Joy to the World

Words of Advice from Kyabjé Chatral Rinpoche

Chatral Rinpoche

Namo gurubhyah!

Precious master of unrepayable kindness, Pema Ledrel Tsal,

Remain as the crown ornament on the top of my head, I pray!

Grant your blessings so that we may find freedom here and now

From all the sufferings of samsara and its lower realms!

Listen well, my dear disciples who are gathered here,

And whose hearts have not been spoiled, consider this.

The chances of finding a human existence are one in a hundred.

Now that you have found one, if you fail to practise the sublime Dharma,

How could you possibly expect to find such an opportunity again?

This is why it’s crucial that you take advantage of your situation.

Conceiving of your body as a servant or a thing to ferry you about,

Don’t allow it to rest in idleness for even just a single moment;

Use it well, spurring on your entire body, speech and mind to virtue.

You might spend your whole life pursuing only food and clothes,

With great effort and without regard for suffering or harmful deeds,

But when you die you can’t take even a single thing—consider this well.

The clothing and alms needed to keep you alive are all you need.

You might dine on the finest meal of delicious meat and alcohol,

But it all turns into something impure the very next morning,

And there is nothing more to it all than that.

So be content with life-sustaining provisions and simple clothes,

And be a loser when it comes to food, clothing and conversation.

If you don’t reflect on death and impermanence,

There’ll be no way to practise Dharma purely,

Practice will remain an aspiration, one that is constantly postponed,

And you may feel regret the day that death comes, but by then it’s too late!

There’s no real happiness among any of the six classes,

But if we consider the sufferings of the three lower realms,

Then, when you feel upset just by hearing about them,

How will you possibly cope when you experience them directly?

Even the happiness and pleasures of the three upper realms

Are just like fine food that’s been laced with poison—

Enjoyable at first, but in the long run a cause of ruin.

What’s more, all these experiences of pleasure and pain,

Are not brought about by anyone besides yourself.

They are produced by your very own actions, good and bad.

Once you know this, it’s crucial that you act accordingly,

Without confusing what should be adopted and abandoned.

It’s far better to eliminate your doubts and misconceptions,

By relying on the instructions of your own qualified teacher,

Than to receive many different teachings and never take them any further.

You might remain in a solitary place, physically isolated from the world,

Yet fail to let go of ordinary concerns, and, with attachment and aversion,

Seek to bring defeat upon your enemies while furthering the interests of your friends,

And involve yourself in all kinds of projects and financial dealings—

But there could hardly be anything worse than that at all.

If you lack the wealth of contentment in your mind,

You’ll think you need all kinds of useless things,

And end up even worse than just an ordinary person,

Because you won’t manage even a single session of practice.

So set your mind on freedom from the need for anything at all.

Wealth, success and status are all simply ways of attracting enemies and demons.

Pleasure-seeking practitioners who fail to turn their minds from this life’s concerns

Sever their connection to the authentic Dharma.

So take care to avoid becoming stubbornly immune to the teachings.

Limit yourself to just a few activities and undertake them all with diligence.

Not allowing your mind to become fidgety and restless,

Make yourself comfortable on the seat in your retreat cabin,

This is the surest way to gain the riches of a Dharma practitioner.

You might remain sealed in strict retreat for months or even years,

But if you fail to make any progress in the state of your mind,

Later, when you tell everyone about all that you did over such a long time,

Aren’t you just bragging about all the hardships and deprivation?

And all their praise and acknowledgements will only make you proud.

To bear mistreatment from our enemies is the best form of austerity,

But those who hate criticism and are attached to compliments,

Who take great pains to discover all the faults of others,

While failing to keep proper guard over their own mindstream,

And who are always irritable and short-tempered,

Are certain to bring breakages of samaya upon all their associates,

So rely constantly on mindfulness, vigilance and conscientiousness.

No matter where you stay—be it a busy place or a solitary retreat—

The only things that you need to conquer are mind’s five poisons

And your own true enemies, the eight wordly concerns, nothing else,

Whether it is by avoiding them, transforming them, taking them as
the path or looking into their very essence,

Whichever method is best suited to your own capacity.

There’s no better sign of accomplishment than a disciplined mind,

This is true victory for the real warrior who carries no weapons.

When you practise the teachings of the sutras and tantras,

The altruistic bodhichitta of aspiration and application is crucial,

Because it lies at the very root of the Mahayana.

Just to have this is enough, but without it, all is lost.

These words of advice were spoken in the hidden grove of Padma,

In the place called Kunzang Chöling,

In the upper hermitage in a forest clearing,

By the old beggar Sangye Dorje.

May it be virtuous!

Translated by Adam

This translation was published in Chatral Rinpoche, Compassionate Action, Edited by Zach Larson, Ithaca: Snow Lion Publications, 2007

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Kyabjé Chatral Rinpoche, Words of Advice, Retrieved on 6/22/08 from http://www.lotsawahouse.org/words.html

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Drops of Advice from My Heart by Kyabjé Khenchen Jigmé Phuntsok

Kyabjé Khenchen Jigmé Phuntsok

May the youthful sun of speech, Manjushri, in his enlightened form,

With its signs and marks, embodying the secret body, speech and mind

Of all the infinite buddhas and their bodhisattva heirs,

Turn your minds towards the path to perfect awakening!

There are countless Dharma teachings, profound and extensive,

Suited to the mental capacities and inclinations of limitless beings,

Yet, by gathering all the key points together in a way that can be practised,

I offer this pithy advice to you, my friends, who I hold as dear as my own heart.

Becoming attached to this life, you will lose your fortunate connection to the Dharma.

Indulging your desires again and again, your craving will only increase,

And you will never find satisfaction. Wealth, happiness, fame and praise—

To pursue them is like buying and selling in a dream. Let go of such concerns!

By relying on a genuine and qualified teacher,

Your spiritual qualities will develop and increase,

And all your faults and failings will be cast away,

So serve him in the three ways[1] and others’ aims will be accomplished.

Just as gardens are not to be found growing in midair,

All the bounties of the higher realms and liberation,

Will never be yours as long as you lack moral discipline,

So with mindfulness, awareness and caution, control your mind.

Up to now, you have wandered like madmen lacking any guidance,

Through the vast darkness of unknowing in beginningless existence.

So now, in order to find the great sanctuary of peace and happiness,

It is right that you take joy in studying the vast ocean of excellent teachings.

Yet hearing alone will not be enough to eliminate misconceptions,

And confidence in the teacher and teachings will not come easily,

So take advantage of hundreds of debates, teachings and compositions,

And rely upon the elixir of mind that is the wisdom born of reflection.

Even the most erudite of teachers with vast scriptural learning,

Can repeat words like a parrot, without taking them to heart,

But when death suddenly arrives, this will bring only pangs of regret,

So rely on the essential meaning of the teachings, my heart-friends!

All the infinite teachings of the buddhas, so vast in number,

Are imparted purely as a means to subdue our own minds.

Don’t put your faith in words alone! I urge you once again:

Let the key points of the deeper meaning seep into your hearts!

This physical existence is difficult to find, like an udumvara flower,

Yet more rewarding than the discovery of a million precious gems.

It will be incredibly difficult to find another opportunity like this later on,

So don’t let it pass you by without accomplishing the highest purpose!

Our great enemy, the lord of death, arrives like a bolt of lightning in the sky,

And nobody can predict when and where he will strike next.

So you can not afford to wait for months and years.

Now is the time for virtuous practice—right here, right now!

For all beings, actions will not go to waste, but will bear their fruit,

And when karma ripens, there is no way to change its outcome.

So now, while you are fortunate enough still to have some control,

If you insist on bringing ruin upon yourself, who will ever save you!

If merely thinking of the various sufferings of samsara,

Which are so unbearably intense, can make you shudder,

Ask yourself: What will it be like when body and mind

Are actually afflicted by these countless forms of duhkha?

Only they have the power to lead us out of this great terror,

So extremely difficult to escape. No one else could ever save us!

So we should take these three most precious jewels as our refuge,

For they are undeceiving, wise, compassionate and powerful.

All the suffering of the three worlds comes from wanting happiness for ourselves,

And all virtue and happiness is born of a mind that wishes others well.

So, following the example of the teacher of all gods and men,

You should generate the supreme and unsurpassed bodhichitta.

When the glass mirror of your own mind is completely covered over,

With the thick layer of dust that is the adventitious defilements,

It is difficult for the reflection of profound and clear samadhi to appear,

So take pains to wipe it clean using the pure cloth of the four powers.

All appearance, sound and awareness are deity, mantra and dharmata.

And the view is knowing that this is how it always has been.

Without losing this view, take aim with the arrow of your meditation,

And gain mastery over the practices of elimination and development.

If you can generate bliss, clarity and non-thought as means of support,

Through the techniques of breathing and adopting physical postures,

You will come to master the illusory body of clear light,

So penetrate to the core of enlightened mind through the perfection stage.

When the darkness of the five degenerations prevails,

It is not easily overcome with the starlight of the eight lower yanas,

So shine the brilliant light of the sun of Nyingtik with its countless rays,

All drawn along by the swift carriage of the three kinds of faith!

Whatever arises, in pure awareness, unaltered and unconfined,

Look into the mind that is settled by itself, resting naturally.

If you recognize the natural clarity, always empty and without origin,

You traverse the paths and stages all at once, and seize the stronghold of the fruition.

Resting in a state of just-as-it-isness, through the right postures and gazes,

If you experience the natural manifestation of basic space and spheres of light as pure awareness,

The darkness of samsara’s dualism will disappear in absolute space,

And, passing through the four visions, you will reach maturity in the light body of great transference.

What I have said here—this plain talk arranged in verses—is my heart’s advice.

Although it lacks the poetic turns of phrase that might delight the intellectuals,

As a spontaneous and unaltered outpouring from the depths of my mind,

It is in the preferred style of the vidyadharas of the old translation school.

Through the merit of this, may all beings without exception

Receive the supreme royal empowerment of the four kayas,

And may I never be separated, even for a moment,

From the courageous strength of youthful Manjushri!

In China, at the solitary place of Wu Tai Shan (The Five-Peaked Mountain), on the peak where the supreme deity, the youthful Manjushri, turned the wheel of the profound and vast Dharma for tens of thousands of bodhisattvas, the one with unparalleled power of speech and intelligence (Khenchen Jikmé Phuntsok) set down in twenty-three minutes whatever came to mind. May it be virtuous!

Translated by Adam. Thanks to Lama Chökyi Nyima for his kind assistance and to Matthew Pistono for his encouragement.

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[1] Offering material support, attending the master and practising meditation.

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Kyabjé Khenchen Jigmé Phuntsok, Drops of Advice from My Heart, Retrieved on 6/22/08 from http://www.lotsawahouse.org/heartdrops.html

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The Four Noble Truths by Venerable Thrangu Rinpoche

One needs to understand that when the Buddha taught, he was not teaching as a great scholar who wanted to demonstrate a particular philosophical point of view or to teach for its own sake. His desire was to present the very essence of the deep and vast teachings of Buddhism, for that reason he gave teachings which suited the abilities of his disciples. All the teachings he gave, some long and some short, were a direct and appropriate response to the development of the disciples who came to listen to him. Of course, people have very different capacities and different levels of understanding. They also have very different wishes and desires to learn and understand the dharma. If the Buddha had taught only the very essence of his own understanding of those vast and far- reaching teachings, then apart from a small number of disciples who had great intelligence and diligence few people would have ever understood the Buddhist teachings. The Buddha taught whatever would enable a person develop so he or she could progress gradually towards the very deep and vast teachings. When we analyze all the Buddha's teachings, we see that they fall into three main approaches or vehicles.

The Buddha's teachings helped each student in a way appropriate for the level he or she was at. Because of that, one finds that on the relative level each student received some benefit from what Buddha taught. On the absolute level, one finds all of the Buddha's teachings have the same goal. When one analyzes the Buddha's teachings on the relative level, one finds that there are three levels. But, when one examines them from the absolute level, one sees there is only one level, or yana, because all beings are directed towards the same goal.

The Hinayana

Of the three yanas, the first is the hinayana. Hinayana literally means "lesser vehicle" but this term should in no way be a reproach or be construed to any way diminish the importance of the teachings. In fact, the teachings of the hinayana are very important because they suit the capacities and development of a great number of students. If it weren't for these teachings, which are particularly appropriate for those who have limited wisdom or diligence, many persons would never been able to travel the mahayana path. Without the hinayana teachings there would be no way for practitioners to progress in the dharma because they would have never entered the path. The path is similar to a staircase: the lower step is the lower step. This doesn't mean it is not important or should be ignored because without this lower step one can never reach the top of the stairs. One can never gain access to the upper stories of a building without that lower step. It is very necessary. It should be very clear that this term "lesser" vehicle is in no way a pejorative term. It just puts the path into a realistic context.

The fundamental teachings of the hinayana are the main subject matter of the first dharmachakra or turning of the wheel of dharma. These teachings were given mainly in India in the town of Varanasi which is now called Benares. The main subject matter of these teachings is "The Four Noble Truths."

The Four Noble Truths

If the Buddha had taught his disciples principally by demonstrating his miraculous abilities and various powers, it would not have been the best way to establish them on the path of liberation. The best way to bring them to that wisdom and liberation was to point out the very truth of things; to point out the way things really are. So this is what he did: He showed the truth through the four noble truths and the two truths (relative and absolute truth). By seeing the way things really are, the students learned how to eliminate their mistakes and their delusions. Eliminating ones mistakes and delusions automatically destroys the causes of ones suffering and hardships. This allows one to progressively reach the state of liberation and great wisdom. That is why the four noble truths and the two truths are the essence of the first teachings of the Buddha.

The First Noble Truth

The first noble truth is the full understanding of suffering. Of course, in an obvious way, people are aware of suffering and know when they have unpleasant sensations such as hunger, cold, or sickness and recognize these as things that one doesn't like. But the first noble truth includes awareness of all the ramifications of suffering because it encompasses the very nature and essence of suffering. This includes knowledge of the subtle and the obvious aspects of suffering. The obvious aspect of suffering is immediate pain or difficulty in the moment. Subtle suffering is more difficult to understand because it begins with happiness. But by its very nature this happiness must change because it cannot go on forever. Because it must change into suffering, then subtle suffering is the nonpermanence of pleasure. For example, when Thrangu Rinpoche went to Bhutan with His Holiness Karmapa, he was invited to the palace of the king of Bhutan. When he arrived there, the palace was magnificent, the kings chambers were beautiful, there were many servants who showed complete respect and obedience. But he and Karmapa found that even though there was so much external beauty, the king himself was suffering a great deal mentally and had many difficulties. The king himself said that he was quite relieved that His Holiness had come and emphasized how much the visit meant to him because of the various difficulties with which he had been troubled. This is the subtle aspect of suffering. One thinks that a particular situation will give one the most happiness one can ever imagine, but actually, within the situation, there is a tremendous amount of anguish. If one thinks of those who are really fortunate-- those gods or human beings with a very rich and healthy life--it seems as though they have nothing but happiness. It is hard to understand that the very root, the very fiber of what is taking place is suffering because the situation is subject to change.

What is happiness? By its very nature it can often mean that there will be suffering later on. There is no worldly happiness that lasts for a very long time. Worldly happiness includes an element of change, of built-in suffering. For that reason the first noble truth of the awareness of suffering refers not just to immediate suffering, but also to the subtle elements of suffering. The Buddha taught the truth of suffering because everything that takes place on a worldly level is a form of suffering.

If one is suffering but is not aware of it, one will never have the motivation to eliminate this suffering and will continue to suffer. When one is aware of suffering, one is able to overcome it. With the more subtle forms of suffering, if one is happy and becomes aware that the happiness automatically includes the seed of suffering, then one will be much less inclined to become involved in the attachment to this happiness. One will then think, "Oh, this seems to be happiness, but it has built-in suffering." Then one will want to dissociate from it. The first truth is that one should be aware of suffering. Once one has a very clear picture of the nature of suffering, one can really begin to avoid such suffering. Of course, everyone wants to avoid suffering and to emerge from suffering, but to accomplish this one needs to be absolutely clear about its nature.

When one becomes aware that the nature of day-to-day existence is suffering, one doesn't have to be miserable with the thought suffering will always be present. Suffering doesn't go on forever because the Buddha entered the world, gave teachings, and demonstrated clearly what suffering is. He also taught the means by which suffering can be ended and described the state beyond suffering which is liberation. One does not have to endure suffering and can, in fact, be happy. Even though one can not immediately emerge from suffering by practicing the Buddha's teachings, one can gradually eliminate suffering in this way, and move towards eventual liberation. This fact in itself can make one happy, even before one has actually completely emerged from suffering. Applying of the Buddha's teachings, one can both be happy in the relative phase of ones progress and then at the end one will gain wisdom and liberation and be happy in the ultimate sense, as well.

The first noble truth makes it clear that there is suffering. Once one knows what suffering is, one must eliminate that suffering. It is not a question of eliminating the suffering itself, but of eliminating the causes of suffering. Once one removes the causes of suffering, then automatically the effect, which is suffering, is no longer present. This is why, in order to eliminate this suffering, one becomes aware of the second noble truth, the truth of universal origination.

The Second Noble Truth

The truth of universal origination is an English translation of the name Buddha himself gave to this noble truth. It means "that which is the cause or origin of absolutely everything." The truth of universal origination indicates that the root cause of suffering is karma and the kleshas. Karma is a Sanskrit word which means "activity" and klesha in Sanskrit means "mental defilement" or "mental poison." If one does not understand the Buddha's teachings, one would most likely attribute all happiness and suffering to some external cause. One might think that happiness and suffering come from the environment, or from the gods, and that everything that happens originates in some source outside of ones control. If one believes this, then it is extremely hard, if not impossible, to eliminate suffering and its causes. On the other hand, when one realizes that the experience of suffering is a product of what one has done, that is, a result of ones karma, eliminating suffering becomes possible. Once one is aware of how suffering takes place, then one can begin to remove the causes of suffering. First one must realize that what one experiences is not dependent on external forces, but on what one has done previously. This is the understanding of karma. Karma produces suffering and is driven by the defilements. The term "defilement" refers mainly to ones negative motivation and negative thoughts, which produce negative actions.

The Third Noble Truth

The third noble truth is the cessation of suffering through which it is explained that the causes of karma and the defilements can be removed. We have control over suffering because karma and the defilements take place within us--we create them, we experience them. For that reason we don't need to depend on anyone else to remove the cause of suffering. The truth of universal origination means that if we do unvirtuous actions, we are creating suffering. It also means if we abandon unvirtuous actions, we remove the possibility of experiencing suffering in the future. What we experience is entirely in our hands. Therefore the Buddha has said that we should give up the causes of karma and the defilements. Virtuous actions result in the external state of happiness and unvirtuous actions result in suffering. This idea is not particularly easy to grasp because one cannot see the whole process take place from beginning to end.

There are three kinds of actions: mental, verbal, and physical. These are subdivided into virtuous and unvirtuous physical actions, virtuous and unvirtuous verbal actions, and virtuous and unvirtuous mental actions. If one abandons these three types of unvirtuous actions, then ones actions become automatically virtuous.

There are three unvirtuous physical actions: the harming of life, sexual misconduct, and stealing. The results of these three unvirtuous actions can be observed immediately. For example, when there is a virtuous relationship between a man and woman who care about each other, protect each other, and have a great deal of love and affection for each other. They will be happy because they look after each other. Their wealth will usually increase and if they have children, their love and care will bring mutual love in the family. In the ordinary sense, happiness develops out of this deep commitment and bond they have promised to keep. Whereas, when there is an absence of commitment, there is also little care or love and sexual misconduct arises. This is not the ground out of which love arises, or upon which a nice home can be built in which children can develop happiness. One can readily see that from the lack of commitment to sexual fidelity, many kinds of difficulties will arise.

One can also see the immediate consequences of other unvirtuous physical actions. One can see that those who steal have difficulties and suffer; those who don't steal experience happiness and have a good state of mind. Likewise, those who kill create many problems and unhappiness for themselves while those who support life are happy.

The same applies to ones speech, although it is not so obvious. But on closer examination, one can also see how happiness develops out of virtuous speech and unhappiness from unvirtuous kinds of speech. At first lying may seem to be useful because one might think that one can deceive others through lies and gain some advantage. But Sakya Pandita said that this is not true. If one lies to ones enemies or persons one doesn't get along with, very well, because they are ones enemies they are not going to take notice of what one is saying anyway. It will be quite hard to deceive them. If they are ones friends, one might be able to deceive them at first by telling a lie. But after the first time, they wont trust you any more and may think that you have been a hypocrite. Lying doesn't really work. Then if one looks at the opposite, a person who takes pains to speak the truth will develop a reputation of being a truthful person who can be relied on and out of this trust, many good things will emerge.

Once we have considered the example of the consequences of lying, we can think of similar consequences relating to other kinds of damaging speech: slander, and coarse, aggressive, and useless speech. Except for the immediate and the short-termed consequences virtuous speech produces happiness and unvirtuous speech produces suffering.

When we say useless speech, we mean speech that is really useless, not just conversational. So, if we have a good mind and want someone to relax and be happy, even though the words may not be of great meaning, then its useful speech based on the idea of benefit and goodness. When we say "useless speech," we mean chatter for no reason at all. Worse than that is "chatter rooted in the defilements" when one is saying bad things about other people because of dislike or is jealous of them or one sets people against each other. One just gossips about the character of people. That is really useless speech. Besides being useless, this very often causes trouble because it sets people against each other and causes bad feelings.

The same applies with "harmful speech." If there is really a loving and beneficial reason for talking, for example, scolding a child when the child is doing something dangerous or scolding a child for not studying in school, that is not harmful speech because it is devoid of the defilements, being a skillful way of helping someone. If there is that really genuine, beneficial attitude and love behind what one says, it is not harmful speech. But if speech were related to the defilements such as aggression or jealousy, then it is harmful speech and is something to give up.

We can go on to examine the various states of mind and see that a virtuous mind produces happiness and unvirtuous states of mind create unhappiness. For instance, strong aggression will cause us to lose our friends. Because of our aggressiveness, our enemies will become even worse enemies and the situation will become inflamed. If we are aggressive and hurt others and they have friends, then eventually friends will also become enemies. On the other hand, if we wish to benefit others, goodness will come out of it through the power of caring for our loved ones and then through wishing to help them develop goodness. Through this they will become close and helpful friends. Through the power of our love and care, our enemies and the people one doesn't get along with will improve their behavior and maybe those enemies will eventually become friends. If we have companions and wish to benefit others, we can end up with very good friends and all the benefits which that brings. In this way we can see how cause and effect operate, how a virtuous mind brings about happiness and how a non-virtuous mind brings about suffering and problems.

There are two main aspects of karma: one related to experience and one related to conditioning. The experience of karma has already been discussed in relation. Through unvirtuous physical actions one will experience problems and unhappiness. Likewise, through unvirtuous speech, such as lying, one experiences unhappiness and sorrow. Through an unvirtuous state of mind, one experiences unhappiness. This was demonstrated by the example of an aggressive attitude. All of this is related to the understanding that any unvirtuous activity produces unpleasantness or unhappiness.

The second aspect of karma relates to conditioning. By acting unvirtuously with ones body, speech, or mind one habituates oneself to a certain style of behavior. Unvirtuous physical or verbal behaviors add to the habit of doing things. For example, each time we kill, we are conditioned to kill again. If we lie, that increases the habit of lying. An aggressive mind conditions our state of mind so we become more aggressive. In later lives, then, that conditioning will emerge so that we will be reborn with a great tendency to kill, to lie, to engage in sexual misconduct, and so on. These are two aspects to karma. One is the direct consequence of an act and the other is the conditioning that creates a tendency to engage in behavior of that kind. Through these two aspects karma produces all happiness and suffering in life.

Even though we may recognize that unvirtuous karma gives rise to suffering and virtuous karma gives rise to happiness, it is hard for us to give up unvirtuous actions and practice virtuous actions because the defilements exercise a powerful influence on us. We realize that suffering is caused by unvirtuous karma but we cannot give up the karma itself. We need to give up the defilements because they are the root of unvirtuous actions. To give up the defilements means to give up non-virtuous actions of body (such as killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct), the unvirtuous actions of speech (such as lying, slander and harmful and useless speech), and the unvirtuous aspects of mind (such as aggressive, covetous, or ignorant mind). Just wanting to give up the defilements does not remove them. However, the Buddha in his great kindness and wisdom has given us a very skillful way to eliminate the very root of all the defilements through the examination of the belief in the existence of ego or self.

We cannot just understand this belief in a self easily because it is very deep-rooted. First of all, we have to search for this self that we believe in and through this search we can discover that the self does not exist. Then we will be able to gradually to eliminate the belief in a self. When this is done, the defilements are also eliminated because with the elimination of a belief in self unvirtuous karma is also eliminated.

This belief in a self is a mistaken perception, its an illusion. For example, if one has a flower and were to interrogate one hundred people about it, they would all come to the same conclusion that it is indeed a flower. So one could be pretty sure that it is a flower. But, if one asked a person "Is this me?," he would say, "No, its you." A second person would say, "Its you." One would end up with one hundred persons who say this is "you" and only oneself would consider it as "me." So statistically ones self is on very wobbly ground.

We also tend to think of "me" as one thing, as a unity. When we examine what we think of as ourselves, we find it is made up of many different components: the various parts of the body, the different organs, and the different elements. There are so many of them, yet we have this feeling of a one thing which is "me." When we examine any of those components and try to find something that is the essence of self, the self cannot be found in any of these bits and pieces. By contemplating this and working through it very thoroughly, we begin to see how this "I" is really an incorrect perception.

Once we have eliminated this wrong way of thinking, the idea of an "I" becomes easy to get rid of. So, all of the desire rooted in thinking, "I must be made happy" can be eliminated as well as all the aversion rooted in the idea of "this difficulty must be eliminated." Through the elimination of the idea of "I" we can annihilate the defilements. Once the defilements are gone, then unvirtuous karma, which is rooted in the defilements, can go. Once the unvirtuous karma is gone, suffering will no longer take place. This is why Buddha says that the root of suffering needs to be abandoned.

The first two noble truths may be summed up with two statements:

One should be aware of and know what suffering is. One should give up the universal origination of suffering.

To summarize, once one recognizes what suffering really is, then one begins by removing its causes. One stops doing unvirtuous actions which create suffering. To stop these unvirtuous activities, one digs out their root which is the defilements and the various unhealthy attitudes. To eradicate the defilements one needs to remove their heart, which is this belief in a self. If one does that, then one will eventually come to realize the wisdom of non-self. Through understanding the absence of a self, one no longer creates the defilements and bad actions and brings an end to that whole process. This is highly possible to reach; therefore there is the third noble truth of cessation.

The very essence and nature of cessation is peace. Sometimes people think of Buddhahood in terms of brilliant insights or something very fantastic. In fact, the peace one obtains from the cessation of everything unhealthy is the deepest happiness, bliss, and well-being. Its very nature is lasting in contrast to worldly happiness which is exciting for a time, but then changes. In contrast, this ultimate liberation and omniscience is a definitive release from the defilements which are the cause of suffering. Their cessation is the most deeply moving peace. Within that peace all the powers of liberation and wisdom are developed. It is a very definitive release from both suffering and its result and four main qualities of this truth of cessation. First, it is the cessation of suffering. Second, it is peace. Third, it is the deepest liberation and wisdom. Fourth, it is a very definitive release. Cessation is a product of practicing the path shown to us by the Most Perfect One, the Lord Buddha. The actual nature of that path is the topic of the fourth noble truth, which is called the truth of the path because it describes the path that leads to liberation.

The Fourth Noble Truth

The truth of the path is called "the truth of the path" because a path leads one to the ultimate goal. One does this step by step, stage by stage, progressively completing ones journey. The main stages of Buddhism are called "the five paths" because by progressively traversing them one eventually reaches ones destination which is cessation. This path of the Buddha can be analyzed through its five main stages which are called the five paths (Skt. marga). The names of the five paths are the stage of accumulation, the stage of junction, the stage of insight, the stage of cultivation, and the final stage of nonstudy. Properly speaking, the first four of these are the path with the fifth one being the effect.

The first path is called the "path of accumulation" because gathering or accumulating a great wealth of many things. This is the stage in which one tries to gather all the positive factors which enable one to progress. One tries to cultivate diligence, the good qualities, and the wisdom which penetrates more deeply into the meaning of things. One commits oneself to accumulate all the various positive aspects of practice. One gathers the positive elements into ones being while at the same time working on many different ways to remove all the unwanted elements from ones life. One also applies various techniques to eliminate the various blockages and obstacles which are holding one back. This is called the stage of accumulation because one engages in this manifold activity and gathers all of these new things into ones life.

In ordinary life we are caught up in the level of worldliness. Even though we don't want to be, we are still operating on a level of conditioned existence (Skt. samsara) because we are still under the influence of the defilements. They have a very strong habitual grip on our existence. We need to get rid of these defilements in order to find our way out of samsara. Of course, we want to find this happiness and peace and we know it is possible. But even with the strongest will in the world, we cannot do it overnight. It is like trying to dye a large cloth in that one needs to bring many different elements together to change the color.

So, first of all, in order to gain the good qualities, we need to work on creating all the different conditions which will make those qualities emerge. To develop the various insights of meditation and real wisdom, we need to develop great faith and confidence in the validity and usefulness of that wisdom. Once we are convinced of its value, we need to change our habits so that we have the diligence to do all the things necessary to make insight and wisdom emerge. Therefore, there are many factors and conditions we must generate within our life that will bring about our happiness.

To remove all the unwholesome factors binding us in samsara, we must uproot belief in a self, eliminate the various defilements which are hindering us, and bring together the many different conditions that make this transformation and purification possible. We talk about accumulation because we are assembling all the different conditions that make this transformation possible. We won't be able to progress in a significant manner until we have gathered all these causes and conditions in a proper and completely perfect way within ourselves. For that reason the purpose of this stage of accumulation is to complete all the necessary conditions by gathering them into our existence.

Eventually, because of the complete gathering of favorable conditions, we will reach the third path which is the "path of insight." This is the stage during which insight into the way things actually are is developed which is beyond the veil of delusion. Linking the path of accumulation and the path of insight is the second path of junction. Here our inner realization, the very way we can perceive things, begins to link up with the truth of the actual nature of phenomena because we are gathering all the favorable circumstances that will eventually lead us to the actual insight itself. When we attain insight into the way things really are and this insight develops beyond the level of delusion and mistaken views, we realize that there is no self. Once there is no longer a belief in self, there are no longer any root defilements of attachment, aggression, or mental darkness associated with the idea of self. Once there are no longer any defilements, one does nothing unvirtuous and has no more suffering.

Now, it is true that once we have that insight, all suffering is immediately removed, but in another way, that is not true. This is because the delusion of a self is a habit which has been built up for such a long time and is very, very hard to remove. For example, when we believe in the self and we hit our finger with a hammer, it hurts. Even when we have realized that an unchanging self is just a delusion fabricated by our minds, still when we hit our finger with a hammer it hurts. We still have the feeling, "I am suffering" because there is an enduring built-up association of "I" with the flesh of our body. Removal of that long established conditioning of self is carried out through a long process of accustomization to the truth of non-self. This is the fourth stage of the cultivation of insight.

The fourth stage is called the path of cultivation (gom ki lam in Tibetan). The word gom is usually translated as "meditation" but actually means "to get used to something" or "to accustom oneself." This is why it is translated here as "the path of cultivation," while other texts translate it as "the path of meditation." But this stage is the idea of getting used to the insight into the nature of things. Through becoming more and more familiar with the truth of things, we can remove the very fine traces of defilements and subconscious conditioning that still exist. Through gradual working on these the goal of Buddhahood will be attained.

Through the cultivation of insight we eventually reach the goal of the fifth path which is called "the path of no more study." Through cultivation we remove even the most subtle causes of suffering. Once this is completed we have reached the highest state and there are no more new paths to go along making this "the path of no more study" or "the path of no more practice."

There are two Tibetan words which are pronounced "gom" but spelled differently. There is sgom which means "meditation" and khom which means "to habituate." In the Buddhist view the ordinary reality that we see is actually a delusion. Only with great spiritual attainment can we then see through this delusion and see "things as they really are" (Tib. nga lu).

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Venerable Thrangu Rinpoche. The Four Noble Truths. Retrieved 06/13/08 from http://www.rinpoche.com/fornob.html

The Tibetan Altar - Offerings

Most Tibetan Buddhist establish a place or altar to make offerings to the Three Jewels – the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha (spiritual community),

On the altar, a statue or thangka represents the Three Jewels. A scripture, a stupa or a reliquary object may also be placed on the altar. A standard set of offerings represented by offering bowls is set in the space in front of these items. Occasionally, torma ritual cake or other offerings of food may also be placed there.

By imagining offerings as being pure and faultless, we may create an imprint for purifying our minds of obstruction and defilement. It is for this reason that offerings be imagined as pure and beautiful as possible, the best of everything from the past, present and future and all the ten directions. The offerings are a basis for acquiring merit and should be clean, made of the best substances, attractive and acquired through honest means. When making offerings we should begin by meditating on the wisdom of great bliss and emptiness, imagining that it has taken the form of the offering. We should think of the offering as empty of intrinsic existence. This will help to purify the offering of its ordinary aspects and to purify our minds. We should not have thoughts of immediate benefit in relation to ourselves in this lifetime. Also, we should not have doubts about the quality of our offering or whether it pleases the exalted being to whom we make the offerings. Instead, we should think that the deity rejoices at the offering and generates great bliss in partaking of it.


OFFERINGS

Meaning and Purpose
The basis for offering is the practice of generosity. Generosity helps us to be less self-cherishing and thereby more loving to others. In the Buddhist tradition one makes offerings to the Three Jewels which are the Buddha, Dharma, the Sangha and the Lama that embodies all three. Offerings are a way of honoring the mind of Enlightenment and the potential within all of us to awaken to our true nature. Also one makes offerings with joy and sincere appreciation for the countless blessings we have been given by our teachers who by their supreme generosity have given us the Path and a way to end our suffering. The practice of offering is another way to acknowledge the boundless love and infinite compassion shown to us by all those who have attained Enlightenment solely for the benefit of sentient beings.

On a deeper level, the practice of offering can be done mentally, where one offers everything one sees and experiences such as the beauty of fresh flowers, the wonderful scents in our world like freshly baked bread, the comfort we feel from being warm when it’s cold outside, the taste of delicious food, the happiness we feel when we see a friend we haven’t seen in a while. As we walk through a mall, we can even offer everything we see and experience; all the beautiful colors and the amazing array of gadgets, clothes, furniture, etc. When one is practicing generosity in this way, it is also viewed as a way of renouncing our attachment to these worldly things that are impermanent anyway and only give us temporary happiness. This method of practice if cultivated, becomes a potent way of accumulating merit and virtue that can then be offered for the benefit of sentient beings.

What to Offer
Usually one offers that very best that can be obtained or that one has the means to offer. If the offering is given sincerely from the heart, then whatever is given becomes a treasure. Flowers, light, incense, perfume or sweet sent, pure water, conch shell (music), food are the traditional offerings. In addition, crystals, jewelry, malas and money would be suitable offerings.

How To Make Offerings
When entering the Shrine room three prostrations are made to the altar. Then one would generate the Bodhichitta thought, which is the sincere wish or motivation to be of benefit to sentient beings by working to achieve enlightenment. The offering is made on the lowest level of the altar or could be placed at the base or foot of the altar. In the case of offering a mala, the mala should be placed on the foot of the image of the Buddha but never around the neck. If offering a BLESSED mala, the mala once it has been offered can never again be used for personal use. The practice of offering is considered to be a virtuous act, it is important to remember to dedicate the merit and offer it as well for the benefit of all sentient beings.

What Not To Offer
It is best not to offer anything sour or bitter line lemons or limes. Also one would not offer an image of the Buddha such as a statue or a photograph or the Buddha.

When to Make an Offering
Offerings can be made an anytime on wishes, however, on the Tibetan lunar calendar there are auspicious days that are traditionally observed when merit is increased by making offerings. For example, the 10th Day or Guru Rinpoche Day, the 25th Day or Dakini Day, 10 Million Days (there are four during the year) which mark different events in the life of Shakyamuni Buddha, and Losar the Tibetan New Year.

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Envisionation

The Stanzas Of Offering Water From The Pure Vision

The Stanzas Of Offering Water From The Pure Vision, An Ocean Of Blessings

HUNG YAN LAG GYED DAN DUDTSI SZING BU DI
HUNG Offering a lake of nectar possessing the eight qualities of pure water

CHOM DANKHOR DANG CHE LA BUL WAR GYI
to all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas,

ZHE NE DAG DANG SEMCHEN THAMCHED KYI
by acceptance of the offering, may I and all sentient beings

TSOG DZOG DRIB TAG KHORWA TONG TRUK SHOG
accumulate merit and wisdom, purify obscurations, and liberate all beings.

OM SARWA TATHAGATA APARIWARA ARGHAM PRATITSA PUDZA MEGHA AMUDRA SAPARANA AH HUNG

One night in a dream a white dakini appeared to Dudjom Lingpa. She said that she was Sukha Siddhi and proceeded to recite the above offering stanzas for the sake of all sentient beings. She said that this wishing prayer included everything. This vision arose in the dream of Dudjom Lingpa after a prayer for water offering was requested of him by Lama Tsultrim Dorje. It has recorded by Dudjom Ligpa’s secretary, Phuntsog Tashi.

The water is poured into the bowls from left to right. If the offering is poured correctly, obscurations are dispelled and benefit is obtained. If the water is poured incorrectly, obscurations may increase. It should be poured carefully and steadily, with an even flow, not with irregular movement.

The bowls should be in a straight line, close by not touching. The bowls should be filled by not to the point of overflowing.

Water is a modest offering, neither the cheapest nor the richest.

The bowls of water, from left to right have the following representations:

1. Argham (Chod yon): Pure stream water gathered from all the universe, offered to the Three Jewels. The purity of the water has eight qualities: crystal clarity, coolness, sweetness, lightness, softness, freedom from impurities, it is soothing to the stomach, and it makes the throat clear and free.

2. Padhyam (Shab sil): water for cleaning an object of refuge, as water offered for a Lama to clean himself.

3. Pushpe (Me tog): represents all the offering flowers in the universe, including medicine flowers, fruits and grains. (Flowers may be placed in the bowl instead of water.)

4. Dhuppe (Dug po): represents burning all appropriate incense for the whole universe. (Incense may be placed in the bowl instead of water.)

5. Aloke (Mar me): water representing an offering of all natural lights (sun, moon, stars) and all man-made lamps, to dispel all darkness in the mind. (A candle may be placed in the bowl instead of water.)

6. Gendhe (Dri chab): water representing perfume, pleasant to smell and drink and put on the body. (A small bottle of perfume may be placed in the bowl instead of water.)

7. Nivide (Shalse): water representing food offered to the Three Jewels. (Wrapped candy or an object representing food may be placed in the bowl instead of perishable food or water.)

A Conch shell, Ting-shang, or object representing sound may be placed to the left of the food offering to the Three Jewels.

The seven offering bowls are traditionally set foremost on the shrine, with candles or lamps, two or more, just behind them.

The offering stanzas and mantra are said only when opening the shrine in the morning. When the shrine is closed in the evening, no prayer, mantra or anything special is said. The water bowls are simply emptied, wiped dry and overturned.

For more Buddhist resources click on this link to:
Envisionation