Purification Practices for Cancer
A student who had cancer asked Rinpoche for advice.
My very dear Juliet,
I am sorry I didn’t get to talk to you but I was very happy to meet you at the retreat. I thought you looked well, better than before. Before you were so thin it was as if you could be blown away over the clouds.
I suggest for your cancer that you should do eight nyung näs. Nyung Näs are an incredibly powerful practice for purification. This purifies many eons of negative karma, and especially develops compassion, which means bodhicitta. Of course, each nyung nä brings us so much closer to enlightenment, and so much closer to enlightening all sentient beings, which is our ultimate goal in life. This also brings you closer to the Guru-compassion Buddha.
One nyung nä purifies 40,000 eons of negative karma. Until you reach the level of the path where you do not have to die, you still have to die, and death can happen at any time, so you must prepare for death right now. Therefore, you need to purify all your past negative karma so that there is no cause left to be born in the lower realms and instead you only have causes to be born in the higher realms. Also, you have to collect as much merit as possible.
As a lay practitioner you can take the five lay precepts and especially the eight Mahayana precepts as much as possible. This creates a lot of merit and is so powerful.
Also, you should recite the long mantra of Chenrezig with the visualization of purifying the four things (negative karma, spirit harm, defilements, and sicknesses). Visualize white purifying nectar coming from Chenrezig, flowing into you, and purifying all negative karmas, spirit harms, defilements, and sicknesses. Also, you can bless water with the long Chenrezig mantra and drink the water. First, recite the mantra for one to two malas and then blow over the water. Visualize that Chenrezig absorbs into the water and by drinking the water it purifies you of the four things.
Also, according to my observations, you should print the Long-life Sutra (Buddha Amitayus) every month, however many you can, making dedications for your health, with a bodhicitta motivation. After it is printed (photocopied on yellow paper) then the sutra can be put inside statues, stupas, tsa-tsa houses, etc.
Printing this sutra is incredibly powerful purification and you collect extensive merit; it helps so much in every way.
I will also make prayers for you.
With much love and prayers...