Teachers

The Essence of the Path: by Dudjom Rinpoche

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The following is respectfully quoted from “Counsels from My Heart” by Dudjom Rinpoche as translated by the Padmakara Translation Group: 

To my Lord of Dharma, peerless, kind
My glorious Lama, homage!
His lotus feet I place
Upon my chakra of great bliss.

Here is my advice,
Some counsel useful for your mind.

Not to keep yourself from evil actions
Is to have no pratimoksha,
Not to work for others’ welfare
Is to have no bodhicitta.
Not to master pure perception
Is to have no Secret Mantra.
If illusions don’t collapse,
There is no realization.
If you opt for one side or the other,
That is not the View.
If you have a goal in mind,
That is not the Meditation.
If your conduct is a contrivance,
That is not the Action.
If you hope and wish,
You’ll have no Fruit.

Those with faith will go for refuge;
Those who have compassion will have bodhicitta;
Those with wisdom will gain realization;
Those who have devotion harvest blessings.

Those who have a sense of shame are careful how they act;
Careful in their actions, they are self-possessed;
Self-possessed, they keep their vows and pledges;
Keeping vows and pledges, they will have accomplishment.

Peaceful self-control: the sign of one who’s heard the teachings!
Few defiled emotions are the mark of one who meditates.
Harmony with others is the sign of one who practices.
A blissful heart is witness to accomplishment.
The root of Dharma is your very mind.
Tame it and you’re practicing the Dharma.
To practice Dharma is to tame your mind–
And when you tame it, then you will be free!

Contempt Toward the Vajra Family: The Third Root Downfall

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The following is respectfully quoted from “Perfect Conduct” with commentary by Dudjom Rinpoche:

4.b.3.(b.3) Expressing contempt toward the vajra family:

The third is becoming angry toward general, distant, close and immediate relatives; holding a grudge; and showing jealousy, disrespect and so forth.

In general, all sentient beings are considered to be our relatives. Even closer are those who have entered the path of Dharma. Closer still are those who have entered Vajrayana, since those who have the same lama are considered to be children of the same father. Those who have received empowerment together at the same time are children of the same parents. Those who received empowerment first are the elders, and those who received it at the same time are likened to twins born into the mandala simultaneously. To express or to hold anger in one’s mind toward any of these near or distant vajra relatives, or out of jealousy to harm them with body and speech, to speak harshly to them, or to argue with them and express their faults, constitutes the third root downfall. It is especially important to be careful toward the innermost vajra family, because to fight with or abuse them in any way accrues extremely negative karma that is difficult to remove.

Contradicting the Buddha’s Words: The Second Root Downfall

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The following is respectfully quoted from “Perfect Conduct” with commentary by Dudjom Rinpoche:

4.b.3(b.2) Contradicting the Buddha’s words:

The second concerns the utterance of the sugatas, who reveal what to accept and what to reject. This includes the lama’s speech. To knowingly contradict it by engaging in unwholesome conduct is the second downfall.

The words of the sugatas clearly reveal the path of what to accept and what to reject in accordance with the advice given by one’s lama. The Tripitaka and the four tantras all qualify as the sugata’s utterance. Ignoring these teachings, acting in opposition to the three trainings (prātimoksa, bodhisattva, and Vajrayana), and displaying such conduct in front of others transgresses the Buddha’s speech. This downfall is second in weight to directly disrespecting the vajra master.

 

Disrespecting the Vajra Master: From “Perfect Conduct”

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The following is respectfully quoted from “Perfect Conduct” with commentary by Dudjom Rinpoche:

The fourteen root downfalls are explained as follows:

The fourteen root downfalls are likened to the trunk of a fruit-bearing tree. In dependence upon the trunk, all the branches and leaves develop. If the trunk deteriorates, the entire tree will tumble down. Likewise, the root vows are like the trunk, and if they are guarded it is through them that all noble qualities of the path develop. Otherwise, if the trunk is damaged, this becomes the root cause for falling to the lowest hell realm, where there is no chance for liberation and where unbearable suffering is endured. To avoid this, it is necessary to carefully guard against these fourteen.

4.b.3(b) An extensive explanation of the fourteen:

4.b.3(b.1) Disrespecting the vajra master:

The first concerns heartfelt disrespect for the vajra master who has been kind in the three ways. To belittle him or disturb his mind is the first downfall because of its weight.

The vajra master is one who has bestowed empowerment, transmissions, and pointing-out instructions. These are the three expressions of kindness because they make transmission complete according to inner tantric practice. In addition, the vajra master is one who has given a direct introduction to the nature of the mind. Being disrespectful to such a master, either directly through body and speech or indirectly through one’s mind, or opposing the advice given by him or harming or disturbing those who are in the lama’s immediate retinue, qualifies as the first and heaviest downfall. This is the first of the fourteen root downfalls because of the strength of the weight of negative karma it carries.

The vajra master should be cherished as the essential nature of all buddhas and should, therefore, be the principle object of one’s devotion, admiration, and respect. Moreover, in dependence upon one’s relationship with the vajra master, all noble qualities of the path, as well as the resultant qualities, are developed. If one allows the precious relationship between oneself, as the disciple, and the irreplaceable vajra master deteriorate in the ways described above, then whatever meditation one aspires to accomplish will only be the cause for birth as a rudra. One must therefore be extremely careful.

The second root downfall will be posted tomorrow…

 

 

The Feast

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

I have a true Thanksgiving spirit this year, thankful for all those who made it through the storms and who WILL get their lives back.

I’m grateful for our President Obama and our democratic election with no confusion.

There has never been a better time for all Americans to bond in love and caring – we need each other and our country is NOT divided in half but  equal in heart.

Maybe now we’ll be kind and rebuild what’s broken in a loving spirit, joyful again. This is the true American spirit – hidden for so long. If we don’t send jobs and money overseas we can thrive once again!

Here at KPC we will gather for the traditional feast and dream of the day when we can feed all people without exception, and be truly grateful for the opportunity we now have.

The great Bodhicitta – the power and wonder of it is more than we can understand. The lack of Bodhicitta is more than we can bear.

The gift of Bodhicitta is more than we can comprehend…uninterrupted Bodhicitta is bliss.

Come to the KPC Food Bank if you can’t afford a Thanksgiving. We are cooking and eating together, or we can try to give you what you need for your family.

You are loved. Happy Holidays!

Copyright © Jetsunma Ahkon Norbu Lhamo All rights reserved

Samantabhadra Sings: From “The Magic Dance” by Thinley Norbu

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The following is respectfully quoted from “The Magic Dance” by Thinley Norbu Rinpoche:

This is why Samantabhadra sings:
Oh wonderful Dharma, the exquisite secret essence of all perfect Buddhas,
All born from unborn, and in being born there is no more born.

Oh wonderful Dharma, the exquisite secret essence of all perfect Buddhas,
All ceasing from unceasing, and in ceasing there is no more ceasing.

Oh wonderful Dharma, the exquisite secret essence of all perfect Buddhas,
All existing from not existing, and in existing there is no more existing.

Oh wonderful Dharma, the exquisite secret essence of all perfect Buddhas,
All coming and going from not coming and going,
and in coming and going there is not more coming and going.

My Best Wisdom Teacher: from “The Magic Dance” by Thinley Norbu Rinpoche

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The following is respectfully quoted from “The Magic Dance” by Thinley Norbu Rinpoche:
I bow to my own Wisdom Mind,
which is my best wisdom teacher,
the source of all visible and invisible qualities.
Sentient beings are always in time and place.
If sentient beings are in time,
my wisdom teacher dances magically in time.
If sentient beings are in place,
my wisdom teacher dances magically in place.
If really examined, you never remain anywhere.
You are only display.
To whatever never remains,
to you, my best wisdom teacher, I bow.

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