Practice ONLY when you get a raise?
Spiritual practice is not having an altar, keeping a Kuan Yin statue, spiritual practice is not building temples, spiritual practice is not just reading a dharma book or giving donations to a Spiritual teacher. That is not spiritual practice. Spiritual practice is not putting a joss stick in a temple, waiting for long-life, beauty, getting happiness and to get rich. That is not spiritual practice, that is wrong, wrong, wrong spiritual practice.
Spiritual practice of any type is the improvement of one’s attitude, the improvement of one’s mind. A spiritual person must be characterized by the effort to become more compassionate, more kind, more nice, more forgiving, more patient.
What is the characterization of a spiritual person? We have to accept our responsibilities; we have to accept what has happened – that we have done it and not blame others anymore. And to make efforts to come out of our situation. That is spiritual practice.
Number one, acceptance of your situation on the basis of logic. Number two, to let go of attachment. To let go of the things that do not matter that much. I’m not saying to you, to shave off your head and, and wear this and run away with me to the monastery, that is not practical, but you can shave off ignorance, hatred and desire, and impatience and anger.
We should start these practices, not tomorrow, not the day after, not when you have more time, not when you get a raise, not when you retire, not when you have more free time, that day will never come. That is simple, lazy procrastination. We should start these practices today.
Tsem Rinpoche
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Everything has its time and pace, but where practicing spirituality is concerned, time does not come into question. It is a process through practice that is a lifelong work in progress. Throughout the course you’ll discover inward thinking reveals all this is withIN and withOUT. And with that knowing, everything becomes calm, positive, clear and lit. And, life feels complete.
Thank you Rinpoche for the short and profound teaching.
What Rinpoche said is so true that firstly we need to accept our situation and what we had done in the past.
After accepting the current situation we should find way to improve ourselves, and making ourselves out from the current situation.
Thank you
I like this article very much. Supported by death meditation, I think one can comprehend this better! Thank you Rinpoche.
Yes, everything start in the moment after reading this. If we wait and drag our feet, how long more do we want to start to be a better person, to be a more responsible person? How much time do we think we have? Accident and tomorrow, we would never know which one comes first. The change has to start now, if not now, when?
As Rinpoche said we have to dispel our ignorance,hatred,desire,impatience and anger. For me, I would have to also dispel part of my worst quality which are LAZY PROCRASTINATION and LACK OF INTEGRITY. No point saying “I want to change and change” but take no action on it.
This is so true… because over the years of being in Dharma I have seen and heard people saying this exact reasons for not being able to do the Dharma. Some of them can’t even commit to saying a some prayers for their own well being! And yet they wish for everything that is wrong in their lives to be right. Some easily and quickly stray away due to attachments and desire… thinking they can support and still practice once they have made that money, made that name, gone for that holiday, closed that business deal… more often than not… it is the opposite… they go further and further away until we never hear from them at all. And when we do hear from them they are in the same suffering boat and sometimes even worst from when they were in Dharma.
I guess this reminds me of the advice that Rinpoche often give which is that when you are about and going to do something good… there will always be obstacles that will arise to stop you. This is your negative karma manifesting. When this happens… we must be aware and never give in to the foes of samsara. One way to help is to do serkym and prayers to our Dharma Protector Setrap to always guide us.
Very profound and thank you for the reminder on spiritual practice Rinpoche.
yes Rinpoche, I am trying hard to shave off the bad habits such as hatred and attachment. it is not easy as the bad habits could have been accumulated since past few life. I am trying hard. The religion practice is vehicle to get rid of these bad habits.
Most people think that dharma practice is going to a temple, offer a candle or flower, recite some prayers and chant some mantras and that’s it. However, real dharma practice is about letting go and transformation and improvement of the mind. As Rinpoche advised, we should not procrastinate and give all sorts of excuses but to put in effort to get out of the comfort zone of laziness and work towards the betterment of our attitude to be more compassionate, caring, kind, forgiving and tolerant
许多人对灵修有许多不正确的看法，以为灵修就必须饱读佛经、每天烧香拜佛、对世间一切看得比云还淡。殊不知，有灵性修养的人就是做一个比昨天更善良、更慈悲、更有耐性的人。的确，做人的态度和心识的没有比昨天好，还修什么呢。
然而，最难的不是每天记得做水供，每天记得坐仪轨，其实是每天要比昨天更能扛起自己的责任，对自己负责，好事发生再自己身上要负责当然不是问题，然而，不好的事发生在自己身上，首先要学会不把责任推卸道别人身上，接下来，就算通过了第一关，要放下，放下失去了、失败了、丢脸了、错过了等等等，其实并不容易。一个衡量自己有没有比以前放下更多的方法是，一年前我每天早上醒来第一件事都在懊恼同一样发生了的事，这样可以发生半个月。半年后，懊恼的时间缩短成一个星期，之后，是三天，在之后两天，然后偶尔想起。最后应该是当自己确认了责任在于自己，然后自己可以放下作出错误或愚蠢行为／决定的自己，然后，放下前一刻的自己。
我朝这个方向努力。还有，确认哪些是声明无关紧要的事，然后放下不执着……
祈愿仁波切常住世，健康快乐。
Many times I have been advised from the many people I came across said that spiritual practice is what we have on altar, making offerings, doing good, contribute to charities and praying. How ignorant I was when I found out it is more than that when I came across Kechara years ago. It is not about what we have on altar is how much we have put into practised and internalised what we have heard and learnt base on the holy teachings of Lama Tsongkhapa. How much have we improved day by day.
Like!
Looking at the picture above, I kind of miss my previous job with a marketing company of pitching in the streets. It really helps me to move away from my comfort zone and always maintain a positive energy and moving on my feet and accept rejections, long hours, harsh weather and goal settings.. I can say I learn alot from Appco.
Dearest Rinpoche
Many Thanks for sharing this with us and changing many of our misconception on practices. It is hard for me to control my temper, my foul mouth and harsh words at times especially when i am lazy in my daily prayers it. Sometime it gives me the “shiok” feeling to use a bad language and it kinds of easy the heavy feeling off my chest even it didnt mean to use it on others especially in my vehicle due t rude drivers and/or express how I really feel. I will be more mindful each and cut my attachements to beauty and thinking I will remain young forever and convenience and procastination especially in my daily sadhana,,,.and try to be compassionate to my students and the ones who always care for me. thank you for the wake up call…..
i like this! Thanks TTR..
In the golden words of our guru, Tsem Rinpoche, “spiritual practice of any type is the improvement of one’s mind. I am not saying to you, to save off your head and, wear this and run away with me to the monastry, that is not practical, but you can shave off ignorance, hatred and desire and impatience and anger.” Therefore, spiritual practice actually helps us to connect to ourselves, our neighbours, the Devine and the Whole Creation! As our guru has urged us no further procrastination should be given, these practices should start off immediatedly. Procastination is one of the destruction threats to one’s progress in life and overcoming it is the most important steps to take develope our own personal growth.
Whether we are full time, part time, volunteering or working outside, we should practice the Dharma regardless. Improvement of attitude and our mind does not need to wait for the situation to change ie when we are older, when the kids has grown up, when we have enough money or when we are have retired. We need to practice precisely because the situation may not change, we may not get to see the kids get older, we may never have enough money (who would?), we may die tomorrow.
The improvement of our attitude and our mind will lead to all that if we have the Karma for it. Hence, by practicing we give ourself a chance to achieve what we want and more importantly to improve our surroundings for our family, friends, colleagues to be happier (one less grumpy person hehe) and can actually have very positive effect in all that we do and come into contact with. In that way, we help ourselves and others. Just by changing ourselves.
That; to me is much better then going to gym, golf, good food etc. All that we do to make ourselves “HAPPIER”. We can still do all that, but if we just change our attitude, be kind, be compassionate, help others, be harmonious and change our mind set, we can be far happier and for a much longer time….
Dear Rinpoche,
Thank you for posting all the useful quote lately, they really have a lot of help to get out of my ignorant and full of attachment self. These realization will try to keep taming my foolish mind and my action and speech, will try my best to change. But, is so hard to face the situation and really painful to see the things we have done. I’m really sorry to people that I have harm and I do hope, the practice that start from now onwards can be benifit to others and not harm anything and anyone else.
Dear Any
I have seen you made effort on learning a lot well from pujas and I sincerely hope situation will change for you when you start to practice the dharma by taking baby steps one day at a time. We will continue to support you on this path but don’t give up on any effort you made so far.
From one of your Puja friend
“Action speaks louder than words…”
“Whenever I associate with anyone,
May I view myself as lowest of all,
And, from the depths of my heart,
May I cherish others as supreme!”
“You may be in Dharma, is Dharma in you?”
Rinpoche,
If spiritual practice wasn’t personal and learned only through experience in the doing, if only the mind could be freed from bodily senses, if only there were more gurus in the world to spread the Dharma teachings to the many who has yet been given the chance to develop their spirituality, your words of teaching would have been better understood by those who wants to practice. Unfortunately, the spiritual journey is one we have to take on our own with help from others along the way.
I love this! Very true and profound!! Thank you Rinpoche!
I wish you long life and happiness
_/\_
Rafael