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The following is a video teaching by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo offered at Kunzang Palyul Choling in Maryland.
How do we awaken to our true nature? Jetsunma describes the state of non-recognition in which we live and describes how to transform that into a state of awareness of our true nature.
Copyright © Jetsunma Ahkon Norbu Lhamo. All rights reserved
Thupten Shedrub Gyatso, who was a Tulku in one of the Palyul Monasteries, wrote this commentary. His present incarnation, Rago Chogtrul currently lives in Tibet.
Translation by Khenpo Tenzin Norgey ~ Spring, 2004,
Palyul Retreat Center, Mc Donough, NY USA ~Wood Monkey Year 2131
Homage to you, who strikes the earth with your palms,
And stamps upon it with your feet.
With wrathful grimaces and HUNG syllable,
You scatter the seven underworlds.
The fourteenth homage is to Thronyer Chenzed,Tib the “Wrathful Wrinkled (Frowning) Tara” who subdues the eight classes of harmful spirits and nine malignant spirit brothers. She is black like a dark night, and holds a wooden pestle upon a blue lotus. She makes the world tremble and quake by striking the mountains and islands with the palms of her hands and stamping upon them with her feet. By the power of her regal frowning, the resounding vibration of HUNG, and the glare from her radiant vajra light, which is like a fire-shower, she shatters the hearts and heads of all malignant spirits: samaya[i] breakers, demons and others from the seven underworlds and above, and makes them faint into the state of dharmata[ii]. The seven underworlds, which are like layers of seven roofs, are: the abodes of demons, the general base, the higher base, the baseless, the specific base, the base of essence, the perfect base, and the pure base. In reality, the two soles striking symbolize striking the crucial point of the path of the non-duality of pristine wisdom and the basic sphere, which uproots the seven latencies or seven cognitions with their objects.
The following is a full length video teaching on The Four Thoughts that Turn the Mind given at Kunzang Palyul Choling by Khenpo Tenzin Norgay:
Thupten Shedrub Gyatso, who was a Tulku in one of the Palyul Monasteries, wrote this commentary. His present incarnation, Rago Chogtrul currently lives in Tibet.
Translation by Khenpo Tenzin Norgey ~ Spring, 2004,
Palyul Retreat Center, Mc Donough, NY USA ~Wood Monkey Year 2131
Homage to you, who dwells amidst garlands
Blazing like the fire at the end of an eon.
With your right leg outstretched and left leg drawn in
Your joyful turning destroys enemy forces.
The thirteenth homage is to Drapung Jomma,Tib the “Tara Who Averts War”. She averts wars and obstacles, and leads beings to victory in the war with form and formless enemies. She is red in color and dwells amidst garlands of wisdom fire swirling like the fire at the end of an eon. Her right leg is stretched out and left leg is drawn in. Sparks of fire fly from the prongs of the vajra she brandishes, subduing all harmful enemies. She comforts them by gathering them under the vajra-tent that protects them from their own evil. With every skillful means[i], she turns the wheel of dharma, according to the disposition of the beings to be tamed. She makes them content and joyous, and subdues the malefic forces of the two obscurations. The inner meaning is that this indicates the realization that “exhausts all phenomena”. Just as the fire at the end of the eon consumes the world, when the primordial wisdom swirls in dharmadhatu, the outer earth and stones, the inner animate body, and the secret conceptions are also exhausted. So the foes of the two obscurations[ii] are subjugated, and the joy of the great tranquility of the core of inner clarity of primordial wisdom[iii]that does not dwell in the extremes of samsara and nirvana is experienced.
[i] skillful means ~ The Mahayana practice of adapting the doctrine to the capacities of one’s audience.
[ii] two obscurations ~ There are two types of obscurations: those preventing liberation from the cycle of samsaric suffering, called afflictive obscurations, and those preventing omniscience, called the obscurations to the objects of knowledge.
[iii] primordial wisdom ~The wisdom that has realized the primordial nature of all phenomena.
The following is a series of tweets from Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo offered in support of the #Occupy movements:
For those who bring compassion to the people OM MANI PEDME HUNG! May you abide in the comfort of love.
For those who may die or are being hurt from the struggle. OM AMI DEWA HRI. You will be crowned as a protector of “we the people.”
For those who break through ignorance with the sword of wisdom. OM AH RA PA TSA NA DHI – You are the bringers of the way for “we the people.”
For all who hunger for the clear light of Primordial Nature and safety – Long Life for all OM TARE TUTARE TURE PUNYE PUSHTIM AH YOU PUSHTIM KURU YE SOHA. You may save us all!
For you who treasure truth and pray for the liberation of “we the people” – OM AH HUNG VAJRA GURU PEMA NORBU SIDDHI HUNG- I treasure you, the beautiful.
For those who wish to serve the people and feed the poor – OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SOHA – May you have, and share, every gift in every form. I love you.
May “we the people” gather, talk, march, pray, be together as one to birth a new world of virtue and compassion for all.
I believe. I believe in you.
Thank you all for your good efforts.
Peace. Occupy Earth!
Copyright © Jetsunma Ahkon Norbu Lhamo. All rights reserved
The following is from a series of tweets by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo:
No true Dharma Master behaves with rage, hate, ranting, self- importance. These are signs of mental instability, a character flaw. Never follow such a one as that.
One should rest with a peaceful and loving mind. Even wrathful emanating Buddhas manifest solely out of the wish to liberate beings.
Respect kindly all religions that teach loving kindness, and have no respect for envy and jealousy. Never follow hate.
No being incapable of controlling their own mind or developing ethics and a loving character can ever be a Master. First we must have accomplishment.
If we develop a good heart we will progress to true compassion, and awaken Bodhicitta. This is the way of the Buddha’s method.
The way of loving kindness is what is to be accepted. Love! The benefit is clear. Rage, hate are the way of chaos and darkness – to be rejected.
In short: if one has nothing of value to say, only that which is impure defilement, avoid them. They are masters of the dark. Of no use.
Always walk in peace and beauty; in grace and love, speak only truth and you will be blessed. Where we are, let there be light.
Hate is the last refuge of the ignorant. Love is the medicine. Compassion is the gift of the awakened ones.
Copyright © Jetsunma Ahkon Norbu Lhamo. All rights reserved
At the request of Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo, KPC will hold a prayer accumulation weekend (November 5th and 6th) dedicated to Peaceful Occupation, and to those who have been harmed by force and brutality, that we the people might live in peace. She is calling it “Occupy With Prayer.” This will take place at KPC in Maryland, at the Amitabha Stupa in Sedona, Arizona or right here online!
Everyone is welcome. Buddhists and non-buddhists alike are encouraged to come pray, join the group practices and meditation, and circumambulate the stupas to make wishing prayers and offerings. Please join us on twitter if you are not near the temple or Stupa! Follow @JALpalyul
Thupten Shedrub Gyatso, who was a Tulku in one of the Palyul Monasteries, wrote this commentary. His present incarnation, Rago Chogtrul currently lives in Tibet. Translation by Khenpo Tenzin Norgey ~ Spring, 2004, Palyul Retreat Center, Mc Donough, NY USA ~Wood Monkey Year 2131
Homage to you, whose diadem is a crescent moon,
All your adornments dazzle brightly.
Excellent perpetual light shines
From Amitabha at your topknot.
The twelfth homage is to Tara, Tashi Dongyed Dolma,Tib the “One Who Bestows Auspiciousness” who brings timely rain, helps with childbirth, and makes places auspicious. This golden Tara sits on blue lotus and holds an auspicious knot. From the rays of her crescent moon diadem, showers of nectar fall, improving crops and vegetation. Clear and brilliant white light radiates from all of her precious jewels and silken attire. Amitabha, the lord of her Buddha family sits on her black hair knot. From him too, boundless unceasing compassionate rays shine for the benefit of sentient beings. These rays bring a shower of auspicious signs and articles. They cleanse the poisonous bad omens of animate and inanimate existence, causing all beings and their environments to enjoy perfect, glorious, auspiciousness. The ultimate meaning of the first line is ‘direct perception,’ the second line means the ‘enhancing experience’ and the last two of the lines mean ‘the completion stage of the expansion of primordial wisdom and kayas of the fourth empowerment[i],’(Word).
[i] empowerment ~ A ritual transfer of power, an initiation. The authorization to hear, study and practice the teachings of the Vajrayana. This takes place in a ceremony that may be extremely elaborate or utterly simple, conducted by a Vajra master.
The following is from a series of tweets by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo:
A peaceful mind is a precious jewel, more precious than any gem in the world. It is because jewels cannot make you happier for long, and they can be lost, stolen, or broken. That is not the case with a peaceful mind.
If one trains the mind in calm abiding, subdues greed, trains in Bodhicitta, gains view of the condition of samsara, and discovers its impermanence, then understanding will come. There is no gift, no wealth, no treasure like a peaceful, loving mind. Nothing worldly is worth striving for except the opportunity to serve others. If we do that, our dominating ego quiets, the endless craving, the endless hatred, the boundless confusion of pride, and neediness for attention, all gradually and gently disappear like an early morning mist. It does take effort, yet the mist will vanish and reveal the glory and beauty of our true face, the natural, unborn, yet completely fulfilled Primordial Ground of our nature – the Buddha nature. It is so present, so fresh, so now, yet seems totally out of reach. That is why we must study method. No good result can possibly come from poor conduct, and wild acting out with an unstable mind cannot bring satisfaction, love, peace, joy or character.
Here the nation is falling apart, losing freedom due to fear and negative intention. Our planet is being raped and poisoned by those who think, pridefully, that it is their right to do so. We are being crushed under the weight of our own twisted confusion. What we still don’t understand is that the main battle is within. If we wake up in time, as is the case with Occupy Wall Street, we must also understand that what we are doing in our head is also important. If altruism is not the basis, hate will rule. If kindness is not there, the result will be more of the same. If greed wins, we will have nothing.
So train well in spirit and heart-mind long before the time comes when we will see this new, brave world convulse itself into birth. This way we will actually contribute to a better world, rather than build a shiny new floor over the same old hate and societal insanity. We cannot afford this. Mama Earth cannot afford this. The bliss and joy of true accomplishment and awakened view is so immediate and beautiful in a new, pristine way. We have Buddha in the palm of our hand! The gift.
Copyright © Jetsunma Ahkon Norbu Lhamo. All rights reserved
Thupten Shedrub Gyatso, who was a Tulku in one of the Palyul Monasteries, wrote this commentary. His present incarnation, Rago Chogtrul currently lives in Tibet.
Translation by Khenpo Tenzin Norgey ~ Spring, 2004,
Palyul Retreat Center, Mc Donough, NY USA ~Wood Monkey Year 2131
Homage to you,
Who can summon hosts of the protectors of earth.
By your frowning movements and HUNG syllable,
You bring freedom from all poverties.
The eleventh homage is to Thronyer Chenma,Tib the “Frowning Lady” who bestows wealth and dispels poverty. She summons the goddess of earth, the nagas, the god of wealth, yakshas and other lords of ten directions and their retinues to serve her activities. She is holds a treasure vase, and is orange in color. She is majestic, with a scowling face and a furrowed brow. Light radiates from the HUNG syllable at her heart, drawing in the wealth and prosperity of gods, nagas and humans. She showers the poor and needy with wealth, satisfying all their needs and freeing them from their sufferings. The inner meaning is that by purifying the earth-like ignorance that supports the world, the primordially perfect great merit is revealed, clearing samsara and nirvana of all poverty. This also indicates the Secret and Wisdom path.