BA1Q5 Questions and Answers 5 (Chapter 1)
With this fifth questions and answers video (QA5/BA1Q5) Rinpoche kindly answers the questions of the Online Shedra students regarding the teaching BA8–the stanzas 7 and 8 of the first chapter of the Bodhicharyavatara–as well as some other topics.
One of the questions concerned the length of an Aeon. Here is some more clarification from Rinpoche in addition to the answer given on the video: – There is a great Kalpa which is usually translated as Aeon. That is the life of living planet like earth. One great Aeon has 80 small Kalpas. So Kalpa or Aeon can be 1/80th of a Great Kalpa or a whole life of the world. Either of these could be the duration mentioned in the text.
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Dear Rinpoche-la,
Thank you for these precious teachings.
Please can you say something about the practice/attitude that we adopt to generate awe and reverence before and as we listen to the teachings alone on the computer?
I refer to the Nectar of Manjushri’s speech on page 26.
Here it talks about the yoga of listening with:
Begin by cultivating bodhichitta
And in the form of Tara visualize yourself.
Consider your right ear a lotus flower,
And meditate upon your teacher as Manjushri.
Think from your guru’s mouth come rays of light
That sink into the lotus blossom.
Meditate upon all beings as Tara,
And at the end, just for two instants meditate
On emptiness devoid of thought.
Thank you very much,
Love and prayers,
Margaret R