His Eminence Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche’s Puja Teachings – August 9, 2026

The Mahayana Sutra of the Bodhisattva Treasury of the True Dharma Taught by the Buddha 
 
His Eminence Vajra Guru Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche ascended the Dharma throne and expounded on “Scroll 33,‘Chanding Paramita’(Chapter 10, section 3)” of The Mahayana Sutra of the Bodhisattva Treasury of the True Dharma Taught by the Buddha.
 
After ascending the Dharma throne, Rinpoche began to recite the Hundred-Syllable Mantra. Then, Rinpoche instructed the monastic disciples to lead the assembly in reciting the Refuge Motivation Prayer, the Prayer of Four Immeasurables, the Sevenfold Offering Prayer, the Prayer for Dharma Transmission, the Sutra of Recollecting the Three Jewels, and the Prayer to the Eight Noble Auspicious Ones.
 
Following, Rinpoche recited the Great Six-Syllable Mantra for a long period. The compassionate (maitrī and karuṇā ) Dharma voice resonated throughout the ten directions, and the assembly felt as if they were in the Western Pure Land; gentle breeze arose, and sublime, miraculous fragrance filled the air; faint, melodious birdsong could be heard in the void, the feeling of waves of coolness washed over everyone, instantly cleansing the assembly of afflictions and defilements. The assembly felt light, at ease, and unimpeded in body and mind, and was thus able to concentrate fully on receiving Rinpoche’s  incomparably wondrous, pure Buddha Dharma teachings.
 
At the beginning of the puja, an attendant reported that a disciple had registered but did not attend. Rinpoche instructed those who had registered for today’s puja but failed to attend, should not come in the future, and that everything should be taken back. Rinpoche then continued to expound on the Ratnakūṭa Sutra this week. 

Sutra: ‘Furthermore, Shariputra, what is chanding(Puja Teachings Index 06)?’
 
Why did Shakyamuni Buddha ask this question? Because chanding(Puja Teachings Index 06) exists not only in the Buddha Dharma but also in tirthika (non-Buddhist paths). Therefore, here, it specifically emphasized that chanding(Puja Teachings Index 06) differs from the non-Buddhist paths. When I was a child, I once learned Taoism with my father and also learned chan(Puja Teachings Index 06). Chan(Puja Teachings Index 06) in Taoism is different from that in Buddhism. Chan(Puja Teachings Index 06) in Buddhism can also be further differentiated, and can be very detailed. For example, it was only during one of my retreats that I came to understand clearly what ding(Puja Teachings Index 06) is and what no-thought is. Ding(Puja Teachings Index 06) does not mean having no thoughts, and having no thoughts does not mean ding(Puja Teachings Index 06). Therefore, one must through continuously enter retreats with the guru’s instruction and reminders, thereby enabling one to gradually realize each state of cultivation spoken by the Buddha.
 
Sutra: ‘The Bodhisattvas do not become attached to that chanding(Puja Teachings Index 06), and are able to attain perfect completion in the Tathagata’s samadhi.’
 
All Bodhisattvas, within chanding(Puja Teachings Index 06), are attached to nowhere. This does not mean attachments; rather, it is not even pausing for a bit. Many people think chanding(Puja Teachings Index 06) is being completely still, with no thoughts at all, completely in a state of no-self and others; this is not so. Attached to nowhere is that the state of chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06) is also the law of fate. If attached, attaching and stopping on this type of feeling of ding (Puja Teachings Index 06), in this life and future life, one can cultivate to the Fourth Chan (Puja Teachings Index 06) Heaven at most and can’t progress further. Because one will remain concerned with so-called chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06); with ding (Puja Teachings Index 06), only then does one feel that one has practiced and achieved the attainment. In fact, chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06) in the Buddha Dharma is not like this. I haven’t transmitted Mahamudra to you, nor told you about the feeling of chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06). Therefore, today I will use the language you are able to understand to slightly explain a bit. The meaning is that people who practice chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06) is not just sitting there for one, two, or three hours without moving the body, eyelids, or eyes and is called chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06); nor does it cultivates to the degree that one attaches to nothing and let go and call it chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06). 

Buddha teaches us chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06), the most important point is to help us to liberate from life and death. Second, because of having the ability of chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06), so then one is able to transmit and teach the pure Buddha Dharma to sentient beings. Without the ability of chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06), no matter how many sutras one recites or how many Buddhas one prostrates, one only gains the good fortune of the Human and Heaven Realms, and can’t obtain the good fortune of the Buddha Dharma. Many people don’t know that they are continually only human-and-heavenly good fortune, including many monastics. This is very subtle. Therefore, he does not become attached to this kind of chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06) and able to attain perfect completion in the Tathagata samadhi. Here, the opening states it very clear: the Tathagata samadhi is the Buddha’s ding, and it is not the ding of non-Buddhist paths. What is the difference between the ding (Puja Teachings Index 06) of tirthika (non-Buddhism)  and the Buddha’s ding (Puja Teachings Index 06)? Ding (Puja Teachings Index 06) in tirthika (non-Buddhism)  seeks to ding (Puja Teachings Index 06) in a particular state without leaving. The Buddha Dharna’s ding (Puja Teachings Index 06) is hoping to be able to calm and still all delusional thoughts, so that this thought can’t disturb the pure self-nature. Especially, when it is during mantra recitation and Dharma performance, one is in need of the Tathagata’s samadhi which is Tathagata’s ding (Puja Teachings Index 06). Using the Tathagata’s ding (Puja Teachings Index 06) to practice, so then one may be able to attain perfect completion. If we use the chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06) of tirthika (non-Buddhism), we can’t attain perfect completion.

Basically, what many monastics use today is the chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06) of tirthika (non-Buddhism), they haven’t learned the Buddhist chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06), no matter how many Chan(Puja Teachings Index 06) Words can be recited, such as ‘seeing mountains is not seeing mountains; seeing water is not seeing water,’it is all simply nonsense. This difference is very difficult to explain clearly through words. Therefore, the Buddha had said that the feeling of learning Buddhism is like a person drinking water: only the person drinking it knows whether it’s cold or warm. When each person drinks water, how cold or hot, only oneself knows. Even if one explains it, others will not know unless he drinks it himself. This concept is unless you practice, if you don’t practice, you will not know, no matter how much I explain, you still will not know. It is like a person drinking water: only the person drinking it knows whether it is cold or warm. Even if I tell you about my experience, it does not mean that it is your experience and your feeling. Therefore, we practice a lot beforehand; it is in a hope of repaying the karma owed from our past lives wherever possible; if it can’t be repaid, at least let this karma stop, not disturbing one’s practice. Only then can one gradually enter the Buddha Dharma’s ding(Puja Teachings Index 06). Otherwise, even if one has taken refuge in the Buddha Dharma and showing the appearance of a monastic, what one has learned is the ding(Puja Teachings Index 06) of tirthika (non-Buddhism)  without realizing it.

Thus, this passage makes it particularly clear: the Tathagata’s ding(Puja Teachings Index 06) is the ding(Puja Teachings Index 06) of Tathagata’s samadhi. Because I have learned both Taoism and Buddhism, I know where the difference lies. Since you have never learned this, you can easily take everything you have heard, seen on television, read in books, or heard Dharma masters teach, lump it all together, and assume that it is ding(Puja Teachings Index 06); that is all wrong. What does samadhi mean? Samadhi cannot be explained through words. In the past, when Tripitaka masters were translating, if a term encompassed many meanings, they did not translate it into Chinese, they rendered it phonetically from Sanskrit. Therefore, samadhi is not as simple as just calling it ding(Puja Teachings Index 06). If you have not taken refuge, practiced, or entered retreat, and if you do not have a good relationship with your guru, it is impossible for you to attain samadhi. As a result, people naturally mistake the worldly notion of ding(Puja Teachings Index 06) for samadhi. They think that suppressing their thoughts and preventing them from moving is ding(Puja Teachings Index 06); they think that fixing their gaze on one object without thinking of anything else is ding(Puja Teachings Index 06). All of these are ding(Puja Teachings Index 06) of tirthika (non-Buddhism).

Ding(Puja Teachings Index 06) of Buddha Dharma is very natural, this is what Mahamudra is about. Mahamudra, in the future, I will transmit only to a few disciples, I will not transmit it to others, including these monastics. The disciple who has been monastic for more than thirty years will never learn it. I will not transmit it to him, because he is in the ding(Puja Teachings Index 06) of tirthika (non-Buddhism) . I will not explain this further today. It is a very simple sentence stated in the Buddhist sutras, yet with such a simple sentence, if you have not undergone practice, practiced chanding(Puja Teachings Index 06), or entered retreat, you truly would not understand what Shakyamuni Buddha was teaching, you could only interpret it literally.

This passage’s meaning is to define and clearly understand what is called chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06) of tirthika (non-Buddhism), and what is called Buddhist ding (Puja Teachings Index 06) of samadhi. One needs to be very clear so then one will not take the wrong path. The Diamond Sutra speaks very clearly: after you begin to awaken, even the authentic Dharma needs to be abandoned, much less what is non-Dharma. That is, when you enter a true śūnyatā(Puja Teachings Index 21) state, it is not that one throws away the Buddha Dharma; rather, there is no need to practice forever. Just like we practice the Bodhisattva Path,at the end is Non-meditation Yoga; because one has practiced every state, resolved what should be resolved, and broke what should be broken. In the end, it is non-practice yoga. The meaning is that with the arising of a thought, one can do matters; with the movement of a thought, one can do matters.
 
In the past, in Drikung Kagyu, there was a 120-year-old female Rinpoche(the Venerable Khacho Wangmo Rinpoche-old ani), she was the only one in our Drikung lineage, and I met her twice. She once spoke personally: ‘As long as Rinpoche wishes to do something related to the Buddha Dharma, whatever he wants, he will accomplish.’ This means that when the thought moves for the sake of sentient beings, it will be accomplished. This is related to samādhi. The explanation of this term, samādhi, is that it not only enables oneself to enter ding (Puja Teachings Index 06) of Buddha Dharma, but can also help sentient beings enter a state of ding (Puja Teachings Index 06). For example, when I am reciting mantras, you feel that your minds are purer and more settled, and you are able to listen and take it in. When you recite at home, no matter how you recite, your minds are very scattered. Where does this ding (Puja Teachings Index 06) come from? It is not that you yourselves raised it. It is my ding (Puja Teachings Index 06) given to you. My ding (Puja Teachings Index 06) and my ability hold you steady, let you not scatter. When you are not scattered, the mind will naturally be settled. What does ding (Puja Teachings Index 06) mean? When the scattered thoughts don’t arise, and delusional thoughts don’t arise, only then can pure Buddha Dharma enter. Therefore, when I recite mantras, you feel more settled and are able to take it in. Why? Because I am in ding (Puja Teachings Index 06). If without the ding (Puja Teachings Index 06) of samadhi, it would be impossible to let the sentient beings in ding (Puja Teachings Index 06).

A disciple who has been ordained for several decades still can’t ding (Puja Teachings Index 06) himself nor can he enable sentient beings to ding (Puja Teachings Index 06); because he has not cultivated the ding (Puja Teachings Index 06) of the Buddha Dharma. He cultivates the ding (Puja Teachings Index 06) of tirthika (non-Buddhism). This can’t be blamed on him, because this is how it was transmitted down from above. If we do not transmit the Dharma according to the Buddhist sutras, it is very dangerous. For example, I have once told you before that when I expound the Buddhist sutras now, it is to verify whether I myself have cultivated to that state. Yes; I then dare to continue explaining. No; I do not dare to speak about it. The Buddhist sutras are extremely important, they can serve as a foundation for you. Their concepts and methods are very clear. You need to incorporate your own experience in practice, and through the guru’s teachings, when your experience of practice arises, you compare it with what the Buddhist sutras say: Is it like this or not? Yes, then you have practiced correctly. If not, then you are wrong, there is no compromise.  The words spoken by the Buddha are true words, words spoken about practice. When you read the Buddhist sutras, will it say, ‘You may do it in this way and that way?’ Do you? No. Rather, it states very clearly, ‘This is exactly how it is.’If, in practicing Buddhism, you cannot accept that ‘this is exactly how it is,’ but instead insist on creating your own brand and practicing according to your own methods, you will never, ever accomplish anything in your practice! 

Why does Rinpoche attain some accomplishments in this lifetime? Because I am fool (obedient) enough. Whatever the Buddhist sutras say, whatever the guru says, I do accordingly. Never ask why. I will never ask why, and never explain by saying, ‘I do not have time right now,’ ‘I do not have the ability right now,’ or ‘I do not have the space for this now, so may I do it another way?’I do not ask! Even if I can’t do it, I shouldn’t change. When the time and conditions arrive, and I feel that I can do it, I do my best. It can’t be changed! If it could be changed, the Buddhist sutras would say, ‘This way will also do, and that may will also do.’ But they do not say this. Instead, they state very clearly: ‘It must be done in this way.’Therefore, as I explained last week: if one practices according to all the methods said by the Buddha, one will definitely attain accomplishment. Have all of you done it? You have not, you still practice according to your own methods. What methods of your own? You take things out of context, practicing only the parts that you think are correct and that you are able to do, while ignoring everything else.
 
Sutra: ‘Moreover, one does not delight in the taste of chan (Puja Teachings Index 06) bliss.’
 
When we practice chan (Puja Teachings Index 06), we will have Dharma joy arised, and light and blissful in your mind. Some people may feel very happy and very joyful. But, Buddha said one must not be attached, because such matter is only part of the process, not the conclusion. If one keeps attaching to the joy of chan (Puja Teachings Index 06), then one will forever remain within this state and impossible to advance further. What to advance for? We advance toward becoming Dharmakaya Bodhisattva and becoming a Buddha. One must throw away all minds of attachment. The joy of chan (Puja Teachings Index 06) is only a process, it equals when we eat food: when it reaches the mouth, we feel that it tastes very good. But no matter how delicious it is, we still need to swallow it and digest it, rather than keeping it in our mouths the whole time. No matter how long we hold it in the mouth, the flavor will certainly disappear. If we do not swallow it, then the stomach has nothing to digest, and there will be no nutrients. Same meaning. If, because during the process of practice, one attains certain states or certain feelings and then keeps attached to them, and not let go, then there will be no nutrients.
 
You were all children once, and some of you even have children of your own. When a child keeps something in their mouth without swallowing it, you tell them, ‘Hurry up and swallow it.’ Don’t you? You know that if they do not swallow it, there will be no nutrients. Buddha’s meaning is the same. I have taught you so much, yet you just keep chewing it in your mouths, thinking that you have tasted its flavor and gotten a feel for it, but you never swallow it. What good does that do? Useless. The disciple who has been ordained for more than thirty years is exactly like this. Even till now, he still brings out many Buddhist terms and speaks to me. He can’t throw away the Buddha Dharma he previously believed he had learned. Today, I expound the Ratnakūṭa Sūtra. I am not teaching other terminology. The meaning is that if today one is still attached to any state during the process of practice, one will forever fail to understand sūnyatā (Puja Teachings Index 21), forever unable to open the wisdom, and forever unable to attain accomplishment.
 
Just as the Diamond Sūtra says, ‘If a demon comes, slay the demon; if a Buddha comes, slay the Buddha.’The meaning is that whatever state you see, immediately cut it off. This state is fake, it is something that arises from fates. Because before one has cultivated the Dharmakaya, everything you see is from your consciousness. Unless one has cultivated the Dharmakaya, one can see what is correct. Before cultivating the Dharmakaya, one can’t see it. To put it in terms that modern people can understand: before you have entered this space, it is impossible to understand what is inside the space. You can’t see it.

Just now, when I was performing the Dharma, I visualized the Western Pure Land. If today you have made the vow to go to the Western Pure Land of Utmost Bliss, then when I was reciting the mantra just now, you would have felt something. If you haven’t made the vow, then you felt nothing at all. What feeling? A feeling of coolness and clarity, a sense of wind passing through, the sound of birds chirping, and a very fragrant scent. These are all of the Western Pure Land of Utmost Bliss. It is not that you recited well, it was visualized by Rinpoche. After it was visualized, this is the beginning of fate. It does not exist here. Therefore, what does ‘when the mind is pure, the Buddha Land is pure’ mean? As long as your mind is pure, wherever you go is pure.
 
Our Buddhist Center, both upstairs and downstairs, is full of people who eat meat. Logically speaking, it is not pure. But Rinpoche is pure; therefore, I can still visualize it. Why is the blessing power greater at the Buddhist Monastery than here? It is because the whole piece of land on which the Monastery stands is pure; there were no matters that should not have been done. But I have no choice. Because if I told you to go to the Buddhist Monastery every week, I think at least eighty percent of you would disappear. Now that the puja has been changed to the morning, there are three people gone. You are not a Buddhist,  you are merely a religion of worship and prayer, you lack the perseverance and determination to strive in your practice.

In ancient times, it was very difficult to go to a Buddhist monastery. In particular, the monasteries of the Drikung Kagyu lineage were definitely located deep in the mountains rather than in urban areas, this was a rule set by the lineage guru. We are different from other lineages; our monasteries are built deep in the mountains. This includes my Buddhist Center in Japan, which is also away from the city, situated on a small hill and removed from the crowds; only such a place is truly a place for practice. When the fate for this place first arose, Rinpoche did not have enough money to build a Buddhist Monastery, so I had little choice but to settle for this site. This site can be considered auspicious, and that is why it has served as our Buddhist Center for so many years. But is it the best place? I would not presume to say whether it is good or bad, but at the very least, it is not the purest of places. However, even in an impure place, as long as the practitioner’s mind is pure, the Pure Land can still be brought forth through visualization, and those attending the puja can still experience it. Did you feel anything just now? (The assembly replies: Yes.) Those of you who did, raise your hands. (Many of the assembly raise their hands.) Very few of the men raised their hands. This shows that they have not made the vow to be reborn in the Pure Land, so naturally they did not feel anything. Second, they do not believe in the guru.
 
Sutra: ‘Although all Bodhisattvas experience bodily comfort and joy, they do not grasp and attach. Moreover, in chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06), they constantly be in joy and in great compassion(maitrī and karuṇā).’

Although all Buddhas and all Bodhisattvas can repeatedly and continuously enjoy the joy of chan (Puja Teachings Index 06) of the body, it is the body, not the mind; but he will not take this feeling as an accomplishment in practice, a karmic retribution of practice. He knows very clearly that this is just a process. Within changing (Puja Teachings Index 06), he is constantly in joy and in great karuṇā. What is the foundation when he is in chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06)? Great karuṇā. Just as when I recite mantras within chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06), my mind is of great karuṇā. I hope that all sentient beings can go to the Pure Land. Whether you go or not, does that affect me? It doesn’t. I could just recite my own mantra, I could just recite for myself. Why would I help you to recite? When I recite in chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06), my mind is great karuṇā. All mantras are for helping sentient beings, not for helping myself. But it is very strange: when you are helping sentient beings, naturally, you are helping yourself.

Many people read the Universal Gate Chapter, it expounds a lot  about how Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara can help us resolve many worldly matters, many people think that by reciting Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara’s name, prostrating to Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, or reciting the Great Six-Syllable Mantra, all the matters described in the Universal Gate Chapter of Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara can be resolved. It can surely be resolved, but there are Dharma methods for doing so. It is not just simply to rely on reciting the Universal Gate Chapter, reciting the sacred name of Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, and reciting the Great Compassion Mantra, and all can be resolved.

Why does one say so? For example, in Tibetan Buddhism, Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva can be distinguished as: the Four-Armed Avalokiteśvara, the Thousand-Armed Avalokiteśvara, the Lion’s Roar Avalokiteśvara, the Horse-Head Avalokiteśvara, and the Red Avalokiteśvara; further, the Green Tara is also a nirmāṇakāya of Avalokiteśvara. Each Yidam can counteract certain matters. In the past, when I was reciting the Common Gate Sutra, I thought this was too easy— one could resolve so many matters just by reciting a bit. But you must be clear about one thing—when Shakyamuni Buddha transmitted the Dharma methods of each Bodhisattva, he did not explain how to practice. Does the Common Gate Sutra explain how to practice? It only teaches us to be mindful of Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva—that’s the only sentence, and there’s nothing else about how to practice. He only tells you what Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva can do. Does it teach us how to practice? No.

For example, there is a verse in the Common Gate Sutra—the compassionate (karuna) body of precepts shakes like thunder, but even if one learns Exoteric Buddhism for their whole life, one still won’t understand how to explain it. Rinpoche asked one of the monastic disciples who had been ordained for over thirty years, how would one explain this verse? You’ve learned for decades, studied the sutras, and even taken on disciples. I seem to have explained this in the past. ( The monastic replies: I don’t know how to explain this.) Why don’t you know how to explain this? You know how to explain these Chinese characters.  ( The monastic replies: I have not attained this state through practice.) 
 
In fact, when Shakyamuni Buddha taught the Buddhist sutras, they encompassed a great deal of Vajrayana Dharma. However, in Shakyamuni Buddha’s time, he did not distinguish between Exoteric and Vajrayana Buddhism. Only 500 lifetimes after Shakyamuni Buddha reached nirvana did we gradually start to distinguish between Exoteric and Vajrayana Buddhism. How do we pronounce the last syllable of the Great Six-Syllable Mantra? ‘Hum,’ and how does one recite it? (Rinpoche demonstrates how to recite the ‘Hum’ character.) ‘Hum!’ Isn’t it a bit like the roar of thunder? (The assembly replies: Yes!) What does one need when reciting the syllable ‘Hum’? The body of compassion (maitrī and karuṇā), and what? Precepts. Reciting this ‘Hum’ should be like the roar of thunder. To shake up what? To shake and open up your karma, so that you can hear and comprehend the Buddhist sutras taught by Shakyamuni Buddha. When you recite ‘Hum,’ it is unlike the way I recite ‘Hum.’ Now let me hear you all recite ‘Hum.’ (The assembly recites in unison: Hum!) Like dogs barking. (The assembly laughs.)

There are over ten Dharma methods in the Vajrayana School to practice the character ‘Hum.’ Before learning Vajrayana Dharma,  I also could not understand this sentence—I couldn’t explain it in text. What does the compassionate (karuna) body of precepts shakes like thunder mean? Particularly since Chinese words were written very concisely in the Tang Dynasty, there aren’t that many characters to explain one thing. Furthermore, in the course of translation, had one not attained achievement in practicing the Dharma method of Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva, one would not understand the use of this sentence. Even if one did understand the use of these words, one wouldn’t know how to recite the Hum character. Without having practiced the bindi and chakra, one cannot practice the Hum character, nor would one know from where one should sound the character Hum. Therefore, why is the Great Six-Syllable Mantra so rare? Because it compiles all of Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva’s merit, achievements, compassion (maitrī and karuṇā), and vow power—the single character ‘Hum’ is enough for you to practice. Simply by practicing ‘Hum,’ we can clear up our karma from past lives, but I will not transmit this because you are not people who can practice Vajrayana Dharma. Do not think that simply by imploring, Rinpoche will bestow things upon you—why should I give it to you? Let us not talk about the Vajrayana practice; none of you have accomplished the things I just mentioned. 

Therefore, in chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06) lies eternal happiness and great karuna because if one who recites the character ‘Hum’ has no heart of great karuna, one cannot sound it out. In simpler terms, one must possess the power to transfer consciousness to be able to sound out the character ‘Hum,’ to help liberate sentient beings.
 
Sutra: ‘With this fate one retains various afflictions and defilements. Further, within chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06) one upholds and refrains from regression. Therefore, through this fate one renounces the realm of desire.’
 
He employs chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06), where eternal happiness and great karuna lie; because of this, he retains various afflictions and defilements. Further, within chanding  (Puja Teachings Index 06), one upholds and refrains from regression. The above means that he prevents all afflictions and defilements from entering his cultivation. Currently, your cultivation is tainted by afflictions and defilement; what sort of defilement? You implore Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva to do certain things for you. When you took refuge in Buddhism, you did not completely repent to the guru for the things you had committed in the past; thus, when things happen, the karmic fruit has ripened. Many people have the misunderstanding that, through taking refuge, reciting some repentance prayers, and performing some repentance rites, one could resolve all matters. Things are not that simple. In the past, when I was learning Exoteric Buddhism, our monastery organized the Emperor Liang’s Repentance Rite, which lasted for five days straight. Apart from a break at noon for lunch, I never stopped to rest—from morning to noon. In the middle, there was a period when everyone would get up to use the restroom or have a drink of water, but I did not take a break; I simply continued to make prostrations. When others did not prostrate, I continued to prostrate. 

Many of you have taken part in Emperor Liang’s Repentance Rite—raise your hand if you have (some members of the assembly raise their hands.) Performing this repentance rite has only earned you the fate of coming to me so that I can berate and teach you. Did you resolve your problems? Did you prostrate in the way that I did? While others rested, I did not— I kept prostrating. When someone would inform us,  ‘The master says to take a break,’upon the ‘ding’ sound, everyone would scatter off like birds and beasts, running faster than anyone. When the master came to make prostrations, they took their time. Some of the grand donors would walk in slowly, while others would greet them: ‘Dharma-sister, this is your seat.’ ‘Grand-Donor, this is your seat.’ They even prohibit others from taking these seats. This is not Buddha Dharma. This sentence means that one must retain all doubts and afflictions. To retain means preventing them from entering your cultivation process.  

Further, within chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06), one upholds and refrains from regression. When you enter chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06), you will not retrogress. Because the power of chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06) is eternally unchanging—it may become strong or weak at times, but it refrains from regression. Therefore, through this fate, one renounces the realm of desire. Because when you become someone who practices chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06), even if you do not practice sitting chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06) today, you will not regress from upholding, which means that you will not regress from upholding the state of chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06). As Rinpoche often says: even if I don’t practice sitting chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06) today, I am still within the state of ding (Puja Teachings Index 06) because I have trained and attained this state of mind. Nothing can stir up chaos in the mind to make me forget about Buddha Dharma, the sentient beings, or the things I promised to uphold, nor will I be tempted by any desires—I simply settle down and uphold within equanimity. Therefore, through this fate one renounces the realm of desire. Because of this, you will distance yourself from and renounce all Realms of Desire. The Realm of Desire is this heaven that we have been born into. The Realm of Desire means you are about to enter samsara again.
 
Sutra: ‘Further, within chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06), one practices the karma of supernatural powers. For this reason, one can understand the hearts and actions of all sentient beings. ’

When you are someone who practices chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06) over a long period of time, you naturally develop connectivities—supernatural powers emerge. There are various types of supernatural powers, but just because you possess them doesn’t mean that you have attained great achievements in your practice, can change sentient beings’karma, or can practice the Dharma better than others. To give the simplest example, the seventh Lunar month is upon us. The venerable Maudgalyayana was the disciple of the Buddha with the greatest supernatural powers; his mother fell into the Hungry Ghost Realm. The venerable Maudgalyayana saw with his supernatural powers and tried to bring her food with his supernatural powers, but once his mother swallowed the food, it all burned in her throat —it was incredibly painful. The venerable Maudgalyayana tried to help his mother with all of his supernatural powers, but still could not transfer her consciousness, and so he came back to Shakyamuni Buddha. It just happened to be the month of Summer Retreat, and so Shakyamuni Buddha taught him to make offerings to all the monastics upon their emergence from the Summer Retreat with food and drink, which would then liberate his mother from the Hungry Ghost Realm. The Buddhist sutras never explained the duration or amount of these offerings, but in my view it definitely could not have been for just one day.

Currently, it’s quite trendy to offer food to the Sangha group—everyone sits together to share a meal. It shouldn’t be this way—one must enter retreat. In the past, those who followed Shakyamuni Buddha to enter retreat were Arahats or candidates for Arahatship (Adept on the path to arhatship), not monks who are ordinary human beings. Therefore, when they emerged from retreat, the merit from making offerings to them was incredible, and to dedicate that merit to his mother enabled her to leave the Hungry Ghost Realm. Many people come to implore me for consciousness-transference, and I constantly remind them to make offerings with the deceased relative’s money, not to me but to others. However, ten out of ten of them fail to do so—how can I transfer consciousness for them? Many people believe that ‘once I kneel to implore you for consciousness-transference, you must practice the Dharma for them; you have compassion (maitrī and karuṇā), and practice the Bodhisattva Path, you should transfer consciousness for everyone.’ Am I more capable than the venerable Maudgalyayana? No, he’s obviously more capable than me, and yet he even had to make offerings to over one thousand Sagha group members. The current trend to treat monks to meals during the seventh month, in the belief that it yields merit, for a group of people to sit and discuss which dish tastes good, which doesn’t, which dish one should eat more of—what kind of offering to the Sangha group is this? The subject of offerings to the Sangha must be a monastic who has just emerged from retreat—it must be their first meal upon emergence from retreat. 

Rinpoche has done this—once His Holiness organized a retreat for a certain number of people (The official website of His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang released the news of the closing ceremony of the International Mahayana Bhikshuni Varsa) I forget how many, perhaps a few dozen monastics entered. His Holiness said to me: You make an offering to them. I said yes. From the first day up to the last day of the retreat, I made an offering by providing all the meals for every day of the retreat. You won’t even have the chance to do so even if you wanted to make such a big offering—there need to be a few dozen monastics in retreat. Rinpoche has this kind of fate and good fortune to do these things—and he does so also to help sentient beings. This means that as a guru, one continues to create fate for disciples to earn good fortune to continue learning Buddhism. Whether it is to kick him out, berate him, or beat him. Yesterday, my disciple earned himself a beating by being disrespectful towards the monastic disciple—since I didn’t teach him properly, I had to beat him.

This sentence means: first, to practice chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06), one must not employ non-Buddhist methods of chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06); second, when practicing chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06), one should not enjoy the feelings and joy of chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06),  and forget that one employs chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06) to further one’s practice; third, once you attain chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06), you will develop supernatural powers. However, once one develops supernatural powers, for this reason, one can understand the hearts and actions of all sentient beings. The above means that although attaining chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06), develops supernatural powers, these supernatural powers are not for oneself, but for one to understand the minds of all sentient beings. The purpose of understanding their minds is to help them, not so that, through these supernatural powers, one understands the thoughts of others so as to prepare oneself to deal with them in the future. For example, some people implore for the Dharma and end up getting scolded because their motivation is wrong. Recently, many people have come to implore me to liberate their parents from suffering and attain joy, but I don’t even want to bother berating them. To be liberated from suffering and attain joy in terms of Buddha Dharma does not mean not getting sick, not suffering from illness, being cured of their disease, or dying sooner to be liberated from suffering—instead, it means to leave the sufferings of samsara behind; joy means the joy of eternal relief from samsara. You’re unable to attain achievement in your current life— why do I teach you to implore for rebirth in the Pure Land? Only by entering the Pure Land can you attain eternal joy. To be liberated from suffering and attain joy means to depart from the sufferings of life and death, of samsara—we must go to the Pure Land and attain eternal joy devoid of life and death, and samsara. 

Earlier, many of the male disciples didn’t raise their hands—they definitely had not vowed to be reborn in the Pure Land, and thought they could attain achievement through their own practice. They feel nothing no matter what I do, since I practiced the Pure Land and they do not want to go to the Pure Land—all of these male disciples are very frightened of death, and they dare not speak of it. They think that by aspiring to go to the Pure Land, many things will come to an end and they will die early; don’t worry! You cannot die early to go to the Pure Land, you must repay all your debts first. Therefore, the Buddha and Bodhisattvas can help you live longer so that you can go after you have repaid all your debts, you cannot go unless you repay your debts in full. 

To be reborn while carrying karma along doesn’t mean you can bring evil karma with you—it’s your virtuous karma. Many misinterpret these words by thinking that you can bring all of your karma with you, so one can commit sorts of evil and tell Amitabha Buddha later: I have come, take me with you. Can this be done? No—this is not what the sentence means. One may only carry one’s virtuous karma along—but in any of the other Pure Lands, one cannot even carry one’s virtuous karma along, and all virtuous and evil karma must be resolved, repaid in full in this current life—none can be brought along. Only Amitabha Buddha has opened the gates of convenience—even if you haven’t been able to resolve all virtuous karma, you can still bring it with you. But evil karma must be resolved in this life, as one cannot carry it along because it will prevent one from entering the Pure Land. The Buddhist sutras state very clearly that the Western Pure Land is where all great virtuous beings reside. Are you a virtuous person? If not, how can you go there? Therefore, those male disciples dare not raise their hands because they are still committing evil. They are committing evil unknowingly—they think they’ve done nothing evil.

Sutra: ‘Further, as chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06),  penetrates through reality. For this reason, one reaches ease both at heart and within one’s wisdom. Furthermore, within chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06), one attains wisdom of equanimity. For this reason, one may pervade throughout all formal and formless realms completely.’ 

These few sentences mean that even if you attain chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06), , it is merely an intermediate state, a process, a transition. The purpose of attaining this chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06) is to open up your supernatural powers upon understanding the hearts of sentient beings. Further, as chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06) penetrates through reality. This means that because you have attained chanding, it penetrates through reality, and truthfully you understand what happened in the past, the present, and what will be in the future, instead of guessing. Many people like to guess whether practicing in this particular method is allowed or can help them attain achievement. Can the Bodhisattvas hear me when I prostrate and implore this? You guess. Why do you guess? Because you do not possess chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06). If you possessed chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06) today, supernatural powers would emerge naturally, you would know truthfully, yours and the sentient beings’, right and wrong behaviors of practicing Buddhism. When you see that they are mistaken, as a guru, you will definitely correct them and warn them through multiple means.

Yesterday, my disciple was disrespectful towards the monastics, so I beat him immediately—I wouldn’t wait till the next day to discipline him. He wondered—was the matter that severe? He thought he went over to help her. First, he did not ask me, and has no right to go over to help her. Second, she is a female monastic, so he has no reason to be near her. Absolutely no respect at all! (Rinpoche berates the Dharma-affairs group disciple who made the mistake.) You think you’re remarkable for being in the Dharma-affairs group? When has it become your turn to run things? Nonsense. Whether or not a monastic practices well, at the very least she is ordained, and you’re not. And you dare come over to teach her! I know exactly what you are thinking: ‘Because Rinpoche wants to know, she is too slow, so Rinpoche will get angry; I shall come over to help to prevent Rinpoche from getting angry, therefore I shall earn merits.’ What does any of this have to do with you? You’re trying to be clever—you’ve learned nothing, and yet you’re already this arrogant. Your behavior yesterday would be considered looking down upon the Three Jewels according to the Kitsigharba Sutra—you will fall into hell upon death. Didn’t I teach you? Didn’t I tell you? 

For this reason, one reaches ease both at heart and within one’s wisdom. Because one is not attached to this type of chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06), one understands that chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06) is merely a process of cultivation; furthermore, it is merely a tool, and therefore one reaches ease both at heart and within one’s wisdom—one becomes at ease in both body and wisdom. The definition of being at ease doesn’t mean that you need to purposely think about something or motivate your heart, you simply perform naturally. For example, his action yesterday may have seemed harmless to you—others may even think that he came over to help the monastic and to prevent the monastic from getting scolded by the guru. However, as a guru, I know that he is wrong, because one mustn’t teach monastics like so unless under my orders, so I had to give him a beating because I don’t want to see him go to hell. If I didn’t possess chanding (Puja Teachings 06) and supernatural powers, and was merely a worldly guru, I would be joyous and think that this disciple is quite tactful to come to the aid of this female disciple who was slightly slow, all to help save some time for Rinpoche. However, I am not. Regardless of whether or not I have practiced Buddhism—I have lived to be eighty years old, and have seen too many people; it is not easy to fool around in front of me. I went from Mainland China to Hong Kong, from Hong Kong to this place, and back to China and Japan. Am I an ordinary person? I have seen every kind of person from every corner of the world—ones who speak Taiwanese, Mandarin, Cantonese, Tibetan, even languages I don’t understand—you think you can fool around with me? You’re overestimating yourselves. You think having some superficial knowledge makes you someone remarkable, so much so that you can resolve everything on your own? It’s too early for that. 

Furthermore, within chanding(Puja Teachings Index 06), one attains the wisdom of equanimity. Wisdom of equanimity does not mean to wait for wisdom; instead, it means we need to develop the Five Wisdoms—only then can we develop the five types of wisdom of Buddha. This kind of wisdom is not attained through turning things around on our own—they are pre-existing, and when we practice chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06), the power of chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06) will uncover these five types of wisdom. The wisdom of equanimity is the supreme wisdom. 

For this reason, one may pervade throughout all formal and formless realms completely. Because human beings and Bodhisattvas who are able to attain such a level can pervade throughout all formal and formless realms completely. Earlier in the passage, the sutra states that one can leave the Realm of Desire, and here it states that one has the capacity to help those who are in the Realms of Form and Formlessness. The Realm of Formlessness is the Heavenly Realm that usually contains those beings who have cultivated to the Fourth Fruition Level of Arhatship, ordinary practitioners cannot reach such a level, but those within this realm are very arrogant because they think that reaching the Realm of Formlessness means that their capacity of chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06) is remarkable. They do not listen to ordinary people unless they think that this particular Bodhisattva is of a very high fruition level, and possesses profound meanings of the Dharma that they have not learned before—only then will they listen. 

We often speak of the Buddhas of the Five Directions as the embodiment of the Five Wisdoms, if we have not attained this Wisdom of Equanimity, which is the Five Wisdoms, meaning you have not developed the Five Wisdoms—your abilities cannot reach the Heavenly Realm, nor can you teach the highest Realm of Formlessness. Therefore, to be able to liberate sentient beings from the three realms means that you must possess these abilities. Without these abilities, just as there is the trend in Taiwan to speak or write the language from the Heavenly Realms—this is complete nonsense. I have also encountered this kind of person — their writing looks a little better than a ghost’s scrawl. If you ask them how they did it, they will tell you that it all occurred naturally—their arms started moving naturally. Fortunately, I learned Daoism from my father during my youth, and I remember clearly that during Daoist chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06), my father would beat the people who would move their arms around or say that they had seen certain things with a rattan cane. He said that it’s your mind in motion—being possessed by a ghost is all false. Therefore, such things will never occur when learning Buddhism.

What is the difficulty in learning Buddhism? Being excessively self-centered. Just like these male disciples, they are very self-centered, which makes it difficult for them to learn Buddhism. I am already impressed that they can remain seated and haven’t run away. They constantly think of themselves as men and take pride in being a man. Is there really anything to take pride in being a man? Without your mother giving birth to you, what could you take pride in! Male monastics walk in front and female monastics behind, this is stipulated by the precepts, it has nothing to do with men being more respected. Do not imagine that this gives you masculine dignity. If you want masculine dignity, do not make your wife do anything. Take responsibility for everything yourself and provide whatever she wants every month. Then you will certainly have dignity. (The assembly laughs.) Your wife would not have to work, if she says that she is bored and wants a job, open a shop for her, never mind if it profits or not. That would be masculine dignity.
 
Sutra: ‘Furthermore, in chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06), one reaches the utmost stillness. For this reason, one seeks further development in the stillness in the Samapatti of Sravaka and Pratyekabuddha.’
 
Through chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06), we can attain the state of stillness. I have personally entered such a state. While in66y chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06), I could hear no sounds and had no sensations at all. I was only aware that I was breathing. It was utterly quiet, and there were no thoughts, nothing. The first time I entered this state was at home. Suddenly, I heard a woman laughing beside my ear, and I was awakened. When I looked at the time, nearly two hours had passed. This state is very dangerous. Once you enter it, you find it so pleasant that you may not wish to get out. If you do not come out, you become a living corpse: your body remains alive, but it can no longer move. Of course, people might call it a miracle, saying, ‘Look! He sits there without eating or drinking, yet he does not die. He has succeeded in his practice.’ From the perspective of the Buddha Dharma, however, this person is a living corpse. This state is called utmost stillness. I have experienced this state, my eyes saw nothing, my ears heard nothing, and I was entirely unaware of what anyone was saying. Even though people in my home were making all sorts of clattering noises, I knew nothing of it. I had entered the stillness.

On another occasion, a friend took me to a monastery where there was a stupa enshrining Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. It happened to be raining heavily, so we could not leave. I sat there in chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06) and entered that state again, hearing nothing at all. Suddenly, my friend’s phone rang, and I woke up. When I checked the time, another half hour had passed. He protested,  ‘Yan, you just sat there while the rest of us were bored to death!’ After these two experiences, I understood that this is not what we should pursue through chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06). Once you enter the utmost stillness, you do nothing at all. For example, if I wish to liberate sentient beings, I cannot do so once my mind enters the utmost stillness, because the compassionate (maitrī and karuṇā) heart to help sentient beings will not arise. Therefore, an elderly monk entering ding (Puja Teachings Index 06) is not necessarily a good thing. For us who practice the Bodhisattva Path, this is not a good thing.
 
We need stillness, but not utmost stillness. If you become as completely still and lifeless as a piece of dead wood sitting there, that will not do. Rinpoche can explain these things because I have experienced this state. I have practiced it, so I understand it. After I began learning Vajrayana, I understood that this state of utmost stillness would not help either my practice or my cultivation of the Bodhisattva Path. Therefore, I wasn’t abandoning it, but I have stopped entering that state. Many people who learn chan (Puja Teachings Index 06) want complete quietude, a perfectly calm mind in which nothing remains, but then they become like pieces of wood. Practicing chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06) requires sitting still not in the purpose of this, I will explain this gradually after you practice Mahamudra. 

It is because you cultivate this kind of chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06) of utmost stillness. For this reason, one seeks further development in the stillness in the Samapatti of Sravaka and Pratyekabuddha. This form of chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06) is the practice of Sravaka and Pratyekabuddha, they lack the mind to liberate sentient beings. After achieving utmost stillness, they wish to prolong this stillness and develop it further. This is the practice of an arhat, it has nothing to do with the Bodhisattva Path.
 
Sutra: ‘Furthermore, in chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06), one remains free from agitation and disturbance. For this reason, one abides in atyanta-niṣṭha.’

While in chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06), your mind will neither waver nor become disturbed. For this reason, you will abide in atyanta; that is, you will be able to perform the Dharma and attain atyanta-niṣṭha. For example, if I want to liberate a sentient being but lack chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06), I cannot enter the state necessary to perform the liberation. It would be impossible without chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06). Chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06) can also be very dangerous. If you cannot distinguish the different states clearly, your chan (Puja Teachings Index 06) may turn into a non-Buddhist practice.
 
Sutra: ‘Furthermore, while in chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06), one constantly  practices pratipakṣa. For this reason, one does not abide in the continuous flow of habitual tendencies.’

Furthermore, while in chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06), one constantly practices pratipakṣa. During chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06), thoughts may suddenly arise, probably some things from the past. This is what you call the subconscious; from the perspective of the Buddha Dharma, it is in your Alaya Consciousness. While you are in chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06), a great deal of information stored within your Alaya Consciousness may appear.  While in chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06), whenever something arises, something you did or thought in the past, you must immediately know which method to use to counteract it so that it does not continue to grow. Vajrayana, therefore, has a Dharma method specifically practicing the Alaya Consciousness. Because the Alaya Consciousness stores everything we have done and every word we have spoken in the past and present, just like cloud storage today. Everything is stored there. When the time comes, it is called forth; once it appears, you repeat the same action. 

Ordinarily, our Alaya Consciousness remains inactive, continually storing information. When something we do stimulates it, for example, if it contains seeds of virtue and I perform many virtuous deeds, the virtuous Alaya Consciousness will continue to grow, strengthening our power to do good. Conversely, if it contains seeds of evil and you commit an evil act, the evil within the Alaya Consciousness will appear, increasing your capacity to commit evil. This means that while we are in chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06), we can reorganize and re-examine the entire store of information within the Alaya Consciousness. When we encounter something bad, we must counteract it. What to counteract? If you are very greedy, you must learn to practice dānapāramitā (Puja Teachings Index 15). If you frequently hate others, you must learn compassion (maitrī and karuṇā). You must counteract it immediately, not think about it later, but to counteract it in chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06) immediately. 

For this reason, one does not abide in the continuous flow of habitual tendencies. My explanation is based on the Buddha’s teaching, because when you practice in this way, your habitual tendencies will no longer continue to arise. Do you understand? Yet this is extremely difficult. Merely being able to enter chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06) immediately and call forth the Alaya Consciousness is already an extraordinary attainment. This is why I instruct you to examine yourselves every night before sleeping by The Thirty-Seven Practices of Bodhisattvas. This is the pratipakṣa (counteraction). Even after reaching the level of the Anuttarayoga-Tantra (Highest Yoga Tantra), we still practice Vajrasattva to repent. Who do you think you are, thinking that you have nothing to repent for? You think that once you have repented, it’s ‘over,’ that it has passed. Yet until the day we attain Buddhahood, there will always be things we have failed to do properly. Therefore, before every time we perform the Dharma, we must repent the virtuous and evil karma we have accumulated through body, speech, and mind throughout our past lives, which obstructs our practice. Take the disciple who has been a monastic for more than thirty years as an example. He has developed habitual patterns, and much virtuous and evil karma remains in his mind. He is still attaching to it, clinging to it, and refuses to let go, believing it to be his advantage. Yet those advantages have instead become harmful to him.

This passage explains it clearly. Why do we practice the Six Paramitas? Because only by practicing the Six Paramitas and reaching the stage of chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06) can we recognize the shortcomings we still have and immediately apply the way to counteract them. When your mind is less distracted while reciting mantras, and you continue reciting for a longer time, you suddenly remember something you have done wrong; haven’t you experienced this?  (The assembly replies: Yes.) This does not normally happen. In everyday life, there are many things you do without ever realizing that you were at fault. Yet, when you recite mantras, you become aware of them. This is because reciting mantras gives rise to chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06), allowing you to see what remains amiss in your Alaya Consciousness. You will then immediately know how to counteract it, preventing that habitual tendency from continuing. You deceive people in this lifetime because you have done so over countless past lives. It does not matter whom you deceive; if you deceive anyone, you had better be prepared to fall into Hell.

Many people think that once they have taken refuge in Buddhism, all the wrongs and evil deeds they have committed will disappear; the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas will erase them and give them a clean slate on which to practice. That is not how it works. I had been a vegetarian for two years before taking refuge. After taking refuge, as soon as I began practicing Vajrayana, I went bankrupt and immediately found myself with no money for food. How pitiful! Yet that, too, was my karma. From a normal person’s perspective, it might seem that learning Buddhism only brought greater and greater misfortune. But I did not consider it a misfortune. I was very happy because I was repaying my debts. I would rather repay them in this way than fail to attain accomplishment in my practice or end up in Hell. I was repaying my debts, so I had nothing to worry about. Therefore, the purpose of practicing chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06) is not to set yourself apart from others because you have chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06) attainment or supernatural powers. Its primary purpose is to serve as a means of helping you progress in your practice.

Sutra:‘Furthermore, in chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06) , one attains the incomparably wondrous wisdom. For this reason, one becomes foremost in all worlds.’
 
Those who regularly practice chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06) will acquire the incomparably wondrous wisdom. Here, wisdom does not refer to knowledge acquired through study, experience, or the ability to analyse matters clearly. This wisdom is inherent in every sentient being. However, because we have undergone reincarnations throughout countless lifetimes, this pure wisdom has been concealed. Through chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06), it can be uncovered. Once this wisdom has been opened, for this reason, one becomes foremost in all worlds. When your incomparably wondrous wisdom has been opened, you will excel in both mundane matters and supramundane paths. You will easily see matters thoroughly, cope with them, and resolve them without leaving behind adverse consequences. This requires wisdom.

In my way of thinking, everything must be considered from the perspective of sentient beings. Without chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06), this would be impossible. For example, I have recently been constructing a stupa at the Monastery. A crane operator originally quoted a price of more than two hundred thousand NTDs, but Disciple Lin negotiated the price down. How much did he save in the end? Is Disciple Lin here? How much was it? (Disciple Lin replies: Rinpoche, it was more than forty thousand.) I told Disciple Lin not to give the money saved to the foundation, but to give it to the workers instead, because they had worked very hard overtime. How did they respond to me? (Disciple Lin replies: Rinpoche, the workers said that they had never encountered anyone who, after negotiating the price down to just over two hundred and ten thousand dollars, was still willing to pay them two hundred and thirty thousand. They felt this showed that Rinpoche must put great importance on the project. They were grateful to Rinpoche and said that they would pay particular attention to the work and ensure that it was done properly.) This is what it means to resolve matters with wisdom. They were still trying to save money for me, saying that I needed to be accountable to the many believers, and so they negotiated the price down. The issue, however, was that the workers had a difficult job. They earned only a modest amount from us while taking considerable risks. Giving them a little more, just a little more; but it made them very happy because they knew that we valued them.

The sutras teach that when those in power do something we dislike, we may dislike it, but we should not maliciously criticize them. Why? Because it is the result of your karma. If your karma were good and you had sufficient good fortune, would you have this kind of government? Would you have these kinds of authorities? This is the collective karma shared by all of us! Regardless of whether you voted for them, you are still caught up in the same mess. Has Rinpoche ever criticized them? No. I have merely said that they have gone too far. The perspective of the Buddha Dharma teaches us that, whether in the mundane path or the supramundane path, we should avoid leaving behind even the slightest karma. We must remain attentive even when doing something good and virtuous.

For example, Rinpoche has entrusted tens of millions of NTD to the Ministry of Health and Welfare. Whenever a charitable organization writes to request a donation, I first consult the ministry and ask what it thinks of that organization, because it certainly knows more about the organization than I do. Just like, I recently donated several million NTD to the city government because I knew exactly what the city government intended to do with the funds. The city government asked me to appear publicly, but I declined. They invited me to receive an award, but I declined that as well. This was not because I looked down on anyone. I simply did not wish to draw attention to myself. Without the city government’s assistance, I would not have had the opportunity to do this virtuous deed. The recognition should go to the city government, not to me. Why should I put myself in the spotlight? Is giving some money really such a remarkable deed? That is why I refused to appear publicly. The city government invited me with great sincerity. They even sent a representative here who knelt down to make the invitation, but I still declined. My way of thinking differs from other people’s. Had the city government not informed me of the need and helped me, I would never have had the opportunity to do this virtuous deed. Not because I was the one who gave money that I have done a virtuous deed. To put it simply, if no one accepts your donation, what use are you? Without good fortune and fate, you will have no opportunity to perform virtuous deeds even if you wish to do so. I have encountered people like this, when told to perform a virtuous deed, they cannot find anyone to help and therefore have no way to do it.

For example, I also donated several million to the Miaoli County Government. I told them: Please distribute this money to impoverished people who genuinely need help but are not in the county social assistance coverage. They identified many people in need. Some had no money because they had been imprisoned; some were left without money because a family member had died and the estate had not yet been divided. I said not to give the money to those people. Why not? If you break the law and cause the next generation to suffer, you create very serious karma. Am I supposed to help you escape your own karma? When someone dies, and the estate has not yet been divided, what is there to fight over? I will not give money in such cases. However, I will help those who cannot afford a coffin, medical treatment, food, or an education. The county government must also provide a clear written account of every payment. Even doing virtuous deeds requires wisdom. Do not be a pushover. The sutras have already taught that those who try to be kind but without wisdom can likewise fall into Hell. Do not think that you can simply hand all your money to an organization, ask it to donate the money on your behalf, and then pay no further attention to what happens. That isn’t right.

Because of chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06), one attains the incomparably wondrous wisdom. For this reason, one becomes foremost in all worlds. When you possess this kind of wisdom, you carefully consider every worldly matter and cope with it through wisdom and compassion (maitrī and karuṇā) without harming sentient beings. Take the crane job, for example. I bargained the contractor’s price down. He wanted my business, so of course he allowed me to negotiate. But was he happy about it? Certainly not. With some contractors, I bargain very aggressively because they stand to make a considerable profit, so of course I drove a bargain. In this way, I have saved the Monastery a great deal of money. So far, Rinpoche has not claimed a single cent from the Monastery. For example, the Monastery covers the cost of the food and ingredients for those who come to cook for me, but it does not pay their transportation expenses. So, we, as people who are learning Buddhism, must understand that we should not perform virtuous deeds out of greed for merit. We must have wisdom and examine things carefully. Do not act carelessly and then boast about how many virtuous deeds you have done; that would only have the opposite effect.  Accepting offerings also requires wisdom. I cannot accept them indiscriminately. Even if the offering comes from my disciples, I may not accept it. This does not necessarily mean that the disciple has done something wrong. Sometimes I consider the person’s circumstances and feel that I don’t have the heart to accept it. If the disciple is sincerely striving to improve, I may accept one thousand NTD from them.

I asked the monastic disciple just a moment ago: How much did I return yesterday? (The monastic disciple replies: By a conservative estimate, three million; by a rough estimate, 3.3 million.) We were just discussing this. Why did you not try to stop me? (The assembly laughs.) Therefore, without wisdom, you will make mistakes in both worldly affairs and the Buddha Dharma. What would it have mattered if I had accepted an additional three million yesterday? They made offerings willingly. However, Rinpoche must consider each person’s circumstances and their mind. I am not refusing every offering. If someone is sincerely striving to improve, I may accept one thousand NTD from them. Then both that person and I are happy. Why am I happy? Because I do not have to shoulder so much. Why are they happy? Because Rinpoche has accepted their offerings.

If you do not practice the Six Paramitas step by step, how can you claim to be practicing the Bodhisattva Path? What Bodhisattva Path are you practicing? You are not practicing it at all. Since you have not cultivated the Bodhisattva Path, behave yourselves and implore to be reborn in the Pure Land. Stop thinking, ‘I implore Rinpoche to transmit this Dharma to me.’ What is the point of transmitting it to you? Do you think that learning a little more will make you the most senior Dharma brother? I am not running a martial arts school. There is no first senior disciple, second senior disciple, or third senior disciple here. I transmit further teachings to you according to your cultivation progress and the results of your practice. Otherwise, I transmit nothing. I now possess many Dharma texts whose teachings I have not transmitted, because my male disciples are far too attached to their masculine pride. I can’t continue transmitting the Dharma to them. I have masculine pride too; how to manage this out? If everyone insists on competing, none of you could possibly outdo me. I simply don’t transmit.
 
Sutra: ‘Furthermore, in chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06), one first understands the thoughts and intentions of sentient beings comprehensively.’

Through chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06), you first gain insight into and understand comprehensively what sentient beings are thinking in their minds.
 
Sutra: ‘For this reason, one becomes foremost among all sentient beings.

Sentient beings are not limited to humans; they include animals as well, and you will be able to understand them too. A very long time ago, one of my employees had a dog. One day, he told me about the way the dog had been barking. I said: The food you are giving your dog is too hard for it to chew. Give it something softer. He told me that the dog really would not eat hard food but would eat the soft one, because it was old and had bad teeth. If I had lacked chanding (Puja Teachings Index 06) and could not understand the dog’s thoughts and intention, I would not have been able to help it by hearing it bark a few times. Do not, therefore, think that you should learn how to interpret a dog’s barking. Every dog barks differently; each has its own way. All right, this concludes today’s teaching.
 
Next Sunday, I will perform the Chod. Because the Chod must be performed in the afternoon, next week’s puja will begin at two o’clock in the afternoon. (The assembly replies: Thank you, Rinpoche.) Only next week. (The assembly replies: Yes.) It has to be yes, whether you like it or not. Now we will perform the Dharma Protector Achi Liturgy.

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Updated on August 12, 2026