As always, I hope this message finds you well, healthy and happy. I am wishing you all a happy Guru Rinpoche day, and pray that you are taking good care of your bodies and minds.

On today’s Guru Rinpoche day, I would like to share with you some words from the Treasury of Pith Instructions (Mengak Dzö). These lines outline the six qualities that are essential to supporting our practice as beginners on the path:

The six qualities needed upon first entering the path are:
Maintaining the three trainings, the foundation for the path;
Studying and reflecting on a broad range of teachings without partiality;
Pacifying one’s three gates and taming one’s mind;
Shunning negativity and multiplying good actions;
Having shame, being careful, and developing faith; 
And relying on a spiritual teacher and virtuous friends. 

The first quality mentioned here is “maintaining the three trainings, the foundation for the path.” Indeed, the core foundation of the Buddhist path consists in the three trainings in ethical conduct, meditation, and wisdom. Training in these correctly is essential, since the entire path is contained within them. Thus, the training in ethical conduct transforms our behavior; the training in meditation transforms our minds; and the training in wisdom eliminates our fixations, self-centeredness, and negative emotions. 

The second quality is “studying and reflecting on a broad range of teachings without partiality.” As this indicates, we should study the Buddhadharma as broadly as possible, and genuinely reflect on the teachings. 

This study and reflection should all be aimed at the third quality, namely “pacifying one’s three gates and taming one’s mind.” Indeed, the aim of study, reflection, and meditation is to become gentler in our physical, verbal, and mental behaviors—that is, all our actions, mediated through the three gates of body, speech and mind.

It is said that study should be done without pride, and meditation should be done without negativity. Therefore, as we engage in study, reflection, and meditation, we need to continuously observe our minds, rooting out any faults that we notice. Otherwise, the more we study, the more there is a risk of becoming proud; and the more we reflect, the more there is a risk of having doubts. This is the opposite of the desired effect.

By taming our body, speech, and mind, we also start “shunning negativity and multiplying good actions.” This means that as soon as we notice ourselves engaging in negative actions, we turn away from it and confess. Conversely, whenever we notice that we are engaging in good actions, we can further develop and improve these. For this, we need to reflect on which actions are positive and which are negative, so that we may act accordingly.

Our ethical conduct must further be supported by “having shame, being careful, and developing one’s faith.” To have shame is important whenever we see that we are engaging in harmful behavior, so that we may resolve not to repeat such behavior in the future. Carefulness will help us honor this resolve, and faith in karmic cause and effect supports it. To spur us forward on the way, we then need to further develop the three types of faith: inspired faith, longing faith, and trusting faith.

Finally, the foundation for developing faith is “relying on a spiritual teacher and virtuous friends.” An appropriate spiritual teacher is someone who acts ethically, is compassionate and learned, and has substantial meditative experience. They should also hold an authentic lineage that you can trust in. Such a spiritual teacher is the support for developing all good qualities on the path.

Moreover, we should also surround ourselves with virtuous friends. Unfortunately, friends who do not keep their samayas, have bad relationships with their teacher or dharma siblings, do not practice, and have lost their faith are negative influences that might spoil our own progress. Therefore, it is important to choose one’s friends wisely.

When we develop these six qualities, we are gathering all of the supportive conditions that we need to set out on the path. Therefore, please keep them in mind, and practice well.

With all my love and prayers,

Sarva Mangalam.

Phakchok Rinpoche

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