Letter to Nuns at Bigu Nunnery

Greetings to the Bigu nuns who are practicing the three trainings,
My concern is that Dharma knowledge alone and experience to tame the mind does not produce a good heart. One does not get realizations of paths and grounds that are needed through meditating on the path, along with collecting merits and purification of obscurations. Even if one does get a little education, then leaves the nunnery and goes on to work for money. Then one gives up the ethics of the individual liberation vows that lead to the state of liberation. I hope it won’t happen like that.

Each year, if the nuns can study texts such as The Jewel Ornament of Liberation [Tib: dak po tar gyen], The Oral Teachings of the Ever-excellent Master [Tib: kün zang la mé zhel lung] and lamrim etc as much as possible, and make an effort to put the teachings into practice as much as you can.

Generally in the school, it is sufficient just knowing [the texts] and at the end being able to [sit] an exam, but more important is residing in the monastic environment, especially having taken and practicing the training in the supreme discipline. It is very important to study well the meaning of the Dharma and put it into practice. This will benefit those extremely dear sentient beings who are limitless as space; who are our kind mother and who have taken care of us with kindness from beginningless time up to now. This is where Buddha, Dharma and Sangha arise from. From this we will accomplish our own objective indirectly and help all beings attain the state of completely perfected qualities of abandonment and realization. So focus not only on the school discipline, but also on the daily practices.

In addition it would be very good to follow traditions annually, such as:

• Recitation of 100 million mani mantras, including practice of other deities’ sadhanas.
• Such holy festivals could be established. Especially do the practice of the Four Thoughts That Turn the Mind to the Dharma [Tib: lo dok nam shyi]; Parting from the Four Attachments [Tib. zhen pa zhi drel; ཞེན་པ་བཞི་བྲལ་] and the Three Principal Aspects of the Path. These practices are exceptionally illustrated.

It is amazing if you are able to do all these, then year by year your mental continuum will be closer to getting realization of the grounds and paths. Likewise, practice the essence of the holy Dharma as much as possible, so whatever daily activities are done with the three doors will become Dharma. Leisure and fortune become extremely worthwhile and you are able to attain the state of buddhahood quickly. With this, all mother sentient beings that have taken care of you with kindness will not need to suffer the samsaric suffering. Especially, hold the guru yoga practice dearer than your own life and develop compassion towards sentient beings so they will quickly be able to attain enlightenment. This is just the opinion of me, the ignorant one.

It is very wonderful that you are reciting the Vajra Guru mantra and reading the Kangyur text for the purpose of long life and fulfilling all wishes of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who is the sole refuge of all transmigrating sentient beings. Thank you very much. With this intention, whoever makes prayers and chants the practice for the welfare of oneself and others, it will benefit both oneself and others. If His Holiness has a long life and his holy wishes are fulfilled, then the teachings of the Buddha will remain for a long time and pervade all directions of this world. Not only that, all mother sentient beings equal to the extent of space will receive enormous benefits. This we all know. Subsequently, this life and future, and all our future rebirths, we will be taken under the care of Arya Avalokiteshvara.

It is really amazing to be able to do a set of one thousand, five hundred, one hundred or many sets of nyung nä practice. You and all others can rejoice. Still, if you could continue such practice, then it is really wonderful. It will bring benefit, religious harmony, peace and happiness in many locations, it will pacify famine, warfare and arguments in this world and in general to all sentient beings, and Buddha’s teaching will be able to flourish. I will make an effort to report all this to His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Keeping the advice and practice layout by previous Drukpa Rinpoche Sherab Gyatso as the base, if you could develop further that will be very great. I too will pray all of your minds turn towards the Dharma, so Dharma becomes the path and not to have an obstacle in the practice of that path. Since the start of reciting 100 million mani mantras, because of this all the surrounding areas will have rain on time and good harvests. It happens just like the story of the four harmonious friends. This is the sign that you all did good practice by reciting the 100 million mani mantras. And also it is the blessing of Arya Avalokiteshvara.

Thank you for unsurpassable kindness.

I, birth name Thubten Zopa, offer this along with 300,000 Nepalese rupees, as a support for the nuns’ education.