hether we choose to practice or not, it is essential to all of us regardless of our background.

Our focus hereon is the practice, not burning incense, prostrating to the buddhas, or reciting the sutras. If we read Diamond Sutra in the morning and KŞitigarbhasūtra in the evening, this constitutes recitation, not practice. Although reciting the sutras can contribute to the accumulation of merit and help the practice, it is not true practice.

What constitutes a true practice? It is contemplation on precious human birth, the impermanence of life, and the other preliminaries. This discussion on the practice of the Four Dharma Seals is based on the teaching of Mipham Rinpoche, but overall, it is training in renunciation and bodhicitta, and gaining realization of emptiness of self through practices in Madhyamaka and Dzogchen.

How does human suffering arise?

Without thorough investigation, many people instinctively think suffering arises from not having money, not having enough to eat, not having warm clothing, etc. Actually, these are only some of the reasons why we suffer; they are not the main reason.

To establish a disciple-master relationship is a very important step for the initiates of Buddhist practice. Precious time will be wasted if you are led astray by improperly taking someone as a master. Life is short already. To encounter the Dharma within this short period of time is difficult; to encounter a truly qualified vajra master is more difficult; to be able to follow the vajra master and properly practice the Dharma afterwards is extremely difficult. As you can see, one may face mounting difficulties in the course of seeking the genuine Dharma. Nevertheless, if one wishes to learn the Buddhadharma, one had better learn the right teachings and take the right path.

~ Depicted from GATEWAY TO VAJRAYANA : Vajra Master and Empowerment

What is the real meaning of life? The answer can only be found in Buddhism. Other worldly disciplines such as philosophy have so far failed to answer this question fully. The general view is that nothing remains after death, so the meaning of life is to enjoy life to the fullest while it lasts even at the cost of squandering the precious lifetime, depleting massive amount of resources and destroying the natural environment. Still, happiness is beyond reach. It shows that to pursue happiness this way only leads to disappointment.

For most people, it is quite necessary to understand these points. Whether to continue chasing material prosperity or choose a more meaningful way of living is crucial to where this life will lead us. As a matter of fact, it is an extremely rare opportunity that we were born human, have encountered the teachings of the Buddha and had some time to practice. No other things in the world are as extraordinary as such opportunity. In our countless past lives, we must once have enjoyed great wealth and high esteem that made others envious and might even have owned the most precious wish-fulfilling jewel (Cintamani). The same will happen in the innumerable future lives as well. But all those did not make us any better off today.

~ Depicted from THE RIGHT VIEW : A Buddhist’s Mode of Life

According to the Vinaya Pitaka, in ancient India over two thousand years ago, with winter being so cold as to split open bamboos by its bitter cold winds, many bhikshus got sick due to the lack of shoes and caps to keep warm. The Buddha also got sick and had to take medicine. One time, he had a backache and asked Bhikshu Kasyapa to chant some sutras to ease the pain. But the truth is that the Buddha would never have sustained any real pain. These incidents were all just manifestations.

Because of these questions, the Buddha divided the Twelve Nidanas into the twofold cause and effect. On the subject of cause and effect, many Buddhists are either confused or simply do not understand, let alone non-Buddhists. Although not knowing what causality is, many of them still dare to refute and criticize the existence of cause and effect. It makes one wonder what they could possibly refute and criticize something that they do not have any inkling about. Nonetheless, when the karmic force is in play, people will have this inexplicable impetus and nerve to act. Under certain circumstances, demons and demonic hindrances can also bestow fearlessness on people.

With the twofold cause and effect, the workings of karma and samsara are thus revealed: that which “generates” is primarily craving. When craving ends, so does rebirth.

~ Depicted from THE RIGHT VIEW : The Twelve Nidanas—the sequence of cyclic existence

To establish a disciple-master relationship is a very important step for the initiates of Buddhist practice. Precious time will be wasted if you are led astray by improperly taking someone as a master. Life is short already. To encounter the Dharma within this short period of time is difficult; to encounter a truly qualified vajra master is more difficult; to be able to follow the vajra master and properly practice the Dharma afterwards is extremely difficult. As you can see, one may face mounting difficulties in the course of seeking the genuine Dharma. Nevertheless, if one wishes to learn the Buddhadharma, one had better learn the right teachings and take the right path.

~ Depicted from GATEWAY TO VAJRAYANA : Vajra Master and Empowerment

The Vagrant Intermediate State

After waking up from the unconscious state (refer to What Life Truly Is for details), one enters the intermediate state.

The deceased in the intermediate state can go to many places and also see many of his or her relatives and friends. But at the beginning, the deceased is usually not aware that he or she is already dead. So how would one know that one is already dead after waking up from the unconscious state? It is said in Bardo Tödröl that when the deceased cannot see his/her own image in a mirror or in a pool of water nor any footprints left when walking on a beach, or when the deceased feels surrounded, like in a large concert hall, by very loud and strong music coming from all directions, or hears the sound of raging thunder or that of many people talking and singing in a strange way, he/she should immediately come to the realization: ‘Now I’m already dead. These sounds are all that of the intermediate state. I must not be afraid but face the situation as I have been trained to do.’

~ Depicted from THE HANDBOOK OF LIFE'S JOURNEY : On Death And Rebirth-How to Take Rebirth

If we know that we are angry, the next step is to calmly look inward: What part of me is being angry? Is it my body, blood, brain, bones or consciousness? What exactly is this thing called anger? As we go through these examinations, the more moderate anger will stop and disappear immediately. Does the disappearance of anger mean we have gained realization of emptiness? No. In fact, any thought that we watch attentively will cease to continue. It has nothing to do with gaining realization or not.

Here, to “watch” attentively should not be taken literally to mean seeing with eyes, as eyes cannot see mind. Only mind itself can perceive its own nature. It is said in the texts of Yogacara and Buddhist Logic that mind is self-aware. Non-sentient species or organisms have no sense of self because they don’t have a mind.

~ Depicted from THE HANDBOOK OF LIFE'S JOURNEY : On The Three Poisons-How to Confront Anger

USING ANCIENT WISDOM

Buddhist culture dates back more than two thousand five hundred years ago and is a universal and profound culture. Corporate culture has its origin in the research undertaken by several Harvard professors in the 1980’s and is a young culture with a history of around thirty years. Although they appear more than two thousand years apart, the two cultures can be very closely connected. If we are able to integrate both, the impact on the operations of a business as well as on the direction in our life can be surprisingly positive. This is because the wisdom of the Buddha brings light; the compassion of the Buddha warms the heart.

From a structural standpoint, corporate culture is comprised of four elements – product, organization, behavior, and ethics. Business ethics is the spiritual core of corporate culture; it is founded on the values of the corporation. The values of a corporation are critical to its survival and prospects.

In integrating Buddhist culture into corporate culture, it is not necessary for corporate executives to study the Buddhist teachings or become Buddhists. Having faith or not is unimportant. The objective is to apply the wisdom of the Buddha to managing and developing a business and to promoting the mental health of the employees. Actually, most of the Buddhist thoughts transcend the centuries in their greatness. Even after two thousand five hundred years, the teachings are still alive and indispensable to the spiritual well-being of people in the modern age.

~ Depicted from ARE YOU READY FOR HAPPINESS? : Buddhism and the Business World – Six Standards in a Corporate Culture