WORDS OF WISDOM AUTHOR: KHENPO TSULTRIM LODRO

Countless buddhas in the past, including Shakyamuni Buddha, vowed to liberate all sentient beings when giving rise to bodhicitta, vowing to attain buddhahood after all sentient beings attain buddhahood. We haven’t attained buddhahood yet, but they have. Why? Buddhas make such aspirations out of vast compassion. Due to the greatest and sublimity of their aspirations, they attained buddhahood swiftly. Whereas we are preoccupied with our own interest, thus we are still struggling in the samsara.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

The Vajrayana not only expounds many practices which have swift and useful effects, but also imparts various elaborate and concise practices, some of which are rather simple. This doesn’t mean their content is incomplete, rather, its method is quite simple. Through practicing with such simple methods, one can obtain ideal effects, this is referred to as pith instruction in the Vajrayana.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

In one hundred years, like the pappus of dandelion leaving a calyx receptacle, seven billion people on the earth will leave this world one by one, entering an unknown area. Then, all the fame and gain become worthless, what’s of only use is the Buddha’s wisdom and compassion.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

Countless buddhas in the past, including Shakyamuni Buddha, vowed to liberate all sentient beings when giving rise to bodhicitta, vowing to attain buddhahood after all sentient beings attain buddhahood. We haven’t attained buddhahood yet, but they have. Why? Buddhas make such aspirations out of vast compassion. Due to the greatest and sublimity of their aspirations, they attained buddhahood swiftly. Whereas we are preoccupied with our own interest, thus we are still struggling in the samsara.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

We need to refrain from seeking perfection in our family and work life. There is only relative perfection in this world and there is no ultimate perfection. Even for the relative perfection, the more one seek, the more tired one gets. In this era, what we need most is to simplify, relax and slow down.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

Strictly speaking, without entering retreat, with a distracting mind one cannot practice dharma. Hence, during practice, one at least has to be solitary for one or two hours a day. Practicing dharma cannot be replaced by money. Doing life release or giving offering can help us accumulate merit, but mind training is not related to money.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

There is an interesting secret to confronting suffering: the more receptive and welcoming we are, the less it dares to approach us; the more hostilely we refuse it, the easier it can intrude our mind. For this reason, if not desiring suffering, one needs to embrace it courageously.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

Even having realizing the emptiness, one needs to be agreeable to sentient beings. As Guru Rinpoche said: “Even my views are as high as the sky, my attention to the law of karma is as fine as barley flour.” In other words, our views need to be open and high, but our conduct needs to be conservative and careful.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

Preliminary practice entails five practices, starting from taking refuge, up to guru yoga. Relying on the capacity of these five practices, one can realise emptiness, which is referred to as realising the nature of mind in the Chan tradition, it means actualising the truth of phenomena. In tantric context, it’s referred to as realising the primordial wisdom. What is it meant by primordial wisdom? Buddha nature is the primordial wisdom.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES