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.To understand how preciouspreliminaries (1). this opportunity is, it helps to have reached a sense of conviction that weare each endowed with a continuum of consciousness that is not confined-- Atishato this life alone, and, moreover, that our actions and behavior havesignificance from one life to another.As we take into account this linear progression from past life to present tofuture, we can appreciate the rare and precious opportunities that this fullyLINEAGE:endowed human life presents to us right now: the gifts of our teachers, thecircumstances that are conducive to practice, the countless means we haveOm Svasti: Homage to great compassion.for transforming our lives in a wholesome way.From this context we canalso look laterally, to other sentient beings around us.Everyone desiresThe essence of this nectar of advice is in continuity fromessentially the same things as ourselves - a lasting state of contentmentSerlingpa.and freedom from suffering, pain, anxiety, and fear.It is like a diamond, the sun and the healing tree.Although this common ground we share with every sentient being in theWhen the five degenerations flourish, transform them into theuniverse is utterly simple, the ways that individuals strive to fulfill thispath to full awakening.eternal longing vary with infinite diversity.And, for so many people,these methods are pathetically ineffective.We don't need to be great sagesONE  Preliminaries:to see that many people fail tragically at finding happiness and freeingtheir minds from unnecessary grief.It takes no deep insight to see that theFirst train in all the preliminary practices.source of both our well-being and our maladies lies within our own heartsand minds.To change our experience of life we must inevitably change-- Geshe Chekawaour hearts and minds, or rather our heart/minds.The Buddhadharma starts from where we are right now, with ouruncertainties and our shortcomings, as well as our wholesome qualities.ItTonglen  Chapter 122starts here, not after we have become Bodhisattvas.It shows a clear path3.actions and their resultsfor living a meaningful, wholesome life of increasing contentment andgood cheer in this very lifetime, and it shows us how to sow the seeds forAn awareness of death and impermanence leads very quickly to anour well-being in future lives.investigation of the nature of actions and their results.Actions provide thecoherent relationship that links one life to another.Each action leaves itsAs this sinks in, priorities change.Before, we might have said, "Theimprint upon our consciousness and, sooner or later, inevitably manifeststeachings are good.They are all very well, but given my job and myits fruit unless it has somehow been nullified by other actions.Actionsfamily, my bills, the city I live in, all my responsibilities andneed not be physical.With each phrase, each comment, and, mostcommitments, I just don't have time.I don't have time to hear teachings,frightening of all, each thought, we are creating our futures for better oror to meditate, or to read books on dharma.I don't have time to bring myworse.And the present that we experience right now is what we havemind to Dharma." This suggests a set of priorities that leaves preciouscreated by the karma of our past actions.little time for dharma.What could be more important? Keep in mind thatDharma is not confined to formal practice, sitting cross-legged inHaving reached the certainty that each of our actions and its results ismeditation or reciting sadhanas.Dharma is meant here in a broad sense;profoundly significant, not only within this lifetime but beyond, it isbut not in a sense so diluted - or deluded - that "living Dharma all theimportant to use this wonderful discovery.Let the understanding of karmatime" means very little Dharma at all.transform our priorities, our values, our world view, and thus transformour way of life.2.death and impermanence4.the unsatisfactory nature of the cycle of existenceAn awareness of death and impermanence enhances the vivid realizationof the preciousness of a fully endowed human life in a way thatThe last of the four fundamental preliminaries emphasized in Geshetransforms the heart and mind.It is possible to be lethargic in a veryRabten's commentary is the unsatisfactory nature of the cycle ofdynamic way: lethargic in relation to dharma but dynamic regardingexistence.The term samsara, translated as cycle of existence, is oftensamsara.We have plenty of time for entertainment, movies, vacations,misused by Westerners.Even people familiar with Buddhist teachings usesports, and partying.We have plenty of time for work.But we havethe term casually to refer to their physical environment, be it the planetprecious little time for dharma, thinking, "Perhaps, when the kids areearth or Los Angeles.This is missing the point.Samsara is not aolder, when I retire, when the work eases off a bit, or when winter comes,geographic location, nor is it nature.Buddhas have lived on planet earth,or summer [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]