Intimate Advice For Us

(Originally published on tsemrinpoche.com)

Dorje Shugden in our latest private 2nd trance in Kechara Forest Retreat said clearly that working for dharma is very good. Working for Kechara is very good. He mentioned in Tibetan that when we work for ‘this organisation’ (referring to Kechara), we will fulfil the needs of others and automatically fulfil our own needs without even thinking about it. This of course would apply to other monasteries and dharma centres too but he was referring to Kechara specifically.

Others may think differently about working in the dharma and how meaningful it is, but no ordinary being’s wisdom can compare to the wisdom and foresight of Dorje Shugden for sure. I am not going to be swayed another person or peer who says working for others’ benefit in dharma has no meaning because most of these ordinary beings may mean well but they do not have unobstructed wisdom. Ordinary beings, although well-intentioned, may not have the knowledge and understanding of the workings of cause and effect to say much except say enjoy your life and indulge.

Most advice from ordinary beings lead to further problems and sufferings. I will always trust Buddha’s Dharma and Dorje Shugden over any friend or ‘friends’ or ordinary beings, as caring as they can be. Buddha’s teachings are infallible and Dorje Shugden’s advice is always something that benefits us long term. We can trust dharma and Dorje Shugden.

Choji Lah is the 7th in line of the famous Panglung oracles of Tibet.

Dorje Shugden said when negative situations happen to us, we should not be derailed but instead think, “Now this has happened and I have experienced the karma and it’s purified.” When we experience something, that karma is finished or finishing. The experience is the result of the karma. Once experienced, that karma is finished in general. So in fact we should rejoice the karma is finishing. This is the correct way to look at negative happenings in our lives. It’s better to look at that as finishing, than lament and be derailed.

Dorje Shugden said if we have problems or sickness, don’t just complain or be in pain and leave it as it is, but do purification practices. All pain, both mental and physical, arise from causes. Those causes are karma and karma is from us. Since karma is created by us, therefore it must be experienced by us eventually. But the GOOD news is that karma is not stagnant and therefore it can be changed, purified, ‘reversed’ or transformed when we apply the appropriate means.

Since karma is something intangible to most ordinary beings (although we can feel its effects), it has to be purified by intangible methods sometimes. Just talking to someone, drinking, holidaying, sleeping or going for medical treatments may not fully take away the problem as the deep-seeded cause is karmic. We of course can go for the company of positive friends, hospitals and treatments but those will be symptomatic since the karma has opened. What we really need is to ‘attack’ the true cause which is karma by purification methods (kanshag, Vajrasattva, prostrations, retreats, Dorje Namjom, Black Manjushri, 35 Confessional Buddhas, circumambulation, building dharma buildings, Heart Sutra).

Purification does not mean we are bad. IT just means we need to purify many actions done from ignorance that have opened, or are still dormant that can cause us sufferings. Therefore applying spiritual methods such as purification practices are very important and if we are consistent, we will see a difference in our situation as Dorje Shugden promised. In fact that is what our perfected Lord Buddha said. This is really for us to go all the way and trust karma. Karma can be changed so our situation can be changed; we can trust this. A tree is known by its fruit.

Dorje Shugden’s advice shows you he is an awakened Protector. This advice is excellent and it pinpoints clearly that Dorje Shugden’s advice is always in accordance to Buddha who he has allegiance to. Working for dharma to benefit others is good and no amount of counter-debate can win over this truth. No matter how smart any sentient being may be with the skill of debate, it can never match the wisdom of a fully enlightened perfected Buddha’s wisdom and truth. If Dorje Shugden says working for dharma is good, then it is good. If Dorje Shugden quotes Lord Buddha’s teachings on karma, you know we can definitely rely on that and change our situations and we should do purification practices.

Choji lah while here in Kechara compassionately performed many various rituals and pujas at the instruction of Dorje Shugden for the growth of Kechara.

We all make mistakes and act out of ignorance, anger, hatred, jealousy and greed. That is our current state of mind but it is not permanent. We are not bad because of it, as it can be removed. Our negative actions do not need to be us. However these actions are stored as karma and they multiply everyday, so we should not sweep those actions under the rug and ignore them. They are like a time bomb and get bigger and bigger until we purify them, or until they ripen and we experience them. Just because no one speaks about it and we are silent ourselves, does not mean they will not ripen or the karma is nil. The karma will open.

We experience the ripening of karma daily, weekly, monthly, yearly as we have suffered from so many problems coming from the ten directions. God, the universe, nature, the enemies we created cannot take away our problems, nor can they give them in the ultimate sense. If something as God or universe can take them away, why don’t they? Because they cannot but we can. We can through purification practices as taught by the perfect Buddha. We should engage in purification as taught by Dorje Shugden. Then many doubts in our mind clears, dharma becomes clearer, engaging in virtuous activities become easier. Doing work for others and engaging in actions that benefit others become clearer. In fact when we clear our negative karma away by purification, doing virtuous works becomes easier. We feel lighter and happier.

We should not complain about anything or spread rumours, or influence others negatively against dharma or dharma work. Why? Because what can you do for them if you take them away from dharma work? Most of us are in dire straits or constantly suffering in one way or another and don’t have our own lives together. Many are not really even happy. So when you influence others away, you take people away from a remedy. You don’t need to decide for them, let them decide if this remedy is good for them or not. If you don’t like dharma work or transforming the mind, that is the karma you created. What results that leads to will determine if the karma is good or bad. The old adage is money, wealth, power, beauty and friends never bring lasting happiness. If you continue to contradict this, then you contradict the truth of life or existence as taught by the compassionate Buddha 2,500 years ago and as Dorje Shugden shared with us recently.

Kechara is a place of healing, knowledge, hope, prayers, positive results, practice based on pure lineage protected by the samaya to our guru and dharma protectors. Many people have found direction, hope, wisdom, help and blessings within Kechara. Many have found a goal and the meaning of life within Kechara and our teachings. We get so many letters and messages from people on how Kechara has touched their lives. We are humbled by this and at the same time encouraged.

Dorje Shugden said if we follow the dharma, do purification practices, do our dharma works, then we will see a positive change in our situation. He said today humans (us) and Gods (himself) can meet due to very good causes created by both. We can speak together and share the dharma together which is good. We can meet again and again in the future he promised, but we should do our dharma work fearlessly. He asked us to think big, wide, far and not be afraid. We should develop Kechara further to be of even more benefit to many more.  Dorje Shugden said to work hard and make Kechara grow further and we can make it even more beneficial. Work on it and be committed.

This is advice from our protector directly. We don’t need to doubt at all and just go all the way. Dorje Shugden said in trance of his renowned oracle monk that what is most important is applying Buddha’s teachings daily, tackling our points we need to work on and have a gradual daily change in our mind to more positive thinking. This change is gradual and not immediate. Don’t pressure oneself, but apply the teachings of mind training and daily make a change within ourselves. When we make this change, we change our world, our conditioning, our thinking, our environment and those around us. He said to trust the Buddha and the Dharma all the way. With Dorje Shugden as our ally, we need not be afraid but we should go all the way.

Dorje Shugden gave us much advice and very valuable instructions which I am sharing here

The oracle monk (Choji lah) was told by Dorje Shugden to visit us, encourage us and bless us. Choji lah the oracle of Dorje Shugden’s visit to Kechara was unplanned by us; he was sent by Dorje Shugden. Choji lah just called us and said he is visiting! While Choji lah was here, we were able to meet Dorje Shugden directly via his powerful and authentic trances. Dorje Shugden offered us the above advice and many other advice to benefit us. Choji lah, on the advice of Dorje Shugden, also did many pujas and rituals to help Kechara to grow.

Choji lah is a simple and very easy monk who has been the oracle of Dorje Shugden for over the last 30 years. He was trained and certified as an authentic oracle by His Holiness Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche personally. Also Kyabje Domo Geshe Rinpoche helped in the training. Choji lah’s father was one of the most famous Dorje Shugden oracles in Tibet also. It is lineal in their family. The current Choji lah is the 7th in line of the Panglung oracles. We were very honored with Choji lah’s visit. We were amazed and grateful to Dorje Shugden’s guidance, advice and love. I am very much indebted to Choji lah and especially Dorje Shugden’s advice, protection and blessings on our spiritual journey to Buddha-hood.

Tsem Rinpoche

P.S. In retrospect to the above, I would like to welcome one of our students’ mother to Kechara today and welcome her volunteering. This student’s mom is here in Kechara and she is starting to open up to Kechara volunteering. She is here to cook for other volunteers and spend time. She is not too religious per se, but she is a giving lady who has a generous heart. She wants to be here for a few days to cook for volunteers instead of traveling and ‘enjoying’.

Her last trip with a group overseas opened her heart, thoughts and mind to the meaning of life. She witnessed someone in her group collapse suddenly and later died while holidaying. This made a powerful impression. Even holidaying cannot protect from the ultimate. This made her think what is the purpose of our fragile life, where even while holidaying someone can just die with no apparent causes…all the money, travel, ‘enjoying’ just ends in sudden passing. How much time have we used up for ‘pleasures’ that gets us nowhere except it becomes a ‘interesting’ conversation to weave for others?

When children work for dharma and they show a transformation, it can make their parents sit up and observe and investigate what made their children grow. When children, at the initial protestations of parents, work for dharma and may not have support, if the child transforms sufficiently, the parents are the first to notice due to many years of intimate contact, love and relationship. The parents may start investigating and even join the dharma, or at least respect what the children are doing. In this way we bring the dharma to our parents due to winning our inner battles one day at a time. This can apply to all relatives and friends around us too.

Same applies when parents are in dharma, and the parents change and transform. This inspires the children to perhaps explore more. If you only spout dharma but don’t practice, then it will be hard to influence children because children are smart and their intelligence grows as they mature, and they can compare what they see at home with their parents to other adults as they grow. So whatever excuses with our children we may have that ‘may’ work now, may not later.

If our children listen to us even as adults, it is because while growing up they have seen the good qualities in parents and they hold on to that and respect that. If our children don’t respect us, it can be bad influence of friends, their own karmas or we didn’t parent them in ways that influenced them positively or some combination of this.

Many times but not all of the times, our children reflect their upbringing and therefore who their parents really were. If as adults we are only interested in materialistic things, travel, food, branded items, etc., maybe that is what they were exposed to while growing up. That came from the parents. You grow up to be what you are exposed to and what you are used to. If you never have to work while growing up but still get abundant toys, holidays, nice clothes, good schools, bills are paid, trips, frequent dinners out then you will grow up wanting the same without the work perhaps. But as adults you will suffer if you don’t get the same things you were used to while growing up.

I am not blaming anyone, but these are just some thoughts. Any shred of influence we may have on our grown-up children will be the good qualities they observed in us while growing up. They will hold on to that. Sometimes just paying for their room, school, food and trips may not be enough to have them respect us when they are adults. Good, kind, human qualities within us is what will matter to them. Parents must show results. For many kids,  not having results but just providing good food and a house is not enough. Food and a house are expected of parents. Remember – sometimes kids can be smarter than their parents and vice versa of course. The best way to influence our children sooner or later is to create changes within ourselves that they can see and be inspired by. After all who do we love more, ourselves or our children? This is the ‘test’.

The point is if we consistently do dharma, transform and apply it within ourselves, then we are trusting the dharma in action. Therefore Dorje Shugden is protecting us. How? We are protected by knowledge and when we apply this wisdom, we avoid more sufferings and in this way dharma and Dorje Shugden has protected us.

(Everything in life/samsara we have ‘trusted’ or relied on has failed us in one way or another, including our anger, laziness, expectations and comfort zones. Wealth, name, branded items, luxuries all have faded and will continue to fade. They can’t buy us the respect we yearn for anyways. Now TRUST DORJE SHUGDEN all the way by working for others. Getting sick for others even when we ‘overwork’ is okay and be happy for it. Focus out to others. Do this until it is not difficult to do and it is spontaneous from you. Then we know we are progressing. Do this daily. Feed others, comfort others, take on the work, be a good example, speak logically, have integrity and do our best for others always. Then our protector will be pleased with us and our spiritual practice will bear results. We will be fulfilled, happy and at peace. We will bring purpose to our lives and the lives of many others. Trust Dorje Shugden in action. Destroy comfort zones. He told me this, to do more. Trust him. We can do more and we will. ~ Tsem Rinpoche)

Over 700 attended the day Dorje Shugden took trance of Choji lah and gave us his holy advice

Our Protector in full trance of Choji lah and giving us a Dharma talk

Our Dorje Shugden in full trance compassionately blessed each person one by one. It was a very powerful and memorable moment for many.