WORDS OF WISDOM AUTHOR: KHENPO TSULTRIM LODRO

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

From the perspective of material life, our era has the most abundance of material wealth in human history. We possess advanced devices and products such as airplanes, wireless, computers, etc. However, compared with ancient people, we lost freedom, which is the most precious thing in the world. We need to contemplate on this problem and make some proper choices, endeavoring to give ourself more freedom.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

If mankind has conviction in law of karma, it will not result in any loss, but rather mankind will lead a more peaceful, happier, harmonious life. The law of karma is the most justified law in universe, the hell realm is the most vicious prison in universe; these things can be verified.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

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

An accurate understanding of death enables us to be free from fear, dismayed and evasiveness when death is mentioned. This is because we have acknowledged that death is a mere cyclical process of life, it does not signify that everything ends. We need not be negative and pessimistic when facing death. If we can seize the opportunity, we can improve the level of our lives in the process of death.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

Before attaining buddhahood, Vajrasattva made an aspiration: I vow not to attain buddhahood if I cannot enable anyone to chant my name, and supplicate to me for confessing to purify their obscurations. Given Vajrasattva had attained buddhahood, if supplicating to Vajrasattva by chanting the Vajrasattva Mantra or the Hundred-Syllable Mantra of Vajrasattva, one is bound to purify all obscurations.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

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

“If some people are endowed with the wisdom of the Buddha, some are not, then am I endowed with buddha nature or not? It’s difficult to answer. Will I succeed in my diligent practice?” Everyone possesses buddha nature, this is definitely so. Everyone has great potential, because we possess the wisdom of the Buddha innately, it’s up to us to find it’s existence. Once we succeed, all defilements will be gone, it’s that simple.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

In our everyday life, when getting irritated and anxious, we need to stop to investigate what exactly make us upset? Our body is void of thinking, being free from the concept of happiness and unhappiness. It’s the consciousness which give rise to defilements. Then what exactly is consciousness? By reflecting as such, we might reach a state of realisation.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES