Dear friends near and far

I have been thinking of all of you, my dharma brothers and sisters. In our lives, we need the spiritual path, meaning we need to practice. So please, be happy in whatever it is that you’re doing; don’t always look at others and get caught up in comparison. Mind is very skilled at searching out things to be unhappy about. This being so, I feel it’s extremely important to remind yourself everyday of how fortunate and happy you are.

Today I would like to send you two poems, one about compassion and the other about the negative emotions.

Compassion

Compassion is the essence of human beings.
Compassion can remove our faults.
Compassion is the jewel heart of courageous ones.
Compassion is the root of buddha.
Compassion can improve our worldly lives.
Compassion can benefit ourselves and others.
To practice compassion is very important.

Negative Emotions

Negative emotions are like a light for human beings.
For without negative emotions we do not see our faults.
Negative emotions are like camphor; medicine for some, poison for others.
Negative emotions are the root of benefiting beings.
When you know negative emotions, happiness begins.
When you do not see the negative emotions, suffering begins.
The essence of negative emotions is wisdom.

I wrote these two poems in my simple retreat in USA while looking out of the window one morning. There was a very beautiful purple orchid, seven flowers blooming in one pot, and looking at these flowers I wrote these poems for everybody.

Practitioners should be like sunshine that shines constantly without thinking.

Happiness should be like sunshine that shines without doubt day and night in different places throughout the world.

Practitioners should be diligent like sunshine, which comes at the right time without any delays.

Our wisdom should be like sunshine, unobstructed by any negative emotions, shining throughout the world.

Compassion should be like sunshine benefiting the entire world—different people in different times with their different needs—bringing about happiness.

In this way, sunshine has many different meanings for practitioners.

With aspirations.

Sarva Mangalam,

Phakchok Rinpoche