We Own Nothing…
(By Tsem Rinpoche)
Nothing is owned by us. Everything will be given, taken, lost, abandoned or forgotten in the end. We came into our current lifetimes with nothing and no matter how much we accumulate, we leave with nothing. So wouldn’t it be wise that in between, we develop no real attachments or put so much emphasis on the material?
We need material items, but not for the false security they give us but the tool they can be to further the goals of others and one’s own spiritual progress. If materialism is truly used in that fashion, then it should be ok…meaning it will not cause you sufferings.
Trust the Three Jewels, be firm with your commitments by contemplating death daily, hurt no one, be honest, be kind to those around you first, then extend out, respect your guru to the utmost and engage in your daily sadhanas with great conviction. Be aware that your time will be up soon. It’s important to do something useful for others in your life so that you will never end up bitter. Bitterness arises from knowing we have done nothing that has affected anyone in our lives. Start something now…better now than waste time feeling sorry for yourself or trying to elicit empty praises from others…
All is empty, arises from it and dissolves into. Therefore all imputed phenomena will decay, it is just a matter of time. Denial of it, causes great unnecessary sufferings. Don’t deny anymore….
Tsem Rinpoche
During one of my talks at Kechara House…2010
Nothing is accomplished in one day…the bigger the project, the more the obstacles…but the obstacles you suffer is for others…so suffer it without suffering…Tsem Rinpoche
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We have to understand that we own nothing. Everything that surrounds us is temporary. Life is like a flowing river in which nothing stays not even our relationships, fame, riches, poverty, happiness, sorrow, disease, objects, people, troubles, problems, etc. We have to accept the true facts all things will change with time, nothing stays permanent. Let us make our future now, and let us make our time in this world meaningful doing what we have to do. Learning, practicing Dharma is a good choice to make before its too late. Do something useful for others in our life .We are all going to die, it’s just a matter of when no one knows. We can’t take along anything we have as we come into this world with nothing, we goes with nothing too.
Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing as a reminder for us all of the precious nature of life.
When we die our money, fame, and honours will be meaningless. We own nothing in this world. Everything we think we own is in reality only being loaned to us until we die. Everything surrounding us is only temporary. And on our deathbed at the moment of death, no one can save us. Anything can happen in life, anytime of the day , we have to live meaningfully while we still can by learning and practicing dharma before its too late. Do something useful for others in our life .
Nothing is accomplished in one day…the bigger the project, the more the obstacles…but the obstacles you suffer is for others…so suffer it without suffering…Tsem Rinpoche
Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing.
All conditioned things are impermanent simply because our life is too short to cry for anything. We are aware of the impermanence of all things around us. An awareness of death reminds us of the precious nature of life. All that exists is impermanent nothing lasts ever and nothing can be grasped or for us to hold onto .Impermanence is the number one inescapable, and essentially painful, fact of our life. There is nothing more important for us than continuing the path with diligence. Choosing to learn, practice Dharma is the best choice we could do bringing happiness and benefits others. We go forward, even though we are here only for a short time.
Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing.
Material things are not just the things that we do not own in the end, but also our title, ranking, position, and the false sense of friendship or relationship. These are everything that we deem we own, often time proud of it. More so, many invest much time and energy to acquire it, and hurting others in the process. Buddha’s wisdom to renounce from attachment to both material stuff as well as intangible things is extremely important and we must truly practice! Thank you for this teaching, Rinpoche.
Everything is so fleeting and impermanent. Nothing lasts forever,
nothing stays the same, all what we owned is not ours , we owned nothing . It’s best to live as if today was last day of our life. Our time is limited, so don’t waste our time living someone else’s life. It’s important to do something useful and meaningful for others in our life. Learning and practicing Dharma to benefit others is the best choice.
Thank you Rinpoche .
Realistically nothing is owned by us but yet it is the norm to structure our lives to amass as much (wealth) as we can for a “better” future. This is but another testament of how we readily form our delusions and latch on to reinforce it by creating illusions of which we think are real. It is not the act of amassing material items per se that is the issue but rather our intention behind it. If such act serves to feed into our attachments, then it is a no brainer that it is to our detriment. However, if such act is meant done with to further the goals of others and one’s own spiritual progress then it becomes an opportunity to generate merits/good karma. Same act but with extreme opposite results.
Reminding ourselves about the fragility and uncertainty of our lives would serve to provide a clear perspective on what really matters at the point of our death which in turn would reinforce our conviction to practice Dharma.
We come to define things, including ourselves based on what we understand them and also based on our past experiences. However, that is really failing to see things as it is and on a neutral basis as we are already looking at it clouded by judgement or projected definition of it. Therein lies the problem which would be compounded if we stubbornly refuse to open our minds to other possible explanation/view. Similarly, if we do not let go of our pain, our fears and whatever emotions we allow to define us, we will not be able to avail ourselves to the healing properties of Dharma (which require understanding/realisation of concepts foreign to our habituated delusional thinking)
Thanks Rinpoche. Rinpoche did said that “Materialism bring Emptiness”.This is truth.We keep on earning and buying new or branded stuffs.But when time to go we can’t bring all these along. Only mind will follow us. We must always contemplate death so we won’t scare when the day come.Dont let the immediate gratification make us pay hefty price. Do more dharma works to bring us spiritual awaken and guide us to enlighten path.
How fortunate i am to hear of Rinpoche how very lucky that this great master speaks the truth always for the sake of lowly beings like me so we may attain a moment’s salvation and this build up of moments may make bigger instances then finally a big powerful liberation. I need a lot of purification and merit gaining practices to actualize this and other teachings. May you live long Rinpoche.
Thanks Rinpoche for sharing this. Chasing for material items and enjoyment for ourselves will never be happy, when the moment we chase for that, we thought that is what we want for, and when the time we get it it was not be like what we expected, it happened to me. The most miserable part is people could not find out the real reason why their life is bitter, and they keep numbing themselves and time passed..Dharma is precious, by learning Dharma I believe I can find the way to be happy and bring the happiness to others as well.
看完这段短篇的开示，让我突然想起了徐志摩的一篇诗文：
“悄悄的我走了，正如我悄悄的來；
我揮一揮衣袖，不帶走一片雲彩。 ”
从这一小段诗的显示，很肯定的是，我们是带不走任何有关自然现象的一切。
现实告诉我们，无论你多么有钱，地位，权利，亮丽的外表等等。你还是逃不过佛学里常提起的生、老、病、死。
努力与奋斗几十年，拥有了世俗里的所有一切，是否能肯定我们在最后一份钟的呼吸是带着平静的离开？！我不见得。。。
感谢Rinpoche 这段短篇但有力的开示。
如果不想枉费此生，还是尽早做好准备，随从一位有资格的上师学习佛法，利益众生。帮助他人等于帮助自己。
感谢仁波切張貼這頁提醒及教授我们应以何心境面对逆境，無常。
Thank you Rinpoche for the teaching. We have been taught and learnt from society how to survive, take care and protect ourselves. Even to do any charity work or helping others, ourselves come first before others.
Learning the Dharma let us realise that all these materials, money and fame will not go with us when we leave. We need to learn how to let go of our attachments and put others before us. This is never easy for us. However, as long as we have the right motivation and perseverance to go all the ways. Nothing is impossible.
Nothing is accomplished in one day….the bigger the project, the more the obstacles …. but the obstacles you suffer is for others….so suffer it without suffering….Tsem Rinpoche
It is a fallacy to think that in our worldly existence we can bring over to our next life, such worldly and material possessions. Do we even own anything for that matter?
Yes, we were born with nothing, the clothes, food, shelter were given to us by our parents. And when we drowned old and die someday, all these will not go with us, not even money. We come alone, we die alone.
All these outer enjoyments will not last long, we will never know what will happen next, that’s why we can’t just spend our whole life working for money, money can’t buy us everything.
Sorry, correction. Drowned///- grow
Got up this morning and received some very depressing news; recalled some unsettled challenges and battling some mind delusions.My next question was “what exactly is the purpose of life ?”
After some contemplation, I concluded that Rinpoche has the greatest purpose / career in the whole wide world. Though your career is extremely challenging, the motivation is totally PURE. All your efforts and sleepless nites were used to alleviate suffering and pain of others.
This teaching totally supports my conclusion. As we own nothing why sweat the small things. Work on focusing out and extending positive energy to others.That is more purposeful.
Thank you for the kind reminder dear Rinpoche.It is true that we come into this samsaric world with nothing except for our precious human life.During the course of our existence,most of us are thought the importance of attachments in order to stay ahead and to attain status in society.For the very few that is fortunate,they will have a chance to meet up with the dharma.
For those who truly practices dharma ,they would understand that attachment would only lead to suffering as we would only accumulate karma during our cause of our existence(in this and many life time in the past).
We should come to term with ourself that we live our life for others as a mother would sacrifice for their offsprings.Practice Generosity in order to cultivate Compassion .This will only generate positive karma in order for us to move on in the right direction…
Thank you Rinpoche for teaching us even the message is short but very true. We do not own anything the wealth that we have now later in our live will have to leave behind when death come we must well make used of the wealth to help others or advance in our spiritual advancement . By developing our mind we can have a more happy live in this and our future live .
This is a wonderful message, Rinpoche. Nothing is owned by us, not even our body, he are merely minds inhabiting these husks. Why should we chase for needless materialism when true happiness can be found within.
Having lost a friend to a terminal illness earlier this week, this post is a stark reminder of my own mortality and how I will leave this world with nothing but the Dharma, my own merits and karma.
Denial creates more suffering that we are trying hard to avoid. So we have to learn to accept and face it with Dharma knowledge that we’ve learnt. By being not attached and tricked by the false security that we gained, we must always remember and focus on the goals that we have aimed. Thank you Rinpoche for this short and profound post.
It is such a beautiful saying, and it is very true as well. We usually indulge ourselves in items that would give us that false sense of happiness. Many of us nowadays may own many things and make a lot of money, but never once, these people would feel the sense of happiness. This is simply because they are pursuing in things that do not exist at all. The sad thing is that many of us do not know this fact. Yet they think it is because they are not getting the correct things. But they have misinterpreted the true meaning of life.
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While this post is good. I find that this is not entirely true about bitterness. Their is multiple reasons why one can be bitter. eg. sometimes bitterness can come up from not doing things for yourself and helping others too much or resentment towards others for doing things you are made to do or don’t want to do.
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This makes a lot of sense. We don’t actually own anything and whatever wealth we have accumulated in this life will eventually be lost, used up or given to someone. I think materialism is one of the biggest culprit of modern day ills. I like the fact that Buddhism doesn’t just disapprove of it but it offers various methods to make use of materialism to further our spiritual practice.
There are actually wealth yidams, yidams that increases our spiritual and material wealth. This is attractive to some and repulsive to others. It doesn’t matter, these special practices are actually meant to address the dire need of spiritual poverty of our material age. Before I end, the special wealth yidam is Dzambala.
“All is empty, arises from it and dissolves into. Therefore all imputed phenomena will decay, it is just a matter of time. Denial of it, causes great unnecessary sufferings. Don’t deny anymore….”
I love this line. Perfect words for us to contemplate on further.. ‘We Own Nothing’ is so true.. we should think about our attachments and detach ourselves slowly from it. Being attached to any thing/person causes us to be reborn in the lower three realms. I have much, much more to learn.
Thank you for the profound teaching, Rinpoche..
We came into this world empty handed, we will leave as such. The only that thing we take along with us after our passing is our karma and merits.
Our karma follows us like a shadow. That is why it is important to do unto others what we would want others to do unto us.
Thank you for sharing, Rinpoche!
How true ‘we own nothing’. We will live in misery if we are always chase after money and material things, though I must admit it is important for us to survive in this modern world. How much is enough? If we have gone through life, we will realize that no matter how much we earned or what clothes we wear, it will give us pleasure and satisfaction, but if we put all our energy into looking good and living a good life, we will lose out a lot more on values-added things in ur lives.
Thank you, Rinpoche. Ownership stems from attachment and the wrong view that we need things to give us a sense of security.
This is a very powerful teaching. Rinpoche always tell me that all will be gone when we die. So what’s the attachment about? Why keep hanging on to my past and let it affect me? It’s so true.
When I lie in bed and think that if I am dying now, would it all matter? It sounds morbid but I find that it helps me to let go a lot of my past.
I also realise how empowering it is because I am not bound by my self limiting and self imposed beliefs.
I am a jeweler. I sell materialistic. I sell insecurity. I sell attachment. I sell false happiness.
I saw how people attached to this small tiny expensive blink blink items. I experienced how people manipulated story just to get their husbands to spend millions to buy them jewelry. I realized that relationship and love could be exchanged with just a piece of diamond.
They believed that the bigger the diamond they OWN the higher their status in the HIGH society. That’s how they set themselves up and work hard and chase for the GOOD LIFE that they conceptualize of.
One day when I die, what I OWN will be taken away by someone else.
At the time of death, we can only take our karma with us and nothing else. If we are blessed with material wealth and we imbue our life with Dharma teachings, this wealth will be an asset for us to be able to do more to help other sentient beings. There is only regret at our last breath if we had just drifted with our life and done nothing to improve oneself or done something useful to help others.
I love this word” we own nothing” we wont’t know what will happen in next second? will we die? will we success? will we rich…..etc…?we won’t take anything when we die,only the karma will follow us,whatever we own and have now is only temporary,we should learn dharma and do more dharma works to benefit more others.Start now!!dun waste our this life time!!
Thank you RINPOCHE for the wonderful teaching^_^
Whatever material/external items we are attached to will be given, taken, lost, abandoned or forgotten after death, and only our mind will follow us to our next rebirth. It sounds logical to focus on nurturing and developing the mind as the time and effort spent will not be wasted.
Thank you Rinpoche for the profound guide.
It is really very easy to fall into the belief that we own this and that and admists this belief system, we try out best to accumulate what we believe to be important, but sadly, all these we cannot bring with us when we leave this world.
There is such saying in Chinese that ‘We come with nothing and leave with nothing.’
Truly something for us to contemplate on everyday.
thank you dear guru for wonderful teaching.
Really true that we own nothing actually in this samsara world.
Most of the people tend to believe whatever we achieved or wanting to achieve in term of materialistic in this samsara world is permanent and precious but they didn’t realize that those materialistic they can’t bring it over to their next life.
By realizing impermanent and complete on death (http://blog.tsemtulku.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/kechara-13-depts/last-night-i-spoke-about-death-meditation-in-more-detail.html), it will change our view and action. Knowing that there is nothing that we should precious but only the Dharma because this great teaching and the only way to realize the truth of life and the eternal of happiness. By practicing Dharma the merits we generate will follow us from life after life.
感谢仁波切分享！
生不带来，死不带去，事实却是如此。人生无常，试问有多少次是拥有后也会失去的，不论钱财，家人，名与利，都会随着时间而流失。与其盲目的追求所要的，倒不如冥想当死亡来临时我们会如何面对，从这冥想中会让我们更把握做出人生中正确的决定。
学会放下，因为当走完人生的尽头时一切还是回归于零。
Earlier today, both Paris and myself sat down to talk to a close student of Rinpoche to help this person let go of his past which has affected him negatively till today. It is amazing that one’s childhood including mine has so much impact (both negatve & positive) in our lives and it has shaped us to who we are.
Some of us actually let go of the not pleasant situation and move on, unfortunately most of us holds on to it and has affected our potential. Sometimes, we hold on and when we want to let go, it might be too late and we have lost someone or something.
At death, we do not own anything, not even our feelings/experiences. Therefore, isn’t better to let go now and move forward.
This song suddenly came to my mind, “I, I who have nothing, I, I who have no one….” by Shirley Bassey, LOL.
How true it is, we came alone and naked, we leave the same way too. It’s just that the temporary “pleasures” we experience in this lifetime make our existence feel so real. We’ve always been conditioned to “make the most of your life”, meaning get the most out of it for yourself, ie to be “successful” in relation to others. It’s always in relation to others. Haven’t we aspired or been proud to be “the riches kid on the block, the prettiest, the most powerful, most famous etc….” always at the expense of others. It’s so refreshing to learn that the Buddhist way of life is to make the most of our lives, but for others (which benefits us too). This is so alien to worldly philosophy. What? Benefit others? Why should I? It’s so strange and our self-centered habit is something we still need to unlearn as it rears its ugly head on a daily basis. But it is this illusion that keeps us tossing endlessly in various states of suffering we think is happiness.
This is just a stop, on the way to where we’re going. We’re just at ” Temporary Home” .
Thank You Rinpoche for the teachings.
This teaching is short yet the lesson I learnt from it is so applicable. Yes it is not wrong to want more money and material items. But we should put them to good use and not be attached to it. I also realised that at death, we cannot bring anything with us except our spiritual attainments. These also reminded me of the saying “live as though there is no tomorrow.”
Dear Rinpoche:
Thanks for this short, simple but very meaningful teaching. Yes, we came to this world with nothing and very soon will leave with nothing as well. The worldly attraction is getting stronger and stronger, marketers use all kind of creative methods to “enhance” our worldly attachment and manufacturers produce all kind of advanced products to “satisfy” our senses which greatly “increase” our worldly desires. It is tough to ignore, reduce and minimize the impacts of these desires. Everyday when we drive to work or even going to Dharma center, we can see plenty of advertisements along the journey which may pull us further away from learning and practicing Dharma. Therefore the idea of having KFR and KWPC is absolutely vital to “protect” us from all these dangerous attractions. Let make it happen now!
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing. Take good care.
With love,
VP
This post is very short but very meaningful. It heat me!!!Yes, from I am born until today, what can I really posses??Money? Relationship? Friendship? or or or….I am contemplate now, actually I own nothing…but why I still so attach? I am so ignorance…
How true! We are just transient. With this knowledge we are at peace.
如果我们相信无常，我们就会发现其实在这个世界上，没有什么东西是永恒的。不管你是谁，你有多大的本事，都逃不过生老病死，所以只有佛法修行才能跟着我们一辈子，只有活在当下才能快乐，所以只有把佛法融入生活，才能感觉到真正的拥有。
Thank you Rinpoche. This is the fact I will remind myself always. Nothing in this world is permanent.
The whole point here is to cut attachments to material wealth. In the end, all are emptiness. But it really need some practice and strong will to cut the attachment thta had become so conditionally rooted in our live, and pls bless me to do so with correct method. Thanks Rinpoche.
I like this very much. I can see that if I were to read the words Rinpoche has written in this post every day, and when death finally comes to me, I would not panic or have much regret. I see that very much.
How easily distracted we are and we lose our way with useless thoughts and pursuits. How sad and frightening it would be to realize when it is all too late that we are so unprepared for what is to come next.
Nice reminder that everything that comes into our possession and each blessing that we have is to be used as tools to help others. In that way, we can enjoy having those things and yet not deny ourselves of the true happiness we gain in doing good for others.
Attachment is the origin root of suffering. We go through life grabbing one thing after another to ease our stress. Culture tells us that it is good to acquire things like material possession of wealth and fame, and we are being jerked around by attraction and aversion. But, when we acquire those things, we don’t stay happy for long, before we start chasing something else. What we feel make us happy can also make us miserable. Realising non-attachment is not easy, it needs a life long practice. It’s a practice that requires giving up ideas about goals and rewards, or escaping to a better place. in buddhism, it teaches that the better place is right here. One should cultivate detachment, so as to view the world as less enticing and less permanent to be detached from its pains, as much as deluded pleasures. The nature of the world cannot be changed, but the nature of ourselves can and because things are impermanent, we therefore own nothing at the end!
Nothing is accomplished in one day…the bigger the project, the more the obstacles…but the obstacles you suffer is for others…so suffer it without suffering…
Thank you Rinpoche for repeating this kind teachings. At the moment, I am suffering truly with pain over obstacles that are in my way to accomplish what needs to done. I still feel the pain of suffering but I will persevere and not go numb and cannot think out of the box.
Life is a paradox, being responsible may be a virtue but this very same virtue is torturous when there are no humanly foreseeable solutions to overcome obstacles and problems.
Until I die, I will with suffering or otherwise do what I can to benefit others, which I believe is the true essence of this life.
I can take nothing with me on death but may I create something that will always be of use for generations after generations.
May I be blessed to accomplish my wish.
这再次提醒我们并没有想象中有那么多时间，死亡也不是我们能逃避得了的。不要等待，现在就开始。
经常会有人以为佛教徒想法消极，因为我们“放弃一切”，“不执着一切”……其实，仁波切在过去的开示和这篇短短的开示里，强调了灵修并不是教你放弃一切，躲进山洞里，而是对外在的物质不执着和不贪着的心态，如此一来我们才不会拥有了反而比没有更痛苦，反而更备受折磨。更重要的是，带着怎样的发心去追求物质，有没有把它们用在利益自己和别人之上。
Thank you Rinpoche for the message.
It’s important to do something useful for others in your life so that you will never end up bitter. Bitterness arises from knowing we have done nothing that has affected anyone in our lives. Start something now…
First I read this is last year July, I feel this is very meaningful to my life and I wanted a change. However when I look back I actually has not much changes of myself
Anyway, thank you for bring this article out again; This is good to remind me again of what I have said and what I have done so far.
Thank you,Rinpoche, for teaching us about the profound topic of emptiness in the context of death and dying.
In the recent film that I watched – The Tibetan Book of the Dead – the Dalai Lama had said that we should actually rehearse our death and our dying. It will be most beneficial,(as Rinpoche has advised)if we were to spend a little time each day thinking of our imminent death and thinking that each day may be our last. Then all this attachment and grasping at the things of this life will loosen its hold on us. We will turn our thoughts more to Dharma and to benefiting others with our wealth and what we own.
This was one of the things Rinpoche said when I first met him during a book club in 2007. The idea that nothing belonged to me, especially none of the things that I had worked for all my life, was life changing.
Its quite a subtle thing, to realise that my life, my home, my family, my loved ones, my friends, even such mundane things like my treasured game collection and my career, can be anytime taken away by death, accident, circumstance. And that none of that will be taken with me on my next journey. I mean, how many of us really think about death? We are more interested in thinking about life, planning our next dinner date and so forth
When I started to engage in buddhist practice, one of the difficult things was to do the mandala offering. I had studied the theory and visualisation behind it, but when I started actually visualising the things I would give up, it wasnt that easy. Things like cars, money, tangible material things were easy enough. But it was the more subtle things that were quite a struggle.
I imagined myself not having friends, not having skills, being a total loser that no one liked, and so on. It wasnt easy, and I wouldnt say its easy still, but the letting go that comes with such visualisation is liberating.
Another teaching that Rinpoche recently gave was to let go of ourselves. Basically, even ourselves, what we think of ourselves, how we react, our history, where we come from, what we are worth, also doesnt belong to us. And if we are able to let go of how we should be, what we should say, what we are able or unable to do, our self imposed limitations are gone, and we can emerge as a new person.
powerful stuff.
This is a wonderful post Rinpoche. Thank you for the reminder and teaching.
Much care,
Helena
Thank you Rinpoche for the reminder. Yes naked we come and naked we go.
It is very true that we came to this world with nothing and will leave this lifetime without anything. I must always contemplate that today is my last day in order to let go all the attachments and to embrace dharma, do dharma work so that i’ll be able to bring something along with me to my future lives.
Before I learn about Buddhism, I know that I come into this world, I have nothing, and when I die, I can’t take anything away. So I asked, what should we do then? Since we are going to die one day, and can’t take anything away, does it matter what I do now? Should I just make a lot of money and enjoy? Why should I help others (even though somehow I know it is good to treat others good) if I can’t take away anything?
Taking refuge in Three Jewels and studying up (a little bit, I confess), I now know that my mind will exist after I die and will go to the next life, next body. As such, it is more important to train the mind. Be kind to others, have integrity, collect a lot of merits, benefit others are the most important, because it is all about training the mind towards the path of enlightenment. To me, this is a life that is worth living, and indeed, it is not “empty” at the time of death. Every action to benefit others with the motivation to gain enlightenment (so that I can benefit even more people) will not be “wasted”, and will be “carried over” to our next life.
There are many tools that can help us in training the mind. Contemplation of death is one of the powerful one, because it reminds us that whatever wealth and fame we acquire will be gone at the time of death. It will help us in letting go of attachments. (It is not about we don’t make money, instead, while acquiring the wealth, we should not forget about the ultimate gold)
Yes, when we “suffer” for others, it is suffer it without suffering.
Rinpoche tirelessly teaches that Death is Imminent. But most of us avoid the subject and always think that it will not happen to us so soon but to others.
The older generation avoids this taboo subject because it’s inauspicious to talk of it. But when we don’t prepare beforehand and when the time comes suddenly, catching us unprepared, then at our deathbed we may start to regret and worry of the many matters that should have been done but were not. I think this would not be a good way to end this life and may affect the next rebirth, maybe as a spirit.
I have heard of some people’s attitude changed after near death experience. I have also heard some changed for the worse when they were diagnosed with terminal illnesses like filled with anger, became depressed, have a poor me thinking because no one wants me now and no one will take care of me. I do not want to fall into such situations.
I am learning to let go of what people say of me and think of me. It wouldn’t matter to me when I am dead anyway. What little possessions I have, I have willed it to my my family. I can’t take them with me when I go. I want to go with a peaceful mind.
The truth is in front of us but most of time we choose to ignore it or “forgotten”.We need to keep remind ourself life is short, we should do more for other instead ourself.just happen i saw myself in the picture attached above for joining the 2010 Dharma talk, it shame that two years pass by i still keeping myself busy with worldly things.must change now…
We own nothing….. This is so true!
Thank you, Rinpoche for this profound teachings. All the desires and attachments we chased for all our lives will be left behind at the time of death. Nothing follow us to our next rebirth except our karma. May I have the strength to overcome my attachments and the wisdom to understand the realization of emptiness!
Totally agree what you said Patsy..
Thank you for sharing 🙂
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this post and teaching us..
Really meaningful and I appreciate it..
Thank you Rinpoche always remind us and always care all of us.
I truly agree that we own nothing. When we come to thiw world, we come with nothing. When we leave, we bring nothing as well. Whatever that we own and hold on to is all impermanent. Many of us are not able to let go of all these attachments and we indulge into it be it materials…or relationship. But we always forget that we are in one of the six realms and all these are going again and again until we truly reach enlightenment at one of our lifetime. But by just understand we own nothing isnt enough. I think we need to do more by benefiting others and at the same time cherish what other have done to benefit us. I like Rinpoche’s quote: “Nothing is accomplished in one day…the bigger the project, the more the obstacles…but the obstacles you suffer is for others…so suffer it without suffering”. Suffer it without suffering..
Thank you Rinpoche for your teaching. Rejoice to have you as my guru.
Take care
生不知来，死不知去。我们每日执着的到底能为我们带来快乐吗？拥有越多反而失去更多。不要选择在死后才被迫将身外之物送走，不如现在就学习＂拥有＂但不执着的心态？
萬般帶不走，唯有業隨身！
We come to this world with nothing then we also with this world with nothing. After know a little bit of Dharma,we notice that we may bring Dharma and also karma will follow us always. But when we will step out the first step and keep going to do so?? Hopefully we all may use more time in Dharma to know more, serve more, benefit more…
I rejoice for you Lim, that always share Dharma to benefit other peoples 🙂
Thanks Adrian…
Thank you Rinpoche for following Kyabje Zong Rinpoche’s advice.
Love Shane
“We own nothing” that right, nowadays I will spent a few minutes thinking of my death especially when our age getting old and older as time pass. I will treat people surrounding me nicer and better. Especial they need my helps. Thanks.
We owned nothing, we cannot be sure the material things that we owned can last for how long. However, when we used the material things or anything we have to help others, it becomes more meaningful.
I love this “Nothing is accomplished in one day…the bigger the project, the more the obstacles…but the obstacles you suffer is for others…so suffer it without suffering…”
when we work for others, all the obstacles are no longer be viewed as sufferings…
非常喜欢仁波切这精湛的教诲
我们不拥有任何东西，我們不執著任何世上的財產、名譽、虛名，那麼任何東西都會到我們這裡來。
即放下一切时，也是拥有最多。。。。
一旦我們被這世上的東西所奴役，我們就會永遠追在它後面跑，疲於奔命、耗盡心力，各種問題都找上門來了，還不一定得到任何東西。
Never forget death is coming. Thank you Rinpoche for your wonderful teaching, when realised can save infinite beings from this meaningless cyclic existence.
Yes at the end of the day, nothing is own by us! “We need material items, but not for the false security they give us but the tool they can be to further the goals of others and one’s own spiritual progress. If materialism is truly used in that fashion, then it should be ok…meaning it will not cause you sufferings.” According to the “Path to enlightenment” we could eliminate sufferings by just leaving that material world. It is the ordinary beings who suffer in cyclic existence, due to the experience of the ordinary beings who are bounded by delusions and karma. We have to create a state of renunciation from which we are to be freed from such boundage – i.e in accordance with our guru’s directives.
Rinpoche has always taught us that having wealth is not the issue here but what you do with your wealth is the key to you being happy or unhappy. Hence we have wealth Buddha – Dzambala who provides Dharma practitioners what they require to do their practice. One practice we ought to consistently do is giving and it does not necessary have to be something tangible. Even being a good listener to a friend is a form of giving, giving emotionally. Or giving in the form of serving others, providing your talents and skills to be of benefit others, letting someone win an argument is also giving. Ahhh and this is something we can all do immediately, something so simple I know but a tough one to achieve, but not impossible. It’s like catching yourself or stopping yourself from saying something back to justify or explain, and just let the other person win, this is hard, but when you do realize it and do it, you actually become a much calmer person. Besides what is there to win anyways when nothing can be taken with us at the point of death, except the results of our actions.
Dear Rinpoche,
Thank you Rinpoche for posting up this precious teaching. But like what Wan said, if we don’t practice it, it just becomes nothing anyway. This teaching has made me realize that throughout my life, I have been very selfish; always thinking how to get the things that I want in life thinking it will give me happiness and security. This teaching has made me realize that the more I do that the more I end up becoming disappointed, frustrated and angry when I did not at the end of the day get what I wanted. But honestly it caused me more suffering then happiness, and because, yes it is true, you cannot even take a penny with you when you die, so what are we really wanting and protecting since we own nothing? Our ego and insecurities? This was basically it for me. I am not perfect and 100% free of this suffering, but I find that the more I let go, the more lighter I feel and things become easier.
This message by Rinpoche is really how we should live and lead our life daily. We should never be too attached to some form of materialistic items. Craving and indulgence will eventually brings destructions upon ourselves. Being too uptight about what we own and do not own created more negativity in our mind by doing so we become angry very fast , very selfish and miserly.
It doesnt brings happiness to ourselves nor any happiness towards peopl we love. Our friends and people that come in contact with us will avoid us and in the end me might eventually leave this world without any peace. Our sufferings continues in to our next life.
Whatever we own and have now is only temporary. We should always learn to let go by learning the ways to do so & comtemplating it through the buddhadharma of 4 Noble truth.
“It’s important to do something useful for others in your life so that you will never end up bitter. Bitterness arises from knowing we have done nothing that has affected anyone in our lives “. This is very powerful teaching. My experiences tell me that peace arises within us when we can benefit others.
However, most of us including me that our awareness is not there. Everyday we wake up, we would still do things for ourselves, and create more attachment, hurt people, angry, unhappy and so…………
Therefore is good we can visit this blog everyday to learn, to practice and to grow. Whatever teaching in this blog is helping us to look for happiness and peace and is free. Lots of people out there are paying money to attend courses to solve their problem and yet this blog is free. We should encourage more people to visit it.
Thank you Rinpoche.
I love this teaching very much. I think back in my past and realize that this teaching is very true. Previously, I indulge in lots of expensive things, these things made me very happy but only for a while. I have come to realize that was happening because I was buying these expensive things for very personal and selfish reasons. They were basically used to fuel my ego and I was very attached to them. Sometimes, instead of making me happy, they even caused me suffering. The funniest bit is now I understand that all those expensive things that I own are basically flashing moments going by. The latest model in the Ferrari line up becomes second best after two years and an antic after four. It’s a neverending chase. These are things that we will not be taking with us when its time to go.
After going through some of Rinpoche’s books and teachings, I have to come to realize that it is not the things I own or owned that made me suffer or happy. It was my perception of them and the motivation I had to own them that gave me a particular result. It is now apparent to me that everything we own can generate happiness or suffering for us. If we get our motivations right, our belongings can generate goodness and happiness to others and in return, we will also have goodness and happiness. To me, it is because I have learned that everything thing we are means nothing if its not to benefit others.
Having realized the goodness of dharma, I will use my resources to practice and spread dharma. Maybe expensive things will have a better meaning to me in the future.
Wee Liang
I came into this world with nothing, all full of gooey stuff. The nurse checked me and wrapped me up into a little bundle (not so little mind you as I came weighing in the largest of 3 siblings); my parents cared for me and brought me up. Where would I be without them and my family members? What I have today is all because of them. Yet when I leave this world, I take nothing with me. Everything will be “returned” to whence they came from. I have to learn to detach myself from all material things as I will not be able to bring them with me.
I like Rinpoche’s short and sweet talk highlighting all our downfalls and the needs to address them in order to avoid further sufferings for ourselves and others.
Although simple it may seem to be, it is in actual fact a corpus of teachings which includes a lot of logical debate for one to be able to realize the meaning of emptiness. But on a practical level, this is possible because if we’re to understand the meaning behind the nature of reality, we’re really going round and round with our discontentment and is leading us no where.
the only solution is for us to snap out of ourselves and be able to face what is really before us and acknowledge what needs to be fixed in order to move on. Life’s short, let’s not play the game of chasing the wild, it’s not worth it.
Thank you Rinpoche for the profound teaching of ‘sunyata or emptiness’. Even tho if we understand it but it will bring us no where if we not practicing, knowing and pracitcing bring us to enlightenment.
Our mind is like a monkey mind, without training we just like an untame horse whom not run follow the direction. In order to not become unhappy and bitter when we getting older, we have to start from small thing like how to make people surround us happy then indirectly we become happy, the basic to make people happy is from our love and caring, think about other and do thing for other, stop thinking about me me and me.. i’m doing thes also as i would like to become selfless.
To take and hold vows help to stop our negative habitiual. And from that we will collect merit and might b able to have wisdom to under emptiness in one day.
Many of my friends say they understand Buddhism but they dont nor try. They say they are Buddhists but they refuse to see nor hear. I am not perfect but I try to learn and understand. People say religions are just something to scare us or change us into something we are not! How can that be?? We have a brain to think, ears to listen, Buddha Shakyamuni’s teachings survived for 2,500 years and people around the world are practicing it, easterners and westerners.
“All is empty, arises from it and dissolves into. Therefore all imputed phenomena will decay, it is just a matter of time. Denial of it, causes great unnecessary sufferings. Don’t deny anymore….”
Scary but it is the truth. When we were born, we had only our birthday suit and when we die, it’s uncontrollable and nothing material that can be brought along!
Just these three words are so amazing…. WE OWN NOTHING. Everything we have now will be given, taken, lost, abandoned or forgotten in the end. I will trust the three jewels. I only can take them with me after I die. I cannot take anything when I die. All the money that I can grasp in my hands will dissolve, my loved ones will dissolve, everything will dissolve into emptiness. We only take our mind. We cna keep the three jewels in our minds. So we end up getting to keep them. YAY! I like thes two paragraphs as they pose a deep meaning towards me :
“All is empty, arises from it and dissolves into. Therefore all imputed phenomena will decay, it is just a matter of time. Denial of it, causes great unnecessary sufferings. Don’t deny anymore….
And
Nothing is accomplished in one day…the bigger the project, the more the obstacles…but the obstacles you suffer is for others…so suffer it without suffering…”
These words are so beautiful. They make me want to shed a tear….
This post is a very important reminder for so many people, me included that there is nothing really here for me to hang on to and to focus on something that would be more lasting like mind transformation. Because of that there is not much of a reason to keep pursuing temporary pleasures that bring me to nowhere at the end of the day.
However the key point here is that material items are to support spiritual practice as its the point that most people miss and subsequently develop the wrong perception that having material wealth is wrong and kinda avoid it. Now i shall think twice about buying those stuffs, and make sure that it benefits me spiritually as well….
Terima Kasih Rinpoche!
‘Nothing is owned by us. Everything will be given, taken, lost, abandoned or forgotten in the end. We came into our current lifetimes with nothing and no matter how much we accumulate, we leave with nothing. So wouldn’t it be wise that in between, we develop no real attachments or put so much emphasis on the material?’
This is a hard fact for most of us to face and it is from experience that I have to say that this is tough to accept after spending a lifetime thus far being ingrained that this material world is all there is to it…
So I recall the Dhammapada…aptly reflecting Rinpoche’s teaching
‘The fool worries, thinking, “I have sons, I have wealth.” Indeed, when he himself is not his own, whence are sons, whence is wealth?’
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.05.budd.html
But Rinpoche gives us the hope and reminder here:
“Trust the Three Jewels, be firm with your commitments by contemplating death daily, hurt no one, be honest, be kind to those around you first, then extend out, respect your guru to the utmost and engage in your daily sadhanas with great conviction. Be aware that your time will be up soon.
It’s important to do something useful for others in your life so that you will never end up bitter. Bitterness arises from knowing we have done nothing that has affected anyone in our lives. Start something now…better now than waste time feeling sorry for yourself or trying to elicit empty praises from others…”
Sadhu!
I’m sat here now with tears in my eyes, that all is impermanent was again brought home to me yesterday when Raymond had to make a one way trip to the vets. Little Gina and Zoe have been wandering around looking for him, How do you tell a dog their friends gone?
Everything gets left behind or leaves us, all passes in the end.
I ‘know’ all this and yet all the teachings are to me is a bucket to catch the drips from a leaky roof, when will i use them to fix the tiles proper…
Go be nice to someone while you still can.
We won’t know what will happen in the next second, it can be good or bad, it’s all depends on our karma. Many people fall into the trap and blind folded with the material attraction, having comfortable life, enjoying high technology entertainment, etc. Without realizing it, the moment when they die, they cannot take what they have with them, hence; they become nothing but carry with all the negative karma they created in this life.
With all these material attraction, people tend to get strong attachment to it and created a state of mind for them to be selfish or lazy. We generally don’t have the care quality. So what we have left? NOTHING!!!!!
What most important for us now is to generate care and showing kindness to our close one, initially might be difficult or fake, but after sometime of doing it, it become a habitual and eventually it will be within us.
Conveyed in simple language even a 10 year old can read…but if practiced, we will have total liberation! Rinpoche, I am in awe of this teaching. Short, straight to the point, no big jargons, only deep meaning that is impossible to deny. I recall in one of Rinpoche’s teachings before…Rinpoche asked if we would spend so much to redo a hotel room if we were to stay there for just a short while? What we should be focusing on is to work on our minds as that’s what we will be taking from one life time to the next, irregardless of what outer form/body it takes on.
Thank you Rinpoche for this teaching. I will contemplate on this until there is a change in my mind.
What an incredible teaching to bring the most profound aspect of Buddhism ( emptiness) within the grasps of ordinary deluded students like me.
For those who have studied the Lamrim, Rinpoche’s ahort treatise here basically covers all the essential points of the Lamrim – the 3 principal aspects of the path.
We own nothing -is about renunciation of one’s attachments to worldly pleasures and things.
Taking refuge, contemplating death, being kind to others, not hurting others,reaching out and doing something useful for others in this life – is about cultivating compassion and bodhicitta.
Ultimately all imputed phenomena will decay as their nature is empty of inherent existence – is about the correct view of emptiness.
Wow Wow Wow.I am going to print this out and frame it and put it on my shrine and have another copy laminated to put in front of my pc to reflect daily.
I love this post – these three words mean so much – “we own nothing”. From our childhood, we are taught the difference between mine and yours. This is mine, therefore it is not yours. We are taught to accumulate things, material rewards for good behaviour. Material things become evidence of our ‘good’ behaviour, therefore we are lulled into the delusion that the more material things we have, the better people will think of us.
35+ years later, i find that it’s all false! Rinpoche’s post explains so clearly that everything we perceive that we own, we actually do not. I know extremely rich people who hoard and keep their money so tight that they don’t even spend it on themselves! Rinpoche has explained that in reality, they are suffering from poverty because even when they do have the resources, they do not spend it and live like paupers so they might as well not have any money.
The old adage “Money is the root of all evil” is inaccurate. The real quote is “The love of money is the root of all evil” because money itself is neutral. It is neither good nor bad, but it is what we do with the money and what we would do in order to get money that is the evil or good.
Rinpoche says, “Bitterness arises from knowing we have done nothing that has affected anyone in our lives. Start something now…better now than waste time feeling sorry for yourself or trying to elicit empty praises from others…” I love Rinpoche’s teachings because not only do they give me insight into the right way of thinking but also the method to counter previous wrong views.
We own nothing. Excellent. It’s such a shame that we need time to fully realise this, since the realisation would rid of of our fears and insecurities. Most of our fears are rooted in the idea that we might lose something (status, face, money, assets, people, our current life…), but if we can let go and realise that nothing is ours to lose, ironically, we seem to gain so much more than what we think we already have.
Even Bill Gates, or Steve Jobs – very rich men with “secure” lives – can’t take what they’ve accumulated with them after they’re gone. Nor can they carry their reputation even from this life to the next, so really, why are we so attached?
For me, real wealth, real value lies in using what you have to benefit others. As Morrie Schwartz once said: “Giving makes me feel like I’m living.” We know it’s true anytime we give a gift to someone – their pleasure and joy brings us more pleasure by our giving than what we get by receiving.
We own nothing, but we can give everything.
Kind regards,
Sandy
This is a powerful teaching for me. At the present , most of us do not have the merits to grasp the meaning of Wisdom teaching.
Rinpoche is always so skillful in giving the dharma in the manner we can relate and understand.
How true is it that at death we leave everything behind and therefore nothing truly belongs to us. If we know how to use our knowledge, position and wealth to bring meaning and happiness to others, then we have acquired the real wealth.
You don’t have to be a Buddhist to understand Rinpoche’s teaching because what he teaches is universal. If we put his teaching in the conduct of our daily life, I think we shall be happier and more free.
“Bitterness arises from knowing we have done nothing that has affected anyone in our lives”. This sentence brings back some of my memories from the past. In the past I have always wondered why some people feel bitter and unhappy all the time. I myself had such experiences from time to time but could never put my finger on the real cause. There are people who go through their whole life without finding out why. Recently, Rinpoche told us a story about a dying man who was angry and bitter about his life from one of the books he read. All he could do was to be angry but he didn’t have a clue why he was angry or how to get out of his angersome state. As a result he was in complete misery. A psychiatrist who counseled him soon saw where his problem lies and suggested that maybe he should do something for others. He remembered there was a church nearby that need air-conditioning to be fixed and being an electrician by profession, it was something he could do. The church was simply too happy to accept his service and in the process of doing that his anger subsided. He finally found peace because he felt a sense of worth doing something for others. A few months later, at his death bed he said to the psychiatrist, “thank you for saving my life”. This is a lesson to us that life is simply not how long we live but rather it is the meaning we put into our lives in service of others. Otherwise, bitterness will be the inevitable result if our lives
Nice one. Thanks.
Your blog is so precious for whom have not the possibility to come hear your teachings. Thank you very much Rinpoche, you are so kind to share your wisdom with all of us.
“Nothing is accomplished in one day…the bigger the project, the more the obstacles…but the obstacles you suffer is for others…so suffer it without suffering…Tsem Tulku”
This is really true, thank you to remind us that !
Much love
Tsetchi
Rinpoche’s writings always come at the time when I needed the most!
Thank YOU Rinpoche.. that was exactly i felt weeks back.. I felt that I was wasting my time. Lost and wanted to do something meaningful in life and had wonder what was my mission on earth. Even sitting at my workstation was a waste of time earning a salary keeping myself alive without meaning to it. I really felt that this message is special to me. Thank you.
Thank you always!
Thank You Rinpoche for Your wonderful reminding message again!Thanks
Great teaching Rinpoche
Thank you Rinpoche so beautiful !
Wonderful message Rinpoche.