Preguntas y Respuestas - Noviembre 25, 2023

This question reflects that this individual who asks the question has not enough understanding of the motivations or the ideas of the different vehicles.

The Buddha has said that, “I have shown you the path to liberation, whether you become liberated or not, it’s all dependent upon you.”

That means the Buddha has taught us the path that can lead us to enlightenment.

Therefore, in our prayers, we talk about the cause of happiness, which means that we have to abide by the law of cause and effect.

If we abide by the law of cause and effect, and get rid of negative deeds, there is no reason for experiencing the various kinds of sufferings and miseries.

Therefore, it is not the fault of the Buddha. The Buddha has been very kind to show the path to liberation.

But because of the deeds of certain beings or individuals, there are different consequences. If we do not commit negative deeds, there will be no suffering. If we do commit negative deeds, there will be suffering.

This is the law that cannot be altered by the Buddha. The Buddha has done his part by showing the path.

The most important thing for us is to always maintain the intention to benefit others.

Also, we need to understand that the cause of suffering is within the mind of sentient beings.

Through the delusions within our mind, we commit various karmas. As a result of that, by the force of our afflictions and karmas, we wander around the different realms of saṃsāra.

What we can do about that is that we should make efforts in contemplating or meditating on loving kindness, what we call immeasurable loving kindness.

If we do that, we can reduce the sufferings of ourselves and all other beings.

If we want to get rid of suffering, then we have to focus on removing the causes of suffering. By removing or cleansing the causes of suffering, there is a possibility to free beings and ourselves from sufferings.

Also, it is true that as we go through different sufferings, as we experience them, in a way it is a form of purification of our negative karmas.

Therefore, suffering is not totally bad. If we have the right view, then it is also something useful, because it is a process of purification.

Therefore, whenever we encounter sufferings, we should not lose our faith and hope, we shouldn’t become hopeless.

The most important thing is to always keep the intention to benefit others, to be helpful to others. The intention to benefit all means all sentient beings who are immeasurable, who are equal to the infinity of space.

In this way, loving kindness is the sole antidote or remedy against suffering.

When we have that kind of loving kindness within our mind, then the prayers or the correct aspirations of the Buddhas can become like a huge support in that.

We need to create this connection between the aspirations of the Buddhas, prayers of the Buddhas, and our own generation of loving kindness for all sentient beings.

Because of that, the important thing to get rid of suffering is to engage ourselves in the practice of loving kindness, compassion and through that, engage in the six perfections:

Generosity. Moral ethic. Patience. Diligent effort. Meditative concentration. Wisdom.

Sentient beings are temporarily experiencing tremendous suffering. But there is no need to be hopeless, because all sentient beings are endowed with what we call buddha nature.

Therefore, there is always the possibility to put an end to suffering. No matter how much suffering there is, this hope is still there because of the presence of buddha nature within sentient beings.

If we develop bodhicitta within our minds, then we can bring happiness to ourselves as well as all sentient beings simultaneously.

In fact, when we develop bodhicitta for the sentient beings, and when we always wish to benefit others, bring happiness to others, then our own happiness becomes like a by-product. It does not need to actually worry about that.

The main thing is to maintain the genuine kind of deep intention to benefit others.

The bottom line is, therefore, it is important to maintain bodhicitta, to wish to benefit others from now until enlightenment. Therefore, that is the way to put an end to suffering; therefore, the root of the fundamental factor is bodhicitta.

In addition to that, it is useful to read the 37 Bodhisattva Practices, and put those instructions into practice, and also teach the 37 Bodhisattva Practices to others. That is a wonderful method to help others to be free from suffering.

In addition to that, you can also recite the aspiration prayers, like the Samantabhadra’s Prayer of Perfect Conduct.

Not only pray, but also reflect on the meaning of the words, and try to comprehend, try to understand the meaning of these prayers.

Then, by putting those prayers, or the words in those prayers into practice, try to gain experience and attain realization.

That is what we call understanding, experiencing, and realizing—these three must be together. If we do that, then it is a good method, a good way to benefit oneself and others also.

We have this concept of god and demon.

The demon is something that harms others, and the deity is someone that brings benefit to others. In reality, these two, the deity and the demon, are present within our mind.

What is the demon within our mind? It is our grasping at the self. It is a true existence, so that is the inner kind of demon. From that demon arise all kinds of afflictive emotions.

Whatever deity we see in our vision, it doesn’t matter from which tradition, Buddhist or Bön, the deities who are source of benefit to others, they are embodiments of bodhicitta.

Therefore, in order to experience the inner deity, what is important is to meditate on bodhicitta. Through that, we can develop the kind of divine ability to bring benefit to sentient beings. That is something we need to understand.

It is also important to have the view that all males are, in fact, Chenrezig, and all females are in reality Tārā.

Therefore, when we talk about deities, there are many different kinds. Different deities in different colors, with different sectors, in different shapes and form. But all of them are embodiments of bodhicitta.

Because of that, when you have vision or experience of the deity, then you need to understand that this deity is an embodiment of bodhicitta. You do not need to engage in too much hope and fear in that case. Just accept the deity as an embodiment of bodhicitta.

Therefore, the source of all deities are one; that is bodhicitta. All deities manifest from bodhicitta.

Because of that, it is said that all victorious ones or all the Buddhas are one in the expanse of wisdom.

The teaching of the Buddha is quite extensive in one way. For example, there are 84,000 heaps of Dharma. But the root of all these enormous heaps of teaching is bodhicitta.

Bodhicitta is based on the law of cause and effect. When we understand the conventional bodhicitta, in the context of cause and effect, then through that, it is possible to realize the ultimate bodhicitta.

In order to be able to attain such a realization, it is useful for us to always engage in conversation, in discussion, on the topics of bodhicitta. For example, the 37 Bodhisattva Practices.

The six realms of saṃsāra. Sentient beings in the six realms of saṃsāra. What are they? They are the embodiments of the mind.

When the mind is deluded, when the mind is polluted, that deluded mind manifests in the form of the six realms of saṃsāra.

Because of that, we need to have a deeper understanding of loving kindness and compassion. They are the causes of happiness as they are taught in the 37 Bodhisattva Practices.

In this way, the teaching of the Buddha, in one way, it is very extensive, countless teachings there. But when we summarize all of them, then there is only one. And that is the relative bodhicitta.

When we master the relative bodhicitta, we can have a precise understanding of karma and result, cause and effect. Through that wisdom of the conventional bodhicitta, there is the possibility to attain the absolute or ultimate bodhicitta, which is our true nature.

When you engage in a Dharma discussion, which is very important, you should discuss on the topic of happiness and the cause of happiness, and suffering and the cause of suffering.

For example, what is the cause of happiness? The cause of happiness can be summarized into practice of loving kindness and compassion.

When we have that quality of loving kindness and compassion, then from that result will be happiness in the short term, and the happiness of enlightenment in the long term.

In the short term, we can enjoy well-being. In the long term, ultimately, we can attain the absolute bodhicitta or awakening.

Attaining awakening means our fixation, our grasping at the self, as a true existence, will be subdued or will be dispelled.

The next topic is suffering and the cause of suffering. What is the cause of suffering? The cause of suffering is our fixation on the self, that the self is a true existence, that it is real. This rigid kind of grasping that is present in our mind, that is the source of suffering.

What is the idea of equanimity? In this world, we experience suffering as well as happiness. Happiness is something that we long for, suffering is something that we want to get rid of.

This kind of wish, this kind of aspiration, all of us in the world have.

But to develop equanimity, we have to begin by understanding that suffering is not always bad, that it has also a positive side. If we develop that kind of understanding, then it is possible to develop a sense of equanimity.

Otherwise, we will be completely against suffering and go only for happiness. In that, there is a conflict. Therefore, there is no room for equanimity.

Because of this, the great master Patrul Rinpoche has said that, “I am happy when I am suffering, but not when I am happy.”

The meaning of this statement is that when we are enjoying happiness, when we are feeling well, then we become kind of carried away, which leads to the five negative emotions, such as attachment, aversion, and so forth.

But for a practitioner like him, the experience of suffering is like a process of purification. Therefore, for such a practitioner, there is no conflict between happiness and suffering. The practitioner sees benefit in the suffering. Therefore, this is like a basic way of understanding what is equanimity.

Now, in order to actually develop equanimity, there are methods such as the practice of śamatha, or calm abiding, and vipassanā.

But a simpler method than that is to start by developing mindfulness, what we call the four mindfulnesses: mindfulness of the body, mindfulness of the feeling, and so forth.

If we practice the four mindfulnesses, and if we habituate ourselves into that, then through that we can become free from attachment for something positive and aversion for something negative. That is when we can enjoy the state of equanimity.

When we talk about equanimity, the important thing is to free ourselves from too much hope and fear.

We should have in our mind that everything is dependent upon good and bad karmas. Therefore, when we wish to accomplish something, we shouldn’t be extremely hopeful or extremely kind of fearful.

If we have the positive karmas, if we have necessary merits, then whatever we wish to accomplish can be accomplished. Otherwise, there’s no point in engaging in extreme hope and fear. That is because our happiness, our sufferings, are dependent upon our merits and demerits.

Because of that, it is important for us to give our best in the practice of bodhicitta. If we do that, then we can naturally arrive in this state of equanimity.

There are many, many methods for developing equanimity. The most important method is what we call mindfulness.

When we develop good mindfulness, then we can use that when we experience happiness and suffering. The mindfulness can help us not become overwhelmed by the experience of joy and suffering. It will prevent us from chasing after happiness and running away from suffering.

Therefore, the most effective or the best method for developing equanimity is the practice of mindfulness.

In order to practice awareness or mindfulness, it is necessary to understand the benefit of having mindfulness and the shortcoming of not having mindfulness.

If we do not have mindfulness, then all kinds of discursive thoughts occur in our mind. These discursive thoughts pollute the mind. This pollution leaves all kinds of habitual tendencies in our mind, which leads to all kinds of problems, sufferings.

But if we have mindfulness, then mindfulness can cleanse the habitual tendencies. As a result of that, we can become intellectually sharper; we can develop a very sharp, very clear mind.

In that way, through that path, it is possible to increase our sense of lovingness in strength; we can make our loving kindness more powerful.

In this practice, another important factor is patience. Patience is very important in the practice of loving kindness, because if we do not have patience, then our anger can destroy our sense of loving kindness in an instant.

Therefore, the antidote to anger or hatred is patience, and patience is an important factor in the practice. It is said that the merits accumulated over eons can be eliminated, can be destroyed by a moment of hatred or anger. Because of that, patience is important.

If we do not have mindfulness, then we cannot develop a steady, stable loving kindness. Therefore, with the help of patience and diligent effort, we need to practice mindfulness so that we can develop bodhicitta.

When we talk about lama or guru, there are two kinds of gurus: one that is external and another that is internal.

External guru is the physical lama, a physical teacher. The internal or the inner guru is our own awareness or mindfulness. Therefore, it is important to develop that inner kind of guru. When we combine that inner guru with the practice of bodhicitta, then it is excellent. Milarepa has also said like that.

The Buddha has said that it is important to maintain heedfulness, in order to keep the mind free from the delusions. Because if the mind remains deluded, if the mind remains kind of heedless, then we commit all kinds of negative karmas. In order to prevent that, in order to stop that, it is important to develop heedfulness, which is similar to mindfulness.

To sum up, it is important to comprehend that the mindfulness and the guru are inseparable. If you are mindful, you are within this state, you are in the presence of the inner guru.

In this way, when we develop proper stable mindfulness within our minds, then from that, through that, everything can be transformed into something positive.

A way to develop mindfulness is, for example, the practice of the syllable hūṃ and the vajra recitation. These are methods for developing this mindfulness, which is the inner guru. And that’s one of the many methods to develop it.

In the question, basically, the person has said that, “the more I practice mindfulness, the more distracted I become,” or something like that.

The answer to that is to realize that the more you practice mindfulness, the more you become distracted. It is an indication that you are doing and you are practicing in the right way. Without mindfulness, if there was no mindfulness, then that wouldn’t be realized.

Therefore, for example, the sun, when it is in the open, we do not see anything in the sun. But when the sun comes into the temple, then in the rays of the sun, we can see countless particles.

Likewise, when there is no mindfulness, it seems like everything is calm and clean. That doesn’t mean there is nothing. Like we can see these particles in the sun rays in the temple, when we are doing right in the practice of mindfulness, we are able to spot the distractions.

Therefore, that is a sign of good meditation on mindfulness. But the important thing is to not be too conceptual about that. Not engaging in too much thought, regarding that, like “this is good or bad.”

Instead of engaging in too much kind of subtle speculations in the mind, it is important to let go. And let the mind be in its own natural state.

By doing so, these distractions will subside on their own, without needing to intentionally try to get rid of them.

For example, the ice melting and becoming water on its own.

Therefore, it is important to not engage in the practice of mindfulness. It is important not to engage in thoughts of thinking. For example, “this is good,” “this is bad,” “this is wrong.” These kinds of thoughts are based on hope and fear.

If we do that, then the mind can become kind of frozen. That can make the mind very rigid.

Therefore, when you practice mindfulness, when thoughts kind of pile up, your reaction to the thought should be, “let it be.” Whether you welcome or you reject, just let it be and continue to be mindful. That is the way.

Regarding afflictive emotions, like desire, for example, there are three different ways of dealing with that, based on the different vehicles.

In the prātimokṣa system, the afflictions are kind of subdued, suppressed.

In the bodhisattvayāna, they are transformed.

In the secret mantrayāna, they are realized.

In the third method, if one is able to take the third method, then the afflictive emotions, such as desire, are looked at at its core, at its core nature.

In doing so, the negativity, or the negative aspect of the emotion, becomes cleansed or becomes exhausted.

Therefore, through this third method, ultimately, the afflictive emotions, such as desire, become exhausted on their own, and there will be no more kind of craving for that thing, which is being desired.

Regarding these pornographic movies, when you watch the first time, it kind of increases your sexual desire. But when you look at such movies over and over again, then they become weaker and weaker in terms of instigating, in terms of developing desire.

But when you use the method, or as explained before, when you watch, when you not just watch and get kind of distracted, but look at its nature, then even if you watch, there will be no kind of craving, or no clinging to that; ultimately, that can be exhausted through this method.

These kind of images, these kind of movies can be helpful also in the practice of channels and wind, if utilizing that right way.

The method for benefiting others is already present within us. What is that method? It is the mind of limitless loving kindness, compassion, equanimity, joy, the four the immeasurable. That is how it is taught by the Buddha in the Mahāyāna Sūtra.

When our mind is filled with this immeasurable loving kindness, compassion, and so forth, that directly acts as an antidote against our grasping at self, the ego, or selfishness. As a result of that, our mind becomes clearer and clearer. And we can actually bring benefit to sentient beings.

Benefiting sentient beings is the best way to please the Buddhas. If you ask, “What can I do that can make the Buddhas happy or pleased?” You can benefit sentient beings. If you benefit sentient beings, they will be happy.

For example, if a father has a son, and if the son does something amazing, which is beneficial to the country or to the world, then the father feels happy, because of the son’s duty.

Likewise, when we benefit sentient beings through our practice of loving kindness and compassion, and so forth, that can bring happiness to not only the sentient beings, but also to the Buddhas, to ourselves as well as others, as it is taught in the prayer of good conduct.

Also, there are other practices that can be helpful to benefit others: practice of giving and taking, giving your joy to others, taking the pain of others upon yourself, the four immeasurable, the four mindfulness. But the essence of all these practices is the intention to benefit others, the genuine kind of willingness to benefit others.

If we do not have that, then we become always victim of our selfishness, and always concerned about “me, me, me,” “I, I,” all the time; we are always concerned about ourselves. Therefore, grasping at self or selfishness is similar to a demon, because it’s the source of problems for ourselves and others.

If we have the intention to benefit others, this other being can be like a tiny insect. If we have the intention to benefit, then that is ultimately going to be the strength to actually benefit the other.

We usually talk about these two powers: the power of dharmadhātu and the power of the tathāgatas.

When we practice this kind of intention to benefit others through immeasurable loving kindness and so forth, then that naturally becomes reinforced by the power of dharmadhātu, the power of the tathāgatas. Therefore, through immeasurable compassion, loving kindness, and so forth, we can actually benefit others.

Also there are other things, for example, the things that what we call liberation upon hearing, liberation upon seeing, liberation upon touching. These are also things that we can utilize in order to benefit others.

In this way, there are immeasurable methods to develop the ability to actually benefit others. But if we do not have the genuine intention, the willingness to benefit others, then just by having these different methods is not enough. The intention to benefit is the key factor.

Also, we could recite the seven prayers to the seven Tārās, and read the commentary written by Khenpo Samdup, which is very good, which is very clear. It explains the words of the seven prayers to the seven Tārās clearly.

If we read, understand, reflect, contemplate on these prayers, then that can also help us develop to accomplish the purposes of ourselves and others.

Regarding the answer from Tārā: if you supplicate Tārā, there can be actual prophecy, actual answer. But if you look back into your own mind, you can experience the answer yourself.

When you do the practice of Tārā, which is based on loving kindness and compassion for beings, does it benefit your mind? Does it make you, when you are in the state of loving kindness for all sentient beings, does that state give you joy or suffering?

If it is giving you joy, then that is like a cause of loving kindness; through loving kindness you can bring joy to others. This is like the answer you can derive from your own experience.

The opposite of loving kindness is selfishness or fixation on the self. When we are undermined by selfishness or fixation on the self, then we are similar to like a piece of ice. The piece of ice is rigid and it is not workable.

But when we have loving kindness for all beings, then our mind becomes very calm and relaxed, just like the ice melting. In that relaxed state, there is possibility of joy and happiness.

For example, there are different kinds of countries. Some countries have very rigid kind of systems. In that kind of a country, everybody feels kind of a little bit restricted and suppressed and uneasy. And some countries are free; there is freedom in which people can feel joy, a sense of joy, a sense of being relaxed.

Because of this, in the 37 Bodhisattva Practices, it is said that “all sufferings without exception arise from wishing happiness for oneself,” not others, but oneself. And “the fully enlightened Buddhas manifest from the intention to benefit others.”

Tārā is an emanation of all Buddhas. When you make supplication to Tārā, the important thing that should be present in the prayer is the willingness or the intention to benefit others.

When you do the prayer with that kind of intention to benefit others, then that prayer becomes limitless. It becomes like an ocean.

But without that intention, the prayer becomes very tiny, becomes like the footprint left with a hoof of an animal, horse, etc.

There is, in the scriptures, this comparison between the water in the great ocean and water in the hoof print of an animal.

The prayer to Tārā, which is based on the genuine intention to benefit others, is immeasurable; it is like the ocean. Without that, when we pray with self-centeredness or selfishness, then it reduces the impact of the prayer. It is similar to that water contained in the hoof print of an animal.

It is, of course, good to do something which can bring happiness to your parents. It is good to have love and compassion for the parents. All this situation that you are in, it is also like a result of your karma in the past.

The one thing that everyone should remember at the time of death is Buddha Amitābha. Buddha Amitābha is the embodiment of the Buddhas of the three times. That is how it is taught in the sūtra of the Three Heaps.

Therefore, we need to train ourselves, we need to train ourselves from now, so that we can remember Buddha Amitābha at the time of death.

We need to visualize that Buddha Amitābha is sitting on the crown of all sentient beings. Through this training, at the time of death, at the last moment, if we cannot forget Buddha Amitābha, remember only Buddha Amitābha, nothing else, then there is like a hundred percent surety to become free from saṃsāra.

Therefore, we need to train ourselves from now, so that we can remember Buddha Amitābha and only Buddha Amitābha at the time of death. That is the only method, the only thing.

Therefore, it is very important to recite the aspiration prayer to be born in Buddha Amitābha’s Pure Land. It is important to listen to the mantra recitations in the recordings. In this way, when we develop this great aspiration to be born in Sukhāvatī Pure Land.

Through this kind of training, we can dispel, we can realize what we have not realized. And we can dispel the wrong comprehensions, the misunderstanding, or the mistaken views.

Our mind is like a mirror. It is called the buddha nature. This is like the basic kind of nature of authentic beings, Buddha in nature. The practice of Buddha Amitābha, the method such as the prayers and so forth, that is what leads to that basic nature.

Therefore, Buddha Amitābha can be said to be the buddha nature of the path, the path which leads to buddha nature.

Therefore, if we train ourselves good enough in the meditation, in the practice, contemplation of Buddha Amitābha well, then when we go to sleep at night, and get up in the morning, the first thought, with good training, the first thought will be Amitābha, without thinking about anything else, the first thought in the morning after you open your eyes will be Buddha Amitābha.

That is a kind of indication. That at the time of death, the only thing which is the most important will be Amitābha. That is a good indication.

Therefore, if we remain under the influence of our selfishness, self-centeredness, always concerned about “me” and “me” and “me,” then there is a lot of conflict in that, and that leads to all kinds of negative deeds and obscurations. Therefore, rather than that, train in remembering Buddha Amitābha.

The patients becoming free from pain by wearing the bracelet, this is the quality of the Buddha. That’s how you should understand it.

Therefore, when you see the patients becoming free from pain by wearing the bracelet, that moment you should think, “This is the quality of the Buddha.” “This is the power of the Buddha.”

And what is the Buddha? Buddha is essentially bodhicitta. Buddha is an embodiment of bodhicitta. Therefore, this is the power of Buddha’s bodhicitta, loving kindness and compassion.

Therefore, through loving kindness and compassion, through bodhicitta, everything you do, everything you say, whatever you do, by using things like liberation upon wearing and liberation upon seeing, and so forth, all of these activities of the Buddha, because it’s coming out of bodhicitta, it’s coming out of loving kindness.

Therefore, you should think that this effect that you see in the patients upon wearing the bracelet, this is the Buddha activity, this is the quality of the Buddha.

According to Jamgon Köngtrul’s calling the lama from afar, it is said that reflection on death, reflection on the reality of death. This is very important in relation to this question.

Therefore, the reflection on meditation on death and impermanence, this is like an entrance, is like an entrance to the Dharma. It is like when you are not yet in the Dharma, it is like the door, it is like the gateway to Dharma. When you are in it, it is like the companion, which can help you make progress.

Therefore, one of the important methods, in this case, is with mindfulness; without mindfulness, nothing works. With mindfulness to contemplate on death and impermanence.

We perceive sentient beings as sentient beings, and this is like a vision, which is coming from our own impure perception.

Therefore, in fact, in reality, saṃsāra is unestablished; it doesn’t exist in reality. It is just like an illusion generated through the dualistic fixations. Therefore, the important thing is to get rid of duality.

But when we say sentient beings are primordially enlightened, sentient beings are Buddhas, that doesn’t mean that we can just do nothing, just relax. Even though, in reality, sentient beings really do not exist, at the conventional level, it is important to make every effort to benefit others in the conventional state.

With the understanding that it is conventionally true, but ultimately, there is only tathāgatagarbha, but no sentient beings.

Whenever you receive Dharma teachings, just hearing the teachings is not enough. You have to cover three things: hearing, experiencing, and realizing.

First we have to hear, then we have to experience, and then realize it. When these three things are together, then that is perfect.

Therefore, after hearing the Dharma teachings, it is important to discuss about the teaching so that you can experience and realize the teachings.