Notes from Nadir ~ Dr. Rinpoche Excerpt

eBook edition

By Lisa Maliga

Ordinarily, each Tuesday a blog written by or about the Dalai Lama is posted here. However, due to the new release of the second edition of my novel Notes from Nadir, I've decided to include a somewhat relevant excerpt from it. The chapter has also been edited to keep it under 1,200 words.

Chapter 40 ~ Dr. Rinpoche

At the Buddhist center, a Tibetan doctor was doing a lecture on Tibetan medicine and offering consultations to anyone who called in advance and made an appointment. I'd attended a two-day seminar in Santa Monica a few years ago and found it highly educational. I learned it was a based on Ayurvedic medicine, along with Greek, Chinese and even Persian systems. It was all about balance—if one aspect of the body was off kilter, it affected everything else. My Mom was clearly off balance and she wouldn't deny that fact and agreed to see the doctor. I'd pay for her to see the Tibetan doctor as the fee of $25 was far less expensive than even a Medicare office visit.

I saw the young monk who was wearing his burgundy and gold robes and he smiled when he saw me and especially when he saw Mom. He first bowed to her and then reached over and shook her hand, the kindness emanating from his whole being. Tibetans, especially Tibetan Buddhist monks, highly revered mothers and older people and Mom was in both categories. "Hello, Hello!" he said, and I watched Mom beam at the monk.

After he was out of earshot, Mom asked, "Is that the doctor?"

I nodded. "I think so. I haven't met him before. I know the translator is over there," I pointed to a chubby older man wearing jeans and a burgundy T-shirt with a "Free Tibet" logo on it. Mom smiled and then noticed a couple of white guys entering the room, both with long hair and beards. They were brothers whose names I didn't remember but I knew they'd been to India for a month and did a slide show presentation on it. Both men came over to Mom and greeted her.

We went into the shrine room, a small-carpeted room with a large brass statue of Buddha. The plywood walls were covered with colorful tapestries of various Buddhas, some male, and some female. There were bookshelves filled with holy texts and candle and water bowl offerings on a ledge beneath the fabric-wrapped texts. The energy emanating from the room was intense and usually people spoke in lower voices when they were in the room. But a few times some Nadirian would pipe up in above normal tones and once I heard someone loudly telling a bawdy story using words that weren't allowed on most commercial TV stations. But, the Buddhas understood people and their weaknesses and strengths.

There was a medley of colored and patterned cushions arranged in rows on the floor for the regular students who preferred to sit either cross-legged or kneel on them. For the older people or newcomers, folding chairs lined two walls. The Doctor would be doing his seminar like the one in Santa Monica, and that began with about two minutes of chanting in Tibetan, which puzzled Mom, and she stared at the handout for a minute and then looked around at the chanters.

The Doctor spoke about the three humors: phlegm, bile and wind and about five minutes into the lecture Mom fell asleep. Her interest in medicine went as far as mine did in sewing: that bored me as much. It also required more patience as the Doctor's English was fairly good but sometimes he'd lapse into Tibetan and the translator would interpret for us.

When she woke up about an hour later, better rested, she decided to go outside and sit down in order to get some fresh air. I understood that the incense might be affecting her as it wasn't a smell she was accustomed to – it was rather heavy on sandalwood, juniper and other Himalayan herbs.

Mom had the first appointment after the lecture according to a piece of paper with all four appointments listed by time and the patient's name and phone number. The smiling Doctor Rinpoche invited both of us back into his office. It was so unlike anything Mom had ever been in, no examining table, and no white coated doctor wearing a name badge. In fact, the bedroom was just that and it was decorated in Tibetan Buddhist Motif. Doctor Rinpoche was wearing his standard robes and genially indicated that my mother should sit on the wooden chair in front of the twin-sized mattress on the floor. Doctor Rinpoche would examine Mom right in front of me. "I hope my hands aren't cold!" he laughed, rubbing them together to make sure they weren't. He reached over and gently touched Mom's left wrist.

So I sat there on the bed next to the doc and watched. It felt peculiar, so after a minute I got up and sat on the floor leaning against the other bed.

"Can you please tell me what is wrong?" Doctor Rinpoche asked, looking directly at Mom.

She mentioned being tired and dizzy. He nodded. I could see the connection between them—he was entirely focused on her.

"I do not get anything…" the doctor said, frowning slightly. He let go of her left wrist and reached for her right one. There was a smile as though a musician had found an instrument that was more finely tuned.

Mom rattled off her list of illnesses and surgeries, and as she said, "gallbladder operation, and I only have one kidney" the look of concern and distress on the monk-doctor's face was the essence of a caring and compassionate doctor. With each disease mentioned, he flinched.

He looked into her eyes, and checked her tongue. After that, he had his diagnosis; he didn't say what was wrong in western terms. During the time she was either sleeping or outdoors admiring the tomato bushes and flowers, he had talked about imbalances of the system. He told her she had lung, a severe wind imbalance. She would need some pills, but he was out of medicine until next month when it would be mailed from India.

Doctor Rinpoche smiled at Mom and held both of her hands for a minute as he comforted her. He was so radiant looking and Mom seemed happier in his care. The term doctor's care meant so much by looking at that tableau.

"We will call you when the medicine comes in," Doctor Rinpoche said. And I knew he meant it.

We all shook hands and I gave him the cash. No insurance forms to fill out, no credit cards, no fuss.

When we were in the car, Mom told me that he didn't tell her very much.

"That's not how they do it." I told her. "Just hope the medicine gets here soon."

"You believe in this stuff I don't, Lisa." She paused as I made a left turn onto a busier street. "But he has the best bedside manner of any doctor I've ever met."

"Yeah, especially since he was on it!" I couldn't help commenting.

We both laughed.

Notes from Nadir is available online in both eBook and paperback formats. Here's a brief description: A Los Angeles-based writer returns to her Midwestern home due to financial difficulties. Moving back in with Mom, she is confronted with long forgotten memories, finding it difficult to adjust to life in Nadir.

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The Six Perfections

By The Dalai Lama

1. Generosity
The first among the six perfections is generosity. Generosity is of three types: giving material aid, giving dharma, and protecting from fear. "Giving dharma" refers to the giving of teachings to other sentient beings out of the pure motivation to benefit them. The phrase does not only refer to high lamas giving teachings seated on high thrones. You should not have the notion that dharma teachings should be preceded by impressive rituals such as the blowing of conch shells and the like. Rather, any instruction given out of compassion and a kind heart by anyone is considered generosity of the dharma.

Giving away one's own possessions without even the slightest touch of miserliness and without any hope for reward is part of the practice of generosity. It would be very beneficial, if you want to practice generosity, to make offerings to sick patients and also to the monastic universities which have philosophical study programs and which train many young monks for the practice of dharma.

The practice of generosity should be undertaken by giving away what you can afford. You should enhance and develop your thought of generosity to such an extent that eventually you will be able to part with even your own body which you hold most precious, without the slightest trace of apprehension or possessiveness. As in any practice, it is important right from the beginning never to be discouraged, never to think that you will not be able to do it.

Protecting someone from fear or danger is the giving of fearlessness, as is saving people from illness and so forth. The practice of rituals for the purpose of overcoming illness could also justifiably be called the giving of fearlessness. Basically one's own karmic actions are responsible for one's harm and suffering. If you have definite indications of being harmed by certain spirits, then — instead of doing rituals — the most effective way to overcome the difficulty is to practice compassion towards the forces that harm you. Such occasions give you new opportunities to practice your compassion, which is far more powerful than performing rituals.

Although we Tibetans talk about the law of cause and effect and the Buddha's doctrine, when a difficult situation really presses us we often like to blame it on the harm of spirits. It is far better to have fewer superstitions and more faith in the law of causality.

2. Morality
Next is the practice of morality. Lay people should engage in the practice of morality by abstaining from the ten negative actions — if possible, all ten. But if this is not possible, then at least taking the life of others, telling lies, and indulging in sexual misconduct should be avoided; these are very detrimental, not only for the individual but also for the peace and calmness of a community. Divisive talk is very destructive; it causes a lot of conflict and misunderstanding within a community, and between different communities and different people. Therefore, it is a great obstacle to peace and happiness of mind. The same is true of telling lies. Senseless gossip, although not so destructive from one point of view, is seen from another to be very harmful, as it wastes so much of your precious time. You should also avoid harsh speech and covetousness, as well as harmful intent and holding perverted views. "Perverted views" refers to incorrect views that deny the existence of life after death and the law of causality.

Also, as Nagarjuna recommends in his Ratnavali (Precious Garland), it is important to avoid taking alcoholic drinks. In Tibet, because of the lack of relaxation available under the repressive Chinese rule, some people indulge in taking alcohol, which is very injurious. Buddha himself has said that those who regard him as their master should never take an alcoholic drink, even as little as fits on the tip of a blade of grass.
Gambling is also very injurious; it involves all sorts of negative actions like telling lies, being covetous, and using harsh speech. Because many negative actions ensue from gambling, Nagarjuna taught that gambling is very destructive.

The same is true of smoking. Even the modern doctors speak of the destructive effect of smoking on one's health. Smoking is an addiction; it is not as if we could not survive if we did not smoke. Nor is it like taking tea. Because tea is a key part of our diet, if we are told by the doctor not to drink it, we have to find something as an alternative. But smoking is completely different: we do not need to smoke at all. Because of their misconceptions and the bad habit of smoking, some people even find the smell of tobacco quite nice. Smoking is very bad for the purse, too. Rather than smoke, it would be better to go for a picnic and enjoy a nice lunch or dinner. This is not religious talk —the issue is one of health. It would be better right from the beginning not to indulge in and develop the addiction to tobacco.

3. Patience
There are different types of patience: the patience of being indifferent to the harm inflicted by others, the patience of voluntarily accepting hardship, and the patience developed through reasoned conviction in the dharma. Practitioners of dharma should have these types of patience — they should be able to endure hardship — but adopting such patience does not mean that they should not take precautions for their health.

When you have a sickness, right from the beginning it is better to treat it by going to doctors and taking medicine. It is no good leaving matters to the last moment, which is, in part, a habit of Tibetans. Because in Tibet there were very few doctors, when someone became sick, people would advise the person to take more food and have a good rest. This is inadequate advice. It is more important to look into the causes of the illness and apply corrective measures. Taking care of your health is very important.

At the same time, meditators and students should have the patience which can voluntarily accept hardship; without such patience they will never be successful in their studies. Gungthang Jampeyang said:

Should you wish to be learned in the ways of avoiding delusions and attaining liberation,

And achieve the glory of an eloquent scholar confident amidst any assembly,

Accept with patience the hardships involved. For the leisurely lifestyle of the present,

Totally attached to the pleasures of delicacies, drinks and excessive sleep,

Will get you nowhere.

Similarly, the patience of being indifferent to harm inflicted by others is especially important, because Buddha's doctrine is rooted in compassion. Therefore, you should be able to forbear and endure the harm inflicted by others. Buddha said that those who retaliate against harm inflicted by others are not his followers. You should also view all the harm that you face and that is inflicted by others — as well as the adverse circumstances that you experience — as a manifestation and ripening of your own negative actions. Doing this will enable you to endure the suffering with greater patience. When facing difficulties such as illnesses and adverse circumstances, it is very important to reflect on the law of causality, and conclude that these are the consequences of your own doings in the past.

This conclusion will protect you from having all sorts of superstitions or unnecessary mental anxieties, but this does not mean that you should not work toward the relief of the problems.

Some people misunderstand the concept of karma. They take the Buddha's doctrine of the law of causality to mean that all is predetermined, that there is nothing that the individual can do. This is a total misunderstanding. The very term karma or action is a term of active force, which indicates that future events are within your own hands. Since action is a phenomenon that is committed by a person, a living being, it is within your own hands whether or not you engage in actions.

There are differing techniques for various types of practitioners. For some it is effective, when facing adverse circumstances, to reflect that these are due to the nature of suffering and are the natural consequences of being in the cycle of existence. Others could view adverse circumstances as the ripening of their own negative actions and could wish that by the experience of these sufferings all other sentient beings will never undergo such experiences in the future.

4. Joyous Effort
If one has the faculty of joyous effort, one will be able to accomplish the task that one has originally set out to do. Therefore, this faculty is very important for a spiritual practitioner. Generally speaking, there are three types of joyous effort: (1) armor-like joyous effort; (2) joyous effort in gathering virtues; and (3) joyous effort in working for others. The main obstacles to the development of these efforts are the different levels of laziness — primarily the laziness of procrastination, and the lazinesses stemming from indolence and from a sense of inferiority.

5. Concentration
Since the practices of concentration and wisdom are treated in separate chapters, only a brief explanation of these is given here.
Generally speaking, concentration refers to a faculty of single-pointedness of the mind that serves as a powerful basis for any given meditation. It is of two types, based on differing functions: mundane and super-mundane concentrations.

6. Wisdom
Wisdom refers to an analytic faculty of the mind that allows a probing into the deeper nature of things. Broadly speaking, it is of two kinds: the wisdom examining the ultimate nature of phenomena, and the wisdom examining the conventional or relative nature of phenomena.

THE FOUR RIPENING FACTORS

The four ripening factors refer to the four principal factors that bodhisattvas employ in attracting disciples and enhancing their spiritual potentials. These are:
(1) giving material aid
(2) speaking eloquently
(3) always giving the right counsel
(4) setting an example by living the principles taught. It is through these skillful means that the compassionate bodhisattvas work for the welfare of all other beings.

The Path to Bliss: A Practical Guide To Stages Of Meditation


This article was excerpted from The Path to Bliss, ©1991,2003, by Dalai Lama.
Thanks to Innerself.com for this article. Original link: http://innerself.com/Spirituality/dalai_lama_53104.htm

The Dalai Lama on Reincarnation, Part 3

By The Dalai Lama

Continued from The Dalai Lama on Reincarnation, Part 1
The Dalai Lama on Reincarnation, Part 2

The system of recognizing reincarnations in Tibet 

Past and future lives were asserted in the indigenous Tibetan Bon tradition before the arrival of Buddhism. And since the spread of Buddhism in Tibet, virtually all Tibetans have believed in past and future lives. Investigating the reincarnations of many spiritual masters who upheld the Dharma, as well as the custom of praying devotedly to them, flourished everywhere in Tibet. Many authentic scriptures, indigenous Tibetan books such as the Mani Kabum and the Fivefold Kathang Teachings and others like the The Books of Kadam Disciples and the Jewel Garland: Responses to Queries, which were recounted by the glorious, incomparable Indian master Dipankara Atisha in the 11th century in Tibet, tell stories of the reincarnations of Arya Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of compassion. However, the present tradition of formally recognizing the reincarnations of masters first began in the early 13th century with the recognition of Karmapa Pagshi as the reincarnation of Karmapa Dusum Khyenpa by his disciples in accordance with his prediction. Since then, there have been seventeen Karmapa incarnations over more than nine hundred years. Similarly, since the recognition of Kunga Sangmo as the reincarnation of Khandro Choekyi Dronme in the 15th century there have been more than ten incarnations of Samding Dorje Phagmo. So, among the Tulkus recognized in Tibet there are monastics and lay tantric practitioners, male and female. This system of recognizing the reincarnations gradually spread to other Tibetan Buddhist traditions, and Bon, in Tibet. Today, there are recognized Tulkus in all the Tibetan Buddhist traditions, the Sakya, Geluk, Kagyu and Nyingma, as well as Jonang and Bodong, who serve the Dharma. It is also evident that amongst these Tulkus some are a disgrace.

The omniscient Gedun Drub, who was a direct disciple of Je Tsongkhapa, founded Tashi Lhunpo Monastery in Tsang and took care of his students. He passed away in 1474 at the age of 84. Although initially no efforts were made to identify his reincarnation, people were obliged to recognize a child named Sangye Chophel, who had been born in Tanak, Tsang (1476), because of what he had to say about his amazing and flawless recollections of his past life. Since then, a tradition began of searching for and recognizing the successive reincarnations of the Dalai Lamas by the Gaden Phodrang Labrang and later the Gaden Phodrang Government.

The ways of recognizing reincarnations

After the system of recognizing Tulkus came into being, various procedures for going about it began to develop and grow. Among these some of the most important involve the predecessor’s predictive letter and other instructions and indications that might occur; the reincarnation’s reliably recounting his previous life and speaking about it; identifying possessions belonging to the predecessor and recognizing people who had been close to him. Apart from these, additional methods include asking reliable spiritual masters for their divination as well as seeking the predictions of mundane oracles, who appear through mediums in trance, and observing the visions that manifest in sacred lakes of protectors like Lhamoi Latso, a sacred lake south of Lhasa.

When there happens to be more than one prospective candidate for recognition as a Tulku, and it becomes difficult to decide, there is a practice of making the final decision by divination employing the dough-ball method (zen tak) before a sacred image while calling upon the power of truth.

Emanation before the passing away of the predecessor (ma-dhey tulku)

Usually a reincarnation has to be someone’s taking rebirth as a human being after previously passing away. Ordinary sentient beings generally cannot manifest an emanation before death (ma-dhey tulku), but superior Bodhisattvas, who can manifest themselves in hundreds or thousands of bodies simultaneously, can manifest an emanation before death. Within the Tibetan system of recognizing Tulkus there are emanations who belong to the same mind-stream as the predecessor, emanations who are connected to others through the power of karma and prayers, and emanations who come as a result of blessings and appointment.

The main purpose of the appearance of a reincarnation is to continue the predecessor’s unfinished work to serve Dharma and beings. In the case of a Lama who is an ordinary being, instead of having a reincarnation belonging to the same mind-stream, someone else with connections to that Lama through pure karma and prayers may be recognized as his or her emanation. Alternatively it is possible for the Lama to appoint a successor who is either his disciple or someone young who is to be recognized as his emanation. Since these options are possible in the case of an ordinary being, an emanation before death that is not of the same mind-stream is feasible. In some cases one high Lama may have several reincarnations simultaneously, such as incarnations of body, speech and mind and so on. In recent times, there have been well-known emanations before death such as Dudjom Jigdral Yeshe Dorje and Chogye Trichen Ngawang Khyenrab.

Next week will be part 4, the final part of this reincarnation blog series.

The Dalai Lama on Reincarnation, Part 1

By The Dalai Lama

Introduction

My fellow Tibetans, both in and outside Tibet, all those who follow the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, and everyone who has a connection to Tibet and Tibetans: due to the foresight of our ancient kings, ministers and scholar-adepts, the complete teaching of the Buddha, comprising the scriptural and experiential teachings of the Three Vehicles and the Four Sets of Tantra and their related subjects and disciplines flourished widely in the Land of Snow. Tibet has served as a source of Buddhist and related cultural traditions for the world. In particular, it has contributed significantly to the happiness of countless beings in Asia, including those in China, Tibet and Mongolia.



In the course of upholding the Buddhist tradition in Tibet, we evolved a unique Tibetan tradition of recognizing the reincarnations of scholar-adepts that has been of immense help to both the Dharma and sentient beings, particularly to the monastic community.



Since the omniscient Gedun Gyatso was recognized and confirmed as the reincarnation of Gedun Drub in the fifteenth century and the Gaden Phodrang Labrang (the Dalai Lama’s institution) was established, successive reincarnations have been recognized. The third in the line, Sonam Gyatso, was given the title of the Dalai Lama. The Fifth Dalai Lama, Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso, established the Gaden Phodrang Government in 1642, becoming the spiritual and political head of Tibet. For more than 600 years since Gedun Drub, a series of unmistaken reincarnations has been recognised in the lineage of the Dalai Lama.  



The Dalai Lamas have functioned as both the political and spiritual leaders of Tibet for 369 years since 1642. I have now voluntarily brought this to an end, proud and satisfied that we can pursue the kind of democratic system of government flourishing elsewhere in the world. In fact, as far back as 1969, I made clear that concerned people should decide whether the Dalai Lama’s reincarnations should continue in the future. However, in the absence of clear guidelines, should the concerned public express a strong wish for the Dalai Lamas to continue, there is an obvious risk of vested political interests misusing the reincarnation system to fulfil their own political agenda. Therefore, while I remain physically and mentally fit, it seems important to me that we draw up clear guidelines to recognise the next Dalai Lama, so that there is no room for doubt or deception. For these guidelines to be fully comprehensible, it is essential to understand the system of Tulku recognition and the basic concepts behind it. Therefore, I shall briefly explain them below.



Past and future lives

In order to accept reincarnation or the reality of Tulkus, we need to accept the existence of past and future lives. Sentient beings come to this present life from their previous lives and take rebirth again after death. This kind of continuous rebirth is accepted by all the ancient Indian spiritual traditions and schools of philosophy, except the Charvakas, who were a materialist movement. Some modern thinkers deny past and future lives on the premise that we cannot see them. Others do not draw such clear cut conclusions on this basis.



Although many religious traditions accept rebirth, they differ in their views of what it is that is reborn, how it is reborn, and how it passes through the transitional period between two lives. Some religious traditions accept the prospect of future life, but reject the idea of past lives.



Generally, Buddhists believe that there is no beginning to birth and that once we achieve liberation from the cycle of existence by overcoming our karma and destructive emotions, we will not be reborn under the sway of these conditions. Therefore, Buddhists believe that there is an end to being reborn as a result of karma and destructive emotions, but most Buddhist philosophical schools do not accept that the mind-stream comes to an end. To reject past and future rebirth would contradict the Buddhist concept of the ground, path and result, which must be explained on the basis of the disciplined or undisciplined mind. If we accept this argument, logically, we would also have to accept that the world and its inhabitants come about without causes and conditions. Therefore, as long as you are a Buddhist, it is necessary to accept past and future rebirth.



For those who remember their past lives, rebirth is a clear experience. However, most ordinary beings forget their past lives as they go through the process of death, intermediate state and rebirth. As past and future rebirths are slightly obscure to them, we need to use evidence-based logic to prove past and future rebirths to them.
 


There are many different logical arguments given in the words of the Buddha and subsequent commentaries to prove the existence of past and future lives. In brief, they come down to four points: the logic that things are preceded by things of a similar type, the logic that things are preceded by a substantial cause, the logic that the mind has gained familiarity with things in the past, and the logic of having gained experience of things in the past.



Ultimately all these arguments are based on the idea that the nature of the mind, its clarity and awareness, must have clarity and awareness as its substantial cause. It cannot have any other entity such as an inanimate object as its substantial cause. This is self-evident. Through logical analysis we infer that a new stream of clarity and awareness cannot come about without causes or from unrelated causes. While we observe that mind cannot be produced in a laboratory, we also infer that nothing can eliminate the continuity of subtle clarity and awareness.



As far as I know, no modern psychologist, physicist, or neuroscientist has been able to observe or predict the production of mind either from matter or without cause.



There are people who can remember their immediate past life or even many past lives, as well as being able to recognise places and relatives from those lives. This is not just something that happened in the past. Even today there are many people in the East and West, who can recall incidents and experiences from their past lives. Denying this is not an honest and impartial way of doing research, because it runs counter to this evidence. The Tibetan system of recognising reincarnations is an authentic mode of investigation based on people’s recollection of their past lives.

Click here to read Part 2