Palyul Changchub Dargyeling Dallas
Tibetan Buddhist Meditation
and Study in the Nyingma Tradition
Venerable
Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso Rinpoche March 2005 Bardo Teachings Living
and Dying Consciously: Mar 2005 Bardo Teachings Description
HH
Penor Rinpoche Practice Advice Ven
Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso Rinpoche Bio
About
Empowerments and Refuge What
Is Meditation?
New To Buddhism?
from www.palyul.org
"Gradually, having developed our minds, we generate the wish to free ourselves from samsara, as well as the altruistic intention to help others. Similarly, little by little we can discover the path of truth within ourselves with all its characteristics - seeing the nature of impermanence in objects, the nature of selflessness in phenomena and the nature of suffering in the afflictions of sentient beings. We create happiness and freedom from suffering by depending upon the path of cessation and of truth. Therefore, the dharma is known by Buddhists as the true refuge."
"This idea of universal responsibility is rooted in a very simple fact- in general terms, all others' desires are the same as mine. Every being wants happiness and does not want suffering. If we, as intelligent human beings, do not accept this fact, there will be more and more suffering on this planet. If we adopt a self-centered approach to life, and constantly try to use others for our own self-interest, we may gain temporary benefits but, in the long run, we will not succeed in achieving even personal happiness; and world peace will be completely out of the question."
-- from Heart of Compassion: A Practical Approach to a Meaningful Life
by His Holiness the Dalai Lama
Where do I start?
The first step in your exploration of Tibetan Buddhism is to see if you can find
an authentic teacher with whom you feel you connect. Sometimes you can make a
connection by looking at a photograph, by reading a book, or listening to a
tape. Usually, though, you connect to your teacher by meeting him or her in
person. This doesn't mean you have to sit down with the teacher, have a
heart-to-heart conversation, etc. Attend the teacher's programs, listen to the
teachings, and then see how you feel. Traditionally both teacher and student
"examine" one another for a while after they first meet. You can read
about this process in a book called Words of My Perfect Teacher by Patrul
Rinpoche if you would like to know more about the traditional style of
examination and about the qualities you should seek in a teacher. His Holiness
Penor Rinpoche has taught on this subject many times as well and you can click here
to read one instance of advice he has given. (After reading, click the
"back" button on your browser to return here.)
What are all these traditions and lineages?
The Tibetan tradition emphasizes the personal heart-to-heart connection between
teacher and student. We know this from our own life experience; there are
certain conversations we don't like to have over the phone, don't like to put in
e-mail, don't like to write in a letter, etc. In the same way, Tibetan Buddhist
study can take place in books, over the phone, in e-mail, but the real heart of
the teachings comes from that non-verbal level of being in the same room at the
same time as your teacher. That is why Tibetan Buddhism emphasizes lineage.
"Lineage," put simply, means that the heart-to-heart connection has
been passed down through the ages from teacher to teacher to teacher.
"Lineage" is one way of knowing if a teacher is "authentic"
or has had the training necessary to be a true vessel for the Buddha's
teachings. To find out about His Holiness' Penor Rinpoche's teachers and
lineage, click here. You
will need to use the "back" button on your browser to return.
Where can I find authentic teachers?
Finding a teacher, any teacher at all, may not be so easy. You may have to
travel a great distance. However, it is not at all impossible! There are several
resources on the web that give teaching schedules and that have local
directories. You can find links here.
Some of these are empowerments ("wangs"), programs which may seem
impenetrable or "advanced". However, attending an empowerment or
"wang", even if you find you have no idea what is going on, is one way
to develop the connection to the teacher. Best is if you can find a "public
talk" in which the teacher will give more general teachings.
Yes, but how will I know who is the teacher for me?
You may not know at first and you may not know for some time. It may just take
your deciding to make a commitment and to leave it at that. As His Holiness
Penor Rinpoche mentions in his teaching
on this site, if you see "excellent" and "noble" qualities
in the teacher and if the teacher is part of an unbroken lineage, then those are
qualities of the teacher you would want to select. Sometimes when you meet a
teacher you may just have the sense that this is the kindest person you ever
met. Other times you may have a feeling that this is someone you
met before. And sometimes you won't have any feelings about it at all but
can see that what the teacher is saying is true. It is said: "Not the
teacher but the teachings." When you have met an authentic teacher, that
teacher will reflect either what you profoundly know to be true or what you can
scientifically examine and find to be true. In fact, the Buddha himself told his
students not to just take everything he said as the truth but to test the truth
of his teachings for themselves. So you must simply decide for yourself with
whom you wish to study.
I've met a teacher, but don't know what to do next!
If you have met a teacher you like, but have not yet been given any practices to
do, you might try just sitting every morning on a cushion for 1/2 hour. You
don't have to do anything out of the ordinary, just sit and let your mind be
calm. Try and make a special spot to do this; you can put a flower on a table in
your room and sit gazing at it. Calm your mind by gently focusing on the flower,
your breath or by saying the mantra of compassion, "Om Mani Peme Hung," over and over again to yourself. Try not to focus too much on your
breath or the mantra or the flower; don't forget the room. Sit up straight, keep
your eyes half open, your lips barely parted and breathe through your mouth
rather than through your nose. Don't worry if your mind is full of activity;
just let your thoughts be without following them if you can. There are many
books which describe meditation practice in detail, you might try using some of
the techniques that are available in published form. At the end of your session,
remember how you felt when you were in the presence of your teacher and then
dedicate any goodness that comes out of your practice to all who are suffering
in the world.
Is Tibetan Buddhism for me?
This is something only you can decide, of course. Tibetan Buddhism is just one
of the many skillful means given to us by the historical Buddha and which are
available to all of us to help us learn how to live our lives better. There are
many Buddhist paths just as there are many in Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and
so on. His Holiness the Dalai Lama himself has encouraged people to try their
own traditions first and then, if they are still interested, to try the
Tibetan path. In the same spirit, we would like to encourage you to read, attend
teachings, and to see which path leads you most directly to your authentic Good
Heart. If you find that path, then in the Tibetan Buddhist view, you are a
practitioner anyway!
See Also:
The
Four Thoughts
The Three Doors
The Sangha
Refuge
Four Foundations/Ngondro:
Introduction
Mandala Offering
Lineage:
Guru Rinpoche
Nyingma
The Palyul Lineage
Monastic Vows
To
read more online, follow the links below:
His Holiness Penor Rinpoche on meditation and Guru
Yoga; Khenpo Tsewang Gyatso Rinpoche on Ngondrö,
The Four Thoughts,
and Mandala Offering.
Seven
Line Prayer and Long Life Prayers for Teachers Link
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