©2023 The Ringu Tulku Archive
Ringu Tulku Rinpoche
Teachings on Bodhicharyavatara
Session 30
Chapter 6: Patience
Stanzas 98-99
In these next two verses we are looking at how we receive praise, or criticism; how when someone praises us we can carried away in the glory, develop pride and forget our path of renunciation, because if we indulge in adulation it develops an attachment to the samsaric way. If we are on the receiving end of praise it shouldn’t feed our hunger for recognition, but be accepted with humility, with an understanding of the way even good things can change in a flash into something negative. On the other hand, being on the receiving end of criticism even when it is not intended as such can be hurtful and generate hostility, so we should also look for the truth in what is happening, recognising our personal fault-lines when they are exposed to us, be thankful to our enemy for the reminder, and leave aside our angry hurt pride. This is true patience.
If we dwell on the criticism, we become resentful, and forget our own potential. There is no room for martyrdom here. It often happens that a negative interaction comes through misunderstanding, and knowing this can help us to look compassionately on the other person. Having that attitude may even generate a new resilient friendship.
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Rinpoche, if a very negative emotion comes up like envy that makes you feel awful, drained of all goodness, how best to deal with this? Is it just to see how destructive it is, to recognise this and somehow disengage from it? Is the recognising of it an aspect of patience?
Thank you
Rimpoche, I have a question about PRAYER, and WHOM do we pray.
We say that we pray to the Three Jewels, in order to be able to see the Truth, and free all sentient beings.
But should not the prayer be addressed rather to myself than to the Buddhas ?
Because I pray to be able to transform MY mind, isn’t it ?
Buddha Shakyamuni has already « done his job « , if I may express so, by giving us the teachings, and it is now up to me to apply them.
Do we still expect something more from the Buddhas ?
Thank you for commenting.
Marie (France)
This recording kept pausing/freezing have others found this please? Thank you for all your devoted time as a team making these teachings technologically available:-) in gratitude, Margaret
Dear Margaret, thank you for letting us know. I first thought it could have to do with your broadband or some other local reason, but does that to me also, and I know the internet here is ok and the other videos are playing fine. Maybe there is some other reason causing this. We’ll look to it.
Try it now Margaret. X