——–Homage to Shakyamuni the Great Sage——-
When we take Refuge in the Buddha, we take a pledge to start the incredible Journey of realizing the cause of all sufferings does not arise from others but from ourselves. Hence when we accept the doctrine of karma, we stop blaming others and start taking responsibility for our own actions. Karma is not fatalistic in that whatever you are in life, you are stuck. In fact, it is the opposite. Whatever you are can be changed, made better, improved and grow. Karma is not a doctrine to lock you in and increase fatalistic thinking. In fact it is very liberating when you actually think about it deeply. Liberating because nothing is permanent and everything can be improved. You can do it. If you follow the path of Dharma, you will improve everything in your life. No reason to be depressed, sad or feel stuck. Karma liberates you by telling you the truth. The truth is that you are the author of all that comes your way. So stop complaining. Get yourself going and plan what you want to achieve.
Tsem Tulku Rinpoche
Dearest Rinpoche,
The above is so beautiful the way you describe taking refuge and giving up everything to the BUDDHA. Its all about how we transform our mind to find the liberation from the 4 noble truth.
Your blog tonight is really active , its a real pleasure to be updated on every activities happening within Kechara and its people constantly, EVERY SINGLE Day after work i will surely log in to you blog to check on whats happening it has somehow becomes a norm in my daily life : ) .
I am glad to be able to read on all your teachings , feelings and whats important to you and you felt important to tell us of. I wish i will oneday be able to talk DHARMA with you and learn DHARMA from you in person. I am so thirsty of DHARMA knowledge and all practices within the tibetan buddhism. I remember once bump in to JP in Ladrang Kitchen , imagine in the kitchen ! JP told me and other volunteers to do work that revolves around Dharma , that doesnt take you away from Dharma ever ! So meaningful.
You can learn so much from all the liaison and people in kechara.
ckliew.
Many years ago, I have attended a Medicine Buddha initiation by the Late Lati Rinpoche. This initiation is very unique because the seven medicine buddha in this initiation are no the traditional buddha as per found in the sutra.
Lati Rinpoche said something that strike deep into my mind:
“As a buddhist one shall alway aspire to achieve more then your guru and the buddha of the past, because only by arising powerful aspiration you can deliver more sentimental beings”.
So as a buddhist, we shall aspire to accomplish more than Buddha Shakyamuni. Do not feel that you are powerless to surpass the buddha, for in buddhism the most important thing is to help all mother senimental beings and the more power your aspiration and accomplishment the more sentimental beings you can benefit.
I remember Rinpoche teaching us one day during one of our book talks on the life story of the historical Buddha Shakyamuni. It blew my mind when Rinpoche explained in detail in which watch(a time span of two hours in the ancient Indian time system) of the night prior of Buddha Shakyamuni’s enlightenment. I’ll try my best and summarize below:
1st watch of the night:
Buddha perceived the past lives of himself from his current life back till the very beginning.
2nd watch of the night:
Buddha perceived the past lives of every sentient being, from that existence until their very beginning
3rd watch of the night:
Buddha saw how all sentient beings and Himself were interdependent on each other
Crack of Dawn:
Buddha gained full Enlightenment, realizing every aspect of everything simultaneously. That realization is Anutara Samyaksambodhi, the highest realization of all realizations.
Dear Rinpoche
Thank you for this post. Though it’s a short paragraph but it encapsulates what being a Buddhist is all about. This is what I will forward to my friends if they wonder what Buddhism is and what the journey as a Buddhist entails. Some people freaks out when presented with the concept that they are the author of everything they experience and the only way out is if they clean up the mess themselves. It’s our own responsibility! Some people finds it empowering to know that because they are the author and creator of their current situation, they can rewrite the script and create a new life. I pick to rewrite the script!
What’s amazing about Buddha Shakyamuni is that he was not a infallible god that had come to us but he was just like us in every aspect except his mind. He was once a man, with the same faults but over lifetimes of cultivation, he had attained perfection of mind called Enlightenment. Hence, through his state, he passes his teachings to us not a higher being but of one who had gone through the same path and have reached the goal.
Hence, we take refuge as Rinpoche says to his doctrine and the transformation of all the qualities that bring us down and makes us suffer. His doctrine is one that is practical and easy to relate because he is speaking from experience of having undergone the same suffering and the same afflictions like us. He overcame us and now leads us onto the path. Unfortunate for us, we just have to open our minds and hearts to see this path and with our own effort, walk on this path.
If the Buddha is too abstract a figure to see, we look unto real examples of those who follow Shakyamuni’s path like Rinpoche. His whole life is one suffering after another purely for the Dharma and finds no other joy than in pursuing the Dharma. Hence, a perfect example for us to follow and reading through Rinpoche’s life is like a modern adaptation of Buddha Shakyamuni’s life. So for those new and old in Buddhism should read and check out blog posts within here that Rinpoche relates his own experience. They are priceless gems of experience that will be inspirational for our own practice.
It’s a short paragraph but it make me sitting there for an hour to reflect this on myself, and I realized something and would like to share:
I noted that complain make me very comfortable at that moment. Why comfortable? This is because I “Vomiting out” what I don’t like and what I don’t want to do and hope someone would do it, trying to get attention form others and trying hard not to take responsibility.
But after that moment and time pass I turn up to more unhappy because nothing change also. Why? This is due to chances for people would take over what you “Vomiting out” are almost zero (0). The worst part is I realized that during I am complaining, I am actually expressing negative thought and this turn to negative karma, and at the same time I am affect others with negative thoughts, then more negative karma there. Oh oh oh……. I had created so much negative karma. Therefore I decided from today onwards, I would keep remind myself the following:-
If you don’t like something, change it
If you can’t change it, change your attitude
Don’t complain
- Maya Angelou-
I think we should start “Complaint Free World” in Kechara, each time we complain we should donate RM5 to KWPC.
I found this on Venerable Thubten Chodron’s homepage and would like share:
Homage to Shakyamuni Buddha
To the teacher, endowed transcendent destroyer, one thus gone, foe destroyer, completely and fully awakened one, perfect in knowledge and good conduct, one gone to bliss, knower of the world, supreme guide of beings to be tamed, teacher of gods and humans, to you the Buddha, endowed transcendent destroyer, glorious conqueror Shakyamuni, I prostrate, make offerings and go for refuge. (3x)
When, O supreme among humans, you were born on this earth,
You paced seven strides,
Then said, “I am supreme in this world.”
To you, who were wise then, I bow.
With pure bodies, form supremely fine;
Wisdom ocean, like a golden mountain;
Fame that blazes in the three worlds,
Winner of the best — supreme guide, to you I bow.
With the supreme signs, face like the spotless moon,
Color like gold — to you I bow.
You are immaculate, the three worlds are not.
Incomparable wise one — to you I bow.
Great compassionate Protector,
All-knowing Teacher,
Field of positive potential and good qualities vast as
an ocean –
To the Tathagata, I bow.
Through purity, freeing from attachment,
Through virtue, freeing from the lower realms,
Unique, supreme ultimate reality –
To the Dharma that is peace, I bow.
Having freed themselves, showing the path to freedom too,
Well established in the trainings,
The holy field endowed with good qualities –
To the Sangha, I bow.
Do not commit any non-virtuous actions,
Perform only perfect virtuous actions,
Subdue your mind completely
This is the teaching of the Buddha.
A star, a mirage, a flame of a lamp,
An illusion, a drop of dew, a bubble,
A dream, a flash of lightning, a cloud –
See conditioned things as such!
Through this positive potential may sentient beings
Attain the state of all-seeing, subdue the foe of faults,
And be delivered from the ocean of cyclic existence,
Perturbed by the waves of ageing, sickness, and death.