Once there is doubt, we might act in our own interest without regard to the law and moral conduct; thinking others are unaware of our true intention, we bring harm and injury to them. If we genuinely believe in and respect cause and effect, we will be fearful of committing transgressions. This is because there is no connection between “cause and effect” and “whether others know our true intention.” When we commit a transgression, this action, like a seed, is stored and will one day mature. No one is spared at the time it matures; where there is cause, there is effect – that is the objective reality. Without cause and effect to restrain us, our moral standards will decline to even beyond the bottom line. This will create even greater alienation among people and generate a lot of problems for society. Therefore, we should believe in cause and effect, and practice the ten virtues. 

~Depicted from ARE YOU READY FOR HAPPINESS - Spiritual Equipment for Modern Times

In recent years, natural disasters such as earthquake, tsunami and hurricane have occurred more frequently while suicides and mental problems have become more widespread. Increasingly, people come to realize how fragile life is and begin to focus more on the subject of life and death, which everyone must face eventually. To the majority, death is a very heavy topic as it signifies great fear and trouble. But there is no escape from death, no matter what. Understanding what death really is can help us not only quash fear toward death but also find the opportunity to be free from death completely. 

~Depicted from THE HANDBOOK'S FOR LIFE JOURNEY - On Death And Rebirth-What Life Truly Is

Many of us had received empowerment from His Holiness Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche and are also fortunate enough to have learned many precious Buddhist teachings. These are not casual encounters. If we were to let them become just ordinary mundane affairs, they would lend no help to our quest for liberation. Even if we do manage to gain some benefits later on as a result of these encounters, which perhaps temporarily satisfy our worldly yearnings, liberation, on the other hand, will forever be lost. That would be regretful, wouldn’t you think? So keep in mind of the preciousness of this human birth. Don’t waste this life in neglect and ignorance, and miss the one chance for seeking freedom from samsara. In order to succeed, we must first begin by cultivating renunciation. Failing that, neither meditation nor mantra chanting can ever be deemed supramundane practice through which ultimate liberation can be attained. This is extremely important!

~Depicted from THE RIGHT VIEW - The Three Differences

In the first turning of the wheel of Dharma, the Buddha focused on the subjects in the outer preliminaries, suffering in samsara, infallible karma, etc., which are the four truths of Theravada Buddhism, not so much on emptiness; in the second turning of the wheel of Dharma, the Buddha also mentioned impermanence and suffering to some extent, but the heart of the teachings was emptiness; in the third turning of the wheel of Dharma, emptiness was no longer the most important, rather the luminous mind became the main topic the Buddha expounded.

~Depicted from GATEWAY TO VAJRAYANA PATH- Vajrayana Terminology

In the other case, the practice does not go well and is actually filled with a lot of negative emotions – greed, anger, delusion …. , even more so than when we are not meditating. It is easy at this time to be despondent and think if we meditate like this, there is no hope for liberation. We must then encourage ourselves: “Even if I failed at this sitting, there will be another. Although I encountered a lot of discursive thoughts as well as afflictions in this sitting, it is very normal since I am just a beginner; these distractions are to be expected. However, by persevering and making effort one step at a time, I will succeed for sure; there is no reason to lose hope.”Then vow to succeed in the next sitting. When practicing, do not fall into the two extremes – of being arrogant and feeling disappointed too early.

~Depicted from THE FOUR SEALS OF DHARMA - The Final Review

As another example, a piece of fabric when taken apart is a pile of yarn; where then is the fabric? Did it disappear? What am I wearing—fabric or yarn? But a strand of yarn is also made up of fibers that are twisted together. So is it fabric, yarn, or fiber that I am wearing? If we again break down the fiber into very fine particles and set this aside, where then is the original fabric? Is it just dust particles that I am wearing? In the sutra system, emptiness is understood by way of this kind of reasoning. It is one method of approaching emptiness, but only as a concept, not an actual experience.

~Depicted from GATEWAY TO VAJRAYANA PATH -Sutra and Tantra: Similarities and Differences

In this modern age, we are enjoying greater material well-being than ever before.But at the same time, we are also facing many problems: our trust in people and the index on happiness continue to decline; divorce, suicide, and crime rates keep rising; depression is even more prevalent. How do we resolve these problems? Buddhist philosophy can be very helpful at this time.

~Depicted from ARE YOU READY FOR HAPPINESS - Spiritual Equipment for Modern Times

Perhaps many people may question how they can let go when they have responsibilities to the society and to their family.

It would be a mistake to think “letting go” means “abandoning or discarding” our responsibilities. We are simply letting go of our excessive attachment to money, career, and things. As an ordinary person, we cannot possibly be unconcerned about family and material goods; however, if we become overly attached to them, we incur suffering many times over.

~Depicted from ARE YOU READY FOR HAPPINESS - Spiritual Equipment for Modern Times

To ordinary people, the ultimate truth represents an invisible, untouchable state. In other words, it is a condition that our six consciousnesses have never been exposed to. The fact is that other than the physical and the mental world that can be reached via the six consciousnesses, there is another state which by no means parallels Plato’s world of Forms. Rather, it can be compared to the reappearance of a blue sky after dark clouds have been blown away. Our senses and perceptions are like dark clouds that block the truth of everything, including the self. All we need is to find a powerful force like the wind that can blow the clouds away. Once the clouds are cleared, we will discover this other state where there are no illusory manifestations of matter, mind, or movement, just a spatial, luminous and peaceful world like the clear blue sky of late autumn. Although this state does not exist as in the normal sense of a world, it can be addressed, albeit spuriously, as a “world.” Such is the state of the ultimate truth, the ultimate reality of all phenomena.

~Depicted from THE RIGHT VIEW - The Two Truths—the Key to Unlocking Madhyamaka