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Advice book

Tumors

Abdominal Tumors

Date of Advice:
Date Posted:

A student wrote that they had cancer, with several soft tissue tumors growing in their abdomen. Rinpoche advised the student to see the cancer as positive, because it was purifying their past heavy negative karma.

My most dear, most kind, most precious, wish-fulfilling one,
I checked and these are the pujas that came out for you to have done:

  • Gyab shi puja: To be recited three times by the Kopan nuns.
  • Dorje Dermo [Dharani of Glorious Vajra Claws]: To be recited seven times by the Kopan nuns.
  • Kangyur: To be read by the monks of Tubtop Rinpoche at Swayambhu, Kathmandu.

It is important to really think about what Kadampa Geshe Kharag Gomchung said:

By experiencing even this small suffering now
Finishes so much heavy past negative karma
And there will be happiness in the future.
Therefore, rejoice in the suffering you are experiencing now.

Think that the cancer is not negative, it is positive, and the future will be like the sun shining in the world. So, you can enjoy this sickness. Please look at it this way.

Of course, if you do a lot of virtuous actions, that is positive, such as when you do service for sentient beings, bearing hardship with love and compassion. Or when you offer service to the guru, fulfilling the guru’s wishes, which is most positive. It is not necessary to be near the guru—you can be far away, or serving the monastery. This is very powerful and it purifies all your past heavy negative karmas. First, it completely purifies the suffering result, so that it doesn’t have to be experienced again.

For example, due to some positive Dharma practices you don’t have to experience the heaviest suffering of the lower realms. Instead, some small suffering happens in this life and you experience it now. If you have bodhicitta, then even if someone gets angry with you or scolds you, you can be happy because it is purifying your negative karma. Or if a small catastrophe happens in this life, then you don’t have to experience the three lower realms for so long. This is what Geshe Kharag Gomchung is saying, so it is very positive.

Think the sickness is the blessing of the guru, to purify your heavy negative karma, and look at it in emptiness. That doesn’t mean the sickness doesn’t exist; it means there is no real sickness. So think in this way; that is most useful.

I am also making prayers for you.

With much love and prayers ...

Abdominal Tumor

Date of Advice:
Date Posted:

A student wrote that their partner had an abdominal tumor which was inoperable. Rinpoche advised these practices.

Inoperable Brain Tumor

Date of Advice:
Date Posted:

A student had an inoperable brain tumor and was given a lifespan of three months. Rinpoche met with the student and also gave the following advice.

You need to take these Tibetan medicines. You can take the pills first thing in the morning on an empty stomach.

  • Jüng nga: Take one pill each day for three weeks, 21 pills in total.
  • Gur gum: Take two pills each day for three weeks, 42 pills in total.

Also, do the following:

Benign Brain Tumor

Date of Advice:
Date Posted:

A student had what appeared to be a harmless brain tumor. The tumor was not cancerous and was unlikely to cause the student’s death anytime soon, but if it continued to grow doctors would attempt to remove it.

Rinpoche checked and said your life power is OK, so that means death won’t happen soon, but of course according to Dharma you have to think differently because of impermanence. Anyway it is good to do some pujas.

  • Mamo trü kang, to be done at Kopan Nunnery.
  • Also, at Kopan Nunnery they need to do Vajra Claws [The Dharani of Glorious Vajra Claws] one hundred times for you.
  • You need to recite sung chen great mantra once every week.

At the end of every day recite the King of Prayers.

Each day also recite:

  • The Array of Sukhavati Pure Land: A Concise Mahayana Sutra: Three times a day. After you recite it place the text on your crown.
  • A Brief Prayer [to be Reborn in Amitabha Pure Land]: Three times a day. [This prayer can be found in the FPMT practice booklet, Amitabha Pure Land Prayers.]

[Find links to prayers and practices in the FPMT Catalogue.]

Terminal Brain Tumor

Date of Advice:
Date Posted:

A student wrote to Rinpoche about a family member who was diagnosed with gioblastoma multiforme, a fast-growing brain tumor, and had just three to six months to live, or up to two years if he had radiation and chemotherapy. He had a connection with Dharma, having had visions of buddhas over the years. The student asked Rinpoche what pujas and practices could be done to help his relative’s recovery.

Rinpoche spent a long time checking. It seems difficult but the following practices came out as beneficial:

  • The most extensive Medicine Buddha puja, by the Fifth Dalai Lama, should be done three times by the Kopan monks. This is very important.
  • He can recite the Diamond Cutter Sutra, and he should continue reciting this as much as he can comfortably.

Intestinal Cancer

Date of Advice:
Date Posted:

A student’s mother had a tumor in her intestine. Rinpoche checked and advised these practices.

My very dear mother,
Thank you very much for your kind letter, I am sorry for the many eons delay in replying.

I checked regarding your health, and this is what came out:

  1. The Kopan nuns should read the Arya Sanghata Sutra twice. This is for your health. Make sure to give your name for dedications so they can dedicate for you to have a quick recovery and a meaningful life. This is the main thing to dedicate for, but of course they can dedicate for other sentient beings, for anybody who needs this.
  1. Geshe-la should read chab trü for you, twice. Mention to Geshe-la that this is coming from my advice. If he doesn’t have the text, I can send to him, and he can do it based on whichever deity retreat he has done, generating as the deity and blessing you.
  1. Your daughter should recite Vajra Claws (Dorje Dermo) four times for you. She should do it with bodhicitta, of course.
  1. If you can request Kopan, ask one monk there to recite the 108 Names of Tara. The monk can read this for you, mainly for you to have a meaningful life and to recover quickly from disease, and also to dedicate for other sentient beings who need the same prayer done.

This is my advice at this time for your health, what needs to be done. I am also making prayers for you.

Please continue to live your life with the thought of bodhicitta day and night and in every action you do.

With much love and prayers ...

P.S. Attached is my daily motivation practice [The Method to Transform a Suffering Life into Happiness (Including Enlightenment)], in case you don’t have it. This is one practice that is so good to do first thing in the morning, when you wake up.