Why it’s urgent to do the work to liberate ourselves, and how to overcome the main obstacles to awakening. Rinpoche draws from Gampopa’s classic guidebook, Ornament of Precious Liberation.

Photo thanks to Palpung Thubten Choling Monastery FB page.

A SUMMARY
by Maggy Jones

Part 1

I am teaching from “The Jewel Ornament of Liberation” * by Gampopa and my own teaching on it “The Path to Buddhahood”**. Unusually, it starts with Buddha Nature. We all have Buddha Nature, the potential to become Buddhas. Uncovering this is the purpose of our practice; we must develop kindness and compassion – it helps others and makes us feel positive. We know this, so why don’t we do it all the time? Gampopa says 4 reasons: 1^st too involved in daily activities 2^nd too attached to samsara 3^rd too attached to MINE 4^th we don’t know how.

3 types of people come to Dharma. 1. Those who use dharma to lead a better life.  2.  We realise life is never perfect and we must change our view.  3. I would like to share this with all beings so everybody finds enlightenment. BUT there is too much “I want”. We must first accept impermanence. Make every day meaningful and positive because there may not be a “tomorrow”.

• * The Jewel Ornament of Liberation: Many translations
• ** Path to Buddhahood: Teachings on Gampopa’s Jewel Ornament of Liberation. Ringu Tulku Shambhala 2003 ISBN 978-1590300121

Part 2

The whole book is dealing with 4 obstacles. The first was involvement with daily activities, for this the remedy is meditation on impermanence and rejoicing in being alive.

2^nd is attachment to samsara, all its variety and temptations – the kleshas (mind poisons) * The remedy is Wisdom, understanding the true nature of things, realising that nothing is solid or lasting, so no need to be upset. Story about Atisha Dipankara and what is practice. It is kleshas that create war. Rinpoche talks profoundly on kleshas and war. He links negative emotions and hell-realms. Relative and Ultimate truth. Where do these hell-realms belong? What is “truly there”? It is not difficult to create a hell for yourself – or a heaven, so it is so important for our happiness to transform our negative emotions and let go of expectations. Have compassion for yourself and link with renunciation.

3^rd. Rinpoche talks on the nature of compassion and kindness. The “I want happiness for all beings” can become a samsaric “I want”.   Q & A

   * Kleshas (Mind Poisons) – attachment / aversion (one), anger, pride, jealousy, ignorance

Part 3

When someone hurts us, too often we think how to return this. But this pollutes our mind; intelligent people forgive; wise people ignore. This is good for you and for everybody. We must try to do it. THIS is dharma practice – working on our own emotions. We – all the people in the world are interdependent, connected. One suffers, all suffer. The 4 Immeasurable Contemplations. **

What is prayer? It is a strong, sincere wish from the heart. The dedication also contains power. It is not a prayer to a being; the compassion of the enlightened beings is like the rays of the sun – always there and for every being.

Do not take on too much; generating Bodhicitta is the prime factor. Every practice comes down to the 8-fold path and the 3 Trainings. In Mahayana we have the 6 Paramitas *** to guide us; 2 stories of benefits of generosity.   Q & A  Talks on different levels of Buddha’s teachings.

   ** Loving-kindness; compassion; joy; equanimity

   *** For details see https://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Category:Enumerations

Part 4

Q & A  (Q inaudible) The 3 main kleshas, Anger is like fire, Attachment/ Aversion is like Water and Delusion (ignorance) is like Earth. Rinpoche elaborates. Wisdom, seeing things as they really are, is the antidote.   (Q inaudible) Negative emotions are very strong and we do terrible things under this influence but they are also impermanent so if we relax they will pass. 3 ways to deal with negative emotions – letting go, transforming and understanding. The root cause of our negative emotions is an in-balance of our lung or chi. Which can affect our physical health.   (Q)  The paramita of “Diligence” means practising with joy. Make your practice your hobby. (Q ) There are many versions of heaven including Purelands which is above the samsaric forms, created by Amitabha Buddha and easier to achieve.

Rinpoche elaborates on the 3 trainings, 6 paramitas, the precepts, the differences between the 3 yanas and the significance of empowerments.

For more information, visit: https://palpungny.org