Proper generosity is to give whatever we have and there are many wonderful, inspiring stories of great Bodhisattvas who have given their own flesh to nourish starving animals. Whatever we can manage to give, we give to those who need it, paying particular attention to help those who represent the Three Jewels, those who have […]
As a Vajrayana Buddhist whose ultimate aim is to reach Buddhahood, not just nirvana but Buddhahood, we must have Bodhichitta. We cannot attain Buddhahood unless we wish to attain Buddhahood. We cannot attain it by mistake or accident. It has to happen intentionally. The intention must be to become a Buddha for the benefit of […]
Bodhichitta is peace. Sometimes I feel people misunderstand, or do not understand clearly, the difference between basic compassion and Bodhichitta. If you are able to spend a few hours doing something for somebody you don’t even know people might call you a bodhisattva. They may say, “Oh, he or she is so kind, they are […]
The thing that really surprised me when I first went to the West was to hear people saying, “I hate myself”, I could never understand that. But now I think I understand; when people say, “I hate myself” what they really mean is, “I love myself too much”, and they are always disappointed for not […]
All Buddhist practices are methods of transformation. When applied correctly, these can transform an ignorant person into a possessor of wisdom. The word transformation, as it is used here, signifies a change within an individual being that is a revolutionary change, but one that does not change that being’s essential nature. It brings out the […]
Hope and fear only exist because of each other, they only exist interdependently. Personally I find this very, very comforting. When I remember this, again and again, it is like being tired, going to bed, resting and recovering. Having this practice, knowing this, means we can relax, rejuvenate and then hopefully be able to follow […]
Unless you are a yogi like Milarepa you should definitely plan and prepare as if you are going to live another 50 or 70 years or whatever; you should plan that way. But in you, you really should know that that might not be the case. And not only that, we should not only think […]
That way our practice has to be complete. And it doesn’t matter how much time you have, it is very important before you start your practice to just sit down for at least half a minute and sit quietly. If one minute, two minutes, five minutes, then wonderful, but at least for half a minute […]
Buddhism can appear so complicated and vast that it seems even a lifetime of study would not be sufficient to get to the bottom of it. That is how it is, from one perspective – at least until the ultimate goal of enlightenment is reached. On the other hand, Buddhism can be very simple, dissolving […]
When you have compassion, a bodhisattva’s compassion for all sentient beings, why you have bodhicitta for all sentient beings is because of your joy, not because of your sorrow. When you see that all sentient beings are suffering, you see that they don’t have to suffer, they can get out of that suffering, but not […]
Habit is also a factor to be dealt with. The Tibetan term is ‘pa cha che dipa’. Defilement is also, of course, habit, but it is a little bit different. ‘Pa cha che dipa’ is a very subtle obstacle. An example is the way we project our own thoughts, feelings, or motivations on others. This […]
Sometimes we do suffer intensely, when we are sick and so on. When we are sick we should resort to medicines and when we get into trouble with people we should try to get out of that trouble. Definitely. However, our attitude to the suffering and the trouble should not be one that defines them […]
So as a meditator, as a practitioner, somehow, even if you have a family, even if you have a job, even if you have a business, and even if you have lots of plans for your life, that is alright, you are not a hundred percent yogi, but you are a yogi in the making, […]
At times there has to be a raising of consciousness, as has been the case, for instance, with regard to ecological problems. For a long time the environment has just been exploited, but nowadays many people are conscious of this, are more careful, more considerate and concerned about the welfare of the future generations. I […]
If you have a question as to why sentient beings suffer if they do the wrong thing, it is because it is contrary to their potential, they are doing something which is opposite to what they are. Therefore, the results they get are opposite to what they want. That is quite simple logic, don’t you […]
The foundation of devotion is confidence in your essence. If you don’t have confidence in your essence, you cannot have true devotion; it becomes more like fear than devotion. Tai Situ Rinpoche
We shouldn’t get carried away. We shouldn’t get lost when things happen to us. Getting lost in good things is as bad as getting lost in bad things. We should not get lost in anything. We should always be aware and mindful. We should always follow the path no matter whether we are taking baby […]
Discovering inner goodness only truly happens through meditation. You can discover your inner goodness intellectually of course, but it is just knowledge of what is possible. Tai Situ Rinpoche
Our ultimate essence and our ultimate primordial nature is limitless freedom. Tai Situ Rinpoche
The nature of mind has to be recognized by the nature of mind. It is not ‘you’ recognizing your nature of mind; it is your nature of mind recognizes your nature of mind. It is so easy therefore it is so difficult. It is there all the time. Our mind recognizes our nature of mind […]
