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Lama Zopa on Correct Devotion
Feb 23, 2010
"The Heart of the Path" by Lama ZopaExerpt from Lama Zopa Rinpoche's book The Heart of the Path, found in the chapter titled The Benefits of Correct Devotion to a Guru. In these paragraphs Lama Zopa describes his own experiences. 
   Some years ago when I was staying at Tushita Retreat Centre in Dharamsala, I offered some beautiful begonias to His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Offering the flowers was a little tricky as, although they were incredibly beautiful, they flowered only briefly and would lose all their petals within a day or so. I offered the flowers in painted butter tins, along with a money offering of thirty rupees in an envelope, on which I'd written a short request for the development of my mind. At that time His Holiness was in retreat, so I left the offering at the Private Office.
(Note from Jenny: photographs show The Heart of the Path bookcover, Lama Zopa, and begonia flowers) 
Lama Zopa  I think that His Holiness must have been pleased with the offering of the flowers, because that night I dreamt that His Holiness, seated on a throne in the temple, gave me a little inner offering from the skullcaup on his table, and I drank it.
  The next morning when I woke up, my mind was somehow different. Normally, I'm extremely lazy, but during that time, I think because of the influence of the many lamas there in Dharamsala, who energized me, I had a tiny bit of energy to meditate a little in the mornings. I tried to do a little lam-rim meditation as a motivation for the day and as a result, that next morning my meditation was much more effective than usual. I had a strong wish to be reborn in hell for the sake of others. I wanted to be in the hot hells right that minute. The feeling was unbearable. I couldn't suppress it. This wish was so strong that I cried out loud for half an hour, sobbing like a small child.
  I think His Holiness had prayed for me the previous night; he definitely did something that blessed my mind. My mind was different. The dream and the meditation experience were definite signs of His Holiness's blessing. There might also have been some purification from having offered the flowers. From the three types of kindness of the guru, such an experience is an example of the guru's kindness in blessing the disciple's mind. Of course, the effect completely disappeared after a few hours.
Lama Zopa offered begonias to His Holiness  After that I became very interested in buying flower seeds and planting them. When they grew well, I then offered the flowers to the lamas there in Dharamsala. I discovered that the best offering was a flower offering.
  Also, when we do a Vajrasattva retreat or any other retreat that our guru has advised us to do, we sometimes have strong experiences of impermanence, feeling that our death could happen at any moment, so that we have no other thought except to practice Dharma. Or strong thoughts of loving kindness and compassion arise. All these are signs of the kindness of the guru in having blessed our mind. Even those small, transient experiences prove that if we continue our practice of guru yoga, we will definitely develop realizations. It is proof that realizations can definitely happen and can be increased.
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Posted: Feb 23, 2010 9:29am
Australia Tibet Council news
Apr 10, 2008
Focus: Human Rights
Action Request: Various
Location: Australia

Australia Tibet Council

Dear Jennifer

ATC would like to thank all of our members and supporters who are standing up for Tibet in unprecedented numbers at this crucial time. You can show your support in many ways - from getting to a rally or vigil, wearing your Free Tibet t-shirt, writing to your local politicians or simply asking your friends to have a look at www.atc.org.au

Here is some of the latest news ...

Our Man In Beijing ... & The Prime Minister

Australia's Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, has spoken up about Tibet during his visit to China. An ATC representative is in Beijing to brief media and ensure that Tibet remains high on the agenda.
Visit www.atc.org.au to read his daily reports and video blogs.

Tutu Inspires In San Francisco

Archbishop Desmond Tutu has brought the house down with an inspirational speech in support of Tibet, the Dalai Lama and human rights.
Visit www.atc.org.au to view the YouTube footage.

Olympic Torch Farce

A last minute change to the torch route has reduced the San Francisco leg of the Olympic torch relay to a game of hide and seek.
Visit www.atc.org.au to read more.

Best regards,
Paul Bourke Executive Officer


More to read (click on the headings)...

Dalai Lama's Open Letter to Chinese "Brothers and Sisters"

Global Day of Action - Monday 31 March

A Open Letter to Hu Jintao From Tibetans Studies Scholars

BREAKING NEWS: Monks In Lhasa Disrupt Media Tour - "China Lying"

BBC Footage Of Initial Drepung Protests

GetUp and ATC - Sign The Petition To Rudd

Protests & Deaths In Eastern Tibetan Areas

Media Blackout A Grave Danger for Tibetans

Dalai Lama's Threat To Resign: Rudd Can Help

Dalai Lama Denies Chinese Allegations

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Posted: Apr 10, 2008 9:58am
HHDL: Buddhist Psychology
Jan 20, 2007

HHDL: Buddhist Psychology

According to Buddhist psychology, most of our troubles are due to our passionate desire for, attachment to things that we misapprehend as enduring entities. The pursuit of the objects of our desire and attachment involves the use of aggression and competitiveness.These mental processes easily translate into actions, breeding belligerence. Such processes have been going on in the human mind since time immemorial, but their execution has become more effective under modern conditions. What can we do to control and regulate these "poisons"-delusion, greed and aggression? For it is these poisons that are behind almost every trouble in the world.

-His Holiness the Dalai Lama
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Posted: Jan 20, 2007 3:42pm

 
 
 
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Flowers with hummingbird, just lovely.

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