Dharma work, attitude & TDL
Please take a look at this above video I did today for you. I hope it will bring you more light…..
Dear friends,
Today I was at the beach in East Coast of Malaysia and decided to share how I arrived at Thubten Dhargye Ling Dharma Centre in Los Angeles when I was 17 years old. I also have shared my thoughts on Dharma work. I thought my sharing might help some people. After all we are all humans and have our thoughts, feelings and emotions right or wrong.
Dharma work is something of a blessing, privilege and honour. We should never do Dharma work thinking we are doing the centre, our guru, others and Buddha a favour. If we think like that then even offering flowers and incense to the Buddha is doing Buddha a favour?? Not so. We are not doing anyone a favour if we think we are doing them a favour…in fact, it defeats the whole purpose because of wrong thinking. If we need to help people who need to cross a dangerous river daily by building a bridge, we can build it ourselves but it can take much longer. If we join forces with others, then the bridge can be completed much faster with less effort. Joining in the Dharma work of a centre is like the example I just gave with the bridge. When we do Dharma work, we must act in accordance with the Dharma. We must have integrity, discipline, drive, commitment and honesty. Then the work really becomes Dharma and something to help us bring happiness to others and ourselves eventually. Dharma work places should not become places to dump our anger, frustrations and emotions forcing others to confront our unhappiness in our lives by asking for attention and not applying a solution. Of course our Dharma friends will listen and try to help, but ultimately we must apply the true solutions/remedies to get results. When we throw tantrums, demand special attention, do not complete our work, do not fulfill our promises, then whatever you are doing is not Dharma work. How could it be? It is work that could be Dharma but you made it into work that harms yourself and others.
Dharma people are generally more tolerant, forgiving, patient, kind but we should not take advantage of this. The problems you have in your romance, family, kids, husbands, wives, partners, friends, etc. were not created by your Dharma friends, so do not blame them. Do not expect them to be the object of your unhappiness with the situations you created yourself. Do not ask Dharma, your teacher, your friends to solve your problems. You must apply the Dharma and solve your problems. If you are always throwing tantrums, blaming others, complaining and making others uncomfortable, then you will make yourself unwelcome wherever you go. No one deserves to be lonely and sad. So do not create the situations to become lonely. When you do Dharma work, then do your work with a smiling face, good attitude and a disposition that make others happy to have you. That is your training. Training your mind to become something that other people will want you is the challenge worth taking.
Dharma work is NOT WHAT OTHERS CAN GIVE YOU OR WHAT YOU CAN DEMAND, but what you give others quietly and without complaints……dharma work is about giving. Giving from all levels is what really brings love, contenments and respect…what we all want and need… Dharma is about rooting out our selfish mind that brought us all our problems in the first place. Dharma teaches us the truth about ourselves and we should face it and do something about it before it’s too late…When we have so much support and care around us and we ‘cannot’ solve our problems, how to solve it alone and away? But sometimes being away makes us realize what we missed and it could be positive..it’s different for everyone.
We should never blame others in our work. We should never push responsibilities onto others. We should never ask others to solve our problems and make them listen to our stories for hours with no end, when we created the problems and only we can solve it. We should not threaten others we will quit, or leave or will not participate because that is the same as telling Lord Buddha you quit and you don’t want to ‘help’ Buddha. That sounds ridiculous by any standards. If you wish to quit to take care of your problems and maybe later do Dharma work again, then do so quietly and without complaining or gossiping or making up stories to cover your shame, failure and embarrassment. If you do so, then you close the doors for yourself to return and you end up alone again..you end up back to square one.
Please remember, no one forced you to do Dharma work. You chose it. So if you choose Dharma work and joined an organization or dept, then it has rules and parameters from past experiences to safeguard everyone for the future. It’s like if there’s a stretch of road that is slippery, then a sign can be put up to warn drivers and also to lower the speed. To lower the speed is not a rule to make you suffer or control you but to protect you. Similarily within any Dharma organizations there are unique ways of doing things that have evolved over time, so do not just think it’s useless and throw it to the wind and act as you like… After all, have you ever run a Dharma centre or managed many people? If you haven’t then you have to realize the rules are to help you, others and the work long term. Not all rules are perfect, but with time they can be perfected. Nothing is perfect after all. But important to know that if you have the merits to do Dharma work, then your attitude must adjust with it. How can you touch statues, thangkas, offerings, attend teachings, give talks, do rituals, do prayers and be involved with work everyday that is meant to relieve others of sufferings when you add to their sufferings by your attitude? That wouldn’t do would it? How can you join Dharma and act the same or worse than before you have joined Dharma? That doesn’t make sense either please….. I wrote all this for you to self examine and not to judge you or criticize you…definitely to help you examine. I examine myself always. I don’t always like what I see, but I do something about it because I know it will bring me trouble later and I don’t want trouble…. Doing something about what we don’t like in ourselves is Dharma. Repaying the Guru’s kindness in the highest manner is to transform ourselves. If we appreciate our Guru, then show it with transformation, everything else is an excuse. Dharma work is meant to transform ourselves for the benefit of ourselves and others….Not to make us worse.
If you are volunteering, then how wonderful you sponsor yourself a stipend to work for the Dharma. Then your giving of yourself to Dharma is thorough. Rejoice. You have the fortune to take care of yourself so the Dharma does not need to find more help to help you. You help yourself to help others…so wonderful if you can do that…What you do not need in stipend, can be used for someone else to do Dharma work, how kind of you to allow this chain reaction….
If you are on stipend because you wish to do Dharma work and cannot afford to, then you are so lucky that Dharma pays you to transform and collect merit. Think about it..you are being paid to be a good person, generate good qualities, do work to benefit others, to attend teachings, to have the honour to work with other selfless people, to give meaning to your lives, to dedicate merits for your loved ones, to be in an environment that aims to better society and others…You are being paid to become enlightened..how lucky you are??? If you are collecting a stipend, you are not bad, it’s because you need to, so be grateful, humble, work hard, nurture others, be generous in your time/effort/work, do not make trouble, or burden others ever. No one is paying you to make others suffer more..People come to the dharma to find some peace and wisdom, not for a stipened person of the Dharma to burden them more with problems and confusion…take the stipend with open hands and also give back with open hands…You are lucky to be paid to benefit others…please think……I rejoice for you to do Dharma work either way. I truly do.
If really you leave Dharma work for now whether as a volunteer or stipend staff, you didn’t leave Dharma or your centre. You should continue to really practice Dharma so you can overcome your obscurations. You should be involved in the centre, pujas, teachings and activities. Why? Because you need it very much. You may be embarrassed at first, but your face loss for the moment is worth your continuation of your Dharma learning and participation. Face is nothing and Dharma is everything. So even if you are not doing Dharma work per se, you should not abandon anything else in the Dharma ever…
For any reason that is beyond our control that we must ‘leave’ Dharma work, then be grateful. Do not be sneaky. Do not keep quiet. Do not just take and pretend you are staying. But talk to the person in charge. Be honest. Let your Dharma co-workers know. Make them feel worth the effort they put towards you. Do not keep quiet till the last minute, sneak away and do not want to face so many that have been kind to you because you have no gratitude, no appreciation and you take and don’t give. Courage is appreciation. If you do not have appreciation, then anywhere you go, you will be not respected. Places and faces can change, but results will be the same. Wherever you plant apple trees, it will be apples that grow and not oranges. So if you need to leave, then leave in a way that is honest, respectful and do not treat your Dharma work just as a job. Try your best to find a replacement. Do not just leave an empty space and let others fill it. Your job and what you are doing will be left to others to cover. If you are sincere about your Dharma practice and Dharma work, then you will do your best to make sure what you are leaving does not burden anyone else. Do not owe money, debts or leave a bad taste in other people’s mouth. Because then it’s like abandoning the best thing in your life and then just rubbing more insult into the wound.
If you have the honour to sponsor Dharma, then do not treat the Dharma like a racehorse expecting it to win and bring you returns. The returns you want and what you get can be different, maybe better. Do not control others with your money. Dharma centres/actitivities/people need your sponsorship and appreciate it. But your attitude should not be a King or Queen waltzing into the Dharma centre because you are a sponsor. A sponsor should be all the more humble, gracious and never show off what you gave and expect gratitude. Your reward and ‘payment’ of gratitude is the lives Dharma has touched because of you…. If the Dharma, centre and activities are growing, that is your reward. That is the true reward. You would have most likely used your money for more samsaric acquisitions, but when you sponsor the Dharma you are doing something so excellent, that the Dharma is doing you a favour to allow you to sponsor it…think about it.
Sponsoring monks, teachers and the gurus is a unique position to be in. You have the direct affinity to help your teacher in their work…how beautiful is that? You get to relieve some burdens from your teachers’s mind in raising funds for their noble projects. How wonderful to relieve the minds of people who uphold the Dharma, share knowledge with you and give your life true purpose. All the wealth in the universe is not enough of an offering to one who shows you the path to enlightenment. Enlightenment is priceless. Liberation from all suffering is priceless. So if you can support a person who does this for others, how great is your luck to chance upon this..I am not saying sponsors deserve nothing and just offer, offer, and offer. What I am saying is when the sponsor offers with no expectations, then the true teacher will recognize this, the love and blessings to the sponsor will be manifold. No true teacher will not take care of such a sponsor. Sponsors should trust. Sponsors do not need to feel jealous, or compete or demand because if you expect your teacher to take care of all this, you think very lowly of your teacher. Offer more than funds, offer your practice..that is the greatest and highest form of supporting your teacher.
From my side, I appreciate the sponsors deeply and my wish to benefit them goes into not just this life, but future lives. Without sponsorship, how can any centre grow, reach out or do any of their noble works. From my heart, I thank and appreciate sponsors so much as with any teacher I am sure. A good relationships comes between sponsor and teacher when both just do their work with the intent to benefit others and nothing else…….what a wonderful partnership.
Your teacher will use your sponsorship to the best of their judgement, leave it to them and do not demand reports, special favours, special attention, special exceptions. If you do, it will make others lose respect for you. After sponsoring, why would you want others to lose respect in you because of petty behaviours. Be a shining example of generosity without control, strings, conditions, doubt and demands. Then you become a true sponsor of the Dharma acquiring merits to bring great spiritual returns. Sponsors should get involved with Dharma work and see it to the end, after all why ‘invest’ in something and not see it all the way through? How much and how often you sponsor should be done with 100% motivation to benefit without demands….that is good training. Dharma is not a business and the people involved are not business people. Before you sponsor, make sure it is the place you have confidence in. Check it thoroughly. Whatever you promise to sponsor, then do so and show your integrity as a sign of your spirituality. Do not make empty promises, because that leads you to the wrong type of emptiness…..It disappoints others deeply….Sponsors are very kind….for sure….for very sure…
Doing Dharma work helps us to collect merits and the benefits are far reaching on many levels…. Do not make it into a situation where you collect demerits, more negative karma and strengthen your negative habituations. You must transform your mind in order to do Dharma work and for it to be really Dharma, otherwise it is just work like any other work in Samsara. Please think about what I have said….I am not here to criticize you or accuse, but to lay the cards out on the table straight and honestly. Please see it as that and not something to hurt you or accuse you. Of course there are many who really do Dharma work and inspire me and many others. To them I fold my hands in humility and I thank them.
Sometimes in the Dharma centres you come across people who know their stuff, memorized the prayers, are fast, been around for many years, volunteer alot, know alot of the history of the centre yet they are not nice. They are jealous, nasty, very competitive, mooch money from you, borrow and not give back, use sweet Dharma words with bad motive to get something else, gossipy, schismatic, and really turn alot of people off. Your question might be HOW COME THIS IS ALLOWED OR WHY LIKE THAT??? Well there are going to be people who listen, apply and practice the Dharma and there are going to be people who don’t. That is what makes up a centre…Just like in a hospital you come across caring and sincere nurses as well as nurses who don’t care. So when you come across these people and they have been hurtful to you, you may speak up to them and be firm. Ask them not to treat you this way or that way. You can speak up and it does not make you bad.. Being compassionate does not mean being the object of unnecessary abuse from anyone centre or not… These people are in the centre because if they weren’t they would be worse off. It is the compassion of the teacher and members that allow them to stay. So you can generate compassion towards them and keep a safe distance if necessary. There have been instances in every centre where certain people really do things that are very bad forcing the centre to ask them to go for a retreat, or just please do not get involved in the centre because their harm is way beyond any parameters. There are all types of people in a centre…but one should not judge the Dharma on their basis. There are people who come to a centre with totally a non-spiritual goal and maybe to use the centre or members…that does happen unfortunately sad to say…..We must be alert to protect the centre from people who’s intentions are harmful by taking appropriate actions according to the law of the land. I mention the truth/reality and it may shock some of you, but welcome to the real world…I am sorry. In a hospital there will be people who benefit and live from treatment, but some do not. Yet medical treatment for others must continue. Watch yourself and judge yourself when in the Dharma as your goal is peace, wisdom and liberation….
Please do not take offense in what I have written, I wrote it to clarify. Not to accuse or say everyone is like this or that. From what I wrote, you take what applies to you if anything. If it doesn’t apply, I still have a duty to explain and share on the attitude behind Dharma work. If you understand, then everyone will have a better relationship with eachother and that is what I want.
I thank you,
Tsem Rinpoche
Chinese Translation
佛法工作、态度及图登达杰林佛法中心
请观赏我今天特别为大家录制的影像，希望它能够为你带来更多的曙光……
亲爱的朋友们，
今天，我来到马来西亚东海岸的沙滩，我决定跟大家分享我17岁时如何抵达位于洛杉矶的图登达杰林佛法中心。我也跟大家分享我对佛法工作的想法。我想我的分享或许会帮到一些人。毕竟我们都是人类，无论对或错，我们都有自己的想法、感受和情绪。
佛法工作是一种加持、殊荣及荣誉。从事佛法工作的我们，不应该将所做的事想做是在帮忙佛教中心、我们的上师、其他人和佛陀做事。如果我们这样想，难道为佛陀供花和供香就是在帮佛陀做事？不是这样的。我们并不是在帮任何人的忙；如果我们想成是在帮别人的忙……事实上，这种错误的想法就已经乖离了从事佛法工作的整个目的。如果我们要建一道桥来帮助那些每天都需越过危险河流的人们，当然我们可以自己建，但是却得耗上较长的时间。如果我们与别人联手共建那道桥，我们就能更快且更省力地完成工程。在一个佛教中心从事佛法工作，就好像我刚例举的那个建桥的例子。我们在从事佛法工作的过程中，我们的行为一定得和佛法保持一致。我们必须言出必行、有纪律、动力，遵守诺言并有诚信。那么这份工作最终就真的变成佛法，并成为一个能帮我们去为他人和自己带来快乐的东西。从事佛法工作的场所，不该成为我们发泄愤怒、挫折感和情绪的地方；我们也不该一味要求别人的关注，强迫别人去面对我们生活上的不快乐，而不去解决问题。同修当然会聆听并尝试帮助我们，但最终我们还是必须用对的方法/解药去解决问题。如果我们发脾气，要求别人的特别关注，却没有完成工作，也不去履行诺言，那么无论我们做的是什么，它都不会是佛法工作。怎么会这样？它原本可以是佛法的工作，但是你却将它变成给自己和他人带来伤害的工作。
学佛的人普遍上更具容忍心、不记仇、有耐性和善良，但是我们不应该就此而占便宜。你在爱情、家庭、亲子关系、夫妻关系、伴侣之间、友情中等所面对的问题，都不是你同修制造的问题，因此不要迁怒于他们。你为自己制造了不愉快的经历， 不要期待他们会成为那个该负责任的人。不要叫佛法、你的上师、你的朋友来替你解决问题。你必须应用佛法来解决你的问题。如果你经常发脾气，责怪和抱怨他人并使他人感到不舒服，那么你会让自己陷入无论去到哪里都遭到排挤的情况中。没有任何一个人应遭受孤独和悲伤的处境。因此不要制造令自己陷入孤独之中的情况。脸带笑容，并以良好的态度和性格从事佛法工作，这会使你被大家珍惜。这是你的训练。训练你的思维以成为一个令其他人会珍惜的人，这是一个值得尝试的挑战。
从事佛法工作，并不是看别人可以给你什么或者你可以要求什么，而是让你学会如何能够沉默且不抱怨地为别人付出……佛法工作是关于施予。从每一个层面上施予，能真正带来关爱、满足感和尊重……这是我们每一个人想要及需要的东西。第一个给我们带来所有问题的，便是自私的心理，而佛法正是让我们摒弃这心理的东西。佛法教导我们为人的真相，而我们应该面对它，并在来不及之前作出改变。若我们在拥有那么多支持和关怀的情况下都“没办法”解决问题，那么独自一人或远离人群怎么解决问题呢？当然，远离人群有时候也能让我们了解自己错过了些什么，而这也可以是正面的做法…这是因人而异的。
在工作上我们不应该责怪他人，我们不应该将责任推卸在他人身上。我们不应该叫别人替我们解决问题，让他们花几个小时聆听我们说不尽的故事，尤其我们正是制造那些问题的人而也只有我们自己才能找到解决方案。我们不应该以离开工作岗位，或者离开佛教中心，或不参与任何活动来威胁其他人，因为你这么做就等同于你对佛陀说你要退出，你不想“帮忙”佛陀。以任何标准来衡量，这听起来都很荒谬。如果你想离开以解决你的问题然后再回来从事佛法事业，那么就保持沉默，不要抱怨或制造流言，或者捏造故事来掩盖自己的羞愧、失败和困窘。如果你这么做，那么你是在为自己堵住后路，让自己没办法回来并再次陷入孤独之中。最后你还是没有任何改变。
请牢记，没有人强逼你从事佛法工作，那是你的选择。因此如果你选择从事佛法工作并加入某个组织或部门，你就必须明白，每个组织或部门都会有因过去经验而设下的规则和限制，目的是在未来的日子里保障每个人的利益。这就好像是某个路段有路面平滑的情况，为了警告驾驶者或提醒他们将车速减缓，路边便会设置一个警示牌。减缓车速不是一个用来为你制造痛苦或约束你的规则，而是在保护你的安全。同样的，在任何佛教组织内都会有随着时间演变，而发展出来的独特处理事情的方式，所以不要认为那是毫无用处的东西并置之不理，然后为所欲为。再怎么说，你曾经经营过一个佛教中心或管理过很多人吗？若你不曾的话，那你要明白，那些规则都是为了帮助你、他人以及那些长远的工作。不是所有的规则都是完美的，但日子久了它们就会逐渐变得完善。毕竟没有任何一个东西是完美的。然而，很重要的一点你必须知道，如果你有足够的功德从事佛法工作，那么你就必须调整你的态度来工作。如果你每一天都在触碰佛像、唐卡、供品、出席开示、给讲座、进行仪式、祈愿，及参与理应能减轻人们痛苦的工作，你又怎能任由自己恶劣的态度来增加他们的痛苦？那是行不通的，对吧？你怎么可以在接触佛法后行为还是维持不变，或比接触佛法前更变本加厉？那根本说不通。我写这篇文章是让你做自我检视，并不是要评断你或批评你，这完全是为了让你做自我检视。我常常检视我自己。我并不总是喜欢我所看到的，但是我会做出改变，因为我知道它在之后会带给我麻烦，我不想要麻烦。针对我们对自身不满意的地方去加以改进是佛法。回报上师恩情的最高尚方式便是转化自己。如果我们珍惜自己的上师，那就以自己的转化来表示感激，其他的一切都是借口。佛法工作就是为了转化自己以给自己和他人带来益处，而不是为了让我们变本加厉。
如果你在佛教中心充当义工，你为自己的佛法工作赞助俸给，这有多美好啊！那么你便是完全地将自己奉献给佛法。随喜。你有自己照顾自己的运气，佛法不必费心思去帮助你。你帮助自己以帮助其他人。如果你可以这么做那有多美好啊！你不需要的俸给可以用来支持其他人从事佛法工作，你的仁慈制造别人从事佛法工作的因。
如果你想从事佛法工作却不得不领薪，那么你也很幸运，因为佛法支付你薪水，好让你得以转化，并让你累积功德。不妨这么想，你被付予薪水以成为一个好人，建立良好品德；你被付予薪水以从事利益他人的工作、出席开示，且让你有机会与其他无私的人一同工作；你被付予薪水来为你的人生找到意义，让你能够回向功德给你的至爱；你被付予薪水来生活在一个以改善社会和他人为目标的地方，你被付予薪水以达致证悟……你是多么地幸运啊！如果你必须领薪，这不表示你不好，而是因为你需要靠它来过日子；你因此要感恩、谦虚、勤力及栽培其他人，不要吝啬你的时间、精力或对工作有所计较，不要制造问题或成为别人的负担。没有人支付你薪金来让其他人受更多的苦。那些前来接触佛法的人们是想找寻安宁和智慧，而不是为了找寻一个受薪的佛法工作者给他们带来更多问题和混乱的负担。以开放的心接受薪金，也以开放的心付出。你有机会被付予薪水以给人们带来利益，这是很幸运的，请想想……无论你以哪种方式从事佛法事业，我为你随喜。我真的为你随喜！
无论你是义工或受薪的职员，如果你现在真的离开佛法事业，你其实并没有离开佛法或你的佛法中心。你应该继续真正地实践佛法，以让你能够克服自身的障碍。你应该参与佛教中心的活动、法会、开示以及各种活动。为什么？因为你极度需要这些。刚开始时你或许会很尴尬，但是你那一刻的没面子是值得的，因为那能让你继续佛法上的学习和参与。面子是虚无的，而佛法是一切。因此纵使你本身没有从事佛法工作，你永远都不应该放弃佛法中的一切。
如果为了任何一个超乎我们掌控的理由而必须“离开”佛法工作，那么我们要感恩。不要偷偷摸摸，不要保持沉默，不要一味接受别人的好意，还装着你会继续留下来。你要去和负责人谈一谈。为人得诚实，让你佛法的同事了解你的状况。让他们觉得为你付出心力是值得的。不要保持沉默直到最后一分钟，然后再偷偷离开，只为了逃避那些善待你的多张脸孔，因为你对他们的善意对待不怀有谢意及感激，更只受不施。勇气是感激的表现。如果你没有怀着感激的心，无论你去到哪里，你都不会得到别人的尊重。地方和人可以不一样，但是结果会是一样的。无论你在哪里种下苹果树，长出来的都会是苹果而不是橙。因此如果你得离开，那么就诚实且有礼貌的离开，不要将你的佛法工作看成是只是一个工作，尽量找一个替代，不要离开然后留下一个空位待别人来填补它。因为这样，别人将必须帮你完成你的工作。如果你真诚对待你的佛法修行和佛法工作，那么你会尽量确保你的离开不会对任何一个人造成负担。不要欠钱，不要负债，或留下恶名并成为别人的话柄。因为这就像是放弃了你人生最好的东西之后，还在伤口上撒盐。
如果你有幸能赞助佛法事业，那么不要好像对待赛场上的马儿一样对待佛法，期待它会给你带来胜利和回酬。你想要的回酬和你得到的东西可以是不一样的，或许会更好。不要利用你的钱去控制其他人。佛法中心、佛法活动或学佛的人需要你的赞助，他们会珍惜你的慷慨。但是你的态度不应该犹如踩着华尔兹舞步进入佛法中心的国王或王后，只因为你是赞助人。一个赞助者应该比所有人都更谦虚、亲切，不炫耀自己给了多少，然后期待别人来感谢你。你的回酬和“报酬”来自那些由于你的赞助而被佛法撼动的生命。如果佛法、某个中心和活动能够取得发展，那就是你的回酬。那就是真正的回酬。绝大多数的时候，你可能会将你的钱用在去拥有娑婆世界中的事物，但是当你赞助佛法，你就是在做一件了不起的事。佛法给了你机会，让你为佛法付出……去想一想。
赞助僧人、导师和上师让你处在特别的位置上。你拥有直接的殊缘帮助你上师的工作，这有多美好啊！你为上师的高尚计划筹募款项，能减轻上师心理的负担。能够为守护佛法、与你分享知识，并给予你人生真正意义的人减轻心理负担，那是多美妙的事。整个宇宙的财富都不足以你用来供养一位指引你走上证悟之道的人。证悟是无价的。从所有的痛苦中解脱是无价的。因此如果你可以支持一个帮助他人解脱痛苦的人，若你能有这样的机会，那是多大的福分！我不是说赞助者就只应一味奉献，而不该获得什么。我的意思是如果赞助者能够无条件的奉献，具格的上师将会看得见，而他给予赞助者的关爱和加持将是多方面的。没有一位具格的上师会忽略这样的赞助者。赞助者应该不存有任何怀疑。赞助者不必嫉妒、竞争，或要求什么，因为如果你期待你的上师去照顾这一切，那你就是将你的上师想得非常卑微。奉献比资金更多的东西，奉献你的修行，这便是你对上师最伟大、最崇高的支持。
对我而言，我由衷感谢赞助者，我愿他们不止在这一世受益面，更希望他们在来世也能获益。如果没有赞助者的帮助，一个中心如何能发展，向前迈进并接触大众，或实现他们的高尚工作？我肯定，我个人和任何一个上师都一样由衷感谢和感激那些赞助者。赞助者和上师之间的和谐关系，在双方都怀着只想利益他人而别无他意的情况下产生。那是多么美好的伙伴关系！
你的上师会根据他的判断，加以善用你的赞助；将你的资金交在他们手中，不要要求报告书、特别照顾、特别的关注以及特殊的待遇。如果你这么做，你会失去别人对你的尊重。在赞助后，为什么要让别人因为你的一些小举动而对你失去尊重？成为一个慷慨的好榜样，不企图控制、不附带条件、不怀疑，也不多加要求地付出，那么你便会是一个真正的佛法赞助者，你累积的功德将为你带来巨大的灵修回报。赞助者应该参与佛法工作以见证工作的始与终；既然要“投资”，为什么又不见证它的整个过程呢？无论你赞助的数额和次数是多少，都应该是出自完全想利益他人，别无要求的动机……这是很好的训练。佛法不是一单生意，参与的人并不是生意人。你在赞助之前要确保那是你能投以信心的一个佛教中心。先做个彻底的了解。无论你答应要赞助什么，就要言出必行，那是显示你的灵性修养的象征。不要开空头支票，因为那将让你错误理解空性，那会深深地让他人失望。赞助者们都非常仁慈，那是肯定的，是毋容置疑的……
从事佛法工作帮助我们累积功德，这份工作带来的益处可以散播到多个层面。不要让自己在从事佛法工作时累积负面的功德及更多的恶业，并强化你负面的习性。你必须打从心底转化自己来从事佛法工作，好让你的心血成为真的佛法，否则你的工作就会跟任何一个娑婆世界的工作一样。针对我的话，你去想一想。 我不是在批评你或谴责你，我只是直接且诚实地将事情摊开来说。请你这样来看待我的话，而这些不是为了要伤害你或谴责你的话。当然也有很多真正在从事佛法工作的人，这些人启发了我，也启发很多人。我对他们谦恭的双手合十并感谢他们。
有些时候，你会在某个佛教中心内遇见那些能掌握自身职务、对祈愿文能倒背如流、敏捷、加入某个中心好几年、当了许多次义工，也对中心的历史有所认识的人，但是他们却不怎么友善。他们善妒嫉、难应付、好勇斗狠，又或许会讹诈你的钱财、向你借东西但不归还，动机不良却擅长使用漂亮的佛法文字以获取一些东西、多嘴多话、搞分裂并激怒了不少人。你或许会问：“怎么可以允许这些事发生”或“为什么会这样？”。当然，在一个佛教中心里，既有真心想听取教诲，实践佛法并认真修行的人；也会有不想这么做的人。一个佛教中心就是由这些人组成的。就像一所医院，你既会遇到对病人关怀备至及诚恳的护士，也会遇见对病人漠不关心的护士。因此如果你遇到那些人，或曾经被他们伤害过，你大可态度坚定地说明你的立场，要求他们不要这样或那样对待你。你可以出声，这并不表示你是坏人。慈悲为怀并不意味着要成为被欺凌的对象。这些人在某个中心里的原因是，如果他们不在中心里，他们会变得更加恶劣。是上师和中心成员的慈悲心 允许他们留下来。因此你可以对他们产生慈悲心，并在有需要的时候跟他们保持距离。这已经是每个中心都会出现的情况，你会发现有些人真的可以做出十分恶劣的举止，导致中心的管理人逼不得已，而必须要求那些有问题的人去闭关，或者不让他们参与中心的活动，因为他们带来的伤害已经超乎任何一个标准。一个中心里可能存在着许多种人，但是人们不应该以他们作为判断佛法的标准。有一些人是完全不以修行为目标，且很可能是为了利用某个中心及其成员而来到一个佛教中心。不幸的，这的确会发生。为了保护佛教中心，我们必须保持警惕，并根据地方法律采取适当的手段来对付那些怀有不良动机的人。我说出的真相或现实也许会吓坏一些人，但是欢迎你们来到真实的世界，我很抱歉。在医院里固然会有因为获得治疗而从中受益或获得痊愈的人，但并非所有的人都这样。虽然如此，继续为人们提供医药治疗仍是必要的。在学佛的过程中观察自己并判断自己，因为你的目标是取得宁静、智慧和解脱。
请不要因为我的文字而感到被冒犯，我写这个是为了要澄清。我并不是在谴责或指说每个人都是这个样子或那个样子。从我的文字中，如果任何一个东西适用于你，你可以接受它。如果不适用，我仍有责任跟大家解释和分享佛法工作背后的态度。如果你能明白，那么每个人和其他人之间都会有更和谐的关系，而这也正是我想要看到的东西。
谢谢。
詹仁波切
ok…this is really inspiring,thank you Rinpoche. I thank Rinpoche for showing anyone of us a clear way to go. We ourselves are always the one to fool ourselves.things bcome harder and more confusing. i would say this is a very profound teaching. I will remember it from time to time.
Dear Abby, do read again, I have added some more thoughts just a few minutes ago…rest well. TR
Dear Rinpoche,
Thank you for this wonderful gift of sharing your wisdom via writing and video. It truly is of benefit.
- Joyce
thank you very meaningful teaching!!
Dear Rinpoche,
Thank you so much for the valuable teachings.
This is especially relevant in Kechara when so many of us have the good fortune to engage in dharma work with and without stipends.
How true – we are not doing Kechara a favour, it’s Kechara(Rinpoche) that’s doing us the favour !
Thank you , Blog Team for your hard work and all the rare shots of our Guru
out on the beach. I like all of them.
Take care guys on your new adventure !
With love & prayers,
Yoke Fui
Dear Rinpoche, thank you again for providing such valuable tools for us to check our minds when we are in Dharma. Rinpoche is frank, thorough and does not give unrealistic expectations as always. I will read this post again and again until i remember its essence and until i can apply it to my views.
Dear Rinpoche,
Thank you so much for this post. Clearing my mind of things and also showing the way of a true practice and this post have also answer a few of my question that i have and worried for years. I have printed this post to be re read again and again.
Thanks Rinpoche for the inspiring teaching, we are rejoyce to have a checklist to let us can keep on to check where or the status we r now… And what we must do for the next… Thanks our derest Guru…
Dear Rinpoche,
What you have just written could well be adopted as (1) one of many training modules in Kechara’s orientation class curriculum for helping to transform people’s attitudes into actual virtuous habit and behavior at work (2) used as a ‘standard’ measure of Kecharian’s periodic work performance review(3) ‘Our Values as Kecharians’ if someone can summarise it into point form and posted on all vantage points in the workplace.
I mean why let your thoughts phase into oblivion as a blog when it should be used as an axiom in the daily waking hours of all Kecharians?
oohh please be careful not to bureaucratize dharma. please dont make a fascist regime. learning and dharma have to come from within – not imposed by outer rules.
Thank you so much, Rinpoche..for your kind and continuous invaluable teachings no matter where you are.
We are very fortunate to have Rinpoche always caring for everyone no matter who we are and one should not even take our Guru, friends and members, colleagues, love ones or even dharma centre (in this case, Kechara) for granted. Will always mindful and practise. Likewise to share with others.
Thank you once again.
With love…mayy
Thank you for taking the time to speak on this, and everything else… Message recieved. –Josh Akers
I love this teaching Rinpoche, thank you. Every line applies to me, every moment of the day. It is a big contemplation and practice just to think for example, how we are not doing anyone a favour, but how everyone in the Dharma centre and the centre itself does us a favour. It is the 8 verses at work, seeing ourselves as lowest of all.
This teachings also reminds me very much of the teachings Rinpoche gave for Gurus for Hire (http://www.kechara.com/publications/publications/tsem-tulku-series/gurus-for-hire-enlightenment-for-sale/)
Always relevant, always important, always applicable.
Thank you for elaborating on such an important, central part of our daily practice, work, speak and thoughts.
Have wonderful travels up north Rinpoche and the whole team.
Love love love xxx
i believe every ‘Dharma-worker’, regardless of whichever institution he/she is serving now or any aspiring ‘Dharma-worker must take this teaching from Rinpochela to heart. In fact, it would be great if Rinpochela’s teaching on this subject could be published or made a DVD. Thank you, “kam-sia che-che” Rinpochela!
Dear Rinpoche,
Thank you for the precious teachings!
I will always remind myself how fortunate to be in dharma.
Blog team – Great work and keep it up!
Regards,
Han
Dear Rinpoche,
This picture is well shot, so are those taken as well.
The explanation and teaching here are so clear and meaningful and help me to think and do more.
I wish you and the team a good and resourceful trip at your next destination.
Thank you Rinpoche,this teaching gives me a lot of food for thought and I shall re examine myself, my faults and try to better myself.
Dear Rinpoche,
Perhaps one way to address the major issues you have identified is to reinforce the need for HODs to manage by example, showing others what is the acceptable work conduct and work values as espoused by yourself in creating the work culture for the Kechara community for others to follow. At the same time, develop an internal IT system whereby each personnel in Kechara can periodicaly receive anonymous feedback from colleagues on areas for improvement. This HR system had worked effectively in my experience in bringing about the desired work culture which is so important in getting the job done.
ooh ST i am an outsider, so apologize if i dont know you-all & the situation – but i dont think this Dharma work is a business like a worldly business. we need to try to see the differences and act accordingly. I think Rinpoches analogy to a hospital might be more apt! Maybe the office is the Intensive Care Unit!
Dear Rinpoche
Thank you for this valuable advice. I will try my best to apply them. Some of these lessons above particularly about working with others and personal expectations, I had to learn them painfully through past experiences. However, these experiences make me appreciate your teaching even more knowing how true they were.
Much care
Valentina
Dear Rinpoche, Thank you for sharing this precious teachings with us no matter where you are.
What Rinpoche mentioned is so true. We should never do Dharma work thinking we are doing the centre, our guru, others and Buddha a favour. In fact we should think how fortunate we are to have the merits to do dharma work. This teaching is so honest, open and frank and I think it will not be offensive to others.
May Rinpoche and team have a great and fruitful trip up North.
Dear Rinpoche:
This video and teaching on our attitudes in doing Dharma work is very clear and useful for us to do a reality check on ourselves. Rinpoche says that “if you have the merits to do Dharma work, then your attitude must adjust with it.” How profound! If we realize how fortunate we are to have the opportunity to serve Dharma, we should be very grateful and do it happily in a responsible manner. It is very easy to want to do things our way, and give not much thought about how we treat people in our busy daily lives. We must be mindful of what we do or say so that we will not bring harm to others or to hurt them by the words we use. It is not easy to admit our flaws and to make that change in us. The only way is to be honest about it and remind ourselves from time to time that we need to make that change in us. Thank you Rinpoche for this wonderful teaching.
Dear Rinpoche
I am happy you shared with us your thoughts on dharma work, it consequence if we do not do it well and otherwise. Your teaching on how not to cut off our ties to practice dharma if we decide not to continue to be involved in dharma work helped.
You revealed the methods, results and solution to counter negative actions we create ourselves in any holy working environment to save ourselves from ending up being lonely and depressed later.
Our own happiness lies in our own actions and that is taking responsibility for ourselves to be happy. This is a good reminder of what we need to reflect on and take action to change.
Thank you again.
Dear Rinpoche,
You make me cry. I have suffered so much abuse from people who aren’t benefiting from the medicine.-at another place in north california. But still, in my place of worship there are 1 or 2 people I want to be there for, and the pujas I really love them. And I tried, I went back to pray. But I was uncomfortable. My friend asked me to help her with a transcript. And usually I can do them so quickly. But as I was transcribing I had all of these memories and emotions. And I just started to have a block in the work. And I would push myself and then stop. And then on television there has been a very big story in the USA about Warren Jeffs. And a lot of things talked about on the news-it happened to me and others at this place. So then I feel I can’t continue. If I assist them, am I helping the Dharma or helping to destroy the Dharma. Because it has all the pretty accouterments of a Dharma Wayplace, but people’s hearts are not transformed. And I fear if I help them with their marketing efforts then I am pretending to protect and uphold the Dharma, when in reality I am helping them destroy it. It’s so sad. I don’t know what to do. I was so happy, and now I realize it’s all not real. Your students are so lucky to have you. You are so kind and so wise and so real. There are so many who aren’t real. I am going to try to push myself to keep the commitment to my friend, and yet keep a safe distance. And then once my commitment is done just let go. It’s hard. I love walking into that hall and doing the prayers. I love the sounds, and the words to the prayers. But I almost lost my life, and as another Rinpoche told me, “you can’t practice if you’re dead.” I dunno. Sorry I talk too much; I was just worrying so much about this and saw your post on my feed reader. Maybe I am just a stupid whiny good for nothing drama queen. I don’t know.
Dear, dear one, you must take care of yourself. That ‘other Rinpoche’ was right. You cant practice if you are dead or even if just so upset/confused.
i dont know what happened to you. And I dont want to sound patronizing. but please please pray to the fully enlightened BUDDHAS. They hear you. they will without a doubt help you get clear. or steer clear. whichever is needed.
Do you have a friend to talk to? I want to help. I hope Tsem rinpoche responds to you -
Whatever collects the most extensive merits, whatever becomes the most powerful purification is what brings higher realisations to transform the mind. Whatever brings the greatest benefits to sentient beings, is the most powerful practice. Of course, it being understood, nothing is easy. From the many stories written in books, it is said that realisation, the benefits to the mind, dont just come from retreats, sitting in meditation, from study or prayers. Of course nothing also comes the easy way – like study, working for the centre, retreats and especially dealing with people from within and without!! What ever the success factor is, of course, there is no easy going way, as what was always been mentioned and reiterated in the teachings. As said in the Lamrin, the two most essential things to have is of course – a good heart and an unquestionable good Guru Devotion attitude. Of course devotion to one virtuous-friend is the key thing and takes top prority over the two. When the guru is pleased with you, you’re doing whatever the guru wishes or asks you to do -retreats, helping out other sentient beings, anything that pleases the guru; thats a good sign of good stringent purification. that’s why the mind becomes soft and if such practices continue and can be followed up, one can actually and easily achieve realisation of transforming the MIND. It is thus said that those are the signs of receiving the good blessings of the Guru. Thank you, Rinpoche once again for your invaluable teachings.
Dear Rinpoche,
Through Rinpoche’s precious teachings and compassion,it open our minds to realised our mistakes and improve ourselves.Kechara through Rinpoche gives us the opportunity to do dharma work and make life more meaningful!Ww are so fortunate.We have to realise that dharma work is unlike any oyher work in Samsara and if we do not put our heart and soul to our work,practise,we will not be able to see positive transformation.Thank you,Rinpoche for being with us and from the bottom of my heart I am truly grateful to all who continuously and sincerely stay by Rinpoche’s side to bring dharma to others.Thank you to the blog team for assisting Rinpoche and the lovely pictures.
Salutations to everyone. Dear Tsem Gaden MountainTree Rinpoche, Thank you for helping me overcome being shy
did you also see the movie “Stranded” ? From Gonzalo Aryon (2007, documentary- saw on a dvd- it’s about planecrash in Andes in 1972).
Very interesting karma – that people have to share. And when they do. Extreme neccesity and succesfully, together bringing it to turning point; Just like your personal experiance. (That braught you to Maleisia).
That creates so strong brotherhood.. and still, all and everything, we have to let go and relativise in this world. It helpes me a lot realizing always that I’m not the only one. I don’t know, perhaps you come accros that movie also one day. Or you have seen it and remember, O yep.
Graceful on the beach and alive heee. Please loose a litle bit weight. I don’t want to worry about you. You started to remind me of my dead father lately. You know, a man healthy goodbalanced body, starting to eat more then necessary. As a Teacher you don’t have to eat everything also, litteral.
After the funaral. From here on a personal experiance that I like to share with all of you:
Memmories, lonelyness, pain, distraction, discomfort, stress, noise and damage, hatred, unkindness, wrong perceptions..you name it, it was all bothering, and lack of focus the fight against a body that wants to live like a machine, but does not know it has to serve the mind, which is also a machine, took over, and I began to carry weight on my body, as never exposed earlyer in my life. What kind of lazyness had I been eating?, What kind of people had I met? Finally I began to focus again, and in a few days , perhaps a few weeks, the surplus of weight was gone, the body back to natural. Balanced. Much more comfortable. Much more easy to breathe.
Dear Tsem Tulku Rinpoche from Tibet unto Taiwan unto North America unto India Nepal and Maleisia.. a litle poem
O, India
Land of Poetry Wisdom and Truth
Enlighten my soul
Heart for Eternity
That warmth will always glow
Thank you. May You be happy (Tasi Delek)
How can I help you with rescueing the bears, please?
Dear Rinpoche,
Thank you Rinpoche for imparting such valuable teaching to us. This post is indeed an “awakening” post that in fact working for dharma is no different with working in samsara. The only difference is we are PAID to work for dharma and collect merits to purify negative karma.. How fortunate we are and we really shouldn’t treat dharma work as work.
Therefore, what we can repay to the kindness of our guru is transform ourselves to be a better person. Be committed, push our limits, come out from the comfort zone and do more. Work harmoniously with our co workers, put in effort and make things happen! To be a better person is not hard, by willing to transform our mind and attitudes and get rid of bad habituations is already a big leap.
Blog team- I know it’s been tiring, lack of sleep etc, but without you guys, we are not able to read all these precious posts and get benefited. You are the hero! Great job and keep it up
much love,
Chong Chin Fei
Dearest Rinpoche,
What you have written in your blog, makes me feel so lucky that I am given the opportunity to work in a Dharma center. In the past, I always thought I am doing people a favour for working for them, it didn’t really occur to me that others are actually giving me the opportunities to do so. After working in a Dharma center for almost 6 months, I am now more appreciative of the things people are giving me.
I have also learnt to accept criticism. Criticism is not nice to hear, but it is for us to improve ourselves to be a better person. People give us criticism because they care for us, I will always be thankful to them.
I have received kindness from the people in the center, I will repay them by transforming myself and helping others to be a better person.
I wish Rinpoche well.
With love,
Sock Wan
Among the three jewels the dharma is that which helps us to transform the most. When I first encountered the 8 worldly concerns i thought anything not dharma is contained there. However looking through what rinpoche shared there is so much more understanding and depth to what it means to do dharma. Hence big difference between intellectualising and realisation in this case.
Doing dharma work does kept me very busy for the past year or so, though in quieter times when I reflect one does become stronger when one applies the dharma in their lives, thats how I feel so far. So Dharma work is good work , wholesome work, besides getting to support oneself and family we get to do many diverse, good , exciting things on the spiritual journey.
Dear Rinpoche,
The amount of perseverence from Rinpoche’s side just wanting to do Dharma work is incredible. There was no centre for Rinpoche, there was no support for Rinpoche, there was nothing but Rinpoche’s sincere motivation to do, to serve the Dharma, for the sake of others, the motivation, and attitude is what we should take as our guiding.
We are so lucky to have the Dharma brought to us, to have Rinpoche as our guru, to have a centre, but yet we don’t cherish it, we instead focus on all the negatives but not look at the bigger picture. We talk but we don’t do. We procrastinate and stay complacent and nothing progresses, as if we have all the time in the world when, we don’t know what will happen tomorrow. When we loose things, that is the only time we learn to cherish.
Anyways, I agree that with Rinpoche’s teaching above, but what struck the most is that we should not think that wroking in the Dharma, means that someone owes something back to us. No one owes us anything, but ourselves. We should take pride, feel honoured in being able to serve and help others, and we should never seek anything in return. When we acutally have that motivation, then we can really go all the way with what we do.
The Dharma teaches us so much, but do we really apply the Dharma in our surroundings. How is it that when we learn the Dharma, we act the opposite. how is it that we are in a Dharmic environment, but don’t have the correct attitude, transformation that is due to the conditions and surroundings we are in.
Thank you for the powerful teaching Rinpoche. I will keep coming abck to this post, when my mind sways,and will keep Rinpoche’s teaching at heart. I will use this teaching as my fundamental root, to contribute and make our department grow.
With humblest gratitude,
Carmen K
Sorry, this part just popped into my head..
And I think the best choice I have made in my life is actually to do Dharma work, because I now assess my own reactions/actions and attitudes to how I would react before and now, and I see the true sense in what Rinpoche teaches and how Dharma benefits us, even when the work we do is to benefit others. We ourselves are the ones who ultimately benefit the most from what we do.
Thank you
Carmen
“You must apply the Dharma and solve your problems. If you are always throwing tantrums, blaming others, complaining and making others uncomfortable, then you will make yourself unwelcome wherever you go. No one deserves to be lonely and sad. So do not create the situations to become lonely. When you do Dharma work, then do your work with a smiling face, good attitude and a disposition that make others happy to have you. That is your training. Training your mind to become something that other people will want you is the challenge worth taking.”
I like the phrase above because I think it is all of Rinpoche’s teachings summarised into a few short words – that we need to take responsibility for our behaviour and our actions, and for our mind transformation. We also need to take responsibility for the growth and success of Rinpoche’s teachings, our departments and Kechara.
In Rinpoche’s words there, there is also the teaching of karma, and cause and effect – that if we keep blaming others (the cause), then we will become lonely (the effect). I remember Rinpoche teaching before that if we really believed in karma, then we will become responsible and our actions will automatically become Dharmic…
…which means that we should make our lives examples of Dharma, because that is the only way we will attract support.. People do not like to see us tired, hear us complaining, or get an unpleasant feeling when they think about us. We need to make sure that our body, speech and mind is practising the Dharma so that we get what we want – support, help and not to die a lonely death.
The phrase above I found particularly relevant to me in these last few weeks because I could see it happening to myself. It’s a sad, lonely and horrible place to be – it is not the physical loneliness that is the worst bit, but the mental loneliness that is the most demotivating. It led me to realise that no matter how much time people waste talking to me, counselling me or cajoling me, if *I* do not want to get out of my situation, then no one can help me. And it is no one’s fault but my own that I continue to feel as bad as I do.
This was an extremely uncomfortable teaching to hear and read because it addressed all of the internal justifications I was making up to try and excuse my horrible behaviour, which was leading me to nowhere fast. Thank you for the teaching Rinpoche, because it came at an especially apt time for me.
With folded hands,
Jean Ai
What hit me the most are “Dharma work is NOT WHAT OTHERS CAN GIVE YOU OR WHAT YOU CAN DEMAND, but what you give others quietly and without complaints……dharma work is about giving” and “Doing something about what we don’t like in ourselves is Dharma”
Doing Dharma work is actually a lot harder than I thought it was. At times I asked myself should I give up and just go back to my “normal” life. But on the other hand, I have a tiny inner voice that tell me I should benefit others than just fulfilling my own cravings.
Thus far, Dharma is the best tool I can use to benefit others, and I don’t want to give it up, and I pray I have the aspiration to do this until the end of my life…
I am going to put, “Don’t ask what Dharma can do for me, but what can I do for Dharma” on my wall..
Dear Rinpoche,
My understanding of Rinpoche’s teaching with dharma work is that the real difference is what we are working towards achieving. My personal struggle is that it’s easy for me to forget my goals and motivation especially if our skills were applied before during the times when our goals were non-spiritual. My thoughts on this is that we should apply our skills and experiences in helping the organization in areas required from the skills we’ve acquired previously, understanding and knowledge in structure, workflow, etc so that the organization can run smoothly and more effectively hence able to grow and reach out to more people. I agree with Rinpoche that there will always be problematic people or people we just can’t get along with well. I do get affected, angry, frustrated and many other points Rinpoche has pointed out. In the secular world, I would have done what most people will do by quitting and giving up. In a dharma organization, we should resolve our differences by giving in and not giving up.
I shall remember the most important mantra Rinpoche taught which is let go, let go, let go and be ready for change.
Dearest Rinpoche,
This is a valuable teaching for me. This remind me all the time for my own behavior.
I should transform, apply Dharma to solve my problems and not to burden everyone around us.
I have a great opportunity to be a part of Kecharians to work in Dharma, purify negative karma and collecting merits for it. So that i will accept, transform and benefit others.
Thanks a lot to Blog team for all your hard work.
Dear Rinpoche,
This is one of a great teaching on the attitude doing dharma.
It’s so clear & easy to understand.
I agree with this “Dharma work is something of a blessing, privilege and honour”. It has been one of the reason why I join full time.
I have a wrong view initially when I did voluntary work in KSK (way back in 2008/9). I used to think that I’m helping someone or doing some one a favor. As I volunteer more and more and I learn the essence of the work and my view changes when I start to change and feel grateful for giving this opportunity.
Problem encountered are always from ourselves…no one to blame. We need to use the knowledge we learn in dharma to overcome the problem. I think is how we can check ourselves whether we have improve and learned.
I’m so grateful to be able to do dharma work. Thanks for Rinpoche’s blessing, my wife who supported me so much & all the dharma family that help me so much.
Thank you
Frankly i love this teaching, Rinpoche…=)
Thankyou Rinpoche to shows us a clear way to go and always shows us the right path to follow. Thankyou Rinpoche for your kindness to all of us as a student.
I feel that doing Dharma work is actually lots harder than I thought it was. I do get affected…frustrated…depress…give up. But, everyday i can see there is people who step in the big door of kechara, they are even more and more depress, and they need us to lend a hand while we are at the front line. And they need Rinpoche teachings…
Eventually,I hold with a principle from Rinpoche’s talk, Do not expect others to change , WE CHANGE…
Do not focus on Memories, pain, discomfort, hatred, unkindness, bias..etc. But, fill it with compassions and improve to be a better person. Because, nothing is permanent.
Start planting the Dharma seeds….
Memmories, lonelyness, pain, distraction, discomfort, stress, noise and damage, hatred, unkindness, wrong perceptions..
When you feel lost in your dharma work, please listen to this video again. This video will give you another new and fresh energy to motive you going forward. I will always remind myself while I feel lost or degenerate I will read the article and listen to the video, is is help, I knew it.
Thank you Rinpoche, burning in the hot sun and sand give us such great teaching!!
Dear Rinpoche,thank you so much for this post.
This is especially relevant in Kechara. This is very nice to so many people can listen to the teaching and learn more Dharma.
I am happy to have the opportunity to able to help this Dharma center.
This article reminded me of my initial motivation. 
