Practices After Retreat
Advice for a student who had just finished retreat and asked Rinpoche what he should do with his life.
My most dear, precious, kind, wish-fulfilling one,
Do at least one hundred prostrations every day while reciting the Thirty-five Buddhas’ names. That’s very good if you can try to do that. If it’s evening time, do Vajrasattva practice at the end. Or if you prefer sitting, that’s OK.
Use either the Middling Lamrim or Lamrim Chenmo as your main lamrim text. Of course you can use other lamrim texts, but these are main ones. Still study the text from beginning to end and then do effortful meditation. Follow the lamrim outline twice, then do effortless meditation.
Your main deity is Heruka, Cittamani Tara or Vajrakilaya. Whichever deity you have a stronger, closer feeling for, choose that as your main practice, and do the longer sadhana in order to actualize the tantric path.
Please have a most meaningful life, a beneficial life, and the happiest life for all sentient beings.
With much love and prayers...