Nothing Changes, Everything Changes Book Review
(By Tsem Rinpoche and Vinnie Tan)
Dear friends,
Recently I read through the book ‘Nothing Changes, Everything Changes’. This is a very powerful book as it shows how a change in our perspective will affect how we view things and the way we interact with others and the world.
I would like to thank Pastor Niral for helping me with the editing and Beatrix for uploading up onto the blog for all of us here.
Everything that we go through in our minds are due to our past experiences. These experiences are reflected in the actions, behaviours or decisions that we make. These all depend on how we relate it back to what has happened to us in the past. In the book, there were a few points that stood out for me and I thought these are points for us to consider and think through.
1. The Perception of Our Own Reputation
This is something that we all have and through this perception of reputation we label ourselves. Typically, we are not willing to break free from these labels or reputation that we have given ourselves. This is due to our attachment and excuses that we make for ourselves, which in turn limits us from improving ourselves.
This occurs as we have mistaken mental projections due to our ignorance. We reinforce this perception of reputation that we have by repetitively engaging in our habituated actions or reaffirm it with excuses that we come up with for ourselves. What we are now is not what we are forever, as we will be able to better ourselves once we change our perception and perspective of who we are and what we can be.
2. Our Perception Towards Mistakes
No matter who we are, we are constantly making mistakes even if we try to avoid them. Yet, it is what we do after these mistakes have been made that determines the actual outcome. We can be grossed out by our mistakes or even be too embarrassed to look back and think about them again. If we think through the mistakes while we are engaging in mundane things in our daily lives, we are actually engaging in meditation. It is through analytical meditation – that concerted act of reflecting – that we are able change our mind and habits. This change happens because we are so disgusted with what we have done that it pushes us to transform, as we are facing the truth which we had tried to avoid for some time. This gives us the opportunity to face the ‘fear’ or ‘inner demon’ that we need to conquer to better ourselves.
Analytical meditation helps in stopping us from making these mistakes again in the future. Apart from that, it also helps us to catch our minds from wondering into the dark side that we have, preventing us from dwelling in the presenting, thinking of the future and to transform ourselves for the better.
It is through the understanding of our mistakes and transforming that into wisdom that benefits us in the long run.
3. Our Perspective Towards Motivation
No matter what we do in life, there is a motivation behind our actions. Being in different situations and times, we may carry out the same actions, yet the motivation behind the acts will be different. In the book, Rinpoche mentioned that there are times where we dress to impress to get a job, and there are times that we do the same to get a lover. The action is the same, yet our motivation is different.
So, with everything going on around us, this shows how our actions may be the same, but the motivation behind them are different. What motivates us are the same perspectives or projections that have been ingrained into us. For those people who constantly fail, it is due to these perspectives that they have for themselves and the world around us. If we change these perspectives then we can achieve our goals instead.
4. Our Perception of Tolerance
The ability of our tolerance towards others reflects our spiritual practice and inner transformation. It is through the practice of the Dharma that we can expand our minds and become tolerant, to bear things that we normally would not be able to. On the other hand it is also the practice and enhancement of our tolerance which is a measuring stick of our Dharma practice.
How we deal with what happens in our lives will not depend on others that are around us, but be based on our own perception and perspective that we have towards what is happening.
This ability of tolerance is a part of practicing the dharma through which we will be able to understand a different perspective from our normal one. This helps us see what is happening through the other party’s eyes. Hence, it helps us as we understand and are able to accept different actions since we understand that all actions have a motivation.
5. Focus on Transformation
It is said that by focusing on the mind and through the mind concentrating on ways to better ourselves, we will see transformation happen. With this transformation that occurs, many of our negative actions will change. Our speech will change and with that we will be able to transform other people’s minds with our speech. This is because our speech reflects the state of our mind, and through our speech we will be able to make others that are around us happier people as well.
In my opinion, this is very telling since how accepted we are among our peers depends on our speech and therefore our own minds. When we have transformed, we will be able to help those that are around us to achieve that very same happiness that we have. By making those that are around us happy without motive is also a way of practicing Dharma, it is a way that I believe all of us are able to do.
6. Happiness
Being happy is a decision that we make within ourselves. It is through the application of the principles that we learn from the religion that we practice that we gain happiness. When we uphold and practice these principles, we will then be able to have a real and internal cause to be happy.
Happiness is not something that is vague and that we are unable to achieve. With effort we put into the application of the principles, we are able to reach that happiness that we all crave for. It is only a matter of if we are persistent with our self-growth on our spiritual paths. Therefore it is always important for us to reflect and check ourselves, in order to keep unhappiness at bay.
7. Gaining of Experiences
When we start to help the people around us in our dharma community, we are not only helping them, but we are learning the skills and knowledge to help others in the future. With the skills and knowledge that we learn from these people when we are helping them, we will learn similar skills which we can use to help others. This is because our experiences act as a platform for us to learn and expand our knowledge and ability. When another person that we know has a similar problem, we will know what to do to help them. This way we help them to find the happiness that they crave as well.
Through the power of love and care that we shower on those people that are hurt or in pain, we will help them to transform and give them benefit. When we do this, we will be happier in this life and our future lives. The reason for this is that we have found the key to happiness and also helped those that cross paths with us be happier.
8. Practicing What We Have Learnt
When we start to apply what we have learnt, we will be lighter. We will complain less as we are more accepting of what is happening to us or what is happening in other people’s lives. This happens because our projections on how things should be start to lessen. Through this we will be able to focus outward because we are able to see the reality of various situations and not be clouded by the mistaken perception that we used to have.
Thus, we become happier. This happiness is not be affected by what is going on in our surroundings, but is happiness based on our inner practices.
9. Change Starts From Us
We are not able to change the world physically, however, we will be able to change ourselves. We are able to change the way we think and act. When we change our perspective towards what is happening in the world, the world changes.
Through being honest and being humble, we are able to prevent harm that might occur, as this harm will be based upon our mistaken perception. It is not a matter of being right or wrong as this only adds to our perception. Change is achieved through a method for us to break projections and become mature, not letting things that happen around us affect us.
10. Perception of Confession
When we confess the actions that we have done, it is not about the reaction that we will receive from others but rather it is for us to face to our own negative emotions. Usually we would want others to accept us after what we have done, as though after our confession, everything is alright and back to normal. However, confession is a chance for us to face ourselves, giving us that opportunity to change for the better. It is through the knowledge of knowing ourselves better that we will be able to change ourselves for the future and not repeat the damage that we made in the past.
In conclusion, I would like to thank H.E. Tsem Rinpoche once again for providing all of us with this precious teaching that is contained in the book. Through the different explanations of how our minds are clouded, due to of our projections and perceptions. Knowing that I can be of such fixation, I now feel much lighter as I understand how everything changes when we change that single quality in us which is that strong projection we have on matters.
By not being bound down by the projection of our minds, we will be able to experience things in a different way that allows us to be a happier person and helping others that we love and care to be happy too.
This book has helped me to break certain perceptions that I had with regards to many situations around me. For example, how a parent should act, how people in the Dharma should be, how things should be done and how I should react to certain situations or people. It has allowed me to understand better that not everyone would have gone through what I went through and that no one lives by adhering to the perceptions that I have for them. It is not necessary for them to behave how I want them to, as what I think is not correct. This is because at the end of the day, my thoughts are based on projections that I have developed for specific people or situations.
With the understanding and application of not having strong perceptions of what is going on around us, it has allowed me to learn so much as I am no longer being tied down by my thoughts. It has opened up my mind to receive more and be able to reach out to more as I now know that our mind is able to receive and adapt better than what we think.
I recommend this book to everyone that are still in search of their slice of happiness in life. This book does not only apply to Buddhists, but it applies to all no matter if you are a Christian, Hindu, Jew, and so on.
To purchase a copy of the book, you can go to vajrasecrets.com or Amazon.
For more interesting information:
- Nothing Changes Everything Changes
- Experiencing versus perception?
- Enjoying Music is negative?
- Fantasy vs Reality
- It’s an instant choice
- I can’t believe I found this
- 13 Delicious Reads from Kechara Media & Publications
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This book review reminds me so much about how I think realized masters or beings operate. They do not act or react based on how we project they should act, based on convention, societal norms, community pressure or even man made laws.
I think they operate based a deep repertoire of wisdom and insight, and they are truly on the ball, they do not really bother about reputation, how others think of them, their underlying motivation they would have is to benefit others. They will do their utmost to benefit sentient beings,short term and more importantly long term over many lifetimes. Such is the compassion of such enlightened beings.
The title of the book itself is profound – Nothing Changes, Everything changes. In changing our perspective, our thoughts, our minds, ourselves, though everything is internal and it may seem like nothing has changed, everything around us changes just with that change in our minds.
Many of us grasp on to the damaging ego that we have, the “i” that we perceive to be the basis of all that we are and most superior in many cases. The perception that we have to act a certain way to achieve a certain result impedes on many things that we set ourselves up to achieve or not, especially with the first point to the perception of our own reputation.
It just takes a little switch in our minds that changes everything for us, yet externally, nothing changes.
Thank you Vinnie for this book review and your summary of the important points which you got out of it.
Carmen
Thank You Vinnie Tan for sharing such a profound teaching by Rinpoche. I remember this book very well because this is the first book I read when first join Keachara, it really impress me is whatever Rinpoche said in this book is very practical to our daily life by realising our wrong perception and our wrong view of whatever things that happen to us that is actually the main cause of our suffering after applying what has taught by Rinpoche it really help to give us more peace of mind and more peace just by adjusting our perception towards things that happen to us I would fantastic , I strongly recommend everyone should read this book because it help us to deal with our daily problems.
I still remmber this Rinpoche gave this teaching years back and this one best saleing book in our dharma store…Nothing Changes, Everything Changes. Rinpoche has explained in very simple words: Remain as you are. Continue what u r doing but change your thinking to something positive in life..change and give compassion to all sentient beings..
Yes, this is one of Rinpoche’s earlier teachings and perhaps one of the most well-known for its simplicity and profundity in equal measures. I think that it is one of those teachings that should be practiced by all.
I personally think that people should do their best to comprehend and apply because otherwise, we would be allowing our projections and attachments to govern our lives. This is perhaps one of the main reasons why many people are caught in their own web of mistaken actions and are deeply unhappy. Having a fixed view about anything is wrong as everything in life is fluid and can and will constantly change.
Thank you for this review. The teaching Rinpoche gave on Nothing Changes, Everything Changes was the Dharma that opened my mind to the possibility of becoming a Dharma student while still running a business in China.
I used to think that we have to change in order to begin practicing a certain school of faith. I used to have the misconception that there is a clash between secular pursuits and spiritual aspirations.
The teaching in this book broke that fixed belief and opened many doors and possibilities for me as a business person, citizen of this Earth and also as a daughter, sister and friend.
This book is truly a gem that shows you that you can have the cake and eat it!
This is one of the classic teachings of H.E. Tsem Rinpoche, recorded more than 10 years ago but is still very relevant. It is simple yet profound, simple in the sense that transformation can be about changing our motivation, attitude etc which we don’t even need to change anything externally, but profound in that this is the key to spiritual progress and attainments, yet for thousands of years human are looking for it externally not realizing the actual treasure that we are seeking have always been within us.
This is a very interesting depth review by Vinnie, I agree very much with what she has written here for all to read and learn. She may be young but her Dharma knowledge is strong enough to know the right things and not do harm.
Our projections are the biggest enemies in life, families, friends, colleagues, and and so forth are just outer distractions but the real dharma practice is within us. We live in samsara, therefore yes we are made to suffer, in order to learn the lessons about life so that we can have a better understanding in Dharma.
Thank you Vinnie for the summary of Rinpoche’s points. Changing our perception is like the parable about the leather shoe. If the ground is totally covered in broken glass, what is more efficient – to cover the whole world in leather, or to make leather shoes for yourself? The latter would obviously be more efficient and that’s what perception is; we recognise and acknowledge that the root of our suffering lies with us, so it’s much faster to change ourselves if we want to achieve happiness.
Perception is actually a very large subject of study. In Western psychology, it’s a field of its own that people specialise and focus in because it’s very well-known that a human being’s perception is not fixed, and it can be changed or manipulated.
From what I understand of the summary above, when we are willing to change our perception, it essentially means we are willing to take responsibility for our spiritual path and for our happiness.
One practical way I can think of how this helps is that when we change our perception, we stop projecting blame on to others. We stop always thinking it’s other people’s fault that we are wrong, we are not happy, that we made mistakes, etc. When we perceive other people are to blame, over time other people don’t want to be around us because they never know when we are going to throw the responsibility onto them.
So when we change our perception, we also help other people to change their perception of us. Instead of seeing us as irresponsible people they don’t want to be around, they see us as mature people who are nice to be around. In this case, Rinpoche’s teaching is rooted in Buddhist doctrine but on a secular level as well, changing our perception has practical, tangible effects.
That reminds me…I watched this video recently done by former Navy SEALs who talk about how ego can destroy everything: http://www.businessinsider.my/navy-seals-explain-consequences-of-ego-2015-11/?r=US&IR=T In the video, they talk about how taking responsibility for failure is the best and only way to gain true respect, both from our ‘subordinates’ and our ‘superiors’.
When I first heard this teaching, so many disappointing things were going on in my life. I was angry, disappointed, confused and I had to face some major decisions, or at least I thought it was major decisions at that point of time for me. So when Rinpoche gave this teaching in Kechara House 1 then, it was as if Rinpoche knew exactly what I was going on in my mind and when He gave this teaching, it completely blew my mind because I realise how I have been projecting and creating so much pain and suffering for myself with all these expectations.
The teaching which is transcribed into this fabulous book really woke me up and helped me re-evaluate my motivation. It is really quite amazing how our mind works to trick us and all it takes is for us to shift our focus from the “me, me, me” to others. And the moment we let go of that projection, expectation and all that pain and disappointment, we become so much lighter. And we do not have to change a single thing on the outside but more on the inside. That is why it is called ‘Nothing changes, Everything Changes’ because one does not need to change anything external to change and to gain happiness and freedom as it all start from within us. This teaching was so empowering, it helped me forgive someone and change my bad habituation and wrong projections so that I could move on.
Thank you Vinnie for sharing this profound teaching from our Guru, it is one of the best teachings I’ve received by Rinpoche and it is so applicable to everyone as it transcends all race or religion.
Dear Vinnie,
Reading Dharma books or listening to Dharma teachings needs to be manifested through our actions in day to day life. This write up on “Nothing Changes, Everything Changes” gives us an quick summary on how to apply what we have learnt and not holding on through habitual behaviour.
We create our reputation on a day to day basis and we can by doing so change it immediately. Meditation is indeed the way to catch ourselves and not reinforcing the unwanted behaviour by becoming clear of what we do and reflecting it and its results for others and for ourselves.
The motivation is most important in anything we do. We can do something to get it done or to do it with the motivation to benefit someone, to gift someone or to show our appreciation. The result will be different and this will make the action meaningful instead of just doing it.
The one thing which will make the difference is to apply what we have learned.
Thank you, Vinnie for reminding us of this precious teaching. It has inspired me to read this book again.
Perception can be changed while the environment, the people, the society remain the same. The same person, same thing, same job etc. can be seen as good, neutral, bad all based on our perceptions. Perception is what caused us suffering and give rise to negative emotions. Although some perception brings about positive emotions, it is still not the truth that we are looking at. When truth strikes, our perception will be challenged, and we will most likely have negative emotions following that.
The meaning of practising in the Buddhist sense is to clear the wrong perceptions by transforming the mind. The mind is very much deluded by perceptions that cause us to be narrow-minded, to have fear, anger, jealousy, greed, doubt, suspicion etc. By understanding what perception is and apply the method to change them, the mind will transform and expand.
The transformation of the mind brings about true freedom – liberation from samsara, we all longed for. Samsara is suffering, no one wish to be stuck in such condition forever. While we find comfort in samsara, learning how our mind works and how harmful perception is to us, we will embark on spiritual practices and work towards ultimate happiness.
Thanks to Vinnie we now have a good summary of what perception is. It is a very good reference for us who are serious about investing for real happiness.
This book is fantastic and is illustrative of Tsem Rinpoche’s teaching style that conveys the Dharma with logic and reason without pushing any religion in specific.
When we examine the salient points of the book as this post so aptly captures, we see that the onus and responsibility of change lies with us and that being the case, our happiness and state of mind is also in our control.
Thank you for this summary and report Vinnie. This post is a summary but contains all the essence of Rinpoche’s teachings.
Thank you
Dear Vinnie
Thank you for this article. Nothing Changes Everything Changes is the book that Rinpoche gave me 10 years ago. It is a light reading but the meaning is profound especially on the concept that we do not have to change everything around us, only our perception or projection or things and facing our inner demons.
I think even after 10 years, I am still learning to apply these teachings.
Valentina
This is a very nice post about the book Nothing Changes, Everything Changes by His Eminence, and a nice book review by Vinnie Tan. She has clearly explained that the majority of the problems or difficulties we face in life are actual due to our perception of other people or situations. If these perceptions were changed then we would overcome these difficulties.
There are so many great examples of people all over the world who can achieve great things, and they provide and inspiration to others. But even those inspired do not emulate their actions, or their frame of mind. For example if we admire a famous author and want to be like him or her, we need to make the effort to do this. If our current perceptions do not change, then we cannot change our life situation or how we handle life.
One of the best ways to change our perceptions is to start practicing the Buddha’s teachings. When we do, due to our actions and thoughts we can change our mistaken and restricting perceptions. One such set of teachings that can really make a difference in our lives are the Six Perfections: generosity, ethics, patience, joyous effort, concentration and wisdom. When we begin to practice these on a conscious level we will automatically begin to change our mistaken perceptions.
Thank you Vinnie for sharing this incredible teachings with us.
谢谢你的分享
这是一本很好的书，在这里我学到很多， 因为她展示了，如何在我们的角度的变化，将影响我们看待事物，这是一本适合所有人看的，如果在寻找自已的幸福人生的就看这本书吧。
Dear Vinnie
Thank you for sharing and provide a very good insight of the book that everyone should have one.
Dear SP,
Thank you for your comment. To me, I think that we should not only have a book to read about it. But most inportantly to apply what is being taught in the book.
Only knowing the knowledge will not help us in anything. However, when we do apply it then will we see the transformation. We can be a close student to Rinpoche for 10 years, however, if we do not change, we will still be the same nasty person that we are even before we met the dharma. When our merits run out, we will turn on our guru and say the nastiest things about him and leave. This is all because we did not transform, thus, knowledge on it’s own is not good unless we learn to apply it.
Thank you
Vinnie