Heart Disease
Rinpoche gave the following advice to two students whose mother was quite ill with heart disease.
My very dear ones,
Sorry for the many eons of delay in replying to your email.
Regarding your mother, it comes out very beneficial for her to recite the Long Life Sutra (I think there is a Chinese translation now). Please tell her that it is very important that she recites this to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings. Also, she can recite it for the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, all holy beings, all the Sanghas, all the supporters of the Sangha (because the Sangha pass on the teachings of Buddha, so this helps the Buddha’s teachings to exist in the world for a long time), also anyone who does good in the world, anyone who lives according to morality, and anyone who does not harm others, so they all can have a long life. Then, at the end, if she can dedicate the merits to the Maitreya Project, all the projects of the FPMT, also for all the family members to have the most meaningful life, to attain the path of enlightenment as quickly as possible, to have a long life, and for all wishes to succeed according to the holy Dharma.
Also, it comes out very, very good for her to do the extensive light offering practice. This is the booklet I put together many years ago. [Go to the FPMT Catalogue to find links to Extensive Offering Practice, the latest version of this booklet.] This doesn’t mean only to offer light offerings; she can offer anything: water bowls, fruit, etc. Set up the offerings and then bless them with mantras—recite the clouds of offering mantra and then do the practice.
If possible she can do this every day. Then, whoever is helping her can help her set up and do the practice with her. You can offer electric Christmas lights, one packet has 100 lights in it, so you can offer a few, or candles.
If you can email back your postal address I have some photos of buddhas that I want to send to your mother, so that she can place them on the altar where she makes the offerings.
Also, I am making prayers for her every day and the Sangha in my house are too.
With much love and prayers...