The moon’s reflection on water appears without obstruction and seems to shine very brightly, yet it is simply the appearance of something that does not exist. There is no such thing as a moon in the water. Likewise, when one recognizes that thoughts have no true existence, one recognizes awareness, and this is dharmakaya. Dilgo […]
Although it is a crucial point, simply to remember death is not enough; now that we have good health and freedom in both body and mind, we need to channel all our energy into practicing the Dharma. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche
Always try to accomplish even the smallest beneficial action without any reservation or hesitation, and avoid even the most insignificant negative actions. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche
What a waste of time it is to take so much care if this body, feeding it the most succulent dishes, dressing it in the most fashionable clothes, and trying to make it look younger than it really is. The body has no other destination than the cemetery where it will be burned, buried, or […]
If you fail to seal your merit with authentic dedication, then however vast the offerings and positive actions you have performed may be, their results can only be ephemeral and vulnerable to the destructive effects of your negative emotions, such as anger, pride, and jealousy. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche
If we wish to practice the Dharma authentically but we do not have faith, however much we listen, reflect, and meditate, it will not bear fruit. Our practice will be without light, like the world before dawn when there is no sun. We also need to use the field of pure discipline. To practice the […]
Always stay alert, therefore, and watch what your mind is doing. Think about it. Over countless lifetimes, have you not been deluded, fallen under the power of your negative emotions, and as a result had to undergo – time and time again – the sufferings of birth, sickness, old age, and death? Yet still you […]
This experience of luminosity is nothing but the nature of your mind. Remaining in that state of utter simplicity will bring you to the realization that the space-like nature of mind is the Dharmakaya; that is expression, luminosity or wisdom, is the Sambhogakaya; and that it’s manifestation, all–providing compassion, is the Nirmanakaya. You will realize […]
If you vanquish ego-clinging today, tonight you will be enlightened. If you vanquish it tomorow, you will be enlightened tomorow night. But if you never vanquish it, you will never be enlightened. Yet ” I ” is just a thought. Thoughts and feelings have no intrinsic solidity, form, shape, or color. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche
Just as it is impossible to buy anything without money or make anything without materials and tools, there is no way to attain enlightenment without practicing. Unless you practice properly, purifying your past negative actions and avoiding further downfalls, it is no good imagining that the Buddha will catch you with his hands and prevent […]
If you feel any hesitation at all in the constant pursuit of ordinary goals, it is simply about how best to achieve them — should you continue whatever you are currently doing, or turn your efforts in some new and more profitable direction? You end up engaging in meaningless activities without end, frittering away what […]
If sometimes we practice with diligence and at other times just take it easy, we will not be able to develop confidence in our meditation on the view. What must we do to develop this confidence? We must understand that day and night, throughout the entire dimension of our lives, there is no difference between […]
Even to hear the teachings is something very rare, which only happens once in aeons. That you have met the Dharma now is not just coincidence. It results from your past positive actions. Such an opportunity should not be wasted. If your mind is in accord with Dharma, you will not experience any problems with […]
Expecting a lot from people, you do a lot of smiling. Needing many things for yourself, you have many needs to meet. Making plans to do first this, then that, your mind’s full of hopes and fears. From now on, come what may, don’t be like that. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche
Spending all your life trying to achieve ordinary worldly goals is like trying to net fish in a dry riverbed. Clearly understanding this, make a firm decision not to allow your life to pursue such a useless course. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche
Devotion is the essence of the path, and if we have in mind nothing but the guru and feel nothing but fervent devotion, whatever occurs is perceived as his/her blessing. If we simply practice with this constantly present devotion, this is prayer itself. When all thoughts are imbued with devotion to the guru, there is […]
When you think about samsara, if you feel as if you were aboard a sinking ship, as if you had fallen into a pit of deadly snakes, or as if you were a criminal about to be handed over to the executioner, these are sure signs that you have discarded the belief in the permanence […]
When you reach the threshold of death, the friends and relatives around you have no way of accompanying you any further. There is very little they can do to help you at all. Not even the richest magnate can take a penny of his wealth with him, and it would be in vain that even […]
Just as the whole world, with its mountains, continents, and everything else, exists within infinite space, so too do all phenomena appear within the buddha nature. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche
What we must realize is that at the moment of death we are plucked from this life like a hair drawn from a piece of butter, leaving everything behind, including this body we have held so dear. Death is not like a fire that simply goes out, or like water that vanishes when it lands […]
