His Eminence Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche’s Puja Teachings – November 2, 2025

In the Glorious Jewel Buddhist Center in Taipei, the attendees follow His Eminence’s instruction, and listened with reverence to the Dharma tapes recording  Rinpoche’s precious Dharma teaching on May 25 and June 15, 2003.

The Dharma tape of the teaching bestowed on May 25, 2003.
 
Someone implored a Dharma propagator, yet the Dharma propagator, out of fear of the pandemic, dared not go to the hospital. Then, where is compassion to be found? I went to the hospital not to let others see how compassionate I am, but because sentient beings are suffering and are imploring. The suffering of sentient beings is the same as our own suffering — the response should be immediate without any excuses. Recently, some famous mountains (large Buddhist organizations) have been closed, forbidding monastics from leaving. Yet those who ordained should serve sentient beings; if one fears SARS so much, then he or she should not have ordained in the first place. Therefore, it is not necessarily those who dwell within monastery gates who can truly benefit beings, for they may not truly accept the principle that all sentient beings have been my mothers.
 
The teachings continue: Reincarnation is like an endless prison, a loneliness as walking on a road of no return. Within reincarnation, we are driven by karma to endure endless suffering, and pulled by desire to suffer insatiable cravings; because birth and death are endless, we experience ceaseless suffering. Reincarnation in the Three Worlds — the Heaven of Desires, the Heaven of Forms, and the Heaven of Formlessness. The place where we are born is the Heaven of Desires. Jade Emperor, Christians, as well as Catholics, are all in the Heaven of Desires. Desire is to long for something, so even Ｈeaven beings’ desires remain strong in the Heaven of Desires; beings there still have physical forms, but the pleasures they enjoy far surpass those of humans. Those who practice Chanding (Puja Teachings Index 6) in non-Buddhist religions or even incorrectly within the Buddhist practice may be reborn in the Heaven of Forms. Beings in the Heaven of Forms have far less desire, retaining only physical form. In the Formless Realm, even physical form disappears; only the consciousness of the mind exists. The Three Worlds are all bound to reincarnation. The reason I have not yet taught Chanding (Puja Teachings Index 6) to you is that practicing Chanding (Puja Teachings Index 6)  incorrectly or poorly can easily lead to rebirth in the Heaven of Formlessness. Even with perfect Chanding (Puja Teachings Index 6), a single erroneous thought can still result in rebirth there. Even at the highest level, the heaven of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, one still ultimately falls into reincarnation.

The true meaning of being ordained is to leave the home of the Three Worlds—to resolve, in this very lifetime, to leave the home of the Three Worlds— the Heaven of Desires, the Heaven of Forms, and the Heaven of Formlessness. To be ordained does not simply mean not getting married or not pursuing a career, nor does it necessarily require head-shaving. In the sutras, there are four types of ‘the ordained’: First, neither body nor mind is ordained (one does not display the appearance of a monastic, nor does one possess the intention to renounce reincarnation). Second, both body and mind are ordained. Third, the body does isn’t ordained, but the mind has already ordained: for example, I outwardly appear as a lay practitioner, yet inwardly I have firmly resolved to renounce the home of reincarnation. Fourth, the body has seemed to be ordained, but the mind does not: some monastics outwardly take on the appearance of being ordained, yet their minds have not. We should cultivate ourselves to become the third type. For if we had the fate to be a monastic in this lifetime, we would have already been so. Therefore, in our present state, we must resolve inwardly and decisively to renounce the home of reincarnation.

Everyone must be very certain, deeply in heart, to leave the home of reincarnation in this life. If there remains even the slightest attachment to the mundane world that one cannot let go of, then even if one has learned the Phowa, he or she will not be able to achieve any result through practicing it. Attachment brings fear of death; fear of death prevents one from leaving willingly, and being unable to leave means continuing to revolve within the Six Realms. Do not be afraid of having the thought or intention to ‘leave home.’ Understand that this has nothing to do with your job, studies, marriage, or having children—these matters all arise from fate accumulated past lifetimes. We have only four tasks: to collect debts, to take revenge,  to repay debts, and to return gratitude. These must be repaid; they must be cleared. Do not assume that having a family will obstruct your practice. Do not fall into that mistaken belief. If one practices only Chanding (Puja Teachings Index 6), then ultimately he or she must cut off desire between men and women; this is why, from Bodhidharma onward, those who practiced Chanding (Puja Teachings Index 6) have manifested the appearance of monastics.
 
For non-monastic practitioners who cultivate the Bodhisattva Path, there are many Dharma methods that can help us attain liberation from birth and death. Never think that because you are a layperson practicing the Dharma, you should ultimately tell your spouse that you want to practice the pure Dharma. This is wrong. The Buddhist Canon mentions that if a practitioner on the Bodhisattva Path has the fate of having a family, then they must not reject it, because this matter must be resolved in this lifetime. A layperson should not live the lifestyle of a monastic. According to the percepts, doing so would break away from precepts and would give false words. Do not learn Buddhism in a way that becomes abnormal, such as saying you should sleep in separate rooms because of your practice. The Buddha never taught us to cause suffering to others for the sake of our learning of the Dharma. Do not listen to people who claim that one must practice pure Dharma in order to learn Buddhism, or else many afflictions will come to you, and mislead your entire life. Many mistaken views about the Dharma of your family are derived from this. We often say that we should follow our fate and not forcefully alter it. In truth, the most important part of learning the Dharma lies within your mind; external appearances are not what truly matter.
 
Some people have the fate to become monastics, so they display the appearance of a monastic. But if you do not have this vow, nor the fate for ordination, and if your karma is heavier, then certain debts must still be repaid—you cannot use monasticism to escape these debts, because in the next life you will still have to return and repay them. In a past life, I was also a monastic, but because my debts were not yet cleared, I had to return in this life. Therefore, do not hold mistaken ideas; everyone’s karmic conditions are different. Your mind must be clear about why you are practicing Buddhism. Ask yourself this. The answer is simple: it is to leave the home of reincarnation. Remember this clearly and never forget it! Once this is certain, whether your life is full of obstacles or smooth, it will not affect the path of your practice. But if this direction is uncertain, it is very easy to regress when faced with boundary. Reincarnation in the Three Worlds, and no matter where one is reborn, suffering is the true nature, because one is compelled by suffering and cannot transcend it.
 
Even practicing for the good fortune of the Human and Heaven Realms is suffering. Many people do not practice Buddhism in this life, but due to their virtuous deeds, they obtain a human body in future life, or even rebirth in the Heaven Realm. At first, the heavenly beings may seem to have happier and more comfortable lives than ours, but usually, after the lifespan of the Heaven Realm, they will still ultimately fall into Hell. The reasons are: First, beings in the Heavenly Realms, due to their great supernatural powers, can foresee their death in advance, which gives rise to a heart of resentment. Second, when heavenly beings are about to die, their family and friends will leave them, because their family and friends also have supernatural power, knowing that they are about to depart, so their family and friends avoid them. A dying heavenly being may have disheveled hair and emit a foul odor; knowing they are about to fall into Hell, they generate hatred and may even slander the Buddha. Usually, those who reach the Ｈeavenly Ｒealms have, in past lives, practiced Buddhism to some extent. Especially those who have reached the Heaven of Formlessness may mistakenly believe they are practicing for Nirvana. When they realize they are about to fall into Hell, they develop a disrespectful mind toward the Dharma, which then leads them to Hell.
 
Buddhism teaches us that we must cut off the cycle of reincarnation entirely, and this is the reason why. Don’t think that being reborn in the Heavenly Realm means living a good life; no matter how long the lifespan of a heavenly being may be, there will still come a day when they fall back into the cycle of reincarnation. Therefore, learning the Dharma is absolutely not about learning supernatural powers or spiritual responses, nor is it about an immediate improvement of one’s circumstances. Rather, it is so that in future lifetimes you can completely free yourself from suffering and no longer endure the suffering of reincarnation. So, regardless of which realm you are born into, you must constantly reflect that reincarnation is suffering. Through this contemplation, we make the decision to rely on the Dharma and the guru, diligently practicing until we attain Buddhahood.
 
​​There are teachings later on that expound the sufferings of Ｈell, so I will not elaborate on that here. Today, I want to explain what kinds of people fall into Hell. Those whose hearts of hatred are extremely strong will certainly fall into Hell. Hatred includes speech, actions, and thoughts. All of us have had hatred toward others. Before we actually explode in rage, the blood rushes upward, the face turns red, and the heart feels as if it were burning with fire. People who have hearts with strong hatred fall into the Fire Hell because their consciousness has already become accustomed to this sensation. Even if someone frequently loses their temper or suppresses their anger in their heart, this still counts as the heart of hatred. At the moment of death, because the consciousness is already habituated to this feeling, it is naturally pulled by karma into the Fire Hell to suffer. The Fire Hell is not created by Yama or by the Buddhas and Ｂodhisattvas to punish people. If one has not created the corresponding karma, then even if one were to arrive at the Fire Hell, one would not see them—unless one has committed the deeds connected to them. If in this lifetime a person has created the karma of killing, has been unfilial to their parents, has shown disrespect to the Three Jewels, likes to fight and quarrel, or earns money that should not be earned—such as corruption as a public, deceiving others in business, or cheating in transactions—in short, anyone who breaks the Five Precepts will fall into Hell. Thus, in sutras, the Buddha says that the number of beings in the Hell Realm is as countless as the snowflakes that fill the sky during a snowfall—too many to count or even see clearly. Therefore, never hold the mistaken belief that falling into Hell is difficult. In fact, it is very easy to fall into Hell; a single thought can send you there.

Why do I often advise people not to hide it when a family member has cancer? If you don’t want to tell them directly, you can let the doctor inform them. The reason is this: if the illness is constantly kept as a secret, and you keep telling the person that they don’t have cancer, saying that there is still a chance of recovery, then in the last few days of their life—when they clearly know they are about to die—what thoughts will arise? They will think that it was you who harmed them. They will feel that if they had been told earlier, they could have changed doctors, tried different treatments, or even started learning the Dharma sooner. Why do 99% of those who die from cancer fall into Hell? Unless they receive help from a meritorious mentor, because the karma of killing that leads to dying from cancer is extremely heavy. That is the first reason.

Many people may say, ‘He’s a teacher, he hasn’t killed anyone or anything.’ True, many teachers have not taken life. But if a teacher does not teach with full of his/her heart—treating students differently depending on whether he likes them or not, ignoring the disobedient ones and putting them aside, while giving extra attention to the well-behaved ones—then even without committing corruption, from the perspective of karma this still counts as a form of corruption. This kind of person may also get cancer, because their mind is poisoned, and when they die, they will have great suffering. Another situation is being in a coma. People think that someone in a coma must have no awareness, but that is not true. Many people know that I have the ability to know what someone in a coma is thinking. Why do I know what they are thinking? Because they are not dead yet—only the outer appearance seems unconscious, but the consciousness is very clear. If a person is in a coma, they will usually think: ‘Why aren’t you helping me?’ They will resent their family members, because earlier the family deceived them, telling them they could still recover. And so they resent. If someone is in pain continuously before death, they will generate a heart of hatred; if they are in a coma, they will generate resentment. All of these lead to falling into Hell. Therefore, what many people think of as a heartless method may actually be the better method, because telling them honestly, whether they accept it or not, at least means you are not deceiving them. Many people have a mistaken belief that not telling them the truth is for their own good, in order not to upset them.

Most cancer patients do not die from cancer itself—they are frightened to death. Cancer is not the same thing as death; they are two different matters. I have mentioned before that the old lama who transmitted the Chod to me passed away from stomach cancer. He had no edema, did not see doctors, had no surgery, no chemotherapy; in the end, he entered Chanding (Puja Teachings Index 6) and passed away in a sitting posture. This is because death and illness are two different things. When one’s lifespan is used up, one will pass away even without illness; when one still has remaining lifespan, even with illness, one can be saved. It is because we humans hold so many mistaken views that make us continue in reincarnation and fall into Hell. According to government statistics, in Taiwan, on average, one person is diagnosed with cancer every nine minutes—more frightening than SARS. Why is the percentage of cancer cases so high today? Because of polluted water, barbecuing, eating fish, and killing living beings—this is how it comes about. In addition, people nowadays tend to be ruthless, so the chances of getting cancer are very high. The reason I am giving this teaching today is to tell you: one mistaken thought is enough to send you to Hell.
 
There is a story in The Buddhist Canon. A great practitioner was staying temporarily at a Buddhist monastery. One night, he smelled a burnt, smoky odor drifting in through the window. Thinking there was a fire, he woke up in alarm and opened the window to look. He saw the ghost of a monastic, wearing the shackles that criminals in ancient times were forced to wear. The shackles were burning with fire, and because it was so heavy, the monastic leaned them against the window frame, so there was a smell of burning. The practitioner asked the ghost why he had received such karmic retribution and fallen into Hell to suffer this kind of torment. The ghost said that in a past life he had been the abbot of this very monastery. Someone had donated a large sum of money, specifying that it must be used to make the Buddha statue in the Mahavira Hall. But he diverted the money to build living quarters for the monks instead. Although he had not stolen the money for personal use, he had broken the promise. Because of that broken promise, he fell into Hell and had to bear burning shackles. This is why I punish those of you who break your promises. Now you understand how frightening it is, don’t you? Throughout your life, how many things have you promised others but failed to do? How many times have you caused others disappointment and suffering? Tell me—do you think you have no conditions for falling into Hell? What is there for you to be proud of? Look at this story: the man did not take a single coin for himself, but merely broke a promise—and yet he faced such a heavy karmic retribution. Fortunately, he had practiced well in past lives, so he had the fate to encounter this great practitioner, who recited sutras to help liberate him. But if in this lifetime you fail to practice properly and keep creating negative karma, you will fall very quickly.
 
Why am I so strict with you? Why do I even scold you for leaning back while listening to the Dharma? When you come to listen to the Dharma, you are not listening alone—your relatives and ancestors from countless past lives are listening together with you. Because of your lack of respect, they cannot receive liberation. In that sense, you are the ones who are harmful to them, who cut off their virtuous fate, and as a result, you fall into Hell. Why must we show reverence toward the Three Jewels? It is not because the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas need our respect. Rather, when you pay respect to the Three Jewels, all your karmic creditors, relatives, and ancestors from the past feel joy and can be liberated. They feel joy, so they come to help you. But when you listen to the Dharma with carelessness—sleeping, slouching, leaning back on the chair—your karmic creditors and ancestors will ‘discipline’ you. They have waited for countless ages for a chance to hear the Dharma, and then you don’t even listen with full of your heart? You are not only sorry for yourself, but you are also sorry for generations of your ancestors. Scientists in Scotland once excavated human remains from 9,000 years ago whose DNA was identical to that of several people living in a nearby village. In human history, nine thousand years may seem long, but compared to the time of the void, it is brief. So how can we not believe that innumerable ancestors came before us?
 
Why do I demand this of you? It is not because I enjoy blaming or punishing you. It is because I know all too well how easy it is to fall into Hell. If one is not careful, not mindful, and continues to live loosely and carelessly, then even if one learns the Dharma, recites sutras, or even takes on the appearance of a monk or nun, one can still fall into Hell. I read the sutras differently from most people. I prefer to look at the passages that can truly shake you awake. I do not focus on memorizing countless technical terms, because for us lay practitioners, this is unnecessary. We simply need to know what truly helps us and what leads us astray. Falling into Hell and receiving all kinds of punishments and unbearable suffering happens because, in this life, one failed to keep one’s promises and caused suffering to many beings. Because of this, the consciousness naturally receives that suffering. It is absolutely not that the Buddha punishes you, nor that Yama drags your soul away for retribution—it is entirely the karma you created in this life that brings about such consequences.

Here, it describes what a person who falls into Hell looks like, especially those in the Fire Hell. Nowadays, many boys and girls like to use hair gel to make their hair stand up chaotically, sticking straight up. This is all the appearance of Hell. Why did people in ancient times emphasize combing their hair neatly? There is a reason; it is not simply a matter of etiquette. The way you appear in life reflects where you go after death. Why do I say that having sharp, angular facial features leads somewhere? Later, one might be reborn as a cow or a sheep. Those with a bit more merit might become rhinos in a zoo. If your facial features don’t change, it is because your mind hasn’t changed—you are still committing evil deeds. Your outward appearance reflects your mind. If you enjoy strange or eccentric styles, your mind is equally strange, and when this life ends, you go to a correspondingly strange place. There was a girl who wore a nose ring and had eight piercings in her ears. If you scold her, she might not understand, so I simply said one thing: I asked her, ‘Have you ever seen a wealthy noblewoman with a nose piercing?’ She said no. I said, ‘Exactly! If you pierce your nose, you will quickly lose wealth and good suitors.’ She immediately removed her nose ring. This is an example of helping someone according to their capacity to understand. She was only a teenager; if I sermonized, she wouldn’t understand.

In life, humans have human appearances, ghosts have ghostly appearances, animals have animal appearances, and the appearance of practitioners will also manifest according to their practice. Today, if you still appear dark, dull, and unchanged, it is because your mind has not changed. No matter how proud you are, or how bored or unwilling you feel when listening, that is your own matter—Buddha will never deceive us, nor does He need to. If one unfortunately falls into Hell, the duration is not 1 year, 2 years, 10 years, or 20 years; it is at least equivalent to 1,000 human years. It is absolutely not as you might think—that one spends 10 years there and then comes out fine. This is why the so-called ‘Ghost Festival’ in July is just a folk superstition. Once one falls into Hell,it is absolutely impossible to escape until all karmic debts are repaid, unless a practitioner helps transfer his or her consciousness; there is absolutely no chance of release—the idea of the ‘gates of Hell opening’ is false. If someone falls into Hell today, the suffering lasts, at minimum, 1,000 human years. These 1,000 years are the basic measure, and it could be even longer.

The sutra recorded many Hells later on, such as the Fire Hell, the Hell of Crushing Mountains, and so on. Some Hells exist for beings with intense hatred: they fight every day, and when killed, immediately come back to life. In other Hells, sentient beings are like Peking ducks: iron spikes are inserted from their bottom through their bodies, and they are roasted over fire. All of this is written here. So, going to a barbecue and enjoying roasting meat on a skewer—be careful! If you fall into Hell, the ghostly guards in Hell will insert iron spikes through your body just as you do at a barbecue. Therefore, I advise parents not to let their children go to barbecues. Don’t think it’s harmless just because everyone else does. Barbecuing once won’t cause any consequences. Here is a case: a child went to a riverbank barbecue just to join others. But he harmed the dragon beings and returned with a terminal illness. The doctors could not cure him; it was I who healed him.

People who love to eat teppanyaki, after death, they will be put and grilled on a hot iron plate in Hell. Don’t think that just because you’re only grilling a piece of meat, it’s okay since you didn’t kill it. Some sentient beings, after death (for example, chickens, ducks, including humans), still cling to the physical body, even their consciousness do not depart. When the physical body is cut, grilled, it’s in great pain; Even if the consciousness has left, as you are grilling and cutting, it still has feeling. Because we can’t see it, perhaps among every one hundred fish we kill, there are forty five whose consciousness has not yet left their bodies. If we cook or fry them, the karmic retribution we receive after death will be exactly the same as what they experience. Perhaps, one might not need to wait after death; people who are scalded by boiling water and suffer burns or those who die in fires have done these things in the past. 

Hell of Fire is even divided into the greater Raurava Hell and the lesser Raurava Hell. I once went to the Department of Oncology at a famous teaching hospital at 8 o’clock at night to bless the patients. There were four patients in one room, when one of them started to wail out of pain, one followed another, it was like the Raurava Hell; such wailing was so miserable, as if it were the cries of pigs and cows before they got killed. The feeling is exactly like what is stated in the Buddhist sutras, the greater Raurava Hell and the lesser Raurava Hell. Those who have killed more scream in even greater agony, especially those who took pleasure in killing.

The most severe type of the Fiery Hells contains an immense iron cauldron—vast in size like the trichiliocosm. It is filled with molten copper, in which beings are boiled, just as living creatures are cast into boiling water. Besides, the Hell is divided into Forest of Swords Hell and Iron Forest Hell, etc. Some Hells are located on Earth, some in other planets, and some are in the deep sea.      

In earlier times, Tibetans would never eat fish. There were several reasons: First, it is because some fish are the embodiment of dragons. Second, it is because the fish has heavier karma. Third, it is because the fish has helped the Tibetan people a lot. After death, Tibetan people would have  sky burial, cremation, and also water burial; water burial is relying on the fish to eat the body. Fish in the deep sea might be possessed by ghosts or dragons, some people that get diabetes without any reasons are related to eating such fish. The suffering of the Hell Realm is impossible to set forth in full, unless one with great supernatural power is able to see it.
 
In addition, there are eight Hells of coldness, also known as the Freezing Hell. Sentient beings who enter this hell are described as thin-skinned, with bulging eyes. When the wind blows, they suffer severely, sometimes so severe that blisters appear all over their bodies, so it is also called the Hell of Blisters. Sentient beings with deeply rooted greed will fall into this hell. For instance, when we see something we strongly desire, we may unconsciously take a deep breath, this can create a cold feeling within our hearts. Or when you meet someone you like, you may hope to hear exactly the words you long for. With such waiting and craving, your breath draws inward. But if that person cannot satisfy your desire—or even rejects you—you feel as though you have fallen into an ice cellar. Those with stronger cravings fall into the Freezing Hells, which include realms such as the Sneeze Hell and the Teeth-Chattering Hell (where the cold makes one’s teeth clench), all of these are sufferings endured within the Freezing Hells. The lifespan of beings in the Freezing Hells is exceedingly long—like a bushel filled with sesame seeds, from which one seed is removed only once every hundred years, continuing until all seeds are gone.

There is also the Hell of Tongue Ripping, where the beings have extremely long tongues, and iron ploughs rake across them again and again. Even after the wounds heal, they are ploughed once more—far more painful than merely biting one’s tongue. Those who sow discord, stir up conflict, create division among others, lie to the guru, or fail to keep the promises they make will fall into this Hell. It is truly easy to end up in Hell! This is why the Buddha spoke extensively in the sutras about the sufferings of the Hell Realms. For those who work in business, one must not deceive others, you must clearly state both the advantages and disadvantages of your product so that people may choose for themselves. The Buddha never said that one cannot earn money—but one must not earn money that is improper or unjust. One must not exploit others’ suffering for profit, such as raising mask prices during SARS, hiding information to mislead others, cheating on weights and measures, or cutting corners by reducing cement and steel in construction. All of these fall within this category. These teachings are not meant to frighten you, but to remind everyone to live sincerely and mindfully, and never become careless in your conduct of body, speech, and mind.

The places where beings of the Hell and Ghost Realms dwell are not fixed, nor are the kinds of suffering they endure. Some may be trapped between mountains or inside rocks, frozen within blocks of ice, boiled in hot springs, or attached to objects such as brooms, clay pots, doors, pillars, or stoves. I have seen many cases of this. There are also ghosts that attach themselves to toys, ornaments, keys, or clothing. This is why we must cultivate practice, repent, and learn Buddhism—because only by accumulating sufficient good fortune will we avoid acquiring such objects. Do not assume that taking refuge alone will prevent this, you can still bring such items home if you do not practice virtue, do not cultivate properly, or carry heavy karma from killing. Ghosts are not trying to harm people, rather, they exist in a different dimension and carry a different energetic field, but they do absorb human energy. Simply put, if your fortune is good, you will not end up buying such things. This is also why I often remind everyone not to casually pick up stones when going outdoors—some beings may be attached to those stones.

I once helped a person who had problems with his heart, yet doctors could not find anything wrong. I saw that he had taken cheerful, joking photos at the entrance of a temple, where a funeral was taking place, and a ghost had attached itself to him. There was another person who suffered from daily headaches and was constantly chased and attacked in his dreams. When he came to seek help, it turned out that while he was in Myanmar, he had told obscene jokes at someone’s doorway and even kicked the door. Because of this, a ghost had attached itself to him.

There was also a boy who constantly dreamed of flying a plane and shooting down American aircraft, I saw that there was a certain part in his home. It turned out that his father had once worked on repairing fighter jets, and when dismantling an aircraft, he had kept a piece of it as a souvenir, a ghost had attached itself to that part. I instructed them to throw it away, and afterward, everything returned to normal. Therefore, when we are outside, we must show respect toward all people, circumstances, and things. All phenomena have their own owners or guardians, it is not about whether you must or must not pick something up; what matters most is the extent to which you refrain from evil and cultivate virtue.

The Dharma Realm consists of ten dimensions, and modern science has already confirmed the existence of up to five dimensions. The Ten Directions of the Dharma Realm encompass the beings of the Six Realms, the Sravaka, Pratyekabuddha, Bodhisattvas, and Buddhas. These ten directions of the Dharma Realm exist simultaneously. Therefore, every thought you give rise to is known by ghosts, spirits, and the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas alike. If you cultivate virtuous thoughts and actions, and possess sufficient good fortune, then not only will ghosts and spirits not harm you—they will even show you respect.

Hospitals are places where many ghosts gather, so unless necessary, one should avoid bringing children to hospitals. Because people today are placed into cold storage immediately after death, those whose consciousness is unwilling to depart remain in the hospital. However, they will not harm us. As long as we maintain virtuous thoughts, there is nothing to fear. For those who have taken refuge, light radiates from above their head and from their shoulders, causing beings of the Ghost Realm to keep their distance. If, after taking refuge, one sincerely follows the teachings and does not violate one’s vows, the Dharma Protectors will protect you, preventing ghosts from approaching or harming you. If you fear ghosts—or fear that ghosts may trouble you—it means that greed, hatred, and ignorance still remain in your mind. I often receive phone calls in the middle of the night, and I simply rise to perform the Phowa; I never feel afraid, because my greed, hatred, and ignorance have already diminished to a very small degree. Those who have little greed, hatred, and ignorance in their hearts do not fear ghosts, because such people are already eager to help ghostly beings—so why would they be afraid?

Ghosts always repay both kindness and resentment; humans, however, repay resentment but often fail to repay kindness. This is the difference between humans and ghosts. Ask yourselves: have you truly repaid the kindness you have received? What does it mean to repay kindness? ‘To follow the teachings, to practice the Dharma sincerely, and to liberate oneself from birth and death’—this is how one repays the Buddha’s kindness. Have you done this? If not, then you have not repaid that kindness. In this lifetime, the reason we were able to be born into the Human Realm is because the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas have definitely helped us. And the reason you are able to come here today and listen to the Dharma is also because the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas have guided you. Therefore, you must remember that as human beings, we must understand how to repay kindness. To repay the Buddha’s kindness is to follow the teachings, practice sincerely, and never grow lax. You must remind yourselves every moment. Only then, in this very life, can you free yourselves from the cycle of birth and death.

Next, believers and disciples reverently listened to the precious teachings bestowed by His Eminence Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche bestowed teaching on June 15, 2003.
 
As everyone knows, beginning this Sunday, those who have not taken refuge will no longer be allowed to attend the pujas to listen to the Dharma. Many people find this strange and wonder, isn’t this lacking compassion? If people wish to hear the Dharma, why don’t you let them come? In learning Buddhism, there are two essential gateways: the gate of understanding and the gate of practice, these must be cultivated continuously by every practitioner. “Understanding” means listening to the Dharma, contemplating it, and then immediately correcting one’s conduct and applying the teachings in daily life. Those who only come to listen but refuse to take refuge do so for several reasons: first, their faith is insufficient; second, doubt remains in their minds; third, they are overly self-assured; and fourth, they treat the Dharma merely as an academic subject. If one regards the Dharma as nothing more than a field of study, then relying on human intellect alone—even if one were to study until the age of 120—one would still be unable to grasp the entirety of what is taught in the Buddhist Canon.

In the context of learning Buddhism, if one refuses to take refuge, it means that one’s virtuous roots have not yet begun and fate is not sufficient. If such a person continues listening to the Dharma, they will eventually become self-opinionated, using their own limited views to interpret the teachings, thereby giving rise to  heretical views and speech. In the Surangama Sutra , the Buddha foretold that in the Age of Dharma Decline,  heretical masters who do not teach the authentic Dharma will be as numerous as the sands along both banks of the Ganges River. Such masters are not necessarily non-Buddhists; in fact, most of them have heard the Dharma, read the sutras, and may even have experiences of practicing Chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06). How, then, do such people become heretical masters? It is because after hearing a little Dharma, they interpret it according to their so-called life experience, knowledge, and personal views. A slight deviation at the beginning results in a vast divergence in the end.

In Tibetan Buddhism, any practitioner who has not attained a realization or fruition is not permitted to give public teachings. Those who refuse to take refuge often say they want to figure things out first, but the Dharma is not something for you to figure out; it is precisely because you do not understand that you need the Dharma to help you. If you claim that you must first understand the Dharma before taking refuge, the only possible explanation is that you have already become a Buddha—because only Buddhas can fully understand Buddhas. How could an ordinary being possibly comprehend the mind of a Buddha? Therefore, allowing such arrogant and prideful individuals to continue listening to the teachings would harm them. Without learning Buddhism, they might be fine; but once they learn improperly, their problems may become even more serious. From this point onward, those who do not take refuge, do not wish to take refuge, or insist on “figuring out who I am” before taking refuge should not come.

Through the Ratnakuta Sutra, Shakyamuni Buddha taught us how to examine whether one truly possesses the qualities of a meritorious guru. I have previously explained these twenty criteria in detail. The fact that I dare to openly state them means that I have undergone long-term examination by His Holiness and indeed possess the qualifications to propagate the Dharma. In the future, any friends or relatives you introduce who still harbor hesitation may only attend the Chod pujas, fate connection pujas, or to seek audiences; they are not eligible to listen to Dharma teachings. Among the Dharma tapes of my teachings, only certain ones may be shared freely. When it comes to recordings of AveNika (Puja Teachings Index 07) practices—such as visualizations in the Dharma method of Avalokiteshvara —they must not be lent to others.
 
I have already expounded this and reminded everyone many times: the Dharma cannot be practiced without receiving the oral transmission. Do not meddle or act out of misplaced enthusiasm by lending teachings to others; such behavior is improper, not in accordance with the Dharma, and violates discipline. The Dharma is something incomparably wondrous and highly rigorous. Even setting Buddhism aside, in ancient times, when inviting a teacher to one’s home to give instruction, there were strict etiquettes and a deep sense of reverence that had to be observed—yet modern people no longer uphold these. Here in Taiwan, respect for teachers and the traditional teacher–student relationship has nearly disappeared. People learn everything in their own way, constantly examining where the teacher might be wrong, yet never examining their own faults. Approaching learning in this manner—whether it concerns a worldly or  supramundane path—will create tremendous obstacles.

From now on, do not tell your friends that they can come on Sundays to listen to Rinpoche’s teachings, or say that Rinpoche’s Dharma teaching is different—wait until they like it and then decide whether to take refuge. I do not need their tests, nor do I need to be examined by people who have no intention of learning Buddhism. I need only to be examined by the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and His Holiness; you are not qualified to examine me. In the future, if you introduce friends who come seeking answers to personal matters or problems, Rinpoche will certainly help them. But if they have no intention of learning Buddhism, do not try to persuade them—otherwise they may incur verbal karma and assume that I am in need of disciples.

I have never needed disciples. As stated in the Diamond Sutra, ‘There are no beings to be liberated.’ From our standpoint, there is no sense of liberating sentient beings, nor any notion of helping them; we simply live according to fate. Since His Holiness permitted the establishment of the Glorious Jewel Buddhist Center, I have never taken the initiative to seek disciples. In truth, when a person sits before me, I generally know whether they have the fate or whether they are truly a Buddhist practitioners. But because the Buddhist community in Taiwan constantly emphasizes being “compassionate” and being “easygoing,” I am sometimes forced into accommodating others. Put nicely, it is called “opening a door of expedient means.”

The so-called “door of expedient  means” does not mean allowing you to be casual, it refers to transmitting different Dharna methods of accomplishment according to the needs and root-capacities of sentient beings. This is what is called expedient means—it is not about accommodating your personal preferences. If everything were done according to your convenience, you would never truly learn the Dharma and would never attain liberation from birth and death. To learn Buddhism is the result of accumulated good fortune over many lifetimes, it is absolutely not something you can hear just because you feel like listening, nor something you can learn simply because you wish to learn it. If we lack respect for the Dharma and the Three Jewels—approaching them with a frivolous or careless attitude—then the chances of committing evil actions in our own lives become very high. You must clearly convey this message to your relatives and friends, there are no exceptions, and everyone is treated the same. Only if I personally deem that someone genuinely needs the Dharma’s help will that person be allowed to attend general pujas, otherwise, they may only attend the Chod pujas.

I have no need for keeping up appearance, in fact, I have liberated far more beings from the other Realms of reincarnation than human beings—you are far too difficult to be liberated. As stated in the Buddhist sutras, the beings on Earth are the hardest to liberate in the entire universe because they are ‘obstinate, conceited, difficult to subdue, and difficult to tame’. Specifically, I will gradually transmit many of the AveNika (Puja Teachings Index 07)  Dharmas of the Drikung Kagyu lineage in the future, and for those unwilling to take refuge, listening will be of no use; it will only waste their time. Please tell your relatives and friends that learning Buddhism is not a matter of simply wanting to hear it and thus being allowed to hear it. Other Buddhist Centers may operate that way, but not here.

I remember that when I took refuge with my Exoteric Master, I was never as complicated as you are now. Many of you first ask the guru for help, and only after your problem is resolved do you think that the guru is effective, worth to be followed, and that he can protect you. Ninety-five percent of you sitting here today carry this kind of mindset. When I first met my Exoteric Master, the very first thing I asked was whether I could take refuge—I did not have all these extra thoughts. This is why you are sitting below being scolded, and I am able to sit upon the Dharma throne. When I met His Holiness, I also did not think, ‘He is the Dharma King, so I must treat him well.’ Instead, I approached him with a simple and pure heart, and this is what allowed me to progress so quickly along the path of the Dharma. Your minds are far too complicated—too many needs, too many thoughts—and all of these become obstacles for you, creating hindrances both in worldly and supramundane path. Therefore, when you introduce friends in the future, if they need help or wish to seek advice, I will certainly help them, but do not say, ‘Come listen first—Rinpoche’s teachings are different.’
 
There is only one Dharma; there are not two. Whether it is His Holiness, myself, or any meritorious one, as long as the teachings are authentic, the Dharma we teach is the same—only the wording may differ. It will never be the case that someone’s teaching becomes “special” simply because they practice well; authentic Dharma is one and the same. In the future, if you are absent from Sunday pujas due to exceptional circumstances, it is forgivable; but if you continue to be absent because of your own endless personal issues, then you may only attend the Chod pujas from that point on. Many of you have countless excuses, some say that they cannot learn Buddhism properly in Taiwan and therefore must return to some other place. One person, in particular, had so many excuses that she eventually became like a fifty-two-year-old woman I once encountered. She misunderstood what is said in the Lotus Sutra, to reverently pay homage to a Buddha statue, ‘Has already entered Buddhahood’, she believed that she had already become a Buddha. In classical Chinese, “Has already entered Buddhahood” means that through showing reverence to the Buddha statue, one has begun to walk the path toward Buddhahood. The principle is that if you can give rise to genuine reverence toward a Buddha statue, you will naturally develop reverence toward all sentient beings; with such respect, you will not commit evil actions; and when you begin to learn the Dharma, you have entered the path to Buddhahood. But this woman misunderstood it and thought she had already attained Buddhahood herself. 

When Buddhist sutras are interpreted merely through the literal meaning of words, the ancient meritorious one has said, ‘The Buddhas of the three times cry out in grievance.’ The Buddhist sutras cannot be understood by relying solely on textual explanation, for their meaning is vast and profound. In my own experience, the meaning of the sutras changes for me every year—not because the Buddha’s words change, but because I have come to understand their meaning more deeply. To ‘enter deeply into the treasury of the sutras’ does not mean how many sutras you can recite or how many teachings you can listen to; it means that your heart can truly and directly realize the meaning of the Dharma taught by the Buddha. That is what it really means to enter the path. Therefore, from ancient times until now, all who study the Dharma must rely upon a teacher—and this is the very reason why.

A teacher is not someone who learned Buddhism for just a few years in this lifetime and then steps out to propagate the Dharma, it is always deeply connected to the fate accumulated over past lives. The Glorious Jewel Buddhist Center propagates the Dharma without following worldly trends or becoming secularized. If I wished to gather disciples, I would only need to do a bit of advertising, appear on the media, and recount a few of the events that have happened to you and the ways I have helped you resolve them—that alone would be enough to become well known. Why do I not do this? Because I liberate beings according to fate, if there is fate connection, then I will guide them; and if there is no connection, I do not force it. I do not use the Dharma for profit. Those who learn and those who propagate the Dharma must never become worldly, we may offer expedient means to sentient beings, but we cannot allow them to be careless. If their way of thinking is incorrect, then as disciples of the Buddha, we must correct and help them. Therefore, we ourselves must first eliminate our own bad habits.

The way we prostrate to Buddha is different from Exoteric Buddhism; in Tibetan Buddhism, we prostrate to Buddha by clasping the palms, first placing the palms in front of the forehead, next at the throat, and the heart, which represents prostrating with the body, speech, and mind to the various Buddhas and Boddhisattvas. In Yogācāra, the body refers to prostrating one’s entire consciousness to the Buddha, not only in action but also in the mind. In medicine, the brain controls everything in the body, but in Yogācāra Buddhism, the brain is only the commander-in-chief, receiving orders from the mind (heart), and issuing commands to the other parts of the body. Therefore, the ‘body’ is not simply referring to the physical body; rather, it encompasses all one’s virtuous roots accumulated in the consciousness field, which together prostrate to Buddha—the meaning is offering and repenting. 

In making offerings, apart from the offerings of wealth, Dharma, and fearlessness, there are also internal and secret offerings in Tibetan Buddhism. The offerings of wealth, Dharma, and fearlessness are the external offerings; the internal offering is to reverently prostrate to Buddha with all of one’s consciousness and physical body. The offering of speech means that all of one’s words should be in praise of the merits of Buddha and the guru. The Buddhist sutras record many praises of Buddha’s and other practitioners’ merits; by doing so, one can attain a great deal of merit, as well as eliminate the many speech karma accumulated in past lives. The offering of speech in Tibetan Buddhism represents the secret offering; you don’t necessarily have to speak it out loud. When the thought of offering arises, it is considered the offering of speech.  Last is the offering of the mind. Usually, the six senses (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and consciousness) are part of the offerings of the body; the offerings of the mind include the offerings of manas-vijñāna consciousness, the ālaya-vijñāna consciousness, and the pure, original nature. If one speaks further, it would be about the secret offerings, which are what Tibetan Buddhism refers to as the AveNika (Puja Teachings Index 07) offerings—to prostrate to the Buddha and the guru completely with body, speech, and mind. Therefore, to perform prostrations with the greatest heart of reverence can speedily change one’s karma,  haughtiness, and arrogance from the accumulated past lives. 

When prostrating, clasp the palms in front of the forehead, recite ‘Om’in your heart or verbally;  when the palms arrive at the throat, recite, ‘Ah,’ and at the heart, recite ‘Hung.’‘ Om, Ah, Hung’are the seed characters of all the various Buddhas’ and Bodhisattvas’mantras—all mantras of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas evolve from these three syllables. ‘ Om ‘represents the wisdom of all Buddhas from the ten directions and three times, and ‘Ah ‘represents Śūnyatā (Puja Teachings Index 21), and ‘Hung’means to cut away all vexations. To visualize with colors: ‘Om’is white, ‘Ah’is red, and ‘Hung’is blue. One can explain a great deal about simply these three characters, since no matter which Dharma method one practices, one never parts from ‘Om, Ah, Hung,’ even in practicing Chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06), one practices with ‘Om, Ah, Hung.’This is a cultivation method particular to the Vajrayana tradition in Tibetan Buddhism.

In the Chan School of Buddhism, one practices Chanding (Puja Teachings Index 6) through breath counting, but it is unsuitable for people in the Age of Dharma Decline. However, many who learn from the Chan School of Buddhism believe that breath counting is a method transmitted by the Buddha, and is available to all sentient beings. However, because sentient beings carry weighty karmic loads and their qi and chakras are not in order, they could not hold their breath when counting them. If you do not believe this, count from one to ten without breathing; you will know that you cannot hold your breath, and when that happens, your heart enters a state of disarray. Why do we have delusive thoughts? Because we do not understand how to adjust our breathing, when air moves along in our qi chakras, our hearts move as well. If one can control your qi, one will naturally be able to control the heart. 

Although the three characters’ Om, Ah, Hung’ are simple, they have a significant effect. Since‘Om’represents all of the wisdom of the various Buddhas, by visualizing ‘Om,’ you can receive the blessings of Buddha. ‘Ah’ represents Śūnyatā (Puja Teachings Index 21), which is actually the sound of the universe. The first astronaut to land on the moon could not hear anything except the sound ‘Ah,’ so he went searching for it when he returned, and thus he took refuge in Islam. Muslims say ‘Allah,’ and Catholics say ‘Amen.’ In Buddhism, we say ‘Amitabha.’‘Ah’is not a sound particular to Buddhism. Still, rather, it is the only final sound in the universe and the cosmic inventory. Language is only the law of experience, and all sounds begin with ‘Ah.’ When children learn to speak, they make the babbling sounds of yi yi ah ah, and it also starts with ‘Ah.’

The syllable‘Hung’is akin to the sound of an explosion, as science has proven that the universe was generated through the Big Bang.  ‘Hung’ can eliminate the vexations and karmic obstacles of our accumulated past lives; therefore, when practicing the furious yidams, there is always the syllable ‘Hung.’In Vajrayana Dharma, there is a special Dharma method that focuses on practicing the character ‘Hung ’; the energy generated when I recite the character is powerful. If one has very severe vexations, practicing the syllable of ‘Hung’ can gradually calm the troubled heart. If you have too many thoughts, practicing the syllable of ‘Ah’can decrease them. If you have poor health, get dizzy, or feel pressure in the head, practicing the syllable ‘Om’can also eliminate these conditions. 

I can understand ‘Om, Ah, Hung’because I was transmitted and taught by His Holiness the Drikung Chetsang Kyabgon in person, to learn Chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06)  through these three characters. His Holiness made no explanation, but wanted me to experience on my own. Having been taught, I began to practice. You all love to listen to explanations, but having heard them, you still refrain from action. To practice the sound of ‘Hung,’ one must continue to recite, as this sound brings about movement within the chakra. If one practices well, sickness can be eliminated while alive, and at the highest state, one’s physical body will not perish but instead turn into a body of rainbow-colored light to be reborn in the Buddha land at the time of death.

I can enter Ding (Puja Teachings Index 6)   so quickly because of these three characters. Some people think that Vajrayana Dharma is very complicated, and write down a bunch of mantras in a booklet and recite many of them each day. But in fact, Vajrayana Dharma gets simpler as you practice further. The drumming and bell-ringing is a show for you, in fear that you might be bored. 

White represents santikarma  (Puja Teachings Index 25) , red represents vasikarana   (Puja Teachings Index 26) , and blue represents raudrakarman (Puja Teachings Index 28), and there is another Dharma which you do not possess the criteria to hear about, so of which I shall not mention here. In fact, many actions in Exoteric Buddhism are related to the Bindu and Chakra; for instance, when greeting, why does one fix the two hands and place two fingers at the point between the brows? In the Exoteric Buddhist manner of prostrating, why does one make the action of left, right, and left? And why must one flip the palms? Those propagating the Dharma did not tell you. The act of greeting is related to the Bindu and Chakra. In fact,  all actions in Buddhism have their meaning; nothing is done arbitrarily. The mudra of greeting is related to the Bindi and Chakra, and the actions of left, right, and left represent body, speech, and mind, and flipping the palm represents turning from black karma to white karma. The real way of flipping the palms is not to open all at once, but to open the palms one finger at a time, representing the Dharma Realm of the ten directions, and when one flips the palm over to close the palm, one should close them one finger at a time, only getting up after storing away the good fortune and wisdom properly. 

Only upon fully knowing the meaning of each action, can you understand how to perform them. I only learned about these things when I cultivated the Vajrayana sector of Tibetan Buddhism; Exoteric Buddhist masters do not understand them because they have not practiced Vajrayana Dharma, and they merely treat these actions as part of the liturgy. In fact, whether in Exoterc, Vajrayana, or Tibetan Buddhism, every prostration is related to the Bindi and the Chakra; therefore, there are methods for such actions, and this includes the grand prostration as well; these are definitely not baseless performances of these actions in thinking that one is prostrating to the Buddha. Now that everyone knows this, one thus understands that Buddhism is not about learning superficially; the meaning within is attained through actual practice. 

Buddha taught the Dharma for 49 years, and spoke of many sutras, but because the disciples forgot many of the teachings made in their presence, they did not document them. One must practice truthfully and gradually reach enlightenment to experience Buddha’s great compassion and wisdom. Therefore, why must one take refuge, learn immediately, and not waste time any further? Because no matter how capable, well spoken, and knowledgeable the guru is, if one does not practice, one cannot experience anything. For instance, His Holiness has the fruition level of eight reincarnations, but even by encountering such a guru who transmits the Dharma, I still had to practice on my own. His Holiness cannot give me anything except for teaching me the methods—I must act upon them. If one were taught the methods but refused to follow through truthfully, even listening to (the teachings) a million times would be futile. What I am speaking of is Exoteric teachings, which are the theories; having listened, everyone should act upon them; don’t just listen and refrain from practicing, or get bogged down in the text and superficial, this way of practicing will be of no help. In practicing and learning the Buddha Dharma, the gate of understanding is very important, but the gate of action or practice is more important, so one must follow through with the Buddha Dharma.                  

Last time, I expounded on the suffering of sentient beings in the Animal Realm of the Six Realms. Besides those who love to enjoy pleasures may fall into the Animal Realm, those who break precepts may also be reborn as animals. In fact, if those who learn Buddhism break the precepts, they will very likely fall into the Animal Realm. The sutras document many such stories. Those who practice Buddhism with good fortune, when reborn as animals, will likely become part of the Dragon Tribe (Nagas); these are often people with severe hatred thoughts. Those reborn as animals with larger bodies are those who have broken the precepts but have cultivated good fortune, meaning those who have made offerings.  The hardship of falling into the Animal Realm is the inability to listen to Buddha Dharma, and even if one does hear it, one cannot be relieved of life and death. So, we must be very cautious and be mindful of all of our actions and thoughts. 

Next, one will expound on the hardships of the Human Realm. Born into the Human Realm, we have Three Great Sufferings—Suffering of Impermanence, Suffering of Suffering, Suffering of Actions—-as well as birth, old age, sickness, death, being apart from loved ones, being together with those you hate, not getting what you want, and the raging blaze of the Five Aggregates. Also, there is the suffering of protecting one’s possession, which is to exert all of one’s efforts to preserve what one believes to be one’s own, for instance, protecting one’s children, wealth, etc. Therefore, not being able to sleep at night in fear that a thief might break in to steal things, or dreading that one’s son might get snatched after starting to date his girlfriend. There is also the suffering of yearning for that which one does not possess, which is to constantly long for things that you don’t own. For instance, to plead for a promotion, to want to date a good boyfriend, to hope for a beautiful girlfriend, these are all sufferings. Some people often implore me about their careers and ask when they might get a promotion, but in fact, if you have the destiny and good fortune, you will get promoted naturally; without the destiny and good fortune, even if you get promoted, you might get killed. For example, a family came to seek an audience a few days ago; the parents have cancer, and the only son is a drug addict. In a vision, I saw that this family had acquired ill-gotten wealth, meaning wealth that one should not rightfully obtain. They immediately asked if it was from the proceeds of corruption, and I said yes. In our lives, we often commit evil unknowingly when we seek certain things. 

The Suffering of Impermanence occurs when we believe we are living happily and peacefully, only for things to turn into suffering suddenly, for instance, falling from a high position, or becoming poor from being wealthy.  I, too, have experienced this type of suffering; in the past, I drove a Jaguar, had two bodyguards, but later on, I became so impoverished that I had nothing to eat. In Hong Kong, there was a restaurant that had a fixed table, where anyone who knew me or could say my name could sit down and dine, upon finishing, they would not have to pay as I footed the bill. When I collapsed, people who obviously knew me turned their heads when they saw me. Fortunately, I am someone who can endure hardship. Therefore, I often berate my children, people who can’t eat the bitter gore are useless! Many people who encounter such circumstances would think that they are in a terrible situation, and would wrack their brains to change things for the better. The first time I collapsed, I did not think about how to turn the adverse circumstances around; instead, I reflected on my mistakes. The second time I collapsed, it was simple; I completed the Four Extraordinary Foundations of Vajrayana Ngondro because it’s rare for one not to be bothered by anyone for an entire year. Thus, the suffering we see in the world is an opportunity for the practitioner to cultivate. To the human beings of the world, this is miserable, unfortunate, and unlucky, which is what you often call ‘going wrong.’How can things go well? Only if you attain Buddhahood. 

Someone told me that someone in their household is sick, and business is not going well for their son, and they are also ill! I congratulated him on paying off a debt. Since the son’s business is not going well, he will ask for money; thereby, one no longer owes him anything and would not have to return in the next life. Thus, many are unable to bear it when things go from peaceful and joyous to suffering. Why do some people commit evil deeds, rob, lie, get corrupted, commit suicide, and kill others? It’s all because of not being able to bear this kind of suffering, and thereby, one acts upon evil. Some people have their wealth stolen by thieves, perhaps one’s house burns down in a fire, or maybe one dies in a sudden accident; these are all unavoidable in samsara. We must be mindful that peaceful joy, happiness, and fame are all impermanent; impermanence means that things can change at any time. 

In the past, a Rinpoche taught: when things are not going well, or you’re miserable, you must not be frustrated; instead, you should stand with your back straight; when things are going well, you should be humble and keep your head down. Now, however, we act oppositely, standing with our backs straight, thinking that the sky is not high enough, but that your head is even higher, when things are going well. But when things are unfortunate, you look worse than an underdog. When things are not going well, we stand with our backs straight, not to tell others that we cannot be beaten, come on, you think I’m afraid of you! It is not so. Instead, we must make our qi firm, and prevent the qi of decay and failure from arising. I have urged many people not to constantly talk about their misfortune, bad luck, or how tough things are, because the more you talk about it, things will become completely miserable for you. All are matters of fate and karma, and we must accept them; things will pass very quickly. When things are going well, we should not be arrogant; we must be humble because of the law of impermanence, things will become unfavorable someday. When things are not going well for you, the arrogance you held in the past will emerge immediately. 

The first time I collapsed, because I was too arrogant at the time, I took note of the people who turned their heads when they saw me. The second time, things were better as I had learned my lesson. So, we must understand that in life, receiving and losing are the same thing; losing is receiving, and receiving is losing, and losing doesn’t mean truly losing, while receiving does not mean eternal possession; all matters are changing and turning in impermanence. One mustn’t be arrogant and mustn’t think that all of one’s thoughts, words, and actions are correct. People of such are helpless, those with severe karma will fall into the Hell Realm, while those with lighter karma will end up in the Animal Realm. Many people do not believe in this, whenever others speak to them, they reply by saying, ‘You don’t know! You don’t understand.’ One says this only because he is very arrogant, it will be futile no matter how someone like this recites the Buddha’s name or mantras. 

We must see clearly that peaceful joy, happiness, and fame are impermanent. If you accept impermanence, when this kind of joy becomes suffering, you will be able to live happily. The first time my life collapsed, my wife ran away, my business failed, and all my money was gone. The second time things collapsed, I felt no suffering because I had just begun to learn Buddhism and had accepted fate and the law of karma. I believed that things would pass most definitely, and even if things can’t turn around in this life, it was fine, and I would wait for the next life. Many people don’t believe this viewpoint and hope that things can improve immediately. So, once we know that in the end, all is attributed to suffering, one would be able to hold the hearts of understanding and renunciation in this life.  

Next is the explanation about the Suffering of Suffering. Usually, unfortunate things seem to happen simultaneously, for instance, when one gets severely ill, one’s children die suddenly; sometimes both of one’s parents die while one’s business collapses. Similar to the first time my life collapsed, my business broke down, my wife divorced me, and my son got sick; this is the Suffering of Suffering. Some people are unable to get by, think life has lost all hope, and that there is no road left to walk on, and thereby give up on themselves. However, you are not the only one who experiences such Suffering of Suffering; everyone goes through it, but only at different times in life. Only if one practices the Buddha Dharma, and understands fate and impermanence, can one accept the forces of the Suffering of Suffering.  In life, all are just passing by, nothing can be unchanging eternally. Many believe they practice very well, but if one does not change this arrogant mindset, when the Suffering of Suffering occurs, it will be unbearable for them. 

I remember the third time I went to the Drikung Thil Monastery in Tibet, as the Lamas received me into the living room, I usually walk very cautiously, but things were especially odd on that day, as I was about to enter the door, I hit my forehead on the door frame, and I was completely dizzy. After hitting myself once, I told the others how foolish I was, and after hitting myself, I hit myself again. This time I woke up and understood that one must lower one’s head. If one doesn’t keep one’s head down and think that one is very capable, one would hit one’s head twice within a few seconds, like me. The lineage gurus knew of my problems, but they disciplined me only upon my return to the Drikung Thil Monastery. I have practiced more than you have, and yet I still have issues. How can you dare say that you are without problems?   
 
Many monastics wouldn’t dare tell these kinds of stories, but I don’t because I had many shortcomings, just like everyone else in the past. I differ from you in that I am willing to continually change myself, whereas you are not, and thus you continue to reincarnate within the Six Realms. As long as we have the thought that one is right, one must immediately examine oneself. Because before you have attained any fruition level, all the causes behind thoughts of one being right are for the sake of one’s own benefit, face, and arrogance, so one must immediately examine oneself on the spot. Why is it that a lot of people cannot accept the Suffering of Suffering? Because he has entirely lived within this false phenomenon— ‘I am very competent, I can control everything.’When the Suffering of Suffering occurs, these people will be greatly pitiful. 

The last type is the ‘Suffering of Actions’. To be arrogant and full of oneself, all current peace and joy are the cause of suffering. Being inclined to enjoy gourmet food is the cause of diabetes. Why does one get diabetes? Because one is arrogant and thinks that all one’s actions and thoughts are correct, the heart becomes sick first; in addition, one enjoys delicious food, such as an abundance of fish and meat cooked in all sorts of flourishing manner, this type of person gets diabetes and cancer very easily. It all starts with arrogance, by not accepting the words of others, refusing to listen to any advice or counsel. Therefore, I often remind everyone that the advice of others, whether good or bad, is still advice. The advice you think is good is only because it correlates with your own ideas; when you say that it’s bad advice, it’s because it goes against your ideas.

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Updated on November 5, 2025