A sacred space for everyone
The following is a full length video teaching offered by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo at Kunzang Palyul Choling:
Part 1 deals with the overview of samsara and begins describing the 3 lower realms of cyclic existence. In later parts, Jetsunma will go into the other realms and begin describing how to die, and wat happens in the bardo after death.
Copyright © Jetsunma Ahkon Norbu Lhamo. All rights reserved
Prayer to Be Reborn in Dewachen
With a longing to benefit beings who are sick and dying, Jetsunma created a song called “Prayer to Be Reborn in Dewachen.” This is a traditional prayer to Amitabha, the Buddha of Limitless Light, from the P’howa practice of the Longchen Nyigthig tradition. P’howa is the meditation practice for the time of death, and Amitabha is the deity to be visualized in that meditation. “Dewachen” refers to the state of consciousness in which one experiences a pure land and the opportunity to accomplish liberation.
Jetsunma said, “When I listened to this tune, I realized that it was like a mother singing her child to sleep, which really was my motivation when I sang that song. I know that everyone that I love, I will be parted from someday. Everyone that I meet will die some day. I wish there was some way that they could be guided through the bardo individually. And the best response that I know of is this prayer.”
Any being who listens to this prayer receives a blessing, whether Buddhist or non Buddhist, human or animal. It is especially soothing for those who are chronically or acutely ill, or who are on the precipice of dying. You can help beings by making this prayer heard by as many people and as many animals close to their death as possible. It is available here: Prayer to Be Reborn in Dewachen
It seems really hard to believe this year is nearly over. Is impermanence moving faster these days? Must be. My pack and I are aging.
It is so strange. Of course we all know about impermanence intellectually but “getting it” is different. We see ourselves and others changing, but somehow remain convinced we and all else remain stable. Once my mother looked in the mirror and said “how did this happen to me?”
It is unfortunate that we have been protected from the reality of death. It is real, and part of life. Lord Buddha taught about the three human sufferings – old age, sickness and death. I’m at two out of three-LOL! No one escapes these things – which is why I keep harping on preparation for death.
What you do with your life should always go with an eye on our next rebirth. Great Lamas often leave amazing signs as to how to find their next incarnation. When His Holiness the Dalai Lama muses that he might be female next time LISTEN to him, he is a Living Buddha, Himself preparing.
Given this, it behooves us ordinary folk to make a MIGHTY effort. Before death, a Vajrayana Practioner should recite a BUM, or a MILLION recitations of Buddha Amitaba’s mantra OM AH MI DEWA HRI. I have aspired to recite the Seven Line Prayer to Guru Rinpoche. I am bumping up on my million.
His Eminence Gyaltrul Rinpoche told me way back; when I got past 300,000 recitations I should come for the most profound essence of the prayer and Guru Yoga. I did.
The teaching was not long, but Rinpoche leaned in close and deeply with his eyes and told me absolute VIEW. What IS and is empty – the Guru’s face. To me it was a teaching not of words alone. It was a subtle but POWERFUL teaching by indication. But I “got” it and was satisfied.
That night he put me in HIS bed, and HE slept in the top altar room. I felt held by Guru Rinpoche once more. I know I never walk alone. Such a gift!
Different schools of Buddhism in Vajrayana have different emphasis and sometimes method. All are good. Some say one should emphasize accumulating the three Roots of accomplishment. The three roots are Lama, Yiddam, and Dakini.
In some methods it’s step by step. His Holiness Kyabje Penor Rinpoche taught like that, step by step. He said if one dives into Dzogchen without preliminaries it is like throwing a seed on stone. The mind is too hard and the precious seed cannot grow.
It is, if one has practiced well and deeply, TOTALLY evident when a pretender speaks intellectually about Dzogchen from a superficial understanding. It is the experience that is the juice inside the hard shell of the coconut. No intellectual teachings or understanding will suffice. So when Lamas give Dzogchen to new students or those of lesser qualities it is harmful. Those students may think they know but they do NOT know.
In the movie “AVATAR” the Mother Shaman says “It is hard to fill a cup that is already full”. And so it is with Dharma. To practice Dharma well and properly, to prepare for rebirth, one must empty the cup of EGO. Especially pride, and then it is possible to drink the Nectar; and be fully satisfied, ready to go to Amitaba’s pureland; or Padmasambava’s Copper Mountain; this is according to Qualities and Accomplishment, and FAITH. I would not recommend entering the Bardo without the Shield of Faith.
EMAHO!
OM AH HUNG BENZAR GURU PEDMA SIDDHI HUNG!