Eight Essential Points for Every Practice Session

In this document, Phakchok Rinpoche shares the eight essential points to hold in mind for any meditation session.

Buddhist Philosophy

In this document, Phakchok Rinpoche shares eight essential points of body, speech, and mind to frame each practice session. If we keep these points in mind, we will become authentic Dharma practitioners. He advises that we take time to reflect on our obscurations, expel the stale air, practice Vajra recitation and practice tonglen as a means to cultivate the four immeasurables. We should be diligent in supplicating the guru and receiving the four empowerments then rest in the recognition of the primordial purity of our minds. Concluding the practice, we should perform dedications and aspirations to the benefit of all sentient beings, and leave our practice with the earnest commitment to be sincere Dharma practitioners.

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The Five Successive Stages of Understanding

On this Guru Rinpoche Day message, Phakchok Rinpoche shares some simple benchmarks to measure our progress in our practice. We all go through five successive stages: 1) lack of any understanding, 2) forming misunderstandings, 3) partial understanding, 4) near-complete understanding, and 5) perfect understanding. These five stages equally apply to the view, practice and conduct. Rinpoche then starts explaining each stage. Finally, Rinpoche concludes by inviting us to study these to be able to recognize them, and thereby identify our own level of progress on the path.

Overcoming Mara’s hosts

On Guru Rinpoche Day, Phakchok Rinpoche shares the key point of all the practices and teachings: overcoming the four great obstacles, the four maras, namely, the mara of the aggregates, the mara of the Lord of Death, the mara of the afflictions, and the mara of the gods. Rinpoche then explains each one and advises us to study and contemplate them. Furthermore, Rinpoche explains the root of them all and how we can overcome them. Finally, Rinpoche mentions how his root guru Kyabjé Nyoshül Khen Rinpoche used to say Dharma means only one thing: transformation.

Buddhahood Within Our Reach

On this Guru Rinpoche Day, Phakchok Rinpoche explains the famous opening verse of Omniscient Gampopa’s “Jewel Ornament of Liberation,” as well as the key points we should understand as we read the verses; mainly, that all beings have the cause of Buddhahood within their being, but it is also important that they meet with the right conditions for this seed to bear fruits. Rinpoche further explains how to cultivate the right conditions for our transformation.

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Dharma Reflections

"With dignity, we perceive things as they actually are, and we perceive ourselves as we actually are. This clarity of vision and understanding protects us from the distraction and confusion that ordinarily lead us to question ourselves and our reality. The result is a profound and powerful sense of inner stability. Like a diamond."

Phakchok Rinpoche, Awakening Dignity, Chapter 1: The Mirror of the Heart