Practice Plan for Student's Mother

My very dear one,
Thank you very much for your kind letter. Regarding your mother, I checked regarding her practice. Please pass this on to her.

Every day, she can practice Lama Tsongkhapa Guru Yoga or Guru Shakyamuni Buddha daily meditation practice, before absorbing the merit field into her (of Lama Tsongkhapa or Shakyamuni Buddha). She should do one lamrim prayer and meditate on each section of the lamrim for two weeks, so, for instance, spend two weeks on guru devotion, then two weeks on death and impermanence, then two weeks on karma, etc. In this way, she can work through the lamrim, and then go through it again, starting from the beginning, until she has stable realizations. She can follow the outline in Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand or Essential Nectar. Read slowly through these books. At least read Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand completely twice.

In the morning, she should generate a bodhicitta motivation. She can do this while reciting OM MANI PADME HUM. She can find a good bodhicitta motivation from one of my talks or from the Wish-fulfilling Golden Sun.

Then, if possible, if she can do prostrations to the Thirty-five Buddhas by reciting their names. She should prostrate to her altar, to many pictures of the merit field, and holy objects. If she can do thirty-five prostrations once, twice or three times a day, that would be best.

Before going to bed she should recite one mala or half a mala of Vajrasattva and remember the four opponent powers. It would be great if she can do this.

With much love and prayers to you and the whole family, and I hope to see the whole family soon.