KHENPO'S BLOG

This is the third time to Harvard University where I hope to learn more from the neuroscientists there about the scientific results from research done on meditation. Buddhist practitioners all know the effect of meditation, but it has never been quantified in the Buddhist system. I think it is very meaningful how scientists use data to support their theories. -- April 25, 2018

If the deceased received empowerment in his or her lifetime and was a serious practitioner, the guru or dharma friends can guide the deceased to liberation now by following the instructions contained in Bardo Tödröl. If liberation is not attained at this stage, the deceased will face rebirth next.

When rebirth is about to take place, the bardo being will encounter a man and a woman in sexual intercourse. If the being is to be reborn as a male, it will feel anger and jealousy toward the man but desire for the woman; if the being is to be born as a female, it will harbor anger and jealousy toward the woman but desire for the man. As long as desire and anger are both present, rebirth will take place immediately. The first few months after taking rebirth, one remains unconscious. Because this period of unconsciousness lasts a long time, one forgets everything that happened in the last life after being born.

Depicted from Luminous Wisdom Book Series : On Death And Rebirth-How to Take Rebirth

Shakyamuni Buddha manifested as sick and taking medicine, these were mere manifestations for his future students. In fact, the buddha had perfected all the qualities and were free from the suffering of cyclic existence. Why did the Buddha manifest like this? He meant to educate his followers not to refuse medical treatment and taking medication when falling ill. Given that we need to go to doctors and taking medication when falling ill, why do we still need to engage in this practice? This practice will enable us to transform the illness into the path mentally while getting medical treatment physically.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

Theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking chose the birthday of Albert Einstein to leave this world. The unfinished journey of physics that he left behind seems more mysterious and troubling. But impermanence is the hardest truth in the world; everything looks so fragile in front of it.

~ Khenpo's blog published on 14 March 2018

It is important that we remind ourselves of the significance of bodhicitta when we are engaging in any kind of positive act, whether that be making offerings, reading sutras, prostrating and so on.

Depicted from "Guide to the Four Preliminary Practices 3 - Part 2" April, 2015, Vancouver, Canada

We should refrain from thinking that all suffering and unfavourable conditions will be eliminated once we undertake dharma study. Even from the perspective of the Shravakayana, although having realised the selflessness of self, arhats still encounter undesirable conditions and experience karmic consequences.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

When fundamental ignorance arises, our mind has already moved away from clarity to its second level. What is fundamental ignorance? At this level or state, the mind, prior to entering clarity, is very calm and relaxed and totally free of thought — correct, incorrect, good, bad, painful, happy... .

To be more specific, the origin of mind is clarity; subsequently, within clarity, slight undulations begin to form; when these undulations appear, the first moment of fundamental ignorance is produced. Although the innate clarity of the mind remains unchanged at this time, fundamental ignorance has already separated from clear light to form our consciousness. Here fundamental ignorance is likened to a ripple in the ocean. Although the ripple is not yet a wave, the calm ocean surface is not quite the same and is showing signs of undercurrent.

~ Depicted from Luminous Wisdom Book Series : The suffering of the paper tiger

As we begin this teaching, let us make an aspiration of bodhicitta. Bodhicitta is the essence of the Mahayana tradition, as well as its foundation, which is to say that if there is no bodhicitta then there is no Mahayana Buddhism. The Mahayana is known as the greatest perfection to an image to the Buddha produces different merit depending on on the surface of the fruit produces as the bodhicitta. the motivation of which it is made. How is it that the same offering and the same object of offering can have different levels of merit? The key factor that the degree of merit hinges on is the scope of our mechanism. Ultimately,whether an offering we make conforms to the Hinayana tradition or the Mahayana tradition depends on the motion with which we make it

Depicted from "Guide to the Four Preliminary Practices 1 - Part 1" April, 2015, Vancouver, Canada

It’s stressed in shastras that we need to rely on the dharma, rather than the person. Which means in the course of dharma study and research, we need to have conviction and rely on the authentic dharma or truth, rather than rely on the person’s fame, status, or power. We need to analyze if this person’s words are in accordance with the dharma and the truth, if the answer is yes, then we can trust this person’s words. Otherwise, regardless how famed a person is, we should not follow this person’s words blindly.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES