Breast Cancer Diagnosis

Student's Letter

I was diagnosed with breast cancer in early February.... Further medical diagnostic tests did not detect cancer in any other parts of my body.... I responded to the news that I had cancer with reasonable calm. I accepted (and still accept it) it as my fate/karma. Since being told that my cancer has a good chance of responding to medical treatment, I view this as a "wave" in the ocean of my life, a rough journey I will have to ride out before I am back in the calm ocean of life.

Rinpoche's Response

My very dear Beatrice,
Sorry for the long delay in replying. According to my observation it is very good if you do the following:

1. Medicine Buddha puja. You could do this at your friend’s house and gather your family and friends and do this together regularly. Your friend can help you with the abbreviated way to do Medicine Buddha practice.
2. If you can, do either the full puja or abbreviated one every day. Do the practice with a strong visualization that all your sickness, negative karma, defilements, and spirit harm are completely purified. This is what you think while you are reciting the mantra. If you do the full puja, then recite each of the seven Medicine Buddhas’ names 7 or 21 times.
3. You should totally rely on and have complete faith in Medicine Buddha now.
4. I will bless some water for you to drink a little of every day.
5. Liberate animals every week; if this is hard, then every month. There is a student in your country who is an Olympic champion animal liberator. He has probably liberated the largest amount of animals in the world. It is very easy to participate when he does liberations. Either you can make some offerings towards buying the animals or participate in the practices. Also, sometimes you could do it yourself, in which case your friend can help you.
6. Practice Mixed Colored Garuda practice – attached.
7. There is one text that needs to be recited, called Lui Pang Kyong – I will try to do this for you. If you are at home, then maybe I will do it at your friend’s house with you.
8. One auspicious prayer called In Verses needs to be recited five times.
9. If you are able, practice Lion-face Dakini.
10. If you can, recite the Prayer after Heart Sutra.
11. There is some Tibetan medicine that comes out very good for you to take:
            - Four a day: Kurchung, for three weeks
            - One Chung na for three weeks

If you are at home, then I will bring these, otherwise we can post them to you. I am making prayers for you and also the Sangha in my house are dedicating animal liberations for you and making long-life tsa tsas for you. If there is anything that is unclear, let me know.

With much love and prayers...