WORDS OF WISDOM AUTHOR: KHENPO TSULTRIM LODRO

What does “preliminary practice” of Tibetan Buddhism mean? It means preparatory practice. Despite the fact that ultimately we need to attain the wisdom of emptiness, without laying a solid foundation of cultivating renunciation and bodhicitta, we are not able to realise emptiness.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

Once the opportunity to practise in this life is missed, no one can say whether we will have the chance to practise in our future lives. I can assure you that once the uncontrived bodhichitta is developed, this person will not degenerate or at least will never degenerate into one of the three lower realms, namely hell, hungry ghost or animal realm.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

The light we see is just a small part of light spectrum; the sound we hear is just a part of frequency of sound wave; the life we acknowledge is just a short phase of samsara, we are not able to see and hear the rest, but it’s existent.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

Practice is to train our mind.Through training and practice the human mind can be transformed. A selfish mind can be transformed into a selfless mind that does everything to benefit all sentient beings. All of this depends on one’s continuous efforts. Without effort, no one can become such a person.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

One can only become a genuine practitioner after succeeding in practicing the foundational teachings such as impermanence, suffering, etc. Only then can we make transformative changes to our views towards the world; regardless of how much hardships and suffering one has to experience, one will be at ease.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

The more attached we are to anything, such as wealth, fame, etc, the more we suffer. Suffering cannot be remedied if we have cyclic existence. Other saviors, refuge, our parents, friends cannot remedy suffering, rather, only the Three Jewels can. Only by relying on the Buddha and sangha, practicing dharma according to the Buddha’s guidance, can we uproot defilements and attachment, having let go attachment, all the suffering will be eradicated instantly.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

The reason to practice dharma is to face, to control and to remove the afflictions. This is the mission and goal of Buddhists. To measure whether a Buddhist is good or bad, it is not to see who can recite more mantras or who has accumulated more merits, even it is not to see who is wealthier, healthier or having smooth progress in work. However, it is rather too see how much of afflictions that one has been diminished.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

Many people believe that they have finished the ngondro practice, I’d like to ask these people: “Have you let go of your attachments? Letting go has various levels, it’s good to let go to a certain degree.” Before engaging in the ngondro practice, one was focused on benefiting oneself, having done the practice, one’s altruistic intention is increasing, this means one has reaped a positive result from practice. However, having done the ngondro practice, one’s mind is exactly the same as before, then where does the benefit of the practice manifest?

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

For most people, the life of a little fish is worthless and can be squashed at they desire. However, from the fish’s point of view, its life is more precious than the whole world’s assets. Humans’ lives might be worthless for other species of lives, but for ourself, our lives are more precious than anything. Can we see the world from the fish’s point of view?

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES