Thursday's Recommended Reading

.
From Dilgo Khyentse's
"The Heart Treasure of the Enlightened Ones,"
lets read from the Commentary on pg. 80-81 and
let's also read from the root text on page 199.
.


.


In today's selection from Dilgo Khyentse's commentary we can read:

"...practice the various stages of the path:
the development [aka: generation] stage,
in which you visualize the deities and
recite mantras;

the completion [aka perfection] stage,
in which you practice the inner yogas;

and the Mahamudra and Great Perfection
[aka Dzogchen],
in which you encounter the
absolute nature of awareness."

From the Dalai Lama's
"The Path to Enlightenment,"
lets read page 102-103 and
let's also read from the
Translator's Introduction on page 15.





In today's selection the 14th Dalai Lama explains:

"The activity to be avoided by
anyone holding refuge in the Sangha is
spending too much time with people who

[1] teach or follow wrong paths, and
[2] whose influence hinders one's practice and
[3] disturbs one's mind."


The easiest way to contact me is at:
http://www.FaceBook.com/LamaJigme

In today's exploration of
the " Intermediate Collection of Practices "
we could consider:

"Energy Vampire"

Could you have ever met an energy vampire,
without even knowing it?

Sometime they'll verbally shove one into a
defencive posture and then feed off of one's
lost power.

Could you intuit how it does NOT even have to
be deliberate to
be destructive?




I invite you to share your feelings and insights with
my other students at: Buddha's Quick Path


Om Mani Padme Hum,
Lama Jigme Gyatso: Rime Manipa Tantrika


.

Monday's Recommended Reading

.
From Dilgo Khyentse's
"The Heart Treasure of the Enlightened Ones,"
lets read from the Commentary on pg. 76-77 and
let's also read from the root text on page 195.
.


.


In today's selection from Dilgo Khyentse's commentary we can read:

"The literal meaning of Guru Yoga is

'union with the teacher's nature.'

To blend your mind with the teacher's mind is
the most profound of all practices and
the shortest path to realization.

It is the life-force of the path and
the one practice that includes all others.

It was through relying on a spiritual teacher that
all the Bodhisattvas of the past
generated the mind of enlightenment and
reached perfection.

The Bodhisattva Tak-tu-ngu, the
'Ever-Weeping One,' for example,
was willing to give anything,
even his own flesh and blood,
in order to be accepted by his teacher..."

From the Dalai Lama's
"The Path to Enlightenment,"
lets read page 98-99 and
let's also read from the
Translator's Introduction on page 13.





In today's selection the 14th Dalai Lama explains:

"How did the Enlightened Ones
attain the state of omniscient buddhahood?

By purifying and expanding their minds
through the practice of Dharma,
which out of compassion they later teach.

Our Buddha, Shakyamuni, trained under many masters
over a string of lifetimes.
Eventually his practice of Dharma
transported him to enlightenment.

Thus it is said that Dharma is the actual refuge,

the Enlightened Ones are
the teachers of refuge, and

the Sangha are
the friends of refuge.

If we admire the Enlightened Ones,
how can we NOT admire the force that
brought them to enlightenment?"


The easiest way to contact me is at:
http://www.FaceBook.com/LamaJigme

In today's exploration of
the " Intermediate Collection of Practices "
we could consider:

The Prayer of Refuge and Bodhichitta

Eternally “I” go for refuge
to Bud-dha, Dhar-ma and Sang-ha.
For the sake of every living being
may I accomplish Chen-re-zig.



I invite you to share your feelings and insights with
my other students at: Buddha's Quick Path


Om Mani Padme Hum,
Lama Jigme Gyatso: Rime Manipa Tantrika


.

Saturday's Recommended Reading

.
From Dilgo Khyentse's
"The Heart Treasure of the Enlightened Ones,"
lets read from the Commentary on pg. 74-75 and
let's also read from the root text on page 193.





In today's selection from Dilgo Khyentse's commentary we can read:

"All the Buddhas of
the past, present, and future
have achieved and will achieve enlightenment
by relying upon a spiritual teacher.

The most profound of all teachings,
the Ma-ha-mu-dra [the Great Seal] and
the Great Perfection
[Dzok-chen or Ma-ha-san-dhi],

are realized through devotion rather than
through the fabrication of the intellect.

With unwavering and single-minded devotion,
see the teacher as the Buddha himself and
everything he does as perfect;
then his blessings,

the wisdom of the all the Buddhas' minds,
will flow effortlessly into your being.

Practice in accordance with his
instructions, and, as all the
clouds of doubt and hesitation are
cleared away, the sun of his compassion will

shine through,
warming you with happiness."

From the Dalai Lama's
"The Path to Enlightenment,"
lets read page 97 and
let's also read from the
Translator's Introduction on page 12.





In today's selection the 14th Dalai Lama explains:

"A spiritual aspirant requires a model,
something he or she can look up to as
an ideal and thus find guidance and inspiration.

In Buddhism this the the Triple Gem,
the Three Jewels of Refuge:
the Buddhas, Dharma and Sangha.

When we think of the fully enlightened Buddhas -
the beings who have purified their minds
of all stains and obscurations and
who have expanded their wisdom to
the limits of existence -

we feel very attracted and awed;
but somehow there always seems to be a
great distance between the Buddhas and us.

Therefore, there is the refuge of the Sang-ha,
the community of spiritual aspirants,
the assembly of practitioners
dwelling in the various stages of
practice and attainment.

These beings provide us with a
perspective on the path.
We have to look up to the Sang-ha,
but NOT as far as to the Buddhas.

The Sang-ha make us think,

'This person is NOT that far ahead of me.
If I just make a bit more effort...' .

They give us confidence for spiritual practice.
Sometimes they make us feel like we can even
race them to enlightenment.
These are the Sang-ha of spiritual friends.

Thoughts of the Buddhas make us
numb with admiration;
thoughts of the Sang-ha cause us to
jump to it and to apply ourselves with
zeal to the spiritual path.

This path and the methods for traversing it
are the third Jewel of Refuge, the Dhar-ma.
This is the collection of
the teachings to be practiced and
the realizations to be attained."


The easiest way to contact me is at:
http://www.FaceBook.com/LamaJigme

In today's exploration of
the " Intermediate Collection of Practices "
we could consider an excerpt from:

Lama Praise

Beyond being defiled by the two
obscurations of pride and jealousy,
you pretend to still be purifying them.
Having certainly reached the sublime path’s very end,
you insist that you are still learning.

Beyond the extremes of Sam-sa-ra and Nir-va-na,
you still manifest here in Sam-sa-ra.
Peerless teacher,
I bow before you.


Why could some Full realized teachers
occasionally pretend to still be on the path?

The Dalai Lama's excerpt could infer
that in their compassion they
do NOT wish to overwhelm their students.



I invite you to share your feelings and insights with
my other students at: Buddha's Quick Path


Om Mani Padme Hum,
Lama Jigme Gyatso: Rime Manipa Tantrika


.

Friday's Recommended Reading

.
From Dilgo Khyentse's
"The Heart Treasure of the Enlightened Ones,"
lets read from the Commentary on pg. 72-73 and
let's also read from the root text on page 191.





In today's selection from Dilgo Khyentse's commentary we can read:

"The six-syllable mantra, too,
can be recited as an offering to
the Three Jewels {Buddha, Dharma and Sangha}
and to all sentient beings;

it has the power to bring
infinite benefit.

Even the most ruthlessly cruel and
arrogant beings,
completely lacking the slightest inclination
toward the Dhar-ma,

can be tamed and helped
with this mantra,
for it is the source of the Bo-dhi-chit-ta,
whose infinite power of compassion always
succeeds where force and violence fail."

From the Dalai Lama's
"The Path to Enlightenment,"
lets read page 94-95 and
let's also read from the
Translator's Introduction on page 11.





In today's selection the 14th Dalai Lama explains:

"The sufferings of the animal realms
are obvious to us.
Work and farm animals experience being
driven, beaten, killed, and eaten by human beings.

We would go to an institution and
claim our human rights if
someone tried to do these things to us, but
animals can do nothing but look on pathetically.


The fish in the Kangara Lake are
NOT respected as the owning the lake;
to the humans they are merely sources of food.

We forget they are living beings who,
like us, grasp at an "I" and
aspire to happiness.

We forget that they do NOT want pain and
do NOT want to die,
and we pull them out of the water on hooks and in nets,
causing them to die in fear and agony.

The same is the case with chickens,
cattle, goats and so forth."


The easiest way to contact me is at:
http://www.FaceBook.com/LamaJigme

In today's exploration of
the " Intermediate Collection of Practices "
we could consider:

The Bowing Prayer

Lord, white in color, unstained by faults,
a perfect Buddha adorning your head,
you look upon all beings with eyes of compassion.
Chen-re-zig, we bow to you!



I invite you to share your feelings and insights with
my other students at: Buddha's Quick Path


Om Mani Padme Hum,
Lama Jigme Gyatso: Rime Manipa Tantrika


.

Friday's Recommended Reading

.
From Dilgo Khyentse's
"The Heart Treasure of the Enlightened Ones,"
lets read from the Commentary on pg. 62-63 and
let's also read from the root text on page 183.





In today's selection from Dilgo Khyentse's commentary we can read:

"Through faith and devotion
in the Three Jewels,
we will come to realize that they are NOT
three separate entities,

but the body, speech and mind of
Chen-re-zig, the Buddha of Compassion.

His mind is the Buddha,
his speech the Dhar-ma, and
his body is the Sang-ha.

Even though at present we
can NOT meet Chen-re-zig in person,
we should be aware of his limitless qualities
as they are described in the sutras and tantras.

We should also remember that
Chen-re-zig is inseparable
from our teacher,
who instructs us in the precious Dhar-ma.

Deeply appreciating this great kindness,
praying to him and
reciting the Six-syllable mantra,
there is NO doubt that all our

karmic obscurations and negative emotions
can be cleared away.

The time will come when we will
actually be in the presence of
Chen-re-gig in his Buddhafield [pure land],
where he turns the wheel of

the Ma-ha-ya-na Dhar-ma
for his retinue of Bo-dhi-sat-tvas."


From the Dalai Lama's
"The Path to Enlightenment,"
lets read page 84-85 and
let's also read from the biography of
the 3rd Dalai Lama on page 218.





In today's selection the 14th Dalai Lama explains:

"Compassion that does NOT understand
the nature of Sam-sa-ric existence is
a healf-hearted compassion."


The easiest way to contact me is at:
http://www.FaceBook.com/LamaJigme





In today's exploration of
the " Beginning Collection of Practices "
we could consider:


Affirmations simply don't work.
You could recite, "I am very peaceful."
all you want
but it won't really change how you feel.

Now, a properly worded, assumptive question,
is a horse of another color.

By way of example,
let's play with these Power-questions.

"What are some of the reasons
I Could feel peaceful?"

"What could be some of the benefits
of feeling peaceful?"

"If I was now profoundly peaceful;
what could that feel like?"

"If I was now profoundly peaceful;
what could that sound like?"

"If I was now profoundly peaceful;
what could that look like?"

Yep, that is exactly why
it has been said that sometimes,
"Questions are the Answer."

And that, my friend, is why the second "I"
is "Inquisition."



I invite you to share your feelings and insights with
my other students at: Buddha's Quick Path


Om Mani Padme Hum,
Lama Jigme Gyatso: Rime Manipa Tantrika


.

Thursday's Recommended Reading

.
From Dilgo Khyentse's
"The Heart Treasure of the Enlightened Ones,"
lets read from the Commentary on pg. 44-45 and
let's also read from the root text on page 211.





In today's selection from Dilgo Khyentse's commentary we can read:

"When you are criticized,
accept it as an opportunity
to acknowledge your hidden faults
and increase your humility.

As it is said,

'Blame and ill treatment
are the root
of the meditation flower.'

They are your teacher,
destroying attachment and craving.

If brought to the path,
harsh words and blame
will inspire your practice
and strengthen your discipline.

How can you ever repay such kindness?"


From the Dalai Lama's
"The Path to Enlightenment,"
lets read page 68-69 and
let's also read from the biography of
the 3rd Dalai Lama on page 210.





In today's selection the Third Dalai Lama explains:

"There are many examples of people
who have attained full enlightenment
in one short lifetime

by correctly devoting themselves
to a master [teacher],

and if you please your teacher
with the offerings of material things,
devotion and
intensive practice,

there is NO reason why you could not
do the same."


The easiest way to contact me is at:
http://www.FaceBook.com/LamaJigme





In today's selection from
"The Healing Power of Love and Letting-go"
we can read:


"I have taken Refuge in
the Bud-dha, Dhar-ma and Sang-ha, but
have little heartfelt enthusiasm.

I follow the trainings of body, speech and mind but
have let my commitments slip.

Bless me, and all who have been
faint-hearted like me, that
our spiritual ambition may be
firm and irreversible."



I invite you to share your feelings and insights with
my other students at: Buddha's Quick Path

Om Mani Padme Hum,
Lama Jigme Gyatso: Rime Manipa Tantrika


.