Why is Ullambana linked to filial piety?

Source: KMSPKS

The lunar seventh month is known as the Ghost Festival to many people where it is believed that the hell gates are opened, and ghosts are set free for a month. However, in the context of Buddhism, the fifteenth day of the seventh month in the lunar calendar is known as the Ullambana Festival or month of filial piety.

What is Ullambana, and why is filial piety linked to it?

THE BUDDHA'S JOYFUL DAY / SANGHA PRAVARANA DAY 

According to the Ullambana Sutra, during the Buddha’s time, the Sangha (the community of Buddhist monks) were to stay indoors and practise diligently for three months during the rainy season in India as it is very inconvenient to ask for alms during this season of the year.

On the completion of the rain retreat that falls on the fifteenth day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar, many venerables gained enlightenment. The venerables will gather and report to the Buddha on their meditation progress. The Buddha was delighted with the venerables’ progress, and this day became known as the Buddha’s joyful day and/or Sangha Pravarana Day.

ORIGIN OF ULLAMBANA FESTIVAL 

Venerable Maudgalyayana wanted to repay the kindness of his father and mother after he attained arhartship. He used his clairvoyant powers to search for them, and he realised that his father was reborn in the heavenly realm, while his mother was reborn as a hungry ghost. She was suffering due to her attachment to the inheritance left by Venerable Maudgalyayana’s father; she did not follow his instruction to make offerings to Buddhist monks who came her way.

Venerable Maudgalyayana was deeply saddened and filled a bowl with food to offer to his mother. The food turned into burning coals whenever the food was placed in his mother’s palm and his mother could not eat. He approached the Buddha for help and advice on how he can help to ease his mother’s suffering.

The Buddha instructed Venerable Maudgalyayana to make offerings to the Sangha on the fifteenth day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar. Venerable Maudgalyayana did as the Buddha advised, and the merits accrued helped his mother obtain a better rebirth.

MONTH OF FILIAL PIETY 

The Buddha said that if anyone who wishes to practise filial piety can make offerings to the Sangha on this day. After the offerings are made, one can transfer the merits to their parents, past and present. By making offerings to the Sangha on this day, the merits and virtues will liberate parents of past lives and bless our present parents with health and longevity. This month is also known as the Month of Filial Piety.

To describe the nature of the mind, the analogy of space is used. The mind is likened to space because space has no shape, no colour, and no characteristic. It is free from any conditioning or characteristic at all. In this way the example of space provides a suitable analogy to describe the nature of the mind. But there are other aspects to the mind - its radiant clarity and unobstructed compassion - that space doesn’t possess.

-- Yangthang Rinpoche

践行慈悲心的十三种方便

茗山长老

（一）利他——我常常思量“利己”，是我一人得利，而多数人受害；“利他”，是我一人受害，而多数人得利。一多相较，觉利己太藐小，而利他确很伟大，于是决定了意志：“宁可天下人负我，莫教我负天下人” 。也就和经论中“不为自己求安乐，但愿众生得离苦”、“上士恒勤求、自苦他安乐”的意思相同。我就本着这个意志，与人合作，愿意多吃些苦，少分些利乐，与人交往，愿意多吃些亏，少讨些便宜。尤其利害冲突关头，切记先为他人打算：宁可舍己利他，绝不损人利己；最低限度，利他而不损己，或利己而不损他。所以我立身处世，发一言，行一事，抱定这一个观念：一切以利他为标准。

（二）同情心——民国三十二年冬，我在衡阳因交涉寺产被无线电台台员用绳子吊起来的时候，身体感到非常痛苦，生命感到极大威胁，只得默念“南无大悲观世音菩萨……”希求菩萨通知太虚大师赶快营救：早来一分钟，使我早脱一分苦，若迟来半点，恐怕就往生了；那时心中极迫切的情绪，非身历其境者不知。就因为受过那次痛苦的教训，之后看到或听到他人及众生受苦，就如自己受苦，很迅速地努力抢救：如见他人跌倒，立刻去扶起，他人急难，立刻去排解，他人碰伤或中毒，多方请医去医治，他人溺水或失火，不避嫌怨去援救；尤其看到他人被吊或鱼鳖鸡鸭被人倒悬，心急如焚，总要想尽办法去解救。这些都是由于我的同情心的驱使。

（三）恒顺众生——我当学僧，即随顺院长教师意旨，精勤修学；当教师，即随顺院长学僧意旨，认真讲课；当院长，即随顺教师学僧意旨，尽量栽培；当清众、执事、住持等，亦复如是，不存主观成见，随顺客观趣向，待人如是，待一切众生亦如是。我愿意如有春天的雨露，夏天的凉风，秋天的明月，冬天的的太阳，江海的轮渡，大陆的车辆，空中的飞机……做时代所需要众生所受欢迎的一个人。

（四）公而无私——我为了护持佛法，解决寺庙与学校纠纷，保障佛教寺僧的权益，兴办僧教育及公益慈善事业，曾于各地佛教会办过几百桩案件，打过几十桩官司，请过几次保护佛教的布告，不知走了几多路，说了几多话，用了几多钱，往往吃饭的时间过了就在外忍饿，衣服破烂了也无心再做，甚至身体病坏了也无心顾及，热心从公，忘却自己，只尽义务，不计权利，只顾天下肥，不顾自身瘦，总因为要学祖师为法忘躯，学菩萨为众生服务，学佛陀行慈悲之道。

（五）不害——我深信一切皆有因果，善有善报，恶有恶报，间或未报，乃是时期未到，故偶遇恶人憎我、妒我、谤我，甚至害我，我都不愿以牙还牙，以齿还齿；我想“自作孽，不可逭”，有自然因果存在，何用我去害他？我只可怜他的业障深重，善根浅薄，惭愧我无德感他，无法救他！而况害他，终致自他俱害，不害他，或可使他改过自新。看见他人阴谋害人，我也常以此意相劝。

（六）广修供养——我不贪穿，不贪吃，又没有一点嗜好，私人所得的衣物以及师友赠送给我钱，不用于佛教公益，即用于供佛施人；往往共办公益而各方捐款不足用时，便以私资补充，修建庙宇或装塑佛像翻印经典，亦常随缘乐助：平日买仁丹万金油十滴水等药品，随时救治病人，又将多馀衣服鞋袜饮食用物，随时舍给贫乏，有时打斋供众，有时出力帮忙，有时布施乞丐，有时周济难民；尤其人有急需，不敢说“有求必应”，但总想满人心愿；人有危难，不敢说“寻声救苦”，但总想尽力援助。　

（七）忍辱无瞋——我虽不曾老，但养气功夫倒很有把握：在衡阳时，有一次我因房中遗失一本书，无意地问问同寮某师，某师认为我轻视他的人格，勃然大怒，指手大骂，我反陪笑向他解释。又有一次，甲师因挟嫌怀恨乙师，暗用我的名义，诬告乙为汉奸，并且潜入我房，偷盖我私章，乙被警备部提讯时，看见公文里有我列名盖章，信以为真，未几释回，便对我痛骂，甚至要和我拼命，我乃不动瞋心。有人因误会疑忌而责骂我，诽谤我，欺负我，侮辱我，甚至殴打我，我都逆来顺受，容忍无恨；像这一类的遭遇很多，我不但能够忍受他人的逼恼，更不愿自己逼恼他人，初，火气冲上时勉强捺下，久而久之，想发脾气反觉火不得上来了，我读熟了弥勒偈：“有人骂老拙，老拙只说好，有人打老拙，老拙自睡倒，唾沫吐面上，随他自乾了，我也省力气，他也无烦恼。” 这首歌好像为我写照。

（八）戒杀放生——我读过沙弥律：上自诸佛圣人，下至蜎飞蠕动，不得故杀。又读过古诗：“卷帘归乳燕，凿牖出痴蝇，爱鼠常留饭，怜蛾莫点灯。”“千百年来碗里羹，冤深如海恨难平，欲知世上刀兵劫，但听屠门夜半声。”我把这些话，深深记在心头，所以最怕走路踏伤蚂蚁昆虫，最怕信手拍死蚊蝇虱虱，我不愿人家养猫，怕它咬死老鼠，更不愿人家吃荤，怕他多造杀业；我曾规定每年四月八日尽量买鱼放生，平时遇见失去自由的动物，随时随地方便救护，又常常劝人素食，劝人戒杀放生，以冀共感祥和，挽回世界劫运。

（九）看护病人——我在岐山遭两次最危险的大病，生命几濒绝境，承少康和尚等，细微体贴，殷勤看护，赖以起死回生，因而感觉解除病苦，医药仅占十分之三，自己调养仅占十分之二，而看护人的功效实占十分之五；所以遇见他人有病，我很愿意看护。看护时，察其情况如何，按时进其汤药饮食，观其意向如何，随其意向代为动作，时时安慰他，处处顺从他，使其安心静养，勿行忧虑；到了临危之际，更要提他正念，助他念佛往生。

（十）不说使人烦恼的话——虚伪的恭维奉承，哄骗的花言巧语，诡诈的挑拔离间，粗暴的破口骂詈，都会引起人们的烦恼，我向来不愿说那一类的话，只愿说真实至诚语，质直柔和语，调停和解语，欢喜称赞语，使人听了，得到一种愉快的感觉！非万不得已，不说出一句使人烦恼的话。

（十一）和悦的容态迎人——我晓得人讨厌的是愁眉苦脸，欢迎的是悦色和颜，纵使我有什么忧虑悲伤，总放在自己心里，不愿表面上令人难看；任他“人情冷暧，世态淡凉”，我仍是笑脸迎人，慈眼视人；而况“有缘千里来相会，无缘对面不相逢”，岂可孤癖自高，骄慢自大？我参透了“今生人见喜欢者，前世见人欢喜故”，所以我待人的态度，总带几分笑容，还带几分谦光，敬意、恳挚、真诚。

（十二）弘扬佛法——我学佛以来，精勤研习十余年，从佛法里悟解了宇宙人生的真谛，使我精神上获得无穷乐趣，无上安慰。深知佛法的功德利益无量无边：可以解脱烦恼业障，可以增长福德善根，可以离苦得乐，可以成佛度生……只要人们信解修持，决定能得着这些功德利益。所以我不揣浅陋，随时随地，喜欢将自己所体验受用的佛法，以浅显通俗的字眼，或用纸笔供献人群，或凭口舌向人解说，一字一偈，不敢自秘，总愿人人同得法乐！同成正觉！

（十三）报恩的心愿——我常常想到三宝的加护，父母的养育，师友的训导，国家的保障，衣食的由来，房屋的庇阴，舟车的运行，什物的现成，天地的覆载，日月的照临，自然的优美，社会的互助……在在处处使我感到温暧，感到他们恩德无穷无尽；又想到“一切男子是我父，一切女子是我母”，“众生如父如母，如兄弟，姊妹，子侄”，他们都是我的亲人，我的恩人；我虽以种种方便，实行慈悲，仍恐势有所不能，力有所不及，总难报答于万一；所以在每天拜佛时虔诚默祷着：“愿与四恩三有，法界众生，同离苦难，同得安乐，同出娑婆，同生净土！”

“慈悲为室，方便为门” ，要由方便之门，方入慈悲之室。以上十三种方便，乃略就我常常运用面谈；假使详细演述，四摄、六度、五戒、十善、十一善心所、三十七道品等，莫不是我实行慈悲的方便，这里恐繁不录。

Our Essence of Mind is intrinsically pure, and if we knew our mind and realised what our nature is, all of us would attain Buddhahood.

-- Venerable Hui Neng

Practising the Dharma

Retold by Esther Thien

Once, there was a man who decided that he was going to practise the Dharma. So he started to circumambulate. His teacher came along and said, "Oh, it's very good that you are circumambulating stupa but it would be better if you practise the Dharma."

So he thought, "I will do prostrations then." The next day, in front of the stupa, he started to prostrate. Up and down he went, perspiring profusely. Then his teacher appeared and remarked, "Oh, it's very good that you are prostrating but it would be better if you practise the Dharma."

"Hmmm," thought the man. "Perhaps I should be reciting Dharma text?" The next day, he was out there reading aloud his Dharma text, thinking that he was doing something holy. Again, his teacher came by and quipped, "Oh, it's very good that you are reciting the Dharma text but it would be better if you practise the Dharma."

By then, this man was utterly confused and perturbed. "Am I not practising the Dharma?" I was circumambulating the stupa, prostrating and reciting the Sutra. What, then, is practising the Dharma?"

His teacher smiled and replied, "Transform your mind."

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This story tells us that the focal point is not on the external things. Rather it is the mind, or the mental state that one has when doing things that determines if one is practising the Dharma. We can never judge whether an action is Dharma or not, just by the action itself. We have to look at the mind that's doing it.

That's why in Buddhism, one's inner motivation is emphasised again and again. In this way, we cut out all hypocrisy. If we are not mindful of our motivation and we think being religious simply means doing all these external things, then we get really lost. We may be doing something externally, but if we still have the same old mind and habitual tendencies to cling and reject, we are not transforming.

So always be mindfully aware and ask yourself, "Why am I practising? Why am I doing this?" Always look internally, at the mind that is doing it.

Not by a shower of gold coins does contentment arise in sensual pleasures. Of little sweetness, and painful, are sensual pleasures. Knowing thus, the wise man finds no delight even in heavenly pleasures. The disciples of the Fully Enlightened One delights in the destruction of craving. 

-- The Buddha

参禅用功指要——以《超脱真铨》为例

文｜常静

学佛修道，参禅打七是修行的最上乘禅。如果不从参禅打七入手修行，不是落入人天二乘，就会落入魔王外道。不从参禅入手修行，修行往往会走入邪路。因此，古往今来的禅林大德，都主张通过坐禅习定明见自性，得大智慧。在如今的末法时代，“非参禅无以止妄，妄缘既息，定久澄清，水清月现，不待修止而慧光自发。”慧光发现之后，触途皆明，不被尘劳杂妄羁缚，即是解脱。参禅是末法时代禅门修行者最主要的修行方法。民国年间流行的《超脱真铨》一书中，详细讲述了参禅做工夫的具体修学方法。书中指参禅用功指要——以《超脱真铨》为例出，参禅者若能在参禅过程中深入领悟，并正确运用这些修学方法，就证入三摩地，超越生死，入佛知见。

一、要看得破

参禅本来是为了了道。若能了道就能知道生从何来，死归何处，不被尘梦幻相，富贵钱财，一切因缘假相所迷惑。所谓了道，就是要了脱生死。要了脱生死，就要参禅做工夫。参禅做工夫的基本方法，首先是要看得破。要看得世界身心都是假的，是四大五蕴和合而成的。既然能够看破世界身心，又要能放得下世界身心。如果放不下，说明还没有看破。若真能看破，自然就能放得下。书中云：“但尽凡情，别无圣解。参禅不能醒发者，无他。只为一切凡情还在心上打搅扰。”参禅者不仅要放下世界身心，还应当放下并且远离凡情。自由放下凡情，不被凡情所束缚，才能离道更近。

如果一个人能够将世界上一切俗情，并自己无始劫以来的无明、烦恼、习气，尽底掀翻，不留毫末，单单一个话头，现前所谓放下便安，别无他法。参禅者若能如此万缘放下，专注参禅，管保参禅克日成功。

二、要起疑情

起疑情是参禅过程中的重要一环。本书中也指出，参禅要起疑情。禅门常说，大疑大悟，小疑小悟，不疑不悟。参禅不需要另外生起疑情。疑情总在参究话头时自然生起。比如“父母未生以前，如何是本来面目？”“如何是”三个字就是疑情。“念佛的是谁？”“是谁”二字，即是疑情。“不是心不是佛，不是物，毕竟是个什么？”其中“毕竟是个什么”就是疑情。如今的参禅之人，动不动就说疑情生不起来。他们不知道，不是疑情生不起来，而是参禅之人不肯疑话头。话头现前，疑情自然显现。话头亲切，疑情自然亲切。一旦参到疑情打破，自然就能了脱生死。

三、要将“死”字贴在头上

书中认为， 参禅的人， 应当时时刻刻将“死”字贴在额头上。“死”就是无常，修禅之人常念“死”，厌离娑婆，欣求极乐的心才更真切。修禅之人常想到死无定期，修行才会更加勇猛精进。

参禅之人，昼夜六时，只知道有个话头要参究。壁立千仞，外事百不知百不晓。只如大死之人，心中只有口气相似。工夫到此，才与参禅宗旨相应。

四、要从动中做出，方为实得

参禅之人要从动中做出，方为真实有所得。参禅者在行路时，便问这个拖死尸走的人是谁；坐着时，便问这个拖着死尸坐着的人是谁；站着时，便问拖着死尸站着的人是谁；睡卧时，便问这个拖着死尸睡着的人是谁。乃至穿衣吃饭、上殿过堂、出做入息、屙屎放尿，以及风动云飞、水流花放、鸟鸣兽走，无一不是究竟话头处。动中得个入处，方得自在。如果是爱静恶动，不用说没功夫，纵然有些得力处，触境便破了，了没交涉。

参禅做工夫，全要如鸡群中，鹤立劲挺，不顺人情。若是怕人说个不好，工夫反会做得不好。

五、不愁不活，只愁不死

一般的谈禅之人，经常会说某人工夫做死了。这个人本来业识茫茫，无本可据，不值得与他论议。殊不知，何曾死来，果然能够死到至极处，未有不活者。天地之道，阴极转阳。就好像三冬冷到极处，自然春阳来复。因此，工夫做死之人，往往死到极处，自然有个悟入处。

六、话头疑情辊作一团

参禅者在参禅时，要身内外话头、疑情辊作一团。也就是在参话头时要生起疑情，生疑情时更要咬紧话头。当话头、疑情融为一体，分拆不开时，就仰不知天，俯不知地。行不知行，坐不知坐。千人万人之中，如入无人之境。功夫到此，方有少许相应分。

七、要如猫捕鼠

参禅用功要如猫子捕捉老鼠，睁开两眼，四蹄坚撑，只要捕捉老鼠到口。纵有人物在旁，也无暇顾及，只是一心专注老鼠的动向，待时机已到，一把抓住。

参禅也是这样，只是愤然要明了此事。纵然八苦交煎于前，也无暇顾及，只要究明生死大事。一旦参禅者心有别念，就会空费力气，一事无成。

八、要在本体上做工夫

参禅之人，要在本体上下工夫，方才与自己有益。不可在古人公案、言句上揪着不放，参究卜度，妄加解释。纵然一一领略得，终是贫人数他宝，与自己没有丝毫交涉。何况古人一言半句，如大火聚，靠近就会燎却面门，触之则丧身失命，哪里有你卜度解释的分。参禅者一旦涉及到思维，便与古人公案大相左了。于自己本体上，没有一毫末的益处。只有在本体上参究，才能见自本性。

九、要离心意识

参禅做工夫，要离心意识来参究。一旦参究工夫成熟，忽然之间言语道断，心行处绝，即得亲见本来面目。若是心意识卜度算计，终是业识茫茫，无本可据。纵然有点悟处，不过光影门头事。昭昭灵灵，对于本来面目，了无交涉。所以，迦叶尊者灭除意根，得佛正传。

十、全在心源体上参究

参禅若要得真实工夫，应当全在心源体上参究。不可寻言逐句，如果只是口头记问，不但于参禅无益，反而成为参究的障碍。书中指出，“如今的参禅之人，不在心源真实上参究，全在眼耳参禅。平时看了一些公案，听了一些言句，便当宗乘，自以为是。忽然遇到作家一锥，不觉失其所守。”很多参禅者，总是一开始没有遇到作家，到老翻成古董。神秀大师云：“身是菩提树，心如明镜台。时时勤拂拭，莫使惹尘埃。”黄檗禅师云：“尘劳迥脱事非常，紧把绳头做一场。不是一番寒彻骨，怎得梅花扑鼻香。”这两首偈语最亲切，可作为参禅者参究指导。学人时时提撕警策，工夫自然做得上。

十一、心要真切

参禅用功心要真切。心不真切，就会懈怠放逸。参禅者一旦懈怠放逸，则道业无成。如果用心真切，一切魔障都不会生起。若如此，则不愁大事不明，不愁生死不了，不愁不到古人田地。话头如金刚王宝剑，凡遇到内外魔境、佛境，但提起话头一截，则内外佛境、魔境全消。因此，参禅人的一个话头，便是了生死、出三界，继往开来，光前裕后，一绝大本领，当拳拳服膺，不使失去。

十二、要打成一片

参禅用功要打成一片，不可须臾间断，才是真工夫。真正参禅修定之人，如火烧眉毛，如救头燃。又如一人与万人敌，觑面不容眨眼。时时处处，谨慎对待，一心参究，方能渐入佳境。若如此，则能成大器，裕后光前。

十三、全仗觉照之力

参禅做工夫，全仗觉照之力，时时检点看工夫得力不得力。若不得力，要看病根在什么处。识得病根，便与一刀两断。得力处，看敌得生死，敌不得生死。悟后重疑，更加精进。一回觉照，一回精进，自然倒断，得大安乐。

十四、要行解相应

参禅做工夫要行解相应。行就是参禅的修行实践，解是对参究方法的悟解。修行人只有行解相应，修行才能如车之两轮，齐头并进。若只重视行，或者只重视解，就如失去车之一轮，难以前行。《楞严经》云：“虽有多闻，若不修行，与不闻等。如人说食，终不得饱。”日用动静语默之间，时时检点，看相应不相应。若行解相应，方为正知正见。若是行解不相应，终是邪解。须加践履，笃实之功，决定要求行解相应。如是则解有一分，行有十分，方是笃实履践之道。

十五、要真心发现

参禅做功夫要真心发现。真心共有五种。第一要发大勇猛心，痛念生死，如处火宅，如在水中，极欲跳出。第二要发大信心。要相信自心即佛，一切万法，悉本吾心。第三要发大惭愧心。彼为圣贤，我亦当尔。但现在为什么彼为圣贤，我却为反复。一想起来，真正可羞可耻。第四要起真疑情。单提话头，不生起二念，废寝忘食，如愚如鲁，疑团不破，誓不干休。第五要得大悟门。与佛齐眉，一知半解，全没交涉。不见十地菩萨说法如云如雨，终未指出向上关子。有以上五种真心发现，不愁生死不了，不愁不到佛祖地位，不愁不悟向上一著故。三乘胆颤，十地魂惊。凡愚岂可不发勇猛，速求出此无量火宅。

十六、不可一刻失正念

参禅做工夫不可一刻忘失正念。所谓正念，即如实忆念诸法之性相而不忘失。若能做到一相无相，是名正念。《法华经》云：“唯此一事实，余二则非真。”这是正念《金刚经》：“应无所住而生其心。”这也是正念。《圆觉经》云：“於一切时不起来妄念，於诸妄念亦不息灭，住妄想境不加了知，於无了知，不辨其实。”这也是正念。若人静坐，纯清绝点为禅，失正念。或将妄心遏捺，令妄心不起，如石压草，也为失正念。或如剥芭蕉叶，观想身如虚空，心如墙壁，为落空亡的外道，魂不散的死人，也为失去正念。常存不辜负之心，工夫自然得力。父母生育我，师长剃度我，莫辜负师长父母，天地负载我，日月照临我。莫辜负天地日月，佛祖教诲我，善神默佑我。修禅者切莫辜负佛祖善神。且人身难得，莫辜负人身，人身犹是假我，性灵方是真我。莫辜负自己性灵，斯则一切不辜负。如何保全性灵不辜负，要全空一切相，方才不染不著。否则，尽是妄业，永沉识海受苦。

以上这些关于参禅做功夫过程中应当注重修学的要点，是《超脱真诠》一书中的主要思想观点。现代的参禅之人若能在参禅中善加利用，不仅能保证正确的修学方向，还能收到事半功倍的参禅效果。

If all the merit of taking Refuge were to take a physical form, the whole of space, entirely filled, would not be enough to contain it. 

-- Patrul Rinpoche

The Essence of the Doctrine

by Lama Dudjom Dorjee

When a doctor makes a diagnosis of a specific disease to a patient, she prescribes a specific medicine which, if taken in the right amounts and at the right times by the patient, will eventually cure the disease. At the point the disease is cured, the medicine becomes unnecessary. This is the essence of the doctrine of the Buddha dharma — when certain kleshas and afflictive emotions are identified and the specific practices are applied as an antidote for these poisons, eventually these negativities are overcome and liberation from suffering is attained.

For instance, when we encounter negative emotions, the confused mind perceives no separation between itself and the emotion: the two become conflated and suffering is perpetuated without interruption. However, the skilful mind perceives the negative emotion as separate from the mind itself, that it represents the mere appearance of a dependently-arisen phenomenon empty of any inherent existence.

In order to dig up the root of afflictive emotions, the practitioner must first learn the essence of Hinayana doctrines. No matter how many times we cut down a tree, if the root remains below the surface, the tree will grow back the following spring. The same principle holds true for the tree of negative emotions: no matter how much we engage in dharma practice to remove the appearance of negativities, as soon as the causes and conditions come together once again, like the sun and rain that nurture the roots, the afflictive emotions will reappear. Thus, the skilful practitioner must learn the essence of the doctrines of the Hinayana path in order to dig up the very root of these negativities.

To actually use these negative afflictive emotions as fuel for our practice and bring them onto the bodhisattva path we must learn the essence of the Mahayana point of view, which welcomes all difficult or painful experiences as opportunities to expand our practice.

Finally, from the Vajrayana point of view, we can actually transform these kleshas into the wisdom of the Vajrayana practice itself. This is possible as the afflictive emotions are recognised for what they truly are, when their basic nature of perfect purity is understood beyond conceptualisation.

All things may be seen correctly or incorrectly; and so it is that they possess a dual identity. The ultimate is what is seen correctly, the wrongly seen is superficial truth, it’s said. 

-- Chandrakirti

聞『正覺音』豁心眼

仁俊長老

佛法，為世出世間「正覺」之本。學佛法，一開始，就認清、肯定著這，日常中接觸到的一切，則能立刻理解、辨別他的是非、善惡、邪正，因為佛法的開示，成為念頭上、緣頭上、（大）關頭上判斷的準則。學佛法能得力獲益者，全靠這樣的準則。

圓淨無上的正覺者 ── 釋迦牟尼佛，他一生中所說的一切法門，總賅地說：一個「正」字。所以，學佛者首須堅持的：學佛法就是學正。眾生中最易於、善於理解正道，也能接受正道的薰陶、教養、啟迪、體肯而踐履的；從踐履中能做成決定性的永恆上進者，只有「欲界人間」的人。六根健靈的欲界中的人，一生下來就具有（有漏）「生得善、生得慧」，這表徵著無善不能獲得人身，無慧不能感得人心，人身人心中既有了如此的善與慧，多麼值得我們重視、珍惜，自慶而自奮─淨奮啊！

釋尊在娑婆世界成佛之前，據大乘經記載，他一發了菩提心，便都生生世世於娑婆世界行菩薩道而上求下化，這證明著：他於娑婆世界發心行道，也於娑婆世界成佛的最有力的榜樣。從欲惡、穢濁、鬥諍（爭）邊說，娑婆人間相當的苦惱，從上比諸天、下比三途來看，欲界人間卻是苦樂參半，成為修學佛法最適宜的大好所在。

阿彌陀經中十方諸佛異口同聲地稱讚世尊「不可思議功德」，因為他「能於娑婆國土……得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。」無量壽經也說：在娑婆世界念一天佛勝於極樂世界修行一劫。「小身能辦（度生成佛）大事」，這是他方世界諸佛對其菩薩弟子來娑婆世界恭聆世尊說法，告誡他們不可輕視世尊的弟子。在娑婆世界成佛的世尊，受到十方諸佛的無比歎敬，在娑婆世界修行也遠遠勝於極樂世界；矮小的身軀卻能成辦大事，這都明顯而充份地襯托出娑婆人間的可貴可重，我們有幸地獲得娑婆人間之人身而聞法、學法、行法，真可謂「百千萬劫難遭遇」，警提而互勉將他 ── 人身 ── 挺練出一群青年菩薩身手吧！

到底娑婆世界的人有什麼特色？有三：一、「憶念勝」，人類的心與腦能構思、能觸悟、能創發、能通曉一切事理，世間一切的高尚文化與文明，無一不是人類心與腦的「作業」、產品及成績。引起而能相續，能使令心與腦合作、運作的指揮者 ── 念，所以，念力乃是精神界總體的、遍通的管道與線路。人類的理性與事相，作止與動靜，如能一一透過「正見」的指向，「正念」的依持；從正念中將佛法記憶得「不失念」，眼前的淨智之路，則坦豁得不閉不偏、不惑疑。日常中最能戰勝三毒的 ── 念與慧，把緊著，用熟了它吧！

二、「梵行勝」，明決而真切的德性，稱為梵行。「正見」與「正智」導持著「正語、正業、正命」、內在嚴治得抗絕欲私，外在勘核得透脫惑染；正志激提、策警得不（玩光）掠（影），不倒、不懼、不疲；正勤之足展邁得凌越（前）瞻（後）顧、（左）絆（右）纏，念頭上趣正、印正的，不離乎正，就這樣，一味地正得篤實堅穩，與正見相應得永不脫節。生命、生活與生死中淨化的基力，覺化的本（中道）德（行），則莫可撼動、摧破、毀滅。

梵行，從不共（世俗）說：畢竟清淨行。人類生命究極的新生、勝利（功德），不為「物」與「我」所惑弄、吸陷、作害，享受到光天化日般的生活，練磨著佛心聖格樣的生命；從佛心聖格的健羨、渴慕與嚮往中，真學實修得精誠不茍，熱切日增，佛心體見得不忘慧明，聖格取效得不離正德，身心中檢照與流露的 ── （相似的有力）清淨，對偶一萌現的昧亂，則能當下激發，愧懺、對治得頓決、杜絕逸悔、虛誑與俗濫，這麼實驗得明見諸佛、直通眾生，生命與生死中則能發揮真「有為」，展施大作用，從身心清淨的既明且安中，永恆地發達得光能照人，熱（誠得）能感（動）人。

三、「勤勇勝」。人類的特徵之一：（善惡）意欲旺熾而意志堅定、沉著，面對現實的一切，透過意識嚴密、精細、深刻的思考、裁決，接著，就按著製定的計畫、步驟，循序執行得成為事實。人性、人事、人間世的種種（有漏相對的）活的進化：豎的承傳、發展，橫的展佈、溝通，全都憑著無數無量人類的耐力、活力、創力、猛迅力所構成；因此，除了人類的「業力」，整個世界就殭枯、死寂得莫可名言。

能從正學、睿思中上進得能行菩薩道，能傳佛陀法者，惟有人類。人，只須善於植培、調教，從「生得慧」的重視、慎導、久增中擴充又擴充，淨化更淨化，則成為光明中人。藉淨智之光，對佛陀的正法照了無疑，對眾生的大恩銘記不忘，從正法中勝解緣生非（外道自）性生，從眾生大恩中深感他力（相助）非（沒有實在的自）我（之）力，以諸佛因地（菩薩）之心隨力隨分，隨時隨地，懃懇而喜敬地償報一切眾生曠劫之恩，如此的菩薩心與眾生恩緊接、靈應得如響是應，為人為法的義命感、天職觀，決絕地了卻生命慮顧，苦樂盤計，則必然勤勇得直前直進，不甘輕屈，不肯偏滯。活躍於人潮與涵育於法海中的菩薩行者，一個個都這麼渾身渾心提足勁頭，環迴而奔波於人間。

策激勤勇最夠力的兩個字：「立刻」！立刻的「意勢」與頓振的「氣志」配合、鼓動得生死關頭不驚喜，迷悟緣頭能拒持，染淨念頭必杜提：這三頭上跨越得過，挺卓得決，佛法中的手腳與頭面，言行與識見，到處才能讓人們看得腦豁神暢，察得法淨品堅，鼓舞、奮發得跟著我們一道兒上進；上進得昂揚開廓。立刻與頓振（千萬不可妄想「頓悟」，痴求「頓成」）化為（真）言（實）行的激發劑，提策力，我們才能帶頭導集許多人上進得昂揚燦壯，氣勢生動而氣志充沛。

修學的惟一要訣：「正聞薰習」，正聞為正覺之基。釋尊「法界等流」中的「正覺之音」 ── 「正法」；正法中最精純、淨廓的總源匯處 ── 「妙雲集」，耐得下心，沉得住氣，立得決志，發得透（行）願，敬讀、細讀、精讀、深讀、深入、深攝、深現得透腦、透心、透念，正法從念頭上點示，趣向真實，佛法中的勝境與勝義，探涉與體解到的，心眼則開豁得不玩幻有，常行真空，從真空中深照、深治、深轉如幻身心及眾生，透脫自我體面。握持佛法根源 ── 正覺，才能立刻從福報狂，智慧荒的險黑中跳出來！

As true Buddhists, we need to remind ourselves that we are here as a guest and our precious body is a guest house. It’s not a matter of if, but when we are going to depart for our next destination. As Buddha rightly said, “We prepare and plan to do so many things in our lives, however, we fail to plan for our next unknown journey which is in fact the most important part of the planning.” Rebirth, old age, sickness, and death are all part of our lives, and we should realise that from the moment we are born, we are already moving nearer to death, and nobody can undo this process because this is the reality of our lives. Buddhist doctrine teaches us how to go along with the nature of things, and by doing so we will not feel so much pain. For instance, when we buy a new piece of clothing, we don’t get worried about the fact that over time it may get torn, old, and eventually thrown into the garbage, because this is how everything happens. Thus, it is very important to remind ourselves that we are simply a guest visiting for a short stay for the purpose of being happy and sharing happiness with others. If we are wise then we will try to make good use of our opportunities while we can, because if we miss a moment, then it may be difficult to get another opportunity.

-- Zurmang Gharwang Rinpoche

Mirrors of the Mind: Mysterious Home of the Dakini

by Tilly Campbell-Allen

Look into the mirror of your mind . . . the mysterious home of the dakini.

So taught Tilopa to Naropa, according to the Life and Teaching of Naropa in the episodes on the “twelve great acts of self-denial.”

The mirror of your mind . . . is there such a place? Does it lie within, a purely psychological state? Do we practice deity meditations and mantras until we reprogram our brains to reflect the nature we aspire to manifest? No doubt that there is validity to the idea of neural remapping, but is that a mirror? Or is it simply how we explain away events in the outside world? Giving meaning to both the good and the bad in our lives; finding spiritual solace in supernatural interventions. Our state of mind certainly seems to be reflected in the outside world at times. When we wake up feeling good, that first morning coffee tastes fabulous. And even if it doesn’t, it doesn’t matter — we smile at the world and it seems to smile back. But wake up feeling stressed, tired, and annoyed, and that first coffee doesn’t just taste terrible — before you even take the first taste, you've already managed to spill coffee grains all over the counter top, you’re out of sugar, you’ve splashed milk on the floor, slipped on the water you used to mop it up, dropped the spoon behind the cooker, and scalded your tongue on the first sip. The day inevitability continues in the same vein.

We’ve all been there, coffee or not.

But should we look for meaning in potentially random happenings? Such as a rainbow arcing over the stupa after a deep meditation session within, thus calling it auspicious (yes, this actually happened to me during a confusing period in my life and I took it as beautifully meaningful). Can we give meaning to other seemingly arbitrary events, such as a black cat crossing one’s path? Is there something more, somewhere “mysterious,” as Tilopa said? Somewhere that exists in the in-between state, or may I call it the unknown universe? The “dark” that comprises most of the measurable universe. If, as calculated by astrophysicists, only 4 per cent of the universe is known to us, and let’s face it, the minute percentage that we call our entire reality, well that leaves a vast, expansive majority of whatever is left. Dark matter and dark energy. The mathematics also suggests multiple universes or dimensions, which suddenly gives us a lot more. Perhaps alternate realities that we may recognise as akin to our own, or ethereal realms just beyond our mundane perceptions. Dimensions that may well be mysterious and offer space for mirrors.

And so to the Pure Lands, the compassionate red lotus of the Padma family of Amitabha, and the beautiful Kurukulla. She is often considered the Red Tara of subjugation, coercion, and fascination, shooting her sacred red uptala arrows of love at all, even those who are sworn against the Dharma, and hooking them and with her binding noose, reeling them and us into her embrace and into higher realms of consciousness. Her crown of five skulls represents the five transcendent insights of a Buddha — compassion, effort, mindfulness, concentration, and the ability to clearly mirror reality. She represents the beauty of the Dharma and speech. Her Tibetan name, Rigiyedma, translates as “mistress of magic,” “mistress of knowledge,” and “cause of knowledge,” though none are literal translations of the Sanskrit.

Atypically for the Buddhist pantheon, with her charms of love, seduction, and even sex, it is easy to associate her more with Aphrodite wielding Cupid’s bow and arrow rather than the more typical flaying knife and skull cup wielding deity we’re more accustomed to seeing in Buddhist iconography. In fact, within the Buddhist world, where attachment and desire are aspects to be purged, Kurukulla is nothing but attachment, which seems curious. But like the mesmerising nature of clouds, hypnotic running water, or leaves swaying in the warm breeze of a lazy day, Kurukulla’s way is to enchant us into her wisdom, to transmute our passions into that wisdom. Like rays of sunshine, she reaches out to us all. Her noose is the red of uptala flowers, the red of passion and compassion, a red thread that lovingly wraps itself around us. And the red thread has long been associated with love and romantic interconnection, as well as the more obvious symbolism of the veins of our lifeblood.

There is a beautiful Asian belief about the red thread of fate that connects those destined for each other. No matter how knotted, tangled, or stretched that thread may become, it will never break, and eventually, at the right time, the couple will meet their shared destiny. In India, the red thread binds us in love and protects us, and there is a feeling of protection when life feels written. In fact, similarly, there were also the Three Fates of ancient Greece spinning and issuing the threads of our lives from birth till the very end, as well as the Three Norns doing the same in old Norse mythology.

As if the thread was a way to free us from the labyrinth of our life, we have the Greek myth of Theseus, who, having been given a red thread by Ariadne, rescued himself from the Minotaur’s labyrinth. If we are Theseus, Ariadne could be Kurukulla with her red noose. The red noose is our umbilical cord and we are nourished by her. She is red like blood — like menstrual blood, which carries everything needed for the growing embryo. Because there seems to be even more than the gorgeous icon seducing us to the Dharma. Because while she may be like a pinup superstar, using her allure and influence for a worthy cause, she is also associated with magic. And what could be considered more magical than the creation of life? Kurukulla was absorbed into the Tara pantheon of Buddhism as a goddess personification from a long tradition of Indian love magic, yet she now holds the positions of both Buddhahood as well as the sky-dancing nature of the dakini . . . where the mirror lies.

Earlier in this essay, I mentioned the unknown universe, and before now I have suggested that the Prajnaparamita texts describe an understanding of the universe that we only now refer to as quantum physics. Within this “spooky” world,* where everything is vibratory and connected in ways hard for our brains to fathom, there cannot be separateness from anything due to nothing inherently existing in this illusion of solidity we call physical reality. Thus, calling the energy of Kurukulla is, in my opinion, how we interface our wishes with manifestation. Dare I say it, almost like the fabled “law of attraction.”

Is this where the mirror of our mind resides? Dakinis may act as “muses of the transcendental” according to the author Vessantara (Tony McMahon) in his book Meeting the Buddhas: A Guide to Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Tantric Deities (2004), ever inspiring us toward enlightenment. But are they also mirrored manifestations in the energetic web-space just outside of our slim perception that trained minds can touch? And in the case of Kurukulla, the web is red, like a thread that we can mentally wrap around our desire and bring to fruition. . . .

The essential mantra of Kurukulla is:

Oṁ Kurukulle Hrīḥ Svāhā

Be careful what you wish for; it may come true!

Cloth is established from causes and causes also are established from other (causes). When something is not established from itself how could it generate another?

-- Aryadeva

成佛之道的抉擇

净界法师

我們在成佛之道，你有兩個選擇：

第一個、你願意在有漏的世界，生生世世的轉世，在這個地方發菩提心、懺悔業障、積集資糧，直到成佛為止。這個人也是精神可嘉，我以這個有漏的果報體：「不能念、要他念；煩惱不能斷、要它斷」，抗拒你的煩惱障、業障、報障，一生一生的增上，直到成佛為止，這也是一個選擇，佛陀也同意這樣的修行方法：發菩提心，修六波羅蜜，積功累德，成就佛道。

但是，在有漏的世間裡面，生生世世轉世，這當中有一個很嚴重的問題，就是「退轉」的問題。首先是煩惱障，發了菩提心以後，這個有漏的果報體，這個身心世界的煩惱會障礙你。你看舍利弗尊者，他曾經修了六十劫的發菩提心、發了六十劫，六十劫也是不少的時間，後來遇到惡因緣起了瞋心，退大取小，煩惱障礙你。其次，你要造了罪業，這個罪業也會障礙你發菩提心，罪業是擾動性的，它跟菩提心是相違背的。第三個報障，你在三界裡面得果報，萬一你沒有得到人身，到畜生道去了，這件事情也障礙你發菩提心、懺悔業障、積集資糧，這三件事情在畜生道都不能做，這個時間是空過了，完全空過了，這個就是有問題，退轉。你今生如此，你不能說你下輩子還是如此，生命是沒有主宰性的，一切法無我，生命體是一種業力的顯現，誰也不能對生命做任何的期許。

第二個、你「為菩提道求生淨土」：我們思惟一個資糧位的菩薩，在止觀力薄弱的情況之下，我們好不容易在汙泥當中、無量無邊的無明妄想當中，開了一朵小蓮華，菩提心。我們為了護持菩提心的緣故，先到淨土去，那裡的身心世界沒有障礙；等到成就大乘正定聚法身以後，你再回到凡夫這種有漏的身心世界國土，再來積功累德。它的方法是這樣：先成就聖道，然後再積功累德；先到淨土去成就「不退轉」的功德，然後再回入娑婆，那是一個法身菩薩；這時候以法身菩薩的身分，住持正法，續佛慧命；以聖人的身分來住持正法，不要以凡夫的身分來住持正法，那就比較莊嚴，那又不同。

The more judgement you have, the more ego you have.

The less judgement you have, the less ego you have.

-- Kyabgon Phakchok Rinpoche

Learning to Meditate

by Choje Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche

Here is a very simple, easy meditation. When I say easy meditation I mean that there isn't anything you need to do. Simple means we are not going to use any complicated visualisations or method so our mind will not have any reason or chance to complain.

According to Mahamudra, which is the highest form of meditation practised in my Lineage, simple and easy is considered the very best. Sometimes we human beings make everything difficult for ourselves. We think that if everything is easy or simple it is not good enough, so we have to complicate everything. If we really want to practice, we can make life easy and simple.  Our mundane life is already complicated enough so our spiritual life should be easy and simple.

MOTIVATION 

I always like to explain about how to have the proper motivation. Why do we meditate? We meditate because we want to be steady; we want to be caring and kind human beings. So what we try to do is to develop our everyday habit to become a good human being, a positive human being. Then when we have this quality the result is that the quality of your life improves, your home, family, friends and job, your whole life will be happier. If we meditate with a selfish motivation, the 'I', our ego, is thinking of all the qualities we want to achieve and we see everybody as our enemy. If you meditate and somebody is making noise you think 'Oh I can't meditate because these people are making so much noise', or you think 'I can't meditate because people won't give me time'. So the selfish meditator always finds ways to complain and blame other people and then you don't find inner peace because you create unnecessary enemies. So we have to get rid of this selfishness. We can do that by always thinking how fortunate we are.

SETTLING 

When you start a meditation session you need to settle yourself down properly, so first of all appreciate how fortunate you are. You have many choices: you could be going on holiday or doing something else, but because you have the aspiration to do something useful, you have decided to use this time properly.  To use the time properly you sit, relaxed physically and mentally. You don't allow your mind to go back to your everyday life by thinking 'I should have done this' or 'I could have gone with that'. Don't allow these thoughts to come up because they're not useful for meditation. You have made the decision to meditate so it's no use thinking, 'I should have gone with my friends', or 'What are other people thinking about me?' None of this is helpful. When you are meditating mind should be right here.

DISTRACTION 

When you see your mind start to wander, bring it back kindly. It doesn't matter if it needs to be brought back a thousand times, don't lose patience. Many people have very little tolerance and that's no use. Buddha teaches us to have patience and tolerance. If your mind wanders you don't need to get upset or tense, just gently bring it back and physically relax. You need to learn to see yourself getting tense and then remind yourself to calm down. You don't need to be tense, just enjoy yourself!  

DEALING WITH THOUGHTS, FEELINGS AND EMOTIONS

One important thing to remember is not to judge your feelings. Don't judge how you feel while meditating because sometimes we sit and have a good experience; we are happy and we somehow pursue that, and then when we have a negative thought or anxiety or emotions we get stressed. Being a good meditator means not judging whether our thoughts and emotions are good or bad. Actually it makes no difference whether they are good or bad - thoughts come and go like a wave of energy, like the wind comes and goes. The thoughts have no solidity so you can learn not to hold onto them but to let them go.

If you feel very stressed, it doesn't need to be a problem because you can just let it go, just leave it. If you feel happy, don't get lost in it. Buddha advises us to learn to treat these thoughts and feelings like the wind. You can't say wind doesn't exist because wind is energy, but there isn't anything to hold on to, and our experience of feelings is nothing more than that. So in meditation just leave everything alone.  When you learn to do this you will feel so self-liberated that nothing will bother you any more. You will not be caught in the past, nor in the future.  You will be completely free because you do not engage in anything to do with your experience, your feelings or sensibilities. When you are meditating always send the message to your mind not to get stressed. Learn to enjoy sitting. Relax mentally and physically so you have a better chance of starting the meditation properly.

Questions

How do I deal with impatience and restlessness when meditating?

This difficulty I can understand because most of you are brought up in a culture of busyness. You are told that if you don't have lots of thoughts and ideas you are dull. You think you have to be busy. Also our mind is very judgemental, constantly deciding things are good, bad, right or wrong, judging all the time. As we start to learn Buddhist wisdom we begin to realise that if we have a calmer mind, and don't judge everything, we can achieve more.  

There are a few points we need to understand very clearly so we can have some sort of idea of how to improve, how we can move forward. If we become impatient and intolerant we could do many things wrong and never actually improve our situation, only make it worse. Never allow impatience to come into meditation because the purpose of meditation is simply to learn to stay, to be there. You don't have to measure your ability in any way. When we are meditating, whatever our weakness is, we don't have to get involved in it or worry about it, we just have to remember that all we want to do is overcome it.

How do I deal with high expectations of reaching a meditative state quickly when it is only at the end of the meditation that one starts to relax?

You are seeing the light at the end of a dark tunnel. You see there is a possibility that you can achieve something, that you can have inner peace, but our mundane habit is very strong. For example, we usually think that when we do anything we have to have something to show for it. If we are making a temple, we want to have a temple at the end to show what we have achieved. But in meditation you are not building a temple. You are simply sitting there asking your mind to do nothing. So that is why you have to give up expectation. When we say we achieve something in meditation, for a good meditator that means you are able to give up expectation. If you are able to do that, then you will reach your goal.

We often say, 'No hope, no fear'. Fear comes because of hope, because of expectation. You hope to achieve something, hope to gain something, so the fear of failure comes. So if you want to be free from fear give up the hope. Then it is simple. Sometimes I feel very sorry for you because you are brought up culturally, traditionally even spiritually very different from what I teach. It looks like there is a conflict. You shouldn't think that way. Following an ordinary path means you go in one direction. Following a spiritual path means going in a different direction, so there is no conflict. You need to decide whether you are going to follow the spiritual path or a worldly path.  I'm advising you to follow the spiritual path and forget about the worldly path. So this does not lead to inner conflict.

I find it difficult to integrate experiences from meditation into worldly and everyday life. Can you give some hints or advice?

In Buddhism we learn to develop a new way of thinking. We can learn a new way of life through sitting meditation, through doing intensive retreat for many years. Once we are able to change our mental and emotional habits then our everyday life will change. So as soon as you walk out from a meditation session you are able to remember to be a good human being. You remember not to get angry. You remember not to judge. You should think about this and find out what is your greatest weakness and work on that.  If it is anger for example, then as soon as somebody makes you angry or as soon as you find some reason to be upset you remember that anger is not the path you want to follow, you remember not to react and get angry.

What this really means is remembering the right method at the right time. Mostly, people forget, then when they get upset, it causes chaos! After the energy of the anger has gone they feel sorry and regret having said this or done that. Then they feel bad. That's a little too late. You have to catch it before you do any harm. You need to think and bring in the correct action. Mindfulness means remembering what you have to do. So even if it takes a life-long effort it's worthwhile, because certain weaknesses and mind-poisons cause a lot of pain and suffering to yourself and harm and pain to others. To develop this mindfulness it is worthwhile to spend your whole life if necessary. Otherwise we keep on making the same mistakes again and again. Then life becomes painful.

To me, modern civilisation seems very shallow, with no depth and no wisdom. People nowadays suffer tremendously and don't know how to deal with it. So they drink to relieve the pain then they become an alcoholic. It's like taking the wrong kind of medicine. Others smoke and become addicted. Or they do Tai Chi, Karate all these things. It's like having a car, but never tuning the engine. You polish the car so outwardly it looks o.k., but the engine is rusty and car doesn't function properly.  According to deeper wisdom, as long as the engine is in good condition and can take you wherever you need to go, the outer body is not so important.

Being wise means learning always to relax when you get into difficulty. Learn to take care of your mental state. Other things can be wonderful, but you still have the same problem because your mind can't do anything to help itself. So it is very important always to consider if you can drive your car without oil, or if it is worth having a good engine. Habits can build up so one day you take one glass the next day two, but the underlying problem will still be there. Buddhadharma teaches that we need to help ourselves mentally and emotionally so we never need to start to depend on smoking or drinking. Meditation is the key to this.

The modern world is full of people pretending to be someone they are not: always ready to fight battles, having to wear so many ornaments because what people see is more important than how you feel inside. But it is not beneficial to wear fancy clothes when there is so much suffering inside. We need to be realistic and take the responsibility to make sure our inside being is satisfied and happy. Life is not a drama showing the world how happy you are or how successful you are. That doesn't make anyone happy.

So when you are meditating learn to relax physically and mentally. When you hear a sound, try to become one with the sound.  Instead of letting it bother you, you can use sound as an implement to improve your meditation. So, if you are a great meditator, whatever noise you hear, doesn't become a noise that you hear, you are able to tune your mind with the noise. The noise and yourself become one. So in future no noise can disturb your peace. This is very important.

Why no meditation music? Would this be disturbing?

This is a different method!

The mind's capacity is limitless, and its manifestations are inexhaustible. Seeing forms with your eyes, hearing sounds with your ears, smelling odours with your nose, tasting flavours with your tongue, every movement or state is all your mind.

-- Bodhidharma

为什么总是梦到过世的亲人？

妙祥法师

出家人是不允许解梦的。

这些事情，

都是自己平时的所作所为，

所表现的一种法相。

——妙祥法师

梦是自身习性和作为的表现

一居士：请师父给我解两个梦。一、梦见一佛一菩萨将我引到一个小门前，有没有进不记得了，这是怎么回事？还梦见一个道士，画着阴阳鱼的道袍，还有两个人欲加害我，这意味着什么？

出家人是不允许解梦的。这些事情，都是自己平时的所作所为所表现的一种法相。

比如说梦见佛菩萨，必然是在平时修行努力了，心里清净，就会梦见佛菩萨。并不是外面有佛菩萨，你心里清净就是佛菩萨。

又梦见进入小门就不进去了，这小门可不能进。有时候人投生，就进入小门投生去了。

还有阴阳鱼、道袍，就说你老是有阴一面阳一面，一会好一会坏。你老有两种思想在做斗争，平时有一部分去努力修行，心里清净一部分，还有一部分妄想，所以互相都有斗争。

一居士：眼一闭上，面前有个幻影，有时是人，有时是狐狸脸。晚上睡觉做梦多，全是乱梦，离谱，有时候还梦见把着电线飞，有时不用把着手一动就飞了，还必须念大悲咒才飞得高，不飞高就有人在底下抓住我。

眼前有幻影，既然是幻影，就不要执着。为什么有狐狸脸？是我们平时老往上追求，和这有关系。

这个狐狸脸，一般狐狸都是比较狡猾的一种象征。有时候我们常出现狐狸脸，就是说我们做事情有不实在的地方，我们应该检查自己。因为众生的脸，就是我们的心性，就是我们所作所为的一种表现。

有的人过狠了，就会出现蛇的形象；有的人出狐狸形象，这是狡猾，等等。它并不是有个狐狸在那块儿，而这是我们的心性，和它有近似的地方。所以如果梦见这些东西，或见到这种景象，应该检查自己的修行是不是做的不好。

另外有时做梦在电线上飞，这是好事。飞是说明我们持戒还有清净的地方，如果持戒不清净，就会在地上，或泥坑里，或在屎尿里。所以飞起来必然是心清净，才能飞。

梦只是一种表法，并不是真有一个狐狸，或真这有个电线飞，是由我们心的清净和不清净，来决定这些梦的形象。

梦见佛是好事，并非反梦

一居士：有一次去我姐家拜佛，当晚梦见了佛祖。可为什么有人说这是反梦？

这个问题，如果晚上梦见佛这是好事，并不是坏事。为什么我们能梦见佛？佛的形象也就是我们觉悟的形象，只有人觉悟了，才可以梦到佛。

梦见佛可以消灾。因为必然是善根增长，才会梦见佛。但是，我们所说的佛，并不是说一个人的形象就是佛。什么是佛？觉悟是佛。

你可能因为拜佛也好，或者其它修行，这一段时间可能对佛法很努力，而且不断地诵经诵咒，有的属悟道——有时候并不是说我们的思维明白什么了才叫悟，并不是这叫悟，而是我们心里清净了。

虽然没有在理论上得到什么，但是心里清净，这个就叫悟。所以说，有时候，当人心里清净的时候，他就会梦到佛。梦到佛，也说明是过去的善根，是很好的。

梦到父母是慈悲

一居士：我父亲已经去世将近三年了。有一次梦到我父亲的身体是半透明的，他的上身是透明的，底下这肉与人肉一样……

你做这个梦，不一定梦见的就是你父亲。梦见父亲是什么意思呢？父亲就是一个慈，慈就是代表父的意思。悲就是代表母亲的意思。

就说明什么呢？就说明你这一段儿的修行有了慈悲之心，有了慈悲之心就会梦见父母。你梦见你父亲，说明你这一段儿或是这一天做了一个很好的事情，很有慈悲心的事情，所以才有这种感应。

能梦见父亲，不是说你父亲如何了。我们梦中的图像往往是一种表法的过程，并不是说我梦见谁就是谁了，不是这个意思。

梦到亡者不代表他来了

一居士：婆婆梦见去世的公公托梦，是否说明他还没有转世？还可以给他办超度吗？

人去世后，有的就已经转世了，不会再回来。另外，所留下的人，觉得梦中见到了故人，这都是自己的习性，不一定是他；或是有其他众生代替他的形象。

这个人已经去世三十来年了，有时候梦到，是自己留下的记忆力所造成的。再有，就是你父亲可能有过这个愿望，现在想起来了，或是托付某些法界众生，来叫你母亲知道一下，倒不一定是他的灵魂没超生出来。

人也有灵魂，所谓的灵魂在佛教里叫神识，从某种角度讲神识是不会灭掉的，只不过是随着业力在流转，做善的往善道走，做恶的往恶道走。

办下超度可以，但不一定说人没转世。我们梦里看到了所谓过世的人，有时是我们过去存在的种子识的一种印象。我们不断地思惟、不断地想、不断地害怕，这些印象借助我们的力量，而不断地变真实。

至于是否转世，这种说法究竟是不是真实的，这个事情你不能这么验证，不能因为你婆婆说“我梦见他来了”就是真的了。有时候这些是自己业力的表现。

就像你做梦似的，比如说，你有时候梦见了同学，人没死，还能走到你梦里半天，那你还能说是这个人灵魂到你那里去了？

做噩梦怎么办

一居士：我家因环境小，佛堂设在睡房里，孩子有时候睡觉梦着许多蛇在身上爬来爬去，很害怕，请师父开示怎么办好？

应该多诵《心经》、《金刚经》。环境小，佛堂设在睡房里，等睡觉的时候盖上就可以了。

孩子要是睡梦中梦见很多蛇，就提醒我们大人在谈论佛法、谈论因果的时候一定要注意：不要老是谈鬼神、狐蠎蛇仙的，老谈这些东西，对他们有暗示作用。

一小居士：师父，师父！为什么我每次都做噩梦，不做好梦？做噩梦老是忘不掉？

都做噩梦啊……你想做好梦？那个好办，你天天晚上念经，你拜观世音菩萨，肯定后面能做好梦。（大众笑）

做噩梦忘不掉啊，你天天晚上诵一部《心经》，这样的话就会忘掉。另外再一个就是什么呢？你到时间就起来，别贪睡。比如说早点起来，醒了就起来，不要贪睡，一贪睡就容易做噩梦的。

不要执着于梦

一居士：一日午间梦见金黄色纸，上面写着一些字，有八月十六如何如何，梦中还有个僧人一直唤罗丘菩萨，请师父指点。

这都是自己平时想得过多。

文字般若，并非是真正的般若，有时候人在境界中也会看到一些文字，梦中也会看到一些文字，它都是我们心中灰尘的一种变化。在修行路上千万不要执着这些东西，要放下。

如果你老惦记这个梦，人就不能修道了。说“这梦要解释好了，我就更能够修道了”。你不知道，应无所住生其心。

你要知道这个梦就住了，住了就是退道。说“我没退道，我就问问梦怎么回事”。什么是退道？你只要有一念心要问，这就是退道，所以说这个很厉害的。

不做梦是好事

一居士：持咒以后几年来不做梦，或一年偶尔清梦，是否与持咒有关，或有什么征兆？

不做梦是好事，不颠倒梦想嘛！我曾经看到一个硕士，在秦皇岛看到的，那年他六十多岁。他说，我从来不做梦。他的走路，进到屋里见我的时候，走路非常快，像刮风似的。说完就走，就又刮风，这一阵风又刮没了。

就是说他的脑子，就是非常单纯，没有其它的，所以这样人他不做梦。在别人看来就是说不文明、不谨慎，实际上是一种修行。

所以说他这么做（走路快），我当时很认可他，虽然他来去像刮风似的，但他说的话我相信，确实他不做梦。

因为不做梦的人心里特别直，说完就走了，就没有什么啰嗦事。我想跟你慢慢唠啊，谈点啊，那些事都没有，就直来直去。后来我再没看到他。

所以说不做梦是好。和持咒有没有关系？我想应该有关系。如果持咒必然心里清净，远离颠倒梦想，妄想少。

In this world, the doing of evil and the sin that is wrought of men is violent and furious as the storm, wind and rain. Therefore have the compassionate Buddhas exhorted men to seek their refuge within the Land of Purity

-- Shinran

The Dharma in Nature

by Anam Thubten Rinpoche

Elaborate, ornate temples are ubiquitous in many Buddhist countries. There are many aspects of those temples that can be appreciated, and their ingenious architecture is just one of them. Visiting is not only an act of worship but a holy sightseeing experience that stimulates one’s interest in art, history, and philosophy. Seeing such grandiosity that marries human ingenuity with the sacred in form can amaze the senses. Temples not only represent the sublime in the Buddha and the Dharma, but also the unique flavour of any given culture. Thai temples have quite a different style from those of Japan, and Tibetan temples, too, have their own unique character, blending in harmony with the majestic landscape of the Himalaya.

It is human nature to seek to create a splendid form to express one’s devotion to something great, or to feel a connection with that greatness by capturing it in a tangible form. This is equally true for both religious and secular forms. The Statue of Liberty in New York is not a religious symbol, yet in some sense, it is elevated to the sacred in the hearts of many, all over the world. It captures everyone’s imagination upon seeing it and invokes our aspiration for liberty, equality, and justice for all. Some of my friends call her “The Green Tara.” Huge amounts of money have also been poured into creating astonishing monuments commemorating the heroes of a revolution, or city halls with imposing facades.

Many years ago, I visited the Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris, one of the most famous buildings in the world. It was filled with visitors from everywhere, many of whom appeared to be just tourists checking off the famous landmark on their to-do list along with trying the fresh local croissants. Others among them were moved and were praying. The cathedral was truly magnificent; the memory of light shining through its multihued stained-glass windows is not easy to forget. For centuries, the cathedral was important for many Christians as a place where they could pray, contemplate, and be in touch with the Divine. On another visit, one of the people with me was amazed by it yet simultaneously felt uncomfortable, sensing its historical association with the dictatorial power of the Church.

In the beginning, temples were built for faith-related reasons as well as one major practical purpose: they were places where people wouldn’t get too cold or too hot and could have a roof over their heads to protect them from the elements. Some temples are well-loved and surrounded by extramundane stories. Toward the end of last year, I had the opportunity to see an ancient temple in South Korea. Being there was like being at home, in that my heartfelt overwhelming joy and comfort. A painting of Guan Yin gave me the sense of a compassionate Divine Mother gazing at me, understanding who I am, understanding the depths of my life, offering a universal love that my heart had been longing for. Most probably, everyone has this longing. A similar feeling fell upon me when, at early an age, I visited a famous temple dedicated to Avalokiteshvara with some of my relatives, and those fond memories have stayed with me, etched in my mind in vivid images.

Yet many people also find deep peace, transcendence, and awakening in nature — whether in a forest, among mountains, or in a desert. Dzogchen masters such as Longchenpa (1308–64), Jigme Lingpa (1730–98), and Shabkarpa (1781–1851) invite us in their writings to enter the wilderness alone and dive into the Dharma, so that an authentic spiritual awakening can occur. Nature has the power to wash away all ego-centred mental chatter, worries, and anxieties, allowing us to feel a deep serenity and to see the way things are in the grand picture of reality. Nature’s magic lures us to tap into a greater truth that is not polluted by man made theories and concepts, and liberates us from the shackles of conventions that often go against the purity of our hearts.

For the past few years, I have led a Chöd retreat in Canyon De Chelly in the southwestern United States. Chöd is a tantric Buddhist practice embraced by the wandering yogis of the past. People have often engaged in the practice alone in the wilderness, far from civilisation. Its chanting is accompanied by a haunting melody and simple musical instruments. On the retreats, we have our own tents, refrain from taking showers, stop shaving, and eat simple foods. The best part of the retreats is that we practice outdoors, under the trees, with some of us sitting on folding chairs and others on the ground. Such a setting brings with it a sense of closeness between everyone there. Thankfully, there is also no smartphone reception. Each night, many of us gaze into the sky, amazed by the majesty of the celestial bodies overhead, as if seeing them for the first time. I always return with the realisation that nature is a true temple in which the nectar of the Dharma flows on its own in our consciousness.

Redwoods, oaks, red madrone, squirrels, crows, eagles, sunrises, clouds, the ocean, hills — all of these make Northern California a special pilgrimage place for the those who worship nature. Luckily, I’m residing in this part of the world. In the mornings, I often go outside to catch the golden rays of sunrise. I feel that it clears my mind as I am embraced by an unbelievable beauty that blesses my whole day with a thousand joys. If you do this, remember to breathe deeply few times, and stretch out your arms. I hope this little suggestion will add more magic to your communion with the world. You can even call it “mindfulness of nature!”

Emptiness is the track on which the centred person moves.

-- Lama Tsongkhapa

佛教没有“鬼节”

湛空法师

有一些地方认为农历七月十四、十五叫“鬼节”，据说七月初一开始鬼门开，到农历三十关上，还说七月十五这天地狱会给鬼“放假”，会让他们重见天日，所以传说这一天有好多禁忌。 

首先，佛教没有鬼节，更不会有什么鬼放假这样一个说法，但是鬼、鬼节、超度，这个在佛教的六道轮回当中，在佛教的三世因果当中，都会讲到的，至于七月十五为什么讲它是鬼节，从我个人的观点来看，在民间这一天进行祭祀宗亲眷属，所以久而久之，大家就会把跟祭祀，或者是跟已经故去的人有关系的，在这一天称之为跟鬼有关系的节日。但是就佛教来讲，把七月称为报恩月，会用诵经，会用盂兰盆供众，会用念佛回向等等这样的一些方式来回向给我们的七世父母以及六亲眷属，使他们能够离苦得乐，也祝愿他们能够往生西方。 

那佛教“盂兰盆节”的“盂兰盆”是什么意思呢？“盂兰盆节”在佛教是比较重要的一个节日，每一年会在七月十五举行，他的缘起是当时佛陀十大弟子之一目犍连尊者证得神通第一以后，用他的神通去救度他的母亲，在地狱当中用尽了所有神通也无法把他的母亲救度出来。他去求佛，佛告诉他靠他一人之力是无法救度出一个受业的众生，神通再大也敌不过我们所造业力，他的母亲生前造恶业太深，所以佛告诉他要想救度自己的母亲，必须在七月十五日佛欢喜日（僧自恣日）靠供养十方诸佛、靠十方众僧的功德来回向给他的母亲，使她能消除她的业障，得以救度、得以离苦得乐。这样一个缘起，就有了佛教当中的“盂兰盆节”。 

“盂兰”是指受苦坠恶道众生之意，“盆”是救度之意，所以佛欢喜日、僧自恣日的时候，把所有的供品放在盂兰盆中，供养十方诸佛，也来供养现前的十方僧众，以此功德使现世父母与七世父母得以业障消除，离苦得乐。 

如何去报答前世父母，以及现世父母的恩，最好的方式就是在盂兰盆节的时候，以种种的供养，供养十方僧众。也可以诵《地藏菩萨本愿经》或者是念佛号，称念南无观世音菩萨，都可以把这些功德回向给自己过去世的父母和现世的父母。

Life is like a book. In typesetting of a book, errors are inevitable and are corrected. A book without wrong word is ideal. However, any error made in the "book" of life cannot be corrected easily, therefore we must be cautious.

-- Venerable Yen Pei

The Four Ordinary Foundations

by Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche

The first ordinary foundation that helps point the mind towards the Dharma is the realisation of the true advantage of our precious human birth. What we are sincerely learning to appreciate here is the inherent capabilities we have as humans and the negativities that we are free of. There are eight gross negativities that reveal just how precious our current human birth is. To begin with, if we had been born as beings in the hell realm and had to experience the agonising torments they must endure, we would have neither the ability nor the opportunity to practice the Dharma for a single moment. For example, if somebody was being whipped continuously without respite, would this person have the opportunity to practice, let alone think about the Dharma? And actually, the real sufferings that beings in the hell realm go through are far greater than anything we could imagine, and far worse than this situation. Obviously, there is no chance of liberation whatsoever, and we are quite fortunate to have avoided those circumstances.

The second gross negativity that serves to illustrate the value of human birth is rebirth as a preta, or hungry ghost. Even though such beings are not hell-beings, the desire and paranoia they experience is as excruciating as that of the hell realm. Here there is relentless thirst and hunger which is never gratified or eased. In fact, it is so great that with any movement, the friction of the joints and internal organs produces fire throughout the entire being. What is worse is the psychological torture they endure, deliriously believing that food, water, and a host of wealth and riches are waiting nearby. Yet, no matter how frenzied their search, they are unable to find it, or if they do, it suddenly disappears. And of course, as humans we could experience the same torment, because of our own patterns of greed and miserliness. In either case, insatiable thirst would drive away any thoughts of practising the Dharma. So, lacking this negativity we have another opportunity to actualise the Dharma in our lives.

If the unspeakable misery of such existences seems intangible, the sufferings of those born in the animal realm should be quite familiar to us. Those creatures live such lives of ignorance that they are unable to make any conscious decisions, and are wholly lead by desire and fear. In some cases they have no idea what they should or shouldn't do unless they are severely beaten. They know no better than to constantly bear whatever pain and suffering comes to them. Although some may be slightly more sensitive or more intelligent, the level of suffering is no less intense because of the constant state of paranoia. These beings are not able to eat a single bite in peace for fear of being caught and eaten themselves. And as for domestic animals, they are total slaves to the whims of others. They are unable to express any desires or feelings, but must do whatever is demanded of them, no matter how unpleasant or painful. To that end, there is no opportunity to practice the Dharma in the animal realm.

And yet, as ordinary sentient beings, we too are quite ignorant. We have the limitations of not being able to understand and relate to things in the most proper way. So there was every possibility that we could have been born as animals, but since this has not occurred during this lifetime, we have a third opportunity to practice the Dharma. After all, it's not as if an external force decided who was to be reborn as an animal and who was to be a human, it was merely a result of the habitual patterns and negativities each individual has accumulated. Given that understanding, why should we not entirely put ourselves towards the practice of the Dharma?

Even if one is born a human being, if it is as a member of an uncivilised border tribe, or, more precisely, as a barbarian of some kind, that is still not very favourable. Let alone think of anything uplifting, one wouldn't even know how to dress properly, running around naked killing and hurting others, and living quite barbarously. In that state there is no point in even having been born as a human being, since it is empty of opportunities. Despite their pretensions of deep spiritual practices, all it does is cause harm to themselves and others, so it is not spiritual in the truest sense. Evidently, there is no opportunity to practice the Dharma in this condition either.

If, on the other hand, you are born in the realm of gods, experiencing the psychological pleasures of such beings, still you would be unable to practice the Dharma. Although this happiness would probably be the result of wholesome and virtuous actions in previous lifetimes, unfortunately, it would be nearly impossible to generate the proper attitude and aspirations in order to channel this merit in the proper direction. Completely absorbed in these pleasurable entertainments, you would give no thought whatsoever to practising the Dharma, because the harshness of reality would not seem relevant. And yet, because this is a part of samsara, you will still experience tremendous suffering sooner or later, and have to return to the same old cycle. Having remained in that condition of attachment and pleasure for such a long period of time without accomplishing anything wholesome and virtuous and Dharmic, the consequences are definitely serious and painful. Thus, not having been born in that situation provides us with another opportunity to practice the Dharma.

There is also the possibility of being born as a human, enjoying all the benefits of wealth, intelligence and popularity and still being completely against the Dharma and spirituality in general. There are many people like this all over the world. Not only do they detest the Dharma, they reject anyone associated with it. Because of this hatred, they deprive themselves of any possibility of real sanity. It's extremely unfortunate to be attached to that which will only cause greater confusion and suffering in the long run, and to reject that which will bring greater wisdom and happiness.

One may also be born as a human being with severe mental and physical disabilities. Since there would be little that could be comprehended by such a person, learning the Dharma would be out of the question as well. In that case, even though there is a human birth, the opportunity of practice is denied. We are extremely fortunate to have escaped these various disadvantages and paranoias, and to have the capability and the opportunity to effectively practice the Dharma. And we have to be very sincere about our undertakings now. We may not be experiencing these limitations in this life, but there is every possibility of experiencing them in the future because of our negative, poisonous habitual patterns. For this reason, we should rejoice in the opportunities we have, and realise that we cannot afford to waste them.

While we may have been able to avoid the eight gross negativities, there still remain the sixteen unfavourable conditions that we can be ensnared by, if indeed, this has not already occurred. Therefore, it is important to know what they are, so that we can maintain a vigilant mindfulness to remain free of them. The first of these is the upheaval of negative emotions: ignorance, pride, aggression, attachment, etc. In this case, even though we may have an understanding of the Dharma and a desire to practice it, we constantly experience upheavals of negative emotion which sway us from our practice. It's like drinking something very sweet and then suddenly adding a tablespoon of salt — which will make it taste very strange. We must be mindful of this possibility and diligently apply the antidote.

The second unfavourable condition is coming under the influence of bad friends, people involved in doing all kinds of non-Dharmic or negative things. Since we are not yet fully established in the practice of the Dharma, and don't have enough experience to withstand various influences, we are very flexible at this point and can be distracted by almost anything. This is why we should be mindful of the possibility of harmful and destructive influences and associations.

The third limitation concerns the possibility of coming under the influence of false views and practices. Many harmful things are done in the name of spirituality and spiritual practice. Certain people advocate killing other beings as the highest and most profound practice and some advocate other destructive practices, and unfortunately, there is a very real possibility of falling under the spell of these false teachings. Quite often, when faith is needed most it is difficult to generate yet sometimes we are able to have faith in the most absurd notions. It is important thus to be aware of the possibility of developing wrong views of the Dharma and its practice.

The fourth obstruction is the habit of laziness. Because of this negative pattern we put off doing our practice until the next day or the day after that or maybe next month or next year, and so on. We just keep procrastinating, and end up not getting anything accomplished. In this way, laziness can have a very undermining effect on our practice, and discipline as well as mindfulness is needed to combat it.

The fifth unfavourable condition arises because of previous bad actions. Whenever we attempt to do anything Dharmic, all kinds of obstacles will spontaneously arise to distract us and divert our energies. These obstructions will consistently arise, and drive us from the path altogether if we do not remain mindful of the fact that they are caused by our own actions and our own negative habits. Therefore, it is crucial to have the determination not to give in to these limitations when they arise.

The sixth barrier to Dharma practice is falling under the control of another person. If you become a slave or a servant, you will always have to live up to the demands of other people whether you like it or not, and won't have the time or the opportunity to fulfil your Dharma practice. You may even be a slave to your own self, always needing to have a boss to tell you what to do in order to make your living. If you are subject to this mentality or this situation, you will be constantly occupied with the tasks of others and won't have the opportunity to practice the Dharma at all.

The seventh unfavourable condition is to practice the Dharma in the hopes of gaining more material comforts for yourself, such as better food, clothing, and living accommodations. The eighth adverse condition for Dharma practice is to seek understanding of the Dharma merely to gain fame and reputation for yourself. Of course, seeking popularity and power runs counter to the true purpose of the Dharma, and in the long run, one would not enjoy the benefit of the Dharma.

These first eight negativities are ones which we are already subject to, or by which we run the risk of becoming ensnared. This is why we must be aware of them. These limitations are highly flexible and can be strengthened or weakened by different circumstances you encounter or create.

Now, the next eight limitations are more gross and more established because they result from negativities accumulated in the past. Because they arise as karmic fruitions they are thus more difficult to unfold and purify. So what is needed is a stronger sense of practice as well as a stronger, more genuine commitment. The first of these hardened imperfections is great attachment to wealth and to oneself. In this case one hesitates to give anything one has to others, because one desires more and more for oneself. Giving something away is very, very painful. One doesn't even see the possibilities of actually extending one's hand to others. But, when it comes to receiving from others, one could just go on doing it continuously, tirelessly. This is all because of heavy habitual patterns which need to be shaken out.

The second limitation is having an overly aggressive and rude personality. This disposition is very apparent in the way one talks because there is a sense of hatred or unwillingness to talk. Even the movements of such a person have something very negative about them and give off negative vibrations to everyone around. Since these patterns are so heavy, much cultivation of discipline is needed.

The third obscuration is having no fear of the different sufferings which one might possibly have to go through. For instance, if the psychological torments the beings of the lower realms experience are explained to one, it has no effect whatsoever. It's like speaking to a rock or a tree-only when it falls or rolls does it move, otherwise it is ignorantly content, completely unaware of what could await it. Similarly, the fourth limitation involves an insensitivity to the teachings. In this case, one has no appreciation of the possibilities of liberation. As far as the sanity, joy, and benefit of liberation are concerned, again, it's like talking to a tree or a rock.

The fifth limitation is having no appreciation of Dharma practice, such that when the opportunity to practice the Dharma is extended, one is not responsive. Even if the facilities are extended and somebody generously offers their sponsorship and hospitality, one has no interest in it-- it's like offering grass to a dog. The sixth limitation is having the propensity for indulging in negativities. Whenever somebody is explaining how to kill or harm others, one is there, completely ready to learn and do it oneself. In this way, one is always willing to strengthen and develop one's neurosis and confusion.

The seventh harmful condition is having negative views about a solemn vow or aspiration one has made and then violating it. If this is done, then it is necessary to reveal the violation, and to purify it by making complete reparation for it. If the proper purification of such a limitation is not made, then continued practice of the Dharma would not make much sense. It would be like trying to put something inside of a closed door, or like trying to pour something into a pot held upside down.

The eighth limitation is breaking the samayas, the sacred commitments, one has with the teacher from whom one has received the sacred teachings and empowerments. A strong Dharmic connection is made when one receives empowerments, and it is extremely destructive to have wrong views about one's teacher and show disrespect towards him. It is imperative that one establishes a good relationship with one's teacher. It is a violation of the sacredness of the relationship to harbour feelings of hatred towards one's Dharma friends as well. And again, it is important that for whatever limitations one may have generated in the past, and may generate in the future, genuine reparation and purification of them is necessary.

Altogether, these three sets of eight form the twenty-four negativities, or twenty-four situations which become hindrances to the practice of the Dharma. They either deprive us of the opportunity to practice the Dharma or obstruct our progress on the path of the Dharma. As far as the first set (the Eight Unfavourable Conditions of Existence) is concerned, we should rejoice that we are not bound by such severe limitations. As for as the second two sets, there is the possibility that we have some or all of these limitations, or that we will still may still fall prey to them. In any case, whatever obscurations one has should be acknowledged so that one can work on the purification of them. And whatever negativities one does not have, one should still be mindful of them, so as not to get caught up in them later. For this reason, wakeful discipline is a necessary part of the practice.

As human beings, we enjoy ten blessings which enable us to practice the Dharma. The first five have to do with our personal circumstances. The first of these is that we have the precious human birth, and are not deprived of the opportunity to practice the Dharma. If we had been born in one of the unfavourable states of existence or were burdened with some of the unfavourable mental conditions, we would not be able to practice at all.

The second blessing is being born in a land where the Dharma is prevalent or at least available. The third blessing is having all of our senses intact, and being able to thus understand and practice the Dharma.

The fourth blessing is that we have a karmic link with the Dharma, and hence, have a desire to practice it. Even if we have no real desire to do so, there is still the link of this practice. Many people do not want to practice the Dharma, and many go astray, but we are all here so we must have some link. The fifth blessing is that we not only have a link to the Dharma, but we also have an appreciation of the Three Jewels-the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha, and relate to them as the most profound examples and witnesses. These are the five opportunities that we each personally enjoy.

The second group of five blessings are the benefits that we receive from others which facilitate our ability to practice. The first of these is that the Buddha was born within the current kalpa. If this had not taken place, then although we have human birth, there would currently be no Dharma to practice. The second blessing is that the Buddha did not seek enlightenment merely for himself, but has made the Teachings available to others as well. The third blessing is that the Teachings have been maintained as a living tradition. If this had not been done, then all that would remain would be a legend that the Teachings had once been prevalent, but are no longer available.

The fourth blessing is that the Teachings are available to anyone who is willing to learn and understand them, with no discrimination in regards to sex, age, race, or whatever categories. The fifth blessing is that there are spiritual teachers who will transmit the Teachings to others, and who have the wisdom to make the Teachings understandable. If there were no teachers who had the compassion to give the Teachings, then we would have no opportunity to practice the Dharma. Therefore, because of these five opportunities afforded us by the compassion of others, the teachings are available to us as long as we have the desire to hear them.

The first ordinary foundation of the ngondro practice, the first foundation that we need to meditate upon and sincerely consider, is the preciousness of our human birth. This human birth is extremely valuable because we are currently experiencing the eight opportunities and the ten blessings. Indeed, this precious human birth is like a wish-fulfilling gem. Definitely, we can make the best of it and have the favourable circumstances to do so. And it is rare like a gem, because although there are many who are experiencing a human birth, those who can open up to and appreciate the Dharma are very rare. Unfortunately, not many have accumulated meritorious actions and wholesome qualities in the past, and therefore, few experience the possibilities favourable to the Dharma. Among thousands of beings, there is hardly one who is experiencing the opportunities you enjoy. For this reason you should be tremendously joyful and appreciative, and not let this chance go to waste.

Still, these opportunities and these blessings are not permanently established. In fact, they could easily be destroyed and disappear. After all, these opportunities are not the experience of enlightenment or a state of realisation, they merely point to such a possibility. It's like you have various sicknesses and are given a unique medicine that can cure whatever illness you may have. But, if you don't use the medicine and attend to your sickness immediately, things could easily get worse. You could lose the medicine or get too sick to use it. Any number of unexpected things could happen. So you must be aware of how easily you could lose your opportunities. Thus, for your own personal benefit and for the benefit of others, you should make this lifetime meaningful.

We may have an appreciation of the reality of this first foundation and yet believe that we will have a better understanding and a greater opportunity to practice sometime in the future, and put off serious practice until then. Or we may think that when we are young we can satisfy our mundane needs and learn from that type of existence, and then fully commit ourselves to the Dharma when we are old. But Death is not going to come talk it over with you and say, "Well, since you haven't really established yourself in the practice of the Dharma, I'll just procrastinate for a little while longer. . ." The time of death is uncertain. This is why we must make use of the opportunities while we can.

This leads us into the second ordinary foundation practice, which is to meditate upon the reality of impermanence. The natures of all things — the outer phenomenal world, as well as the inner psychic world — are impermanent. Thus, we have four different names that correspond with each of the four seasons because they are constantly changing and never stay the same. If day and night stayed the same, we wouldn't have to make a distinction between them. In terms of these gross changes, whatever we build, no matter how high the walls, will collapse and fall.

As for the inner life of things, this too changes, for instance, when we talk about different nations, the names may seem to be continuous, but there are constant changes. There are conflicts with other nations, there are civil conflicts among different communities, there are governmental changes, individuals come and go, and so forth. The play of impermanence is constantly at work, even if we cannot keep track of it. It is very real. Everything is impermanent, and that which we have managed to gather around ourselves is no exception. Yet we have the opportunity to pursue something very meaningful. To that end, we should not continue to waste our time and procrastinate, but should sincerely and wholly commit ourselves to the Dharma.

There have been countless numbers of people that suffered misfortunes and died in the past, and it was not because they were willing to die or because they were completely stupid and helpless. In fact, these were people who were extremely popular and intelligent, people whom others looked up to as examples, people who were well-known for their qualifications, their wealth and their security. But when the time of death overtook them, there was nothing they could do, no matter how powerful or popular they were.

Think back on all of the people that you have known in your life that have died, from your first moment of remembrance up to this day. Never mind all of the rest, just think of those you knew: friends, relatives and so on. The number is probably so large you can hardly keep track of it. Some were just infants. Some were merely children. For all of them, this you well know: that none of them had the satisfaction of saying, "Yes, I have completed everything, now I'm ready to die, and will be very pleased to do so." None of them! Every one of them had a long list of things to do in the future, and in the midst of something unfinished, they died. This was not expected, this was not planned, nor was it enjoyed or welcomed, it just happened.

Again, they didn't die because they were completely helpless or stupid, or because they couldn't provide food, clothing, and the basic necessities for themselves. For the most part, they were probably quite able to do just fine for themselves. But still, no matter how many facilities were at their disposal, nothing could keep them alive. Pondering this reality, it's a wonder that we're still alive, that we haven't died yet. For all the strange causes of death, we could have died several times by now. Frankly, our bodies are actually very weak and sensitive, and the slightest thing could cause our deaths. And we have hardly any protection against these different causes. From that point of view, we are actually quite defenceless.

In this defenceless state, the time of death is uncertain. All we can say is that we are very fortunate to have lived to this day. This is why the practice of the Dharma is so important. It is the only way we can utilise this knowledge to actually make some kind of progress. One has to take all these things into account in order to sincerely and genuinely practice the Dharma. If one does not integrate these realities into one's life, then the practice will remain a game of sorts — a form of play that keeps us occupied — and one will not become an accomplished practitioner of the Dharma, and that practice will not be very meaningful.

We all love our bodies and are tremendously attached to them. In fact, everyone likes to believe that other people find their bodies very attractive and elegant. For this reason people go through many hassles and great expenses to protect this beauty and elegance. But does this preserve us from the experience of death? Although many people may currently find you very good-looking and attractive, when you're dead and your body is lying there in a state of decay, smelling, no one will want to be with you or even look at you. You'll be without shelter, utterly homeless. Even to those people who were close to you and loved you, you'll be just a piece of stuff that no one will want around.

And on your death bed, surrounded by all your relatives and friends, they will all be crying and begging you to continue living and to think of them, as if you really had any say in the matter. And no matter how sincerely they may mean it, not a single one is capable of protecting you and extending your life. Although all of them will be very sad and grieving, none of them will be going through as severe and traumatic pain as you will be going through. At the moment of death, when the breath stops altogether, the fear and frustration of the dying person is extremely great. And the minute you are dead, they will all want to leave immediately. But as far as you are concerned, you'll still have considerable attachments to them. You thought some of them were going to come with you, you thought you'd live with some of them forever, but you'll be completely powerless.

During your life you may have thought you were intelligent and capable, and that you would continue doing many more exciting things, but in death you'll be helpless. During your entire life you worked to accumulate wealth with great attachment, harming and inconveniencing those who got in your way. But now, here you are. You can't even take a piece of thread or a needle with you. Everything gets left behind. In addition, all of the suffering that those around you have caused you, and will continue to cause you, will leave you feeling taken advantage of. You will want to stay with them and with all of the wealth for which you have worked so hard. You will have no choice.

Now, if this situation describes reality, then all we really need is the basic necessities, enough to keep our bodies functioning properly. If we have this, then we have everything we physically need to relate to the practice of the Dharma properly. After all, this is the view of reality we have to integrate into our lives if we wish to fully benefit from our practice. The hopelessness of these situations is what should provide us with the impetus to accomplish this. And therefore, we understand that all recollections of the past and all expectations of the future are meaningless, and all that is important is the present and our practice of the Dharma.

If you are able to fully commit yourself to the practice, there is the possibility that you may attain enlightenment within this lifetime, or at least at the time of death or in a couple of lifetimes. If you have no attachment to this life and to the Self, then in the next life you will be born with a greater understanding of the Dharma and with better opportunities to practice it. You will also enjoy a greater ability to benefit others, and perhaps even greater beauty and intelligence.

Clearly, the practice of the Dharma is all that really matters. Rinpoche says that in the Kagyu lineage there is a special emphasis on the ordinary foundation practices, the "four thoughts which turn the mind towards the Dharma," because this is how our forefathers applied the practice and became awakened. And this possibility is very real for us as well.

If we do not take these realities seriously enough, we run the risk of practising only when we feel good about it, when we are getting a lot of attention, and things are going right for us and we're receiving respect and compliments. In these cases, we even try to do it a little longer, to prolong this exaltation. But when we are sad and nothing seems to be going right, and when no compliments are forthcoming, then we find excuses not to practice. Or else, even if we always try to sincerely practice, if we lack these understandings of reality, we won't do it long enough.

As long as we don't integrate these understandings into our lives, we will lack the motivation to practice intensely enough. We will always come up with excuses for the poor quality of our practice, saying "Oh, the Dharma is not really as effective as they had told me it was. I've been practising for so many years or so many months, and still nothing has happened." Rinpoche says that it's like trying to take back a black piece of cloth for not being red enough. It is a very unfortunate thing to lose confidence in the Dharma and blame it for our own shortcomings.

The third ordinary foundation practice is the truth of karma, cause and effect. Unfortunately, many deluded people believe that although death may be a very harrowing experience, after it has occurred, one is then completely free. Some believe that once you're dead, things are all taken care of for you, as if somebody picks you up and puts you in a very enjoyable place where there are all kinds of pleasant entertainments. Other people believe that after death there is nothing, all experience just abruptly ends. There's no good or evil, it's just ashes to ashes and that's that. Of course, such attitudes are the epitome of ignorance, and reveal a total lack of wisdom. It is utter delusion to believe that there will be no suffering, only pure enjoyment awaiting you after death. It is grievous that people do not realise that we are experiencing this life and its various conditions because of our conduct in previous lives.

Sometimes we think that once we are dead we will experience a very magical realm, and that even if we face suffering we'll have the ability to immediately transform it. But how could this possibly be done? We should use our intelligence and other abilities now, while we have time, to see through our delusions. For instance, if it's winter and you want it to be summer, no matter how much you long for the seasons to change, you are powerless to do anything about it. And if you are sick and want to be healthy again, you can't just miraculously cure yourself. All suffering and experiences of the phenomenal world are caused by our habitual patterns and our karmic accumulations, and these are the materials with which you must work.

Furthermore, when somebody says that nothing exists after death, that you are free of suffering because you're dead and it's all finished, that is a very ignorant attitude. It's something like standing before a blazing fire and telling somebody that if they close their eyes and jump into it, it'll be okay. This will of course just make the situation worse. It's a simple refusal to acknowledge reality, a wishful desire to escape the order of things. But it doesn't change anything. It will only make reality that much more difficult to face. It's also akin to playing around on the edge of a cliff, believing you won't fall off. But then, once you've fallen, and you're in midair, it's completely useless to say to yourself, "Oh no, I hope I land softly." No matter how much wishful thinking you do at that point, it won't help you at all.

Now is the time to change the course of things, since you have the opportunities and the abilities currently at your disposal. No matter what limitations you may have, you possess a very powerful antidote, you have the facilities, and you have people around you who will encourage you. So once this is over, don't expect something better to be waiting for you.

Ordinarily, when people go to receive teachings or to relate to some form of spirituality, they expect to be placated with talk about bliss and ecstasy, but here we're discussing mostly unpleasant things. This is because we're interested in learning to deal with reality, and our practice concerns reality. For this reason, Rinpoche says that if you feel somewhat sad about your life, and think that your life at this point is quite meaningless and can be made more meaningful, that's actually a valuable thing to experience. Some sense of the meaninglessness of the whole thing is necessary before you can have any sense of renunciation about it, so this sadness can be quite beneficial. As Rinpoche says, if you are hungry you appreciate food more and can better understand the importance of it to your well-being. Similarly, if you are extremely cold, then you are more capable of appreciating the warmth of heavy clothing, both for yourself and for others. In order to make any progress, we must realise what our suffering actually is, how it arises and how we allow it to overwhelm us.

So far we have gone through the first three ordinary foundation practices: the meditations on the preciousness of the human birth, the reality of impermanence and death, and the truth of karma, cause, and effect. The fourth meditation is on the defects of samsara and the possibilities of becoming overwhelmed by them in many destructive ways. For example, we may feel very happy with our lives as they are now, things may be going quite well and we may desire for this to continue indefinitely. As long we don't suffer rebirth in any of the lower existences, we don't mind not being born in the higher realms, because we are satisfied with the comforts we are now enjoying.

As a result, many people engage in prayer or various spiritual practices with the aspirations of attaining a similar rebirth, again and again. They desire to live in the same country, in the same environment, among the same people, and to enjoy similar opportunities to what they now enjoy. But if one is filled with such attachment, and liable to such limitations and confusion, it would be nearly impossible to be born at the level of existence one now has. Let alone attaining a similar birth, one may experience even grosser conditions of suffering and confusion. If one's aspirations and understanding are so exceedingly limited, there is the possibility of never actually experiencing liberation, but remaining forever subject to samsaric existence.

As we discussed this morning, we are greatly attached to wealth and to ourselves. In fact, our attachment is so great that we find Dharma practice to be too strenuous for our minds and bodies, and would always prefer to be in a more rested condition. But there is no end to the comforts we could provide for our bodies, since our ability to absorb and demand more and more luxuries is immeasurable. We could experience incredible luxury and still feel dissatisfied and unhappy. There is no point where we will finally feel completely satiated, yet we still continue to strive for it with a ridiculous intensity.

And so, this is how we become completely absorbed in samsara. The phenomenal world is tremendously entertaining and manipulative, and we end up just getting sucked right into it without thinking about it. And yet, all we really need is enough to keep our body healthy and functioning properly, and the only pursuit that is worthwhile and meaningful is the practice of the Dharma. After all, it's a complete waste to struggle and toil in order to accumulate possessions that you will have no use for in death. As Rinpoche said earlier, we can't even take a piece of thread or a needle with us. We do, however, carry our karmic baggage, and will have to experience the consequences of our unwholesome actions and attitudes.

Furthermore, if we could see the true situation behind our tremendous attachments to friends and relatives, we would see how little sense it makes to remain so. Which is not to say that we should create disharmony and be unfriendly with our friends and relatives, and with other people. But our relationships are based on expectations of all kinds, and when we make a hundred friends we are also making a hundred potential enemies since we are creating that many more situations where hatred and negative intentions can erupt. Furthermore, because of our possessive attachments we want to protect our friends and agree with them, and then end up creating disharmony with others.

Still, when we are on our death beds, no matter how sincere and genuine their attachments to us and our expectations of them may be, there is nothing these friends will be able to do for us. All we are really doing is causing greater problems and inconveniences for each other. And our realisation of our true solitude at the time of death will probably cause us to be filled with hatred and distrust and various negative emotions, which is completely unnecessary. This is why a sense of renunciation is a good thing to have. Friendship should not be based on attachment and expectations, for that would merely create a situation of adversity instead of amity. One would do better not to have such friendship at all. From that point of view, when we talk about giving up relationships, we specifically mean those relationships which are based on creating further problems for each other.

So, as long as we are subject to rebirth in the realms of samsara, no matter how pleasurable or entertaining, we will experience further confusion and sufferings. Let alone having the ability to benefit others, we will not be able to benefit ourselves. True renunciation means having a sense of the realities of samsara and therefore having a willingness to disavow them. In this way, you show a desire to do good to yourself and to others, and to cease doing anything harmful. It is very easy to get caught up in all kinds of negativities, and the majority of people unfortunately have no interest in the practice of the Dharma. Those who genuinely want to practice the Dharma are becoming rarer and rarer as time goes on, and the spread of the teachings is diminishing as well. This is because the number of those who have accumulated meritorious actions and have the good fortune to be connected with the Dharma are decreasing. Yet, at the same time, the birth of humans in general, with all kinds of negative accumulations, seems to be increasing. There never seems to be a shortage of anything that is not good, whereas that which is precious is always more rare.

In this way, enjoying a human birth is not necessarily precious, especially if we indulge in things that will only bring greater confusion and suffering. Just as Milarepa once said, "Though human birth is precious, the birth of your kind is not." There's no real point to having obtained a human birth, even one with opportunities like ours, if we simply misuse it and create further suffering. So, looking at the broad picture, it becomes very clear that the practice of the Dharma is the only activity that has any real meaning. Therefore, when committing oneself to something profound and sane, the choice of the Dharma is very obvious. And with that understanding, we can easily see why one should not neglect one's practice but should remain mindful of all the limitations that one could get caught up in, and of all the opportunities that one has. Samsara is very deceptive, and one must be careful to remain in situations where one is always reminded of and influenced by the Dharma.

Here we will conclude our discussion of the four ordinary foundations, the four thoughts which turn one's mind towards the Dharma and away from samsara. Yet, it cannot be stressed enough how important an understanding of these teachings on the reality of suffering is. One must realise that samsara is impermanent and all of its activities and exertions are ultimately worthless and bear no meaningful fruit. Only with such an understanding will one be able to turn to the Dharma sincerely and with devotion. Without a proper understanding of the limitations of samsara, there will always be a very strong limitation to one's practice. Either one's practice will be very spiritual-materialistic, based on expectations and doubts, or one will relate to it as to any other mundane activity, and one's realisation will be neither immediate or meaningful.