What to Do with Negative Emotions

Last night after the talk one person asked Ringu Rinpoche what to do if negative emotions arise. He said even though negative emotions are natural things that happen just like waves in the sea or shadows which can't be separated from ourselves, they do indeed bring suffering. Hence, there is a need to deal with them, not to let them become our master. The best thing to do is not to think about what has happened. In general, people have a tendency to be indulged in the emotions, no matter whether it is sadness or anger and thus hurt themselves. We keep thinking why things happen the way they do, why this and that person says something negative about us. We have to understand that it's not useful to keep thinking about what happened. When sadness or anger comes, just observe it and understand that it will naturally go away, in the same manner as when it comes.

There are many ways for us to train our mind so that we know how to deal with negative emotions. One of the ways is to meditate. But meditation doesn't mean simply to sit cross-legged in a prayer room. Meditation is to make our mind flexible so that it becomes the way we want it to be, as the following saying. "Let your body be on your seat, let your mind be in your body and let there be ease". Meditation is a way to bring the mind home. The mind is here and now, not thinking about the past or worrying about the future. Timing is not important. It can be 5 or 10 minutes each time. We need to be relaxed and focus our mind on something positive, which can be as simple as our breath. We can do this anywhere. Meditating often and learning to understand the nature of all things will help calm our mind and bring more long-lasting happiness.

Rinpoche said many people complain that they can't be relaxed because they are too busy and they have no time for meditation. He said that's a wrong attitude because the busier we are, the more relaxed we need to be. This is because being busy can bring stress and anxiety which will do harm to ourselves. If we are relaxed, we can work more efficiently.

Ringu Tulku Rinpoche's Visit to Khadiravana

Growing Khadira (Acacia catechu) or Sengteng in Tibetan




Blessing the Stupa site



Blessing Krisadawan's retreat cabin

After the Empowerment

Before the Empowerment

White Tara Empowerment

Receiving the empowerment together in the Mantra Stupa



Our White Tara mandala. Thanks to Yonten, Ganda and Lassy for the beautiful work.



There are 3 categories of empowerments: Seed empowerment, path empowerment and fruit empowerment. When we receive an empowerment, we get permission to visualize the deity, recite the heart mantra and meditate. After the empowerment, we practice on the path. With diligence, joy and proper motivation, we gradually make progress until we reach the final result - the accomplishment or siddhi. That is when we can say that we have actually received the empowerment.

Shower of Blessing

This evening Ringu Tulku Rinpoche finished his final public Dharma talk in Thailand. It's the fourth one since Monday. On Monday he led a meditation session emphasizing the importance of understanding our own mind. Tuesday was an academic day with a keynote address on the Buddhist understanding of happiness. This was followed by a workshop on cultural integrity at the Gross National Happiness Conference. The day was concluded by a talk for the Foundation on meditation as an antidote to depression. Then Wednesday Rinpoche visited Tara Khadiravana and performed White Tara Empowerment there. He said he didn't like rituals but his empowerment turned out to be elaborate and perfect. The best part is that he explained every single step of the ceremony. So we exactly know the true meaning of empowerment. Tonight Rinpoche talked on mind training. Some said it's the climax of all of his talks since Monday. The teaching he gave, which he emphasized is not the monk's one, but Buddha's is like a nectar enriching our soul. We feel grateful to his compassion towards us and other sentient beings. May his activities increase and virtue grow in all directions!

Like Water without Dirt

Although our mind is like "monkey mind," one good thing about it is that through practice we can gradually tame it and come to experience its luminous and calm nature. Ringu Tulku Rinpoche narrated an anecdote during Buddha Shakya Muni's time. Buddha asked his students to go and fetch water from the Ganges. After they returned, he asked whether the water was clean. The students said it was not. Then he asked them to wait for a couple of hours. Then he asked them again whether the water was now clean. They said yes. Buddha explained that when water is not agitated, it is calm and clean from the beginning. Our mind, when void of emotions and kleshas, is also like that.

Be Relaxed and Aware in the Present Moment

We just got back from the meditation session conducted by Ringu Tulku Rinpoche. Rinpoche started by saying that he was asked to lead a 40-minute meditation. But he said if he meditated that long he might fall sleepy. Instead he preferred to say something about meditation, sit with the participants for some time, and take questions.

He said meditation was not the only way of Dharma practice. Others include proper view and right conduct - the way we look at things, the way we live our life and do our work, etc. Like learning to ride a bicycle or driving a car, meditation needs an experiential approach. But this experience has to be conducted properly with the right attitude. Rinpoche emphasized that there are many different ways of meditating and all are equally good. We choose the one we find most appropriate. All can lead to the nature of mind which is calm, lucid, luminous, peaceful, joyful and omniscient.

Yet, meditating in order to attain that level of mind is not easy because of our tendency to be affected by feelings and emotions. As soon as we want to sit and meditate, our mind becomes agitated. The problem is due to distractions or sometimes dullness (being sleepy or feeling unclear). In fact, the main obstacle is not so much on distraction itself as on being unaware. We are not aware of what is happening while we are meditating. If thoughts arise, we are aware that we are thinking. If there are noises, we are aware of sounds. We let things go on without being disturbed. We don't get upset when meditating doesn't turn out to be the way we want. We are alert, aware and relaxed. We live in the present moment. We are aware of the nowness. We can count our breath 1, 2, 3... or do other techniques. The main thing is we are a little bit aware and are very relaxed. We don't control our mind.

In this way, it is wise to do short meditations, rather than do long ones. We should have a lot of breaks even in a single session. Rinpoche said sometimes during the break our meditation is better because we get a chance to be truly relaxed.

Preliminary Practices in Vajrayana Buddhism

This past Sunday we had a good opportunity to contemplate on Vajrayana Buddhism and why it is important to do Ngondro or preliminary practices. Before the talk, we prayed and meditated on the kindness of the spiritual teacher who guides us on the path of enlightenment. We talked about the notion Ri-me "non-sectarianism" and why it is important for the Thai context. We also talked about Theravada Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism and how Tibetan Buddism fits in between the two. Finally, we talked about preliminary practices and other main practices in Vajrayana Buddhism.

A participant remarked that she learned more about Thai Buddhism by trying to understand Tibetan Buddhism.

Ringu Tulku Rinpoche's Teaching in Thailand

The Tara Great Stupa for Peace and Harmony and the Thousand Stars Foundation have invited Ringu Tulku Rinpoche to give teaching on the following topics. Interested persons are welcome.

Tuesday 27th
Rinpoche will give a talk on meditation as an antidote to depression at Room 302, Boromrajakumari Building, Chulalongkorn University, 7-9 pm.

Wednesday 28th
Rinpoche will perform the White Tara Empowerment at Tara Khadiravana Retreat Center, Nongplub, Hua-Hin, 5-7 pm. Interested persons please contact Nuch at aimer_nuch@hotmail.com or K. Areerat at areeratana@cpbequity.co.th for transportation.

Thursday 29th
Rinpoche will give a talk on retreat and mind training at the Foundation House, 7-9 pm.

The maps to Khadiravana as well as the Foundation House can be downloaded at http://1000starsweb.googlepages.com/.

In addition, on Monday 26th Rinpoche will lead a meditation session at the Monterey Place, 7-9 pm. This event is organized by the Shambhala Practice Group. The Monterey Place is near the Queen Sirikit Convention Hall. Interested persons, please contact Dr. Andy Lowe at globalnomad999@gmail.com.

There are no registration fees for all these events. Gift donations to Rinpoche will be appreciated.

Preliminary Practices

"Immerse yourself in the meaning of the teachings, day after day, month after month, and the spiritual qualities of a Bodhisattva will develop without difficulty, like honey collecting in the hive as the bees go from flower to flower, gathering nectar..."

"When we take our first steps on the Path, we are not yet capable of helping others. To accomplish the good of others, we must first perfect ourselves, by purifying and transforming our minds. This is the aim of what we call the preliminary practices, which establish the foundations of all spiritual progress..."

"The Excellent Path to Enlightenment" by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche

This will be the basis of my talk this Sunday - Why do we need to do ngondro or preliminary practices? How can we prepare ourselves for the Path? How can we integrate Dharma practice in everyday living?

Dharma Talk this Sunday

There will be a talk (in Thai) on Dharma Practice in Vajrayana Buddhism this Sunday the 25th at 1.30-3.30 pm. I'll lead the discussion. This is the second talk of the 2007-2008 1000 Stars Lecture Series. There is no registration fee. Coffee/tea will be provided. Participants may bring snacks to share with each other. The purposes of these series is to promote more understanding of Tibetan culture and various lineages and practices of Buddhism.

For those who are interested in going to Tibet, there will be an announcement at the talk on the upcoming trip in February 2008 to celebrate Tibetan New Year in Lhasa and Central Tibet.

The talk will be held at the Foundation House at 695 Ladprao Soi 11, near the Carrefour Shopping Center. Please visit the Foundation website (www.thousand-stars.org) for directions. Please click Thousand Stars Web of Activities.

Chinese Jedi and Temple behind Wat Thongnoppakun

The small Tibetan stupa is located on the 8th floor.

Small Tibetan Stupa

This small Tibetan style stupa is built by K. Thamrong and his foundation at the Chinese jedi and temple behind Wat Thong Noppakhun. The Buddha Rangsi Factory took care of the construction.

Visiting a Buddha Carving Factory

A few days ago Yontan, Ek and I went to visit the Buddha Rangsi Factory in Prannok. It was a good visit with K. Anek, the factory manager. We discussed about making a stupa model and the necessary preparations for making 17 Buddha and Bodhisattva images. As it turned out, the Tibetan way of making seems to be more appropriate. K. Anek expressed his willingness to learn it and facilitate us as best as we can.

Thanks to K. Thamrong Patamaphas of the Thai-Tibetan Center we came to know about this factory.

Stupa Land Blessing and Guru Rinpoche Empowerment

To all the Buddhas of the three times who reside in the ten directions,
To the Bon doctrine combined with the three logical cognitions in the same manner with the ten treatises,
To the noble masters of the three paths who achieve the ten bhumis,
With ten fingers of my palms pressed together I pay homage.

Lhasray Rinpoche is coming to Thailand on January 6, 2008 and will bless the Stupa land and construction work. Rinpoche will also lead a 3-day Guru Rinpoche retreat at Tara Khadiravana on January 10-12. The tentative program is as follows:

Jan 10 (starting at 11.09 hrs.) Land blessing ceremony for the Tara Great Stupa for Peace and Harmony; Meditation, prayer and mantra recitation
Jan 11 Preparation for Guru Rinpoche Empowerment; Meditation, prayer and mantra recitation
Jan 12 (starting at 13.09 hrs.) Guru Rinpoche Empowerment; Dedication of merit

Rinpoche's photo is taken from the Ligmincha Institute website.

จะมีพิธีวางศิลาฤกษ์พระศานติตารามหาสถูปที่ภัทรกัลป์ตาราขทิรวัณในวันที่ 10 มกราคม ในระหว่างวันที่ 10-12 มกราคม พระอาจารย์กุนเทรอ เมินเกียล ลาเซ ริมโปเช จะนำการจำศีลภาวนาถึงพระคุรุ ริมโปเชและจะทำพิธีมนตราภิเษกในวันที่ 12 มกราคม รายละเอียดจะได้แจ้งให้ทราบ

Waves in the Sea

Today I wrote about the following to a friend. I want to put it here to remember my lama's kindness. If this message may inspire anyone, I want to dedicate the virtue to all Dzogchen masters who teach us to realize the nature of our own mind.

"Wave is inseprable from the sea. It's one and the same. Sometimes waves come. But they also go. And the sea becomes waveless again..."

Emotions come and go. After a wave, it's wise not to be angry at or be disappointed with the sea. May all of us not be affected by the presence of the waves in our mind and may all of us appreciate the waves in the sea!

With metta to everyone on Guru Rinpoche's Day

Various Ways of Practicing the Dharma

The three common ways of practicing the Dharma in Tibetan Buddhism are Sutra or Renunciation Way, Tantra or Change Way, and Dzogchen or Liberation Way. Most of us who were born and socialized in Thailand are familiar only with the Sutra Way. Hence, we often leave the role of Dharma practice to ordained Sangha. Lay people do not need to be enlightened. Their duty is to support the Sangha and accummulate merit for the next lives.

In Tibet there is a special group of practitioners called "Ngagpa" and "Ngagma" referring to male and female tantric practitioners. They wear long hair and wear simple clothes. They may wear special clothes (usually in white), when they are in retreat and when there are special occasions. These practitioners can be masters or lamas and perform religious functions in no different ways from the ordained group. In fact, practitioners in Tibet in early society were all of this kind.

A question may be raised: what is the difference between general people who are interested in the Dharma and these tantric practitioners. The answer is their motivation and their goal in life are different. Tantric practitioners live their lives for other sentient beings. They may raise cattle or do agricultural works for a living, but their mind is the awakened one with the aspiration to realize Buddhahood for the sake of others. These tantric practioners usually have families. Some of them may live alone in far away hermitages like yogis and yoginis, as we have seen the great example from Milarepa.

Dzogchen (or other names like Mahamudra or Lamdre) is the goal of Dharma practice of these two groups.

It's a great risk if people simply judge practitioners from the appearances or their clothing. What matters most is the quality of their mind.

Given the variety of lineages, we should celebrate and respect diversity. It doesn't matter what name you call your venicle - Honda, Mercedez, Toyota, etc., it's important to know that it has a capacity to take you to the destination.

What is the Point of Making a Division between What Is Genuine Buddhist and What Is Not

Tonight we prayed to the protectress Palden Lhamo, made a burnt offering to beings in the bardo and recited the chod text using sadhanas from the Bonpo traditions. There's nothing non-Buddhist in these texts. How can we call a practice which generates loving kindness and compassion to all sentient beings Shamanistic?

After we make a burnt offering, we visualize that the beings are happy and satisfied. We pray for them to realize the primordial state of their mind which is enlightened from the beginning. We pray for them to attain Buddhahood. And once they become Buddha, we request them not to leave Samsara but stay here for the sake of sentient beings.

I felt sad every time I thought about prejudices and stereotypes against this great tradition. What is the point of making a division between what is genuine Buddhist and what is not? I do believe the real nature of Buddha mind knows no division. It's the "self" that we hold onto which separates us from others, which makes us feel that we are better than others, that we are genuine and others are not. If we fall trap in this kind of division, there's little hope that peace will exist in our mind, let alone talking about peace elsewhere in the world.

Yontan related a story that he was once asked whether he was a black Bon or white Bon. He said he didn't know whether it was black or white. What he knows is that this lineage leads way to enlightenment.

May I Be the Lamp

May I be a lamp for those who seek light, a bed for those who seek rest,
And may I be a servant for all beings who desire a servant.

To all sentient beings may I be a wish-fulfilling gem, a vase of good fortune, and efficacious mantra, a great medication, a wish-fulfilling tree, and a wish-granting cow.

Just as earth and other elements are useful in various ways to innumerable sentient beings dwelling throughout infinite space,
So may I be in various ways a source of life for all sentient beings present throughout space until they are all liberated.

ขอให้ข้าฯเป็นตะเกียงแก่ผู้ที่แสวงหาแสงสว่าง เป็นเตียงให้แก่ผู้ที่ปรารถนาจะพักผ่อน
และขอให้ข้าฯเป็นคนใช้ของสัตว์โลกทั้งปวงที่ประสงค์อยากได้คนใช้

ขอให้ข้าฯเป็นแก้วสารพัดนึกแก่สัตว์โลกทั้งปวง เป็นคณโฑแห่งความสวัสดี เป็นมนตร์อันยังผลมาให้ เป็นโอสถวิเศษ เป็นต้นกัลปพฤกษ์ และเป็นวัวที่ให้พรทุกอย่างที่ขอ

ผืนดินกับธาตุต่างๆมีประโยชน์ในทางต่างๆแก่สัตว์โลกต่างๆที่ดำรงอยู่ในห้วงอากาศอันไม่มีประมาณฉันใด

ก็ขอให้ข้าฯเป็นแหล่งแห่งชีวิตในทางต่างๆ ให้แก่สัตว์โลกที่สถิตอยู่ทั่วทั้งอากาศธาตุ และขอให้เป็นเช่นนี้ไปจนกว่าสัตว์โลกทั้งหมดจะตรัสรู้ฉันนั้น

May I Be the Medicine

May I be the medicine and the physician for the sick.
May I be their nurse until their illness never recurs.

With showers of food and drink may I overcome the afflictions of hunger and thirst.
May I become food and drink during times of famine.

May I be an inexhaustible treasury for the destitute.
With various forms of assistance may I remain in their presence.

For the sake of accomplishing the welfare of all sentient beings,
I freely give up my body, enjoyments, and all my virtues of the three times.

ขอให้้ข้าฯเป็นยาและหมอแก่คนไข้
ขอให้ข้าฯเป็นพยาบาลของพวกเขาจนกว่าโรคของพวกเขาจะไม่กลับมาอีก

ด้วยสายฝนแห่งอาหารและเครื่องดื่ม ขอให้ข้าฯเอาชนะทุกข์อันได้แก่ความหิวกระหาย
ขอให้ข้าฯได้เป็นอาหารและเครื่องดื่มในเวลาแห่งความอดอยาก

ขอให้ข้าฯเป็นขุมทรัพย์อันไม่มีที่สิ้นสุดของคนยากจน
ขอให้ข้าฯอยู่ใกล้ชิดพวกเขา เพื่อช่วยเหลือในรูปแบบต่างๆ

เพื่อประโยชน์แห่งการทำให้สำเร็จซึ่งสวัสดิภาพของสัตว์โลกทั้งปวง
ข้าฯสละแล้วซึ่งร่างของข้า รวมทั้งความเพลิดเพลิน ตลอดจนบุญบารมีในอดีต ปัจจุบันและอนาคต

Bodhicitta

Today is another memorable day. Ajarn Soraj gave a talk on A Guide to the Bodhisattva Way of Life (Part 1 - Chapters 1-5) by Shantideva. It's the first of our lecture series every other Sunday at our foundation house. Twenty some people came and we had a really good session starting with the prayer to generate bodhicitta "the spirit of awakening" which is the aspiration to realize buddhahood for the sake of sentient beings and cultivate the four immeasurables.

Soraj talked about two kinds of bodhicitta - the aspiration and the action to realize that aspiration. He related His Holiness the Dalai Lama's personal experience when he had stomach pain in Bihar State, India. His Holiness said his symtoms were agonizing but when he saw how poor the people in Bihar were and how much suffering they had gone through, he wished he could do something about it. At that moment, his pain was lessened. He emphasized that just a sincere thought to help other sentient beings could have an impact on our body, let alone the action itself.

Soraj also talked about the bodhisattva's six perfections, namely giving, morality, patience, joyous effort, concentration and wisdom.

The impressive moment was when we read aloud Chapter 3 together. It's about adapting the spirit of awakening. The session closed with the prayer to generate bodhicitta and cultivate the four immeasurables again to be followed by the dedication of virtue.

Thanks to all who came, who wish to take this bodhisattva path.

Taking Refuge and Prostrating as a Daily Practice

In Tibetan Buddhism, we often take refuge while prostrating in front of the enlightened ones. We recite:

We (I and other sentient beings) take refuge in the precious Teachers.
We take refuge in the perfected Buddhas.
We take refuge in the holy Dharma.
We take refuge in the noble Sangha.
We take refuge in the meditation deities (Yidam) and their retinue.
We take refuge in the Dharma protectors (Dharmapalas).
We take refuge in the Dakinis.

We can do this many times a day - 7 times in the morning and 7 times in the evening. For serious practitioners this will lead to the ngondro practice which requires the recitation of taking refuge short prayer 100,000 times and prostrating 100,000 times. Many people asked me why this number was necessary and whether we could do more. The answer is when we recite the prayer or prostrate for 100,000 times, there will be a great imprint on our mind which will increase our devotion in Buddhism. But this number is not the end. Taking refuge and prostrating must be our life-time practice. Those who can't actually perform the prostrations, they can recite the prayer while visualizing that they are indeed doing the prostrations with other sentient beings.

Pictures 2

Inside our retreat, the Mantra Stupa.





Kris and Yontan preparing for the big day. Our first session started with prostration and meditation according to the White Tara Sadhana to be followed by the praise to the 21 Taras and Tara mantra recitation. After lunch, we reviewed our visualization, did the White Tara mantra recitation, and Guru Rinpoche prayer. The retreat ended with Nagajurna's song to Khadiravani Tara and the Noble Aspiration to an Excellent Conduct. We left our Mantra Stupa with 7 more full-length prostrations as a pledge that we would practice the dharma for the sake of sentient beings and we would pay homage to our teachers, the Buddha, the Dharma, the Sangha, yidams, dharmapalas and dakinis until we gain enlightenment.



We circumambulated the Mantra Stupa and offered "wind-horse" mantra paper to all the gods and local deities.



Kris, Ganda and Laszlo, our Hungarian friends in the Tibetan tent at Khadiravana.

Pictures from White Tara Retreat, Hua-Hin

Kris with the venerable from Vietnam and Yenchu.



Kris and Tsamdrol, a young admirer of Tibetan culture and Buddhism



We visualize that in front of us there is a wish-fulfilling tree. In the center of the tree top there is a four-petalled lotus. Our root lama, in the form of Buddha Amitabha, is in the middle of the lotus. He is surrounded by lineage teachers. In the front petal are our meditational deities (yidams), particularly White Tara. To their right (our left) are Nirmanakaya Buddhas such as Buddha Shakya Muni. To their left are the noble Sangha. At the back are piles of holy scriptures. All the branches, leaves, flowers and fruits reside Buddhas, Buddhisattvas and all the enlightened ones. The tree represents our objects of refuge symbolizing the Triple Gem and lineage teachers.



Our group united with Tara's love and compassion

Reflections After Retreat

I went to Khadiravana for a White Tara retreat starting the night of November 1. We had a group practice from the night of Nov 3 till the afternoon of Nov 4. There were 23 of us who came from various parts of Bangkok and Hat Yai. Two monks from Vietnam and India joined us. The one from India actually has a Tibetan heritage. Other international participants include two people from Taiwan, a Hungarian couple and a Spanish practitioner. We used English as a medium and we recited prayers in English and Tibetan. A family brought a five-year-old boy who behaved so well. He played a little bit but mainly slept in Areerat's little tent pitched inside the Mantra Stupa. Tsamdrol, a 13-year-old girl brought her parents to the session. She impressed us with her interest and determination to practice Tibetan Buddhism. When asked who gave her this Tibetan name, she said she named it herself after reading a story of a Tibetan nun who inspired her.

It was wonderful to see Sui, my very old friend and Wora and Nuch, two dearest linguistic students of mine at Khadiravana. With Yenchu, a Taiwanese lady, they came to spend the night in the Mantra Stupa. After the prayer, Yenchu asked to spend her night alone in a Tibetan tent opposite the Mantra Stupa. The rest of us including Yontan and Areerat slept in the warm embrace of Buddhas. It was a special night that I slept soundly not hearing any sounds and feeling warm and well protected.

During the group practice and a few days earlier Yontan has been sick with dengue fever. But no one was aware. He didn't show sign of serious illness. But when everyone left, he complained of weariness and strange symtoms. And he refused to eat for the next 15 hours or so. The same night Soraj sent an SMS to inform me that Ken also got dengue fever. With disappointment, I decided to leave my retreat ealier than originally planned to take care of these two patients who are dear to me.

I spent a couple of hours on Nov 5 packing my belongings and cleaning my retreat house. After the work, I sat down quietly enjoying the breezes of this wonderful place. I thought how wonderful it was to have an empty house without any belonging and how nice it was to be able to sit quietly without talking to anyone and to get to know your own mind.

Now Ken is active and cheerful as before. He returned to school this morning. Yontan is getting better, although he still needs more rest. With a familiar atmosphere and quiet normal life, my mind seems calm again. There's no agitation, worry, excitement, disappointment or sadness. I contemplated on this fact and realized what it meant to "meditate without expectation". Because I went to Khadiravana with some expectation, I became disappointed. If I just practice there without purpose or goal, nothing could disturb me because the natural state is already perfect. It is neither good nor bad; it's non-dual from the beginning.