久美仁波切 開示
K. Gyurme Rinpoche
All of us who have faith and interest in Buddhism with the desire to avoid all the sufferings of cyclic-existence and at tain ultimate bliss of liberation should primarily keep these essential things in our mind. In this life, we have found this percious human rebirth that is capable of practicing Dharma. We are also endowed with the wish to practise Dharma and guidance of a spiritual master. Such basic facilities to experience Dharma are extremely rare to find and very crucial when found. Therefore, we should refrain from spoiling this precious human rebirth and engage ourselves in pure spiritual practice that is the source of benefit and happiness in this and next As Shantideva says in his text, "A guide to bodhisattva's way lives. of life".
It is so difficult of find this human rebirth,
When found it is significant for the fulfillment.
of person's purposes.
If on does not the make best use of it,
One'll not find this again in future.
In order to practice Dharma, the feeling that I'll practise tomorrow, day-after tomorrow or next year will not help because it is natural that the life of very human being born in this would is unstable. Death is certain but the time of death is uncertain. Likewise, the cause and conditions of death is also uncertain. Therefore, right from now, we should generate strong sense of involvement in spiritual practice. Shantideva has said,
Didn't you see？
The lord of death killed your group gradually,
Still then relying on sleep.
You are like ignorant fool and buffalo.
Buddha has also remarked in sutra：
Tomorrow and next life,
Which comes first, one does not know,
Therefore, not working for tomorrow,
One should strive for the next life.
So, it's not certain which of the two, tomorrow or next life comes first. At the time of death, unwillingly, we have to leave all our possessions; friends, relatives and wealth. We don't have the potential to carry even a needle or a piece of thread along with us. Like a speck of hair removed from butter, we'll singularly experience death with one to share the grief and suffering. Seeing the essenceless nature of this life, we should discard the attachment to wards mundane happiness, and solely accomplish Dharma practice.
As Ngulchu Thokmed advises us,
At the time of death,
long acquainted friends and relatives depart,
Had earned wealth will be left behind,
The guest-like consciousness leaves the body,
Sacrificing this life is the practice of Bodhisattva.
After death, we are not lost as death is not the end of all like the extinguishing of fire or drying up of water. It is the virtuous and non-virtuous karma accumulated by us that must follow. The Sutra instructed to a king says;
When it is the time for the king to die,
His resources, friends and teacher shall not follow him,
But whenever shall a person migrates,
His Karma will follow him like the shadow of this own.
So, during this lifetime, we should make effort in culrivating wholesome actions and abandoning unwholesome actions that will gradually lead as towards liberation. If in case, we accumulate serious non-virtuous deeds in this life and as a result be born in one of the three lower realms, we will suffer from extreme hot and cold sensation in hell realm. In the hungry ghost realm, we'll suffer from immense hunger and thirst. In the animal realm, we'll suffer from stupidity and severe exploitation. The duration and the nature of suffering un these lower ealms is long and unbearable. As Nagarjuna says;
If the body of a person is aggressively pierced
by three hunndred spears,
No matter how acute his suffering may be,
This pain is not comparable even to the minutest suffering of hell.
If by chance, we attain the human rebirth that is superior to other rebirths, we'll not escape the four great torrents of sufferings of birth, ageing, sickness and death. Above that, it is an established fact that we also undergo the suffering of fear separation from beloved friends, suffering of not meeting with the desired. In a nutshell, wherever we are born, in higher or lower realms of cyclic, existence we are subject to the nature of suffering.
The only saviour the can protect ourselves from the multifarious sufferings of cyclic existence is the Triple Gem, the supreme object of Refuge. The Triple Gem, that is Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, is the object of refuge for those who aspires to achieve freedom from suffering. The Buddha is that teacher who shows the path to liberation. Dharma is his teachings and Sangha, his disciples who hold his teachings. The worldly gods, goddesses and nagas may appear to be powerful to us, but they cannot liberate us from the sufferings of samsara. Hence, we should wholeheartedly take refuge in the Triple Gem with an unshakable faith and not by mere words. As Ngulchu Thokmed says in the Thirty-seven practices of Bodhisattva;
The mundane gods cannot save us from grief,
Since they themselves are subject to suffering.
The one who's indeceptively the object or refuge is the Triple Gem,
So taking refuge in the Triple Gem is the practice of Bodhisattva.
Since taking refuge to the Triple Gem for one's benefit will not help us in the long run, we should take refuge to liberate all the mother sentient beings towards Buddhahood, science all sentient beings have been our parents in our previous lives and showered us enormous love and affection. With this motivation, we should accumulate as much merit as possible and dedicate it to the welfare of all beings.
Especially, we should always cultivate the mind of enlightenment, Bodhicitta and abandon harmful intention, anger, jealousy and retribution towards everybody in general and particularly towards our Dharma friend who shares the same Guru or the spiritual master. We should generate the wish to help others and practically serve others according to our ability. Even the small insects and ants should by provided food and protection of life. In brief, the essence of entire Dharma is to take refuge in the Triple Gem and generate Bodhicitta. Finally, I request all of you to persevere to accumulate merit and abandon non-virtuous deeds in future with the motivation to help others.
My the teachings of Buddha flourish and expand,
and the aspirations of Dharma holders come true.
Ay the sufferings of every sentient beings pacify,
and every wish for prospoerity be fulfilled.
