Manjushri Cycle of Teachings by the Dalai Lama Concludes/ENG

2020. január 8./Phayul.com/TibetPress

eredeti cikk

By Choekyi Lhamo

DHARAMSHALA, JAN 7: Manjushri Cycle of Teachings by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Bodhgaya concluded today. On the final day of the teachings, the Buddhist leader gave the final permissions from the teachings and gave a reading of Je Rinpoche’s Three Principles Aspects of the Path. His Holiness declared his satisfaction with the series of teachings that have been successfully completed.

The Tibetan leader recommended saying a prayer of general dedication and also to make a dedication to the welfare of Tibet. While noting that those present with him in Bodhgaya and those attending the teaching online have collected ‘great merit’, he added, “Things are impermanent. After being together it’s in the nature of things that we disperse. I won’t forget you. I’ll think of you. You, in turn, don’t just think of our having been here physically together, think of my having given teachings, they are the basis for transforming yourselves. Nevertheless, you also need to be practical and remember that transformation doesn’t take place instantly. It takes time —weeks, months and years of practice. Keep this in mind and practise well.”

His Holiness offered the final permissions from the teachings and noted that the giving belongs to Highest Yoga Tantra. “They came about because the Buddha gave different teachings to different individuals and groups of people because of their differing mental dispositions,” he added. After Buddha, great teachers like Nagarjuna, Naropa and few others had visions that gave rise to different traditions, “There are some practices intended to be deployed to overcome obstacles and foes, of which this practice of fierce Dharmaraja is one.”

During his reading of Je Rinpoche’s text, His Holiness expressed his admiration for Tsongkhapa’s written works. He noted that Rinpoche’s works like ‘Golden Rosary’, ‘The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path’, ‘Medium Treatise on the Stages of the Path’, ‘Essence of Good Explanation’ and ‘Three Principal Aspects of the Path’ are important works of study for mature understanding.

‘Three Principals Aspects of the Path’ are the determination to be free, the awakening mind of bodhichitta, and the wisdom of understanding emptiness. He explained that when he reflects on this text, he regularly transposes the emphasis of the seventh and eighth verses to strengthen the determination to be free. His Holiness also remarked that the current global climate is in danger all across the world, “The climate crisis is becoming extreme. Fires that have swept across Australia and Brazil have left great numbers of animals dead. On an individual level, we can take steps to counter global heating.”

Dalai Lama also spoke about his audience with some Chinese devotees, “I’ve done the preparations and, before that this morning, I met some Chinese devotees. I pointed out to them that Buddhism in China as well as in Tibet originated here in India. These days, China has the largest Buddhist population in the world.” His Holiness recently spoke about the numbers of Buddhists in China on Christmas during a press briefing outside the temple, “China today has the biggest population of Buddhists. But, they believe that their religion is very scientific. However, we have the power of truth. Chinese communists have the power of guns. In the long run, the power of truth is much stronger than the power of guns.”

As the last day of teaching came to close, His Holiness pointed out that cultivating bodhichitta is the essence of Buddha’s teaching. Bodhichitta is the mind that strives toward awakening, empathy, and compassion for the benefit of all sentient beings. The Tibetan Buddhist leader remarked that if one can take the three bodies into the path, he/she “will be prepared to take advantage of the mind of clear light that manifests at the time of death.”