Series: General Practice Advice

On this Guru Rinpoche day, I would like to share with you some advice about two more qualities that are important both for worldly life and Dharma practice. The first of these qualities is being able to see one’s own faults without losing one’s dignity (rang kyön tong tupa, sem pa ma shorpa).

On this Guru Rinpoche day, I would like to tell you about the importance of being honest (gyü drangpo), reliable (gyü tenpo), and kind-hearted (sempa zangpo). Being honest, reliable, and kind-hearted is essential to Dharma practice, but it is also very important from a worldly perspective.

My aspiration for you in this start of a new year is that you grasp the key points of practice—in particular, keeping a big heart and a strong mind which in Tibetan is called “khokpa chenpo”. First of all, to be honest, even though we do need to study in order to gain deeper knowledge of the Dharma, when it comes to practice, a key ingredient is to keep it simple.

As we get close to the end of yet another fleeting year, I truly hope that the year was spent mindfully in a meaningful way. So before this year ends I would like to once again send you a mindful reminder: When you know there’s nothing more important than the mind, then you can turn your mind towards the Dharma at that moment.

Today, on Guru Rinpoche day, I’d like to share with you all a short instruction. There are three modes that pertain to what can be perceived. These are: 1. apparent, 2. hidden, and 3. extremely hidden

When reflecting, it is important to do so with your practice, personality, responsibility, and so forth. Reflect on your actions and reflect on your self. When you don’t reflect, you are like a blind person, not knowing where you are heading.

How have you all been? I very much hope that you all and your loved ones are happy and healthy. Through out all my messages every month for the last twelve or so years, my aspiration initially was to send out a reminder to you all once a month on a very special day to bring your mind home, be mindful, cherish where you are and if possible create a good karma.

Hoping you all are happy and healthy. Here’s a short message on this Guru Rinpoche Day: When you know there’s nothing more important than the mind, then you can turn your mind towards the Dharma at that moment.

I hope you have all been healthy and happy. I am at the moment at my home base in Boudhanath, Kathmandu. I have been spending my mornings in front of my shrine with a mani wheel in my hand and reading some texts belonging to my grandfather. This is my ideal definition of a happy time.