Blew my mind away
Dear Rinpoche,
Thank you for this video. I enjoyed it very very much. This one is definitely better in video, not audio!
I find these teachings to be extremely clear, concise and very useful for beginners to tantra and even those who are not so new. But what struck me the most from the entire teaching is how all preliminaries can be replaced with alternative activities such as Dharma work. It provides opportunities for people to reap the benefits of dharma work and being close to a guru while spreading the dharma in the ten directions.
The other things I really like is how much sense it makes that Dharma work can replace the preliminaries. After all, the preliminaries are about collecting merit and the purification of negative karma. And its perfectly logical how dharma work can achieve the same ends.
I remember during a teaching that rinpoche gave on prostration retreats in 2008, Rinpoche was congratulating KMP on embarking upon a 100,000 prostration retreat. And Rinpoche went on to say that all departments should engage in a prostration retreat as it would be very beneficial for both the group and the individual.
Well, then someone asked Rinpoche whether the Ladrang team should engage in a prostration retreat as well. And Rinpoche said that, just by being available for the lama anytime, 24-7, that was better than any prostration retreat could ever be. It would purify more negative karma and accumulate more merit than prostrations!
That completely blew my mind that night 3 years ago and I then understood what people mean when they say that the most beneficial is to be close to the lama and serving the lama. No other merit is higher than that.
from bengkooi on Feb 23, 2012 at 11:59 pm
Cosmic Tantra: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/cosmic-tantra.html
(P.S. Justin, Your contribution to Kechara and to me was immense…you will never be forgotten by me….Tsem Rinpoche)
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To be near Lama requires an immense amount of merits, what’s more to sustain the path and to serve Lama all the way. Just by thinking this, one can only guess how little merits that I have, not being able to meet and serve Lama.
Although I can comprehend on what does it mean by doing Dharma work is very much akin to doing retreats but until one is really in the path, one can only fully comprehend and practice the real and genuine Dharma.(Just like when we first fall in love, it’s all lovey-dovey but when comes to commit into serious reltionship, all hell breaks loose) Being alert and up 24/7, all day and night, not being deterred by hard work and ego being assaulted constantly are just some of the “sacrifices” that I can see and I’m sure there’s many more and for that I truly rejoice for those who have stayed on, especially those in Ladrang???.
This is very true… Rinpoche has said this many times for us who is working directly in the Ladrang. We need to realise not many have this opportunity and privileged to be working directly, and so closely with a highly attained Lama/living Buddha… we must have the merits to begin with. Definitely it is no coincidence why we are here together. And if we have this great opportunity to serve one being who is benefiting the world… indirectly you are collecting the same amount of merits as well, with the right motivation. Yes it is a fast track towards training the mind, towards purifying one’s negative karma, towards gaining a little bit of wisdom, some understanding of what is compassion perhaps?
The Guru’s mandala is the place where all of your negativities will be exposed and arise to be cleared and the positives are nurtured… each time it is cleared and you trust the Lama’s methods, you will go up one notch, you will improve one notch, you will let go more. Yes it may not always be easy, but then again success is never easy? What more one’s spiritual path.
I remembered one senior student of Rinpoche, now Pastor Chia who used to say to me when I first joined and I was new, I started volunteering in KPSS2 and many questions came through my mind. He told me this and until today I always remember his wise words whenever I doubt myself… “if you can stay and take the training, it is good for you, if you cannot, it is just too bad for you”. Very a matter of factly and directly, it is that simple. Yes this is true because it is all about you and your spiritual journey, you own improvement… if you cannot, it is only because you will not, you resist. The choice is clear. And if you say you CAN, then everything will just fall in to it’s perfect place.
Took me a while to figure that out, that the dharma work that we do is also in the same nature of the seven limbs that we recite in our sadhanas. The seven limbs serve to increase merit, multiply merit and purify our karma. Without doing all these our spiritual growth can be stunted by our negative karma and lack of understanding of dharma. Thank you rinpoche and beng kooi for this article, beng kooi for also putting the words at our level to understand.
This is beautiful and I appreciate very much what Beng Kooi has said here. The photo of Justin is totally fitting and stunning too for he exemplifies exactly what Beng Kooi has said. He dedicated the last years of his life to working with all his heart in the ladrang, and by that, as Rinpoche has confirmed, he has taken a good rebirth to continue his practice. Such tremendous merit.
Actually, to work anywhere within the Lama’s mandala is meritorious. It is how well we do our work and with how much sincerity that counts. Every department within Kechara is considered a part of Rinpoche’s mandala and every individual’s contribution within that counts in a huge way.
Would I allow it – oh no! I would not even go near the python.
Rinpoche always think of ways to improve and make teachings available to us in the most creative ways, most of the time wowed us with our mouth wide open! hehe. If I may, Rinpoche is the Madonna of Tibetan Buddhism!!! Not only that, look at his students are actually raw example of true dharma practitioners. Not only they are well learned in the knowledge, hard working and dedicated in dharma work and guru devotion listed top priority. Rinpoche has taught well and Beng Kooi is just one example, when you look back at Justin’s work, it is just one portal of how Justin care for others and wanted to make dharma easily accessible to many. I miss Justin and always will be.