Last night I spoke about Death Meditation in more detail
Our Kechara House’s signboard….
Last night Kechara House was having a wonderful Dzambala Puja where 100,000 mantras were recited. Many people have learned to do the Dzambala water offering practice and are very enthusiastic about it.
Having seen them on, I decided on a last minute to go give a talk.
Our Beautiful Dzambala Chapel in Kechara House.
Offerings on the Central shrine to Dzambala, Tsongkapa and Three Jewels.
The sacred water ritual/practice of the Great Venerable Dzambala.
After the Dzambala puja I gave a dharma talk on:
1. Death meditation in more detail as I felt people are ready.
2. Why we should do this meditation and the benefits. How to see if one’s death meditation is heading in the right direction. I will have Bengkooi of E-division to attach the talk here with a link. You can write to Bengkooi about in case it doesn’t come or at least a snippet of it within a week. Hehehe… a global reminder to Bengkooi..
Basically if one does the death meditation consistently you will have many positive results such as:
Always enthusiastic for dharma work, practice, learning and thinking.
Less depression, feeling of lonliness and having no purpose.
Easier to change one’s negative habits to positive ones.
More harmony among loved ones arise.
Easier to forgive and let go of past wrongs.
Easier to move ahead, plan and execute.
Positive attitudes resulting in good speech and pleasant body language arises easily.
A sense of urgency to do more meaningful activities in your life and with your life.
Those are some of the benefits from the meditation/contemplation I spoke about last night at KH. You can listen to it when Bengkooi has uploaded it.
I also spoke about Building the largest Lama Tsongkapa statue in the world and what we are going to put inside. A semi indoor huge Dzambala statue. Why the name change of KWPC from Tkl and also what learnings we are going to have up there.
The reason to get involved with this great project. Below are some pictures from last night’s talk.
I have also asked my Liaisons to form committees to engage in the following to collect merit for KWPC and our personal lives as a group together.
They will be doing collectively:
1. 500,000 Dzambala mantras
2. 100,000 Dzambala water offerings
3. This will be done with together with the Dzambala sadhana.
4. We will invite a Dzambala statue and offered many crystals on his holy body to be placed for this retreat and invite again for future retreats also.
After Dzambala or simultaneously, as they will engage in Setrap practice collectively:
1. 1,000,000 (one million) Setrap mantras will be recited, 100,000 black teas (serkym) will be offered to Setrap along with his puja.
These wonderful practices will be done in near future for the merit collecting act of making Kechara World Peace Centre or KWPC arise. All these wonderful, powerful and positive pujas will be done in Kechara House. Time and dates to be confirmed, so you should be on the email or sms list to be informed. The pujas are my personal recommendations for our group. These pujas will benefit the individual very much for their own lives.
Garlands of flowers with offerings will be made to Dzambala daily during this special group retreat. Who can join in? Anybody!!
It was a lovely evening of Pujas, prayers, meditations and I was very happy to give a dharma talk last night to the group.
Much Care,
Tsem Tulku
Other thoughts below:
Death is so final. Even if we reincarnate back, the life as we know it or how others knows us is gone forever. Most of the time, we don’t even remember that life again once we are back.
It is so important not to lie, cheat, hurt and give pain to the ppl around you or to anyone. Life’s short and it is hard to make up for th wrongs that we do, so why even do it? Make it the best with the ppl around you always. It makes the short time we have available have some sort of meaning.
Death, the meditation of it, the thought of it and the fear of it always motivated me to not hurt others, to give, be generous and to let go. Just let go. It has kept me in the dharma all these years.
Sometimes when something really frustrates me to no end, I think about my mortality and death, and I lighten up to the point of being able to think things through with some sanity.
Death has been my strongest motivation to try something even knowing I might fail. I don’t want to fail. The fear of failing can be paralyzing. But then when I contemplate how many years I’ve wasted, I figure what is there to lose? Only death makes me lose everything, so what is there to be afraid of? Just go ahead and try it out.
When I am insecure, I contemplate how many years I have left to live, and not knowing that, makes me let go.
When I am upset with someone or a situation, I really just think, does it matter if I was going to die today? Is it such a big deal after all? Would I be upset if I was going to die today?? Then again my mind releases whatever upsets me. it doesn’t release all the way, but enough to not be some wrapped up that I can’t do anything else.
Death meditation makes you face the biggest challenge in life, your own mortality. Once you can handle that, all the other challenges become small. And your fear of them start to lose hold on you.
Tsem Tulku
Dear Rinpoche, I specially love the last portion of your post when you give instructions on using Death to handle the daily problems that we have. Death should force us to get rid of laziness. At this point, i have a question.
If death is certain and its timing is uncertain, what motivation is there at all in us wanting to achieve anything is our lives? After all, death will come and all our efforts will be in “vain” after the passing of this life. I am referring more to mundane situations such as wanting to do well in our careers/studies/business etc.
I will be keeping an eye out for this talk… I am excited to hear it
from Thierry Janssens:
Thank you Rinpoche for making last night so meaningful.
I am looking forward to do more and to engage actively in what is necessary for me to become skillful so that I can efficiently help those that are lost and seeking.
Your talk on meditation on death was very powerful, and I say this because if I speak to some of my friend about karma or rebirth it remains academic, hypothetic and and as a result, most of the time, it does not sink in.
Meditation on death is very direct, it sinks in immediately.
There are times when my faith in karma and rebirth is not there (that is almost all the time lah…), death is always there though, every day, every minute.
You gave me a very good tool for my practice yesterday, thanks again.
Dear Thierry,
I am so happy last night benefitted you. Please join in the setrap and Dzambala retreats for kwpc and yourself coming up soon…write about it and let many others know. It will be very good for you.
Join in and finish the mantras, serkym, water offerings and all that I mentioned last night for the retreats.
Very good you were at last night’s dharma talk.
Must really repeatedly and consistently do the death meditation in detail and from many angles that I explained last night.
It is very important. It will boost your practice tremendously.
Go all the way with dharma. Do this for yourself and for everyone.
Much care,
Tsem Tulku
Thank you Rinpoche for your elaboration in detail on the meditation of Death and Impermanence in our daily prayers. You have given us the visualisation step-by-step method on how to do it.
As the saying goes – Practise makes perfect. So I will start to make the visualisation practise daily in my prayers to benefit more people at Kechara, our department Kechara Care and the manifestation of Kechara World Peace Centre.
I rejoice to see many new people showing commitment to dharma. This is all due to your skillful means.
Thank you again.
My Dear May,
Thank you for your sincerity and kind heart. I have heard again and again how sincere you are and how much you work for dharma.
I am happy to have you as part of our team and to make history together.
Keep up your practice and you will be blessed.
Much care,
Tsem Tulku
What a great teaching!
Here is a great stanza from Heartspoon by Je Pabongkha Rinpoche:
Who’s the faster:
Yama, the Lord of Death,
Or you in your practice of realizing the essence of your eternal dream—
The welfare of both yourself and others—as much as you can each day?
Unifying the three doors [of your body, speech, and mind],
Put the whole of your effort into your practice.
The death meditation is great, I love this meditation.
I wish I can see one of your teaching ones in Kechara I will try to make trip in malesia soon I can, I’ve to see my lama first in France .
Dear Rinpoche,
Last night was amazing. With no hesitation i have declined a farewell dinner for my friend when i found out that there’s Dzambala puja for swift manifestation of KWPC. I want to be a part of KWPC. Indeed, i was greatly rewarded by Rinpoche’s surprise Dharma teaching at the end of the puja. This is one of those days when i give myself a pat on the back that i’ve made the right decision to put Dharma on top priority over worldly affairs.
I felt that Rinpoche was talking to me the whole time last night. Thank you for opening our mind to see the greater value that we have been failing to realize. I really like your vision of having healing retreats at KWPC in future such as Flower Arrangements, healing massage. I can totally relate to flower arrangements as i find it very therapeutic. And it will be nice for us to have holiday boot camp retreats for the kids.
Last night i came to realize that you know best and whatever Dharma tasks that you have assigned for us is the right path catered to us individually as per our capabilities. And that we should not Quit for whatever reasons as the greater value is awaiting at the other end. With Death & Impermanence, it really doesn’t matter who’s right & who’s wrong.
Thank you for not quitting on us.
Much love – Ashlee.
“The evil thought of worldly concerns — supported by the concept of permanence — is constantly attacking us, interfering with our practice of Dharma, and preventing the actions of our daily life from becoming pure Dharma.” ~Kyabje Pabongkha Dorje Chang
Dear Ashlee,
You have never written a message of this nature to me before. I am very pleasantly surprised. I am happy to read it.
Any work, and position, any responsibility you carry on in KH will lead to the creation and manifestation of KWPC. You must go do it now and all the way.
Hence you must get involved. You are a treasured student and been with me many years. You have had many years to think and consider. Time is not on anyone’s side, so get into KH and do something on a regular basis.
When negative mind or obstacles come up, it is different because you experience the negativity for others.
When it is for others it becomes purification, transformation and growth. So be pleased when these obstacles actual and imagined arises.
Come and do it now. Much care and prayers to you,
Tsem Tulku
Thank you once again Rinpoche for your skillful ways and plans for each of your students to do something more with their lives. The Setrap and Dzambala retreats are a great way for every person to contribute in some way towards Kechara World Peace Centre.
We may not all be able to contribute financially or by doing work full-time but we can all set aside some time to do the pujas, prostrations, water offerings, offering of flowers etc… the list is endless and so are your ideas! It is a truly a great opportunity for each of us to do something TODAY for KWPC.
Death meditation combined with the superior motivation you explained in your talk will take us forward.
(and the video will go up very soon!)
I await with anticipation for the video. Thank you Rinpoche for giving teachings and posting them online. It really benefitted me a lot through the years.
Thank you Rinpoche for your advice. My current job requires me to travel occasionally but I will definitely put more effort in KH activities especially MKC when i am in town and attends the Pujas.
It is very amazing that Setrap is continuously giving us signs on the growth of Kechara organization.
I’ve shown the picture of the mushroom to my kids, Rachel & Xander. They too are very amazed & excited. I’m pleased to inform Rinpoche that Rachel almost full vegetarian and she only takes meat once a week. She’s very committed every since watching the video of how animals get tortured and killed. Xander is a total vegetarian as he never touches any cook food..literally lives on Milk, bread, cheese, fruits & biscuits. They love animals so i hope that they will be able to contribute to help when Kechara Animal Sanctuary manifest.
With folded hands – Ashlee.
Wow, it is so empowering to read about death expressed with such openness, acceptance and logic! Death has always been an uncomfortable subject that people avoid and mishandle. Avoid by now facing up to the fact death is the only certainty we have in this life. Mishandle by pretending that we are not subject to death. The result of this delusion is: we waste our human life away by indulging only in worldly pleasures (please check out Tsem Rinpoche’s blog titled Elizabeth Taylor ~~~(Cleopatra and Butterfield 8).
On a personal level, I am like walking on glass when I need to confront death. Example: when a friend looses a dear one, I do not know how to support them. Although I still do not know what I will say/do for a person who looses a dear one to death, what I know is: what to say to them BEFORE they loose these dear ones.
I also do not reflect enough on death…my own death. Reading Rinpoche’s thoughts on death that is so glaringly presented gives me no room for pretence and avoidance. It shows me how silly I am to put so much time and effort into upholding my attachment to the fear of failure and being wrong. I also learn to view failure differently: failure is the choice to play a safe game in an effort to having the closest-to-warranty success which is by natural cause and effect, playing a safe game is never going at 100%…I can never win without going at 100%. What a paradox!
Thank you Rinpoche for this powerful talk.
People always think that Buddhism is bleak and scary because so many of the central teachings explore the subject of impermanent, mortality and death. They say it’s morbid, depressing and frightening.
Rinpoche shows us that it’s not, and that thinking about death is the most liberating thing there is. Some of us were so inspired by these teachings that we created a whole chapter about the inseparability of Life & Death in the book “If Now Now, When?” The very title itself, alludes to impermanence…. (http://www.kechara.com/publications/publications/mind-body-spirit/if-not-now-when-the-peace-edition/ )
Here, just a little snippet of some of Rinpoche’s other incredible teachings about life&death. Short they may be, but what they lack in words, they make up for in huge impact, powerful and realisation:
- We talk about death so we can live. We realise death so we can make others live.
- No matter how beautiful you are, you will not be beautiful one day;
no matter how rich you are, your wealth will be taken away at the
time of death.
- If we were to die tonight, close our eyes, have an accident; if our plane was to crash, if we ate something wrong, if we choked, got robbed or shot – if any of these things were to happen to us and if today was our last day to live, then what would be the value of the things that we have done from the time we were born until now?
I echo what Paris wrote. A lot of people misunderstand the essence of Buddhism, and especially, the practice of Death Meditation. The way some people react negatively to just talking about death alone is enough for me to realize that people in general are just very fragile and vulnerable inside. They are so petrified that they rather hide and run away, or avoid – rather than face the truth. If there is one thing certain that we all share is that we will all die. It does not matter whether we are rich, poor, beautiful or educated or young or old, white or black or yellow, Muslim or Christian or Hindu. Our time on earth will end at some point. It is precisely because we will end, and that we do not know when our end will come that we meditate on death even more. Impermanence allows us to sieve through the farce from what’s truly valuable. If we do not understand death, how can we understand life? If we do not appreciate the fact that we will die one day, how can we start living every moment of our lives with conviction, passion and purity? There is nothing scary about death. In fact, it is actually a very beautiful practice. The scariest thing is when we act and think like as if we are going to live forever when it is a fact we can’t. If just by talking about death alone can shake your very foundation, then perhaps you should start appreciating every breath you take, and especially your loved ones. They may not be around when we are ready to be nice. So, yes, it is time to forgive and let go. It’s time to forget the fear and pain, so that we can start to really live.
Many people say why Buddhism is so sadistic – you are always talking about death. The word death is a taboo for many people and many people fear death and push aside this subject to forget and escape reality. Many people wish to have happiness but do not know how to go about to obtain true and sustainable happiness because they have not the slightest knowledge and merits. If one has Buddhadharma and meditate on death, one really begins to live and in accord with dharma. One will live correctly with greater meaning and purpose in life. I pray that we can share this message with as many people as possible so that they can start to live again.
I was very caught up with morbid fear and anguish thought of suffering whilst thinking of death recently. Liason sharon and Mr. Ngeow was tremendous help in allaying my fears during those distress period.
I share the same thoughts as sheng ee on the furtile effort of striving so hard to accomplish mundane things that will be gone after we die. Now with my understanding of karma and rebirth it brings a whole new light on striving for the right things. Striving the balance in surviving this life and collecting merits for our future lives.
Due to the uncertainty of dying it creates the urgency for us to practice our virtue immediately. It really does help me to get out of my laziness and procrastination always.
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As a Vajrayana practitioner, do you not partake of meat at vajra feasts? I am a great admirer of the late Kalu Rinpoche. Now in Sukumvati. He was very clear on this subject. On page 124-125 in his book, “Foundations of Tibetan Buddhism”,… he goes through the root Vajrayana downfalls. Let me please share downfall #13: “The thirteen root downfall concerns our attitude and approach to tantric practice and tantric ritual. If we are participating in a ganachakra or vajra feast, where ritual use of meat and alcohol is made, and we abstain from one of the other of these on the grounds that it is impure or that it is contrary to our convictions and principles, then we have failed to appreciate the view of tantra which attempts to transcend purity and impurity, attempts to transcend dualistic thinking, and we have failed to appreciate and take part in the spirit of that tantric transformation process. To indulge in this kind of superficial, dualistic clinging to appearances during the course of a tantric ritual is to commit the 13th root downfall and to go against the spirit of our tantric practice.”–(from a facebook comments post)
During tantric rituals, a tiny bit of meat, must be had for the greater view and greater good..which is to overcome clinging…but what I am talking about is daily consumption of meat…steaks, fried chicken, pork chops, leg of lamb, turtle soup, sharksfin, duck, rabbit stew, frog legs, clams, seafood chowder, sushi, and all the other animals slaughtered daily for our taste buds…. If we give up all meat eating and meat consumption then let’s talk about tsok meat. HH Kyabje Zong Rinpoche mentioned in Los Angeles, we can take some tsampa and put a few drops of alcohol on it in place of meat when we cannot get it for tsok…..that can be used for meat. In Tibet Kyabje Zong Rinpoche would do that. Tsem Rinpoche
Dear Rinpoche, I am now 40 years old. When I was 27 I went out to pursue the learning of Dharma. But somehow I just keep failing and my life is getting shorter and shorter. When I see people passing away. I just think of how many obstacles I have to true Dharma practice, and I am very sad and angry with myself. I have made so many mistakes. You are so kind to be there for me and take me under your wing and make teachings available via the internet. Amitabha