Lamrim Advice for New Student
Rinpoche gave the following advice to a new student about lamrim study and practice.
My very dear one,
Sorry for the very long delay in replying to your letter. Please find attached my essential instructions on what to do for your practice for your quickest enlightenment.
It is important to also include one guru yoga practice every day, such as Lama Tsongkhapa Guru Yoga or Guru Puja. Before Lama Tsongkhapa absorbs into you, then you stop and recite one lamrim prayer.
As a basis for planting the seed of the whole path to enlightenment in one’s mind, it is important every day to recite one complete lamrim prayer, such as the Foundation of All Good Qualities, Lama Tsongkhapa’s Hymns of Experience, Calling the Guru from Afar (long version), or any lamrim prayer. This way, every day you are leaving imprints of the whole path. This is extremely important to do every day as it plants seeds every day.
Please study the Dharma well and at the same time practice the meditations on the lamrim. The main one is to have the realization of bodhicitta in this life, and, before that, renunciation.
First, check your present level of mind and see if you have any realizations of the lamrim, then do the next step of the lamrim. If you don’t have realizations, then start from the beginning: guru devotion, renunciation of this life, the perfect human rebirth, bodhicitta, and emptiness.
Then, whatever you do, as much as possible do it with bodhicitta.
With much love and prayers...