Garchen Rinpoche : How to Overcome Difficulties

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The first step to eliminate suffering is to give up clinging to this life. From the day we are born to our mothers, until the day we die, this entire life is like last night's dream. After we have died, we awaken in the Bardo the intermediate state after death. Then this entire lifetime will seem just like a dream; the human world will become a fading memory. It is like waking up from a dream. At this point, if we have failed to eliminate self grasping, frightening appearances will manifest compared to which, this human world appears as a pure land. Milarepa knew what would happen if he failed to purify self-grasping, and thus he had the courage to dedicate his entire life to practice, undaunted by hardship. Thus, whenever you encounter difficulty, consider: "this life is like a dream, before too long it will come to an end, and when it comes to an end, I must be prepared."

In order to secure happiness beyond this life, it is important to understand the causes of happiness. In order to avoid causes of suffering, we must give up self cherishing attitudes and cultivate an altruistic mind that seeks the benefit of others. The jewel of Bodhichitta is the only protection at the time of death. The essence of this is found in the 37 Bodhisattva Practices it contains a remedy for any kind of suffering, an answer to all questions. Although the Buddha's teachings are vast, the Buddha himself summarized: "perfectly tame your own mind, this is the Buddha's teaching."

Although most of us live like kings and queens, still we are very skilled in finding a way to suffer nothing is ever good enough. The rich suffer from their possessions, the poor suffer from a lack of possessions. Milarepa lived in a cave without food and drink and he was the happiest person in the world. The truth is that we can only find happiness in our mind. If the mind has a habit of grasping at suffering, it will create suffering and perceive everything as an enemy and a threat. If one does not grasp inside the mind, even an actual difficult circumstance, like an illness, is not perceived as suffering. Truly understanding karma will enable us to tolerate our present circumstances and will teach us how to abandon suffering in the future.Karma can be explained very easily Love is the cause of happiness; self-grasping is the cause of suffering. Therefore, in the 37 Bodhisattva Practices it says: "all suffering without exception comes from wishing for one's own happiness. The perfect Buddhas arise from the altruistic mind."

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A teaching on refuge that Garchen Rinpoche gave in Lapchi in one of Milarepa's caves to a few retreatants.

"Gampopa said, “If we do not practice Dharma in accordance with the Dharma, then Dharma itself will become the cause for falling into the lower realms.” What are the so-called Three Jewels? The outer Buddha refers to all the buddhas of the three times. The outer Dharma consists of the 84,000 heaps of Dharma teachings, yet they are included within loving kindness and compassion. Sangha refers to a person who has cultivated loving kindness and compassion, a good-hearted person. Having been liberated from one’s own suffering, rooted in self-grasping, one is able to show the path of liberation to others. This is the Sangha. Having received the refuge vow, the Three Jewels are also contained within your own mindstream. These are called the inner Three Jewels. The inner Buddha is your mindful awareness and alertness. The inner Dharma is to never let go of loving kindness and compassion, the altruistic mind.

What is the benefit of an altruistic mind? It will destroy self-grasping. When self-grasping collapses, on their very ground, all sentient beings are buddhas. Lord Buddha said: “The Buddha is within all sentient beings. Yet they are obscured by adventitious stains.” What are these adventitious stains? All thoughts and afflictive emotions are contained within a single turn of mind, the root of all sentient beings of the three realms is self-grasping. In reality self-grasping is a mental fixation, a thought grasping at a reality. Tilopa said, “Son! You are not fettered by the appearances, you are fettered by grasping at them.” Once all grasping is cleared away, there is nothing that can obscure the mind. Even if thoughts arise, they will not obscure the mind, if you do not grasp at them. If you grasp at them, you will be hurt like being pricked with a thorn, you will become obscured. This is called ‘fettered.’ We are not fettered by the extent of thoughts that arise, as long as we do not grasp at them.

All you practitioners, retreatants, mountain hermits, know this, yet listen to the advice of me, a man with experience. I have gathered many experiences of suffering and difficulties in this lifetime. It is said, “an elder sick person is the best doctor.”