Continuing With School
A student wrote to Rinpoche asking whether she should continue at college or do retreat.
My very dear Joanna,
Thank you very much for your kind letter.
According to my observations, there seem to be some obstacles to you completing college. Not going to college also comes out negative. This means there is an obstacle. Whatever the obstacle is there is an antidote. It comes out best for you to recite the Heart Sutra 200 times.
If you can, recite it every day and, if possible, recite it along with meditation. You can read His Holiness's commentary on the Heart Sutra. You should study that.
When you read the Heart Sutra each day, focus on a different part and try to meditate on that. For instance, one day meditate on “Form is emptiness,” then the next day take another part and meditate on it strongly. Go over the meanings, meditating on the emptiness of different phenomena. One day meditate on the emptiness of the “I,” then the next day on the emptiness of the aggregates, in general or each one specifically.
I have given a few teachings on the Heart Sutra. If you can, try to get those; they may help you in your meditations to get some idea.
Please try to make your life most beneficial with the thought of bodhicitta.
With much love and prayers...