WORDS OF WISDOM

What is worrying is that many who receive empowerment today do not emphasize the secret mantra vehicle vow. Those requesting empowerment do not even know these vows are required for the empowerment. So they think once they receive empowerment, everything will be great. The fact is, once one receives empowerment, the difficulty is in maintaining the secret mantra vehicle vow.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

Both Buddhism and our experiential understanding of daily life tell us: the sense of happiness hinges on the sense of satisfaction; when the the sense of satisfaction wears off, so does the sense of happiness. This is the natural law that nobody can refute.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

Lay practitioner’s practice starts from observing precepts. Observing precepts is also considered as a kind of practice and it is in fact most vital. I have met many lay practitioners who, despite the fact that they have taken refuge in the Three Jewels and believed they’re a seasoned practitioner, have yet to take the five precepts of lay practitioners. This is rather unreasonable. In order be a lay practitioner, observing precepts is paramount. Precepts are the foundation of all practice and developing wisdom. Without observing precepts, one is not a genuine practitioner, thus observing precepts is compulsory.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

Shakyamuni Buddha taught us: birth, old age, illness and death are the natural law and nobody can escape from it. Attachment is the culprit to confront these suffering. Having attachment is bound to lead to suffering. How to face up with suffering is the most important task of life. Buddhism teaches us that the best way to confront this suffering is to let go of it.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

All worldly people’s acts are oriented to this short life, whereas in the Buddhist approach this is not so. Buddhists have a bird’s eye view, which is not only to strive for happiness for this life, but also for future lives; not only for one’s own happiness, but also for happiness of all sentient beings.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

Dharma does not reject material wealth, rather, it opposes living for a material life only. A person who is a renunciate can work and earn money, but he works only in order to survive. His ultimate goal is liberation. No matter what you do, remind yourself of this. In this way, renunciation can be integrated into one's life. There is no conflict between renunciation and our everyday life.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

Many who have not heard formal teaching of Mahamudra, are envious and eager for Mahamudra. But if we one day really have the chance to hear about Mahamudra, the essential sadhana of Mahamudra is described in a couple of sentences. Just like the principle script of “The Sixth Patriarch's Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra” is only a few sentences. How can such simple words lead us to enlightenment? The most important help is the practice.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

Having finished the outer and inner preliminary practices, one can proceed to practice Dzogchen. This is a safe and swift path, but one needs to be endowed with the faith in the teacher and Dzogchen. If faith is not sufficient, one will not succeed.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

The antidote of greed is renunciation. Generating renunciation will eliminate greed or keep it at bay; the antidote of selfishness is bodhicitta. Generating bodhicitta will reduce and eliminate selfishness; the antidote of attachment is to realise emptiness. Once realising emptiness, all problems will be solved, such as greed, selfishness, attachment, etc. Thus it’s vital to realise emptiness.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES