{"collection":"Buddhism","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/bud/tib/lama93.htm","path":"bud/tib/lama93.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/bud/tib/lama93.htm","text":"[This document can be acquired from a sub-directory coombspapers via anonymous\nFTP and/or COOMBSQUEST gopher on the node COOMBS.ANU.EDU.AU]\nThe document's ftp filename and the full directory path are given in the\ncoombspapers top level INDEX file]\n[This version: 2 August 1993]\n-----------------------------------------------------------------------------\nThis text addresses some of the most fundamental and delicate religious issues.\nTherefore, it should be read, quoted and analysed in a mindful way.\nIS PRACTICE AN INFORMED CHOICE?\nby Lama Choedak\n[reprinted with permission from the CLEAR MIND QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER No 10,\nAug-Oct 1993]\nCopyright 1993 (c) by Lama Choedak Yuthok, Sakya Losal Choe Dzong, Canberra\nNgondro is an indispensable foundation practice for all those who have embarked\non the path of Vajrayana Buddhism. By practising Ngondro with firm faith,\ninspiration, diligence and patience according to the unmistaken practices of the\nlineage and completing at least the prescribed number, one will cultivate a\nsolid foundation which is so vital in one's Dharma practice. Even if one has\nmastered the knowledge of many Buddhist Sutras and Shastras, the true\nrealisation and blessings of the Triple Gem, Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and the\nlineage Gurus cannot be obtained until one truly cultivates Ngondro practices.\nWhile it is stimulating to hear the teachings on \"Mahamudra\", \"Dzogchen\" or\n\"sudden realisation\", the true realisation develops from the lesser to the\ngreater degree by purifying one's negativities and accumulating virtuous deeds.\nIn this real conventional world, application of the basic pinciples of the\nteachings are more important than the end result, as results whether obtained\ngradually or suddenly, are determined by the relevant causes and conditions. If\nit was not for the accumulation of merit and purification of negativitive deeds,\nthere will be nothing to do on the path of enlightenment. Philosophers and\ndialectics can indulge in endless and obssessive debates on the differences of\ngradual and sudden paths, but humble devotees of the Dharma have to work for the\ncultivation of a firm foundation through faith in the Triple Gem, diligence in\nthe purification of one's negativities; and unshakeable devotion in the Guru and\nhis lineage.\nPractitioners who have not set their feet on the Ngondro practices can be seen\ndrifting from one teacher to another or from one tradition another without any\nsense of direction and discipline in their practices. Disciples who appear to\nhave had many teachers but lack true faith and discipline in themselves are lost\nfor they fail to practise their instructions. Without considering requirements\nand committment of themselves as disciples, they will run hither and thither\nbetween different lineages like a person, who has failed to secure a healthy\nrelationship. They will not have any idea of loyalty, friendship and endurance\nthat is required on the path of Dharma, because they have not understood the\nmeaning of refuge and will therefore be reluctant to adopt foundation practices\nas they are enslaved by their own ego and procrastination. Until one can break\none's old habitual pattern through the prescribed foundation practices one\ncannot modify one's old habit. It will be equally difficult to be able to see\nthe amount of negativies which are haunting one's mind, so one fails to see how\nthe three poisons of one's own mind are creating the sufferings. One will be so\nbenumbed by one's own illusion that the need of the purification practice\nthrough Vajrasattva meditation will not even occur in the mind. Under these\ncircumstances, the notion of restraining from non-virtuous deeds and\naccumulating virtue through the rite of Mandala offering will be almost\nimpossible to imagine, let alone doing it with faith and devotion. For\npractitioners who are in that state of mind, even if the Buddha himself\nmanifested in person, they will fail to see him, but will be looking for\nsomething else. This is the reason why people must become familiar with the\nfour common foundations until their minds and hearts are matured by those basic\nteachings before learning the uncommon practices and leaping forward for high\nteachings. For those who haven't cultivated their foundation, no high\nteachings or high teachers will be able to help them as their faith in the\nlineages and teachings are yet to be cultivated. People who have not adopted\na sound practice in their lives will not find happiness with whatever they might\ndo with themselves.\nUnfortunately there are some teachers who profess the unsuitability of\ntraditional practices such as prostrations and Mandala offering to their Western\nDharma students. It is very likely that those teachers who dissuade people from\nfollowing these traditional practices, never completed the preliminary\npractices themselves. Or else they may have lost faith in such practices due\nto their own failure to experience the real benefit of those practices.\nDeliberately telling the unsuitability of such practices is dangerous and\nmisleading for they will water down the traditional practices. The\nover-emphasis on the reactive feeling of the individuals rather than how to\novercome such feelings and their causes will loose the depth and quality of\nthese practices. Authentic practices are aimed for the long term benefit of\noneself and others. It is different from short term emotional patch up\nsessions. The practice of Dharma is not a sprint run, it is rather like a\nmarathon. Trees which bear fruit take number of years to grow even if one takes\nall the appropriate care for the seed, sprout and so forth. One can buy\nartificial plastic trees made in Hong Kong for instantaneous decoration for an\nemotional party but they are not comparable with the natural trees. To be a\nstable practitioner, one must be patient and diligent for without these two\nbasic qualities, it is difficult to be a practitioner. Diligence and patience\nwill be truly tested when one experiences the difficulties of maintaining the\npractice. Why is it easier to start many shortlived relationships but very\ndifficult to maintain one healthy relationship? Practising Ngondro not only\nestablishes a healthy relationship with oneself but it is probably the best\nthing one can offer to oneself. While we may have come several hundred years\nafter the eminent teacher who prescribed these practices, we still have the same\nnegativities for which these practices were prescribed in the first place. One\nmust have the wisdom to distinguish between authentic teachings of the past\nrealised masters and the over-simplified version of ancient teachings into\nmodern theraphy sessions. Sakya Pandita said:\n\"The precious gems stay at the bottom of the sea-bed, but the unwanted rubbish\nfloats on the surface of the sea\".\nFortunately there are still few true lineage holders who will protect such\npractices from the danger of deliberate degeneration caused by carelessness and\ndisrepect. In order to find the precious gems of realisations, one must dive\ndeeper into the ocean of practice without being disheartened by the discharge of\none's own emotional negativities. True practice begins when one resolves to\nmodify one's old behaviour by discovering one's own weaknesses and failures by\nadopting the foundation practices. One will prioritize one's practice, if it an\ninformed choice which gives rise to have faith in the practice. As each day,\nweek and year comes to their conclusions, one often wonders whether anything has\nbeen achieved or not. Well, if one is to faithfully follow the prescriptions\nof the Dharma by adopting these basic and yet most crucial practices in our\ndaily lives, such question will not arise even at the time of death. Attending\nthe Wednesday night practice sessions with fellow Dharma friends at the centre\nis a good opportunity where one can start to build a sound discipline in one's\nlife.\n-----------------------------------------------------------------------------\nend of file","title":"Is Practice an Informed Choice? by Lama Choedak","type":"page"}