Question: I’m not sure that I’m ready for higher teachings. You talk about seeing yourself as a buddha, but what if I’m struggling with anger? Maybe I should be practicing something simple or more relevant? I am really grateful to hear higher teachings, and while I’m listening to you I can understand them. But I know that in my everyday life I don’t have the possibility of making use of them.

Answer: That is true for all of us. We’re teaching on the ultimate level. On the absolute level, everything is equal. However, as long as we experience duality and grasping, what you say is true. There are differences between us. We all have different habits and we have to remove our grasping. The Buddha and Guru Padmasambhava taught that compassion, love, wisdom, strong devotion, respect, and appreciation are all needed to release duality and overcome grasping. When we accomplish this, it creates the state of equanimity.

During meditation, recognize the buddha-nature within. See yourself as a buddha. Gradually as your realization grows, there will be fewer distinctions, and eventually you will discover your original nature and find your royal robes.

Venerable Khenpo Rinpoches
Forthcoming Book: Uprooting Clinging: A Commentary on Mipham Rinpoche’s Wheel of Analytic Meditation (pg 142)
www.padmasambhava.org/chiso/books-by-khenpo-rinpoches/uprooting-clinging-a-commentary-on-mipham-rinpoches-wheel-of-analytic-meditation