Lotsawa House Update

Ambrosia for the Mind:
A Prayer of the Seven Points of Mind Training

by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo

Compassionate Action by Chatral Rinpoche

“Kyabje Chatral Rinpoche studied under some of the greatest masters of the previous century, and ranks today as the senior-most teacher of the Dzogchen lineage. He is renowned throughout the Tibetan community as a steadfast guardian of the Buddhist tradition and a highly accomplished, legendary adept, who–like the great sages and hermits of the past–has spent much of his life in retreat, practicing meditation and granting teachings only sparingly to a few committed disciples.

It is truly wonderful therefore that we now have this precious collection of his teachings and advice capably translated into English, enabling many more people to benefit from his boundless wisdom and compassion. Here, in these poetic writings and recorded interviews, Rinpoche imparts his instructions in a forthright and elegant style and reveals his deep commitment to Buddhist ethics, his dedication to non-violence and preserving life, and above all, his total dedication to the authentic teachings of Lord Buddha and Guru Padmasambhava.”

–Sogyal Rinpoche, author of The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying.

Compassionate Action by Kyabje Chatral Rinpoche, which includes his biography and autobiography, esssays and prayers he composed (including Lotsawa House’s very own translation of Words of Advice), an exclusive interview and sixteen pages of photos, is now available from Snow Lion. It is highly recommended.

There is also a MySpace page dedicated to the book.

Prayer for Peace and Stability

Prayer for Peace and Stability
by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo

Unfailing sources of refuge—Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, and Gurus, Yidams and Dakinis,
And especially Avalokiteshvara, protector of the Land of Snows,
Together with Noble Tara and Guru Padmasambhava,
We pray to you: think of us and the sacred pledges you have made!
Grant your blessings, so that our prayers of aspiration may be fulfilled entirely.

Beings of this degenerate age think and act in perverse ways,
And disturbances in the elements, both outer and inner,
Mean that disease and pestilence, unknown in ages past, threaten human beings and animals alike.

Planetary forces, nagas, gyalpo, obstructing spirits and jungpo demons,
Cause blight, frost and hail, poor harvests, war and conflict,
Untimely rains and ominous portents for the Land of Snows,
And there is fear of earthquakes, fire, adversaries, and environmental catastrophe,
And especially of foreign invaders who might harm the teachings.

May all types of harm and violence in these snowy lands,
Be swiftly pacified and eliminated entirely.
May precious sublime bodhichitta
Arise naturally in the minds of all beings, human and non-human alike,
So that they never again think or act in harmful, violent ways.

May the minds of all be filled with love for one another!
May the whole of Tibet enjoy abundant splendours, happiness and wellbeing!
And may the Buddha’s teachings flourish and endure!
Through the force of the truth embodied in the Three Roots, the Buddhas and their heirs,
And through the power of all the sources of merit throughout samsara and nirvana,
And of our own completely pure, positive intention,
May this, our prayer of aspiration, be fulfilled!

The precious master Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo said, “These are extremely turbulent times and there is no telling what will happen. I am saying this prayer for peace and stability in Tibet six times each day, and it is important for you to do the same.” So it was that I, Lodrö Thayé, wrote this down as a personal reminder, in Tsadra Rinchen Drak on a propitious morning during the waxing phase of the twelfth month.

Yatha siddhirastu!

| translated by Adam

Lotsawa House Update

Bodhicharyavatara Chapter 3 - Fully Adopting Bodhichitta

And in Spanish:

Transformar el Sufrimiento y la Felicidad

Las Dos Verdades

Lotsawa House Update

These are the latest additions to the Lotsawa House site:

The Sutra of Boundless Life and Wisdom

And:

Bodhicharyavatara II - Confession of Negativity

And:

Verses of the Eight Noble Auspicious Ones

by Mipham Rinpoche

Summary of the Dharma

His Holiness the Dalai Lama wrote this on the back of a thangka image of the Buddha:

If one were to summarize the sacred Dharma teachings given by our compassionate teacher, the Buddha, they can all be included within the two points of (i) the view of interdependent origination and (ii) the action of benefitting others.

The significance of dependent origination is as follows. All that appears and exists originates entirely due to its own particular causes and conditions, and there is nothing whatsoever that arises simply by virtue of its own power, without depending on any causes or conditions. Accordingly, since we can be sure that happiness and suffering arise incontrovertibly as the results of the good or bad actions we commit, if we wish for positive results, there is no other option for us but to do good and avoid any harm.

If we practise this approach in which the view and conduct—skilful means and wisdom—are integrated entirely and without any conflict, and we become perfectly and completely accustomed to it, there is no doubt that we will gain the result, the state in which enlightened form and wisdom are inseparably united.

This was written by the buddhist monk Tenzin Gyatso, 15th May, 1985.

Light Offering Prayer

An Ocean of Offering Clouds

A Light Offering Prayer

by Gatön Ngawang Lekpa

I consider that this lamp is made of the finest precious metal,

And is as vast as the entire billionfold universe.

It is filled completely with the finest essence of butter,

And in its centre is planted a wick as large as Mount Meru.

Its flame is alight and has the nature of the five wisdoms;

In appearance, it blazes with the dazzling splendour of a billion suns,

Its light pervading everywhere throughout all the realms of the ten directions.

Out of this radiant expanse, appear vast clouds of offerings like Samantabhadra’s,

To make gifts throughout all eternity, until the very ends of time,

So that the objects of our prayers, be they living or dead,

Gather the two accumulations, purify the two kinds of obscuration,

And swiftly attain unsurpassable awakening.

| This was composed by Gatön Vāgindra.

Linking to Lotsawa House

Please consider using this logo on your website to link to Lotsawa House

http://www.lotsawahouse.org/

New TBRC Site Launched

The new TBRC site is up and running with a massive library of Tibetan texts available as downloadable pdf files. And, of course, the encyclopedic Tibetan Knowledge Base providing information about over 30,000 Tibetan texts, and so much more. It’s simply the most important website there is.

The Long Silence

Dear all,

Apologies for the enormous period of silence on this blog. I was hard at work on a new book by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, due out next year, featuring commentary on Longchen Rabjam’s Finding Comfort and Ease in Meditation on the Great Perfection (Samten Ngalso), and some shorter Dzogchen texts by Dodrupchen Jikme Tenpe Nyima and Tulku Tsullo.

Keep watching this space for more info.

Adam