Category Archives: Dharma in Daily Life

The Benefits of Thought Transformation

Dharma in Daily Life, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Practice Commentary

All the hindrances of life, all the hindrances of meditation, of practicing Dharma, by practicing Mahayana thought training, all those hindrances of meditation, of Dharma practice, all those become helpers, beneficial conditions to practice Dharma.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche

When we face so many obstacles and challenges to our practice, it can be helpful to listen to this excerpt from teachings on Geshe Langri Tangpa’s Eight Verses of Thought Transformation, given by Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Manjushri Institute, Cumbria, England, August 16-24, 1979. These teachings were given by Rinpoche while Lama Yeshe was still alive. You can follow along with the transcript at https://www.lamayeshe.com/article/chapter/benefits-thought-transformation.

You can also read the history surrounding these teachings in Big Love: The Life and Teachings of Lama Yeshe in Volume 2, Chapter 17: Even Your Enemy Who Tries to Kill You is Your Best Friend. Big Love is available at https://www.LamaYeshe.com/BigLove

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Dharma in Daily Life

Compassion and Bodhicitta, Dharma in Daily Life, Guru Devotion, Lama Zopa Rinpoche

When you look at people, when you relate with them, if you look at their mind and how their life is motivated, you can see how much they’re suffering and you feel unbearable.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Please enjoy another extract from a series of teachings prior to a chöd initiation given by Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Maitripa College, Portland, Oregon, in June 2009.

In this extract, Rinpoche shows us how to examine each of our regular daily activities and to see whether we are motivated by Dharma or, as is more likely, motivated by worldly goals. We might not like what we find but at least we know enough to look because we have met the Dharma through the kindness of our gurus.

Rinpoche reminds us that the vast majority of people living in the world all around have not met the Dharma like we have. They have no idea that their endless efforts to find happiness are only creating more causes for even more suffering. Contemplating their situation intensifies our practice of compassion for them and our engagement with bodhicitta for their sake.

Here is the transcript for those who like to read along-> https://www.lamayeshe.com/article/chapter/dharma-daily-life

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Integrating What You Have Heard

Dharma in Daily Life, Introductory, Karma, Lama Yeshe, Lamrim (Path to Enlightenment)

I know you people understand something, have discovered something; but many things are only intellectual and not yet realization, therefore, I think you need something more.

Lama Yeshe

In the early 70s, Lama Yeshe used to give Sunday afternoon lectures at the location of Kopan Monastery and people would come from all around to listen. This month’s podcast is the earliest known recording of Lama Yeshe teaching to Westerners. In this talk, Lama emphasizes the importance of actually practicing the teachings, ending with a lively question and answer session with the students. We warmly invite you to read along with the transcript of Lama’s talk on our website: https://www.lamayeshe.com/article/integrating-what-youve-heard-audio-and-unedited-transcript

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The Meaning of Guru Devotion

Dharma in Daily Life, Guru Devotion, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Purification

Devotion is like the mother. From the mother comes many children, then grandchildren, then all the generations. Like that, from devotion all the qualities come, the realizations and all the qualities. From devotion comes the understanding of Dharma words and then the realization of their meaning. From devotion so many qualities come, and also with devotion you are able to protect those qualities.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche

These teachings were given by Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Root Institute, Bodhgaya, India, between December 26-31, 2006. Rinpoche describes the mystery of the guru deity and discusses the importance of guru devotion in developing all the qualities on the path to the enlightenment. Those who live their lives infused with devotion can progress much more quickly than by intellect alone. Rinpoche then illustrates this phenomena with engaging stories from his youth. You can read along with the transcript by visiting https://www.lamayeshe.com/article/chapter/day-four-meaning-guru-devotion

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The Purpose of Meditation

Dharma in Daily Life, Introductory, Lama Yeshe, Practice Commentary

Because uncontrolled, undisciplined mind is opposite of knowledge-wisdom and happy, that nature is dissatisfaction. So your mind put such way, control, with your own wisdom, there is space, you can discover peace and joyful. So your life is becomes joyful, peaceful, no matter the outside world is up and down, up and down.

-Lama Yeshe

In Los Angeles, California in 1975, Lama Yeshe gave this introductory talk on the purpose of meditation followed by an informal question and answer session. Please read along with the transcript on our website here: https://www.lamayeshe.com/article/chapter/purpose-meditation-part

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My Life as a Tulku

Compassion and Bodhicitta, Dharma in Daily Life, Introductory, Tenzin Ösel Hita, Working for the Dharma

On August 11th, 2019, Tenzin Ösel Hita participated in the ongoing series “Taste of Buddhism” offered by FPMT center Tse Chen Ling in San Francisco. Tse Chen Ling describes Ösel as “a radical free-thinker, former monk, filmmaker, and musician who is highly gifted at sharing the essence of the Dharma and how it can be infused in modern daily life.” In this frank and open talk, Ösel shares his thoughts on the role of Dharma in the modern age and his experience navigating life as the recognized tulku of Lama Yeshe. This podcast is an edited excerpt; you can watch the entire unedited talk here: https://www.facebook.com/TseChenLingCenter/videos/2458303330927855/?t=801

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How to Find Our Real Potential

Dharma in Daily Life, Emptiness, Tenzin Ösel Hita

Tenzin Ösel Hita gives a talk on “How to overcome limitations to find our real potential” at the Center for Wisdom and Compassion in Copenhagen, Denmark on February 11, 2017.

Read the talk at http://www.lamayeshe.com/article/how-find-our-real-potential

Learn more about Ösel at http://www.lamayeshe.com/teacher/tenzin-osel-hita

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You have to find your own truth

Dharma in Daily Life, Introductory, Karma, Lamrim (Path to Enlightenment), Tenzin Ösel Hita

Tenzin Ösel Hita, the recognized reincarnation of Lama Yeshe, gave this talk during the 45th Kopan Lamrim Course at Kopan Monastery in 2012. Ösel covers many lamrim topics such as guru devotion, Dharma, the sufferings of samsara, our five senses and love, all from a contemporary viewpoint. You can also read along to the transcript at https://www.lamayeshe.com/article/teachings-45th-kopan-course-audio-and-unedited-transcripts.

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Compassion Creates the Cause for Success

Compassion and Bodhicitta, Dharma in Daily Life, Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche gave this Dharma talk in Madrid, Spain on June 10, 2009 and explains how compassion is our best and most reliable friend and will never cheat us, that compassion is the most powerful purification we can practice and that compassion should be our practice in every moment of our everyday life.  Read along with the transcript of this talk at https://www.lamayeshe.com/article/chapter/compassion-creates-cause-success

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The Nature of Samsara

Dharma in Daily Life, Introductory, Karma, Lama Zopa Rinpoche

These teachings were given by Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Root Institute, Bodhgaya, India, December 26-31, 2006.  The selection begins with a question and answer between Rinpoche and students on the nature of the mind followed by a discourse by Rinpoche on the nature of samsara.  You can also read along with a lightly edited transcript of these teachings at https://www.lamayeshe.com/article/chapter/day-six-nature-samsara

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