Satisfied Buddhist - Domo Geshe Rinpoche

FREE podcast: Listen online or download 1.5 hrs. This was the beginning of a series of teachings on refuge, specially focused to the needs of western dharma students. "Refuge & Western Individuality" - In the west, giving choices is believed to be respectful. Even infants are expected to make choices long before they are ready. This leads to a too-early sense of individuality and separation from others, rather than the safety that children need to learn in order to develop trust. Individuality should not be encouraged until the onset of puberty. As adults, this hyper-individuality has led many to feel uncertain, distrusting of others, and lonely. This sense of separation can be healed through the safety of refuge offered by the Buddha. http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/domo-geshe-rinpoche-teachings/id387058479

The Buddha spoke to the masses, touching them deeply, so they could understand the value of the path of dharma, and begin to practice. Because he had deep understanding and the concepts he was relating to others were abstract, they were difficult to express verbally. However, the Buddha skillfully interpreted important inner concepts so that people actually could understand them. There were two levels of teaching; the public received one type to increase faith and joy in the dharma, however, individuals were trained in the actual practice of transformation. These dedicated, committed practitioners also received the Buddhas personal advice and inner guidance to quicken the blessings. This is the same method of transmitting the dharma even today. ~Domo Geshe Rinpoche ~~~ Der Buddha sprach zu den Massen und berührte sie tief, so dass sie den Wert des Dharmapfads verstehen und zu üben beginnen konnten. Weil sein Verständnis tief war und er den anderen abstrakte Konzepte vermittelte, war es...

There are a number of ways to achieve an unconscious state that will bring no benefit. Hit yourself over the head, take recreational drugs or anesthesia, or meditate on nothingness. Results might be a bump on the head or damaged subtle barriers causing temporary or long term disorientation. For the one focusing on nothingness: nihilistic disappointment. The Buddha awakened to wholeness by a paradigm shift in awareness, passing through a state without foundation. ~Domo Geshe Rinpoche ~~~ ""Es gibt eine Reihe von Wegen, um einen bewusstlosen Zustand herbeizuführen, die nicht von Nutzen sind. Hau Dir den Kopf an, nimm Drogen oder Betäubungsmittel zum Vergnügen, oder meditiere über das Nichts. Die Ergebnisse könnten eine Beule am Kopf oder beschädigte subtile Schranken sein, die zu vorübergehender oder langfristiger Desorientierung führen. Für den, der sich auf das Nichts konzentriert: nihilistische Enttäuschung. Der Buddha erwachte zur Ganzheit durch einen Paradigmenwandel des B...

Aspiring Bodhichitta is not Bodhichitta! It is a personally monitored, mental health training program designed to cause increasingly awareness of the defects of self cherishing, the root of our suffering. Falling into our usual self absorption as the primary tool to work with ourselves, others, and the world around us, we will be regularly startled by how far we are from the bodhi mind, the altruistic awakened mind. Without this noticing causing us depression, we must remember that we are on the path to awakening. Then we again review the benefits of altruistic mind and the suffering consequences of remaining self absorbed. That way, we neither exalt nor punish ourselves, (both are aspects of self cherishing), by wasting precious time and energy for real change! ~ Domo Geshe Rinpoche ~~~~ "Anstrebendes Bodhichitta ist nicht Bodhichitta! Es ist ein persönlich überwachtes, geistiges Programm, ein Gesundheitstraining, dass dafür gedacht ist, zuneh...

Wishes are unmanifested desires. Therefore we must become the person capable of achieving the desire effortlessly. It then is not a desire. Attaining the wishless state has many deep meanings. One first gains perfect detachment to release the bonds of samsara, however, beyond that are the methods of perfect activity of the enlightened bodhisattvas. ~Domo Geshe Rinpoche ~~~ Wünsche sind unmanifestierte Begierden. Wir müssen deshalb zu jemandem werden, der fähig ist, die Begierde mühelos umzusetzen. Dann ist sie keine Begierde mehr. Den wunschlosen Zustand zu erreichen hat viele tiefe Bedeutungen. Zunächst gewinnt man vollkommene Losgelöstheit, um die Fesseln des Samsara abzustreifen. Jenseits davon sind die Methoden vollkommener Handlung der erleuchteten Bodhisattvas." - Domo Geshe Rinpoche ---

Understanding the four noble truths lays the foundation for happiness. ~ DGR ~~~ What does it mean to have a happy nature? Sincere perceptions of happiness will attract further happiness, other happy people, and eventually the support structure of happiness. The first two seem quite obvious but the last one can be misunderstood. Can we appreciate the causes and conditions for happiness without gras ping at them? ~Domo Geshe Rinpoche ~~~ "Was bedeutet es, eine glückliche Natur zu haben? Die aufrichtige Wahrnehmung von Glück zieht weiteres Glück, andere glückliche Menschen und schließlich die Strukturgrundlage des Glücks als Konsequenz nach sich. Die ersten beiden erscheinen recht offenkundig, aber die letzte Konsequenz kann leicht missverstanden werden. Können wir uns an den Ursachen und Voraussetzungen für das Glück erfreuen, ohne an sie anzuhaften?" - Domo Geshe Rinpoche ---

The health of a child and the health of an adult are two very different karmic dynamics, in my opinion. You are now mainly a product of your life you have lived so far, with health repercussions from earlier activities, whereas a child's health is often a karmic product of their previous life. To achieve optimum wellness, we must achieve a health balance that will not be a repetition of the past; the past is where our illnesses came from! We want to be fresh and new... free from earlier traumas. Therefore, we should not desire to return to health, but to go forward into health! ~Domo Geshe Rinpoche ~~~ ""Meiner Meinung nach beruhen die Gesundheit eines Kindes und eines Erwachsenen auf einer unterschiedlichen Dynamik. Du bist jetzt hauptsächlich das Produkt des Lebens, das Du bis heute gelebt hast, einschließlich Auswirkungen auf Deine Gesundheit, die von früheren Handlungen herrühren; während die Gesundheit eines Kindes oft ein karmisches Produkt seines früheren Lebens is...

The outer winds of this world are created and controlled by the sun interacting with earth and water. They are blocked by mountains and can even be stopped or directed by great yogis. The inner winds of the mind and body can be controlled by bodhichitta, the will power of perfection in manifestation. ~Domo Geshe Rinpo che ~~~ "Die äußeren Winde dieser Welt werden durch die Sonne erzeugt und kontrolliert, die mit Erde und Wasser zusammenspielt. Sie werden von Bergen blockiert und können von großen Yogis sogar gestoppt oder gesteuert werden. Die inneren Winde von Geist und Körper können durch Bodhichitta kontrolliert werden, der Willenskraft der manifestierten Vollkommenheit." - Domo Geshe Rinpoche ---

The very first aspect of refuge is a realization that we do not feel as safe as we could or should be. Oriental Buddhism has very careful explanations of how refuge in the Buddha is actually safer than our own loving family. The deep sense of security we experience in a close nurturing family is still not as reliable as the safety of relying on the Buddha, the awakened one. Without that nurturing family experience, which brings inner comfort and confidence, it is difficult to experience true trust. I feel great concern for those who have damaged or incomplete trust system (the latter which is addressed here). This could be a reason that an intellectual view of Buddhism is valued by some over an experiential one. Western culture demands that we become separated from the important learning we gain from the net of safety we should experience in family life while only gradually be allowed to make individual choices. This zone of safety we needed while growing up is almost antithetical to t...

It is the middle of the night here in Illinois. Yesterday, full day of Medicine Buddha empowerment and commentary, today full day of appointments. Woke up thinking how life is short and must make effort! Life is not a disposable commodity! It is a rare opportunity! What is gained at great effort must not be wasted! Mak e effort! The teaching schedule for 2010 is completed. I rejoice in the number of good people who took refuge, received meditation practice and became Buddhists this year. I rejoice in those who have taken vows over the years and have held them carefully this year. May many benefit! Dharma is the mother, father and midwife of change ~DGR ~~~ It is easy to be compassionate and kind when all of our needs are being met. ~DGR~~~

Universal love, when generated by an individual is very good. We have a good word for this in the Oriental system: Bodhichitta. We often talk about bodhichitta motivation but over time, our view of bodhichitta can degenerate into sentimentalism, becoming like a pretty basket of flowers, and that is not correct. Bodhichitta is healing love, super love, inclusive love, and the power behind altruistic love. Let’s find our own meaningful name for it so that we do not fall into funny kinds of love, thinking that something is Great Love when it is actually only grasping. ~Domo Geshe Rinpoche ~~~ "Universelle Liebe, die von einem Individuum erzeugt wird, ist etwas sehr Gutes. Wir haben im östlichen System ein sehr gutes Wort dafür: Bodhichitta. Wir sprechen oft von Bodhichittamotivation, aber im Lauf der Zeit kann unsere Sichtweise von Bodhichitta zu Sentimentalität verkommen und wie ein hübscher Blumenkorb werden, was nicht korrekt ist. Bodhichitta ist heilende Liebe, Superliebe, allumf...

Yesterday, an eight hour car ride gave me ample time to reflect that infrastructure such as roads, bridges, and substantial public buildings are not built to withstand ordinary use. They are built extra strong to hold up under difficult conditions such as storms. Like this, our personal spiritual system of motivation, endurance and efforts need to be stronger than necessary to overcome extreme conditions that may arise unexpectedly. This might be illness, disappointment or events such as the loss of our nurturing cradle of spiritual life in Tibet. ~Domo Geshe Rinpoche ~~~ "Gestern hatte ich während einer achtstündigen Autofahrt reichlich Gelegenheit darüber nachzudenken, dass die Infratruktur, wie Straßen, Brücken und große öffentliche Gebäude, nicht für gewöhnliche Beanspruchung gebaut sind, sondern besonders stark sein muss, um schwierigen Bedingungen, wie Stürmen, zu wiederstehen. So muss auch unser persönliches spirituelles System der Motiv...

If you practice meditation for a short time and discover that you are not coming up to your own high expectations, please do not stop practicing. Many people with great potential are like this. Because they are rigid; if they cannot do it perfectly, they will not practice at all. They give up, saying, "This is not p ossible." Please do not do that! Changing from imperfect to competent is part of the process. It is quite okay that you do not have it quite perfect yet. That is why you are called a Buddhist and not a Buddha! ~Domo Geshe Rinpoche ~~~ "Wenn Du Dich seit kurzem in Meditation übst und sich herausstellt, dass Du Deine eigenen hohen Erwartungen nicht erfüllst, hör bitte nicht mit dem Üben auf. Vielen Menschen mit großem Potential ergeht es genauso. Denn sie sind unbiegsam; wenn sie es nicht perfekt tun können, üben sie lieber überhaupt nicht. Sie geben auf und sagen: 'Es ist unmöglich.' Bitte tu das nicht! Es ist...

The world is over stimulating, confusing and often challenging to spiritual people. Our real values might become turned upside down, and we might have learned many things we need to unlearn. In addition, we will need to remember something that we never knew. Dedicated and committed people enter into training programs in order to unlearn together. ~ Domo Geshe Rinpoche ~~~ "Die Welt ist für spirituelle Menschen überstimulierend, verwirrend und oft sehr herausfordernd. Es kann sein, dass unsere echten Werte auf den Kopf gestellt werden und vielleicht haben wir viele Dinge gelernt, die wir wieder verlernen sollten. Außerdem müssen wir uns auch noch an etwas erinnern, was wir nie wussten. Engagierte Menschen beginnen mit Trainingsprogrammen, um gemeinsam etwas wieder zu verlernen." - Domo Geshe Rinpoche ---