WORDS OF WISDOM AUTHOR: KHENPO TSULTRIM LODRO

Actually, concept and practice are essential aspects of any method; the two are inseparable.

Why does Vajrayana place great emphasis on the practice of dream yoga? The reason is that, unlike the absolute quietness of death, when we are in deep sleep, even though alaya consciousness and self-grasping are still operating, all other consciousness have stopped. It is much easier to realize the nature of mind when undertaking practice during this period.

From death to rebirth, there are at least more than a few chances for a person to obtain liberation, attain Buddhahood or be reborn in Sukhāvatī (pure land of Amitabha) if one has grasped the pith instructions on death. Short of attaining Buddhahood or being reborn in Amitabha’s pure land, by applying the pith instructions on death, one can also freely choose to be reborn in the human realm, having a life endowed with freedom and leisure to practice the Dharma and ultimately gain liberation.

Having grasped the pith instructions, one is no longer just at the mercy of past karmic force when taking rebirth. Absent this knowledge, one will miss all the opportunities to be free from the control of karmic force time and time again. It is therefore crucial to learn the pith instructions on death.

~ Depicted from THE HANDBOOK FOR LIFE'S JOURNEY : On Death & Rebirth - How to Face Death

If the dying person has never received any precepts before, either precept for taking refuge or that of lay practitioners, transmit whichever is needed. If the precepts received before have somehow been broken, now is the time to restore them. In Tibet, when a person is about to die and if time permits, the dying person must be given the chance to receive empowerment. If empowerment is received at time of dying, there will be no chance of breaking the Vajrayana vows. Hence the precept will be kept pure when the person is leaving this world, which can favorably influence the direction of rebirth to the next life. It is therefore critically important to be able to receive precepts and empowerment at time of dying.

As Buddhist practitioners, we should be steady and dutiful, unlike some people who are blind in their faith and obsessed with supernatural powers. To do otherwise is to denigrate the Dharma and adversely affect our practice.

Let us consider for a moment where we are exactly in our practice. After an investigation like this, some people may delight in discovering they have perfect bodhicitta; some may regret they have not started to practice bodhicitta; some may know with certainty they are in the process of cultivating bodhicitta. Regardless, we should all work towards this goal. Those of you who are not practicing should start right away; those who, like me, have not yet aroused bodhicitta should exert greater effort; those who already have bodhicitta can start the practice of emptiness.

~ Depicted from THE FOUR SEALS OF DHARMA : Preparing for the Preliminaries

In the practice of One-Pointed Concentration, we place an object in front of us — a pen, a bottle of water, a grain of rice, or any other thing — and focus both the eyes and the mind completely on the object. Then cease all thoughts and just rest the mind. Maintain this state of non-distraction for a few minutes. Initially, we may only be able to stay in this state for five minutes; once we become familiar with the practice, we can stretch it out to ten or twenty minutes.

~ Depicted from THE PAPER TIGER : Suffering is just a Paper Tiger

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 U READY FOR HAPPINESS : The Significance of Buddhist Philosophy Today

After a person has killed a being or stolen things, the karmic seed of such actions will remain in this person’s alaya consciousness. When it will germinate is uncertain, however. The scriptures often use the analogy of harvesting crops to illustrate the timing of karmic effect. There are a great variety of grains and vegetables and the length of time for them to ripen varies. Some may ripen in only one to two months, others five or six months, or even longer. The types of seeds, the geographical location and the climate are all contributing factors to this disparity.