Taking on Obstacles
A student went to do a three-year retreat in the USA, but one and a half years into the retreat she came out to be with her father while he was dying. Afterward, she found it hard to go back into retreat, and for other reasons as well, became depressed. Rinpoche wrote her this card while he was leading a Mitukpa retreat in the Milarepa center in Vermont.
Dear Nancy,
How are you? I heard you are very depressed. Do you know why? Is it because you had a family member die and had to break retreat, or because other people seem happier, or is it because there was no success in the retreat? If it is to do with how you see others, then it is easy. Just rejoice, then you collect so much merit, and that brings you to enlightenment, and to enlighten others, who are countless, and so it brings you so much happiness and peace in your heart.
If it is because of other distractions, then think, “It is not a distraction. It is practice.” Think, “I am taking on the obstacles of other sentient beings, and letting them have all the opportunities and happiness.”
Do that meditation, and many times a day, think, “I am experiencing the obstacles to success on behalf of sentient beings.” Then you achieve realizations quicker, like Asanga achieved the vision of Maitreya Buddha; Kadampa Geshe Chekawa had a vision of a pure land at the time of his death, as a result of praying to be reborn in the hell realms; and Getsul Tsubuwa went to Vajrayogini’s pure land with his own body.
One should plan to practice Dharma for eons, and to bear hardships for Dharma practice for eons.
Thank you very much.
With much love and prayers...