703 episodes

Pith instructions and practical inquiries into Buddhist view and meditation

Mangala Shri Bhuti - The Link Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche, Dungse Jampal Norbu and students

    • Religion & Spirituality
    • 4.0 • 2 Ratings

Pith instructions and practical inquiries into Buddhist view and meditation

    Reviewing My 25 Years as a Student (Link #699)

    Reviewing My 25 Years as a Student (Link #699)

    Speaker: Dai Inaba. Dai-san analyzes the ways in which he's dealt with unexpected life events, including things about himself he hasn't wanted to face. Dai-san described some recent, unexpected events that caused damage to the entrance gate at Tashi Gachil. Staying present with the events and calmly investigating the source, Dai-san was able to respond with equanimity, instead of panic and blame. In looking back over his 25 years as a student of Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche, he remembered being very hard on himself, but now sees clearly the source of his pain as self-clinging. Practices such as Lojong allow Dai-san to view his own suffering as a way to decrease the suffering of others. This has helped him disrupt habitual self-clinging, and focus more on alleviating the suffering of others, with meditation and prayer.

    • 51 min
    On Meditation (Link #698)

    On Meditation (Link #698)

    Speaker: Mary Cobb. Mary shares her experience of meditation on the Vajrayana path of Tibetan Buddhism.

    • 51 min
    Neglecting One of the Pillars (Link #697)

    Neglecting One of the Pillars (Link #697)

    Speaker: Mary Lee Mooney. Mary Lee reflects on discovering that she had been neglecting one of the three pillars- study, and how she has come to embrace it on her path as a practitioner. Over the past few years, spurred on by the forced solitude of the pandemic lockdown, Mary found that her interest in study had grown. Becoming a lobpon for MSB's online courses encouraged her as the wealth of the contemplations in these classes changed her view. Mary shared that studies didn't come easily to her since childhood, and she became aware of the creative ways she pushed forward through life on her own terms. When Mary recognized that she was not fully relating with the three pillars, she began including them into her daily contemplative practice. In doing so, she realized the importance of self-compassion and humor in relating to our humanness as critical for waking up. Mary now feels more grounded in the three pillars of study, practice and service, and in truly being "with" the Buddhadharma.

    • 48 min
    Comprehending Our Mind: Removing Vagueness and Establishing Clarity (Link #696)

    Comprehending Our Mind: Removing Vagueness and Establishing Clarity (Link #696)

    Speaker: Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche. Rinpoche describes how to understand our relationship to our mind, and what supports our well being. There are two sides to the mind: thoughts and emotions. Thoughts are made up of our perceptions and the labels we put on them. We will always remain vague about what holds us back and what supports us to move forward, until we learn how to self-recognize our experiences. In order to remove vagueness and establish clarity we must "bring everything out onto the table". We then begin to develop a certain intelligence and sophistication of mind which sees the relative truth of what arises, as well as the absolute truth, which is beyond dualism. Holding relative and absolute simultaneously and inseparably, not abandoning one and accepting another, is the mark of a truly mature mind. The second side of mind – emotions – is crucial to understand as well. Emotions are nothing more than a façade. When the façade is exposed to all aspects of mind, things become free and open. Nothing gets stuck. Emotions are free to arise and cease. They are part of a bigger awareness that sees everything clearly but does not get caught in believing that things are intrinsically good or bad. It takes focus, discipline and stillness to observe our own mind. This is how we will gain true maturity and intelligence. With this special kind of intelligence – based not on thoughts but direct observation of the mind – there will never be an agony that cannot be overcome.

    • 43 min
    The Posture of Refuge (Link #695)

    The Posture of Refuge (Link #695)

    Speaker: Amy Hayes. As a ngondro practitioner in the refuge section, Amy introduces the idea of prostration as a mudra of refuge. Amy demonstrates how, through the humbling act of prostrations, our bodies become vehicles of refuge using the Refuge Prayer as her main point of reference. The Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma and Sangha) are companions we take along the path. The Buddha is our own enlightened nature, the Dharma the teachings, and through our connections with Sangha our hearts can crack open. Amy views the physicality of full body prostrations as an opportunity for purification. Fully flat, with one's forehead to the ground, one is expressing humility, faith and devotion. Our body and how we relate to it becomes a gateway to self awareness. Just as the seated posture of meditation may be viewed as a mudra of transformation, prostration can be seen as a mudra of refuge. In this way, prostrations are a path and a gateway to enlightenment.

    • 50 min
    What Have I Learned So Far? (Link #694)

    What Have I Learned So Far? (Link #694)

    Speaker: Cary Yang. Cary's question, ‘What have I learned so far?’ as a practitioner and student stems from a conversation with her mother who was curious to know. Cary provides deep reflections on Rinpoche's 2024 Year of the Wood Dragon Losar address, which deals with developing positive habits of mind, including seeing the best in others to create the optimal atmosphere for tsewa to arise. Contrastingly, a disturbed mind blocks the opportunity for tsewa. She refers to Patrul Rinpoche who, in Words of My Perfect Teacher, guides us to contemplate how we listen, as it can be a barometer to gauge our state of mind. Listening filled with obstacles like distraction and toxic thinking is not conducive to cultivating tsewa. However, an awareness of how we listen is a step toward overcoming such obstacles and developing a positive mindset.

    • 55 min

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