The number of practitioners in the sangha has increased since Lamasang passed away. Also, we have built more retreat centers to practice Dzogpa Chenpo, the Great Perfection.
(“Bless me so that delusion on the path will cease!”) “Delusion” here means when one tries to be a very good Dharma practitioner.
It is important to understand that Buddhism is not the external thing. It is something internal.
And because when they have no belief in anything, that can be very dangerous. That can destroy the good seeds, many good tendencies.
As I said earlier we need to understand what is real Dharma and what is not Dharma. Dharma is something beyond worldly dharmas. Worldly dharmas is not the real Dharma.
Of course, as Dharma persons, it is important to study, to think and to meditate on all of these things. Only studying, only hearing is not enough, we have to use our own knowledge, our own wisdom to try to get the essence of that meaning [of teachings].
Buddha Shakyamuni said Buddhist teaching is destroyed by the Dharma people. There’re are outer and inner Dharma people. The inner people are very close to the Buddha, to the Dharma; Those people are monks and nuns. And there are many other [kind of] Dharma practitioners.
Therefore, for us it is not smart to say that Buddha taught only Hiayana, or Buddha did not teach Vajrayana teachings. Because we do not know actually.
Good leadership or good education make a big difference for the understanding and conduct of people. For that reason, it’s our responsibility to educate and to teach people to have greater understanding, better conduct and more honesty. (Honesty is real gold, real diamonds, real jewels.)
The first of three important qualities to be a [good] Dharma students is honesty. Honesty is very important. For students, to be honest is very important.
