Recognizing the Disease: Commentary on the Four Noble Truths by His Holiness Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok

The following is an excerpt from a public talk given by His Holiness Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok:

“Not recognizing what causes the disease” refers to those of us who are still wandering in the three realms of cyclic existence.  We are suffering in samsara, which is considered to be like the great welling up of spontaneous suffering that occurs because we simply don’t recognize our condition.  What we must do is recognize that as long as we stay in this state of lack of awareness, we will never be able to experience even a needle tip’s worth of happiness.  If you still wonder why it is that sentient beings are suffering, what is this condition that we call the suffering of the three realms of cyclic existence, just think about it.  Physical illness, incurable disease, mental suffering, mental illness, anxiety, inability to acquire the wealth and the objects of one’s desire, inability to become famous, or acquiring wealth and fame, and losing it, all of these different complica­tions and ins and outs of daily life situations are what we are referring to in terms of the suffering of cyclic existence. This is easy to understand if you just simply take a look at it.  This is called the suffering of suffering.

That which we think brings us happiness, that which we pursue with the hope to get happiness—fame, wealth, gain, possessions and so forth—are actually the causes of suffering, because if you are finally able to acquire what you are working so hard to acquire, once you have one thing, then you will want a second and a third and a fourth.  In other words, you can’t be satisfied by these material objects because they will only lead to more desire for yet more material objects.  Even if you are the ruler of an entire country, you will want to rule a second and a third country because it is the nature of desire that it simply cannot be satisfied.  This is why desire itself is a source of suffering, and with this kind of endless or unceasing desire for material gain, happiness can never be found.

We suffer then because we can’t obtain what we want in terms of material wealth and glory. And then if we do obtain it, we suffer fearing that we will lose it.  We actually have enemies that we are threatened by because we have these possessions.  So then we have to hire more people to protect our possessions and on and on and on like this.  One situation leads to a second situation which leads to more and more suffering. This is why I am saying that it is very unlikely that any true happiness can be derived from this suffering.  It would be better to be able to be satisfied by thinking. “As long as I have some delicious and satisfying food to eat, and comfortable and ample clothing, and a comfortable bed to sleep on at night, then it is not necessary to own all these other possessions because they will only be the causes for more suffering.  I can be satisfied by just simply having that which makes me comfortable so that I can survive.”

Especially when it comes time for our death, no one in this world can take any of their possessions with them at that time.  All of the things that we spend our short lifetime trying to accumulate and pursue, thinking that these things will bring us happiness, are totally useless when the time of our death arrives.  Not only that, none of our friends can come along.  We must go alone when we pass from this life. Even the greatest rulers and the most powerful people of this world are alone in the hour of their death.  Therefore it becomes more obvious that it is kind of futile to spend one’s time and one’s short lifetime pursuing the accumulation of material objects which bring suffering during one’s life and are useless at the time of death.

Discursive Thought or Passive Awareness: From “Buddhahood Without Meditation”

The following is respectfully quoted from “Buddhahood Without Meditation” by Dudjom Lingpa:

With unwavering faith I pay homage to the sovereign lord, the primordial lord protector, the most sublime citadel of the magical display of pristine awareness.

These days, when the five kinds of degeneration are on the rise, sentient beings are without exception rough and wild, under the sway of very powerful negative karma. Clinging to the mere passing dream of this human life, they make long-range plans as though for an eternal stay and turn their backs on the pursuit of something meaningful for future lifetimes. For this reason, it seems to me that those who earnestly seek liberation and omniscience are no more numerous than stars in the daytime. Even though people may be aware of their mortality and enthusiastically practice the Buddhadharma, they devote their human existence simply to physical and verbal acts of virtue and thus pursue higher rebirths as gods or humans.

Some, without the slightest understanding of the view of emptiness, come to a decision that their own minds are empty. They are directly introduced to what is nothing more than a state of discursive thought or passive awareness and remain in this state with nothing whatever to do. This propels them toward rebirth among the gods of the desire and form realms, but does not bring them even a hair’s breadth closer to the path to omniscience.

 

 

Supplication to Mandarava’s Emanations


The following is an excerpt from “The Lives and Liberation of Princess Mandarava”

Eh Ma Ho!

In the previous aeon of Bhaskara,
As the daughter of King Indradeva known as Pandaravasini,
She trained on the path to abandon samsara and actualize buddhahood.
To the feet of Mandarava, I supplicate!

Later in the aeon known as Ratnavistirna,
Se was born into the holy caste as the princess Natyendri,
Suryagarbha and his entire kingdom was placed on the path of Dharma.
To the feet of Mandarava, I supplicate!

In the Bright Aeon of Buddha Kanakamuni’s revelation of the doctrine,
With the blessings of the buddhas of the three times,
She naturally emanated the five embodiments as manifestations in
the five continents to tame the minds of beings.
To the feet of Mandarava, I supplicate!

Born as the princess of the god Brahma and consort,
She was known as Ozer Nangyen.
All the people of the kingdom of Kanika, in India, were placed on the path of Dharma.
To the feet of Mandarava, I supplicate!

By the blessings of the aryas, in the land of Damaru,
She was born from a lotus and summoned Hayagriva as her aid.
The the peaceful and wrathful means the kingdom was turned to the path of virtue.
To the feet of Mandarava, I pray!

In the abode of the god Indra, in the land of Kangkari,
She was the mother of the Buddha Dampa Togkar, and she tamed the hordes of demigods.
She was famed for her subjugation of the entire country, which was transformed to the path of the Buddha.
To the feet of Mandarava, I supplicate!

In the subterranean region at the peak of the jewel mountain,
She manifested as a nagini to cure all rampant diseases among nagas.
Known as Dharmindra, she placed all the nagas on the path to enlightenment!
To the feet of Mandarava, I supplicate!

As an emanation of the princess of demigods,
She tamed the hordes of jealous demigods,
As the one known as Samantabadri, she brought the hosts of demonic demigods to maturity and liberation.
To the feet of Mandarava, I supplicate!

In the presence of Buddha Kashyapa,
She generated the bodhicitta and emanated as the daughter of
King Sukhapala named Shri Sagara.
She was responsible for the perfect enlightenment of one hundred thousand nuns.
To the feet of Mandarava, I supplicate!

During the time of Shakyamuni Buddha,
She manifested herself twenty-five times; her further emanations are utterly inconceivable,
Such a one opening the door to the path of the secret mantra vehicle.
To the feet of Mandarava, I pray!

Then, in the western paradise of Sukhavati,
Here a million manifestations reveal the secret mantra,
Her dakini emanation appears with each of them!
To the feet of Mandarava, I supplicate!

Light from the five places of the supreme consort Pandaravasini
Radiated into all the paradises to become the manifestations of the five dakinis of the sphere of truth.
Blessing and empowering the syllable HRIH, this light emanated into the land of Zahor.
To the feet of Mandarava, I supplicate!

Through her miraculous powers, her father and mother, the king and queen, had astonishing indications in their dreams.
In the male wood-horse year, on the tenth day of the month,
She was born and immediately recited the sounds of the vowels and consonants!
To the feet of Mandarava, I supplicate!

At the very moment of birth, she prostrated to her parents to repay their kindness,
And sang a pleasing song for all who had gathered.
The gods came to bathe her, and her fame encompassed this world.
To the feet of Mandarava, I supplicate!

Seeing the suffering of birth, old age, sickness, and death, she felt deep repulsion,
Her mind turned from samsara, and became well-trained
In the five sciences of the holy Dharma.
To the feet of Mandarava, I supplicate!

Into the land of Gautala, in accordance with the prophecies of
Master Drime and Vajravarahi, she debated the heretic Kyabsel.
She defeated and subjugated all heretics at that time.
To the feet of Mandarava, I supplicate!

In the land of Zahor, she brought three hundred women to the path
and transformed the suffering of the king and queen at the death of Prince Palde.
She discovered the flesh of the holy sage, which became the chief object of the people’s devotion.
To the feet of Mandarava, I supplicate!

She reconciled Bheta and Zahor, ending their war.
in accordance with the prophecy of Pandaravasini, she brought her entourage to the Dharma.
She generated fervent prayers to remain in samsara for the welfare of others.
To the feet of Mandarava, I supplicate!

Meeting with the king, she discussed the requests for her hand in marriage from the royal suitors of every direction.
Without attachment to samsara, she received a prophecy from Vajrasattva.
Skillfully escaping, she took the vows of ordination before the Abbot preceptor.
To the feet of Mandarava, I supplicate!

Thoroughly investigating the scriptures, she studied the Tripitaka,
And in the pleasure grove she taught the Dharma to her five hundred attendants.
She received prophecy directly from the emanation of Guru Padmasambhava.
To the feet of Mandarava, I supplicate!

Arriving in the flower garden, she actually met face to face with the guru.
When she invited him to her palace to teach Dharma, a wandering cowherd took notice.
Rumors ensued, and the king took action to punish them.
To the feet of Mandarava, I supplicate!

Despite the king and queen’s attempt to burn Guru Padmasambhava alive, he revealed his miraculous powers.
The king and ministers were filled with deep remorse.
The guru stayed with the king and queen, at which time the king formally offered Mandarava as the consort of the guru of Oddiyana.
To the feet of Mandarava, I supplicate!

All the males in the land of Oddiyana became disciples of the guru;
And Mandarava revealed the Dharma to all the females, who achieved liberation.
She reached perfect maturity through receiving the master’s pointing-out instructions.
To the feet of Mandarava, I supplicate!

Receiving the profound Dharma of indication,
She went to Maratika cave together with the guru
And truly accomplished the deathless state of becoming an immortal pure awareness holder.
To the feet of Mandarava, I supplicate!

In the land of Kotala, she tamed the beings through miraculous means
And achieved great victory over the magic of heretics,
In the charnel ground of Yogndu, she placed the hordes of obstructors under oath.
To the feet of Mandarava, I supplicate!

In accordance with the prophecy of Padmasambhava,
She went to the land of Chamara, where she placed all the male and female cannibals upon the Dharma path.
They accomplished the rainbow body, and the entire country was emptied!
To the feet of Mandarava, I supplicate!

In Ngampatsal and the eight great countries,
And in Kailadrog and the eight minor power places,
She revealed eight major and minor miraculous, enlightened physical deeds.
To the feet of Mandarava, I supplicate!

Then the Guru Padmasambhava and consort went together
To the land of Oddiyana to banish all perverted views through skillful means.
They turned the wheel of Dharma, and everyone was liberated in the rainbow-light body.
To the feet of Mandarava, I supplicate!

In accordance with the prophecy of the guru,
She went to Shambhala and, with her great skillful means, tamed beings in the twenty-five paradises.
One million, three hundred thousand fortunate disciples were liberated in the rainbow body.
To the feet of Mandarava, I supplicate!

Then she traveled to the peak of the highest mountain in Bheche, India.
Where all remaining transmissions, without exception, were given.
She manifested herself as two utpal flowers of white and red — one in Tibet and one in Nepal.
To the feet of Mandarava, I supplicate!

Dissolving in the expanse of space like a rainbow, without remains,
She departed to the Akanishta Paradise of Padmavyuha.
She transformed into the embodiment of the supreme consort, the secret primordial wisdom dakini.
To the feet of Mandarava, I supplicate!

Together with nine hundred pure awareness holder disciples,
After dissolving into a rainbow body, she manifested herself once again for the benefit of others.
Mandarava emanated unceasingly, manifesting herself as a dakini to tame the minds of beings in every essential way.
To the feet of Mandarava, I supplicate!

In the Realm of Great Bliss, she is known as the secret wisdom consort Pandaravasini;
In the realm of Khechari, as Natyendri;
And in Zahor, as Dungmen Karmo.
To the feet of Mandrava, I supplicate!

Miraculous Displays

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The following are all stories of events which occurred on February 14, 2013Jetsunma receives regular prayer requests from her students. Each student who requested prayer had a positive outcome. Some situations remain unresolved, so continued prayers are needed:

1. Several days ago, Jetsunma’s son’s dog Carter was rushed to an emergency vet in the middle of the night. Carter was unable to pass urine, and in the initial sonogram and report from that night they were told it was likely prostate cancer. The following morning Jetsunma was made aware of the situation, and began praying for his welfare in earnest.

In a follow up visit to their regular veterinarian, a biopsy was taken. The initial biopsy results indicated it was not prostate cancer, but instead a “well differentiated transitional cell carcinoma” – a form of cancer, but less aggressive than the prostate cancer originally suspected. Today the results were reviewed by a veterinary oncologist, who at this point, has said they are not prepared to call it “cancer.” The tests performed today showed the bladder and urethra were clear. They found a small amount of calcium which could indicate a stone, and are not yet sure why the prostate is inflamed, but for the time being the results are very encouraging.

Another student wrote recently about her husband’s prolonged unexplained illness, which initially looked dangerous. Tests were inconclusive, and the student kept Jetsunma appraised of the situation as it progressed, making offerings and requesting blessings. Today the results of the final rounds of tests indicated the condition was the result of a viral infection which would slowly resolve on its own. The student reported her husband had also begun to regain some of his lost weight.

Yesterday, a student contacted Jetsunma to let her know her elderly father was being rushed to the hospital. Once again, she requested blessings and prayers. Late in the evening, the student’s father was not responding to treatments, and the hospital staff was having difficulty stabilizing him. They were concerned they might need to intubate him, and were unable to successfully catheterize him. An email was sent to Jetsunma, and the student reported back that within 30 minutes of Jetsunma being informed of the situation the obstacles began to resolve. The patient did not need to be intubated, the catheter was placed and the bladder was drained, and though this person remains in a challenging situation, the obstacles to treatment turned and he is able to rest comfortably today.

Another student had requested prayers for her mother, who had been diagnosed with breast cancer and decided to have a mastectomy. Today  was the day of the surgery. The student requested prayers and kept Jetsunma informed of the whole process of events, and the surgeon reported the surgery went well, the lymph nodes were clear, meaning the cancer is likely to be completely removed.

One more student wrote to let Jetsunma know she had been having pain in her right abdominal area, and was scheduled for a sonogram. Earlier tests had indicated the ovary was enlarged. She asked Jetsunma for her prayers and blessings before the sonogram. Today she was told the sonogram showed all was clear, no problems or abnormalities with her ovary. She tweeted her experience in order to share with the world the tremendous blessings Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo is able to give rise to.

Her attendants requested of Jetsunma that these stories be shared, so that beings faith and confidence in the Dharma may increase. In her kindness, Jetsunma agreed, and asked that prayers for the welfare of these beings continue.

The Bug That Will Be a Buddha

The following is an account as told by an eye witness to the event:

Offering prostrations and praise to the Wisdom Dakini, may your life be long, and may all your aspirations for the benefit of beings be fulfilled!

This simple, but miraculous event occurred this very evening in the home of Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo.

While Jetsunma was sitting in her kitchen, a stink bug began flying around the room. The weather was warmer today, so the stink bugs, once again, became active.

Jetsunma and her attendants watched the bug fly, waiting for it to land so it could be relocated outside. The bug kept flying in circles over the kitchen table where Jetsunma was sitting, and would not land.

Jetsunma looked up, also watching it fly, saying, “OM MANI PEDME HUNG!”. As Jetsunma spoke the mantra, the bug suddenly dropped out of the air, landing on her glasses. Jetsunma noted it was on her glasses, and said “OM MANI PEDME HUNG” again, at which time the bug dropped from her glasses to the floor under her foot. Jetsunma had lifted her foot and the bug was not harmed.

An attendant picked up the stink bug, and before taking it outside Jetsunma offered it one more blessing, “OM MANI PEDMA HUNG” and blew a blessing over it.

Filled with faith, this witness offered to share the story so others may know miracles happen every day around Jetsunma. This tiny creature fell at the feet of a Wisdom Dakini, as if to receive the blessing she offered. There is no doubt that in some future life, when this blessing ripens, this little being will become a Buddha

 

Have Confidence in this Precious Opportunity

An excerpt from a teaching called “The Importance of Shakyamuni” by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo:

All of the blessings of the Buddhist path are available to us because of the supreme compassion of Lord Buddha.  If he had not chosen to stay and forego his parinirvana for some time, forego his entry into the state of nirvana in order to teach sentient beings, it would not be possible for us to be on this path.  At the time of his teaching, there was no path that could lead to supreme enlightenment.  Again I say there were paths that could lead to spiritual progress, but none of them truly overcame all of the six realms.

Therefore follow this path with great enthusiasm because you have a set of fortunate circumstances that very few other beings on this planet have, very few human beings and far fewer beings of any other realm of cyclic existence.  If you think about how many humans there are compared to the other five realms of beings, just having that human condition is extremely rare and is over too quickly.  What proportion of those beings that have incarnated in the fortunate human condition have been offered the true path of Lord Buddha?  Such a small portion.

You should think about these incredibly auspicious circumstances, and when you do your practice, think that you are doing this to achieve the ultimate goal possible for humankind.  Think and believe that there is every reason that you can succeed.  Think and believe that there is every reason that even if you don’t succeed now, you absolutely without fail can create the causes by which you will succeed quickly.  If not immediately after this life, then you will soon, very soon.

Your moment is now.  Are you creating the causes by which you yourself might someday appear as a Nirmanakaya Buddha to guide all beings?  This practice that you do now creates the causes.  Practice sincerely.  If you practice sincerely with the intention of guiding beings, with the intention of breaking through samsaric existence as a true renunciate, if you really renounce cyclic existence with all its betrayal and take refuge sincerely, you are creating the causes, and someday your face will be known as the face of a Nirmanakaya Buddha, and your nature will be known both by you and by all sentient beings to be the Dharmakaya.

Copyright © Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo.  All rights reserved

Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo to Teach at Palyul Ling

Jetsunma Ahkon Norbu Lhamo has been invited to teach at the Palyul Retreat in Upstate New York on July 29th at 7pm, joining His Eminence Gyangkhang Rinpoche, His Eminence Mugsang Rinpoche, Khenchen Pema Sherab, Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso, Tulku Ajam, Tulku Dawa Gyalpo and Khenpo Tenzin Norgay who are leading the retreat this summer.

The retreat is offering a Avalokiteshvara Empowerment earlier the same day. http://retreat.palyul.org/

If you are in the area of Upstate New York (near Binghamton) please consider visiting Palyul Ling to embrace these auspicious opportunities.

 

http://retreat.palyul.org/address-and-phone-number

If you are not able to attend the teaching in person please tune in to the live webcast at:  http://www.palyul.org/broadcast.htm

May all who wish to attend take advantage of this rare opportunity!

Auspicious Signs at Sedona Stupa

The following was submitted by Wib Middleton, a member of the KPC sangha in Sedona:

Yesterday during a two-hour Shower of Blessings tsog at the Amitabha Stupa a gentle and very brief rain fell twice during the practice.
Then a wonderful thing happened at the end of the practice.

A visitor had come and was circumambulating the Stupa and as we were preparing to leave she had stopped and was looking intently to the East. Following her gaze we saw a rainbow. What was unusual was at the base of the rainbow it looked like the rain and the rainbow had mingled and rainbow light mixed with rain was being blown by the wind and had expanded beyond the boundaries of the rainbow above.

We took it as an auspicious sign!

Please Help Save the Sedona Stupa

The following is from a series of tweets by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo:

Please pray for and give to the Stupa project, info and links here. We may not make the deadline and the Stupa will be lost. Can t even think of it.

Instead Sedona will build condos! Palyul will not help, I have always been alone running on nothing. Still, it seems there are few heroes. Palyul has never been generous, not since Kyabje His Holiness Penor Rinpoche passed. Yet they are wealthy.

The Sedona Stupa iss meant to benefit sentient beings and stabilize the land mass there. Yet no one stands up. How awful to lose this gem!

I have no where to turn to but you. Will you be the hero? Who puts the money where the mouth is? Who will stand up for sentient beings? This land should be passed to Kyabje His Holiness Penor Rinpoche’s new incarnation to carry on. No one else.

Imagine the great Stupa fenced in by cheap commerce. Lost to greed. I am poor, have sold everything for the Stupa, even lost my house. Still no Tulku has stood up for this. Not one. I have run on a shoestring all these years with no help. Ever. Tulkus rarely share, sadly. And I am feeling I cannot go on if we lose this Stupa. It is like killing a Buddha. And it’s all on us. We have only a few days. Please, I beg, do not let this tragedy happen.

 For information on how you can help: http://www.tara.org/amitabha-sacred-land-campaign/

Copyright © Jetsunma Ahkon Norbu Lhamo.  All rights reserved

 

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