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“The Nyingma tradition stresses the importance of uniting study and practice; Khenchen Rinpoche himself always mentioned this. This is a very special feature of the Nyingma school, and it’s always been this way—we didn’t just make it up. Study and practice go together. As we learn, so we apply. As we apply, the meaning of the teachings absorbs into our heart.
After you establish the foundation of the practice by honoring the lineage, taking refuge, and developing bodhichitta, next you began the principle part of the practice, which is divided into the creation stage and completion stage. The creation stage visualization generally has many parts, but they can be condensed into two: (1) building up the visualization and (2) mantra recitation.
In the broader scope of Buddhism, there are the two truths: relative truth and absolute truth. According to this terminology, creation stage practice is the relative truth, and completion stage practice is the absolute truth. This is also the case in the Inner Tantras.
Although these two might seem like different things, in reality they’re the same, just like east and west, or right and left are not really separate from one another. But duality mind cannot comprehend, recognize, or realize this, so the gracious teacher Buddha taught according to our readiness and understanding. He is guiding us, one after another to the level of reality. We’ve been outside reality in the duality world for so long, life after life after life. We’ve been away from the true nature, always staying off to one side. Now because of the teaching we’re coming back to the nature, to reality. We can’t return to the nature immediately because of our habitual patterns and the way we’ve been for such a long time. We have to develop slowly, gradually going through the Buddha’s teachings, just like in physical therapy. We’re so out of our body that they can’t fix us immediately, so they have to slowly make lots of adjustments until we can stand up by ourselves, fully functioning. Similarly, the Buddha gave all those different levels and categories of teachings. It’s not that the Buddha wanted to detour us, but we sentient beings can’t understand every- thing at once, so the Buddha taught according to our readiness.
It often says in the teachings that the Buddha taught according to individuals’ capabilities and readiness, gradually guiding them. That’s why in the nine yana teachings, the first teaching is very basic compared to the second teaching. The second teaching is a little deeper than the first teaching. It continues this way through all nine yanas, going deeper and deeper until you get to the ninth yana, which is the heart, the essence, the simple nature itself, without any kind of dualistic additions or supports. It’s totally out of duality at that point. That’s how the Buddha’s teachings are designed. So in a way, visualization stage practice is imagination; it’s a creation, building something up, but it will lead us to the nature beyond imagination.”
Venerable Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche
The Essential Journey of Life and Death, Vol. 1
Chapter 21: Main Practice (pgs 292-293)
Photo of the great wisdom dakini Yeshe Tsogyal from the Padma Samye Ling temple murals.
“If you don’t know any other way, express your bodhichitta through simple acts of loving-kindness and compassion and practice meditation. This unites the activities of all eight emanations in one simple state. Loving-kindness and compassion are naturally arising qualities of the mind, which become unceasing activities. Allow all ego-clinging—even holding to limited ideas of loving- kindness and compassion—to dissolve back into the expanse of your primordial nature, and the energy will naturally reappear in wiser, more flexible and skillful forms. Meditating like this is a very simple and powerful practice.”
Venerable Khenpo Rinpoches
Liberating Duality with Wisdom Display:
The Eight Emanations of Guru Padmasambhava (pg 103)
Photos of Ven. Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche with the PSL Sangha during the 2014 Summer Dzoghcen Retreat on The Lamp of Mahamudra by Tsele Natsok Rangdrol
“One type of laziness is based on doubt: “How could I ever do this?” You put yourself down, and even feel special in considering yourself so low and incapable. To overcome this requires courage. Discover your natural dignity. Feel the preciousness of this moment: how amazing it is to be alive! If you understand the truth of this, there’s nothing that you can’t accomplish. That’s exactly what the Buddha and many other great masters did. They worked on the basis of this inspiration. Since we all have buddha-nature and inherent wisdom, why can’t we do as they did? We need to apply ourselves diligently and engage in our practice fearlessly.
Another type of laziness has to do with attaching to lesser interests and missing the greater opportunity. You know that the practice is special, you have some awareness that this is a very unique moment, and you are inspired by this beautiful opening, but you still waste time and cling to meaningless, worldly involvements. You’re like a cat who is always trying to catch another mouse. Guru Padmasambhava taught that this kind of activity is as endless as waves on the ocean. Just when you think you’re going to finish, the next wave arrives, and then another. There is always something else to do or acquire. This form of laziness involves staying distracted with countless things to achieve and do. There will never come a time when we’ve completed everything. These preoccupations never cease. Unaware of the cause of this unsettledness, we habitually cling to external things and are subject to an endless procession of wandering thoughts and impulsive actions. This happens all the time when we’re attached to external things.
If we start looking inwardly, we will discover the source of all these restless feelings. We will also find joy, tranquility, and thoughts that bring peace and harmony.
Don’t believe this just because Guru Padmasambhava said it. Look into the history of renowned people, warriors, kings, or those with great artistic talent. All of them died with dreams and projects unfulfilled. Everyone leaves this world with unfinished business. Investigate this for yourself. You’ll find that this is really true.
When we see laziness in ourselves, what should we do? Respond immediately and with vigor. Don’t fall for, “I will do it later.” You don’t have to be patient with laziness. Guru Padmasambhava said that when you observe laziness in yourself, act like a timid person who has just discovered that a snake has crawled up into his lap. You would not just sit there to see what the snake does next. You’d get right up, throw it off, and run away! Guru Padmasambhava also said that to overcome laziness you must act immediately, like a beautiful lady whose hair has just caught on fire. These are very clear examples about how to respond to laziness.
Among the six bardos, the first bardo of birth and living is the most important one we have to learn about. This is where we can really develop, grow strong, realize what is precious, and fully awaken to our buddha-nature so that we can easily handle the remaining bardos. Through practice and meditation, we can learn to recognize our true nature and move through all the changes of birth and death with great confidence and joy. We won’t have to worry, be concerned, or even hesitate. Everything we need will appear in the palm of our hand; we’ll be right on track. Guru Padmasambhava said that if we practice well during this bardo, we can transmigrate without doubt, returning home like a hawk who makes a safe nest high on a cliff side. She easily flies up and enters her nest without any hesitation or indecision. If we absorb the meaning of these teachings into our hearts during this life, the rest of the bardos will not cause us any concern. We will move through them with confidence and full awareness, so that they all become part of the glorious adventure.”
Venerable Khenpo Rinpoches
The Essential Journey of Life and Death, Vol. 1 (pgs 90-92)
Photo of the Ven. Khenpo Rinpoches bestowing the Eight Herukas empowerment at Padma Samye Ling in 2008.
“All living beings have the same general wish: we all want to be happy and free from suffering. Everyone shares this common wish. It doesn’t matter which country we’re from, what tradition we follow, our background, or our beliefs—our goal is the same.
We should embrace this deep, common ground we share, and try to respect, appreciate, and have patience with one another. We’re here to learn from one another, support one another, and to grow together. Everyone is important and special.”
Venerable Khenpo Rinpoches
Free download of the 2014 Spring PBC Pema Mandala Magazine:
The Meaning of a Stupa
A stupa symbolizes the wisdom mind of a buddha expressing infinite love and compassion for all beings. It incorporates five basic geometric shapes corresponding to the five elements – earth, water, fire, air, and space – out of which the world and all the atoms within it are composed. The overall shape of a stupa bears a close resemblance to the image of a seated buddha. The levels of a stupa correspond to the various levels of the spiritual path culminating in complete enlightenment. Merely by viewing such a harmoniously balanced symbol we receive subtle benefit, experienced as a feeling of peace, well-being, and wholeness.
The Noble Stainless Beams of Light Sutra states:
Noble sons and daughters! Whoever circumambulates or make offerings to a stupa will be blessed by Tathagatas, move to the supreme enlightened state through a non-returning path, and purify all of their karmic obscurations. Even if the shadow of a stupa touches birds, animals, deer, or whomever, they will not be reborn in the lower realms.
As Buddha Shakyamuni said in the Sutra teachings, if you build a temple or stupa that represents the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, it will bring tremendous merit. Even when it is gone, the dust of the place will continue to generate merit and benefit to all those connected to the project.
By this merit may all obtain omniscience.
May it defeat the enemy, wrong-doing.
From the stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness, and death,
From the ocean of samsara, may I free all beings.
If you would like to support this glorious, meritorious project in honor of our lineage masters, or a loved one, please contribute below or mail a check payable to “PBC” to Padma Samye Ling monastery, and note in the memo who the donation is being made on behalf of.
Padma Samye Ling
618 Buddha Highway
Sidney Center, NY 13839
“The source of everything is uncompounded,
Self-arising, infinite, inconceivable
Beyond the labels “samsara” and “nirvana.”
Knowing this suchness is buddhahood.
Unknowing beings wander compulsively.
May all beings of the three realms
Realize the nature of the inconceivable source.”
Discovering Infinite Freedom: Commentary on the Prayer of Kuntuzangpo
Liberative advice that will not be publically spoken to sentient beings by the next 996 buddhas during our Fortunate Aeon. How extremely fortunate we are!
Photo of Ven. Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche in Portland, Oregon in 2016, by Derek Sarno.
“When you maintain the mind in its natural state of rigpa, wonderful qualities shine out like light from the sun.”
-Ven. Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche
“As King Indrabhuti approached Oddiyana, he and his men saw a beautiful rainbow light by the shore of a lake. The king said: “I had such a beautiful dream last night. A nine-pointed golden vajra with many lights appeared in the sky. I grabbed it and felt the sunshine streaming into my heart.” Then the king and his minister took a small boat out to explore the lake. In the midst of that lake, they found a young boy with a brilliant and beautiful complexion, glowing with light. The king and his minister were amazed. Calling to him they said: “Emaho! You are such a noble child. Who is your father and who is your mother? Where do you come from? What is your clan? What do you eat? What do you do?”
The boy, who was Guru Padmasambhava, answered: “My father is awareness wisdom. My mother is the blissful emptiness of Samantabhadri. My country is the unborn dharmadhatu. My clan is the union of awareness and emptiness. My food is dualistic thoughts. My work is to subdue the negative emotions of sentient beings.”
Venerable Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche
Praise to the Lotus Born: A Verse Garland of Waves of Devotion