Retreat and Life Obstacles
A student studying FPMT’s five-year Basic Program asked Rinpoche for advice about whether he should do a one-month lamrim retreat, which was scheduled as part of the course. The student had mixed feelings about doing the retreat.
My dear, most kind, precious one,
Thank you for your letter. I am very happy that you are enjoying studying the Basic Program. This is so important and meaningful for your life, both for yourself and for others, because what is done in this life will make everything so much easier in the next life.
Next life it will be so much easier to get realizations because of your study in this life. Then you can achieve enlightenment, and then you can do perfect work for the numberless sentient beings—you can free the numberless hell beings, hungry ghosts, animals, humans, suras, asuras and intermediate state beings from the oceans of samsaric suffering and bring them to full enlightenment.
According to my observation, for your long life you need to liberate three animals that are in danger of being killed and read Amitayus Long Life Sutra [Tib: Tse.dö] twenty times. Do these things now.
The retreat doesn't come out in my observation, but these things also need to be done.
With much love and prayer ...