Quotes – Dekeling

Close

Posted on June 8, 2021October 12, 2021 by Lama Lekshe

Close is what we almost always are: close to happiness, close to another, close to leaving, close to tears, close to God, close to losing faith, close to being done, close to saying something, or close to success, and even, with the greatest sense of satisfaction, close to giving the whole thing up….
Our human essence lies not in arrival, but in being almost there, we are creatures who are on the way, our journey a series of impending anticipated arrivals. We live by unconsciously measuring the inverse distances of our proximity: an intimacy calibrated by the vulnerability we feel in giving up our sense of separation.
To go beyond our normal identities and become closer than close is to lose our sense of self in temporary joy, a form of arrival that only opens us to deeper forms of intimacy that blur our fixed, controlling, surface identity.
To consciously become close is a courageous form of unilateral disarmament, a chancing of our arm and our love, a willingness to hazard our affections and an unconscious declaration that we might be equal to the inevitable loss that the vulnerability of being close will bring.
Human beings do not find their essence through fulfillment or eventual arrival but by staying close to the way they like to travel, to the way they hold the conversation between the ground on which they stand and the horizon to which they go. We are in effect, always, close; always close to the ultimate secret: that we are more real in our simple wish to find a way than any destination we could reach: the step between not understanding that and understanding that, is as close as we get to happiness.
David Whyte, From CONSOLATIONS: The Solace, Nourishment and Underlying Meaning of Everyday Words
2019 © David Whyte

David’s poem accords entirely with our practice from the perspective of outcome. Finding our ‘essence’ as he calls it, is really about seeing that it is already there, already divine, whole and intact. And we go beyond ‘close’ by staying completely in touch with that true nature, moment-by-moment. It seems to me that it’s also about the state of not discovering and practicing this, which can easily last a lifetime. —Lekshe

The Foundation for Good Qualities

Posted on June 7, 2021October 12, 2021 by Lama Lekshe

(1) (Healthy) reliance on a kind spiritual master, the foundation for all good qualities, is the root of the path. Seeing this well, I request inspiration to rely with great appreciation, through many endeavors.
(2) This excellent working basis with its respites, found but once, is difficult to obtain. Having realized its great importance, I request inspiration to develop without disruption an attitude to take its essence in all ways, day and night.
(3) At death, my body and life-force will perish quickly like bubbles on a moving stream. Remembering this and having found stable certainty that after death, the fruits of my glowing and murky actions will follow behind,
(4) Like a shadow to a body, I request inspiration always to take care to rid myself of even the slightest, most minor action that would build up a network of faults and to accomplish every possible deed that will build up a network of constructive force.
(5) The splendors of compulsive existence, even when indulged in, never suffice; the gateway of all problems, they are unfit to make my mind secure. Aware of these pitfalls, I request inspiration to develop a great avid interest in liberation’s bliss.
(6) I request inspiration to take to heart, with mindfulness, alertness, and great care, induced by this pure motivating thought, the practices for individual liberation, the root of the teachings.
(7) Just as I have fallen into the ocean of compulsive existence, so, too, have all wandering beings – they have been my mothers. Seeing this, I request inspiration to grow to a supreme bodhichitta aim to take responsibility to free these wandering beings.
(8) Even if I have developed merely this resolve, if I lack the habit of the three types of ethical discipline, I will be unable to attain a (supreme) purified state. Seeing this well, I request inspiration to train with strong efforts in the bodhisattva vows.
(9) I request inspiration quickly to develop on my mind-stream a path that combines the pair: a stilled, settled mind and an exceptionally perceptive mind, by stilling mental wandering toward objects of distortion and properly discerning the correct meaning (of voidness).
(10) When I have trained myself through the common paths and become a vessel, I request inspiration easily to board the Diamond-strong Vehicle, the supreme of all vehicles, the sacred fording passage for those of good fortune.
(11) Then, when I have found uncontrived certainty in what has been said, that the foundation for realizing the two types of actual attainments is the closely bonding practices and vow restraints kept totally pure, I request inspiration to uphold them even at the cost of my life.
(12) Then, understanding correctly the essential points of the two stages that are the essence of the tantra classes, I request inspiration to actualize them in accord with the Holy One’s enlightening speech, never straying from the conduct of four (daily) sessions of yoga.
(13) I request inspiration for the feet of the spiritual mentors who indicate the excellent path like this and of friends for proper practice to remain firm, and for the masses of outer and inner interference to be stilled.
(14) May I never be parted for all my lives from perfect gurus; may I put to good use the all-around perfect Dharma; and by achieving in full all good qualities of the stages and paths, may I quickly attain a Vajradhara supreme state.
Tsongkhapa, from the Berzin Archives, translation by A. Berzin

Earth Store Bodhisattva – a little teaching

Posted on May 31, 2021October 12, 2021 by Lama Lekshe

I am so touched by this teaching on Earth Store Bodhisattva by Master Hsuan Hua. Much love and respect to our earth. Much love and respect to the vow to liberate beings.

Why the name “Earth Store”? Earth nurtures the growth of all things, and “Store” refers to treasure troves—all the treasure troves are in the ground. “Store” can also mean “to keep hidden”, i.e., “to keep from view.” All the treasure troves are hidden from view underground. The earth can grow the myriad things; it can also keep the myriad things hidden—buried underground.
Like the great earth, this Bodhisattva is able to make the myriad things grow. Like the great earth, he has endless, boundless treasure troves in the ground for people to uncover. Those who believe in this Bodhisattva are entitled to the treasures within.”
What were the vows he made? He vowed:
“Until the hells are empty I vow to forgo Buddhahood…”
…He will hold off on becoming a Buddha; only when the hells are completely empty will he become a Buddha. Now, think about that. How great is that vow-power?
Let us go over the word “Earth.” There are ten meanings to the word, and though the ten still cannot cover all its functions, they give a general idea.
First, Vast and Great: Do you see that the earth is vast and great? Some of you are saying, “Dharma Master, you may skip that one. We all knew it’s vast and great. Why bother?”
Just because everyone knew that, all the more I need to bring it up to your attention.
Second, Relied upon by [Sentient] Beings: All [sentient] beings rely on the earth to sustain life. Do you know of any [sentient] beings that do not do that? Surely none of them lives in empty space.
Third, Not Given to Likes and Dislikes: The earth has no likes or dislikes. It does not pick and choose, dictating, “You! Stay here. That [sentient] being there, I don’t want you.” No way. [Sentient] beings: good, bad, wholesome, and evil, together with tigers, sila deer, monkeys and everything else all live and rely on the earth. All the more, it is not given to preferences or biases.
Some people might claim, “Oh, I know! The earth simply has no awareness. It’s insensate.”
Do you know for sure that it has no awareness? The earth’s awareness and perception is beyond the scope of our awareness and perception. The earth has its awareness, because it is also one of the [sentient] beings.
Fourth, Acceptant of Great Rains: It can withstand the most forbidding of downpours.
Fifth, Bringing Forth Vegetation.
Sixth, A Repository for Seeds: All the seeds are buried underground.
Seventh : The seventh is Bearing Many Treasures: There are lots of valuables in the ground.
Eight, Yielding Various Medicines: All medicines are produced from the earth.
Ninth, Unmoved by Blowing Winds: Not even the gustiest of winds, not even hurricanes, can move the earth. What about earthquakes? They are not caused by movement of winds.
Ten, Unstirred at the Lions’ Roars : When the lions roar, all creatures are scared, but the earth does not flinch.
In light of these ten meanings, Earth Store Bodhisattva takes the earth to represent his name.