Buddha-dharma is not a philosophy to be appreciated from afar. Its wisdom is directly accessible and relevant to our problems in life. Unfortunately, most followers do not progress beyond an intellectual understanding of the Dharma, even those who have studied the five major treatises – Middle Way, logic, prajnaparamita, and other profound and significant texts. When confronted with life’s unexpected difficulties, they are lost and unable to put the teachings into practice. This is like a soldier who is armed with very sophisticated weapons; when confronted by the enemy, he is caught by surprise and does not know which weapon to use. How regrettable!

~Depicted from ARE YOU READY FOR HAPPINESS - How to Face Suffering and Happiness-How to Face Suffering

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

It is said in the scriptures that because intermediate beings have no physical body, they tend to be very unstable and restless, unable to sit or stand still, just drifting aimlessly, like bodies in a dream. As intermediate beings long for a body of their own, many try to return to their old bodies. However, body and consciousness have separated and the old body is already a past. As the relationship between the body and consciousness has ended, there is no way the intermediate beings can ever go back to their previous bodies. At this point, the deceased who has lost that sense of belonging will feel very sad and distressed. Afterward, the deceased will enter one of the six bardo states, chönyi bardo or the luminous bardo of dharmata.

When entering chönyi bardo, many people will encounter blinding light and frightening thunder-like sound along with numerous Buddha images, mandalas and so forth. Many near-death-experience accounts in the West have also reported similar situations. However, these are mere illusions in the view of scientists. The fact is that these phenomena are not illusions at all but memories beyond the brain.

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

When desire is exhausted, anger is exhausted, delusion is ex- hausted, and all afflictions are exhausted — this is called nirvana.

What is nirvana? Liberation is nirvana. From the standpoint of Mahayana Buddhism, the three bodies of an enlightened being – dharmakaya, sambhogakaya, nirmanakaya – and the five wisdoms are called nirvana.

~Depicted from THE FOUR SEALS OF DHARMA - Nirvana Is True Peace

We can break down happiness into endless types. To simplify, however, there are essentially two kinds: one is happiness derived from worldly things; the other is happiness which does not come from worldly things. Within the second kind, one type is a feeling of great happiness over and above general well-being. This feeling is experienced during the course of serving or benefiting other sentient beings – a pursuit also shared by the bodhisattvas in Mahayana Buddhism.

~Depicted from ARE YOU READY FOR HAPPINESS - The Tibetan Buddhist View on Happiness

The process of coming out of meditative concentration can also be called “getting up from a sitting.” After completing our practice at a sitting, we should not get up immediately but rather look back and reflect on the practice.

There are two kinds of outcome: in one case, the practice goes well with few thoughts to distract us; it is easy at this time to become arrogant and think if we continue to practice this way, we will attain realization. We must then subdue this pride by telling ourselves: “Although this practice was good, it does not mean I am special. I must still do well next time.” This is how arrogance can be ameliorated.

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

Money may have something to do with certain negative mental states, but money is no solution to those mental problems. Although medication is effective to a certain degree in alleviating the symptoms, its side effect should not be underestimated. Then, the safest and the most effective way to overcome difficulties of the mind is spiritual practice.

~Depicted from THE HANDBOOK'S FOR LIFE JOURNEY - On The Three Poisons-How to Handle Desire

Buddhism, certainly Tibetan Buddhism, places great importance on happiness. The emphasis in Mahayana Buddhism is not on one’s own happiness but rather that of all sentient beings. When we strive for the welfare of all beings, we can at the same time attain even greater happiness for ourselves. This well-being ultimately surpasses any that material enjoyment can bring. Such is the Tibetan Buddhist view on happiness.

~Depicted from ARE YOU READY FOR HAPPINESS - The Tibetan Buddhist View on Happiness

Some people run into problems when they practice contemplating samsara is suffering. I’ve come across people who go to extremes: before they do the practice, they are confident about life, their work, and the world, and feel good about everything; however, after doing the practice, the world turns grey, they lose interest in everything and become extremely passive and listless — to the point of seeing no meaning in life at all.

Is renunciation the same as passivity and pessimism? No, it would be a mistake to think so.

Just as bodhicitta is more than mere compassion, it is, with compassion as the base, the resolve and courage to attain Buddhahood in order to liberate all sentient beings; renunciation is more than just apprehending samsara is suffering, it is also the determination to seek liberation for oneself.

~Depicted from THE FOUR SEALS OF DHARMA - All Contaminated Things are Unsatisfactory