His Eminence Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche’s Puja Teachings – July 20, 2025

His Eminence Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche ascended the Dharma throne to preside over the incomparably wondrous Chod Puja, and bestowed precious Dharma teachings.

Rinpoche chanted the Great Six-Syllable Mantra after ascending the Dharma throne, his compassionate Dharma voice was deep and resonant, the aroma filled the air. As Rinpoche’s chest pulsed with breath, each time as he chanted the syllable “Hūṃ”, his cross-legged, seated body lifted from the Dharma throne along with the mantra—at that moment, the entire maṇḍala was brightened instantly! Everyone felt their bodies grow hot, chakras vibrating intensely, and the ground shuddered repeatedly.

Rinpoche started to perform the Chod Puja right after chanting. 

Before performing the Puja, Rinpoche instructed the assembly to recite aloud three times the names of the living beings they wished to help, as well as the names of their parents from the six realms and karmic creditors. The guru then instructed everyone to recite the name of the deceased they wanted to help three times. Then, Rinpoche blew the leg-bone dharma trumpet, summoning sentient beings with a mind of equal compassion to receive consciousness transference. The sound of the instrument was low and mournful. Meanwhile, a cold wind swept in from all directions, the assembly felt an extraordinary coldness, the once-radiant maṇḍala seemed shrouded in shadows. While in the meditative state of Mahamudra, with ultimate bodhicitta, Rinpoche visualized making offerings with all his flesh, blood and bones, without reservation, to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and to all sentient beings in the Six Realms. Because of Rinpoche’s great compassionate vow power, all suffering beings were freed from suffering and attained happiness. 

During the performance of the Puja, Rinpoche ceaselessly chanted the Great Six-Syllable Mantra, the ground shuddered and the guru’s blessing was endless. At last, Rinpoche recited “Om Mani Padme Hum Hrīḥ” for a while—rapidly and urgently, yet with each syllable enunciated with clarity and force. The mantra pierced directly into the hearts of the assembly, everyone felt their hair stand on end, profoundly feeling Rinpoche’s great compassion to liberate all beings from suffering. When the Puja reached its perfect completion, Rinpoche’s sacred body emitted a strong, bright light which instantly illuminated the entire space. The assembly began to feel a rising heat within their bodies, breaking into sweat, and their hearts overflowing with sincere joy and gratitude, deeply touched by Rinpoche’s compassionate liberation and deliverance, they felt the inconceivable power of the guru’s blessings.

During the Puja, Rinpoche expounded that only by giving rise to bodhicitta may one be able to transfer the consciousness of sentient beings, and this can be seen through the practitioner’s pulse condition. Out of the blue, Rinpoche instructed the Chinese doctor- disciple to step forward and take his pulse, the disciple confirmed that Rinpoche has a second pulse —thick, powerful, and unprecedented. This served as clear evidence of Rinpoche’s merits, born of actual practice and true realization, which are truly miraculous.

Upon its perfect completion of the Chod, Rinpoche bestowed teachings. 

Today, I preside over the Chod to help sentient beings transcend the Three Evil Realms and reincarnation’s sea of suffering. There are many so-called Buddhists and practitioners in Taiwan who claim to benefit self and others, and to benefit sentient beings. But how to benefit sentient beings? And under what conditions does one gain the capacity to do so? 
Actually, the Ratnakuta Sutra already explains this in great detail, to truly benefit sentient beings is definitely not of the Arhat path, because Arhats are practitioners who practice only for themselves.

While an Arhat might occasionally help those with whom they have formed fate, they cannot ultimately liberate others from reincarnation.

The best example is Venerable Maudgalyāyana. Everyone knows that Venerable Maudgalyāyana was the foremost in supernatural powers among the disciples of Shakyamuni Buddha. Using his supernatural powers, he saw that his deceased mother had been reborn in the Hungry Ghost Realm, and offered her food through his powers, but she was unable to eat it. Because any food that enters the throats of beings in the Hungry Ghost Realm turns into fire, they are unable to swallow it. Seeing this, Venerable Maudgalyāyana returned to seek help from Shakyamuni Buddha, the Buddha then instructed him to make a meal offering for the Sangha. 

In the past, every summer, all disciples of Shakyamuni Buddha were not allowed to leave their places of practice, which is now known as Vassa. There were two main reasons: First, during the summer in India, many snakes and insects crawl along the ground. If they went out for Huayuan (Puja Teachings Index 1), they might step on and hurt insects or snakes, so they didn’t go outdoors. Second, the summer heat in India was really hot, and is even hotter now. So to prevent them from suffering from heatstroke, they didn’t go out. Of course this kind of retreat is different from the Anuttarayoga retreat we practice. In Anuttarayoga retreats, practitioners are not allowed to leave the retreat room at all. They may not open the doors or windows, nor have any contact with the outside world. 

Their form of retreat was carried out within a specific area, at that time it wasn’t called a monastery yet, it meant that they were not allowed to leave the retreat area. Shakyamuni Buddha instructed Venerable Maudgalyāyana: when the Vassa was completed, he should make a meal offering for the Sangha, and to invite all the bhikkhus who had completed their retreat to the meal. The sutra didn’t specify how many days or meals were offered. According to the sutra, Shakyamuni Buddha had 1,200 Arhat disciples practicing under him, meaning there would be at least 1200 people each meal. It’s also unlikely that they only had breakfast but skipped lunch or dinner, one wouldn’t be so stingy. So I have no idea about how much it would have cost each day. But Shakyamuni Buddha instructed Venerable Maudgalyāyana to make offerings to these virtuous bhikkhus when they emerged from their retreat.

Nowadays in Taiwan, Exoteric Buddhists still have this kind of method of inviting monastics to have a meal, but this isn’t a meal offering for the Sangha, it’s just a shared meal. Since Vassa lasted at least two months, the recipients of the meal offering for the Sangha must have completed a retreat of no less than two months. Many of you here have participated and made financial donations, believing that offering food to a large group of monastics brings great merit; but if those monastics have not completed retreat, then there is no merit. They must have completed retreat and attained the path of the Arhat, these are not ordinary monastics. These are words. 

Wherever the Buddha went, his 1,200 disciples must follow him, so the Buddha’s expenses were quite high! (Everyone laughs) Meals were simpler in the past, especially in India, people would take a banana leaf, put rice on it and eat with their hands, with no concern about hygiene. We’re holding a puja on the 28th with just 1500 people, and I don’t want to provide lunch, the demands are too high and complicated, so I dare not do it.

Shakyamuni Buddha told Venerable Maudgalyāyana to dedicate the merit from the offering to his mother, so his mother could leave the Hungry Ghost Realm, however, the Buddha did not say where she would go. Many people come to beg Rinpoche to help their mothers go to the Land of Amitabha, but how? The sutras didn’t say that one can be reborn in the Land of Amitabha without having been vegetarian, without learning Buddhism, or without practicing while alive. Without destiny, there is nothing that can be done to help.
When people come to plead for consciousness-transference, I often tell a story from the Sutra of Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha’s Fundamental Vows. In one previous life, the Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha was born as a Brahman woman, the Brahman is considered as nobility nowadays, her mother looked down upon the Three Jewels. To look down upon the Three Jewels means coming to the puja when you feel like it, and staying away when you don’t; taking refuge and then suddenly renouncing it. For instance, today a disciple forgot to bring his identification badge, this is an example of looking down upon the Three Jewels. It is clearly stated that you must bring the badge in order to enter the center, you forgot it because you don’t value it. I often say why don’t you ever lose your money? You keep your money well protected, but your badge, your refuge vest, your Dharma texts will disappear. First, it’s due to one’s lack of mindfulness. Second, it indicates that you have no destiny with this Dharma. It is not given to you, you are not even allowed to approach it. Don’t think it’s no big deal to lose your vest, I will be alright, and so will you. But your fate with The Glorious Jewel becomes weaker and weaker. If you feel indifferent, you can go to another Dharma center, and I’ll congratulate myself for having one less burden. I’m glad if you go to other centers, there are many Buddhist centers out there, and none of them have enough people.

The Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha’s mother looked down upon the Three Jewel and enjoyed eating trionychidae eggs, so the Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha clearly understood that there was no way she could be reborn in the Heaven Realm. So she sold her house, the Brahmans were nobility in the past, and their houses were like mansions or villas nowadays, which are extremely valuable. She sold it and offered all the money to the Buddha. The Sutra of Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha’s Fundamental Vows doesn’t specify whether Buddha was still in the world or not, if the Buddha was still present, then of course the offering would be made with the best items; if not, then the offering would be made through materials purchased with money. In that lifetime, the Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha made prostrations to the Buddha till she fainted and bled, have any of you ever done this? If not, why can your mother’s consciousness be transferred? The sutra states very clearly that the Buddha didn’t transfer consciousness, it was only when the Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha made prostrations until she collapsed, and when she was just regaining consciousness, did Buddha tell her that her mother had been reborn in the Hell Realm, and that she should take a look. Nowadays, many people have distorted Buddhism beyond recognition into something bizarre and absurd, thinking that by kneeling and offering a red envelope, they can receive consciousness-transference.

The best-known story of transferring consciousness is the consort of Emperor Wu of Liang. While his consort was alive, she was jealous and caused harm to others, so she was reborn as a giant python after death..She appeared in a dream to Emperor Wu of Liang, begging him for help. At that time, there was a great Bhikku at the emperor’s side, well known among the Exoteric Buddhists as Master Bao Zhi. Emperor Wu of Liang asked him to rescue the consort from the suffering of the Three Evil Realms. Master Bao Zhi, along with all the monastics under his guidance, began making prostrations to the Thousand-Buddhas everyday. The story didn’t specify how many days they made prostrations, in Taiwan nowadays, some prostrate for seven days, and some for three. Why three or seven days?  It’s because three or seven days is recognized as a grand puja. Only after completing three or seven days of prostrating to a thousand Buddhas was the consort able to ascend from the body of a python to be reborn in the Heaven Realm, there was no mention of her being reborn in the Land of Amitabha. The Amitabha Sutra had already been transmitted to China during Emperor Wu of Liang’s time.

So whether you are a Buddhist practitioner or a believer, you must remember these lessons, don’t come to Rinpoche with all sorts of stories that you think are correct. Rinpoche does not claim to be Mahasiddha （great practitioner), but I am a practitioner, I have read so many stories and none of them says that you can transfer consciousness by praying like this.

What are the requirements for learning this Dharma today? A minimum of ten years of foundation in Exoteric Buddhism is required. After ten years, if the guru thinks the disciple is OK, he will then transmit the Four Uncommon Preliminary Practices. Many disciples plead for the Four Uncommon Preliminary Practices, thinking they can advance to a higher level. this is uncertain, sometimes I don’t transmit the Dharma, and sometimes I stop after the second teaching. This is because practicing the Four Uncommon Preliminary Practices helps you gradually transform your ordinary lifestyle and mindset, to become a practitioner of the Bodhisattva path while still alive. If you don’t intend to practice the Bodhisattva path, why plead for the Four Uncommon Preliminary Practices? Do you think your body condition will improve? Of course, it’s good to do some physical activity. Do you think reciting the Hundred-Syllable Mantra will solve all problems? Do you think offering Mandalas will bring wealth? Do you think practicing the Guru Yoga and reaching attainment with your guru every day your guru will protect you? All wrong.

After completing the Four Uncommon Preliminary Practices, one must then enter retreat, as I mentioned before — lock oneself in a room without any contact with anyone outside, practicing 24 hours a day. Practicing this Dharma requires at least one million chants of the Great Six-Syllable Mantra. That is the bare minimum. It is not about holding a counter and clicking away while chanting; even if you click ten million times, it’s useless. Only the recitations done during a retreat actually count. Using a counter is only better than gossiping; every time you click it, your mind loses focus. If using a counter were effective, the Buddha would have said so. Padmasambhava even prophesied the coming of airplanes — don’t you think the Buddha would have mentioned counters if they worked?
 
I don’t know who in Taiwan came up with the idea of using a counter, but all these monastic disciples had used it, chanting mantras while clicking away. How can one’s mind possibly be calm like that? Their focus is all on the numbers, not on the mantras. The Buddha clearly taught us to use the Buddhist beads for counting, but instead, you invent other ways to count. So, let me be clear: if I find out that any of the disciples here are using a counter, I will definitely ask you to leave, because it is not mentioned in the sutras. Some people think modern society calls for modern methods. Then why not just have a computer count for you? Or better yet, use AI (Artificial Intelligence). AI is so advanced now, you could have it sit next to you, listen to your chanting, and count “one, two, three” automatically. It’s totally possible nowadays.

Why do you need to keep track of how many times you have chanted? It is to train your memory and to train your mind not to get distracted. You have all experienced it, the moment your mind drifts, you forget the count and have to start over again. Sometimes you even add or subtract by mistake.

In sum, after we have learned all the Dharma methods, we must also develop our own bodhicitta in order to rescue the sentient beings. To “rescue” others doesn’t simply mean chanting sutras or prostrating to the Buddha. It means helping beings leave the Three Evil Realms and reach the opposite shore — the Pure Land. So, without generating bodhicitta, it is impossible to rely on chanting to transfer consciousness of sentient beings, unless you chant a great quantity. What does that mean? It means chanting every day, continuously, until your own mind becomes quiet and stable. Only then is there a chance that the deceased can receive consciousness transference. How long does the chanting take? There is no fixed answer, because every being’s karma is different.

For this Dharma, the practitioner must first accumulate his good fortune. So he must continuously make offerings, beginning with offerings to the Buddhas. The most supreme offering is that of one’s own body, which is why this Dharma is called ‘the Chod’ — the Body-Offering Dharma. Through the mantras, mudras, and visualization, the practitioner transforms their physical body into nectar and offers it to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the ten direction, the guru, yidams, and Dharma protectors, et cetera, to accumulate the practitioner’s own good fortune; then visualize offering all of his own body, bones, flesh, blood, internal organs to sentient beings, letting them eat it until they are completely satisfied. After that, the practitioner recites mantras and prays to Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara to guide sentient beings out of the Three Evil Realms. Therefore, when some people think they can transfer consciousness, it is impossible. If someone truly has the ability to transfer consciousness, then without doubt, they have already given rise to bodhicitta and developed it, they possess the power of bodhicitta to help sentient beings.

The sutras do not mention how to tell whether someone has the ability to transfer consciousness or not, which is why Dharma texts always conclude by encouraging us to give rise to bodhicitta—without it, one simply does not have the ability. Is it possible to prove that someone has given rise to bodhicitta through his physical body? Yes, it is possible. I am the proof.

Generally, each person only has one detectable pulse, but as you all know, I have two. Let the Chinese medicine doctor explain my second pulse. (The said doctor replied: ‘Reporting to Rinpoche, normally a person takes the pulse on the thumb side of the right wrist. However, on Rinpoche’s wrist, a second pulse clearly and strongly appears on the side near the little finger. For most people, the pulse on the little finger side runs through much deeper layers of the body structures, so it’s usually undetectable, but Rinpoche’s pulse is exceptionally distinct.’ )

I now have another disciple who practices Chinese medicine. Bring her up to take my pulse. (After the other doctor-disciple of Chinese medicine came on stage and took Rinpoche’s pulse on the side near the little finger, Rinpoche asked, “Did you feel it?” (The doctor-disciple of Chinese medicine replied: “Rinpoche’s pulse coming from the little finger side is extremely powerful. It extends all the way toward the inner side of the elbow, which is very rare. Also, considering Rinpoche’s age, the pulse remains impressively strong while being pressed. The ‘qi’ (flow of energy) and blood are both rich and vigorous.”) Rinpoche asks, “Have you ever taken a pulse like this before?” (The disciple answers, “No, I haven’t.”)

Rinpoche isn’t showing off by doing so today. It is simply telling you that your practice will definitely be reflected in your body. If it’s not showing, that means you haven’t started practicing, you haven’t followed the teaching, or you haven’t done what you’re supposed to do. It also means your foundation is too shallow! So there is only one method: listen and follow the instructions! Don’t act on your own. If you act on your own, like this attendant, I told him to do it on Friday, but he instead changed it to Monday. You might think it is not a big deal, just a change of date. But there must be a reason behind my instruction that he doesn’t understand why it had to be Friday—a reason that was for his own good and for the success of the task. But from his perspective, he just wanted to get it done as soon as possible. But rushing to finish this task can cause many unforeseen problems later on. But he just lacked trust in this old man (Rinpoche indicating himself). Rinpoche asked him, “Will you please leave?” The attendant shook his head. Rinpoche said, “After being beaten so badly, you still won’t leave? I am very gentle today—I only hit you with a towel.”

Today, Rinpoche is sharing this with you all not to reinforce your faith in me, but to deepen your faith in the Buddha, the Dharma, the Guru, the Dharma Protectors, and the Yidams. Just because you have not fulfilled it doesn’t mean it does not exist. In the past, only one Chinese doctor disciple, Dr. Huang, mentioned it. Some of you may have thought he was exaggerating. But today, another disciple, a new Chinese doctor, also confirmed it. I called them both up spontaneously. I didn’t tell them anything beforehand. Did I tell you in advance? (New disciple: “Reporting to Rinpoche, no.”) Was there any kind of preview or heads-up?  (New disciple: “Reporting to Rinpoche, no.”) Did Dr. Huang tell you beforehand that I had this kind of pulse?  (New disciple: “No.”) (Rinpoche lightly scolds Dr. Huang for not praising his guru.) (Dr. Huang: “I was wrong.) Don’t say it was wrong—it’s also right. Because you didn’t tell her anything in advance.

Rinpoche is capable of withstanding any test. Rinpoche’s way of practicing is not something self-invented. Everything comes from the sutras and the teachings of the guru. Rinpoche has followed them wholeheartedly and always put the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Guru in the first place, my personal matters are set aside. Can you do the same? Most of you cannot, because you are afraid. Afraid of getting hurt, afraid of losing something, afraid of this and that. If you are so full of fear of so many things, then do not make lofty claims that you want to practice Buddhism well. A bodhisattva is someone who gives everything up. You might say: ‘But Rinpoche possesses many things?’ Rinpoche never went looking for any of it; everything came gradually and naturally, on its own time.

Just like the land where I built the monastery, it wasn’t something I sought after. It naturally appeared, and the people who came to assist also appeared naturally. All of these are the result of the practice, which is called the siddhis—the attainments that arise from it. If the intention is to carry out the work of the Dharma, things will be accomplished perfectly and completely. It means that if each of you were to regard the Dharma as the most important thing in your life, you would definitely achieve attainment in the Dharma. Once you achieve the attainment in the Dharma, how could there still be difficulties in worldly matters? If problems remain, they come from you. But all of you don’t believe this; you always care about your own affairs and take care of them first. However, what you do not realize is that all the things happening now are simply the results of karma accumulated lifetime after lifetime in the past. There is no method in the world that can eliminate karma; only the Buddha Dharma can. Whether what arises from the karma seems good or bad, you must continue to practice ceaselessly, and one day the result will surely come.

Why did Shakyamuni Buddha introduce Amitabha to us? Why does the Amitabha Sutra emphasize that we must make the vow of rebirth in the Pure Land? Because practicing the bodhisattva path on Earth is extremely exhausting and difficult. Some methods in the bodhisattva path go beyond what ordinary humans can understand and accept, due to the vast differences in culture, education level across different places. That’s why Shakyamuni Buddha encouraged us to be reborn in Amitabha’s pure land. The Amitabha Sutra tells us that as long as someone is reborn there, one is already registered as a bodhisattva on the waiting list. This means going there is for practicing the bodhisattva path, not for enjoyment, not because this world is too miserable and you just want to escape it. If you think it’s a place of comfort and ease where suffering no longer exists, you’re mistaken! With that kind of mindset, you won’t be able to go there. Because the Ratnakuta Sutra tells us very clearly, within our hearts, we must not make distinctions between beauty and ugliness, or good and evil. It is because all things arise due to destiny. But we cannot use that understanding as an excuse for acting recklessly and irresponsibly. That is not right. Instead, everything should be grounded in bodhicitta; everything must be rooted in bodhicitta precepts.

Why is there a fragrance in the Glorious Jewel Buddhist Monastery? It is because Rinpoche’s bodhicitta has been developed. Bodhicitta precepts carry a fragrance. But what does this “fragrance” mean?

You carry so many thoughts, demands, expectations, and comparisons in worldly life, overstepping the line. When you see that someone else’s daughter seems better than your own, and then you scold your daughter, this is jealousy. I believe that if you encouraged her instead, she would improve. There are many ways to speak. Must you get others involved? If your daughter is already feeling low, and now she hears that someone else is better than her, and starts thinking of harming others, wouldn’t that harm your own daughter? Why would a mother speak like that? Because she is jealous that someone else’s daughter appears to be better than her own. So she uses reverse psychology, hoping her daughter will be provoked and become better. Then she herself can feel better, and as a mother, she gets to enjoy some kind of reward and comfort. People like this should not come to learn Buddhism.

Each person’s fate and root capacities are different. The results others achieve in their practice come from the merit they’ve accumulated over past lifetimes. The Ratnakuta Sutra states very clearly: we must not feel jealous of others whose practices surpass our own. Even if you wish for your daughter to improve, there are many ways to do so; you can scold her, hit her, or point out her laziness. But you must not drag others down. When we see someone practicing better than we do, we rejoice and give praise, not try to surpass them out of competition. We must not hold that kind of mindset. The Dharma is not meant for competition, nor for comparison.

Some of the younger disciples here begin wondering why they are not allowed into the Vajra (Secret) Hall. The answer is definite: they are not allowed in because I planned it that way before building it. Anyone who hasn’t reached a certain level should not enter. Why not? Because many of you still lack a true understanding of the Dharma, and there’s a risk that you might speak carelessly or recklessly. A single ignorant comment can bring heavy karmic retribution upon yourself. The clearest example is a monastic disciple who once saw the statue of a budhisattva in the Vajra (Secret) Hall and commented, “Why isn’t the statue wearing pants?” That one sentence already causes verbal karma. Even now, after all this time, I still remember this clearly. Every Buddha statue’s attire, ornaments, and mudras are directly related to His practice. You have no standing to criticize. You are simply pretending you know when you don’t.

Secondly, why can’t you enter the Vajra (Secret) Hall? Because you don’t have the good fortune to enter. Ask yourselves honestly: How have you been learning and practicing Buddhism over the past ten or twenty years? Have you truly followed instructions? Don’t assume that just because you’ve completed the Four Uncommon Preliminary Practices, you’re allowed to enter.  It depends. There are many who have finished the Four Uncommon Preliminary Practices, but who are still not permitted to enter. Some are too old to attain results through practice, those who are disobedient are also not allowed in.
Last time, Rinpoche funded a group of disciples to go to Beijing for an exchange on Cheng (Chinese Idioms) stories. Two young female disciples went there but were unwilling to follow the instructions. I won’t mention their names, but they know who they are. One caught a cold and was advised to take medicine, but she refused. While others were explaining things, the two kept whispering and chatting in the back. Why does this happen? It’s the way their parents raised them. What kind of upbringing is this? This time, there was an inexpensive and valuable opportunity—Rinpoche paid for the trip, so the parents wanted them to seize it quickly, but the children weren’t instructed clearly to listen and obey.

Therefore, those who practice Buddhism must first work on improving themselves before they can influence their children. It’s not enough to just take refuge or attend pujas and expect that your children will automatically become better. My own children don’t practice Buddhism with me. Why? Because they have their own karma, and I have mine. At the time they were born, I hadn’t yet begun to practice Buddhism, so it’s certain that they are not practitioners. Ask yourselves: When you were pregnant and giving birth, were you a vegetarian? Had you taken refuge? Were you mindful of the Buddha? If the answer is no, then on what basis do you expect anything?

Some parents practice Buddhism on and off, and their children end up doing the same, practicing sporadically without consistency. Recently, a couple’s son, who is still in junior high, hit his mother. This child is also one of my disciples. Why did this happen? Because his parents never taught him properly. They assumed Rinpoche would teach him well. They believed that consistently attending pujas would bring their child good fortune, and then he would naturally become obedient. This kind of thinking is exactly what these monastics liked to say. The Sutra of Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha’s Fundamental Vows clearly states that when children do something wrong, their parents must also bear responsibility. It’s the same principle as the law. Although my own children don’t practice Buddhism, at least they don’t do bad things. At the very least, they would never dare to lay a hand on their parents. You must truly reflect on yourselves. Otherwise, no matter how Rinpoche performs Dharmas or tries to help, it won’t work because you don’t accept it.

Don’t think that just by coming here regularly, you can enjoy your lives. Even when you have a good life, I don’t see this Buddhist Center adorned with much gold. Whenever you have money, you use it for yourselves first, and only at the very end does it go to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Rinpoche doesn’t mind that. But what I do care about is—why don’t you follow instructions? Why do you insist on learning Buddhism with your own ideas? Why can’t you let go of your own perspectives? I’ve repeatedly urged you: since you’ve chosen to learn Buddhism, you must transform yourself, from being merely a “human” to becoming a true practitioner, so many “human habits” that you think are right must be discarded. Does this mean you’re not allowed to get married, to work, or to run a business? The sutras never say so. What must be discarded are the ‘human habits’. You can still run your business, but run it with the Buddha Dharma. I am an example; I follow the Buddha Dharma to run my business.

In the Ratnakuta Sutra, Shakyamuni Buddha forced his own brother to practice diligently. The Buddha didn’t care about the ‘ways of the world’ or worldly niceties; he made his brother leave his wife. If someone were to do that today, it would be a disaster. The internet would explode with criticism the very same day. Was this recorded in the Ratnakuta Sutra? (Everyone replies: Yes.)  I’ve mentioned this before. How did the Buddha do it? He first tricked his brother to come out, then refused to let him return. The Buddha knew clearly what path his brother would take, so he stood in his way and blocked him. Just like what Rinpoche is doing now, when clearly seeing that the path you’re on leads straight into reincarnation, I will firmly stand in your way. I scold you, correct you, because I sincerely do not want any of my disciples to fall into the Three Evil Realms. But if you refuse to be obedient, then there’s nothing I can do. Do you think it’s hard to fall into the Three Evil Realms? It’s easier than exhaling a breath. You haven’t died yet, so you don’t understand how chaotic the process of dying really is. In those moments, your past flashes before your eyes like a film, scene by scene, slowly unfolding. Everyone has read descriptions like this in texts. It’s real. That’s truly how it is. When a person dies, many memories from the past will gradually arise. If someone has practiced well, they will be able to let go, again and again, because they’ve been training themselves to do so.

Rinpoche led everyone in practicing the Dharma Protector Achi ritual and dedication prayer.

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Updated on August 7, 2025