Practice Advice for Life
Rinpoche gave the following practice advice to a student.
Dear Rose,
Please focus on the following:
1) Lama Tsongkhapa Guru Yoga: You must do this practice, which contains the steps of the path to enlightenment (lamrim). Recite it mindfully, so that it becomes direct meditation. When we do this each day, it brings us closer to the path. That means each day we are closer to enlightenment and closer to enlightening all sentient beings. Why do we need to do this? Because this is the purpose of our life, the meaning of our life.
2) Every day, read the text of the stages of the path called Essential Nectar. This is like a pocket lamrim meditation. After finishing the book, read it again. Do this for your whole life. This makes your life most fruitful and meaningful. It is not just reading. When you read it, think about the meaning and how it relates to your life, okay? After sitting meditation, in the break time, think about the topics.
One day relate everything to guru devotion practice. When we encounter problems, think this is the blessing of the guru and a quick way to finish many heavy, negative karmas now that otherwise we would have to experience in this life. Also, problems we would have to experience in the future are finishing now, and we will have happiness in the future. Think that any good or nice thing that happens is due to the kindness of the guru.
The next day, focus on the topic of renunciation. In the break-time, think about impermanence and death, the suffering of samsara, and everything that cuts attachment and overcomes delusion. When you work, or whatever you do, think of these topics so that you overcome your delusions. This becomes the cause to achieve liberation from samsara for yourself and all sentient beings.
The following day, try to relate to bodhicitta (there are four types of kindness): the kindness of others, animals and human beings—basically think that all beings have been your mother.
The following day, focus on extensive kindness—how all past, present, and future happiness is received from sentient beings. We receive all the three times’ happiness from sentient beings.
The next day, focus on the topic of emptiness. Think: what is the false view, and think about emptiness. When we go out and we are walking, sitting or eating, think: “Why do I say ‘I am walking’?” There is no reason at all, except for the base aggregates doing the act of actual walking and the mouth talking. There is no other reason at all.
Afterwards, check how we see the I. If the real I is not appearing from the base aggregates after this analysis, then that’s an excellent sign. If we feel the real I strongly appearing from the base aggregates before and not so much after, then this is a good sign. If that I is totally lost, then that’s realizing emptiness, the middle way. In conclusion, the I which exists is merely imputed by the mind because the base aggregates exist. Therefore, the real I before meditation, appearing from there, is the false I. The total absence of that, the non-existence of that, is the emptiness, the ultimate nature of the I. This is one technique we can use.
The book to use is: The Essential Nectar – Meditations on the Buddhist Path by Geshe Rabten