学佛茹素与健康

广声大和尚

面对当前的环境，拥有强健的免疫系统是抵抗各种各类毒素和病毒的关键。茹素，即使只能一天一餐吃素或者吃全素，仍对身体非常有益。

研究发现素食能减低患上心脏病、癌症、二型糖尿病、肥胖和其他慢性疾病的风险。无论处于任何人生阶段，都能通过营养均衡的素食而使健康受益。而且，素食也比肉食更具可持续性，给地球造成较少的破坏。

戒荤茹素除了可以获得被科学认证的显著健康利益，一个人若以纯真的心发愿食素，也有助他的修行。

佛陀的所有教诲都不离慈悲、大爱和智慧。世尊以无漏智察觉到所有的众生皆是平等的，没有生命是独立存在的，所有的生命都息息相连。也就是说，人类、动物和植物，都无法分隔，所有的生命是互相联系共存的。我们也可以通过这次传播至全球各地的疫情，体会到这一点。

佛陀是大慈大悲的导师，万物的保护者。世尊教导我们修持慈爱，拥护众生，不伤害任何的生命。世尊向那些愿意聆听和向他学习的人，开示迈向觉醒的法门；即：诸恶莫作，众善奉行，自净其意。就是教我们克制自己不要恶意去伤害任何生命，反而要努力不懈积极地行善，并不断检讨清净自己的心念。

我们所有的起心动念，都会收到相应的感应。如果出自贪、嗔、痴，我们起了负面的念头，便种下了一颗种子。我们所有的举止行为，无论大小，终会有回归我们的一天。也许我们现在看不到后果，可是等到有一天，时机成熟时，种子就会发芽生长。所以无时无刻静观因果轮回的定律，发广大无边的菩提心，来修炼自己的心，是非常重要的。

愿整个世界和所有的众生离苦得乐。

Sentient beings are like silkworms, create their own traps and die in them.

-- Dzongsar Khyentse Jamyang Rinpoche

Nothing Is Wasted

by Ruth Ozeki

When you’re a writer or an artist, nothing is wasted. Even the most painful and difficult situations in life can be recycled into material for a project, and it’s the artist’s job to be awake, aware, and opportunistic. This attitude might sound a bit cold and calculating, but it’s not. Quite the opposite. Art, when it comes from dark and difficult places, gives us a means to fully feel our most powerful human emotions and transform our suffering into something meaningful.

The death of my grandmother was a painful and difficult situation. My mother didn’t want to go to Japan for the funeral, so I went instead. I arrived too late for the cremation, but in time for the interment of my grandmother’s remains in our family plot at the temple cemetery. On the morning of the ceremony, my aunt took me into the living room where my grandmother’s urn was waiting. Using a pair of disposable wooden chopsticks, she picked out three or four of my grandmother’s white bones and put them into a small Tupperware container. This she sealed and then handed to me, instructing me to take the bones home to my mother.

This tradition, called hone wake — “dividing the bones” — is pretty common in Japan but not in America, and fulfilling my aunt’s wish was not easy. My mother, while ethnically Japanese, had spent most of her life in the United States. She had no use for these old Japanese customs, and in addition, my relationship with her was strained and difficult at the time. When I called to tell her that I had brought her mother’s bones back from Japan and wanted to take them to her, she did not sound happy. So I dropped the subject, and the little Tupperware container ended up on a shelf at the back of my closet. Years passed, and my grandmother’s bones, this skeleton in my closet, began to haunt me. Finally, I decided the only way to deal with the situation was to turn it into an art project.

I made a film called Halving the Bones. I bought a camera and filmed myself and my mother as I finally delivered the bones to her. We talked about our family, our history, my grandmother, and death. During the editing, I continued to interview her and ask her questions, and when I finished, we watched the film together.

This process brought us closer, so much so that later on, when she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, she agreed to move in with me and my husband and allowed us to take care of her, and then to be with her when she died. I don’t think any of this would have been possible if we hadn’t made the film together. I realise this was a ridiculously complicated way of dealing with what ought to have been a fairly simple problem. I could have just gone and talked to my mother. We could have gone into family counselling. But that solution never occurred to me.

Later, I started writing novels about the difficult situations in my life. When I was confused about workplace ethics, or sad about the deaths of my parents, or angry about corporate malfeasance, or anxious about the Japanese earthquake and tsunami, I used the long process of writing stories or novels to sit with my discomfort and investigate it deeply. I’d ask myself questions: What does this feeling feel like? What kinds of stories am I telling myself? What would that person think or do? What would it feel like to be inside his mind? Her skin? Writing is not unlike meditation in this way. In meditation, you become intimate with your stories in order to see through them and let them go. In writing, you become intimate with your stories in order to let them go, too. But first you must capture them and make them concrete.

There’s no need to be a professional artist or writer to transform difficult situations into creative work. Poems, or journal writing, or quilts, or collages, or songs need never be made public. They can be utterly private, because in privacy is where the work is done, even for the so-called professional artists. Humans, all of us, are boundlessly creative beings, and as long as we recognise this and give ourselves permission to respond to our difficulties artistically and intuitively, not just medically or practically or rationally, then we can access this way of transforming suffering into something meaningful, which may benefit us all.

Mind, Buddha, and sentient beings: there is no difference in the three.

-- Avataṃsaka Sūtra

Standards of proficiency in the mind training

by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche

All Dharma has a single goal.

The Buddha gave eighty-four thousand different teachings, all of them designed to subdue ego-clinging. This was the only reason why he set them forth. If they do not act as an antidote for our attachment to self, then all practice is in vain, as was the case with the Buddha's cousin Devadatta. He knew as many sutras as an elephant could carry on its back, but because he could not shake off his clinging to self, he went to hell in his next life. The extent to which we have been able to overcome our self-attachment will show the degree to which we have used the Dharma properly. So let us try very hard.

Rely upon the better of two witnesses.

If we have succeeded in making a sufficiently good impression of ourselves so that others say, 'This person has practised  Bodhichitta very well,' then this may be regarded as one kind of testimony. But if we think about it, we can see that unless such people have the ability to read our minds, our mental processes are hidden from them; they cannot know whether or not we have applied all the antidotes. Therefore we should examine ourselves, to see whether in fact we are less angry, less attached to ego, and whether we have been able to practise the exchange of happiness and suffering. That is the main testimony that we should rely on. We should live in such a way that we always have a clear conscience.

Milarepa said: 'My religion is to have nothing to be ashamed of when I die.' But the majority of people do not give any importance to this way of thinking. We pretend to be very calm and subdued and are full of sweet words, so that ordinary people, not knowing our thoughts, say,  'This is a real Bodhisattva.' But it is only our outward behaviour that they see.

The important thing is not to do anything that we might have to regret later on. Therefore we should examine ourselves honestly. Unfortunately, our ego-clinging is so gross that, even if we do possess some small quality, we think that we are wonderful. On the other hand, if we have some great defect, we do not even notice it. There is a saying that, 'On the peak of pride the water of good qualities does not stay.' So, we should be very meticulous. If, after thoroughly examining ourselves, we can put our hands on our hearts and honestly think, 'My actions are all right,' then that is a sign that we are getting some experience in Mind Training. We should then be glad that our practice has gone well, and determine to do even better in the future, just as did the Bodhisattvas of former times. By every means, we should try to generate the antidote more and more and to act in such a way that we are at peace with ourselves.

Always be sustained by cheerfulness.

On account of the strength of their Mind Training, the Kadampa Masters were always able to look on the bright side of things no matter what happened to them. Even if they contracted leprosy they would continue to be cheerful, happy in the knowledge that leprosy brings a painless death. Of course, leprosy is one of the worst of all diseases, but we should be resolved that, even if we were to catch it, we would continue to practise the exchange of happiness for sorrow, taking upon ourselves the sufferings of all who have fallen victim to that affliction.

Strengthened by this attitude, we should decide that, by virtue of the Mind Training, we will be able to take onto the path whatever difficult situations arise. If we are able to do this with confidence, it is a sign that we are experienced in the practice; and we will be happy come what may. In addition, we must take upon ourselves, and experience, the sufferings of others. When others are having to endure physical and mental illness, or are confronted with all sorts of adversity, we should want to take it all upon ourselves. And we should do so without any hope or fear. 'But if the sufferings of others really do come upon me, what shall I  do? Second thoughts like this should be completely banished from our minds.

With experience you can practise even when distracted.

Experienced riders do not fall off their horses. In the same way, when unexpected harm or sudden difficulties befall us, if love and compassion, rather than annoyance, come welling up in us of their own accord-in other words, if uncomfortable situations can be used to advantage in our lives, that is a sign that we have accomplished something in the Mind Training. So it is vitally important for us to continue in our efforts.

Experiences like this indicate a familiarity with the Mind Training; they do not, however, mean that the work is finished. For even if such signs occur, we should continue in our endeavour, becoming more thoroughly adept and always joyful. A mind, moreover, which has been subdued and calmed through practice will naturally reveal itself in external activities. As with the different proverbs, 'When you see the ducks, you know the water's near' and 'No smoke without fire.' So too, Bodhisattvas can be recognised by outward signs.

Calmness and serenity

Will show your wisdom;

Freedom from defiled emotions

Will display your progress on the path;

Your perfection will be manifest

Through virtue done in dreams.

A Bodhisattva is revealed by what he does.

Signs like this will arise in us as well, but they do not mean that there is nothing more for us to do.

道不学不明本源，戒不守不知过错；禅不参不识自性，迷不悟不能解脱。

-- 星云大师

命中注定无常改

明一法师

宿命的人总是在研究自己的命运，认为命中注定的有无问题是真实的。佛教从因果的关系来看，也赞同这样的观点。但是从无常的观点来看，这又是错误的观点。这样看来佛教岂不是自相矛盾了吗？那么正确的佛教观点到底是什么呢？因果还存在吗？

自己曾经写过很多有关命运的日记，主要是讲在我们的生活中命运存在的因果关系。今天种了如是的因，明天的命运就会有如是的果出现，这是必然的。尽管有的时候会延迟或者是暂时看不到果，但是都以不是不报时候未到来说明了。事实上，这是非常科学的解释。

因为因果规律就是自然规律，是必然存在和运行的规律，也可以说是目前的科学认同的规律。尽管这个规律有的时候从眼前来看似乎还有些出入，但是从长久来看是不会有出入的。从这个角度看来，佛教是认可命中注定这一说法的。因为命运是我们自己一手造成的，也就是命中注定的。

换一个角度，佛教的最基本的真理是无常，也就是说一切的事物是变化不定的。那么这个与命中注定这一说法就有些矛盾了。在以前自己有关命运的日记里面也提到这样的事情，比如现世的人做好事却得不到好报，而做坏事的人却非常风光，这在我们的日常生活中也是常见的。

当然，在进一步的分析中有我们看不到的原因。归结为以前的因太强大，以至于短期中还在延续以前强大的因，还有一部分原因是因为无常的原因。从长远来说，命运的流转还是会顺从因果规律的。只是当事人不知道延续目前这个情景的办法——转过来行善，兑现以前的善因得善果。

这实际上就是无常在起作用。因为一切是无常的，是变化不定的，所以，使得我们的命运由命中注定变化为可以自己掌握了。掌握的方法就是行善，兑现以前的善因得善果。这实际上就是从一个场景转变为另外一个场景了，或者说是由一个时空换到另外一个时空了。

这里面说明了两个大问题，一个固定不变的因果规律，一个是无常的变化不定。佛教的因果发展是按照在某个场景或者叫时空而发展的，所以在这个场景或者说是时空是固定不变或者说是命中注定的。当场景或者说是时空改变的时候，命中注定就被打破了。

从无常的这一点来说，我们知道要好好应用无常的法则就应该改变自己的行为，突破自己以前行为的规律，这样我们就能跳出循环，佛教叫轮回。比如命运这个循环，要想跳出命中注定的循环或者叫轮回，那么就要应用无常的法则，改变自己的行为，这样就能跳出以往的循环或者叫轮回。

所以，佛教认为命中注定是对的，认为命运是可以把握的也是对的。只是场合或者叫时空不同而已。在命运的问题前面是如此，在其他的事物面前也是如此。要擅长于根据不同的场合，用不同的善法去面对。这就是佛教教导我们的相当有操作性的修行方法。也可以说是佛教教导我们的“折腾”的方法与艺术。

如果我们能够这样来面对命运等等一切的事物，我们就能成为一切事物的主人，就不会被一切事物牵着鼻子转，就能把握事物的发展方面，就能轻松面对我们这个人生，就能……这就是《楞严经》里面讲的“若能转物，即同如来”。“如来”两个字本来就是不确定。

For those who have achieved Realisation of fundamental reality, to see that those who have not are subject to suffering naturally gives rise to compassion. 

-- Khenpo Tsultrim Rinpoche

The Six Realms: Not Solid — and Not to Be Taken Lightly

by Khandro Rinpoche

Contemplating the Six Realms is not just about seeing the diverse experiences of sentient beings. It is also about letting go of the intense arrogance that thinks the world begins and ends with "me." By not only creating a favourable karmic ground for ourselves but also appreciating the suffering of others, we begin to generate selfless generosity and compassion without bias. To appreciate that sameness, we contemplate the six realms.

The modern world, East and West, tends to solidify the six realms and their suffering too much. We may think, "I got angry, I have such aggression, now I'm sure to go to the hell realm" and give up on the reasoning behind this. The point is not that we all go the hell realms for a million years. Is it? The point is to understand that suffering will exist as long as grasping and karmic patterns exist. Failing to understand our true nature, we revert again and again to the seeming reality of appearances. By solidifying appearances, we make our creations seem real.

The same grasping and elaborating of perceptions happens in all the realms. The six realms are created from one moment of distracted grasping, which creates karma, which comes to fruition as a particular environment-with the emotions, perceptions, and formations of a particular kind of experience. Therefore, the nature of all realms is illusory: every realm is a dream state, with the same fundamental essence as our own.

So the solidity or reality of the six realms is entirely up to us. The most fundamental and true Buddhist view sees the six realms to be no more real than a dream. Reality runs parallel with our grasping at the solidity of appearances-the solidity of sounds, tastes, feelings, thoughts, concepts, and so on. It's entirely up to us how much "reality" we bring to whatever we perceive at this moment. The six realms are just that real; the hell realm is just that real. When we genuinely let go of grasping at each and every concept — even the tiniest concept, even the most subtle grasping we realise that the core essence of reality is based on the grasping mind itself. When the grasping mind can let go and remain within its true nature, there isn't any such thing as samsara, nirvana, six realms, or sentient beings. At that point, everything dissolves into the fundamental ground of awareness. This is the view from the very beginning.

One way to realise your own ground potential is to let go of grasping at the solidity of your perceptions. But how does this ultimate view of true nature compare with your own ability? At this point, your potential may still be stuck in the relative reality of distinguishing between samsara and nirvana. If that sense of separation is still there, you are still solidifying your perceptions — sights, sounds, thoughts, and so on. It's essential to see every appearance in the same way, as having the same consistency and same reality. This is another way to contemplate the reality of the six realms.

The main thing to know about the six realms is that they should not be solidified. They should not be seen as solid states of existence in which we're trapped in inexhaustible suffering. This view can lead to a state of fear. And while fearing the six realms is not a problem from the point of view of practice, ultimately it is not necessary.

On the other hand, we cannot take the suffering of the six realms lightly. If Tibetan practitioners have a serious quarrel among themselves, one might say, "If I can get my point across, I'm not afraid to go to vajra hell"-which is the lowest depth of the lowest hell. Saying this casually is a clear indication of not understanding the tremendous suffering and confusion of samsara. If understood as a state of torment, the hell realms do exist.

We are talking about good, compassionate, responsible minds that shift from awareness in a moment of self-indulgence. As a result of that single karma, we could wander endlessly in a specific environment of suffering. From that perspective, when we talk about a million years burning in fire or boiling in molten lava, we're really talking about a million years lost in ignorance through a single moment of not understanding our innate essence. Greater than the suffering of the six realms is the complete waste of our time, energy, and abilities, in that we're unable to help ourselves or anyone else.

From that perspective, we cannot take the six realms and their relative sufferings lightly. We enter into the realms when our mind shifts away from the ground of awareness and begins to churn out negative karmas. At that point, hell realms and all the rest are possible. More important is the awareness we bring to this very moment. In this moment, we need not create suffering if we don't want to — which brings us to the next reminder, karma.

A mind that wastes even a moment indulging in hesitation and non-awareness is simply unaware of the pain and suffering of others — and therefore incapable of generating genuine compassion. To be free from that ignorance, we must contemplate the suffering of the six realms and truly value this present moment. Now is the time to develop the ground of positive karma. Even if it's not possible to save or benefit billions of beings, we can at least do that.

Learn to tame your mind, and never spoil the mind of others. 

-- His Holiness Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche

何谓功德

普巴扎西仁波切

现前很多佛教徒不远万里长途跋涉来到高原，我就问他们来高原的目的是什么？他们说一方面是旅游，另一方面来一趟还可以谒见众多导师并且和很多殊胜的圣地结缘。

要知道当前我们信仰佛教并不是为了走个过程，也不是为了图个热闹，我们信仰佛教的目的是为了成办今生快乐、临终自在、未来更加幸福，这才是我们当前信仰佛教的终极目标。要成办这样的目标就需要时时反观自己的内心，所以调伏自己的内心才是学佛的主旨。

往昔梁武帝在位期间，修庙宇、造佛像、布施、供僧、印经等，所行之善极其广大。但当问及达摩祖师是否有功德时，达摩祖师曰：无功德。可能很多人会产生疑问：为什么梁武帝做了那么多善行，还是无功德呢？

现前很多人平时也都在从事着各种各样的善法，很想知道从事这些善事是否具有功德？那就要问问你自己，从事这些善行之后，你的烦恼是否越来越少，出离心和信心是否越来越增上？因为功德并不是安立于外在，而是在内心之中。若你的内心并没有改变，那就要想到你所从事的善行乃至修法对你可能没有起到什么作用。

有些弟子此时就有些想不明白，因为自己所依止的导师是普贤王如来的化身、莲花生大师的化身、观音菩萨的化身，而且又在如此殊胜的导师面前听闻了各式各样的教言，所修的法也是无上窍诀大圆满，是一切乘法之顶点，诸法之精要，为什么还说自己没功德呢？

让我们再看看历代传承祖师的公案：往昔阿底峡尊者入藏之时，一天清晨，阿底峡尊者的侍者仲敦巴在送早餐时，看到尊者非常伤心。仲敦巴问：“今日早晨并未有人打扰您，您为何如此伤心？”阿底峡尊者说：“今早我在光明境界中，观察到一位在印度修无上瑜伽部的弟子，见解已落入小乘，故此伤心。”仲敦巴疑惑不解地问：“您的这位弟子依止的导师是您，所修的法是密宗外三部最高的无上瑜伽部，为什么修法会落入小乘呢？”阿底峡尊者说：“这一切都取决于他自己的修法。落入小乘教法还是很幸运的事情，若要是修得不好，修无上瑜伽部堕入地狱也是有可能的。如云：‘愚者修行大手印，多数趋向恶趣处。’”因此，阿底峡尊者曰：“法不依正法而行持，法反成为堕入三恶趣之因。”意思就是说，如果不知道如何调伏自己内心，不知道如何行持，那么修持再殊胜的法，最终也会堕入三恶趣之中。若要是遵照导师的真实教言而做修行，则即生可以成办解脱。

所以，我们平常在修行时，要时时观待自己的内心。若不观待内心，仅仅口中念诵几句“阿弥陀佛”，未必有功德。细致观待，我们在进入佛门之前看过很多很多书。如果一本书从头到尾把“阿、弥、陀、佛”四个字连接起来的话，里面有多少遍阿弥陀佛我们都不知道。也就是说，我们可能已经念诵过很多很多遍了。难道仅凭这一点就能成办解脱吗？不可能的。这除了说明小时候我们上过学，认识到几个字之外，还能说明什么呢？真正的佛教不在于你念诵什么，而在于调伏烦恼。若未调自心，即便口中念诵不同的经文、心咒，恐怕这些行为都在修地狱而不是在修净土。

同样，真正的功德也不在于外相，而在于内心——贪嗔痴烦恼减少，慈悲心、信心增上。自己的内心得到调伏，才是行持善法乃至修法具有的功德。这一点要牢牢记住啊！

Many people who have spent years alone in meditation have finished up the worse for it. Coming back into society, they have freaked out. They haven't been able to make contact with other people again, because the peaceful environment they created was an artificial condition, still a relative phenomenon without solidity. With bodhicitta, no matter where you go, you will never freak out.  

-- Lama Thubten Yeshe

The Practice of Karma

by Reginald A. Ray

My previous column outlined the basic principles of karma. Now I would like to look at karma as a spiritual practice, and do so by considering an event in the life of T’hrinlay Wangmo, a woman of remarkable realisation and power. T’hrinlay Wangmo lived in Tibet during the Chinese occupation and was known for her outspokenness and courage. The incident in question, recounted by her brother Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche, occurred many years ago.

It seems that one day, as T’hrinlay Wangmo was riding her horse along a certain road, she was seized and brutally beaten by the highest Chinese official in the area, who used as his weapon the thick branch of a thorn tree. As she was being beaten, she understood that this incident was the ripening of her own negative karma that was now exhausting itself, and so she was not angry at her tormentor. Her understanding of karma enabled her to accept responsibility for what was occurring (the karma of result). And since she knew through her own practice how easy it is for negative feelings and aggression to arise, and how hard they are to work with, she did not form ill thoughts or intentions toward the official (the karma of cause). In fact, she managed to use this horrific situation as an occasion to generate a positive intention toward all who suffer. As Chagdud Tulku tells us, “In that tumultuous moment, she made a prayer that, by her suffering, others might be spared.”

This story raises a key question: what understanding of karma enabled her to act in such an extraordinary way?

Knowing that everything we do produces results we will have to experience sooner or later directs us to pay full attention to all our actions. In T’hrinlay Wangmo’s case, so great was her respect for each moment of her life that even while she was being savagely beaten, she did not lose her mindfulness and awareness. She was fully present to what was going on. Beyond this, rather than reacting with terror, rage or aggression, she was able to find in her suffering a path filled with opportunity. By seeing it as the fruition of her own previous actions, she was able to take full responsibility for it and use it.

T’hrinlay Wangmo consciously used this experience as a vehicle to exhaust her own previous negative karma. Buddhism teaches that it is important to let karma ripen in an open and fearless way, simply surrendering to its upwelling within us. Holding our awareness open and steady, we can let our feelings, thoughts and memories arise and experience them fully without comment, reaction or intervention. When we do so, the karma exhausts itself, the debt it implies is discharged, and positive karma is generated.

T’hrinlay Wangmo’s acceptance provides much food for thought. We Westerners tend to have difficulty working creatively with our own suffering: either we feel guilty and therefore diminished, or, feeling wronged, we react with anger and aggression. The teaching on karma cuts through all of our attempts to hate ourselves or hate others. It says that like everyone else we have accumulated a certain amount of negative karma in the past, and such karma is going to come to fruition sooner or later. In a certain way, this is an occasion for optimism and good cheer because we are exhausting some of our store of demeritorious and obscuring karma. This understanding enables us to relax about our lives and find a new interest and appreciation in how things unfold for us.

T’hrinlay Wangmo’s approach creates the kind of powerful acceptance without which no real spiritual path is possible. At the same time, her acceptance is neither passive nor despairing. In fact, it represents an utter affirmation of life, even — or perhaps especially — in its most negative and painful manifestations. Knowing that the blind, impulsive reactions of ego have nothing to offer, she waits for something deeper and less personal to show itself.

First to appear is simply an open and clear mind, unobscured by negativity. Then, emerging out of this, a selfless aspiration arises that in her pain she may bear the suffering of others. This situation thus provides T’hrinlay Wangmo, the aspiring Bodhisattva, with a unique opportunity to fulfil her vow to willingly suffer pain on others’ behalf, to lighten their burdens and to help them on their paths. It is interesting that T’hrinlay Wangmo, accepting her life at that moment as the fruition of her own previous deeds, was able to come to new courage, empowerment and dignity, even in the midst of brutality and potential degradation. T’hrinlay Wangmo shows us a profound spiritual truth: if we are willing simply to experience the ripening of our own karma without judgement and reactivity, then out of that will arise something positive and pure.

I have so far been speaking of the ripening of negative karma simply because it is usually the most problematic for us. But the same principles apply when the ripening circumstances are positive. When things are going really well for us, we need equally to avoid reacting impulsively by grasping on to our good fortune or jumping to conclusions that our ego has been fortified or confirmed. We need to resist thinking that this proves our superior worth and attainment. As in the case of pain, we need to abandon our judgementalness and boycott our impulsiveness, waiting for the deeper, wiser and more compassionate dimensions of being to show themselves.

T’hrinlay Wangmo’s experience also shows us how karma provides guidelines for working with others. An understanding of karma enables us to be more tolerant and compassionate in the face of others’ confusion and shortcomings, because we see that people actually have far less freedom than we might think. We realise that everyone wants to be happy and everyone is doing the best they can to achieve this, even when their efforts are misguided. In a certain sense, T’hrinlay Wangmo was able to accept the horribly ignorant aggression of the Chinese official because she had first understood how negativity arises within herself and how hard it is to deal with. And she was able to wait until the right moment in her relationship with him, later when he was no longer crazed by his aggression, to show him extraordinary and open-hearted kindness.

Afterwards T’hrinlay Wangmo’s remarkable mastery of the situation produced equally remarkable results, the fruition, we could say, of her sowing of positive seeds as she was beaten. The official, having inflicted numerous wounds and convinced that he had beaten her nearly to death, let her fall to the ground. She immediately jumped up, leapt on her horse, and with a triumphant cry, galloped off. The official managed to catch up with her, to find that not only was she neither angry nor afraid, but her wounds had already healed. Amazed and moved, he invited her to his house, gave her abundant hospitality and a gift of money, and begged her to pray for him when he died.

The positive karma from this event continued even further, for sometime later when T’hrinlay Wangmo was in the region’s capital, she passed a funeral procession. She inquired about the identity of the deceased and was told, “That is the governor of this region, who just died.” T’hrinlay Wangmo began to pray for him, happy that she was able to help him even now and to be able to fulfil his former request. What was initially a horrific incident with the potential for untold negative karma for all concerned was transformed by T’hrinlay Wangmo into a situation of blessing, by virtue of her understanding of karma and her willingness to act in its light.

The Dharma is nirvana, path, and virtue: these are what it teaches. It is both fruit and all the acts whereby the fruit is gained. It therefore has two natures, called two truths: Cessation and the Path. In terms of exposition and of that which is expounded, there is Dharma of transmission and of realisation.

-- Jigme Lingpa

我们对因果究竟信到什么程度

济群法师

学佛的人，大约都以为自己是相信因果的。但扪心自问：我们对因果究竟信到什么程度？是“深信不疑”的“信”，还是“宁信其有，不信其无”式的信呢？

对于学佛者而言，深信业果是非常重要的。无明烦恼为什么会使我们流转生死？造作恶业为什么会使生命感得苦果？正是因果规律在支配。勤修戒定慧为什么能成就佛果？同样取决于“如是因感如是果”的原理。唯有深信业果真实不虚，我们才能自觉地止恶行善，真正对自己的生命负责。　

每个人都关心自己的未来，为什么还会做出种种不负责任的行为？原因就在于不曾深信业果，从而怀有侥幸心理，以为自己会是那个逃脱恶业惩罚的幸运儿。久而久之，对因果的敬畏日渐淡薄，甚而流于习惯性的麻木。如果我们注意观察，会发现生活中充满因果的实例，只是以往未加注意罢了。我们常常可以看到，有些人口口声声相信因果，却毫无顾忌地造作恶业。这种所谓的“相信”，只是虚假的装饰而已。同时也说明，他们对业果的认识是极为浮浅的。

佛教所讲的因果是三世论，不仅贯穿着我们的今生，也贯穿着无尽的过去和未来。我们所能看到的，只是其中极其微小的一部分。对于不具备宿命通的凡夫来说，既看不到过去，看不到来世，也看不清现在，所以才会心存侥幸。如何才能加深对因果的认识？必须时常亲近善知识，认真闻思经教，以此强化业果在内心的警策力。

事实上，因果的另一层面是我们当下可以感觉到的，那就是心行的变化。当我们与贪嗔痴相应时，内心的负面力量随之增长，人性也随之堕落。一个贪婪无比的人，永远体会不到心满意足的快乐；一个嗔心炽盛的人，永远感受不到心平气和的从容。那么，贪嗔痴从何而来？正是我们逐渐培养出来的。我们对金钱、色欲的执著，便是滋长贪嗔痴的养料。

即使外在一切并未因我们的贪嗔痴有所改变，但这些不善的心行力量仍会对自身生命构成过患。每件善行乃至一念之善，将使人性中善的力量得到张扬。反之，人性中恶的力量也会随之增长。世间有形形色色的人，有的很自我，有的很开放；有的很尖刻，有的很宽厚；有的很吝啬，有的很大度……每一种性格，都是生命的无尽积累。其中的负面因素，正是痛苦的源泉。

如果我们深知：每一件善恶行为必将对生命构成影响并留下痕迹，还会任意造作恶行吗？事实上，不仅一切行为如此，甚至起心动念也是功不唐捐的。我们的阿赖耶识就像电脑硬盘一样，忠实记录着输入的每一份资料。即使我们可以骗尽天下人，但永远骗不了自己，也绝无可能逃脱因果的自然法则。

“业决定”的道理告诉我们：有所为必将招感业果。这又包括两个方面：一是任何起心动念及外在行为，必将在内心形成力量。二是今生的乐果皆来自过去世的善业，而今生的苦果则来自过去世的恶业，所谓“业不作不得，业已作不失”。

当然，我们也不必为已造作的恶业背负沉重的心理负担，因为焦虑和自责皆于事无补。当我们认识到曾经犯下的恶业后，应至诚地发露忏悔：“往昔所造诸恶业，皆由无始贪嗔痴，从身语意之所生，一切我今皆忏悔。”以如法的忏悔清洗人格，荡涤种种罪业。更为重要的是，必须从此深信业果，慎护身口意三业，如理作意，法随法行，决不造作新的恶业。如此，才能生生增上，在菩提大道上勇往直前。

When a child encounters something he or she does not want, that child has all kinds of manoeuvres to avoid it, such as crying, hiding, or fighting. . . Unless we are taught to face our problems directly and work through them, the pattern of avoidance will be repeated; it can be a natural, accepted way to act.

-- Tarthang Tulku Rinpoche

A Panacea Called Contentment  

by Anam Thubten Rinpoche

The Buddha said, “Contentment is the greatest wealth.”

His statement holds a timeless truth that rings true today more than ever. We are living in an age of unparalleled consumerism and materialism in which contentment is becoming an extremely rare commodity. Our society demands that we should yearn for more than we have and, as a result, many people feel that they have not yet reached the finish line in the game of “success.” This makes them feel profoundly inadequate and painfully envious at being unable to “keep up with the Joneses,” and invokes a hidden inferiority complex that can lead to harmful mental states and behaviours, such as self-hatred and addiction.

We Homo sapiens might never have been good at embracing contentment, however. Throughout history, we have demonstrated our innate greed by exploiting each other, conquering one other’s lands, stealing from each other. It seems that we do not have a natural instinct for being happy with what we have. Although we might have a comfortable life and our basic needs are being met, we still feel that we fall short of the social benchmarks of success, such as, “I don’t have as much as my brother, who is a multimillionaire,” or, “My neighbour just told me that she owns three houses,” or, “My former classmate is now a movie star.” This way of viewing the world convinces us that we have not achieved our dreams.

Conversely, contentment is the feeling that you are happy with who you are and what you have; the roles you play in the world — from janitor to president — and the material acquisitions that you own. In some ways, external things can indeed make us happy and content — at least for a while. Yet, they can never completely quench our insatiable craving for more power and possessions. This is mainly because contentment is a state of mind. Most probably, the nettle-eating Tibetan yogi Milarepa was a much happier person than the mighty emperor Genghis Khan, who continued to acquire ever more land and women under the unchallenged power of Pax Mongolica. Yet Milarepa was happy not because of his worldly glory, but because of his inner wealth: contentment. Genghis Khan, on the other hand, whose lust for power resulted in the deaths of millions, might well have lived a life filled with fear and anxiety.

There is a seemingly logical argument which encourages the belief that we should not feel contentment, otherwise we might be too happy and become lazy bums. Then our lives will succumb to inertia, preventing economic development and stagnating social progress. But this idea does not hold truth: greed is not a required element for personal success or economic advancement for any nation or culture. Societies can also become prosperous and modern based on the enlightened principles of love, compassion, and generosity. Looking around, there are many people who are exceedingly successful yet at the same time not greedy. Success comes through the application of intelligence and effort more than anything else. Inner contentment does not make us dull or sluggish; we need to adopt a new psychology that provides us with an alternative paradigm for living to the conventional materialistic viewpoint.

Being fulfilled is one’s experience of how things are in one’s life. Power and money have no true influence on this, and the satisfaction brought by such things is usually ephemeral, dissipating quickly. The truth is that one can be fulfilled with little, or whatever amount of wealth one has already accumulated. This is not to say that we should all become like Milarepa, who lived in a cave and had only worn-out clothes. We all deserve to have our basic needs met: food, shelter, medicine, and education, to have dignity, to be able to enjoy life, and not constantly suffer from hunger, pain, and injustice. Relatively speaking, most people living in developed economies already have a fairly high standard of living. Indeed, the middle classes in many Western countries today live more luxuriously than kings and queens of the distant past!

The modern world has a hard time treating the malady of greed. This is what Buddhadasa was pointing out when he expressed his desire to unite all the true religious people from every tradition to help his vision to, as he put it, “drag humanity out from under the power of materialism.” Modern society values material wealth so much that we forget the real needs of our brothers and sisters. Many people with unbelievable levels of wealth somehow want to accumulate still more money, and do not know when it is time to be content and show generosity toward their fellow human beings. This problem can be summarised in a nutshell in the old aphorism: “The poor stay poor and the rich get richer.” Our greed is destroying the well-being of our society, causing extreme levels of inequality that sooner or later create widespread poverty, violence, and the collapse of the rule of law.

Contentment might be the only solution for the many problems we are facing. As long as people lack inner contentment, we are going to have this hungry ghost occupying our hearts and are constantly going to strive for more of this and that. The whole world, it seems, wants to live the American dream. This is not good news. The United States is a great country that has shared its scientific knowledge and technological innovations with the world, as well as being a model for a free society. There are many good things to say about the US, but its influence on the world is not always perfect; it has not done a good job of embodying contentment. Imagine if everyone in the world starts living like Americans — can our fragile planet support billions of people indulging in excessive consumerism? There are only so many resources we can use before they start drying up altogether.

So what can we do? We can begin by learning how to be more content. The practise of gratitude is a wonderful and simple way to do this. Each day, we can practice a little gratitude here and there. In the morning, we can be thankful for the fact that we are breathing and alive. Each time we sit down to eat, we can be thankful for having food on the table and that we are not going hungry. While in the company of friends, let yourself feel how lucky you are to have those people in your life as a source of love and caring. Each night when you go to bed, feel fortunate that you have a roof over you, and wish that everyone in the world could also have the good fortune to have a place to call home.

The human brain is designed to rewire when we intentionally decide to change it. Extraordinary changes can take place in our brain when we use spiritual practices such as prayer and meditation to change our outlook. As we practice gratitude every day, we are training our brain to feel less inadequacy and more fulfilment. This reduces the mental suffering that springs from anxiety, fear, boredom, and self-hatred that so many endure every day. Most of the time, our reality is personal and subjective — we can feel poor and inadequate while surrounded by material abundance, or we can feel rich and grateful simply because we are fortunate enough to have filled our basic needs.

Take your entire life as the only measure for the duration of your practice.

-- His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche

怎样做一个真正的佛弟子

惟贤法师

一、学佛首先要念苦

你们今天能够皈依三宝，走向学佛之路，这是一条解脱、觉悟的光明大道，是好事情。学佛首先要念苦，念苦才能发出离心，不念苦就发不了出离心，若只图眼前之乐，对生前死后的事都不管，那就是懵懵懂懂的一辈子，没有觉悟，本来生活在苦中或者在苦中作乐而不觉得。

苦有“苦苦、坏苦、行苦”。“苦苦”就是人生本来就是苦，苦上加苦，包括八苦：生苦、老苦、病苦、死苦、怨憎会苦、爱别离苦、求不得苦、五阴炽盛苦。“坏苦”就是富贵功名仿佛好的不得了，如家庭团聚，有钱有势，似乎不得了，很享受，实际上都是无常的，在变化。佛说有一首无常偈“积聚终消散，崇高必堕落，合会当别离，有生无不死。”人生无常，变了就苦。“行苦”是什么呢？就是我们的五蕴身，五蕴身的细胞，时时刻刻，刹那刹那，无不在“由生到死”的变化之中，从这个方面来讲就叫行苦。

二、人是上升下堕的关键

人，处在苦乐交叉之中，乐少苦多，但是有乐有苦，什么意思呢？就是说人是一个上升下堕的关键，这点大家要警惕，你心术坏了，贪嗔痴慢发展，就堕落，不是说死后堕落，眼前就堕落了，贪心重堕饿鬼，嗔心重堕地狱，痴心重堕畜生，眼前就在变，还不是死后变，是可怕的。过去的圣者或者比较贤明的人讲，说好多人都是人面兽心，披着人皮的狼，就是这么一个比喻，实际上就是这样子的。所以人生就是个关键，你能够心地改善，心地改良，依佛陀的教法，皈依三宝，奉行五戒十善，明因识果，并且能够身体力行，就可以上升，叫增上生。增上生就是有这个缘，有上升的缘，比一般畜生、一般动物要殊胜，人为万物之灵嘛。

佛法是心地法门，首先要改心、要革心。禅宗讲心，禅宗也叫佛心宗嘛，就是要恢复佛心，持戒定慧恢复佛心。佛心是什么心呢？就是广大心、清净心、正直心、慈悲心、平等心。广大就不狭窄，心如太虚，清净不染污，像明珠一样的；正直就不歪曲，合符中道，佛法理论就是合符中道；平等，一切生物，包括胎、卵、湿、化，飞、潜、动、植，都是平等平等的，众生都有佛性，我们学佛的人要尊重众生，要爱护众生，就是因为他有佛性，也可能他觉悟了，闻到了佛法，比你走得快，都有可能，所以对一切众生不要轻视。要做到平等而无差别，慈悲而无嗔恨。

三、皈依的殊胜

皈依三宝，就是皈依佛宝、法宝、僧宝。皈依佛宝，就是开动自己心灵的觉性，提高觉性，佛就是觉，自觉觉他，觉行圆满；皈依法宝就是开动自己的智慧，做到深入经藏，智慧如海；皈依僧宝就是要去掉内心的染污，恢复内心的清净，达到清净三业。因此，皈依三宝，重点是由皈依住持三宝到皈依自性三宝。

佛法不同于其他的宗教，其它宗教要么是一神论者，要么是多神论者。一神论者或多神论者，其中心思想都是：由神来决定一切，一切听神的主宰。在佛法来讲没有这回事，神也是众生，它也受业力支配，没有神可以主宰一切的，自己的祸福完全由自己来决定，祸福自造，福自我求，命自我立。我们皈依三宝就要晓得这个道理，这就是皈依三宝的意义，皈依三宝的殊胜。

我们从皈依三宝开始，就走向了光明的正道，这是好事情。人生难得，佛法难闻，中国难生，善友难遇！人身难得今已得，佛法难闻今已闻，此身不向今生度，更向何生度此身！还有什么时间等待？就要在眼前、在当下用功，要抓紧时间做好事，要建立无常观，人命本无常，只在呼吸间，一气上不来，人就没有了。时时想到这些，就可警惕自己，激励自己用功。

四、忏悔、发愿

皈依三宝之后呢就要忏悔，“往昔所造诸恶业，皆由无始贪嗔痴，从身语意之所生，一切我今皆忏悔”。忏悔就是洗除以前的罪业，相当于给自己洗个澡，把原来的尘垢去掉，才能接受善法，等于水缸一样，水缸要洗干净才能装新水，所以要忏悔。

接下来就要发愿，发四宏誓愿。“众生无边誓愿度”：众生在苦恼中，我要发愿度众生；“烦恼无尽誓愿断”：度众生首先自己要断烦恼，不能以盲引盲；“法门无量誓愿学”：要断烦恼度众生，必须要学法，要有个目标，学法的目标是度众生；“佛道无上誓愿成”：上成佛道下化众生，就要发菩提心，要求我自己必须要成佛，成佛就是要度众生，不度众生不能成佛。所以四宏誓愿很伟大，宏就是很伟大。愿力是不可思议的啊，有愿必成，这个愿就等于一种觉悟、悲心，要有悲智，有悲有智来发愿，那就不是世间上的什么愿，世间上的愿夹有名利、功名利禄在里面。

五、五戒的重要

皈依后就要守五戒，基本要行持五戒，这是行动上的指南。哪五戒？不杀、不盗、不邪淫、不妄语、不饮酒，这是最基本的。这个基本的戒呀，出家在家都是共同的，要注意到不是在家才有五戒，出家人的根本戒就包括在里面，不过出家人不淫，与在家人不同，在家人一夫一妻可以，但不要乱来，不要乱搞关系。

为什么说日本佛教是相似佛教呢？庙子里住的出家人不是真正的出家人，他们吃酒吃肉，庙上还可以结婚。我到日本去时，来接待的还有夫人呀这些，吃荤吃肉，变化了，不是真正的佛教。

受三皈，持五戒，忏悔发愿，明因识果，非常重要。因果也很根本，世间上谁懂因果？科学和哲学的因果，它那个只是个定律，选良种或选优种等等，它不是我们这个因果，要搞清楚，至于如何做人，如何了解过去和未来，它就没有讲到这个因果，这个是有差别的。

今天你们集体受皈依，我给你们讲了学佛首先要念苦，念苦才能有出离心，也简单讲了三皈、五戒、忏悔、发愿的道理，你们要紧记在心，而且要依教奉行，如法行持，这样，就是一个真正的佛教弟子、真正的三宝弟子，这就是一条光明正道。

All phenomena of cyclic existence or transcendence, included within both appearance and mind, have no reality whatsoever and (therefore) arise in any way whatsoever.

-- Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye

A mind at peace, a life at peace

by Venerable Sheng Yen

Back in 2008, everyone anticipated a difficult year for 2009. We’re facing challenging times; the global economy is in bad shape. But we have great hopes for the year 2009. We still see hope when there seems to be none. Even under harsh conditions, we can still find happiness. In doomed times, it’s up to us to create bliss for ourselves. I proposed that we must have peace of mind in order to have peace in our lives. But how? Feelings of unease are merely psychological sentiments. It’s the external factors that cause us to feel insecure in the first place. We must feel secure in order for us to have peace in our lives.

As long as we have a sense of security, we’ll be able to enjoy peace in our lives. And how is having a peaceful mind related to a peaceful life? When we have peace of mind, no matter how chaotic our external environment is, we won’t be affected at all. It’s like when it’s pouring rain outside, it’s really pointless to fret over the rain. Instead, we should be figuring out how to get the leaks in our house fixed. To find ways in which we can still go about our daily business despite the heavy rain. To think about what we can plant that will bloom in the rain. To find fun things we can do on a rainy day. 

This is how we can gain peace, by first having a peaceful mind. Though rain is never welcomed, as long as we’re feeling at peace, even if it does rain, we can still feel very happy and blessed. The concept of “A Mind at Peace, A Life at Peace” is based on this rationale. And hence, I proposed that with a peaceful mind, we’d have peace in our lives. The launching of the suicide prevention movement was also built on this premise. As long as we have hope, and we don’t feel a void in our hearts, but feel free from anxiety, regardless of how materially impoverished or how bad the circumstances are, we can still feel whole inside.

Don’t let disappointment get the better of us, let hope live in our hearts for always. And use this opportunity to share with others what our hopes are for the future. People’s basic need is to live and to survive. And as long as we’re still breathing, hope will always be around, and our minds can be at peace.

To sum up, we need to learn to face and accept any circumstance. Find ways to deal with it and then just let it go. When we can face our problems, accept our problems, deal with our problems, and then let go of them, we’ll have peace of mind. I believe a great deal of people already know what the Fivefold Spiritual Renaissance Campaign is. The central practice is facing the difficulty, accepting it, dealing with it and then letting go of it.

There’s also the Four Guidelines to Dealing with Desires which holds we should pursue only what we can acquire, and never pursue what we can’t acquire. Pursue only what we should acquire, and never pursue what we shouldn’t acquire. The truth is we need only very few things, we need only to eat, to keep ourselves warm, and to have a shelter to keep ourselves out of the rain and the scorching sun — that’s about it. We can do without a lot of other things. And so, if we learn to have fewer desires, and have big hopes for the future while keeping our desires in check, we will have happiness.

Two years ago we started advocating a campaign for suicide prevention. Suicide really is unnecessary; people don’t need to commit suicide. Fear, a sense of insecurity, disappointment and feelings of hopelessness are the contributing factors of suicide.

I hope everyone can bear in mind that peace in life goes hand in hand with peace of mind. You don’t have to commit suicide. Instead of always looking at the downside you should look on the bright side of things. On a rainy day, tell yourself that the rain will stop. On a windy day, remind yourself the wind will turn, and it will stop.

Typhoons and whatnot must all cease one day. In the darkness of the day, say to yourself the sun will still shine tomorrow. With this mindset, our hearts will always be filled with hope. When we have hope, we’ll have peace in our minds, and we’ll enjoy peace in our lives. Last but not least, I’d like to wish everyone a Happy New Year!

1 The “spirit” spoken of in the protection of the spiritual environment refers to the mind, which is the essence of the Buddhadharma. They are the protection of the spiritual environment; the protection of the social environment; the protecting the living environment; and the protection of the natural environment. 

2 They are cultivating a peaceful mind by having few desires; cultivating a peaceful body through hard work and thrift; cultivating a peaceful family lies through love and respect; cultivating peaceful activity by being honest and upright.

3 The four guidelines are examining what we really need; what is indulgence; what is within my ability to obtain the things I need; and whether or not it’s proper to obtain it.

4 The Fivefold Spiritual Renaissance Campaign is a proposition for living in the 21st century and also a way to implement the four kinds of environmentalism. 

5 Six Ethics campaign, which consists of Family Ethics, Living Ethics, School Ethics, Environmental Ethics, Workplace Ethics, and Ethics between Ethnic Groups. Within each of the different areas covered by the Six Ethics, each one of us plays not only a single role, but also actually multiple roles. Whatever roles we play, we should develop the correct concept: We should contribute ourselves for the sake of fulfilling our roles and responsibilities, instead of fighting for our interests; while seeking our own benefits we should respect others and care about them. Therefore, greed and fighting for gain are not in line with ethics; the value of ethics lies in serving and giving. We must bear this same concept in mind with any of the Six Ethics.

Trying to find a Buddha or enlightenment is like trying to grab space. Space has a name but no form. It’s not something you can pick up or put down. And you certainly can’t grab it. Beyond this mind you’ll never see a Buddha. The Buddha is a product of your mind. Why look for a Buddha beyond this mind?

-- Bodhidharma

生命没有重复

达照法师

对生命负责的人，都是珍惜生命的人；珍惜生命的人，都会感受到生命中每一种情景出现全是唯一的一次，生命中没有任何一件事情是重复出现的！天天吃饭，天天喝水，天天走路，天天说话，都没有一次是重复的，每次都是唯一的经历，无始无终的形状，延续了我们的生生世世，可是那么新鲜稀有啊！

在学茶道的时候，我们特别欣赏茶道里那“一期一会”的精神，过去的一切都是历史的记忆，从来没有原原本本的再现过，未来的一切也是希望的幻想，从来没有提前或者如同幻想一般的呈现。因此，所有的理想都带着注释，一切的交往都是初逢！此时此刻，你是孤独的，其实任何时候你都是孤独的，因为你已经展现了生命中的全部景观，这个世界的任何一个微尘都是自己生命真相的显现，没有丝毫造作，全体即是，除此更无他物，所以你是孤独的。

然而，你也是从来就不曾孤独的，一切无相不生不灭的本体，与所有的生命一样一起不分彼此。在心灵中完全融合了彼此生命的所有形象，在物象上，一切都是相融相摄彼此相依，从未分离，所以一切都不孤独。世界同体、众心同体，生佛不二，身土不二，人我相类，灵肉相依，一切都不再是孤立的存在，何其完美！

孤独是因为生命不受任何事物干扰！不孤独是由于生命内在的和谐完美！除了这二者外，还有什么可以用来形容这不可思议无法形容的生命真相呢？青山无语，绿水常绕；天地不言，万物相依；人心不语，唯清唯善；真谛无语，起诸妙用！没有重复的生，日复一日，时复一时，分分秒秒，都在演绎着绝胜的美景！没有重复的死，无常变幻，春去秋来，成住坏空，都在展示着妙曼的诗情！

The past is already gone, the future is not yet here. There's only one moment for you to live, and that is the present moment. 

-- The Buddha

Enlightenment in Female Form

by Gelek Rimpoche

I recently had the opportunity to speak at the Rubin Museum of Art in New York City on the occasion of their exhibit Female Buddhas: Women of Enlightenment in Himalayan Art. I was happy to see this exhibit — the first of its kind, I believe — which focused on enlightenment in female form. It was long overdue, and I am grateful to the museum for providing such a wonderful show.

The fact that the show’s title included the word “female” makes it apparent that when we use the word “Buddha,” most people imagine a male figure. Although it is true that Buddhas can be male or female, it is also true that unless we say female, we assume it is male. That is our cultural baggage.

Buddhism arose in the East. And for most of the past 2,500 years, it has been part of the male-oriented culture of the East. It was that way in Buddha’s time in India, and it was that way in Tibet, where I was raised. But the culture in the West today is very different from traditional Asian culture. It’s clear to me that in this time and place, we need to emphasise the feminine principle. We live in a time when equality between men and women is increasing. If we cannot take advantage of this present situation to develop the feminine aspects of Buddhism and of our human nature, we will have missed an important opportunity.

The favouring of male practitioners did not originate in Tibet. We can see this bias throughout India and Asia. This is the cultural baggage I mentioned. It has nothing to do with the real essence of Buddhism. Women are as capable as men when it comes to spiritual practice. It is time for our tradition to reflect this reality more clearly. It is time for this imbalance to be acknowledged and corrected. There is no reason for this baggage to be carried forward. It does not serve the purpose of our times and has no special spiritual value. We need to do more than honour the feminine as a principle. We need to also encourage and support female practitioners.

In Tibetan Buddhism, we acknowledge Buddha Shakyamuni as the historical, or “official,” Buddha. But we also recognise the existence of countless other enlightened beings or Buddhas.

Tara is one of these enlightened beings in the female form. This is one of the reasons I have been doing Tara blessing ceremonies in different parts of the country lately. There is actually a long history of such blessings in Tibet. It’s not something I just cooked up. This type of blessing is called a gom lung, and it is a combination of meditation and oral transmission. By doing these activities, I hope to help bring the enlightened feminine presence forward.

Maybe I am not the best person for the job, because, ultimately, it is important for women to do this. But because of my background and training in Old Tibet, I feel that giving my support may be of some help.

WHO IS TARA?

We find images of Tara throughout Eastern culture, although she may be referred to by different names. In China, she is called Kuan Yin. In Japan, she is Kannon. In Tibet, we call her Drolma. Tara is her Sanskrit name. It means “one who liberates.” Tara is known as the “Mother of all Buddhas.” She is especially associated with long life and wisdom. And as a female manifestation of the enlightened energy, Tara is said to come to our aid quickly and powerfully.

In the West, we are familiar with Mother Mary, whose qualities of boundless compassion and love very much resemble those of Tara. So most of us have some familiarity with someone like Tara and the qualities she represents. She may have a different name or slightly different look in the way she is depicted here and there, but that merely indicates how popular and how necessary she is for us. We all recognise the need for caring and compassion. This is what Tara represents.

So where does Tara come from? What is she? How does she function? There are a number of stories by different masters, but the most reliable and commonly accepted source is The Origin of the Tara Tantra, written by Taranatha in the early seventeenth century. According to this text, Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of compassion, was very busy helping beings. But at one point, he was nearly overwhelmed by the magnitude of the task and the extent of the suffering that beings were experiencing. It is said that he became concerned to the point of shedding tears, saying, “I need help.” He took a teardrop and flung it away, and suddenly Tara appeared and said, “I am here to help you.”

It is also said that Tara was originally an actual human being, like us. She worked to develop herself, just as Buddha Shakyamuni did. As a Bodhisattva, she was committed to helping all beings. And as a Bodhisattva, she was able to choose the form of her rebirth. Tara chose to remain in the female form.

THE IMPORTANCE OF FEMININE ENERGY 

Why did Tara choose to remain as a female? She chose to because of the importance of feminine energy and because a lot of cultures treat females as inferior, even though they are just as capable of enlightenment as males. At some point in world history, it was decided that the female body was inferior. It’s unfortunate, but that represented the thinking in those societies. That is why Tara made the decision to remain a female and function as an enlightened being in female form.

This is an important point and it gives us two different messages. One message is that compassionate people don’t shy away from difficult tasks. The other point is that the problems of human beings can only be solved by human beings. No god is going to come down from the sky and enlighten us. We have to do it ourselves. That is why Buddha said we are responsible for ourselves. For example, I believe the Tibetan problem has to be solved by the Tibetans; others can only help. Similarly, male problems can only be solved by men; women can only help. And female problems can only be solved by women; men can only help.

In Tibetan Buddhism, we recognise that enlightenment comprises both feminine and masculine aspects. We say that enlightenment is not possible without both wisdom and compassion, which we sometimes refer to as wisdom and method. Wisdom, or the recognition of emptiness, is connected with the feminine, because the empty nature of reality is the basis, or mother, of all. As the Heart Sutra says, form is emptiness, emptiness is form. In other words, there is no form or reality apart from emptiness. In that sense, emptiness is the mother of all. And wisdom, which is the recognition of this truth, is associated with emptiness. Accordingly, when we speak about the wisdom aspect of enlightenment, we associate this with the feminine principle.

And just as one can never produce a child without a mother, compassion without wisdom, no matter how strong your compassion, may not be enough to produce enlightenment.

FEMALE DEITIES 

The feminine aspect of enlightenment is represented by female deities. We see female images at every level of Tibetan art. There are peaceful forms like Tara, semi-wrathful forms like Vajrayogini, and wrathful forms such as the female protector Palden Lhamo. Each of these has a male counterpart, because male and female aspects are both necessary for enlightenment. In fact, both are necessary throughout the spiritual path.

The union of masculine and feminine energies is key to our ultimate spiritual freedom. Without the male or female aspect, there is no enlightenment: there is no union of wisdom and method; there is no union of clear light and illusion body; there is no union of mind and body.

We can also see this combination of energies during the period of accumulating merit. There are two types of merit. Wisdom merit develops the mind of a Buddha, while the activities related to compassion, or method merit, develop the body of a Buddha. At the level of enlightenment, there is no longer a dualistic distinction between body and mind. You might say they both function at the same frequency. But we need both, and both aspects must be developed until we achieve enlightenment. Compassion and wisdom are the foundation of our spiritual work. They also bring the ultimate result. These depend on both male and female elements.

When you look at Buddhist practices as they have developed, they appear to favour the male practitioner. As I said before, these practices developed in male-dominated cultures. (For example, the word for “woman” in Tibetan means “lower birth.”) In Tibetan Buddhism, although both a male and a female deity practice are considered necessary for enlightenment, the male deities received more emphasis. The female deities such as Vajrayogini were kept very secret. In the monasteries, they didn’t want to encourage monks to meditate on the images of beautiful female figures. Having been a monk, I can understand that this could definitely have been a distraction! So to help uphold the monastic vows, the deities were mostly male.

THREE TARA PRACTICES

Tara is a Buddha herself and can fully serve as an object of refuge. The object of refuge doesn’t have to be a yellow Oriental man with a golden robe. This is an important point.

Although Vajrayogini has extraordinary qualities, her practice is not for everyone. Such a practice involves many different vows and commitments, and this can be quite difficult for people. Tara, however, can be practised by everyone and this practice brings great benefit. Through Tara practise, we can build up a connection with this ever-present enlightened being as someone to take refuge in, someone to pray to, and someone to inspire our lives and touch our hearts.

Fortunately, we have a number of Tara practices to suit the needs of different individuals. I will briefly introduce some of these practices in the hope that they will be of some benefit.

These practices involve visualisation: we visualise Tara not as a painting or mirage, but as a fully enlightened being with the qualities of wisdom and compassion that can help you to help yourself. In Tibetan Buddhism, we associate particular colours with everything that exists. For example, the traditional elements of earth, water, fire, air, and space are each associated with certain colours. We also associate particular colours with states of mind. We visualise these colours and the elements associated with them in their pure, uncontaminated, and fully vital form. In these practices, we visualise these colours in the form of light and liquid streaming forth from Tara to fully revitalise and protect us.

1. HEALING THE ELEMENTS

Through Tara, we can learn how to heal ourselves, which involves healing the elements. Why healing the elements? First, you might ask, what does it mean to be alive? We are alive because the mind or consciousness remains in the physical body. As long as this physical body is synchronised with the mind, we call it life. When it is disconnected, we call it death.

A healthy life depends on synchronisation of mind and body. The mind and body both need to be balanced. A healthy mind is a balanced mind. If you lose your mental balance, you become cuckoo or a vegetable.

The body also needs to be balanced. In traditional Eastern medicine, the body is said to be composed of five elements: earth, water, fire, air, and space. If the elements of the body are unbalanced, we can have problems that affect not only the body, but also the state of our minds.

The earth element represents the bones and flesh of the body. The water element is the fluids in the body. Fire is the element that controls digestion. The air element is related to the energy of circulation — of the blood, oxygen, and nervous system. And you need the space element within the body for the simple reason that otherwise everything would be smashed.

These elements also have an emotional component. The space element is related to the sense of spaciousness. An imbalance of space will leave us feeling cramped and constrained in our thinking. The air element is associated with the mind and mental functioning. When the air element is imbalanced, you may feel flighty or exceedingly nervous; when the air is balanced your mind is curious and flexible, and you are able to grasp new ideas and ways of thinking. An imbalance of the fire element can lead to impulsive “hotheaded” behaviour. A healthy fire element strengthens your willpower and enables you to feel passionate and inspired in your efforts. A healthy water element helps to calm your emotions; otherwise you may feel overly sensitive or emotionally turbulent. And a healthy earth element allows you to feel grounded.

In the Tara practice of healing the elements, we learn to visualise and work with the energies that affect the balance of these elements. In this practice, we visualise coloured light streaming forth from Tara and renewing each of our elements with the essence of inexhaustible vitality. We associate a golden light with the earth element. A white, opalescent light is associated with the water element. The fire element is red-orange, like the glow of molten metal. The air element is emerald green, and the space element is sapphire blue. We visualise these colours streaming forth from Tara. The light of each element extends to the outermost reaches of the universe and collects the essence of each element. Then we visualise this light and similarly coloured liquid completely filling our bodies and fully rejuvenating each of our elements in turn.

2. TARA’S SIX-SHIELD PRACTICE

Tara’s six-shield practice is a practical and very helpful practice that we can use to clear away obstacles and protect ourselves — and those we care about — from harmful influences.

In this practice, we visualise shields of different coloured light radiating from Tara and encircling us and our loved ones in concentric spheres of protection. These shields transform our usual neuroses into their wisdom nature. That very wisdom nature becomes a powerful and skillful energy that uplifts and benefits both self and others.

The first shield is white, not only for pacifying difficulties but also for purifying faults. The next shield is composed of golden light, which is for increasing prosperity and also for developing our beneficial qualities. A shield of red light brings us power, as well as a sense of capability and confidence. The blue shield not only brings the necessary wrathful qualities needed to say no when no is necessary, but also the discriminating power of destruction when destruction is needed. This reminds us that compassion does not mean being a doormat. The green shield is not just for miscellaneous activity but also for the supreme and mundane powers required on the path to enlightenment. A final shield is composed of a rust-coloured light that helps to stabilise the qualities we gain from the other shields. This is incredibly important because it is not possible to have spiritual development without stability.

3. PROTECTION FROM THE EIGHT FEARS

Tara can also help us learn to protect ourselves from the eight fears. These are not the common fears we share with most human beings, such as fear of dangerous animals, nightmares, illness, or untimely death.

In this practice, we use the power of Tara’s mantra, Om Tare Tutare Ture Soha. Om represents Tara’s enlightened body, speech, and mind. Tare means one who liberates from suffering. Tutare means one who liberates from the eight fears. Ture means one who liberates from ignorance with the wisdom that brings the true cessation of suffering. Soha means may the meaning of the mantra take root in my mind.

This mantra is used to overcome the eight fears of the spiritual practitioner, which are:

The lion of pride: As the king of the jungle, the lion looks down on everyone and listens to the counsel of no one. Our pride will isolate us from help and keep us locked in the control of ignorance.

The elephant of ignorance: The metaphor for ignorance is the elephant — not an ordinary elephant but a wild, drunken one. This elephant will not hesitate to trample anyone who gets in his way. That is what ignorance does to us.

The fire of anger: The fire of anger is fanned by the wind of wrongdoing. Wrongdoing is caused by the elephant of ignorance, which give strength to the fire.

The snake of jealousy: Like a snake in the shadows, jealousy hides in the darkness of ignorance. When we see others doing better than us, the snake strikes and poisons us. Then we spread that poison to others as soon as we are able.

The thief of wrong view: What does a thief do? He steals our valuables. Likewise, wrong view steals our opportunity to make any progress on the spiritual path.

The shackles of stinginess: Everyone views generosity as something positive. Stinginess is just the opposite. It binds us so that we are incapable of acting positively. It keeps us hopelessly trapped in samsara.

The waters of attachment: Attachment functions like a violent, rushing river. It keeps us trapped in the current of samsara, carrying us further and further from the shores of liberation.

The ghost of doubt: Ghosts usually function at night. Likewise, doubt functions in the darkness of ignorance. It frightens and confuses us, preventing us from making our way to the light of freedom.

Using the power of Tara’s mantra, we meditate on each of these fears and its antidote.

We counter pride with the humble recognition that we don’t know everything — just trying to name all the bones of one’s own body is proof of that.

Ignorance is ultimately conquered by the wisdom that recognises emptiness. Until then, we can apply mindfulness to grow more aware of the consequences of our actions.

The antidote to anger is patience. We can use patience to help us trace our anger back to its source to help us see the folly that is generally its cause.

Jealousy can be countered by compassion. Through insightful analysis, we come to recognise that all beings share the desire for happiness. Rather than resenting another’s good fortune, we can begin to rejoice in their happiness.

Wrong view can be countered by understanding that our actions have consequences. Our negative actions will ultimately result in suffering for ourselves. Our positive actions will ultimately bring us peace and joy.

Stinginess is countered by the practice of generosity. That may seem obvious, but it requires recognising that generosity begins with generosity toward ourselves. When we meditate on how miserliness is actually stealing all our joy and appreciation of life, we will begin to practice generosity.

Attachment can be conquered through understanding the impermanent nature of reality.

And doubt is subdued by intelligent faith. This is the kind of faith in the teachings that we develop through personally examining and testing what we have learned. As Buddha put it, we should examine each of his teachings as thoroughly as we would if we were buying a piece of gold.

FINDING RELIABLE INSTRUCTION 

It is important to incorporate the feminine principle into our practice, because we cannot achieve the ultimate attainment of enlightenment without perfecting both the male and female aspects. The ultimate development of the feminine within the individual is called clear light, which might be described as the direct perception of emptiness. The ultimate development of the masculine is the illusion body. The combination of the two is what we call union. As I said, this is the union of enlightened mind and enlightened body. It is the union of relative and absolute truth. It is the ultimate development we can achieve. If we develop one aspect without the other, we will never be able to achieve this union.

At the moment, ultimate enlightenment may seem like an impossible task. But the opportunity to help ourselves by developing the principles represented by Tara practice is available to us right now.

Of course there is more to these practices than the simple descriptions I have provided here. My main goal was to show the importance of the feminine principle in Buddhism and the possibilities for making it an important part of our spiritual journey.

If you are interested in pursuing this feminine aspect further, I urge you to find a reliable source of instruction. Fortunately, these days we have many resources in the form of qualified teachers and books that offer more detailed explanations of what is possible with Tara practice.