Advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche

[lttl kttn]

 As many people have been calling to ask what can be done
to help those who have died or have been hurt in the New
York and Washington disaster, this is Rinpoche's advice for
all the students who want to help.

 Love,
 Ven. Roger

 =====

 Rinpoche has been doing prayers and also did observation
and the mo comes out for the future "opposite of peace".

 Rinpoche's advice for those who want to help is to take
the 8 Mahayana precepts and to recite as many Chenrezig
mantras - om mani padme hum - as they can with strong
prayers to Chenrezig, praying to have loving kindness
generated in the minds of everyone, especially those who
have caused this harm. To change their mind/to stop the
thought of giving harm to others, especially those in the
USA. To pray to have much peace and happiness here and the
rest of the world, as much happiness as possible. To
visualize nectar beams emitted from Chenrezig entering
everyone in the USA, especially those who have died or have
been hurt and also to everyone in the world. Purifying all
the suffering, the pain, the sicknesses and negative
thoughts of harm. To purify all the suffering including one
of the shortcomings of samsara - war. War is just one of
the oceans of suffering of samsara. Then of course
meditating on bodhichitta, that of course,> without
question is very important.

 However these practices are also good for oneself. Without
war and cancer etc. death will still come at any time.
There is the war within our own mind, the disaster with the
elements in us and of course there is karma. Delusions and
karma are the cause of death: as long as delusion and karma
exist we can't overcome death, we always have to go through
the cycle of death and rebirth, nobody has ever lived
without dying.

 Of course it is impossible to overcome death and rebirth
without Dharma, which means the ceasing of delusion and
karma. This means oneself correctly practicing the Dharma,
the path that ceases delusion and karma. This way you
become free of death and suffering forever and achieve
everlasting happiness.

 In order to prevent war and to never experience it again
comes down to Dharma, the realization of emptiness and
developing that wisdom that eradicates the root of samsara -
ignorance. This ignorance causes all the rest of the oceans
of suffering.

 Besides these practices there are pujas that can be done,
but they are very big pujas and need to be done for many
days. They are practices to protect against the dangers of
earthquakes, floods etc. including war. These methods
definitely work against these obstacles but they need to be
done for a long time. These big pujas need to be done by
pure practitioners, who have been living a pure life with
attainment, this gives more weight to pacify such
obstacles. Of course when karma has already ripened it is
much more difficult to prevent. There is more opportunity
to change the karma that has not yet ripened.

 Bluntly speaking at this present time best for us is to do
strong refuge practice purifying the negative karma of
doing harm to others. Generally it is good for us to
practice strong refuge, to practice and pray for peace to
prevent war in this situation. With refuge it is good to do
the prayer for preventing war composed by the great yogi
and mahasiddhi Tang Tong Gyalpo, which I am translating
this afternoon and will send out for those who sincerely
want to prevent war in the future.

 This yogi went to a part of Tibet where there was a lot
killing and war and composed this prayer and did this
prayer with great compassion, and due to that great
compassion and the power of truth he prevented a lot of
killing. In my observation it comes out very good to recite
this prayer.

 When there is war there can also be famine so also it is
good to do the prayer preventing famine. (This I have
already translated and it is in the booklet called "The
Healing Buddha")

 Also what comes out very good to do is to make offerings
and strong prayers for peace (including Tang Tong Gyalpo's
prayer to prevent war) in the world and for others to
always have what they need, food etc. Do these prayers in
 front of the main statue blessed by Buddha in Lhasa.
Anyone who has a friend in Lhasa or knows of anyone going
to Lhasa who can make offerings and do these strong prayers
please pass this message on. Also FPMT International Office
can try to contact John Mackay to ask him to do this as
soon as possible. (note from Claire: we will do this asap).

 So these are the main practices that I suggest for those
who want to help this very serious situation:

 8 Mahayana Precepts
 Offerings and prayers at the Jokhang (main temple in Lhasa)
 Strong refuge practice
 Prayer to prevent war

 With much love and prayers,

 Lama Zopa Rinpoche
 September 11, 2001

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 Those who are not upset with suffering,
 and not attached to happiness,
 are free of obstacles to dharma practice,
 are liberated from suffering and happiness
 and will go to the city of the sorrowless state (blissful
state of peace)

 Lama Zopa Rinpoche



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