Two Main Activities Of The Monastery Very Strong And Very Complete
25.11.2022, Zoom
(excerpt)
(Rinpoche asked everyone)
We have been talking about me to teach through the Internet about the commentary on Ngondro. And it is taking more time than I thought, because here is still, let say the COVID situation is not very good and it affects a lot of things here and that keeps us some sort of busy. Another way of busy, but we will do that and then I think everyone, especially everyone wishes to hear that teaching online. Right?
It is Thanksgiving today over there, which does not exist here, but it is something important or something in the life of people in the US. So, therefore, I would like to say Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.
Because of the COVID situation here, we actually are not able to hold the winter teachings normally. But we started the winter teachings yesterday – doing our Avalokiteshvara practice and reciting the mantra of Avalokiteshvara and to dedicate this merit for the people in the world to be successful, to be healthy and to not to get a lot of distractions and obstacles from this situation. I know it is a better, much better that with that situation in the US, but here it is still something very effective, because of the policy here and there are a lot of for control and a lot of limits. So, we are not able to hold the winter teachings as a normal as before. But we have not stopped it completely. Yes, we do it in a very small way and in a shorter way. It is actually much shorter and the size is smaller. Something like that!
It is a situation and a problem with the Covid. Everything is still good here. Everything is very normal as usual. And the Sangha is doing good and in good shape, physically and mentally, and doing the correct things, going on the correct path, and studying, learning, hearing, meditating, everything is going very well. And also, the Sangha, including myself, have been thinking about everyone, anyone who has connection with us, who has a kind mind and who has good faith with us. We are thinking of you, thinking of them, and we are praying for them, for you, and we are dedicated for everyone – that is what we have been doing.
I also have done many projects and we are still doing some good projects for the monastery to improve the needs of the life of Sangha here and the monastery needs. People have been very generous, kind and support a lot of donations. All the donations went to the purpose. And because of that, many projects are finished and they are very useful. People, the Sangha here, have been using and they are very happy for that and very thankful to everyone.
And then, some of our Dharma friends, good friends, unfortunately, they have passed away. We did a lot of prayers for them and we are still keeping them in our prayers. Especially, we often meet with the group of the meditation centers and regularly we have practices and practices for specifically to liberate to help these people. We have been thinking and we have been creating many good actions for them and we are not forgetting of those people specifically. And the family member of those people who left us, who passed away, they can believe that we are trying our best to show them the correct path and to pray for them to reborn and to pure lands and we are dedicating a lot for them.
I already mentioned this issue or this important point to everyone. For a monastery, the main things or very important two things are the Studying and the Meditating (or Practicing). And the Dharma School in the monastery is getting much energetic and getting bigger and more people have more interest in studying Dharma and therefore you should be proud of that. Because of you have the mind to support and to help us and we, because of you, because of that connection, because of that merit… All that causes, we are able to do many good actions and improve study, improve the knowledge of the Sangha. And many monks, many young monks are on the correct path and study really hard and very well and very diligently. So, that’s something I really want you to see because you deserve it. I think so. The other thing is meditation centers. This year, we established four meditation centers. Each place has 10 rooms for 10 monks and 10 nuns. Total, this year, we built 4 meditation centers and right now, new people, who want to be in the retreat for about four-year program retreat, are getting in. Every room, every place is full and people are very energetic, very sort of enthusiastic to be in this meditation center, which means people have the mind, people have devotion into the real Dharma, people have the dedication or the motivation to really practice the real Dharma. That also I want to share with you, because it is something very good.
So, there is a place to study in the monastery and another place in Yogi Center and other place like Dharma School in another area. That is the three of them together have more than 500 people. 500 monks, nuns, yogis are regularly studying in the Dharma schools. And we have had other Retreat centers before. Then the new ones, so total is 108 monks, nuns, yogis been in the Retreat centers for 3,5-year program. So that are two main activities, two main parts of the monastery and these two main parts are very good. It is very energetic, and a lot of activities, and a lot of form wisdom, developing wisdom and also there are meditators meditate on Dzogpa Chenpo. So now we are holding teachings of the Dharma, teachings of Buddhism. We have completed the two causes to really teach, of really hold the teaching, to really develop the teachings. The two causes, one is learning and one is meditating. So, we have those two activities, not only there is, but very…. Let’s say, strongly, very strong and very complete. So therefore, I’m also happy to tell you, to share with you this good news and I believe that I hope that you also be happy for that too when you hear this.
Although, we are doing many things, building and completing many projects and people have been very supportive and we’re sort of very energetic to do many things. But the main practice of the monks of the Sangha here is to try to accomplish the understanding of the importance of less attachment, less desire. And we, the Sangha, because of that practice, really understand the importance of what is called “real karma”. Therefore, they are able to be in the Dharma schools and to be in the Retreat centers because they don’t have a so much attachment to too many things like ordinary people. So, this is something also very important and it is a kind of source of the life of being a monk or being a Yogi or being a nun. And we understand this and we really try our best, and try very hard to accomplish this.
But still we are not enlightened yet. We are not Buddha yet [laugh]. I am not even Bodhisattva yet. So, therefore, we have to have a life, something like that. But we tried to have a very simple life as much as possible, that is the main point, that is what we try to accomplish and like a little desire as a possible, but doesn’t mean we have no desire. Of course, we are human beings and we have this desire demand. But we do not put the enjoyment of desire in the center. Not at all. We tried to accomplish something else – real wisdom, real compassion, real renunciation. Therefore, really, if we do not try to accomplish this, we do not understand this important thing, then we are not like this. Of course, we were not different people, but right now at least some parts of our life in the monastery, as you see, we fit in the Dharma Society because of that understanding. So that is what’s something I went to tell you that we are trying, at least we’re trying very best.
(Rinpoche talked with everyone about the schedule of teachings.)
If people have time and the mind to hear that teaching, people should try to prepare accordingly for that. And I know everyone is busy and it is a Sunday. Probably people need to rest because they have been very busy during the week and it is not very easy for people to make that time and also the differences, time differences in the different areas and some are very late and some are very early. But for the Dharma, I think people should try to make time and try a little harder to make that happen.
I think it is a good time to stop here for everyone and I appreciate everyone, everyone’s motivation, everyone’s participate this Zoom meeting. It is good to see everyone and I hope everyone is doing well. Everyone especially is able to try to watch one’s own mind, own activities, own actions, and to remind oneself of the meaning of Dharma and to control negative emotions. So once on Dharma practices and I think everyone will get creative benefits from Dharma practices if you do that correctly. So, therefore, I hope that everyone is continuously to practice Dharma correctly. And then I will see you again in the Zoom. And I will bring some gifts that Buddha gave us, Buddha gave me, and I passed it to everyone. So, thank you so much.
The end
Transcript by Tri Minh Tara & Dieu Hue.
Excerpt from MP 3 Hungkar Dorje Rinpoche teaching 25.11.2022: https://lienhoaquang.com/q_joq6rnc
