A sacred space for everyone
The following is a musical offering by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo
OM AH MI DHE WA HRI
CHOM DEN DE DE ZHIN SHEG PA DRA CHOM PA YANG DAG PAR
DZOG PA’I SANGYE GÖN PO ÖD PAG TU MED PA
LA CHAG TSHAL LO CHÖD DO KYAB SU CHI-O (Repeated)
To the Bhagavan, Tathagata, Arhat, Perfectly Completed Buddha, Protector of Infinite Light, I prostrate, offer, and go for refuge.
OM AH MI DHE WA HRI (Repeated)
From a series of tweets by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo:
Whoever believes that one’s actions do not create specific cause and result, has an atheistic, nihilistic view. At death rebirth will be taken in the lowest hell realm.
Such a view is destructive towards oneself and is harmful to others. It is never the case that the result of karma is less than exacting. Karma will produce the exact result of whatever was causal. This is interdependent origination. Cause and result are created at the same time.
There are ten activities that create a great storehouse of merit; composition, offering, generosity, attentiveness; recitation of Dharma, memorization and teaching Dharma, as well as praying, contemplation and meditation. These are virtuous and produce an auspicious rebirth.
When deeply committed and accomplished in Dharma, one is like a traveler who has their storehouse stocked and fully prepared for anything. If for the three jewels one offers a flower, incense, or a simple butter lamp/candle consistently rebirth is taken in perfect Samadhi.
When I see the suffering, the faults of cyclic existence, I feel deep sorrow. I have long ago abandoned the jail of the realms of samsara. I abandon non- virtue, and persist always in the effort to teach and help to liberate beings! This is the promise, life after life!
© Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo
An excerpt from a teaching called the Eightfold Path by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo
In the Four Noble truths, the Lord Buddha taught that all sentient beings are suffering. Even if there is temporary happiness, there is suffering in samsara and that the origin of suffering is attachment or desire.
I thought I would tell you about my Blackberry as an example of this. There is nothing inherent in this box that means suffering. There are wires and buttons, and a SIM chip in it. It even lights up and does funny things. The things I can do with this are just amazing. So there’s really no unhappiness with this, right? Wrong. I have become a Crackberry addict. Hi. My name is Jetsunma, and I’m an addict. From the first moment I got it; it’s been a joy and a horror at the same time. The joyful part is you could practically control the world from it or at least try to. The less than joyful part about it is that it will try to control you. And you cannot get a minute’s peace if you are carrying around your little computer, because emails are constantly coming. So it’s a mixed blessing, and I knew that desire had struck me.
It’s such a great Buddhist lesson because like I said, this gizmo’s great. There’s nothing wrong with it. It should not cause suffering. But I have these nightmares. I’ve actually had nightmares that I lost my Blackberry. And because of that I couldn’t call anybody, and I was somewhere where I didn’t know where I was, and I couldn’t call anybody to come get me, because once you have a Blackberry, you don’t remember any phone numbers. Everything’s on speed dial. That was my first dream.
My second dream was in a terrible situation. I couldn’t find my two dogs – my two heart children – Jada and Ewok. I couldn’t find them, and there was nobody around to help me look for them. And I’m thinking, “I’ve got to call for some help. I’ve got to call for some help.” Guess what? It was busted. So, there I was grieving about my dogs, and dying about my CrackBerry!
This is a perfect display of what the Buddha taught. The Buddha taught that it is attachment and desire that bring us suffering. Now, before I had this thing, I didn’t desire it. But once I got it, I’m all over it. I tell you, I’m an addict, and I’m going to do the steps. Because of attachment, I have fear that I’ll lose this thing. And I’m watching my mind do this. It is so absolutely essential to watch your mind when it plays those games and does those trips to you. It is so educational and so awe inspiring, because although obviously the Buddha wouldn’t have known about a BlackBerry, he knows the condition of my mind due to attachment and desire. I love the stuff this thing does. I can get weather from three different sources. I’m a real weather wonk. I can read news on my BlackBerry. But here I am with this very cool thing that is now causing me suffering.
Now it’s a silly example because most of us suffer from things a whole lot worse than losing a CrackBerry. I call it CrackBerry because that’s what it is. People suffer from more horrible things but it is a good example to show you that even something that’s a gift becomes a terrible burden when there’s too much attachment and too much desire. This is a silly example because I can put this thing down. In fact, I can throw it in a lake, and then it’s over. The suffering is ended. I can control that, but so many people have things that are happening in their lives that they have no control over, or at least they feel that they don’t. It seems as though things are happening from the outside. And because of what happens to us and because of what we are given and what we are programmed with, we develop these very strong attachments. If it’s to a person, it’s obvious. If it’s to a car, it’s obvious. If it’s to a BlackBerry, it’s obvious. If it’s to a house, it’s obvious. You know what the deal is there. But most of the time our desire is so mixed and so churning, that we can hardly see or hardly track our mind well enough to know what exactly is going on. And so as the Buddha taught, we tend to think that we are suffering because of circumstance when in fact we are suffering because of desire.
I invite you as we study the Four Noble truths and the Eightfold Path to begin to research your own mind. Begin to see, and watch yourself. Watch the way you perceive. Watch the way you think. Begin to learn from your own mind. You may be surprised. We don’t realize how attached and filled with desire we are even when we are trying to practice renunciation. And it takes examining the mind.
For instance, I could have said, “Well, this is a necessary evil. I have to have it because of my job, which I do. And I could blame it on outward circumstances, and say, “Oh poor me. I have to have this because of my job.” I could go round and round about it, but the truth of the matter is that it’s my own attachment. I was fine without it and I’ll be fine after it. It’s the attachment, it’s our reaction that sucks us in and makes us habituate.
I just wanted to mention that as part of the Four Noble Truths, to give an example of how the arising of suffering is the same as the arising of desire and attachment. That’s really what causes our suffering. Our own reaction. The good news about that is that we have some power. We have some control.
It’s hard to control your desire when knives are coming at you. But for the most part, that is not what people are suffering from. They are not suffering from knives coming at them. They are not suffering from something that’s so profound and so reactive and so immediate that they have no time even to even things out.
We have a marvelous capacity to watch our own minds, and this is unique to humanity. In none of the other six realms of cyclic existence, except for the human realm and only under certain karmic conditions, is there the capacity to watch one’s own mind and to practice and awaken, and to accumulate merit most of all. There is simply no way in any of the other realms. And that’s why being a human is a precious rebirth, and worth more than you could ever assemble in a hundred lifetimes in terms of material goods, because of what is capable, what is possible here by following the Eightfold Path and using our minds to sever the sickness and narcotic of desire and attachment.
© Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo
Today I woke up early, feeling sad at the way Westerners insist on changing Buddhism into something they like better. It’s because they simply do not understand where the power of Dharma comes from. The power/blessing comes from a traceable unbroken line of transmission from Guru to disciple and stretches back to the original source of blessing. The Buddha, Guru Padmasambava, who himself said “I will always be with you in the form or your Root Guru”. His blessing brought Tantra to Tibet and translated the texts with a committee of scholars
So the Diamond Path of Vajrayana in Tibet is one Throneholder to the next in unbroken succession. That is the way of Tibetan Buddhism. One can change it up. This is a free country, after all. But then, you are not practicing as Tibetan Lamas do and there will be no good result.
What I don’t understand is why. To make your little circle happy you destroy Tibetan Buddhism for everyone else? Many of us prefer to practice purely, without having our lineage, our Method dragged through the muck of someone’s Samsara and poor view. Why dismiss the rights of other practitioners who really want to practice as taught? What makes someone superior and self cherishing enough to do that?
We wish to practice well and deeply. We want to purify our poisons, gather merit etc. No one who prints lies has the right to put us down. It is like the Enquirer paper – built on lies and half truths. So we wake up and see that our Lineage and faith has been crucified again.
Too bad they will not talk to people who currently cherish Palyul and practice it’s teaching. To destroy that is cruel and hateful.
We love Palyul! Always have and always will. It would take character, compassion and ethics to stop the lies. Be an honest broker. Try.
Some excerpts from The Spirit of Peace by the Dalai Lama:
To be cruel is tantamount to stopping in the middle of the path. It is like renouncing the attempt to go deeply inside ourselves. It is being attached to the surface reality and becoming irritated or exasperated by it. And yet harmony does exist. We have all experienced it at times. It resides in the depths of our being. It is our primordial nature.
On slander: It is more useful to be aware of a single weakness in oneself than to be aware of a thousand weaknesses in someone else. Rather than speaking badly of other people, or talking in a way that promotes conflict or problems in their lives, we should adopt a purer attitude toward them.
If your mind is dominated by anger, you will lose the greatest part of your human intelligence: wisdom, that is, the ability to discern between good and evil. Anger is one of the greatest problems that we have to face in the world today.
In the course of our daily human relations, if we speak straightforwardly and in a reasoned way, anger is not necessary. Any points of difference can be discussed. Whenever we cannot justify ourselves through reason, that is when anger arises. It is when reason ends that anger begins. In my experience, even if anger gives us the strength to react or to respond in the event of conflict, the energy it gives is blind and difficult to control. The only advantage that anger has is the energy it brings us, but we could find this energy just as well from other sources without having to harm ourselves or others. Anger is a sign of weakness.
Four Seals of Buddhism: All composite phenomena are impermanent; all conditioned phenomena are by nature unsatisfactory. All phenomena are empty of self-existence; and Nirvana is true peace!
The Dalai Lama
WOW! The extraordinary wisdom of His Holiness the Dalai Lama – who can argue with that? Thank You! Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo
From a series of tweets by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo (@jalpalyul) on November 25, 2010
Happy Thanksgiving to one and all! Whatever your life is like, let’s take this time together in gratitude for all the blessings we have. Even if this year has been difficult, still let’s leave trouble at the front door and celebrate the good with family and friends!
Thanksgiving really isn’t about food. It is about learning to live together in community and kindness, to respect one another, and share bounty. I pray we all feel connected in unity and love, and come to realize we are one essence, non-dual, always.
© Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo
From a series of tweets by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo:
Tomorrow is a day for gratitude and Thanksgiving. And people eat. We used to stuff pumpkins with chestnut and fresh bread (homemade) spinach etc instead of turkey as young vegetarians. All grown or bought locally. I had a hand turned flower mill, ground cornmeal, wheat flour soy, etc from flour to grits. Even pastry flour!
I once LOVED cooking. But making the kitchen functional, shopping, saving vegetable stock for healthy soup, the profound connected part was my favorite. I always looked for ways to put a little wheat germ or soy flour a la Adelle Davis in everything. Picked wild greens, gardened, we ate healthy for nothing!
Mmmmm – we made wild huckleberry pie and cobbler. I made my own jams and jellies. In particular, our own Cherries with one or two pits put back. They give a complimentary almond flavor.
We had a dairy cow, made yogurt, butter, cheese, soft and wheels of hard. Like parmesan I learned so much! We cut felled wood for heat.
Those were such beautiful days. I could go on…. Those were the happiest days.
Goodnight, that was your bedtime story, Beloveds! Sweet dreams!
© Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo
From a series of tweets by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo:
Feeling depression is a sign to stop, look, and listen, evaluate, also a sign that one has become too self-absorbed. Give to others!
No matter how one rationalizes, rage and anger are another way to say hate. Begin change by loving!
My main focus on twitter is to teach Dharma, to connect with friends, and enjoy the many different cultures. I don’t care for argument and fighting. I do care to discuss in a calm way with the intention that all parties walk away with a gift.
Put on your boots and gloves and weed your Spiritual garden. You may not like what you see there! Pull it up by the root.
© Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo
From a series of tweets by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo:
Looking forward to Khenpo Tenzin Norgay’s visit and teaching. I admire and like him so much! He is not into politics and is pure. He seems to have no ego issues and is not one to climb on other’s backs. He is very kind, much Bodhicitta, respectful, never rude. I don’t like rudeness at all. I never have. And if I myself am rude (mostly accidental) I really take myself to task, examine my view. It is best to do that quickly before habit sets in. Anyway, why waste one’s time yammering if one has nothing useful to say? Shut the old pie-hole and practice kindness, and do no harm.
There are so many versions of Dharma now. We have tasters, who sample and take only what they like to heart. Thus they make up their own religion. There are those who talk day and night about how enlightened they are, thus demonstrating they are ordinary. Then the ones who collect Dharma as one collects stuff. Mainly to strut and fluff up their resume, showing they have a very shallow understanding of the point of Dharma.
And there are those who in a sociopathic way like to destroy; people, lineages, Sangha, method and result. No reason, other than they enjoy the power and the drama, the calamity, the pain – it makes one feel potent, important. Sad to say they will have an awful bardo and rebirth experience. One then continues wandering through the realms and suffering of samsara endlessly, as crazed as a bee in a jar.
Why smash your head on the jar over and over again? Better to work the path with character, purity, kind intention devoid of pride and anger. Then there will be actual progress, and depth.
© Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo
From a series of tweets by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo:
One’s ignorance really runs the show. When one acts like they will never face the karma they have made, they do not know what the Buddha taught. In fact they do not understand the Guru’s teaching on good motivation, and taking care of one’s own poisons, living the life of a true Buddhist by giving rise to Bodhicitta, and preparing for death. If it were me and I were dying, I would be in final retreat, not puffing up ego.
I am weary of lies but my skin is thicker. I wonder if it will ever stop, and allow me to do my work, my spiritual vocation. I’ll keep plugging, and I have the confidence of His Holiness Karma Kuchen, as I enjoyed with His Holiness Kyabje Penor Rinpoche, and will be content as a Palyul Lineageholder to uphold my Lineage and her people, as well as dharma. So I will teach and learn. I am reminded that when you are up to your neck in alligators, it is hard to remember you came to drain the swamp.
© Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo