Guns are not the solution

In memory of the victims of the Newtown, CT shooting, I wrote this article:

Newtown shooting and gun violence: a Buddhist response

Please keep the victims and their families in your prayers.

Take action:

Demand a Plan

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On Breaking the Bodhisattva Vows

Not only is it difficult to have the opportunity to receive the Bodhisattva vows from a spiritual teacher, it is also difficult to maintain the vows purely. Gyumed Khensur Rinpoche Losang Jampa recently conferred the vows to a small group of students at the Mahayana Sutra Tantra Center in Northern Virginia. Rinpoche said when someone asks for your help you need to carefully analyze whether or not it is within your powers to do so. In some cases, you might not be able to due to a lack of means, time, or skill. If you have taken the vows and there’s no reason why you can’t help the person, then you’ll break your Bodhisattva vows. This also applies to you helping your community with social issues such as poverty.

Remember that His Holiness the Dalai Lama said, “Apathy is a form of selfishness”.

Please share your thoughts.

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Ticket Sales Soar But What About Tibet?

Tickets for His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s speaking engagements in the U.S. have sold out very quickly, often within minutes or hours of when they went on sale. Clearly, Americans are interested in His Holiness’ teachings on love and compassion.

It is truly wonderful that Americans have abundant opportunities to see His Holiness. In contrast, Tibetans in Tibet are burning themselves to death. Tibetans can be imprisoned for owning a small photo of His Holiness and, of course, they cannot receive teachings from him in Tibet.

While Tibetan Buddhist groups seem to be popping up on every street corner in the US,  interest in the Buddhist community about the preservation of Tibet’s culture and religious freedom does not seem to be increasing. I recently attended several pro Tibet events in Washington D.C., and there were very few non-Tibetans.

China definitely pays attention to who attends these events. Chinese spies estimate the size of the crowds. Rumor has it that being photographed at a protest gets your name on the black list for travel to Tibet. A suspicious Chinese individual was spotted at an event with the Gaden monks that was sponsored by the Guhyasamaja Center.

Over 50 TIbetans have self immolated since February 2009. Imagine that out of desperation, you burn yourself to death, and no one cares. Mainstream media has paid little attention to the burnings. Similarly, the American Buddhist community has paid little attention to the burnings.

As Buddhists who are followers of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, it is our responsibility and moral obligation to do all we can to help stop the cultural genocide in Tibet, to protect the Tibetan people, and to preserve the Buddha’s teachings for everyone to share.

This is putting the teachings into practice. After all, we want a Fifteenth Dalai Lama, don’t we?

Lend a hand:

http://savetibet.org/

https://www.studentsforafreetibet.org/

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How to Rescue Earthworms

Hot, dry summer weather is hazardous for our friends the earthworms. Crossing the sidewalk is like crossing the desert for us. The ground is so hard, the worms seem to pop out and roll onto the pavement. Tenzin (age 12) and I found a worm that was half dead – half its body was already shriveled up and hard, it barely responded to touch. To our amazement, the worm cast away the dead section and revived after a few hours of gentle soaking.

This is Tenzin’s account of how to rescue worms:

1. Bring the worm to a safe place.
2. Examine it carefully to see what’s wrong.
3. If it looks too dry, take it home.
4. Build a habitat using a container filled with damp  soil and leaves.
5. Place the worm in a damp paper towel inside the habitat in a quiet place.
6. Let the worm rest, this may take a few minutes or a few hours depending on whether it needs to discard a dead section of its body. Keep it captive for the shortest amount of time possible.
7. Say many prayers for the worm, surround it with holy objects, play recordings of the Medicine Buddha prayer.
8. When it has fully healed, find a shaded area in the woods. Water the ground if it’s too hard. Make sure there aren’t any ants nearby. Ants might attack the worm. If possible, water the area regularly if the dry weather continues.

Here’s the link to a detailed, caring article on rescuing worms in a variety of weather conditions.

By setting your motivation correctly and dedicating all the merit from your efforts, you create immeasurable good karma and please countless Buddhas. Rejoice!

This is an easy way to engage kids in practicing the Dharma. It shows them how to respect living creatures and to be mindful of others’ sufferings. Instead of lecturing kids about love and compassion, save a worm with them. If it survives, they’ll be heroes, but even if the worm dies, you’ve set an example by trying to save it. The kids will get in the habit of being on the look-out for those in need.

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What is Engaged Buddhism?

Here’s the link to my article in the Washington Post On Faith section with some thoughts about what it means to be an engaged Buddhist in the 21st century. Or really, what does it mean to be Buddhist? Can you call yourself Buddhist if you are not out there serving your community?

Please feel free to share your comments.

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The Circus Is In Town

Here’s the link to an article that I wrote with help from Venerable Tenzin Lhamo: Elephant Walk tests the Buddhist principles of a trained mind and inner peace. The Post published it the day after Ringling Brothers paraded six elephants and 24 horses through the streets of D.C. at night.

Actually, the article is primarily about meditation and mind training.

See the related articles and join the discussion. If you look closely at the photos, you can see the bull hooks:

Nighttime circus parade entertains all generations of Washingtonians

PETA prodding city over Ringling Bros. elephants

Thank you.

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Lama Soepa: Self-Immolation as an Offering of Light

Lama Soepa Rinpoche recorded a statement that in many ways encapsulates all of the Buddha’s teachings and explains why he took his own life.  His voice is calm and matter of fact. The silence that follows the end of the recording is chilling. A short excerpt:

I am giving away my body as an offering of light to chase away the darkness, to free all beings from suffering, and to lead them – each of whom has been our mother in the past and yet has been led by ignorance to commit immoral acts – to the Amitabha, the Buddha of infinite light. My offering of light is for all living beings, even as insignificant as lice and nits, to dispel their pain and to guide them to the state of enlightenment. I offer this sacrifice as a token of long-life offering to our root guru His Holiness the Dalai Lama and all other spiritual teachers and lamas….(prayers)… I am taking this action neither for myself nor to fulfill a personal desire nor to earn an honor. I am sacrificing my body with the firm conviction and a pure heart just as the Buddha bravely gave his body to a hungry tigress (to stop her from eating her cubs).

Link to the full English translation of his teaching and the audio recording on the Students for a Free Tibet website. Please do what you can to stop the killing in Tibet: support Senate Resolution 356 affirming US support for Tibet.

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Lama Zopa Rinpoche Encourages Sur Practice

A recent FPMT newsletter contains advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche in which he encourages his students and FPMT Centers to do the sur offering practice regularly.

On a personal note, you might have noticed based on this blog, that I’m deeply disturbed by the self-immolations in Tibet. For me, doing the sur practice has helped me reach out to those who have so bravely sacrificed themselves for religious freedom. The bardo beings are everywhere and can read our thoughts. Standing out in the cold, dark night on the edge of the solemn woods, drenched in the smoke and aroma of the charcoal and roasting offering substances, I find a way of connecting with their vulnerability. Above all, it’s my small way of repaying these martyrs’ incredible kindness.

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Prayer Request From Lama Zopa Rinpoche on Thanksgiving Day

Prayers to be said on behalf of the millions of turkeys who will be killed for Thanksgiving Day dinner.

prayer composed by Lama Zopa Rinpoche

For a delicious vegetarian alternative, please see this post: Give Up Turkey This Thanksgiving.

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Hurricane Practice Advice: Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Hi from New York City where I’m visiting my parents. Hurricane Irene will arrive in a few hours. Here’s an email from Ven Roger Kunsang with advice from Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche regarding the hurricane:

Dear friends,

Lama Zopa Rinpoche has suggested to those who are either threatened by hurricane/storm Irene or for those who want to help with prayers, to please recite:

1. All the general protector prayers

2. Short Ksitigharba prayer and mantra

Love,
roger

*********

Be safe, be well….May all beings be free from suffering.

Tendrol

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