The Insistent Thief: Tendencies November 13, 2023 We have to destroy our tendencies in order to become enlightened. “Tendency” in Tibetan is called bakcha, the force or power of a thought or emotion. Emotion itself is not a threat to our well- being. The threat actually comes from our tendencies. Anger without the tendency, without the force behind it, is not so Read More »
Four Thoughts that Turn One’s Mind Toward the Dharma March 11, 2023 Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche’s commentary from the 2021-2022 Ngondro Retreat on the four thoughts that turn one’s mind toward the Dharma. WHEN DOES A HUMAN BIRTH BECOME TRULY PRECIOUS? Read More »
Dandelion Renunciation and Genuine Renunciation December 23, 2021 Nothing can be done to change the karma of beings. If that were possible, the buddhas and bodhisattvas would have done it a long time ago. When we read the teachings of great wandering renunciants such as Patrul Rinpoche, and contemplate their lifestyle, we appreciate them. But we cannot expect everyone to adopt that lifestyle Read More »
In times of conflict, a practitioner will back down December 5, 2021 Rinpoche exhorts practitioners when faced with conflict to stay the course of their dharma path, and honor the commitments of their bodhisattva vow, by self-reflecting on their own self-attachment rather than escalating a divisive situation. This is a lightly edited version of Rinpoche’s 2021 Losar Talk in the Sangdo Palri Temple at Longchen Jigme Samten Ling Retreat Read More »
Finding Richness and Transcending Cultural Identity July 2, 2021 1999 Losar Address We all have chosen to be Dharma students. We all have chosen to take refuge in the Three Jewels. We all have chosen to be on the path of Vajrayana. We made these choices with intention rather than casually or because of the expectations of our family or a cultural tradition. Hopefully, Read More »
Discovering the Jewel of the Sangha: Clarifying the Purpose of Sangha & Community September 26, 2019 MSB Archive Newsletter Article by Vernon Mizner, Khenchung, first published in 1995 This month’s Study and Practice article is about the importance of Sangha. The points mentioned here are primarily a summary of comments Rinpoche has made over the years concerning Sangha, as well as some of my own contemplations based upon Rinpoche’s teachings on Read More »
Making Friends with the Mind: An Approach to Egolessness of Self April 3, 2019 One of the points that has helped me as a pratictioner when I am out in the world, traveling, or simply not in retreat or the supportive context of, for example, a sangha event, is to constantly come back to egolessness of self. Not egolessness of dharma, not egolessness of other people and the emptiness Read More »
Bearing Chyoshe: Experiencing Sadness as Freedom March 15, 2017 When we feel negative feelings or aggression towards others, if we look at our mind honestly and very openly, we will discover that those feelings are nothing other than our own attachments manifesting. Consider this: whomever we think is close to us now, and for whom we have warm feelings toward now, all these relations Read More »
Encouragement for Our Bodhisattva Intention: Part 2 – Staying Positive! May 18, 2015 Things that appear difficult and challenging, or nearly impossible from the ego’s point of view, the bodhisattva takes right on, with a vision of skillful means and a sense of joyful challenge to work on the ego, and progress further. This actually puts the self in service towards the highest outcome: toppling samsara—attaining the state Read More »
Encouragement for Our Bodhisattva Intention: Part 1 – Being Willing March 15, 2015 In the end, our life won’t just evaporate like a puddle of water in the hot sun. In fact, even a puddle of water does not just disappear into nothingness. The molecules remain in a different form, since atoms do not just disintegrate. If we do think that life is like this, then our life Read More »