advice on the practice of dharma[hhsongrinpoche][1974].doc

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Advice on the Practice of Dharma

His Holiness Song Rinpoche

His Holiness Song Rinpoche came to stay at Kopan Monasteryfor a few days during the Sixth

Meditation Course, March-April 1974. He gave this talk to almost two hundred Western students

on April 17. It was translated by Lama Thubten Yeshe and edited by Nicholas Ribush.

His Holiness Song Rinpoche (1905-84) was born in Kham, Tibet, studied at Ganden Monastery,

gained renown as a learned geshe and great debater and served as abbot for nine years. He fled

to India in 1959 and later served as principal of the Institute for Higher Tibetan Studies in

Sarnath.

Song Rinpoche chants.

Rinpoche says that hes just given you the rlung, or oral transmission, of the Avalokiteshvara

mantra, and that theres a Dharma relationship between all of us from the past; weve all known

each other before.

Rinpoche says that hes much attached to Dharma wisdom because hes been practicing it since

he was six or seven years old, and hes very happy that all of you are acting in accordance with

it. However, you should make sure that youre sincere in trying to understand the Dharma and

not just on some trip. His Holiness the Dalai Lama says that hes seen some people study

Buddhism quite deeply but then not put what they have learned into action so that after some

time they disappear without an atom of wisdom.

He says he has known Lama Zopa Rinpoche for a long time and although Rinpoche has not had

that much time to study, he has something, he knows something that is as valuable as

scholarship. He sees what Rinpoches doing for you people and thinks its beneficial, especially

since you have come from so far away, seeking Dharma knowledge-wisdom. Its difficult but of

course, your searching for the Dharma means you have a tremendous level of morality within
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you, and therefore hes very glad. But of course, in general, whenever anybody practices Dharma

its very good.

In particular, those who have renounced samsara in order to put all their energy into the Dharma

path are very fortunate to have come to that decision. Thats most worthwhile. And those of you

who have taken ordination as monks and nunswhich has been your own decision; nobody elsehas made you do itplease try to put all your energy into the Dharma path of liberation

according to your decision and become continuously successful. Thats really worthwhile.

Lord Buddha himself said that this decision of wanting to take ordination and then keeping your

body, speech and mind pure, not harming any other sentient being, is much more beneficial these

days than it was in Lord Buddhas time. In fact, keeping the ordination for one day of this

twentieth century is much more beneficial than keeping it for a whole lifetime back then.

Now, you hear many teachings at this meditation course but the main, fundamental thing you

need to know is how to take refuge, what the essence of refuge is, what karma is and how itscreated. Those are the main things you need to know. You cant spend your life sitting in the

lotus position meditating. So taking refuge in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, actualizing your

practice continuously and following karma strictly are important. Im sure Lama Zopa Rinpoche

has explained all this and Im sure you know it too.

The root of what we call Dharma is the mind, your mental attitude, therefore, even if you create

negative karma you can purify it; we have the methods for doing that. And also, you should

always have pure thoughts and generate a pure motivation, whatever Dharma practices you do.

That, too, is important.

Were always so busy that we dont have time to meditate every day, but each night, before you

go to sleep, you should take refuge, reflect on the excellent qualities of Buddha, Dharma and

Sangha, and try to sleep with a pure, positive motivation. In that way your sleep itself becomes

Dharma practice and your positive energy automatically increases.

Then, when you get up in the morning, instead of thinking about samsaric things, again think

about the good qualities of Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. So in the morning, get up, make three

prostrations, take refuge in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha and generate a pure motivation for

whatever youre going to do that day. This is very important and worthwhile since you cant

practice perfect single-pointed concentration because of your busy life. If you do this

continuously every morning it will be very effective in helping you integrate every day of your

life with Dharma knowledge-wisdom.

Of course, life is difficultits hard not to create any negative actionsbut theres a solution.

You can purify them with understanding knowledge-wisdom. So instead of being discouraged,

thinking, Oh, I cant do anything; Im so negative, know that knowledge-wisdom is a powerful


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antidote to negativity and stop feeling sorry for yourself and hanging onto your old habits and

uncontrolled energy. So make a strong effort to purify your negativities with wisdom.

I know its hard for you to practice only Dharma and not engage in any samsaric activity, but try

as much as you can to do some of the things were doing here, such as prayers, mantras and so

forth. Do your best to bring Dharma wisdom into whatever situation youre in and, slowly,slowly, youll continuously develop. Then, even if you dont reach levels of perfection in this

life, theres hope that you might do so in the next. Its possible.

Another thing is that rather than hating people who practice Dharma you should be glad and

rejoice in their actions. Sometimes your friend might do something good, some meditation or

something, and you look at him sideways, Hmm. Instead of being jealous, be happy. That,

too, is very important. It becomes wisdom.

Remember how Lord Buddha spent years actualizing knowledge-wisdom while he was on the

path to enlightenment and finally gained perfect liberation, and be happy; rejoice instead offeeling hatred. Doing so creates the cause for you to also reach that level.

Similarly, when you see people reciting mantras, doing prostrationsthere are many different

ways of actualizing Dharma knowledge-wisdominstead of looking at them funny, Whats she

doing, why is she trying to be different? try to feel glad. Or when you see somebody who has

taken ordination trying to keep his or her body, speech and mind pure, instead of feeling dislike

and jealousy, rejoice that the person is trying to do something positive.

When you rejoice at others positive actions you also create merit. Thats better than looking

critically at what others do and putting them down, thinking theyre just trying to be different.

When you rejoice at others positive actions you generate positive energy within yourself. And

not only at others positive actionsyou can also rejoice at your own positive actions. Be happy

that you have found the chance to gain Dharma wisdom, which is very difficult to find. Its not

easy to have the opportunity to open your mind, develop awareness and discover the true nature

of your internal world. This truly is most difficult.

You can see this for yourself. Look at the members of your own family and the people in your

own country and abroad. Its extremely difficult to come to the conclusion that its important to

search for the inner truth and develop knowledge-wisdom. So feel that you are very, very

fortunate to have come to that conclusion yourselfwhen you do, that itself increases the energy

of your Dharma wisdom.

During the meditation course you might sometimes feel that developing Dharma wisdom is

difficult but try not to think that way and feel fortunate instead. Of course, when you practice

Dharma problems might arise but instead of thinking, This is a problem, this is bringing me

down, try to make it a positive experience. Transforming negative experiences into Dharma

wisdom is very important.


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We think, Im suffering, Im agitated, but if you really look at this agitated life youll see how

short it is. When actualizing Dharma wisdom on the path to liberation its natural for samsaric

problems to arise; you have to expect them. But this life itself is short, transitory and illusory and

you should not be attached to samsaric happiness, which lasts just a day or two. Theres no point

clinging to that and it really doesnt matter whether youre samsarically happy or sad; it doesnt

matter. Rather than being up and down all the time, youre better off continuously actualizing

Dharma wisdom.

When everythings going well you say, Oh, I like practicing Dharma, but when you encounter

problems you say, Its too hard. Some little problem arises, perhaps with a friend, youre up

and down, and for that small reason your practice suffers. You shouldnt let small samsaric

agitation upset you; your wisdom should be stronger than that and you should not so easily lose

energy and give up your practice. Thats wrong.

Rinpoche says that he has had contact with us before and we have met this time in order to

develop Dharma wisdom, not simply for this lifes happiness. Similarly, youre taking thismeditation course because of your tremendous past connections with Lama Zopa Rinpoche;

theres a strong karmic link between his energy and yours and youre extremely fortunate to have

that contact. It hasnt happened accidentally or because of something that happened just last year.

He also says that hes glad that you can see the possibility of actualizing the path to everlasting

peaceful liberation and is happy to be able to talk to you for this short time. He feels he doesnt

have to explain too much because Lama Zopa Rinpoche is doing that and theres much you know

already.

So, please actualize what you know and feel is worthwhile, and he will pray for you tocontinuously actualize knowledge-wisdom on the path to liberation. Thank you so much.

advice on the practice of dharma[hhsongrinpoche][1974].doc

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