WORDS OF WISDOM AUTHOR: KHENPO TSULTRIM LODRO

Everyone wishes to have a happy life, including animals. But many are unhappy, and their unhappiness comes mainly from a causal relation of the mind. When we wish to own more material things, such desire will drive us to give more time and energy to fulfill that wish, resulting in bigger pressure, busier pace, less free time in life and eventually depriving us of any sense of happiness. Although the original intention of desire is to gain happiness for ourselves, it ends up destroying our happiness. Therefore, it is absolutely necessary to properly manage our desire.

~Depicted from THE HANDBOOK FOR LIFE'S JOURNEY - On The Three Poisons-How to Handle Desire

What is a dharma seal? The “dharma” herein refers to Buddhadharma, the teachings of the Buddha; the “seal” is a handprint or stamp, which means it does not change. The Three Dharma Seals are called “dharma seals” precisely because they are a fundamental view in Buddhism that will never change. To be sure, this is just the standpoint of exoteric Buddhism. Another interpretation is that the “seal” is likened to a king’s seal. When the king’s seal is fixed on a royal document or edict, it assumes special significance – it is a confirmation of a royal decree which cannot be defied or altered. In the same way, the Three Dharma Seals confirm the authenticity of the Dharma; without the Three Dharma Seals, it is not the Dharma.

~Depicted from THE FOUR SEALS OF DHARMA - Summation 

What is nirvana? Liberation is nirvana. From the standpoint of Mahayana Buddhism, the three bodies of an enlightened being – dharmakaya, sambhogakaya, nirmanakaya – and the five wisdoms are called nirvana.

What does true peace mean? After liberation, there is genuine freedom from the three types of suffering mentioned before; the seeds of the three types of suffering and their designations also cease to be. This pure and everlasting happiness is true peace. It is not the happiness ordinary people refer to; rather, happiness is just freedom from suffering that arises from contaminated actions. Because it is pure, it is deemed “true peace.”

~Depicted from THE FOUR SEALS OF DHARMA - Nirvana Is True Peace

Normally, after taking rebirth, the deceased will not remember his or her previous life, but will know the thoughts of family members and close friends while in the intermediate state. If the deceased happens to understand karma and realizes his/her children are reluctant to use the money to do good deeds on behalf of him/her but divide the money among themselves instead, the deceased may feel sad and angry. Do remember not to do anything that may offend the deceased or arouse the deceased to anger. If anger or hatred is developed in the intermediate state, even the most innocent person can end up in the hell realm.

~Depicted from THE HANDBOOK FOR LIFE'S JOURNEY - On Death And Rebirth-How to Take Rebirth

We should never rely too much on our senses because they are imperfect. The eye can only see the most superficial layer of the earth; we see light, but only a minute part of the spectrum. We hear sounds, but only ordinary sounds; we cannot distinguish between sound waves of higher or lower frequencies. Hence, we cannot conclude our sensory perceptions are absolutely real.

~Depicted from ARE YOU READY FOR HAPPINESS ? - The Significance of Buddhist Philosophy Today

Many people also mix up the two. Among them, there are non- Buddhists and some lay practitioners of Buddhism. Although increasingly more people are becoming interested in learning Buddhism, some of them seek only the benefit of the celestial beings or the human realm in this life. What will happen in the next life or the question of liberation from samsara are not at all their concerns. They burn incense and read sutras only to get a better treatment from this life. On the surface, it may appear that they are practicing Buddhism, but in fact they view Dharma practice only as a way of living. To non-Buddhists, working is their way of living; for some Buddhists, the way of living means going to the temple to render worship to the Buddhas and bodhisattvas. The so-called Dharma practice does not touch upon the meaning of life whatsoever. To make clear distinction between the way of living and the meaning of life is the most basic step to entering the path of Dharma.

~Depicted from THE RIGHT VIEW - The Way of Living and the Meaning of Life

I have said more than once before that the Buddha is incomparable not only with respect to the view on emptiness, not-self and luminous mind but also in terms of seeking temporary happiness in the mundane world. In my opinion, Buddha Sakyamuni is the greatest thinker of all times. From now on, we should all try our best to live the way that the Buddha had prescribed for us, one that is not devoid of material comforts. It is good enough to have a car to drive, watch and clothes to wear; they don’t have to be name brands. To be content with fewer desires does not mean that one cannot own anything. That would be impossible any way. In fact, there is an unbreakable rule in the Vinaya that it should not demand ordinary people to do anything that they are incapable of doing. The Buddha knew very well our limits and thus would not ask for something impossible of us. He did not say that everyone must lead a life of hardship but that we should control our desires and spend time and energy for something more meaningful in life. Otherwise, we can never be really happy or accomplish anything worthwhile. Do consider this point carefully.

~Depicted from THE RIGHT VIEW - A Buddhist’s Mode of Life

How is this realization useful? What does it have to do with liberation?

With this realization, we can cut through our attachment to permanence. For instance, the perception we used to have that a building is a permanent structure from the time it is constructed to the time it is demolished would now be completely overturned. Again, suppose this place used to be a vacant lot before a building was constructed on it; later when the building was torn down, it became a vacant lot again. It took many years for the building to come into being, from nothing to something and back to nothing; but we can also be certain that all along, in each instant of its existence, change was taking place through a continuous process of arising and ceasing.

~Depicted from THE FOUR SEALS OF DHARMA - All Composite Phenomena are Impermanent

There is a very convenient example in modern technology. The old motion picture film is actually made up of many reversal films; the first picture film has no connection whatsoever with the second picture film, but due to the speed at which they are rolled out (twenty-four films per second), we do not notice where one picture ends and the next begins. We mistakenly think when a person in an image is walking and talking, it is one continuous motion; we do not expect the connecting images to be formed by many separate films. An illusion is produced because our eye cannot perceive matter of a subtle nature. For scientists and philosophers, this logic should be easy to follow.

Thus, Buddhism believes all phenomena which arise and cease due to causes and conditions are like a dream, like magic, like a water bubble, like shadow. They are all unreal and illusory.

~Depicted from ARE YOU READY FOR HAPPINESS - The Significance of Buddhist Philosophy Today