Bringing Obstacles Into The Path

by His Holiness Gongma Trichen Rinpoche

“My greetings to Dharma Friends all over the world. Tashi delek!

As we all know, a pandemic is currently threatening the entire world, and countless people are undergoing untold amounts of suffering, panic and worry. It is important to know that panic and worry can only make things worse and that not only do they cause us harm, but they don’t bring any benefit whatsoever.

The outcome of this situation, as of any other, depends on our personal karma. However, there is a way in which we can better our fortune, and that is to take refuge in the Triple Gem. We need to pray fervently to the Triple Gem, and we need to find the time to do it. It is paramount that we do so at this time.

As we are followers of Sakyamuni Buddha, it is essential that we follow his teachings by striving to transform obstacles into the Dharma path. How can we do this? What is most important? What steps should we take?

The first thing to bear in mind is that we can never only think of ourselves. We need to take on the suffering of all sentient beings, and we need to offer our merits and happiness to them. If we can practice Tonglen in this way, then we can transform obstacles into the Dharma path. And by doing so, we also benefit ourselves. We shouldn’t worry. It is crucial that we remain at peace within ourselves as we weather this crisis.

Parallel to this, it is equally important that we follow the directives that the medical institutions are issuing. All Dharma depends on causes and conditions. Will prayers, visualisations and mantra recitations be sufficient to carry us through? These, of course, are of huge benefit, but it is also of major importance that we strictly observe the recommended rules of personal hygiene and social distancing.

Beyond this, we need to pray to the Guru and to the Three Jewels, and especially to pray to the deities with the necessary uncommon attributes and karmic connections. For instance, in the Snow Land of Tibet, we should pray to Avalokiteshvara and Tara, and particularly during this pandemic, we should pray to Parnashavari. We should pray to these deities, chant their mantras and recite their prayers. I believe that by doing so, we will successfully be saved from this pandemic, and find happiness.

And so, I urge all to please do so! Throughout this pandemic, we have seen how medical personnel have daily put their own lives at risk, unflinching in the face of hardship, overcoming all kinds of insurmountable obstacles. This has been an extraordinary show of courage.

In our case, courage can take the face of spiritual practice, and this is by far the best that we can do in these circumstances. The essence of Vajrayana is to practise for the sake of others; to concentrate all our efforts on others and forget about ourselves, this is the heart essence of Mahayana Buddhism. 

Bearing this in mind, it is also important to inspire others to have faith, to inspire them to exercise determination, and to support them with praise. 

And now, I will recite the invocation to Vajrakilaya. All deities are one, there is no difference whatsoever in their merits, compassion and the swiftness of their activities. But, from our side, there is a difference in terms of karma and aspiration. 

At the time of Padmasambhava and Khön Nagendra Rakshita, long before the founding of the Sakya Order, Vajrakilaya was already the main deity of the Khön family, and it continues to be so. No matter what obstacles appear, there is no more effective practice than that of Vajrakilaya to expel them.

This invocation is directed to the Gurus in the root tantra, especially the enlightened beings, the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, wealth gods, and so on. In the Vajrakilaya mandala, we request the ocean-like Holy Beings to grant their blessings and to expel the diseases and obstacles of practitioners, to increase their life span and merits, and to fulfil all their Dharma wishes. This kind of request is called invocation.”