom went to a Catholic Convent. And I think as this tiny kid, I loved going to mass, I thought it was my job to be the priest. I was very religious, also my childhood. But I never talked about it to my seven siblings, I just, sort of was my own private world. I read about the saints. But I wasn’t holy looking, I was really the naughtiest person among these kids you could find, but it was my internal world.

Venerable Robina in 1978.

I always want to understand the meaning of things and why happiness and why suffering. And then I think when I was 15, I remember it was kind of a cathartic moment when I … My mother was a classical musician and she never let us listen to rock and roll or anything. It was in the ’50s, I remember hearing some black American music and that kind of blew my mind and opened me up to kind of … My spiritual became more kind of social involving black music and that was just a way of opening my mind to the world and to suffering. Then, I was brought up in 1950s, white Melbourne.

And so then I think by the time I was 19, it was time to say hello boys and good-bye God and it was kind of hippy time. Then I went to London, sort of continued to study classical singing but I ended up giving that up and becoming this revolutionary. So I went through this process for about eight years, the first radical left hippy, then radical left politics, black politics and then feminist politics. And then I think it was this constant process of me trying to understand the world, about having a framework for seeing what the world is and why, the way it works. I never went the scientific way, it was always kind of the activist. So I think by the time I was about 30, 31, I then kind of exhausted all options of who to blame for the world, I sort of joke like that, and wanted something spiritual again.

And I got into martial arts and then in 1976, when I was about 31, 32, I then met Lama Thubten Yeshe, a Tibetan Lama who’d come to Australia to teach and that’s where I’ve been since. So it’s kind of internal evolution really and trying to find a way to frame the world

And I find particularly, the Tibetan Buddhist, while I like the philosophical approach but what I say, out of my life, I liked the devotion as well. And I find in this system, it suits me. It’s a combination of both the devotional, the heart and also the philosophical, the psychology, so I found it very appealing for me. So, that’s my job now to talk about it.

Part of the process, the last 40 years being a Buddhist, that I’d work with editing and publishing for about 10 years. I always worked with Wisdom Publications. And then teaching for 25 years now but also working 15 years running a non-profit, helping people in prison in America and Australia. That was a very moving experience. And we continue to edit books as well, that’s my job on the side. That’s the essence of it.

BW: And you’ve been a nun for how long? Since when?

Venerable Robina: 40 years. 40 years. I’m now 73 or 74 and since about … A bit more than 40 actually, must be 41 or 42 years now. I forget.

BW: And are you still involved with Wisdom Publications?

Venerable Robina:  Yeah, I edit books. I’ve just got a book of Lama Yeshe’s. Lama Zopa’s, I did a couple of years ago about how to help at the time of death, and one I just finished editing that Wisdom will put out in October is a book on Mahamudra. Beautiful teachings of Mahamudra by Lama Yeshe. Very delicious, very experiential, very sweet.

BW: When’s that coming out?

Venerable Robina: Coming out later in the year. October I think… It’s called, “Mahamudra, How To Discover Your True Nature.”

BW: thank you so much.

Venerable Robina: Happy to talk to you, Derek. Thank you so much.

BW: I’ll hopefully talk to you again. Thank you very much.

Venerable Robina: Thanks.

The post Interview with Venerable Robina Courtin: “Staying sane in a crazy world”, taking the clichés out of karma and practicing the Three Precious Trainings appeared first on Buddha Weekly: Buddhist Practices, Mindfulness, Meditation.

Originally written and published by Lee Kane of Buddha Weekly: Buddhist Practices, Mindfulness, Meditation. Copyright Buddha Weekly.

H.E. Zasep Rinpoche in Mongolia. Rinpoche is the spiritual director of the many Gaden for the West meditation centers, and the author of two popular books, including Tara in the Palm of Your Hand.

Part 1 of an important commentary on Heart Sutra, and especially on the true nature of Shunyata (Emptiness) — a concept often misinterpreted. Heart Sutra is the most important sutra teaching on Shyunyata. In part 1 of his 2-part teaching on the Heart Sutra, H.E. Zasep Tulku Rinpoche goes into detail on the first two Skandas (Form and Feeling):

Form is Emptiness; Emptiness is Form. Feelings are Emptiness; Emptiness is Feeling.

He explains the profound meaning — and why it is comforting to Buddhists. Rinpoche starts by explaining dependent-arising and how we do not exist independently. His discussion on Emptiness of Feeling is especially helpful for people who are going through difficult times. Watch for Part 2 of this series, where Rinpoche discusses the remaining three Skandas and helps us understanding the profound concepts of Shunyata.

• Part 2 of this commentary is now live here>>

Full video of part 1 of the commentary and teaching on the Heart Sutra plays below:

H.E. Zasep Tulku Rinpoche brings clarity for all levels of student on this difficult concept and delivers a wonderful commentary on this important sutra. The Heart Sutra or Essence Sutra presents the meaning of Shunyata in a very concise and penetrating way. It is the briefest of all the Perfection of Wisdom Sutras. The full-length Sutra of the Perfection of Wisdom has 100,000 verses. Then there is the middle length Perfection of Wisdom Sutra, which has 20,000 verses, and then a shorter version of 8,000 verses.

• Part 2 of this commentary is now live here>>

Full Biography of H.E. Zasep Rinpoche below Heart Sutra.

H.E. Zasep Rinpoche delivering an inciteful commentary on The Heart Sutra at Gaden Choling in Toronto.

Transcript of the Commentary on Heart Sutra part 1 from H.E. Zasep Rinpoche

The subject of the teaching today is a commentary on Heart Sutra. Heart Sutra is the essence of Prajnaparamita sutra. The reason why it is called heart, because it is the essence; also it’s like a physical heart of human body, it’s one of the most important organs of the human body. Like that, this is one of the most important teachings.

It starts with, “Thus have I heard.” So after Buddha entered Nirvana, his disciples, great disciples, Mahākāsyapa, Shariputra, Subhuti, Ananda, and so forth gathered together with the thousands other monks and practitioners and had a great council, and then they decided to record the teachings.

So one of the great disciples, Shariputra said, “Thus I have heard”. So they recorded the teachings in their mind, in their deep, profound samadhi and unforgetting samadhi. So then they start talking, and then wrote down on palm leaves, this is how it started.

The Heart Sutra was taught at Vulture’s Peak Mountain in Rajagriha in central India, Magadha Kingdom. And there is a mountain, and these rocks have shape like vultures, like they’re gathering. That’s why we call the Vulture’s Peak Mountain.

There’s another story that is before or during Buddha’s, during the teaching, the many enlightened ones and yogis and arhat who could fly like a bird in the gathering — and they flew like a bird, like vultures, and that’s why it’s called Vulture’s Peak Mountain, and so many of them gathered like flocks of birds. And so these are different ways of interpreting the word, “Vulture’s Peak Mountain.”

So many Bodhisattvas gathered and many arhats gathered, and at that time Buddha himself entered into deep, profound samadhi. And it’s called profound illuminations… entering profound samadhi.

The Heart Sutra is actually not a spoken word of the Buddha (it is the spoken word of Avalokiteshvara), and this sutra is endorsed by the Buddha and approved by the Buddha and blessed by the Buddha himself. And what happened here is that Buddha himself entered into this deep samadhi, then Bodhisattva, Avalokiteśvara, and Shariputra, who were sitting close to Buddha, perhaps on each side of the Buddha, and then there was so many listeners and Bodhisattvas and arhats, monks, and so forth.

The very face of compassion, Metta personified in glorious Avalokiteshvara, the compassionate Buddha, who explains Emptiness in the Heart Sutra on Vulture’s Peak. Shakyamuni Buddha listened and endorsed the teaching.

And at that time, Avalokiteshvara himself was looking at that deep meaning, true meaning of Prajnaparamita. And then Shariputra made a request to Avalokiteshvara, and Avalokiteshvara started teaching. Avalokiteshvara said,

“Five skandas, the nature of the five skandas are empty of true existence, or empty of inherent existence.”

And by the blessing of the Buddha, Shariputra was encouraged … to ask questions to Avalokiteshvara and he asked questions on the Perfection of Wisdom, and at that time then Avalokiteshvara said to Shariputra, “Those who wish to listen, who wish to practice and mediate on Prajnaparmita, and those sons or daughters or anyone who wish to listen and meditate and practice Prajnaparmita, then they should look deeply and concentrate and try to understand meaning of Prajnaparmita.”

Cover of a precious copy of the Heart Sutra.

Prajnaparmita means “Perfection of Wisdom” or transcendental wisdom… So then Avalokiteshvara said,

“The five skandas are empty of inherent existence. The nature of five skandas are empty of inherent existence, and form is emptiness; and emptiness is also form. Likewise, feeling is emptiness; and emptiness is also feeling. Likewise, perception is emptiness; emptiness is also perception. And likewise mental formation is emptiness; emptiness is also mental formation. Likewise, consciousness is emptiness; emptiness is also consciousness.”

So all five skandas are emptiness, or empty of inherent existence. So what it means is that each of five skandas — they do not exist inherently, and they are independent. So when we hear, when we talk about form is emptiness, we’re not talking about the form doesn’t exist, there is no form, and we’re not negating the form or refuting the form. How could you do that? Not possible and not necessary.

And form is emptiness means the true meaning, deep meaning, at an ultimate level, the form doesn’t exist all by itself, and independently.

So if you look at, or when you look at, when you mediate, if you look at the body from meditate … If you do analytical meditation and look at from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet, go slowly, do what we call “sweeping meditation,” it’s like you’re sweeping the floor with a broom from one end of the room to the other end of the room, and that’s sweeping, right, sweeping the floor. Like that, we can do sweeping mediation of the body. Our modern term, today’s term of technology, you could say, “scanning the body.” So you can do that, and you look through the body, outside the body, and outside this body, or inside the body, doesn’t exist independently, inherently.

Six-Armed Avalokiteshvara Expounding the Dharma: Folio from a Manuscript of the Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita (Perfection of Wisdom) | India (West Bengal)

This body is high maintenance, as we all know. You have to eat good, you have to drink water, you need to sleep, you have to do exercise, and you need go for a walk, drink lots of water, and so on and so forth. And then you try to do some practice meditation, a mindfulness calm abiding meditation, you do mantras and so forth to release your stress and tension, mental health and happiness and so forth.

This body is high maintenance, so this body need a lot of things, and this body is dependent on so many things. And ever since the body is started, when the body was very small, and inside mother’s womb, and as you grow, as a baby, and then you have more maintenance. And as you get bigger and bigger, more food and more consumptions, require so many things.

So this body is interdependent, and what we call, “dependent-arising.” But at the same time, this body is empty of inherent existence. So the emptiness and dependent-arising, they are co-existent, like one side of the door is the entrance, the other side of the door is the exit. So it’s one door, without entrance there is no exit; without exit, there is no entrance.

Dependent-arising and Emptiness are One

Likewise, dependent-arising and emptiness are one. For example, when we say dependent-arising, it naturally means there is no independent, right? Nothing is independent exist. So that’s the same as when you say emptiness, emptiness of inherent existing, or independently existing. So this body doesn’t exist independently, it cannot live, support, and sustain independent.

Dependent Co-Arising depicted as a cycle. Although we speak of “beginning at ignorance” it’s actually a never-ending Samsaric cycle.

So therefore, we are saying here form is emptiness, the Avalokiteshvara said, “Form is emptiness.” And when you look at the form, you don’t find the independent existence, any part of form, or any kind of form, therefore the form is emptiness.

The emptiness of the form is a form because the emptiness of the form is based on form. Without the form, there is no emptiness of form. So emptiness of form is based on form, for that reason we say the form is emptiness; emptiness is also form. The emptiness of form is form.

Lama Tsonkhapa commentary

Lovely statue of the great sage Lama Je Tsong Khapa.

So this is how we have to understand dependent-arising, emptiness are co-existent. This is what Lama Tsongkhapa advised or said in his commentaries, and one should not separate dependent-arising and emptiness

As long as you are separating, totally separating dependent-arising and the emptiness, then you don’t understand emptiness, because they are one. And this is the middle way, what we call Madhyamaka, so form is emptiness.

Why do we meditate on Emptiness?

Now, so why do we meditate on the emptiness of form, and why do we have to try to understand emptiness of form? Because this body, as I said, it has lots of many parts, and I mentioned that, right?

So also, we have attachment to this body, and we have aversion to this body, we have some form of aggression towards this body, or somebody else’s body, and lots of mental defilements: ignorance, attachment, and anger, and so on and so on, lots of mental defilements arising.

Craving food, alcohol, drugs, “I want, I want”

And due to this body, and for example, craving for food and drink and this and that, alcohol, cigarette, drugs, all these cravings, because your body says, “I want this, I want this, I need this.” Not just body, but mind too. It is all associated, all five skandas go together.

Shakyamuni Buddha meditated under the Bodhi Tree, ultimately attaining enlightenment. He wrestled with temptations, demons, and vile cravings. Mindfully watching these cravings or thoughts as an observer can help the meditator, ultimately, conquer obstacles.

So this is why we meditate on emptiness of form, [inaudible 00:16:37], so when you meditate on form, emptiness of form, then you begin to see the nature of this body is emptiness, right, and Shunyata, and doesn’t have inherently good or bad, and this and that.

And the meditation on emptiness of the form is remedy, and is antidote for defilements and attachment and craving, desire, and so forth that has to do with this body and arising from this body, coming and going and so forth.

For example, we have neurosis, we have attachment, and because of this body,

“Oh, I’m not beautiful anymore, I’m getting old, my body is changing, I look awful.” And this is fear, right? This is fear and also sorrow and sadness, and all this is happening because of the body and this form, and craving on this form.

This is why we will meditate on emptiness of form. It is very beneficial, we can overcome attachment, craving, and fear, and anxiety and so on and so forth. This is why we meditate on emptiness of form first.

The Second Skanda: Feelings

And then the next second skanda is the feeling, the Buddha said, “Feeling is emptiness; emptiness is also feeling.” So now, similarly we are, as human beings, living beings, here we have a feeling. We have usually three types of feelings: happy feeling, unhappy feeling, and neutral feelings.

The root of suffering is attachment and clinging.

This is why we will meditate on emptiness of form. It is very beneficial, we can overcome attachment, craving, and fear, and anxiety and so on and so forth. This is why we meditate on emptiness of form first.

And then the next second skanda is the feeling, the Avalokiteshvara said, “Feeling is emptiness; emptiness is also feeling.” So now, similarly we are, as human beings, living beings, here we have a feeling. We have usually three types of feelings: happy feeling, unhappy feeling, and neutral feelings.

So the feelings go up and down and change. One day you’re happy, next you’re unhappy, and then this week you’re happy, next week you’re unhappy, or sometimes feeling changes within the day or within hours.

And then sometimes you neither feel happy nor feel sad, and you feel a kind of neutral feelings, or perhaps dull feelings, and gray kind of feeling, and also slowly, slowly kind of a depressing feeling. And that’s why people get depressions, and then very, very difficult. And once you’re going into depression, it can be very difficult. And then you have to take drugs and so forth, then side effects and so forth.

So there’s different kind of feelings, and the feelings are also cause of defilements, and some feelings are cause of grasping and excitement, whatever, and unbalanced, goes up too fast or goes down too fast, whatever, no equilibrium, no equanimity. So that’s why we meditate on feeling first, see what is feeling, and then how does the feeling exist? And does the feeling exist independently, permanently, or not? And you meditate and look at the unhappy feeling, and then meditate on anicca, the impermanence of feeling, and feeling changes.

So when you meditate on impermanence of feeling, then you feel, “Well, it’s not a big deal, my feelings change. Right now I feel a bit sad, alone, but I’ll be okay.

Tonight or tomorrow, I will be fine, especially if I meditate and practice mindfulness and breathing, or if I meditate on deity yoga and do practice, and so forth, I will feel better.

For an earlier transcript of a previous commentary on the Heart Sutra from H.E. Zasep Rinpoche, (2014), please see>>

The Heart of the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra

(Ârya-bhagavatî-prajñâpâramitâ-hridaya-sûtra)

Thus did I hear at one time. The Bhagavan was dwelling on Mass of Vultures Mountain in Rajagriha together with a great community of monks and a great community of bodhisattvas. At that time, the Bhagavan was absorbed in the concentration on the categories of phenomena called “Profound Perception.”

Also, at that time, the bodhisattva mahasattva arya Avalokiteshvara looked upon the very practice of the profound perfection of wisdom and beheld those five aggregates also as empty of inherent nature.

Then, through the power of Buddha, the venerable Shariputra said this to the bodhisattva mahasattva arya Avalokiteshvara: “How should any son of the lineage train who wishes to practice the activity of the profound perfection of wisdom?”

He said that and the bodhisattva mahasattva arya Avalokiteshvara said this to the venerable Sharadvatiputra. “Shariputra, any son of the lineage or daughter of the lineage who wishes to practice the activity of the profound perfection of wisdom should look upon it like this, correctly and repeatedly beholding those five aggregates also as empty of inherent nature.

“Form is empty. Emptiness is form. Emptiness is not other than form; form is also not other than emptiness. In the same way, feeling, discrimination, compositional factors, and consciousness are empty.

“Shariputra, likewise, all phenomena are emptiness; without characteristic; unproduced, unceased; stainless, not without stain; not deficient, not fulfilled.

“Shariputra, therefore, in emptiness there is no form, no feeling, no discrimination, no compositional factors, no consciousness; no eye, no ear, no nose, no tongue, no body, no mind; no visual form, no sound, no odor, no taste, no object of touch, and no phenomenon. There is no eye element and so on up to and including no mind element and no mental consciousness element. There is no ignorance, no extinction of ignorance, and so on up to and including no aging and death and no extinction of aging and death. Similarly, there is no suffering, origination, cessation, and path; there is no exalted wisdom, no attainment, and also no non-attainment.

“Shariputra, therefore, because there is no attainment, bodhisattvas rely on and dwell in the perfection of wisdom, the mind without obscuration and without fear. Having completely passed beyond error, they reach the end-point of nirvana. All the buddhas who dwell in the three times also manifestly, completely awaken to unsurpassable, perfect, complete enlightenment in reliance on the perfection of wisdom.

“Therefore, the mantra of the perfection of wisdom, the mantra of great knowledge, the unsurpassed mantra, the mantra equal to the unequaled, the mantra that thoroughly pacifies all suffering, should be known as truth since it is not false. The mantra of the perfection of wisdom is declared:

TADYATHA [OM] GATE GATE PARAGATE PARASAMGATE BODHI SVAHA

“Shariputra, the bodhisattva mahasattva should train in the profound perfection of wisdom like that.”

Then the Bhagavan arose from that concentration and commended the bodhisattva mahasattva arya Avalokiteshvara saying: “Well said, well said, son of the lineage, it is like that. It is like that; one should practice the profound perfection of wisdom just as you have indicated; even the tathagatas rejoice.”

The Bhagavan having thus spoken, the venerable Sharadvatiputra, the bodhisattva mahasattva arya Avalokiteshvara, those surrounding in their entirety along with the world of gods, humans, asuras, and gandharvas were overjoyed and highly praised that spoken by the Bhagavan.

(This completes the Ârya-bhagavatî-prajñâpâramitâ-hridaya-sûtra)

About H.E. Archarya Zasep Tulku Rinpoche

Rinpoche is popularly known for his approachable teaching style, strong humor and teachings based on a long lineage of great lamas. His own gurus included the most celebrated of Gelug teachers: His Holiness Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche, His Holiness Kyabje Ling Rinpoche, Venerable Geshe Thupten Wanggyel, His Holiness Kyabje Zong Rinpoche, Venerable Lati Rinpoche, Venerable Tara Tulku Rinpoche and Venerable Khalkha Jetsun Dampa Rinpoche.

Rinpoche is spiritual director of many temples, meditation centers and retreat centers in Australia, the United States and Canada. He was first invited to teach in Australia by Lama Thubten Yeshe in 1976.

The post Video: Heart Sutra Commentary by H.E. Zasep Tulku Rinpoche Part 1: Teachings on Emptiness and the Skandas of Form and Feeling appeared first on Buddha Weekly: Buddhist Practices, Mindfulness, Meditation.

Originally written and published by Lee Kane of Buddha Weekly: Buddhist Practices, Mindfulness, Meditation. Copyright Buddha Weekly.

H.E. Zasep Tulku Rinpoche with a line from his “long life prayer” which was composed by his teacher HH Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche.

In part 2 of this wonderfully clear commentary on the Heart Sutra, H.E. Zasep Tulku Rinpoche explains the Emptiness of Form, Feeling, Perception, Mental Formations and Consciousness.

• Part 1 of this commentary here>>

Rinpoche explains why the teaching of Heart Sutra is the ultimate teaching for Wisdom, the Perfection of Wisdom, and how it can help us overcome attachments, aversions and fear. Rinpoche gives a beautiful explanation of the Heart Sutra Mantra OM GATE GATE PARAGATE PARASAMGATE BODHI SOHA. Finishing off the teaching, Yoko Dharma beautifully sings the Heart Sutra Mantra.

We recommend watching part 1 first.

Full 36-minute video plays below, and full transcript after this video below. Also below is the full English translation of the Heart Sutra:

Full transcript of video commentary teaching

• (Note; The First Skanda, Form, is discussed in video one>>)

H.E. Zasep Rinpoche: “I would like to continue from where I stopped last time. So like the Buddha said, the feeling is emptiness. Perception is emptiness. Mental formations are emptiness. Consciousness is emptiness. So, now, feeling is emptiness does not mean that we don’t have feelings, or we should not feel, or we should freeze our feelings, or shut down our feelings. That’s not the meaning of emptiness of feeling, or that is not the aim or the meaning or message of talking about a feeling of emptiness, or emptiness of feeling.”

So now, the feeling is part of human being. Every creature, sentient being, has feeling. Actually, I should say a few words about sentient being. When we talk about sentient being, we pray for all sentient beings. We pray that we would like to become enlightened for the benefit of all sentient beings. We do our dedication, end of the meditation, or end of the sadhana practice, we dedicate our merit, good karma, for the enlightenment for all sentient being. So sentient being, what is sentient being?

Tibetan word for sentient being [translates as] the one who walks, or one who moves, and is one who has consciousness, and mind.

So the definition of sentient being is the creature that has mind, that has feelings, and that walk by itself, or move by itself. Like worms, or like insects, and small insects, tiny things move by themselves. And have got feelings. Even the earth worms have feeling. And when you digging earth, and the worms don’t like exposed, bright sun or heat, they try to get back into the dirt.

So feeling, we have lots of feelings. So generally, we have three kinds of feelings. A happy feeling, unhappy feeling, and a neural feeling, all mentally. Physically, we have pleasant feeling, unpleasant feeling, and neutral feeling. This is part of human nature. But it is not simple, like simple. Because the different feelings, emotions, creates lots of activities in our mind and body. It gives you lots of joy or happiness, and excitement, and pleasure. Or, at the same time, it can give us pain, suffering, and emotional … what do you call, destruction? Or makes unstable. And then, all sorts of defilements, mental defilements arise. Sorrow, sadness, nostalgic feelings about past, going back to the past, and so forth.

Second Skanda: defilements arising due to feelings

So lots of defilements, mental defilements arising due to the feelings. And we create lot of karma, and unwholesome karmas. And we can also create wholesome karmas, good karma, or virtuous karma, as well. But most of the time, generally speaking, sentient beings create more unwholesome karmas than wholesome karmas because they don’t know what is wholesome, and what is karma, even. They don’t know how to create wholesome karmas, or virtuous karmas. Negative karma, unwholesome karmas, are easy to create, and easy to commit.

So anyway, the feeling is very big part of our life. And for that reason, heart sutra, you can see in the heart sutra, the feeling is … Avalokitesvara said, “Feeling is emptiness.” Once you meditate on it, look at, first, whatever you feel. And first, you sit and meditate, or observe your feelings, right? You have to know your feelings. And once you know your feeling, that’s already start.

This is the beginning. And beginning of the path is the beginning of the solution. Once you know what it is, then you feel less fear, or less kind of like a panic. It’s like sickness. If you don’t know what is going on, it’s scary, you could panic, right? But that’s why you go to the doctor, or you do examination and check up. And once you know what it is, then you feel not so bad. Or what can I do? And there is a medication, and so on, and so forth. You know how to heal yourself. And beginning like that.

First you meditate, and observe the feeling. And then, you know what kind of feeling it is. Pleasant, or unpleasant, indifferent feeling. And then, if you relax yourself, looking at, observing the feeling, slowly, the feeling will subside itself. And there will be less and less feeling. Or at least, you are familiar with your feelings, so you don’t have to panic. And there’s no scared, you don’t get scared.

Mindfulness meditation important

So this is why meditation on awareness is very important. Mindfulness meditation is important. Mindfulness of feeling, awareness of feeling’s important. And not only that, awareness of emptiness of feeling is important. Because feelings that change all the time, they don’t stay all the time one way or the other. And like the clouds that come and go, and like the weather change. So if you are patient and just accept the way it is, the weather, it’s changing, is mother nature. There’s not much you can do. It’s better you practice patience. Like that, if you look at your feelings, then you feel better. And meditate on emptiness of feeling.

Third Skanda: Perceptions

Then, perception. The perception is emptiness. Emptiness is also perception. This is a, actually, very interesting here. Perception is emptiness when you look at the perception, and your perception change. You have a certain way of thinking, a certain way of seeing things. You have certain projections on certain type of people, a group of people. And now, your perception has changed. You don’t have a negative perception anymore. You have positive perception, right? Whatever. Perception has changed. Perception is impermanent. Perception is emptiness of inherent, and emptiness, it does not exist inherently, because you see your perceptions changing. And that’s why heart sutra indicating, or you see in the heart sutra, perception is emptiness.

Now, emptiness is also perception. So the emptiness of the perception is, and perception. Where does the emptiness of the perception come from? The emptiness of the perception comes from your perception. Your perception is labeling the emptiness of perception. Your perception is labeling, also, perception. Right? So therefore, perception is emptiness, and emptiness of perception.

Fourth Skanda: Mental Formations

And likewise, mental formation. Mental formation is a subtle perception. So there’s a little bit different between mental formation and perception. And third, skanda, and heart skanda. There are small differences, not a big difference.

As it’s said that perception is like you walking to the temple, you see inside the temple, there is statutes. There is a painting, thangkas, and so forth. That’s your perception. Then, you pay more attention, and more details about what kind of statue is this? What kind of thangka is this? Oh this thangka is Avalokitesvara. This thangka is Tara. This thangka is Manjushiri. And then, what kind of Manjushiri is this? Black Manjushiri? White Manjushiri? Or orange Manjushiri? And what kind of style of painting is this? Who paint it? Tibetan style? Or Nepalese style? Or maybe if it’s old, old, thangka, maybe it’s ancient Indian style, or Chinese style, right?

So details. That kind of subtle perception is called mental formation. That’s the fourth skanda.

Fifth Skanda: Consciousness

Fifth skanda is consciousness, the mind, okay. So then, now, you’re going into the mind. And mind is emptiness. And twin nature of the mind is emptiness. The Prajnaparamita sutra, another Prajnaparamita sutra, 8000 verses, and it states, two nature of the mind is empty, and two nature of the mind is clay-like. As I mentioned this before, the mind doesn’t exist within the mind. The two nature of the mind is clay-like.

So why do we say mind doesn’t exist within the mind? What does that mean? Well, this is the meaning. Mind doesn’t exist within mind, means that your mind is meditating on your mind. Your mind is the subject, your mind is the object. And usually, we say, the subject, the mind, is coarse mind. Object mind is subtle mind. So they are mind to mind. But, it is questionable. And actually, the subject/object mind, is the subtle mind, or not. Because your mind is jumping around, and you don’t really see subtleness of the mind. So I think if you are an advanced meditator, or yogi, you could see the object of your mind is subtle one, until that probably hard to see. Subtle one. Your mind is all over the place.

In any case, one thing for sure. Your mind is subject and object both, okay? So mind to mind. So when you meditate, subject mind meditating on object mind. So then you don’t find another mind, separate mind, subject mind. They’re not separate, okay? So this is why it says mind doesn’t exist within the mind. So something kind of like you have a box, then you put something else inside the box, different things. Not like that. Not separate thing. It’s mind, just mind. Mind to mind. Same mind. Okay. And mind doesn’t exist within the mind. And something separate mind, doesn’t exist within mind means something separate doesn’t exist.

And true nature of the mind is Clear Light. Clear Light and cognizer.

Or you could say recognizer if you are seeing second time, is a recognizer. And also, according Prajnaparamita, Buddhist philosophy, the definition of mind is … clear and knowing. Clear and knower. Selsing, clear, rigpa is knower. Clear and knower. That’s the definition of mind. Now, mind doesn’t exist inherently or independent. Sometimes, you might think mind does exist inherently because mind is subtle, and most subtle thing, no one really knows what mind is. Maybe, mind is inherent existence, and something.

Emtpiness of Mind is subtle

It’s easy to see the impermanence and emptiness of the form, and feeling, because they keep changing, perceptions. But mind is something very, very subtle. Then you might think, mind does exist inherently, independently. No. Mind doesn’t exist inherently, independently. Because if you meditate on the mind, you don’t find inherently existing mind, or independent existing mind. There is not one mind, or many mind, this or that. And what is mind? So mind is basically a collection of thoughts. Or you could say procession of thoughts. Like you see the people who have the parade, or traffic, one car after another car.

So like that, so many thoughts, coming and going. so mind doesn’t exist, inherently or independent. This is the meaning of emptiness of mind. And does not exist inherently, independent. But mind do, of course, exist. And on the relative level, and conventional level, the mind is the root of everything. Our mind is the cause of our happiness, our mind is the cause of our suffering. And this is the ordinary mind. And Gampopa, the great Tibetan Buddhist master, Gampopa, he was a Milerepa disciple. Gampopa said, the root of samsara is ordinary mind. And so, it actually means we don’t see the mind as a Buddha nature. We don’t see, there’s a Buddha nature within every mind, every sentient being. So this is an ordinary mind.

Mind that is ignorant and deluded. And that’s the root of samsara. Once you see the Buddha nature within you, and Tatathagharba, the potential of the Buddha. And then, is no longer ordinary. And once you experience emptiness of the mind, your mind is no longer ordinary mind, right? Because you have wisdom. Wisdom of shunyata. And is no longer empty, and no longer the root of samsara. Otherwise, it’s the root of samsara, ordinary mind, okay? So this is why you meditate on emptiness of consciousness. Emptiness of mind.

So now, “Shariputra, likewise, you should look, all phenomenon of emptiness. All phenomenon on emptiness, emptiness of definition, unborn, unceasing, unending, and undefiled, and so forth. There is no defilement. There is no emptiness of defilement. There is no beginning, there is no end, and so on, and so forth. Also, emptiness of sense consciousness. Here in the Heart Sutra, it states, sense consciousness are also empty of inherent existence. For example, eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind.

Death and sickness are just imputed labels

So all the senses, eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind are emptiness. Likewise, the object of eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind like form, sound, smell, taste, touch, touchable. All these things are emptiness, because they do not exist inherently. They have no inherent nature. They keep changing, all the time. They’re dependent on our eyes. And likewise, all the elements. And then, go on. For example, birth, death, old age, sickness, are all emptiness. Emptiness of inherent existence. They don’t last forever and ever. And when you look at what is birth? What is death? What is sickness? And so forth. These are the labels, impugning, right?

And for example, birth. Okay, we’re born here, in this world. And actually, the birth started at the first moment of the conception, inside the mother’s womb. When you’re born, when you come out, you’re already nine months old, nine months old. And old age already started, from the moment you are born. So where is the birth, and where is the old age? And birth is happening. Old age is happening. And death is happening. And all the time, what we call momentary old age, momentary death, is all happening. So all the time, it’s happening. And there’s not one pure, or another pure.

There is no, really, inherent existent birth. Or old age, or death. So if you meditate on emptiness of birth, old age, and death, if you understand meaning, deep meaning of emptiness of birth, old age, death, then you can overcome fear of old age and death.

One can overcome aversion to old age. Oh, I don’t like become old, and you know? I don’t look good, and so on, and so forth. I look strange, I look different, so on and so forth. All those aversions are gone. Instead, you feel how I feel, good. I’m old now, I feel … and accomplished a lot. I have done lots of things in life. I have accomplished so much. I like to celebrate my old age, instead of feeling aversion.

And also, look at death, likewise. If you’re dying with a natural cause, dying due to old age, then death is completion of life. And it’s time to celebrate. So these kinds of knowledge arise from understanding of emptiness, and interdependent of the birth, old age, and sickness.

This is why Heart Sutra is very precious. Very special. And it’s when you read, a short sutra, is sort of simple. And some people think it’s simple, because they don’t understand, right? And also, a bit confusing, and a bit negative, are the words. Like, eye, no eye, no ear, no tongue. But no attainment, no none attainment, that’s very confusing, right? If there’s no attainment, then why are we trying to attain something? Why do we meditate?

Emtiness of Four Noble Truths

So it is not a simple, and not so easy, either. And so, it is very precious teaching, practice.

Likewise here, the [Emptiness of the] Four Noble Truths, again, here. So no suffering. No cause of suffering. No cessation of suffering. No path through cessation of suffering. Four Noble Truths. So we’re not saying there’s no Four Noble Truths. Buddha taught For Noble Truths after his enlightenment. He enlightened in Bodh Gaya, then he walked over to Varanasi, crossed the Ganges River. He went to… Sarnath, deer park. And there, he taught Four Noble Truths.

The very first teaching of the Buddha is Four Noble Truths. Nobles Truths of suffering, Noble Truths of the cause of suffering, Noble Truth of cessation of suffering, Noble Truth of a path to cessation of suffering. So again, the Four Noble Truths are also emptiness, and suffering is emptiness. Cause of suffering is emptiness. Cessation of suffering is emptiness, path to cessation of suffering is emptiness.

To attain Enlightenment, practice Prajnaparamita

Now, I will wrap up the Heart Sutra. I won’t talk too much.

And those of you wish to attain enlightenment, and you should practice Prajnaparamita. And Prajnaparamita is called Mother of all the Buddhas, Prajnaparamita. We say, Great Mother and Perfection of Wisdom, and the Mother of all the Buddhas. So this is a kind of analogy, or example, right? So all the Buddhas of the past, Buddhas of the present time, and the Buddhas of the future, and all the enlightened beings of the past, present, and future, rely on perfection of wisdom. This is the way to become enlightened.

If you would like to become enlightened Buddha, you should practice perfection of wisdom. Meditate on emptiness. Meditate on shunyata. And then, one can [ultimately] become enlightened. For that reason, we call Prajnaparamita is Mother of all the Buddhas, perfection of wisdom. And Heart Sutra mention, all the Buddhas of the past and present, future, are dependent, rely on perfection of wisdom.

Dharani Mantra of Perfection of Wisdom

And now, there’s a Dharani, there’s a mantra here the mantra of perfection of wisdom. Which is

Om Gate Gate Paragate Para Samgate Bodhi Soha

[Pronounced Ohm gah tey gah tey para gah tey para sam gah tey boh dee soh ha.]

This mantra, or Dharani, is the mantra of perfection of wisdom. So the mantra, om gate gate paragate para samgate bodhi soha is the essence of the Heart Sutra. This is the first kind of mantra. And it says here, the mantra of Perfection of Wisdom. Mantra of Prajnaparamita. Mantra of great mind, great realization. mind… It’s a mantra of great consciousness. Maha Sita, Sanskrit word, maha sita.

So when you meditate on the meaning of Prajnaparamita, meaning of mantra, the gate mantra, then you will obtain realization of shunyata. And realization of perfection of wisdom. Then, your mind becomes the advanced mind, and you are getting closer, closer to enlightenment. And therefore, your mind is the great mind, great rigpa. [foreign language 00:29:08] so this mantra is also supreme mantra, unequal mantra, and uncommon mantra. This mantra is a supreme mantra, and a precious mantra. And a mantra is a protection of the mind, protection of the heart. And mantra is medicine for the mind. Remember, mantra is the medicine for the mind. And this mantra is the origin of mantra, one of the very first mantra’s. And we call it Dharani. Dharani is like mantra.

So just reciting this mantra is very powerful. It is healing our heart, healing our mind, and healing sorrow and suffering. Gate gate means going, going. Paragate para samgate bodhi soha, going beyond samsara, going beyond the cycling existence. And we go beyond birth, old age, sickness, and death. And going beyond suffering. Beyond blames and so forth. And then, one will become enlightened. And para samgate bodhi soha, going towards the enlightenment, reaching the enlightenment.

And then, at the end of the heart sutra, Buddha, himself, came out from profound samadhi of illumination. And the Buddha said, “Oh, good, good.” He rejoiced, rejoiced the dialogue that had, the dialogue between Avalokitesvara and Sariputta, he rejoiced, he give his blessing, he give a confirmation. “What you discussed is perfect, I rejoice.” And now, it becomes the sutra. It actually equivalent of the teaching of Buddha, because Buddha, himself, give blessings and confirmation. So yeah. So I think I will leave it here, now.

Thank you very much.   [End of transcript of commentary.]

The mantra follows the teaching, sung beautifully by Yoko Dharma:

Om Gate Gate Paragate Para Samgate Bodhi Soha

Om Gate Gate Paragate Para Samgate Bodhi Soha

Om Gate Gate Paragate Para Samgate Bodhi Soha

The Heart of the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra

(Ârya-bhagavatî-prajñâpâramitâ-hridaya-sûtra)

Thus did I hear at one time. The Bhagavan was dwelling on Mass of Vultures Mountain in Rajagriha together with a great community of monks and a great community of bodhisattvas. At that time, the Bhagavan was absorbed in the concentration on the categories of phenomena called “Profound Perception.”

Also, at that time, the bodhisattva mahasattva arya Avalokiteshvara looked upon the very practice of the profound perfection of wisdom and beheld those five aggregates also as empty of inherent nature.

Then, through the power of Buddha, the venerable Shariputra said this to the bodhisattva mahasattva arya Avalokiteshvara: “How should any son of the lineage train who wishes to practice the activity of the profound perfection of wisdom?”

He said that and the bodhisattva mahasattva arya Avalokiteshvara said this to the venerable Sharadvatiputra. “Shariputra, any son of the lineage or daughter of the lineage who wishes to practice the activity of the profound perfection of wisdom should look upon it like this, correctly and repeatedly beholding those five aggregates also as empty of inherent nature.

“Form is empty. Emptiness is form. Emptiness is not other than form; form is also not other than emptiness. In the same way, feeling, discrimination, compositional factors, and consciousness are empty.

“Shariputra, likewise, all phenomena are emptiness; without characteristic; unproduced, unceased; stainless, not without stain; not deficient, not fulfilled.

“Shariputra, therefore, in emptiness there is no form, no feeling, no discrimination, no compositional factors, no consciousness; no eye, no ear, no nose, no tongue, no body, no mind; no visual form, no sound, no odor, no taste, no object of touch, and no phenomenon. There is no eye element and so on up to and including no mind element and no mental consciousness element. There is no ignorance, no extinction of ignorance, and so on up to and including no aging and death and no extinction of aging and death. Similarly, there is no suffering, origination, cessation, and path; there is no exalted wisdom, no attainment, and also no non-attainment.

“Shariputra, therefore, because there is no attainment, bodhisattvas rely on and dwell in the perfection of wisdom, the mind without obscuration and without fear. Having completely passed beyond error, they reach the end-point of nirvana. All the buddhas who dwell in the three times also manifestly, completely awaken to unsurpassable, perfect, complete enlightenment in reliance on the perfection of wisdom.

“Therefore, the mantra of the perfection of wisdom, the mantra of great knowledge, the unsurpassed mantra, the mantra equal to the unequaled, the mantra that thoroughly pacifies all suffering, should be known as truth since it is not false. The mantra of the perfection of wisdom is declared:

TADYATHA [OM] GATE GATE PARAGATE PARASAMGATE BODHI SVAHA

“Shariputra, the bodhisattva mahasattva should train in the profound perfection of wisdom like that.”

Then the Bhagavan arose from that concentration and commended the bodhisattva mahasattva arya Avalokiteshvara saying: “Well said, well said, son of the lineage, it is like that. It is like that; one should practice the profound perfection of wisdom just as you have indicated; even the tathagatas rejoice.”

The Bhagavan having thus spoken, the venerable Sharadvatiputra, the bodhisattva mahasattva arya Avalokiteshvara, those surrounding in their entirety along with the world of gods, humans, asuras, and gandharvas were overjoyed and highly praised that spoken by the Bhagavan.

(This completes the Ârya-bhagavatî-prajñâpâramitâ-hridaya-sûtra)

About H.E. Archarya Zasep Tulku Rinpoche

Rinpoche is popularly known for his approachable teaching style, strong humor and teachings based on a long lineage of great lamas. His own gurus included the most celebrated of Gelug teachers: His Holiness Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche, His Holiness Kyabje Ling Rinpoche, Venerable Geshe Thupten Wanggyel, His Holiness Kyabje Zong Rinpoche, Venerable Lati Rinpoche, Venerable Tara Tulku Rinpoche and Venerable Khalkha Jetsun Dampa Rinpoche.

Rinpoche is spiritual director of many temples, meditation centers and retreat centers in Australia, the United States and Canada. He was first invited to teach in Australia by Lama Thubten Yeshe in 1976.

The post Video part 2 of Heart Sutra Commentary by H.E. Zasep Rinpoche: how understanding Heart Sutra can help us overcome unhappiness, attachments, aversions and fear appeared first on Buddha Weekly: Buddhist Practices, Mindfulness, Meditation.

Originally written and published by Lee Kane of Buddha Weekly: Buddhist Practices, Mindfulness, Meditation. Copyright Buddha Weekly.

One of the most wonderful teachings of Padmasambhava, the Lotus Born, Guru Rinpoche was written down by the Lady Tsogyal — from a request she made just as the master was about to leave — and she, herself, was worried about death. Although she was a accomplished Dakini, she requested:

“This old woman has no confidence about the time of death. So I beseech you to kindly give me an instruction condensing all teachings into one, which is concise and easy to practice.”

Guru Rinpoche, the Lotus Born, the precious master.

Out of his bountiful kindness and love, Guru Rinpoche taught her, delivering one of the most wonderful and concise oral teaching, now known as:

The Refined Essence of Oral Instructions

Although this teaching is a concise teaching focused on “the time of death” and therefore clearly for advanced students — particularly with its focus on the true nature of reality, of emptiness, of the disolution and death process and completion — the teaching itself is resoundingly inspirational. We can imagine Lady Tosgyal, about to be separated from her beloved teacher — having been with her master since the age of eight — having doubts, and then, the serene Guru emphasizing the essence of practice.

Lady Tsogyal’s Plea

This  oral teaching, and the Lady’s hearfelt plea, resonates with both beginning and senior Tibetan Buddhist students: if the great Lady can have doubts — despite years of accomplishments — then we need not feel embarrrassed to ask questions of our teachers at all stages of our learning. We need not feel bad about going back to our notes and videos of past retreats; we should not worry if our question seems too basic.

The Lotus Born, kindly instructing even the most accomplished Lady in the basics, is an example for us all. In Tibetan Buddhism, teachers always invite questions.

When the great master was about to leave Tibet, the Lady implored:

“Oh, Great Master! You are leaving to tame the rakshas. I am left behind here in Tibet. Although I have served you for a long time, master, this old woman has no confidence about the time of death. So I beseech you to kindly give me an instruction condensing all teachings into one, which is concise and easy to practice.”

Lady Tsogyal

Although every teaching of Padmasambhava, the second Buddha, the Lotus Born is precious, this concise teaching is a wonderful “refresher” for all devoted practitioners.

Guru Rinpoche’s Concise Instructions

The great master replied:

Padmasambhava, the Lotus Born Guru Rinpoche.

“Devoted one with a faithful and virtuous mind, listen to me. Although there are many profound key points of body, rest free and relaxed as you feel comfortable. Everything is included in simply that.

Although there are many key points of speech such as breath control and mantra recitation, stop speaking and rest like a mute. Everything is included in simply that. Although there are many key points of mind such as concentrating, relaxing, projecting, dissolving, and focusing inward, everything is included in simply letting it rest in its natural state, free and easy, without fabrication.

The mind doesn’t remain quietly in that state. If one wonders, Is it nothing?, like haze in the heat of the sun, it still shimmers and flashes forth. But if one wonders, Is it something? it has no color or shape to identify it but is utterly empty and completely awake—that is the nature of your mind.

Having recognized it as such, to become certain about it, that is the view. To remain undistracted in the state of stillness, without fabrication or fixation, that is the meditation. In that state, to be free from clinging or attachment, accepting or rejecting, hope or fear, toward any of the experiences of the six senses, that is the action.

Whatever doubt or hesitation occurs, supplicate your master. Don’t remain in places of ordinary people; practice in seclusion. Give up your clinging to whatever you are most attached to as well as to whomever you have the strongest bond with in this life, and practice. Like that, although your body remains in human form, your mind is equal to the buddhas’.

At the time of dying, you should practice as follows. By earth dissolving in water, the body becomes heavy and cannot support itself. By water dissolving in fire, the mouth and nose dry up. By fire dissolving in wind, body heat disappears. By wind dissolving in consciousness, one cannot but exhale with a rattle and inhale with a gasp.

At that time, the feelings of being pressed down by a huge mountain, being trapped within darkness, or being dropped into the expanse of space occur. All these experiences are accompanied by thunderous and ringing sounds. The whole sky will be vividly bright like an unfurled brocade.

Moreover, the natural forms of your mind, the peaceful, wrathful, semiwrathful deities, and the ones with various heads fill the sky, within a dome of rainbow lights. Brandishing weapons, they will utter “Beat! beat!” “Kill! kill!” “Hung! Hung!” “Phat! phat!” and other fierce sounds. In addition, there will be light like a hundred thousand suns shining at once.

At this time, your innate deity will remind you of awareness, saying, Don’t be distracted! Don’t be distracted! Your innate demon will disturb all your experiences, make them collapse, and utter sharp and fierce sounds and confuse you.

Guru Rinpoche, the precious Lotus Born.

At this point, know this: The feeling of being pressed down is not that of being pressed by a mountain. It is your own elements dissolving. Don’t be afraid of that! The feeling of being trapped within darkness is not a darkness. It is your five sense faculties dissolving. The feeling of being dropped into the expanse of space is not being dropped. It is your mind without support because your body and mind have separated and your breathing has stopped.

All experiences of rainbow lights are the natural manifestations of your mind. All the peaceful and wrathful forms are the natural forms of your mind. All sounds are your own sounds. All lights are your own lights. Have no doubt about that. If you do feel doubt, you will be thrown into samsara. Having resolved this to be self-display, if you rest wide awake in luminous emptiness, then simply in that you will attain the three kayas and become enlightened. Even if you are cast into samsara, you won’t go there.

The innate deity is your present taking hold of your mind with undistracted mindfulness. From this moment, it is very important to be without any hope and fear, clinging and fixation, toward the objects of your six sense faculties as well as toward fascination, happiness, and sorrow. From now on, if you attain stability, you will be able to assume your natural state in the bardo and become enlightened. Therefore, the most vital point is to sustain your practice undistractedly from this very moment.

The innate demon is your present tendency for ignorance, your doubt and hesitation. At that time, whatever fearful phenomena appear such as sounds, colors, and lights, don’t be fascinated, don’t doubt, and don’t be afraid. If you fall into doubt for even a moment, you will wander in samsara, so gain complete stability.

At this point, the womb entrances appear as celestial palaces. Don’t be attracted to them. Be certain of that! Be free from hope and fear! I swear there is no doubt that you will then become enlightened without taking further rebirths.

At that time, it is not that one is helped by a buddha. Your own awareness is primordially enlightened. It is not that one is harmed by the hells. Fixation being naturally purified, fear of samsara and hope for nirvana are cut from the root.

Becoming enlightened can be compared to water cleared of sediments, gold cleansed of impurities, or the sky cleared of clouds.

Having attained spacelike dharmakaya for the benefit of oneself, you will accomplish the benefit of sentient beings as far as space pervades. Having attained sambhogakaya and nirmanakaya for the welfare of others, you will benefit sentient beings as far as your mind pervades phenomena.

If this instruction is given three times to even a great sinner such as one who has killed his own father and mother, he will not fall into samsara even if thrown there. There is no doubt about becoming enlightened.

Padmasambhava giant statue at Guru Rinpoche temple.

Even if you have many other profound teachings, without an instruction like this, you remain far away. Since you don’t know where you may wander next, practice this with perseverance.

You should give this oral instruction to recipients who have great faith, strong diligence, and are intelligent, who always remember their teacher, who have confidence in the oral instructions, who exert themselves in the practice, who are stable-minded and able to give up concerns for this world. Give them this with the master’s seal of entrustment, the yidam’s seal of secrecy, and the dakini’s seal of entrustment.

Although I, Padmakara, have followed many masters for three thousand six hundred years, have requested instructions, received teachings, studied and taught, meditated and practiced, I have not found any teaching more profound than this.

Padmasambhava Guru Rinpoche sacred image on the wall of Rongbuk Monastery.

I am going to tame the rakshas. You should practice like this. Mother, you will become enlightened in the celestial realm. Therefore persevere in this instruction.”

Having spoken, Guru Rinpoche mounted the rays of the sun and departed for the land of the rakshas. Following that, Lady Tsogyal attained liberation. She committed this teaching to writing and concealed it as a profound treasure. She made this aspiration: In the future, may it be given to Guru Dorje Lingpa. May it then benefit many beings. This completes the Sacred Refined Essence Instruction, the reply to questions on self-liberation at the moment of death and in the bardo.

SAMAYA. SEAL, SEAL, SEAL.

NOTES

[1]  From Dakini Teachings by Padmasambhava Guru Rinpoche.  (p. 153). Rangjung Yeshe Publications. Kindle Edition.

The post Padmasambhava Guru Rinpoche’s condensed “all teachings into one — which is concise and easy to practice”at the time of death: as requested by Lady Tsogyal appeared first on Buddha Weekly: Buddhist Practices, Mindfulness, Meditation.

Buddha Weekly: Buddhist Practices, Mindfulness, Meditation. Copyright Buddha Weekly.

Part 1 of a series featuring a full Medicine Buddha weekend retreat, suitable for anyone who wishes to meditate on healing.

Medicine Buddha practices are universally popular and very effective for self-healing. Millions of Buddhists around the world rely on Medicine Buddha Bhaisajyaguru practices to support their healing journeys. Medicine Buddha is one of the most popular Buddhas in Mahayana Buddhism, famous for healing.

The video includes a full image visualisation with mantra beautifully chanted by Yoko Dharma at the end of the teaching — and an introduction to Medicine Buddha by Venerable Zasep Rinpoche — the opening of a full weekend retreat this year in beautiful Owen Sound, Canada, hosted by Theodore Tsaousidis.

In Part 1, approximately 30 minutes in length, Rinpoche describes the benefits of practice, how to visualize Medicine Buddha and leads an initial round of mantra chants. For an in-depth feature on Medicine Buddha, see the Buddha Weekly story “The First Doctor: Medicine Buddha Bhaisajyaguru — Empowering You to Heal”

Full video teachings (part 1) plays here:

Medicine Buddha

Medicine Buddha is known as the Lapis Lazuli Healer or King of Healing. His mantra is very efficacious in healing — as a support for regular health care. It is also a practice that is reputed to keep you healthy, preventing illness. For a full feature story on Medicine Buddha, see>>

These teachings filmed with permission of H.E. Zasep Tulku Rinpoche, spiritual director of Gaden for the West worldwide meditation centres.

The teaching was hosted by noted teacher Theodore Tsaousidis in Owen Sound.

Full transcript below.

H.E. Zasep Rinpoche: “I would like to welcome everyone here today. The subject of the teaching and meditation for today and tomorrow is healing practice of Medicine Buddha.

So first we go to this sadhana here, we do some chanting, and then I will give a talk and do meditation as well, including as in our tradition, we’ll do some chanting in the beginning.

[Sadhana is a written guided meditation with visualization and mantra recitation. In a later video in this series, when the Sadhana is recited, we will publish the full short text.]

And the purpose of chanting is to settle our mind in this place and to settle our body here and now, and also our chanting is very powerful, healing it generates peace in our minds, and calmness.

And also we receive inspirations by chanting, we’ll receive inspiration and blessings from all the Buddhas and bodhisattvas and from the enlightened one.

So we do chanting to settle our minds and then once you settle your body-mind here and now, and then you can hear the teachings more profoundly, more deeply, and you can also open up your senses and sense a consciousness and you can understand more better. And one can also benefit more and one can also appreciate the teaching more.

For those reasons why we do chanting first, then we do the mantras. So please go to this folder here … so here in the dossier. Medicine Buddha Sadhana for non-initiates, which means you can do the Medicine Buddha practice without preliminary preparation initiation.

Medicine Buddha practice fine without initiation

If you have received initiation before that will be very good. Also, you can think about receiving the initiation of Medicine Buddha in the future, near future. So for now it’s okay if you don’t have initiation, you’re fine, because we are doing the healing practice for ourselves and also healing for all sentient beings with a pure moderation, good moderation.

But we also need to understand what is the pure motivation, and we generate the motivation here, reflect on our illness, pain, and illness and pain experienced by others and generate strong desire to be free of pain and suffering. And to help others to be free of their pain and suffering. So this is the motivation.

And also we do the Medicine Buddha practice not just only people here who have pain or suffering, but we also practice Medicine Buddha to prevent pain and suffering and disease, and to make ourselves more healthy and balance our body-mind, to make ourselves more stronger.

And you don’t have any symptoms or kind of physical problems or mental or weakness and so forth, confusions in some, but we make it more clear, more stronger, because we receive blessing, protection.

Also, Medicine Buddha practice is very important for balance of body and mind, hormones, and DNA, and neurons, and so and so forth. It balances them, so we can have a better, good health and it generate vitality, energy, and long life, and good health, and this is why we do Medicine Buddha practice.

Bodhichitta Motivation

And for that reason we do Medicine Buddha practice, and with that motivation we do Medicine Buddha practice here. As an effective means to do these, I will commit myself to invoking the healing force within me embodied in the Medicine Buddha, to the means of actualizing these forces and to those who are able to willing to support me in this process.

So we can receive the blessing and protections of Medicine Buddha anytime, any moment. Medicine Buddha is here in this world and beyond this world to guide and help all of us and all sentient beings, and we can receive blessings.

And we all have potential to receive blessings. We all have the potential to be healed. We all have the potential to become healers ourself, we can heal ourself. We can do healing for other people through the blessing, by the power of and blessing of Medicine Buddha. And so this is why we do the Medicine Buddha practice.

And so at this time what we do is we go to the mantras now. Next page is the mantra. There’s two mantras, and there’s a short mantra and a long mantra. First we do shorter one.

Tayata Om Bekhandze Bekhandze Maha Bekhandze Bekhandze Randza Samundgate Soha

Tayata Om Bekhandze Bekhandze Maha Bekhandze Bekhandze Randza Samundgate Soha

Tayata Om Bekhandze Bekhandze Maha Bekhandze Bekhandze Randza Samundgate Soha

[Several minutes repeating.]

Visualize Buddha in front of you (if uninitiated)

Whichever is suitable for you. You can visualize Medicine Buddha right in front of you. He is up there facing you and you’re facing to him, roughly about three or four feet above you and in front of you. Or, you imagine Medicine Buddha sitting right above your head and facing the same direction. Either way is fine. Usually, it’s a little bit more comfortable to visualize in front of you because you can see Medicine Buddha’s face.

As I said, you visualize about three or four feet above you, in front of you, on this beautiful space. First, you visualize lotus cushion and moon cushion. Two cushions like we sit on our mattress and cushion like that. Medicine Buddha is sitting on a lotus cushion.

Lotus cushion symbol of renunciation

Lotus cushion is a symbol of renunciation, which means we recognize the situation in the world today. In today’s world, there is lots of problems and lots of suffering: war, famine, disease, population increasing, lots of stress and pressure, and lots of suffering, and that goes on and on. Kind of endless. So much suffering. But we are here in this world. We have to do something for survival for ourselves, our generations and children, our community, and protecting the land. We have to do something for the rest of the world. We can’t ignore and we cannot give up. We have to do something. This attitude, doing something for the world, is compassion.

The lotus flower is example for compassion. Why the lotus flower is example for compassion? The lotus flower only grows in mud. Lotus flower doesn’t grow in a big garden or botanical garden. It grows in the mud. It needs a certain kind of environment: mud, water, and there could be lots of insects, snakes, and so on and so forth. Not really comfortable or easy place to walk. But it’s a beautiful flower, grows in this kind of environment. They need this kind of environment.

So, the lotus is example for compassion. The pond or the swamp is example for samsara. We call an example of the world. The world is like that swamp, not a very comfortable place to walk. But the lotus flower is born in this swamp. So, compassion can be born within our heart and compassion arise when you see much so much misery and suffering. The more misery is there, suffering there, you can have more compassion. You will say to yourself, “How can I ignore, leave it like that? I have to do something.”

Many compassionate beings

Many, many, many compassionate being in this world today. There are so many enlightened ones. There is many Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, enlightened people, compassionate people in the world helping. Sometimes people don’t understand. People questioning, “Where are all the Buddhas? Where are all the Bodhisattvas? Where are the saints? Who’s doing who? Nobody cares.” That’s not the case. Just because there’s so much suffering, we don’t see it. The difference, we don’t see it.

But if you go out there, you see so many people doing voluntary work. Buddhists, Christians, and different people. Many people are not even religious. They are purely spiritual people, good people, doing so many work, tremendous work.

There are so many, what we call, Bodhisattvas. A Bodhisattva is a person who has no self, no sense of self or ego or me. No self-cherishing. They totally give up this concept of Self. Me, I’m here to serve the community, serve the world, serve Mother Earth, Father Sky, and everybody. There are lots of compassionate people and we should join them. We should follow them. We practice with them and as a Sangha in Buddhist term, spiritual community. This is why there is lotus flowers there in the sea, the cushion. You see in Hindu and Buddhist art, you see lots of lotus everywhere.

We even have a guru named Padmasambhava. Padmasambhava means lotus-born guru. The legend is that he was born in the lotus. It’s a miracle. He just showed up on a lotus, little baby. So, Medicine Buddha is sitting on a lotus cushion and then on top of the lotus cushion, there’s a moon cushion that’s horizontal.

Metta and Karuna — Love and Compassion

Moon is symbol of love. So, compassion and love. Love and kindness, Metta and Karuna in Pali and San scripture. Metta is love and Karuna is compassion. The moon is example of love. The moon is very beautiful. You look at the full moon. I think, last night or tonight is a full moon. I saw last night through the window. When you look at the moon, it is very calming and peaceful and beautiful. An example of beauty and so. So, love is sitting on the moon disc and that means that we need to cultivate compassion and love in order to do effective healing practice, Medicine Buddha practice. You visualize moon cushion, then we visualize Medicine Buddha, Lapiz Lazuli Light.

There are eight emanations. The principle of Medicine Buddha is Lapiz Lazuli Light. He has a blue color of lapiz. Lapiz is a mineral and it is a medicine. You can grind lapiz, put it in a herb. We mix it with other herbs. Also, you can use lapiz for painting color like painting of the thangkas and so forth. The blue color is the color of energy, and the color of healing. So we visualize Medicine Buddha above in front of us and we read the description here: “He is sitting on the lotus seat, on top of which is the moon cushion. He is radiant and translucent blue in color and alive and vibrant. His right hand is in a gesture of supreme generosity called an Arura or Myrobalan plant.”

Visualizing Buddha as Alive

So, when we visualize the Buddha deity, we have to imagine He’s alive, not like a statue. He’s alive and he’s a blue color and he’s sitting cross-legged with vajra asana. Right hand is in the mudra of supreme generosity or supreme healing. Right hand right above his right knee, holding Arura or Myrobalan, which is a herb and seed.

According to Ayurvedic medicine, it’s called Myrobalan arura and botanic, I think word is, indian gooseberry. It grows in the forest of the Himalayas. There’s actually three multiple herb seeds we call arura, tudora and parura, according to Ayurvedic medicine and Tibet medicine. These herbs have a lot of healing property, especially Myrobalan. It also helps against insect bites like malaria and so forth. So, he’s holding Arura Myrobalan plant in his right hand and always, meaning and giving supreme medicine.

Begging bowl with healing nectar

In the gesture of concentration, his left hand holds a bowl, a begging bowl. So, in the left hand is in the gesture of mudra of contemplation or meditation. Usually, this is the mudra of meditation. You see in Tibetan tradition. Right hand is on the left hand or right hand is on the left hand, depending on the tradition. It doesn’t matter. Same thing. Even the circle inside your hand, the circle is a symbol of unity and oneness. Circle, one, oneness, unity. So, you meet the right hand and left hand here, and also yin and yang, love and compassion, wisdom and compassion, and so forth. The male and female energy all together joined. This is a symbol, a mudra of meditative equipoise.

Here, his left hand is in the mudra of meditative equipoise and then he’s holding a bowl with medicine inside. Medicine Buddha is a monk. Buddhist monks, usually, they have a begging bowl. They hold a begging bowl and go outside begging. It means that they live a very simple life and they would eat whatever people offer them and then meditate most of the time. They spend their time meditation, studying, and doing some work.

So, here Medicine Buddha is holding a bowl, but it’s also not just a medicine bowl. He’s holding a bowl with a nectar inside and then he’s got the nectar or elixir. The Sanskrit term is Amrita. Amrita is similar to the Greek word elixir. So, he’s got this healing medicine. He can give it to us, give it to you, endless and multiply. He’s holding that bowl with nectar on the left hand and contains medicinal nectar, ambrosia of life. Life-sustaining medicine. Longevity medicine.

It says in the commentary, if you drink this medicine or herb, it will give you longevity. It will remove all your health problems. It will remove any defect in your body or weakness of the body. It will heal and balance what you have stagnated chi and so forth. It will remove and it will bring new chi, new energy. Chi is energy. So, this medicine has a lot of power. If you have some toxin chemical and poison, it will renew instantly so you regenerate and rejuvenate your body. Holding this beautiful nectar, and the many different purposes and minerals and so forth.

“He is the embodiment of all the powerful dormant force of healing within us. We can, if it is helpful, imagine the place where we are meditating as a beautiful scenic place in a way that is nurturing us.”

Now, we visualize Medicine Buddha. Please visualize in front of you. The height or size, about maybe two feet and twelve inches. Medicine Buddha, and imagine blue color sitting on a lotus cushion. The body of Medicine Buddha is the nature of light and energy and more or less transparent. He is the embodiment of all the Buddhas. He represents all the Buddhas of the past, the Buddhas of the present time, and the Buddhas of future time. He is here in front of us. We visualize Medicine Buddha. So, you close your eyes slightly.

Visualization: How to Do it

When we say visualization, what are we doing here? You are projecting. You’re creating the image in front of you. Creating by your mind. You have to create. Projecting is like you have a slideshow. You are projecting the image on a screen. You project in front of you, visualize. Then, sometimes the images sort of fade away and then come back again, and you have to refocus, like you focus in a projector. Then, images can be a little bit more clear. If it is not clear, keep concentrating, creating, and then slowly, it appears to us. It will come to us. We have to create by our mind. Everything is part of our mind, anyway, generally speaking. Our perception, we have to project. Please visualize Medicine Buddha in front of you.”

This is followed by meditational images of Medicine Buddha and beautiful chanting of Medicine Buddha Mantra by the incredible Yoko Dharma:

Om Bekhandze Bekhandze Maha Bekhandze Bekhandze Randza Samundgate Soha

Om Bekhandze Bekhandze Maha Bekhandze Bekhandze Randza Samundgate Soha

Om Bekhandze Bekhandze Maha Bekhandze Bekhandze Randza Samundgate Soha

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