At the advice of the sage Jayosmayatana, youthful Sudhana, the merchant’s son, went to request instructions from King Anala on the bodhisattva deeds. The king happened to be carrying out his judicial duties and was seated upon a huge throne ornamented by precious stones.
Ten thousand ministers and executioners who were as terrifying as hell guardians were meting out punishments such as gouging out eyes and cutting off arms and legs. Upon witnessing that, Sudhana thought, ‘This King Anala is devoid of spiritual virtue; he creates nothing but misdeeds. How can he have the instructions on the bodhisattva deeds?’
When he gave rise to that doubt, the gods in the sky spoke, ‘Do you not remember the instructions of the sage Jayosmayatana?’ Sudhana then circumambulated the king three times and the king led him into the palace.
The king explained, ‘I have attained the bodhisattva’s play of illusory liberation. Since most of the people residing in my country engage in various nonvirtues, by displaying emanated executioners who kill emanated victims, these residents will come to fear misdeeds and feel remorse.’
—The Stem Array
Ten thousand ministers and executioners who were as terrifying as hell guardians were meting out punishments such as gouging out eyes and cutting off arms and legs. Upon witnessing that, Sudhana thought, ‘This King Anala is devoid of spiritual virtue; he creates nothing but misdeeds. How can he have the instructions on the bodhisattva deeds?’
When he gave rise to that doubt, the gods in the sky spoke, ‘Do you not remember the instructions of the sage Jayosmayatana?’ Sudhana then circumambulated the king three times and the king led him into the palace.
The king explained, ‘I have attained the bodhisattva’s play of illusory liberation. Since most of the people residing in my country engage in various nonvirtues, by displaying emanated executioners who kill emanated victims, these residents will come to fear misdeeds and feel remorse.’
—The Stem Array
Two novice monks in Khotan meditated on Venerable Manjushri for twelve years but failed to receive a vision of him. They lamented, ‘Arya Manjushri’s compassion is too feeble,’ whereupon Venerable Manjushri appeared in space and informed them that they had no karmic connection with him. He told them that Avalokiteshvara was residing in the Land of Snows where he had taken birth as Songtsen Gampo and advised them to go there.
When they arrived in Tibet, they saw heads, arms and legs that had been chopped off lying in the lower valley of Tolung as a result of punishments dealt out by the king and also walls of heads, heaps of eyeballs and torture chambers of arms and legs within the tents in Denbak. They thought, ‘That Manjushri must be a mara. What is he an emanation of? This king is a murderer.’
Thinking that, they prepared to leave. The king summoned them before him, removed his headdress to reveal Amitabha and spoke, ‘I am the Avalokiteshvara of Tibet. You do not have to be afraid.’
They asked, ‘Well, is the killer of all of these living beings Avalokiteshvara, the Great Compassionate One?’
He replied, ‘Since coming to power, I have not caused even the slightest harm to living beings. Since these trainees of mine cannot be guided by peaceful means, I display emanated instruments that punish emanated victims. What do the two of you want?’
They replied, ‘We just want to go home.’
He said, ‘Well then, fill your bags with sand and lie on them.’ They did as they were told and found themselves at the opening of a rock cave in Khotan. At sunrise, the sand turned into gold.
If the two novice monks had not developed misconceptions toward the king in the beginning, they would have attained the supreme attainment of mahamudra, yet they achieved nothing in their lifetime apart from that attainment. However, it is said that they attained the state of unadorned arhats in the next birth.
—Second Panchen Lama
When they arrived in Tibet, they saw heads, arms and legs that had been chopped off lying in the lower valley of Tolung as a result of punishments dealt out by the king and also walls of heads, heaps of eyeballs and torture chambers of arms and legs within the tents in Denbak. They thought, ‘That Manjushri must be a mara. What is he an emanation of? This king is a murderer.’
Thinking that, they prepared to leave. The king summoned them before him, removed his headdress to reveal Amitabha and spoke, ‘I am the Avalokiteshvara of Tibet. You do not have to be afraid.’
They asked, ‘Well, is the killer of all of these living beings Avalokiteshvara, the Great Compassionate One?’
He replied, ‘Since coming to power, I have not caused even the slightest harm to living beings. Since these trainees of mine cannot be guided by peaceful means, I display emanated instruments that punish emanated victims. What do the two of you want?’
They replied, ‘We just want to go home.’
He said, ‘Well then, fill your bags with sand and lie on them.’ They did as they were told and found themselves at the opening of a rock cave in Khotan. At sunrise, the sand turned into gold.
If the two novice monks had not developed misconceptions toward the king in the beginning, they would have attained the supreme attainment of mahamudra, yet they achieved nothing in their lifetime apart from that attainment. However, it is said that they attained the state of unadorned arhats in the next birth.
—Second Panchen Lama
For the purpose of cleansing Jetsun Milarepa of his obstructions, Marpa made him build a nine-story tower by himself. Sores formed on Milarepa’s back as a result, exposing his spine. When Marpa was conferring initiations on others, he would eject Milarepa from the rows of initiates.
On those occasions, Milarepa became so overwhelmed with despair that he thought, ‘May the ground open up and swallow me!’ However, Marpa’s only wish was to cleanse Milarepa of his karmic obstructions and he did not harbour the slightest selfish desire.
—Second Panchen Lama
On those occasions, Milarepa became so overwhelmed with despair that he thought, ‘May the ground open up and swallow me!’ However, Marpa’s only wish was to cleanse Milarepa of his karmic obstructions and he did not harbour the slightest selfish desire.
—Second Panchen Lama
Forwarded from Egbert Moray-Falls
I have not written much here of late because I have very little I want to say. My time and thoughts are more and more spent on practice.
I have never wished for Telegram clout, and I only really started this channel to dialogue with my friends. I certainly have no desire to present my own ideas or project anymore.
Realising how little I know has created in me the firm determination to look inwards. As such, things like politics have become much less interesting to me.
However, for those who are politically minded, I think it is important to realise that we deserve everything we go through. There is not a single thing happening to our countries, or ourselves, that we did not create the causes for in the past.
It's your fault. You made this for yourself.
That is the inviolable Law of Karma manifesting through dependent origination.
When Shariputra asked Ashvajit what it was the Buddha taught, Ashvajit said:
ye dharmā hetu-prabhavā hetuṃ teṣāṃ tathāgato hy avadat
teṣāṃ ca yo nirodha evaṃ vādī mahāśramaṇaḥ
"All phenomena arise from causes, the Tathagata has taught these causes, and the means of their cessation, thus teaches the great ascetic."
This is so profound that it became a mantra used by all Buddhist schools to understand the essence of the Buddha's teaching.
Therefore, if you wish to put an end to the suffering of yourself, your family, nation and the world, you have no choice but to work on your own mind.
If you try to get retribution without cultivating universal love within yourself, you simply perpetuate the cycle of samsara. When you understand that all beings are seeking happiness, you can successfully forgive them for the horrific mistakes they make, and therefore overcome the delusion of inherent self that causes suffering for yourself and everyone around you.
To rise above the cycle is the only way to end it.
This is true for you, as well as everyone you wish to protect.
I have never wished for Telegram clout, and I only really started this channel to dialogue with my friends. I certainly have no desire to present my own ideas or project anymore.
Realising how little I know has created in me the firm determination to look inwards. As such, things like politics have become much less interesting to me.
However, for those who are politically minded, I think it is important to realise that we deserve everything we go through. There is not a single thing happening to our countries, or ourselves, that we did not create the causes for in the past.
It's your fault. You made this for yourself.
That is the inviolable Law of Karma manifesting through dependent origination.
When Shariputra asked Ashvajit what it was the Buddha taught, Ashvajit said:
ye dharmā hetu-prabhavā hetuṃ teṣāṃ tathāgato hy avadat
teṣāṃ ca yo nirodha evaṃ vādī mahāśramaṇaḥ
"All phenomena arise from causes, the Tathagata has taught these causes, and the means of their cessation, thus teaches the great ascetic."
This is so profound that it became a mantra used by all Buddhist schools to understand the essence of the Buddha's teaching.
Therefore, if you wish to put an end to the suffering of yourself, your family, nation and the world, you have no choice but to work on your own mind.
If you try to get retribution without cultivating universal love within yourself, you simply perpetuate the cycle of samsara. When you understand that all beings are seeking happiness, you can successfully forgive them for the horrific mistakes they make, and therefore overcome the delusion of inherent self that causes suffering for yourself and everyone around you.
To rise above the cycle is the only way to end it.
This is true for you, as well as everyone you wish to protect.
Forwarded from No Beginning
The drop of sperm & blood belonged to others. Yet, through strong habituation, I came to have in its regard a sense of "I," though, in itself, it is devoid of entity.
& so, why not identify another's body, calling it my “I”? & vice versa, why should it be hard to think of this, my body, as another's?
Perceiving now the faults possessed by "I,” the ocean of good qualities that are in “other," I shall lay aside all love of self & gain the habit of adopting other beings.
Just as hands & other limbs are thought of as the members of a body, can we likewise not consider others as the limbs & members of a living whole?
Just as in connection with this form, devoid of self, my sense of "I" arose through strong habituation, why should the thought of "I,” through habit, not arise related to another?
—Bodhisattvacaryavatara
& so, why not identify another's body, calling it my “I”? & vice versa, why should it be hard to think of this, my body, as another's?
Perceiving now the faults possessed by "I,” the ocean of good qualities that are in “other," I shall lay aside all love of self & gain the habit of adopting other beings.
Just as hands & other limbs are thought of as the members of a body, can we likewise not consider others as the limbs & members of a living whole?
Just as in connection with this form, devoid of self, my sense of "I" arose through strong habituation, why should the thought of "I,” through habit, not arise related to another?
—Bodhisattvacaryavatara
Atisha said that Tibet had no adepts because Tibetans only regarded gurus as ordinary people.
—Pabongka Rinpoche
—Pabongka Rinpoche
It is wrong to pay scant attention to the preparations. If you want to make a good cup of tea, for example, you must take it seriously from when you buy the tea. Similarly, if you want to develop religious experiences during the main part of the meditation session, you must accumulate the causes by diligently carrying out the preparatory rites.
—Pabongka Rinpoche
—Pabongka Rinpoche
Great Tsongkhapa asked Manjushri what method he should strive in to develop quick realisation in his mindstream. Manjushri said he must concentrate on three things: regarding his guru as inseparable from his meditation deity and petitioning his guru; working hard at building up his accumulation of merit and purifying his obscurations; and pursuing the visualisations that are cause for liberation.
—Pabongka Rinpoche
—Pabongka Rinpoche
The Buddhas appear as Indra, Brahma
and sometimes Maras
To enact the welfare of sentient beings.
Worldly beings cannot comprehend this phenomenon.
They appear as women and perform activities.
They are also present in animal rebirths.
Even though they are unattached, they display attachment.
Even though they are fearless, they display fear.
Even though they are lucid, they display confusion.
Even though they are sane, they display madness.
Even though they are able-bodied, they display disabilities.
By means of various emanations,
they guide sentient beings.
—Buddha Shakyamuni
and sometimes Maras
To enact the welfare of sentient beings.
Worldly beings cannot comprehend this phenomenon.
They appear as women and perform activities.
They are also present in animal rebirths.
Even though they are unattached, they display attachment.
Even though they are fearless, they display fear.
Even though they are lucid, they display confusion.
Even though they are sane, they display madness.
Even though they are able-bodied, they display disabilities.
By means of various emanations,
they guide sentient beings.
—Buddha Shakyamuni
In order to achieve this [enlightenment], before the actual stage of the unification you must have achieved the approximation of the unification: the clear light and the pure and impure stages of the illusory body.
But to be mature enough to do this, you must definitely have progressed fully in the coarser levels of the generation-stage maturation, and you must have preceded this by obtaining the four pure initiations that will definitely implant the seeds of the four kayas in you.
But in order to become the exceptional vessel or candidate fit enough to receive these, you must have purified your mindstream beforehand with the common path, bodhichitta.
Thus you must have received the causes for generating this bodhichitta: so much compassion that you cannot bear all sentient beings to suffer agonies and so forth.
The foundation for developing compassion is your inability to bear the general and specific sufferings of samsara that you yourself have to undergo. This should move you to renounce samsara.
But before this you must have developed fear and dread of the sufferings of the lower realms. And how could you develop any of these without having first contemplated the law of cause and effect and the uncertainty of when you will die? You must develop these things.
The sole cause for even thinking of beginning on such a path is contemplating how difficult it is to gain an optimum human rebirth—something entirely meaningful.
And to develop all these things, you must have devoted yourself properly, in both thought and deed, to a virtuous spiritual guide.
Thus you should not reach for the higher levels right away. You should train your mind by experiencing the progression [of the path], beginning with devotion to a spiritual guide.
—Pabongka Rinpoche
But to be mature enough to do this, you must definitely have progressed fully in the coarser levels of the generation-stage maturation, and you must have preceded this by obtaining the four pure initiations that will definitely implant the seeds of the four kayas in you.
But in order to become the exceptional vessel or candidate fit enough to receive these, you must have purified your mindstream beforehand with the common path, bodhichitta.
Thus you must have received the causes for generating this bodhichitta: so much compassion that you cannot bear all sentient beings to suffer agonies and so forth.
The foundation for developing compassion is your inability to bear the general and specific sufferings of samsara that you yourself have to undergo. This should move you to renounce samsara.
But before this you must have developed fear and dread of the sufferings of the lower realms. And how could you develop any of these without having first contemplated the law of cause and effect and the uncertainty of when you will die? You must develop these things.
The sole cause for even thinking of beginning on such a path is contemplating how difficult it is to gain an optimum human rebirth—something entirely meaningful.
And to develop all these things, you must have devoted yourself properly, in both thought and deed, to a virtuous spiritual guide.
Thus you should not reach for the higher levels right away. You should train your mind by experiencing the progression [of the path], beginning with devotion to a spiritual guide.
—Pabongka Rinpoche
Forwarded from Egbert Moray-Falls
IN A DREAM AT NIGHT on the twenty-fifth day, a holy individual appeared saying he was the
Buddhist king Trisong Deutsen. He told me,
Kyé Ho! Fortunate child of my spiritual family,
There are countless sentient beings in cyclic existence,
Yet look at how few gain a human body.
Many gain a human body,
Yet look at how few are endowed with the freedoms and resources [of a precious human birth].
Although many have gained the freedoms and resources,
Look at how few make them meaningful.
Since it’s as if none make them meaningful,
Look at how few attain liberation.
These days, like appearances in a dream,
Look at how even those who gain this precious human body
Waste their human life
Over the course of years, months, days, and moments.
Of those early years of life,
Look at how many are spent practicing the holy Dharma.
Among the activities in that human life,
Look at what point they have.
The human beings who lived in the past
Busied themselves with activities concerned with this life;
Now that they’re on the road toward death,
Look at what sort of help these tasks are to them.
For the welfare of children, grandchildren, dear ones, and family,
They defeated enemies, protected friends,
Farmed crops, stockpiled, and swindled,
Yet now when they’re on the road toward death,
Look at the value and result of what they’ve done.
Although ancestors and those before them,
Wore out their human lives in suffering
Thinking of future generations of children and grandchildren,
Is there anyone who remembers their kindness? Look at that.
Entirely everything you do
Is just the same as that, and since it’s the same,
Concentrate on becoming self-sufficient.
From a universal monarch on high
To a little child born yesterday,
One hundred years from now,
The human beings now alive on this earth
Won’t be anything but ashen corpses:
Everything is nothing more than appearances in a dream.
After a year has passed,
It’s as if it was no longer than a mere instant;
Even if you manage to live one hundred years, it still feels like merely a moment.
At the time of death, the life you led seems like a dreamscape.
When the time arrives for the aeon of destruction,
Everything animate and inanimate in this world throughout the three-thousandfold
cosmos
Will vanish into emptiness without a trace.
All the people who died in the past
And the dead you’ve actually seen all had the same attitude:
They strived and strategized to remain for many years;
Unsuccessful in those wishes,
They fell under the power of impermanence and death.
They left behind their wealth like dirt and rocks,
Lost their illusory body like tattered clothes,
And were divided from friends and family like people in a crowded marketplace.
They woke up from their lives’ events as if from a dream
And wandered like a stray dog into the next world.
Without any control over where they’re going,
They’re driven from behind by the strong gale of karma.
Led helplessly by the Lord of Death’s minions,
They plunge into what they don’t want — the abodes of the miserable existences —
To experience their sufferings all alone.
They wail in agony, crying out,
Yet apart from themselves, no one sees or hears them.
Think of that, and apply yourself to your own quest for enlightenment.
If hardship, hunger, cold, sickness, and suffering occur
For the sake of your spiritual practice,
And you find yourself exasperated,
Why aren’t you fed up with experiencing the endless suffering
Of the agony of cold and heat known by hell beings,
The exhaustion, hunger, and thirst of starving spirits,
Or the mute foolishness,
Butchery, forced labor, and the like that animals must undergo?
If dismay with those states has arisen,
How can you possibly be annoyed with hardship in your spiritual practice?
Buddhist king Trisong Deutsen. He told me,
Kyé Ho! Fortunate child of my spiritual family,
There are countless sentient beings in cyclic existence,
Yet look at how few gain a human body.
Many gain a human body,
Yet look at how few are endowed with the freedoms and resources [of a precious human birth].
Although many have gained the freedoms and resources,
Look at how few make them meaningful.
Since it’s as if none make them meaningful,
Look at how few attain liberation.
These days, like appearances in a dream,
Look at how even those who gain this precious human body
Waste their human life
Over the course of years, months, days, and moments.
Of those early years of life,
Look at how many are spent practicing the holy Dharma.
Among the activities in that human life,
Look at what point they have.
The human beings who lived in the past
Busied themselves with activities concerned with this life;
Now that they’re on the road toward death,
Look at what sort of help these tasks are to them.
For the welfare of children, grandchildren, dear ones, and family,
They defeated enemies, protected friends,
Farmed crops, stockpiled, and swindled,
Yet now when they’re on the road toward death,
Look at the value and result of what they’ve done.
Although ancestors and those before them,
Wore out their human lives in suffering
Thinking of future generations of children and grandchildren,
Is there anyone who remembers their kindness? Look at that.
Entirely everything you do
Is just the same as that, and since it’s the same,
Concentrate on becoming self-sufficient.
From a universal monarch on high
To a little child born yesterday,
One hundred years from now,
The human beings now alive on this earth
Won’t be anything but ashen corpses:
Everything is nothing more than appearances in a dream.
After a year has passed,
It’s as if it was no longer than a mere instant;
Even if you manage to live one hundred years, it still feels like merely a moment.
At the time of death, the life you led seems like a dreamscape.
When the time arrives for the aeon of destruction,
Everything animate and inanimate in this world throughout the three-thousandfold
cosmos
Will vanish into emptiness without a trace.
All the people who died in the past
And the dead you’ve actually seen all had the same attitude:
They strived and strategized to remain for many years;
Unsuccessful in those wishes,
They fell under the power of impermanence and death.
They left behind their wealth like dirt and rocks,
Lost their illusory body like tattered clothes,
And were divided from friends and family like people in a crowded marketplace.
They woke up from their lives’ events as if from a dream
And wandered like a stray dog into the next world.
Without any control over where they’re going,
They’re driven from behind by the strong gale of karma.
Led helplessly by the Lord of Death’s minions,
They plunge into what they don’t want — the abodes of the miserable existences —
To experience their sufferings all alone.
They wail in agony, crying out,
Yet apart from themselves, no one sees or hears them.
Think of that, and apply yourself to your own quest for enlightenment.
If hardship, hunger, cold, sickness, and suffering occur
For the sake of your spiritual practice,
And you find yourself exasperated,
Why aren’t you fed up with experiencing the endless suffering
Of the agony of cold and heat known by hell beings,
The exhaustion, hunger, and thirst of starving spirits,
Or the mute foolishness,
Butchery, forced labor, and the like that animals must undergo?
If dismay with those states has arisen,
How can you possibly be annoyed with hardship in your spiritual practice?
Forwarded from Egbert Moray-Falls
Don’t forget these key points. Instill them in your mind.
Don’t forget these key points. Hold them in your heart.
Take these as foremost among all profound pith instructions.
Don’t forget! Don’t forget! Don’t forget death!
Don’t be distracted! Don’t be distracted! Don’t be distracted in this human life!
Don’t give up! Don’t give up! Don’t give up what’s helpful for your next life!
Think about it! Think about it! Think about the suffering of cyclic existence!
Concentrate! Concentrate! Concentrate on the holy Buddhist path!
Escape! Escape! Escape from the abodes of cyclic existence!
Pursue! Pursue! Pursue the trailhead of freedom.
This sovereign king’s wisdom midstream shifts to you.
In the past, when I was Rikzin Jikmé Lingpa,
You were my maternal uncle renowned as a great meditator,
And you were unsurpassably kind to me.
Therefore, the fruition of that is my encounter here with you.
In this lifetime, we will be father and son.
In the future, in the northern land of Shambala,
You and I will accompany one another as king and official.
Then he vanished into the arena of intangible space.
— Dudjom Lingpa
Don’t forget these key points. Hold them in your heart.
Take these as foremost among all profound pith instructions.
Don’t forget! Don’t forget! Don’t forget death!
Don’t be distracted! Don’t be distracted! Don’t be distracted in this human life!
Don’t give up! Don’t give up! Don’t give up what’s helpful for your next life!
Think about it! Think about it! Think about the suffering of cyclic existence!
Concentrate! Concentrate! Concentrate on the holy Buddhist path!
Escape! Escape! Escape from the abodes of cyclic existence!
Pursue! Pursue! Pursue the trailhead of freedom.
This sovereign king’s wisdom midstream shifts to you.
In the past, when I was Rikzin Jikmé Lingpa,
You were my maternal uncle renowned as a great meditator,
And you were unsurpassably kind to me.
Therefore, the fruition of that is my encounter here with you.
In this lifetime, we will be father and son.
In the future, in the northern land of Shambala,
You and I will accompany one another as king and official.
Then he vanished into the arena of intangible space.
— Dudjom Lingpa
May you rule your respective kingdoms according to the Dharma, and not by what is not Dharma. Do not take the lives of living beings, do not take what is not given, and do not engage in sexual misconduct. Likewise you should refrain from telling lies, sowing discord, speaking harshly, and talking frivolously. Do not let your mind be overcome by covetousness, malice, or misguided beliefs. Do not befriend those who take life or those with misguided beliefs. Should non-Dharma arise in my dominion, do not applaud those who practice it.
—The Play in Full
—The Play in Full
Forwarded from Buddha Words
Just as a tree, though cut down, sprouts up again if its roots remain uncut and firm, even so, until the craving that lies dormant is rooted out, suffering springs up again and again.
—Dhammapada 338
—Dhammapada 338