A LIFE OF HAPPINESS

A Practice Guide for Older Practitioners

OFFERED BY THE

Ninth Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche

 
TRANSLATED BY

Jamyang Woser
 
 
 
 

DHARMAKARA
DHARMAEBOOKS.ORG
 CONTENTS

Foreword by the Seventeenth Gyalwang Karmapa

Preface by Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche

One: The Meaning of Aging

The good fortune of aging

My longevity comes from blessings
Mindset determines how we age
You are never too old to learn

Two: Dharma Practices for Older Practitioners

The foundations
Loving-kindness and compassion
Recitation of mantras
Practice during times of sickness
My daily practices

Three: Final Preparations

Sickness is the best opportunity

A virtuous mind is key when dying
Companionship is the best form of care

Copyrights
 A FORTUNATE NEW ERA
FOR THE ELDERLY
Foreword by the Seventeenth Gyalwang Karmapa

WHEN WE THINK ABOUT AGING, it often feels like life will

become dark and gloomy. As people are having fewer children
nowadays, many countries in the world have increasingly aging
populations. As a result, substantial resources are directed at bet-
ter understanding and care for the elderly. I believe that, not far
from now, older populations will experience life much more dif-
ferently than before. They will have greater visibility within socie-
ty, and we will approach a new, vibrant era for the elderly.

In this book A Life of Happiness: A Practice Guide for Older Practi-

tioners, Thrangu Rinpoche writes, “Being able to live into old age is
actually a remarkably fortunate thing.” Similarly, and especially in
this era, if we are able to grow old, encounter the dharma, and be-
gin our practice, there could be nothing more fortunate than this.

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 A LIFE OF HAPPINESS

I have the frequent opportunity of encountering elderly Tibetans

who make the long journey from Tibet to come to meet me in In-
dia. They often think of it as a once in a lifetime occasion when
they meet me, but the requests they make set them apart from oth-
ers. They only say to me, “May there be peace in the world!” I am
always deeply touched by moments like these, and it reminds me
of my maternal grandmother.

My maternal grandmother was blind, but she was always very dedi-
cated to spinning a prayer wheel while reciting the heart mantra of
Chenrezig. Although she couldn’t see, in my memories she always
had a smile on her face and was happy. Whether it is my grand-
mother or other elderly Tibetans, I believe they are able to remain
pure-hearted, happy, and contented in their old age due to having
the dharma in their hearts. 

Thrangu Rinpoche is my main tutor, and a spiritual teacher en-

dowed with both knowledge and practice, esteemed by the four
schools of Tibetan Buddhism. This book, A Life of Happiness: A Prac-
tice Guide for Older Practitioners, is the first introductory practice
guide intended for older people. The methods of practice that Rin-
poche explains here are easy to understand, yet extremely import-
ant and pithy.

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 A LIFE OF HAPPINESS

Rinpoche’s lifetime of pure and genuine practice is distilled into

such concise words here, and I believe that each word and sentence
embodies deep wishes and blessings from Rinpoche. For the read-
ers who are able to encounter the dharma due to this book, I wish
that you will be endowed with unparalleled enjoyment in your old
age and live a life of happiness!

The Seventeenth Gyalwang Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje

March 2017

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 A JOYOUS ASPIRATION
Preface by Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche

I PRAY THAT THIS BOOK may benefit all beings in finding

joy and happiness, especially those who are old, the sick, and their
family members. I hope that the concise reminders and advice
found in this book may be beneficial for all. I will also continue
praying for everyone.

Tashi Delek!

Thrangu Rinpoche
Thrangu Monastery in Vancouver, Canada1
15 October 2016

 1 This book is based on an interview with Thrangu Rinpoche held in

October 2016 at Thrangu Monastery, Canada.

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 One:
THE MEANING OF AGING
 THE GOOD FORTUNE OF AGING

If we consider it carefully, being able to live into old age is

actually a remarkably fortunate thing. If we had died while we
were young, we wouldn’t have had the chance to grow old.

Presently, in the 21st century, many countries have aging societies

and an increase in older members in the population. Although it is
true that older people’s thinking differs from the rest of the popu-
lation, it would be quite pointless to believe that we are no longer
useful and just feel sorry for ourselves. Why is this so? If we con-
sider it carefully, being able to live into old age is actually a re-
markably fortunate thing. If we had died while we were young, we
wouldn’t have had the chance to grow old.

NOW IS THE BEST TIME TO PRACTICE

We might not have had too much time to encounter the dharma
and practice when we were younger. Perhaps we had to work hard

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 A LIFE OF HAPPINESS

to make a living and feed our families. Nevertheless, this period of

toil has passed. Now that we are older and have retired, we have
more opportunities to connect with and practice the dharma. We
have more time to learn the dharma that benefits both current
and future lifetimes. Thus, we need to really seize this opportunity
and work hard at it. We can recite more prayers and do more good
deeds, and especially practice the dharma diligently!

We should think about aging in this positive way. If we examine

our lives properly, we are not the only ones getting old; every sin-
gle person in this world ages. It is an undeniable fact of life that
we cannot change. Therefore, we need to make full use of this op-
portunity to practice the dharma. Doing so will definitely bring
about results.

EXPERIENCE IS THE MOST PRECIOUS ASSET

If you are older now, you have probably experienced many ups and
downs and have some life experience to share with younger peo-
ple. You can tell them about your successes and failures and what
attitudes they should take towards achievements and challenges.
Remind them not to give in to jealousy and pride when they enjoy
moments of success, and not to become devastated and succumb
to life’s failures.

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 A LIFE OF HAPPINESS

Encourage youth to really think for themselves. As an older per-

son, it is your responsibility to share your precious experience. No
matter if they take it to heart or not, based on a virtuous motiva-
tion, you have to share your experience with your children or other
young people. View it as your responsibility to provide advice.

EVERYONE AGES

Now that our worldly concerns in this life are coming to an end,
we should be grateful for this invaluable chance to grow old. We
should regard this as a wonderful thing and be joyful and happy.
We are all similar in the fact that everyone in the world ages, so we
should be grateful for being able to live to a ripe old age! Thinking
like this is not only beneficial for our bodies, but it also allows us
to feel more relaxed mentally. It has great benefits for both mind
and body.

We should do prostrations or circumambulate stupas whenever we

can. This is both a form of dharma practice and a type of physi-
cal exercise. If feelings of jealousy, pride, anger, or sadness arise,
we must carefully examine them and realize their faults. We need
to frequently remind ourselves how fortunate we are to have ob-
tained a precious human body and to have engaged in the study of
the dharma!

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 MY LONGEVIT Y COMES FROM
BLESSINGS

I personally believe that being able to live to this age is entirely

due to the blessings of the Sixteenth Karmapa and White Tara.
Although I face many difficulties in my old age, I am still able to
live happily without worries.

It is such a fortunate thing to be able to grow old! There is a saying

from my hometown, “A person’s youth is in their fifties.” From my
own experience, I feel that this is rather true.

I did not feel old when I reached fifty. I only felt a little older
when I reached sixty, and a lot more so when I got to seventy. Now
that I am eighty years old, I feel more significant and rapid changes.
It is as if I can feel my body’s condition differ from month to month
now.

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 A LIFE OF HAPPINESS

THE KARMAPA SAID, “YOU MUST PRACTICE

WHITE TARA”

When I was around eleven or twelve years old, I travelled from

Yushu, Qinghai, with my teacher and family to meet the Sixteenth
Karmapa at Tsurphu monastery. At that time, both the Karmapa
and I were really young. My family hoped that I could receive an
empowerment from the Karmapa, so we made requests and asked
him which yidam deity I should practice.

The Sixteenth Karmapa told me, “In order to lead a long life, you
should practice White Tara”, and gave me the White Tara empo-

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 A LIFE OF HAPPINESS

werment. Afterwards, I went on a White Tara retreat at Tsurphu

monastery for about a month.

I received this precious opportunity due to the kindness of the Six-

teenth Karmapa. I remember he also told me, “Spiritual teachers,
tulkus, and Rinpoches must lead long lives. They are responsible
for spreading the dharma and benefitting sentient beings, so they
need to have longevity in order to carry out their activities.”

Everyone grows old, although I do feel that I am a little too old at

this point. I personally believe that being able to live to this age is
entirely due to the blessings of the Sixteenth Karmapa and White
Tara. Although I face many difficulties in my old age, I am still
able to live happily without worries.

THE VARIOUS ILLNESSES IN MY LIFE

I have experienced many illnesses in this life. For example, I once

had an abscess growing on my leg, and I also recently underwent
knee surgery. I had a difficult time adjusting to the environment
when I moved to Sikkim, India from Kham, Tibet. Exacerbat-
ed by the poor health care services, I became quite sick at that
time. Gradually, I recovered after lengthy treatment with Tibetan
medicine.

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 A LIFE OF HAPPINESS

A few years ago, my eye pressure got really high. The condition was
rather severe, and I felt that I might be dying soon.

Right now, the biggest discomfort in my body is with my knees. It

is not so easy for me to walk, and they really hurt sometimes. After
my knee operation, the doctor said I would need to do physical
therapy and exercises for quite a long time. My attendants remind
me to do these particular exercises and poses, but sometimes I get
really bored with them. It is as if I have nothing else to do but walk
around, back and forth, all day.

During my stay in Sikkim, there was a businessman called Dawa

Tsering who also underwent knee surgery. The doctor instructed
him to do physical therapy after the surgery, but he said, “I had
an operation in order to heal my knees. Now that it’s over, my
knees should be all good to go. There’s no need to do any thera-
py.” He thought like this and refused to do any rehabilitation,
and eventually lost the ability to walk. He passed away soon after.
When I think about him, I am reminded to heed the doctor’s in-
structions and stick to the exercises diligently.

ACCEPTANCE OF AGING ITSELF IS WONDERFUL

For an older person, walking is more difficult. We tend to have

aches in our bodies, our feet and so forth. Putting on or button-

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 A LIFE OF HAPPINESS

ing a shirt used to be such a simple task. Now that we are older,
our shaky hands make fastening a button a tedious challenge. Old-
er people have trouble sleeping too. Sometimes when I suffer from
insomnia, I get up early and use the extra time for practice.

We may feel unwell and our abilities, such as walking, might de-
teriorate by the month, but we should not allow ourselves to feel
overwhelmed or upset by our condition. Even though we experi-
ence this process of aging, it is important to think of it as a positive
thing. Even if we have only one month left to live, we should en-
thusiastically seize this opportunity to recite prayers, accumulate
merit, and do our practices.

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 MINDSET DETERMINES HOW WE AGE

Keep a cheerful, calm state of mind. Try not to overthink when

we are unhappy. This is beneficial to both our body and mind,
and helps to slow down the aging process.

Elderly Tibetans often circle stupas and make prostrations. This

is a kind of dharma practice, and also a type of physical exercise.
Due to cultural differences, elderly populations elsewhere have dif-
ferent habits and customs. However, I think the main difference
lies in whether or not they have encountered the dharma.

WAVE GOODBYE TO NEGATIVE THINKING

Generally, in their spare time, Buddhists listen to the teachings or

stay at home to practice or recite prayers, so they don’t easily be-
come upset. Elderly non-Buddhists mostly reside in places without
the dharma or do not have the chance to learn about the dharma.
Even though they might lead comfortable lives, they tend to have

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 A LIFE OF HAPPINESS

more negative thinking. Once they retire and have nothing to do,
they tend to feel more bored and lonely.

The most important thing for older people is to not be pessimis-

tic. We should not constantly think, “Oh, I am too old. I am really
struggling a lot” and focus solely on negative things.

We should often be cautious not to give rise to thoughts of jeal-

ousy, pride, and anger. When they do arise, we have to realize that
these negative thoughts are of no use to us.

Older people in different situations experience distinct afflic-

tions and suffering. For example, some have more anger and are
short-tempered, others suffer more from physical pain. Fortunate-
ly, there are ways to face all these afflictions and suffering.

AFFLICTIONS ALSO DEPEND ON CONDITIONS

According to the Treasury of Abhidharma, there are three causes

for the afflictions to arise: not abandoning the kernels of the af-
flictions, the object being present, and inappropriate attention.
An older person with more anger in them, for example, has not
abandoned the kernel of anger. When they see an object that an-
gers them, they develop inappropriate attention. This means that
they persistently think about the person who angered them and

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 A LIFE OF HAPPINESS

the terrible things that person has done. They feel this way even
if the person never directly harmed them, due to the influence of
inappropriate attention.

Afflictions arise when the causes and conditions, namely the ker-
nels, object, and inappropriate attention are present. We can han-
dle the situation by thinking logically, approaching it from an
objective and positive perspective. The person who angered us
might have had no alternative, which is something with which
we can empathize. We ourselves probably also behaved wrongly
at that time. Using a logical approach, based on reasoning, helps
to diminish our anger, and makes it easier for us to cultivate lov-
ing-kindness and compassion. This practice is suitable for older
people with more anger in them.

CULTIVATE DEVOTION TOWARDS THE DHARMA

Some of us experience mental suffering, but constantly feeling sor-

ry for ourselves is not constructive. We should consider the fact
that there are many people in this world suffering just like we are.
We are not the only ones experiencing pain.

We should try to think about what we can do to alleviate the pain

of others. We can recite prayers and make dedications for them.

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 A LIFE OF HAPPINESS

Thinking and practicing like this also reduces our own worries and
suffering.

In general, we should try to cultivate devotion towards the dhar-

ma. We can do things like reciting prayers, circling stupas, and
meditating to help us develop devotion.

In a way, we can say that people living in Asia are very fortunate.
Although it is rare to find stupas in most places, they can visit
monasteries, meditate there, and make offerings and aspirations,
which are all excellent practices.

In addition, some older people may suffer from serious illnesses

and experience various physical discomforts. They should make
use of the opportunity to pray to the Medicine Buddha, practice
his sadhana, and recite his mantra.

FEELING JOY TOWARDS AGING

As an older person, I make a habit of reminding myself that being

able to age like this is such a wonderful and fortunate thing. It is
proof of my longevity. We should make use of our precious time to
practice the dharma.

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 A LIFE OF HAPPINESS

We need to be optimistic and joyful and remind ourselves that

not everyone is able to live as long as we have. This is not easy to
achieve, so we must treasure our aging process and give rise to in-
ner joy.

Keep a cheerful, calm state of mind. Try not to overthink when

we are unhappy. This is beneficial to both our body and mind, and
helps to slow down the aging process. A body and mind that is
calm and cheerful is extremely beneficial to us.

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 YOU ARE NEVER TOO OLD TO LEARN

Dharma practice makes a person calm and peaceful. We are

often caught up in the sway of the afflictions. Ignorance, anger,
jealousy, and desire not only cause mental suffering, they are also
unhealthy for our bodies. The key to solving these problems lies in
practicing the dharma.

The first of the six perfections (paramitas) is generosity. Generosi-

ty can be divided into three types: giving wealth, giving freedom
from fear, and giving dharma. The first refers to giving away mate-
rial things. Giving freedom from fear refers to the practice of life
release. The third and most important of these three is giving dhar-
ma. We receive great benefit even if we have only listened to a bit
of dharma and have had some positive experiences.

I often think, if only the terrorists who carried out the September
11th attacks had been introduced to the dharma. If only a lama or
lay practitioner had explained to them how killing that many peo-

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 A LIFE OF HAPPINESS

ple was intrinsically wrong. If they had listened, then things might
have turned out very differently. However, they had no one to tell
them about the dharma and they were driven by their anger. Not
only did they lose their own lives, so many others were killed and
hurt by their actions. Therefore, I believe that it is important to
talk about the dharma. We should study thoroughly so that we are
able to tell more people about it in the future.

Dharma practice makes a person calm and peaceful. We are often

caught up in the sway of the afflictions. Ignorance, anger, jealousy,
and desire not only cause mental suffering, they are also unhealthy
for our bodies. The key to solving these problems lies in practicing
the dharma.

HOW TO PRACTICE THE DHARMA

How should we practice the dharma? The Buddha once gave an

essential teaching:

Commit not a single unwholesome action,

Cultivate a wealth of virtue,
Tame completely this mind of ours —
This is the Buddha’s teaching.

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 A LIFE OF HAPPINESS

This verse mentions three key points. The first is to abandon

non-virtue, and the second is to accumulate virtue, as much as pos-
sible. The third is to tame our mind and not be disturbed by the
afflictions. The essence of dharma is to abandon the ten non-vir-
tues and adopt the ten virtues; the root of this is taming one’s own
mind. Therefore, we need to constantly check our minds to see
whether there is anger, jealousy, pride and so forth. In order to
do so, we need to be endowed with awareness, mindfulness, and
carefulness.

To practice mindfulness and awareness is to constantly observe

what we are thinking and doing. It can be hard for us to know
when afflictions like desire, anger, and delusion arise, so we need
to check for their presence through the aid of mindfulness and
awareness. To be careful is to remind ourselves to be cautious when
we realize that our afflictions have arisen. We need to carefully
maintain a virtuous motivation. Being mindful and aware in this
way, while reciting the Chenrezig mantra, is an excellent practice.

The three key points essentially teach us that we can understand

the dharma in two ways: through attending dharma teachings and
through reading dharma texts.

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 A LIFE OF HAPPINESS

THE SPIRITUAL TEACHER THAT IS ALWAYS

AVAILABLE

When we attend dharma teachings, some of us can understand, but

others may not be able to. The teacher giving the teachings may
also be available to answer questions only during certain times. In
addition, we might only understand some parts of the teachings
but not others. We encounter these situations when we study the
dharma through attending teachings. However, this is not so much
the case if we rely on the written word, for example Buddhist texts,
because we can read them slowly and contemplate the meaning
repeatedly. This is why I believe that publishing Buddhist texts is
extremely important.

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 A LIFE OF HAPPINESS

In terms of studying the dharma in the long-run, although we can

follow teachers, lamas, and lay practitioners, they may not always
be available when we need them. On the other hand, we can read
books whenever we need to. In this way, these Buddhist texts are
actually our spiritual teachers. Whenever we are free or the desire
arises, we can pick up a book from the shelves to read and study.
Whether it is prior to bedtime, before or after a meal, or while tak-
ing a break from work, texts are readily available to us.

SANSKRIT SCRIPTURES ARE PRESERVED

IN TIBETAN

In recent years, many prominent teachers have visited English-

speaking communities to give teachings. Numerous skilled transla-
tors have also translated many scriptures from Tibetan to English.
We should spend more time reading them whenever we can. Per-
haps we won’t be able to understand much the first time through,
but after reading them a few more times, we will. Once we under-
stand the meaning, it will help us to develop devotion towards the
Dharma.

Nowadays, many teachers and lamas who are giving teachings

know English. However, students should not be overly dependent
on them. They should also try to learn the Tibetan language. Why

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 A LIFE OF HAPPINESS

should we do so? Tibet used to be quite underdeveloped; funda-

mental infrastructure like transportation and such were not well
developed. But during the reigns of the Tibetan king Songtsen
Gampo and the three ‘dharma kings’ (Trisong Gampo, Trisong
Deutsen, Tri Ralpachan), many highly-skilled Tibetan translators
painstakingly undertook and completed the translation of Bud-
dhist scriptures from Sanskrit to Tibetan.

For the sake of the dharma, Tibetan kings during the Early Trans-
mission period exhausted huge amounts of money and effort to
translate the scriptures. Although there was no support from the
kings of the Later Transmission period, from the 8th to 10th centu-
ries, Nalanda and Vikramashila universities in India were at their
peak, housing numerous prominent scholars and yogis. Through
sheer determination, the Tibetan translators traveled to these uni-
versities and listened, contemplated, and meditated on the dhar-
ma, and then eventually translated the Sanskrit scriptures into
Tibetan.

These translated scriptures have been carefully preserved up until

the present. Although Buddhism in India has deteriorated and the
use of Sanskrit is on the decline, those ancient texts are still wholly
intact and preserved in Tibetan. Thus, studying Tibetan is highly
beneficial towards reading the ancient Sanskrit scriptures.

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 A LIFE OF HAPPINESS

STUDYING TIBETAN FOR THE SAKE OF DHARMA

To study Tibetan in hopes of gaining financial profit is rather

pointless. It would be best if we could have a correct motivation
behind our study of Tibetan. Likewise, it would also be wonderful
to provide financial support to those who are studying the lan-
guage. I remember once, while I was teaching in Taiwan, I spoke
in Tibetan and my translator was a Westerner who translated into
English. We had another Chinese translator who then translated
the English into Chinese. I felt it was slightly unfortunate that it
had to happen like that, since Tibetans and Chinese share a more
similar cultural environment. It would have been better if the Ti-
betan had been translated directly into Chinese.

In Chinese Buddhism, there are many exceptional translators who

traveled and studied in India, and subsequently translated the San-
skrit scriptures into Chinese. We can also study these thorough-
ly. I hear that Classical Chinese is used in these texts, which can be
difficult for people nowadays to read. Tibetan, on the other hand,
has not undergone much change over the centuries; if we were to
learn Tibetan, it would be helpful for reading and understanding the
scriptures. Even if we are not proficient in it, it would be wonderful
if we could understand basic terms like konchok sum (the Three Jew-
els) or parchin druk (six paramitas). What I mean here is that learn-
ing Tibetan for the sake of dharma is extremely meaningful!
28
 Two:
DHARMA PRACTICES FOR
OLDER PRACTITIONER S
 THE FOUNDATIONS

When we find ourselves unable to take our study of the dharma

seriously, meditating on impermanence will make us realize
that we need to practice the dharma. Even after we have started
practicing the dharma, sometimes we get lazy and are unable
to focus on the practice. Meditating on impermanence will then
encourage us to become very diligent.

Are human beings capable of practicing the dharma? Yes, we are,

because we have gained a precious human birth. Within the six
realms of existence — gods, demigods, humans, animals, hungry
ghosts, and hell beings — only humans are able to truly practice
the dharma. This is due to our precious human birth with all its
freedoms and endowments. Other sentient beings, such as animals,
do not enjoy the same excellent opportunity as we do. Not only are
we able to practice the dharma, our everyday life is also of a higher
quality than beings in other realms.

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 A LIFE OF HAPPINESS

Although we do need to work hard at our worldly affairs, life will

become meaningless if we are overly attached to them. They are of
no benefit whatsoever after we die and become a corpse. Billion-
aires are unable to take any possessions with them when they die;
kings, ministers, and officials have no power at all when facing
death.

Therefore, we should practice the dharma. Out of all the realms

of beings, only humans are able to practice, so we really need to
put some effort into it. In this way, we will be able to benefit both
ourselves and all other sentient beings. We must not waste this life.
Doing so would mean wasting a precious human birth that is in-
credibly difficult to obtain; this opportunity is not something we
can obtain with ease, so we really need to cherish it.

IMPERMANENCE AS INSPIRATION

The Buddhist texts say that, “In the beginning, impermanence

helps us to enter the gates of dharma. In the middle, it is the whip
that makes us practice with diligence.” Although meditating on
impermanence is not necessarily enjoyable or delightful, it is ex-
tremely beneficial towards our dharma practice.

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 A LIFE OF HAPPINESS

When we find ourselves unable to take our study of the dharma se-
riously, meditating on impermanence will make us realize that we
need to practice the dharma. Even after we have started practicing
the dharma, sometimes we get lazy and are unable to focus on the
practice. Meditating on impermanence will then encourage us to
become very diligent.

What benefits can we expect to get at the end if we continue with

this practice? As the text continues, “In the end, meditating on
impermanence is the companion for attaining the result.” We will
eventually realize that meditating on impermanence will help us
obtain the result of our practice. This is why we need to meditate
on impermanence often.

OBSERVING IMPERMANENCE IN DAILY LIFE

The great Milarepa once said, “I have not read the words of the
teachings, because all phenomena are the teachings.” To meditate
on impermanence, we do not have to solely rely on the study of
texts and treatises. We can actually do so by observing the changes
in exterior phenomena.

Let us take the example of the changing seasons: winter turns into
spring, spring turns into summer, summer turns into autumn, and

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autumn turns into winter. We can also observe impermanence

when day becomes night. We see it in plants, as they blossom and
eventually wither away. We can also experience impermanence
when natural disasters of the four elements occur, such as earth-
quakes, floods, fires, and storms.

I think that the best way to experience impermanence nowadays is

to turn on the television. The daily news constantly reports various
disasters unfolding around the world, persistently reminding us of
impermanence. These are all examples of ways we can meditate on
impermanence.

CHANGE IS THE ONLY CONSTANT IN LIFE

Impermanence can be classified in two ways: the impermanence of

the external world and the environment, and the impermanence
of its inhabitants. The way to meditate on the impermanence of
the external world is mentioned above, by observing changes in
outer phenomena like the changing seasons. We can meditate on
the impermanence of the sentient beings within it through our
experience of family and friends passing away. For example, some
people die in childhood or in their youth. There is also the process
of aging, as we grow up into adulthood and beyond. These are all

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events happening in our own lives, through which we can experi-

ence impermanence.

Impermanence pervades the external world and the sentient be-

ings within it. Everything is gradually changing. This is something
we can see and experience all the time. Impermanence of the outer
world refers to the changes that all phenomena undergo without
exception. Impermanence of inner sentient beings is the process of
birth, aging, sickness, and death. We can look around us to see how
many people are ill, getting older, dying, and being born. Whether
human or animal, existence is preserved through the cycle of birth
and death in every generation. This is the situation of the world
that we live in.

LIFE IS LIKE A BUBBLE

There is a verse from the four preliminary practices that states:

Second, the world and its sentient inhabitants are all

transient.
Especially, beings’ lives are like water bubbles —
Who knows when I will die and become a corpse?
Since dharma will help then, I’ll practice diligently.

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 A LIFE OF HAPPINESS

Impermanence can also be split into gross and subtle imperma-

nence. Subtle impermanence refers to the process of infinitesimal
changes that all phenomena undergo. For example, the earth and
our bodies change from moment to moment. A newborn baby
slowly grows into a child, and gradually blossoms into adulthood.
Eventually, they turn into a grey-haired old person. These changes
don’t occur in a day; they happen gradually, second by second, day
by day, and month by month. The Southern tradition of Buddhism
utilizes this concept to meditate on impermanence.

Even though all phenomena change from moment to moment, the

main method of meditating on impermanence in Tibetan Bud-
dhism is to reflect on gross impermanence ­­­— the changes which
are immediately obvious. This method helps to decrease our at-
tachment to this life. The primary reason that we are unable to
practice with diligence is because we are overly preoccupied with
this life. We believe that this particular life is extremely important,
so we are unable to abandon non-virtues and practice virtues. If
we want to be free from afflictions and suffering, we need to medi-
tate on gross impermanence. As mentioned in the verse “Second,
the world and its sentient inhabitants are all transient,” we need
to meditate on both the impermanence of the world and sentient
beings.

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 A LIFE OF HAPPINESS

A human life is like a water bubble, which might burst and dis-
appear at any moment. Some people might still be talking in one
moment, but gone in the next. We might also meet with fatal acci-
dents at work. Some people pass away after struggling for months
with an illness, while others die of old age. There are also those who
die in childhood and so forth. This is why the verse likens our life-
force to a bubble; our lives really are as fragile as a water bubble.

“Who knows when I will die and become a corpse?” means that
it is difficult to predict when we will die. It could be months or
years away; we can’t know for sure. When we die, the body just
becomes a lifeless corpse. We really take such good care of our bo-
dies while alive, adorning them with beautiful clothing and feeding
them delicious food. But when we die, they merely become corpses.
At the time of death, dharma is the only thing that benefits us.

The last line says, “Since dharma will help then, I’ll practice dili-
gently.” The only thing that benefits this life is the dharma. If we
practice well in this life, it will help us to obtain a rebirth in the
higher realms, allowing us to encounter the dharma once again,
or we can take rebirth in a pure realm. All of this depends on be-
ing diligent in our practice. The dharma is something that bene-
fits both ourselves and others, so we should practice its teachings
diligently.

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 A LIFE OF HAPPINESS

WHEN IMPERMANENCE MANIFESTS

As humans, we are actually more capable of understanding imper-

manence due to our shorter life spans. It is also difficult to predict
when we will fall sick or die. We often spend our time worrying
about things like getting sick, dying, or our family members dy-
ing. Nevertheless, it is through these worries that we can deve-
lop a deeper understanding of impermanence.

Even though we encounter many instances of impermanence in

our lives, it can still be hard to remember impermanence, even as
we grow older. It would be helpful to our dharma practice if we
could meditate on it frequently. This is why we need to constantly
remind ourselves that we are unable to take with us anything from
this world, including our possessions, family, and friends.

Impermanence is not something that only older people have to

meditate on. Every single person in the world has to face it, so we
all need to meditate on impermanence. By thinking in this way, we
won’t feel alone because we are not the only ones facing it.

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LOVING-KINDNESS AND COMPASSION

If we take advantage of others for the sake of our own happiness,

we will be the only ones who are happy while others suffer.
Building our own happiness upon someone else’s pain contradicts
the practice of loving-kindness and compassion.

Loving-kindness and compassion are very important in both dhar-

ma practice and everyday life. Loving-kindness is the wish for
sentient beings to obtain happiness, while compassion is wanting
them to be free from suffering.

ELIMINATING SELF-GRASPING

Generally, we have a mind that clings to a self, and this is known

as self-grasping. It makes us feel as though we are really important,
that we have to become happier than other people. Is it wrong to
think in this way?

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 A LIFE OF HAPPINESS

There is nothing particularly bad about thinking like this. How-

ever, if we take advantage of others for the sake of our own happi-
ness, we will be the only ones who are happy while others suffer.
Building our own happiness upon someone else’s pain contradicts
the practice of loving-kindness and compassion.

How can we cultivate loving-kindness and compassion? We need

to remove self-grasping and to love others as if they were ourselves.
We can use our own experience as an example. When we are sick,
worried, exhausted, aging, or under the sway of the afflictions, we
seek relief from these sufferings. Likewise, other people do not
wish to suffer. Similarly, they also want to experience happiness.

This is the reason why we should not harm or inflict pain on oth-
ers. Instead, we should be kind towards people and help them ob-
tain happiness.

EQUALIZING SELF AND OTHERS

We can also practice equalizing self and others and exchanging

self and others to cultivate a mind that cherishes others more than
ourselves. This helps us to develop loving-kindness and compas-
sion. To equalize self and others is to understand that all other sen-
tient beings are exactly the same as we are in wanting to be happy

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 A LIFE OF HAPPINESS

and free from suffering. This is why sentient beings (others) and
ourselves (self) are equal.

We should let go of the self-clinging that considers only ourselves

as important, and abandon thinking that other people don’t mat-
ter as much. This method of training our thinking is the practice
of equalizing self and others.

EXCHANGING SELF AND OTHERS

The practice of exchanging self and others is to put ourselves in

someone else’s position — to regard ourselves as others, and others
as ourselves.

When we have feelings of jealousy or arrogance towards another

person, how would we feel if we were that person? If we were to
become the despised object of suspicion and jealousy, how would
we feel?

We can tame our afflictions by meditating on exchanging self and

others. Gradually, we will be able to cultivate loving-kindness and
compassion towards others.

40
 RECITATION OF MANTRAS

When we recite the Mani mantra, we need to visualize Chenrezig

(Avalokiteshvara) actually present in front of us. Even though we
can’t really see him, his wisdom mind is always protecting us.

The mantra commonly recited in Tibet is the six-syllable mantra

of Chenrezig — OṂ MAṆI PADME HŪṂ .

THE MANI MANTRA

There are six syllables to the mantra OṂ MAṆI PADME HŪṂ .

Sometimes an additional HRĪḤ is added, becoming OṂ MAṆI
PADME HŪṂ HRĪḤ.

The syllable HRĪḤ embodies the wisdom of Chenrezig’s mind.

Generally, we speak of the Three Protectors: Manjushri who rep-
resents wisdom, Chenrezig who represents love and compassion,
and Vajrapani who represents power. The HRĪḤ syllable in the

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 A LIFE OF HAPPINESS

mantra represents the wisdom of the mind of Chenrezig, signify-

ing the loving-kindness and compassion that seeks to benefit every
sentient being. This is why we sometimes recite HRĪḤ at the end.

Different teachers teach it differently; that is why there are two

ways to recite the six-syllable mantra. But no matter if you recite
it as OṂ MAṆI PADME HŪṂ or OṂ MAṆI PADME HŪṂ
HRĪḤ , there is no difference to the benefits of recitation.

SUPPLICATION TO CHENREZIG

There are two different explanations of the meaning behind the

six-syllable mantra.

The first explanation is that the syllable OṂ consists of the three

sounds a-u-m, which respectively represent body, speech, and
mind. Thus, OṂ is a combination of these three sounds.

MAṆI means jewel; it represents the wisdom of Chenrezig’s mind.

PADME means lotus. Although the plant grows from the mud, the
flowers are pure and untainted. When practicing the dharma, we
need to know what should be cultivated and abandoned. MAṆI
(jewel) represents cultivating the ten virtues and realizing the state
of Buddhahood; PADME (lotus) represents abandoning the ten

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 A LIFE OF HAPPINESS

non-virtues and giving up all negative deeds. MAṆI PADME (jew-

el lotus) is another name for the bodhisattva Chenrezig.

Why do we include the name of Chenrezig in the six-syllable man-

tra? We usually call out the person’s name if we are seeking their
help. Likewise, when we are asking for the help and blessings of
Chenrezig, we recite his name while praying.

The last syllable HŪṂ represents the end of a sentence.

SIX REALMS OF REBIRTH AS SIX AFFLICTIONS

Another explanation states that the six-syllable mantra represents

liberating the six classes of sentient beings from the six realms of
samsara. The six realms of samsara exist as a result of the six types
of affliction that sentient beings have. We recite the six-syllable
mantra in order to liberate all beings from the sufferings of the six
realms.

The first class of sentient beings is the gods. We take rebirth in the
god realms because we are unable to abandon pride. By reciting
the syllable OṂ , we can remove this pride so that we won’t have
to take rebirth in the god realms. The worst suffering as a god is
the pain of knowing that death is impending. Reciting this syllable
helps to remove this kind of suffering.

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 A LIFE OF HAPPINESS

MA represents removing the suffering of demigods (asuras). We

are reborn as demigods due to intense feelings of jealousy. Their
biggest suffering is the quarrelling and fights they have with the
gods spurred by jealousy. We recite the syllable MA to remove this
kind of suffering.

The syllable ṆI represents the suffering humans experience. We

are reborn as humans due to having desire and attachment. Birth,
aging, sickness, and death are the main types of suffering that hu-
mans experience. We recite the syllable ṆI to remove desire, so
that sentient beings won’t take rebirth as humans and experience
the suffering of birth, aging, sickness, and death.

PAD represents the suffering of the animal realms. We are reborn

as animals due to ignorance. Reciting the syllable PAD removes
ignorance so that we won’t be reborn there, and it helps to remove
the suffering of ignorance experienced in the animal realms.

ME represents the suffering in the hungry ghost realms. We take re-

birth there due to stinginess. Their biggest suffering is hunger and
thirst. Reciting ME removes stinginess, and also relieves beings in
the hungry ghost realms of the suffering of hunger and thirst.

HŪṂ represents the suffering in the hell realms. We take rebirth

there due to anger, and beings in the hell realms experience the un-

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 A LIFE OF HAPPINESS

bearable pain of heat and cold. Reciting the syllable HŪṂ removes
anger and the suffering of the hell realms.

Therefore, the second explanation shows that the six-syllable man-

tra can remove the suffering of the six realms.

MAY THE BODHISATTVAS ALWAYS PROTECT US

There are many methods to meditate on Chenrezig. For example,

we can meditate on the thousand-armed Chenrezig. His thousand
arms signify a thousand wheel-turning kings (chakravarti-rāja), and
his thousand eyes signify the thousand buddhas of the fortunate
eon. We can also pray to him for protection.

We can also choose to do the more common meditation on the

four-armed Chenrezig. His four arms signify the four activities of
pacifying, enriching, magnetizing, and subjugating. Pacifying refers
to the quelling of all suffering. Enriching refers to the increase of
life-force and merit. Magnetizing is to attract sentient beings and
wealth. Subjugating means to remove all obstacles and unfavorable
conditions.

The recitation of OṂ MAṆI PADME HŪṂ in Tibetan and the

Chinese recitation of Guanyin are basically the same.

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When we recite the Mani mantra, we need to do so while visualiz-

ing Chenrezig actually present in front of us. Even though we can’t
really see him, his wisdom mind is always protecting us.

It would be truly wonderful if we could recite the six-syllable man-

tra as often as possible. We usually talk about a type of liberation
called liberation upon seeing (Tib: tongdrol), which means that we are
able to arouse devotion and derive benefit upon seeing images in
monasteries. There is another kind of liberation called liberation
upon hearing (Tib: tödrol), which means that we can receive benefit
upon hearing mantras or the names of the buddhas. Therefore, re-
citing mantras and visiting monasteries is highly beneficial to our
dharma practice.

46
 PRACTICE DURING TIMES
OF SICKNESS

May everyone in the world be free from sickness.

May no new diseases appear in this world.
May the sick be cured of their illnesses,
and may the healthy never become sick.

In the Kangyur section of the Tibetan Buddhist canon, there are

two series of texts regarding the Medicine Buddha. One of them
is only about the Medicine Buddha himself, while the other men-
tions the eight Medicine Buddhas. According to these texts, the
Medicine Buddha made twelve great aspirations to free sentient
beings from various illnesses, to free them from suffering and that
they might obtain happiness.1

 1 The Medicine Buddha Sutra with the twelve great aspirations is included
in the book: Aspirations to End Adversity

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 A LIFE OF HAPPINESS

I knew a mother and daughter who used to suffer from bad health.
After they took it upon themselves to sponsor the construction of
one thousand Medicine Buddha statues in the shrine hall of the Ca-
nadian Thrangu Monastery, their conditions gradually improved.

I myself had a similar experience. Once, the Sakya Trizin told

me that I should build a thousand statues of the Medicine Bud-
dha. I did not have the resources at that time, so I printed a thou-
sand pictures of the Medicine Buddha and I used them to fill the
Medicine Buddha statue I was building in the shrine hall of Thran-
gu Monastery in Boudha, Nepal. Afterwards, I felt that doing so
improved my health immensely.

Therefore, if we often pray to the Medicine Buddha from the

depths of our hearts, it will definitely bring forth immense benefit
and merit.

THE GOAL OF PRACTICE IS TO BENEFIT SENTIENT

BEINGS

There are three versions of the Medicine Buddha sadhana: brief,

middling, and extensive. Usually, we practice the A Deep Blue
Stream: A Sadhana of Medicine Buddha, which is shorter and more
convenient than the others.

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 A LIFE OF HAPPINESS

As a practitioner of Tibetan Buddhism, first we need to take ref-

uge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. Next, we arouse
the mind of bodhicitta in order to benefit all sentient beings. The
Medicine Buddha practice is done to benefit all sentient beings, to
help them be free from suffering and to obtain happiness.

There is nothing wrong if we practice out of a wish for ourselves to

be happy and to be free from suffering and illnesses, but this type
of motivation is more limited. We need to practice with a vast mo-
tivation that seeks to benefit all sentient beings.

THE MEDICINE BUDDHA IS IN FRONT OF US

Usually, when we practice visualization, we meditate on self and

frontal generations. When visualizing the Medicine Buddha, we
begin with the practice of front-generation. We visualize in front
of us the palace of Medicine Buddha with the principal Medicine
Buddha in the center.

He sits in the middle of an eight-petaled lotus flower. Surround-

ing him starting from the right, on each of the seven petals other
than the one directly in front of him, sit seven other Medicine
Buddhas. On the petal in front of the principal Medicine Bud-
dha, there is a volume of the Medicine Buddha Sutra. Next, we can

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 A LIFE OF HAPPINESS

visualize sixteen great bodhisattvas (the sixteen great bodhisat-

tvas of the fortunate eon of a thousand buddhas) surrounded by
the protectors of the ten directions, but the focus here is to vi-
sualize the eight great bodhisattvas (Manjushri, Avalokitesvara,
Mahasthamaprapta, Ratnacandana, Aksayamati, Bhaishajya-raja,
Bhaishajya-samudgata, and Maitreya).

INVITATION OF THE WISDOM DEITIES

After the front-generation visualization, we do the self-genera-

tion visualization, which is to visualize ourselves as the Medicine
Buddha.

After meditating on ourselves as the Medicine Buddha, we invoke

the blessings of the wisdom beings (Skt. jñānasattvas). Wisdom be-
ings refer to the buddhas and bodhisattvas whom we invite from
the pure lands to actually come before us. At the heart centers of
the front and self-generated Medicine Buddha pledge beings (Skt.
samayasattvas) are blue HŪṂ ( ཧཱུྃ ) syllables. Blue light radiates
from the HŪṂ syllables to the Medicine Buddha pure realm, invit-
ing the Medicine Buddha wisdom beings to come before us.

The Medicine Buddha wisdom beings arrive, and dissolve into the
front and self-generated Medicine Buddha pledge beings, bless-
ing them. Then, light radiates to invite the Buddhas of the five

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directions to come and bestow empowerments to the front and

self-generated Medicine Buddha pledge beings.

OFFERINGS AND PRAISES

Next, we need to make offerings and praises. To make offerings,

we visualize numerous offering goddesses emanating from the
heart center of the self-generated Medicine Buddha. They make
the seven offerings of water, flowers, incense, light, perfume, food,
and music. Then, they offer the eight auspicious symbols (dharma
wheel, conch, victory banner, treasure vase, lotus, the two gold-
en carp, endless knot, and parasol), the eight auspicious substanc-
es (treasure mirror, Giwang medicine, yogurt, durva grass, bilva
fruit, a right-spiraling conch, vermillion powder, and mustard
seed), the seven royal treasures (wheel, elephant, horse, general,
minister, jewel, and queen), and the mandala of the four conti-
nents (Pūrvavideha in the east, Aparagodānīya in the west, Jam-
budvīpa in the south, and Uttarakuru in the north) and Mount
Meru.

After making the offerings, the offering goddesses sing the Praises
to the Medicine Buddha with their melodic voices.

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Having sung the Praises, the goddesses melt into light and dissolve
into the heart center of the front-generated Medicine Buddha. The
Medicine Buddha is pleased.

RECITATION OF THE MEDICINE BUDDHA

MANTRA

Following that is the recitation of the Medicine Buddha mantra:

TADYATHĀ OṂ BHAIṢHAJYE BHAIṢHAJYE

MAHĀBHAIṢHAJYE RĀJA SAMUDGATE SVĀHĀ

We visualize a blue syllable HŪṂ ( ཧཱུྃྃ ) in the heart centers of the

self and front-generated Medicine Buddhas. The Medicine Buddha
mantra encircles the syllable HŪṂ .

Light radiates from the heart center of the self-generated Medi-

cine Buddha. It melts into the heart center of the front-generated
Medicine Buddha. The front-generated Medicine Buddha feels ex-
tremely pleased, and his loving-kindness and compassion increase.
Then, light radiates from the heart-center of the front-generated
Medicine Buddha and dissolves into the self-generated Medicine
Buddha and all sentient beings.

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 A LIFE OF HAPPINESS

As the light dissolves into us, all of the non-virtuous deeds, afflic-
tions, and downfalls of every sentient being are removed. We do
the visualization while reciting the Medicine Buddha mantra. At
the end, when we have finished the recitation, all the pledge beings
and wisdom beings melt into ourselves, and we receive immense
blessings.

DEDICATION FOR SENTIENT BEINGS TO BE HAPPY

AND FREE FROM SUFFERING

During the Medicine Buddha meditation practice, there is a gen-

eration stage and a completion stage. The way to practice the gen-
eration stage is to visualize the front and self-generations. The
completion stage is when we, at the end, visualize all the pledge
beings and wisdom beings of the Medicine Buddha melting into
light and dissolving into our own heart center, as we become in-
separable from the Medicine Buddha. We need to think that we
have realized the wisdom mind of the Medicine Buddha. In this
uncontrived condition, we look at the nature of our mind and
abide in the moment.

This is a brief and convenient method of doing the Medicine Bud-

dha practice. After we have practiced the Medicine Buddha sad-
hana, we need to make dedications. We should not think of only

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ourselves, but we should dedicate the merit for all sentient beings
to be free from suffering and to obtain happiness, eventually at-
taining ultimate Buddhahood.

The dedication reads, “May the many sentient beings who are sick,
quickly be freed from illnesses. And may all the sicknesses of be-
ings, never arise again.” This is making the aspiration that everyone
in the world be free from sickness. May no new diseases appear in
this world. May all the sick be cured of their illnesses, and may the
healthy never become sick.

DAILY VISUALIZATION PRACTICE

If the above visualization is too complicated and we are unable to

practice, we can also simply recite the Praises to Medicine Buddha
and recite the Medicine Buddha mantra. This would be sufficient.
Reciting the Medicine Buddha mantra helps to increase the po-
tency of the medicine that a sick person is taking. By reciting the
mantra, we are able to benefit ourselves and all sentient beings,
and to remove the harm that worldly spirits may cause. Eventual-
ly, we will also be able to receive compassionate blessings and our
minds will become peaceful.

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 A LIFE OF HAPPINESS

Generally, whenever we encounter physical discomfort, if we are

suffering from pain in a certain part of our body, we can visual-
ize a small Medicine Buddha in that area. Nectar flows from the
small Medicine Buddha, removing all our pains and aches. If we
experience mental suffering, we can visualize the Medicine Bud-
dha in our hearts pouring out nectar, allowing us to find calm and
peace.

55
 MY DAILY PRACTICES

In order to pray for peace in the world and happiness for sentient
beings, I recite some aspirations including the Aspiration for the
Well-Being of Tibet, The Aspiration of the Mahamudra
of Definitive Meaning, and Aspiration for Birth in the Pure
Realm of Sukhavati.

In the Kagyu lineage there is the practice of the three roots: the
lama, the yidam, and the dharma protector. Therefore, my practice
and daily schedule is based on the practice of the three roots.

When I awake in the morning, I pray to the lama by supplicat-

ing the lineage of Karmapas through reciting The Four-Session Guru
Yoga. Oftentimes, we unknowingly commit non-virtues, so I recite
the The Sutra in Three Sections2 (Confession to the Thirty-five Buddhas).
Next, I do the yidam practice, which is the practice of the White

 2 Included in The Kagyu Monlam Book

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 A LIFE OF HAPPINESS

Tara Sadhana,3 instructed by the Sixteenth Karmapa. After the

practice, I have my breakfast.

After breakfast, I meet with people who have requested an audi-

ence. Some of them come to meet me looking for blessings, others
request the refuge vows, and so forth. After the audiences are over,
sometimes I teach, give empowerments, or work on my writings,
depending on the schedule for the day.

I take a short nap in the afternoon. In the evening, I do the dharma

protector practice. After that, I pray for peace in the world and

 3 The White Tara Sadhana compiled by the Eighth Tai Situ Rinpoche is
available as The Daily Practice of White Tara

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 A LIFE OF HAPPINESS

happiness for sentient beings. I recite some aspirations including

the Aspiration for the Well-Being of Tibet, The Aspiration of the Maha-
mudra of Definitive Meaning, and Aspiration for Birth in the Pure Realm
of Sukhavati.4 Sometimes, I also recite other prayers for specific
purposes, for example to liberate the deceased and for the well-be-
ing of the sick.

Recently, I underwent knee surgery in Canada. Afterwards, the

doctor told me that his responsibility was to carry out the surgery,
which went successfully. However, the rehabilitation to follow the
surgery would be in my own hands.

Now that the duty of rehabilitation has fallen upon me, I need to
carry out the physical therapist’s instructions on a daily basis. The
doctor told me that my knees will not heal if I don’t rehabilitate
properly, so I do various things like taking strolls, massages, and
acupuncture treatments daily.

I am a person who really likes to read books, so I spend all my free

time reading. Just like the English expression “to have your nose
in a book,” I bury my nose inside books all day long. I have a strong
fondness and appreciation towards books of all types and genres.

 4 Those three prayers are included in The Kagyu Monlam Book

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 A LIFE OF HAPPINESS

I remember how challenging the conditions were at Buxa, when

we had just arrived in India from Tibet. It was difficult to find the
texts we needed to conduct rituals and hold classes. There were
around a hundred monks at that time, but we only had one set of
texts. We took turns reading. Each person was only able to read
one page a day.

It was extremely difficult to find Buddhist texts at that time. Even-

tually, books printed from carved wood blocks gradually appeared.
Nowadays, we have beautifully printed books along with electronic
books. These published eBooks are well-crafted and easy to read.
Aren’t we fortunate just to be able to read them?

59
 Three:
FINAL PREPARATIONS
SICKNESS IS THE BEST OPPORTUNIT Y

We can only truly understand the suffering of sickness by having

experienced it for ourselves. By having been sick ourselves, we can
better cultivate loving-kindness and compassion.

A while ago, I met a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine

and I asked him about the history of Chinese medicine. He replied
that it started during the Han dynasty. At that time, there was an
extremely kindhearted doctor who aspired to save the lives of the
people, and he hoped that more people would be able to receive
medical treatment. He composed clear and detailed medical pre-
scriptions with ingredients that were inexpensive to obtain, allow-
ing those who could not afford high costs to access treatment. His
medical prescriptions have been preserved to the present day.

Sometimes when I think about it, there are doctors these days who
lack the right motivation. Even though they may know about cer-
tain treatments that may be more beneficial, or they may be able

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to give better prescriptions, they are unwilling to share this knowl-

edge. Regardless of whether one frequents dharma centers or not,
or whether one is even a Buddhist, it is more important above all
to have a kind heart. Some people may not hold a religious belief,
but are always willing to help the disadvantaged, support educa-
tion, provide medical care, and so forth. These are all wonderful
things to do.

THE IMPACT OF VISITING THE SICK

Nowadays, many people suffering from serious illnesses like can-

cer tend to feel quite sad and gloomy. Traditionally, in the past,
doctors would comfort patients with words like “It’s alright; you
will gradually recover,” and this helped them to feel better. How-
ever, doctors nowadays say things like “You only have three months
left to live” or “There’s no successful treatment for this. I can’t do
anything.” These statements frighten patients and make them feel
more fearful and dejected.

Upon hearing such comments, some patients may take a turn for
the worse and their condition deteriorates, unable to even make it
past the three months the doctor had predicted. There is a saying
in Tibetan, “Visiting the sick won’t remove the illness, but it can
improve their condition.” When friends and family members visit

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the patient, they should utter more words of encouragement like

“It’s alright, you will slowly get better.” Although the reassurance
itself isn’t able to get rid of the illness, it is extremely helpful for
the patient mentally, thus helping their condition to improve.

MAKING AN EFFORT AS A PATIENT

As a patient, we need to understand that once we are born as hu-

mans, we have to experience the suffering of birth, aging, sickness,
and death. Just as animals experience the suffering of ignorance,
this is a reality that we are unable to change. Each of the six to
seven billion humans on this planet, including ourselves, has to
undergo the suffering of birth, aging, sickness, and death. No one
is excluded from this. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, we need to
focus our efforts on getting treated, and then there will be a good
chance of recovering from our illness.

To improve our condition, we can spend more time practicing the

Medicine Buddha sadhana and reciting the names and mantra of
the Medicine Buddha. What helps us most in both this life and the
next is the practice of the dharma. It is especially easy for us to give
rise to the mind of renunciation when we are sick, and this helps
our practice to become more effective. It will be excellent if we are
able to put this opportunity to good use.

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 A LIFE OF HAPPINESS

We can also do the practice of tonglen (sending and taking) when

we are suffering pain. Tonglen is the practice of cultivating the
mind of taking on the suffering of sentient beings and sending
them our happiness. Not only are we able to benefit all sentient
beings through this practice, but we ourselves will also derive great
benefits from it.

MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCES

I don’t really see any particular signs when I do my usual recita-

tions. However, when I was sick and bedridden in 2015, I did some
recitations. Perhaps because I gave rise to a bit of renunciation,
one time I awoke in the middle of the night to see a Medicine

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Buddha drawn onto the IV bag. I was quite surprised. I rubbed my

eyes and looked at it again. I thought to myself that since I was not
at the monastery but at a hospital in a foreign country, how could
there be an image of the Medicine Buddha? I believe that I was
able to see it because I had given rise to a little renunciation and
devotion, along with the blessings of the Medicine Buddha.

My condition also steadily improved after I saw the image of the

Medicine Buddha. In addition, the knee surgery I had this year
healed more quickly than it had over the past year. These are my
personal experiences. I do not feel that I am all that capable, but I do
believe I gradually recovered due to the blessings of the Medicine
Buddha. Therefore, we need to pray to the Medicine Buddha often;
not only is this beneficial for ourselves, but it can also help others.

ADVICE FOR CAREGIVERS

According to Karma Chagme’s Mountain Dharma composed by Kar-

ma Chagme Rinpoche, when we feel pain in places like the head,
heart, stomach, and knees, we should visualize a smaller Medicine
Buddha in the afflicted area. Nectar flows from the Medicine Bud-
dha and removes our pains. This is a very effective practice.

Apart from the patient themselves, the caregiver also should do

this visualization for the patient. Neither the patient nor the care-

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giver should talk about sad or meaningless topics. Instead, it might

be more beneficial towards improving the situation if we dedicate
the time to practice.

Of course, often we are unable to understand the suffering of the

patient if we ourselves have not been sick. We can’t understand the
pain of being tortured by illness. We can only truly understand
the suffering of sickness by having experienced it for ourselves. By
having been sick ourselves, we can better cultivate loving-kindness
and compassion. We should put the opportunity of being sick to
good use by giving rise to renunciation and devotion, and do our
recitations and practices seriously. There will certainly be great
blessings if we can do so.

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 A VIRTUOUS MIND IS KEY
WHEN DYING

The thoughts on our minds when we are dying are extremely

important. We mustn’t give rise to thoughts like anger, pride, and
jealousy. Instead, we need to arouse loving-kindness, compassion,
and bodhicitta. This is very beneficial for the bardo
and the next life.

When we are sick, we might sometimes feel like it would be better

to die instead of being painfully tortured by the illness. When we
are older or sick, we will encounter much pain and inconvenience.
This is when we should reflect on our precious human birth which
is so difficult to obtain. Doing so allows us to live more meaning-
fully even if we have only a few months or years left to live.

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CHERISHING OUR BODIES IN ORDER TO

PRACTICE

Only as a human are we able to study the dharma, allowing us to

understand our mind and what the afflictions are, and subsequent-
ly to tame our afflictions. We should not use this precious human
birth recklessly to end our lives.

Many people think that giving up and ending our own lives is very
straightforward. But this is when we should consider whether we
are able to be reborn in a happier place after death, which is some-
thing that is really hard to tell. Thus, we should really cherish our
human bodies.

From the Buddhist perspective, our karma follows us after death

and it will not be in our favor. Instead, we should properly utilize
this precious human birth to really practice the dharma. It will be
helpful towards alleviating the suffering of sickness, and will be
beneficial to this life and all the lives that follow.

A VIRTUOUS MOTIVATION BENEFITS

THE NEXT LIFE

Some people feel depressed, disappointed, or angry when their

family members or children do not take care of them or are not

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by their side when they are dying. As a result, they give rise to
non-virtuous thoughts when they die, which is not a good thing.

No matter whether they have company or not, the dying person

should give rise to thoughts of contentment and gratitude, think-
ing “I have been well-looked after by my children and family in
this life already.” This manner of thinking is very important.

The thoughts on our mind when we are dying are extremely im-
portant. We should not give rise to thoughts like anger, pride, and
jealousy. Instead, we need to give rise to loving-kindness, compas-
sion, and bodhicitta. This is very beneficial for the bardo and the
next life. Regardless of whether we are Buddhists or not, we need
to keep our minds pure and filled with virtuous thoughts when we
are dying.

FOUR CAUSES FOR REBIRTH IN SUKHAVATI

In Karma Chagme Rinpoche’s writings, he explains the four causes

of rebirth in Sukhavati according to the Amitabha Sutra. We are
able to successfully take rebirth in this pure realm when we acquire
the four causes.

The first of the four causes is to visualize the pure realm. We should
always visualize the realm of Sukhavati, according to the depiction

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from either a thangka or a picture. In this way, when we are dying,

we will be able to bring the pure realm to mind and take rebirth
there.

The second cause is to accumulate merit. Some people like to sup-

port dharma centers or monasteries, but if we do not have connec-
tions with one, we can also choose to help the poor and schools by
providing financial or educational assistance.

The third cause is to generate bodhicitta, which is the wish for

all sentient beings to be free from suffering and attain ultimate
Buddhahood.

The fourth cause is to make aspirations. We pray for all sentient

beings, including ourselves, to be able to take rebirth in Sukhavati
and not to fall into the lower realms.

PREPARATION INSTEAD OF DENIAL

Many older people regard the topic of death as taboo. This kind
of thinking is actually mistaken and serves no purpose. There is an
analogy: a monkey who is playing around suddenly sees an eagle
swooping down to catch him. He becomes afraid and covers his
eyes with his hands. This is not a helpful move, because the eagle
will still be able to catch the monkey.

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We avoid and shun the topic of death in the same way. It is point-
less, just like the monkey covering his eyes. It would be much bet-
ter for us to start preparing for death as soon as possible.

If we are Buddhists, we should make use of our time to listen to

more teachings and practice the dharma. We need to cherish every
opportunity, even if it is reciting a single Mani mantra, reflecting
on an oral instruction, or generating a little loving-kindness and
compassion.

In general, we must remember that every person without exception

will encounter sickness and death. Only by choosing the right ap-
proach to face these types of suffering can we bring about benefits.

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 COMPANIONSHIP
IS THE BEST FORM OF CARE

As children, we should focus our efforts on taking care of our

parents. It is best if we can generate a sense of gratitude towards
being able to be by their side and look after them. Caregivers
should also cultivate the same attitude and regard the sick as
their own family members.

Nowadays, children tend to not really care about or look after their
aging parents. Nor do they keep in frequent contact. Children only
rush to see their parents once they fall sick or something terrible
happens. Even worse, some care solely about their inheritance. It is
really important for children to be loving and affectionate towards
their parents, and to be there for them at all times.

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TO TAKE CARE OF OTHER S IS TO MAKE THEM

HAPPY

Older people tend to be more fixed in their thinking. Their tem-

pers might deteriorate and they may develop a fondness for nag-
ging. These attributes can result in their children or caregivers
becoming impatient, but this is exactly when we should choose to
practice patience and to generate loving-kindness and compassion.
In this way, the older person will feel happy and we will gain the
opportunity to accumulate merit.

People who are sick tend to be emotionally unstable and prone to

anger. We should not talk back or lose our temper. We need to be
patient. We should try our best to satisfy their wants and needs
and to make them happy. We can pray, do recitations, and dedicate
our merit to them. These are the best things we can do for the sick.

A REMINDER FOR THE FINAL MOMENTS

When we are looking after the sick, whether as children or as care-

givers, we should contemplate that every person goes through the
processes of birth, aging, sickness, and death. It is a fact of nature,
so we should not feel excessively sad about it. If the caregiver him-
self is overwhelmed with sadness, then the person being looked
after also feels miserable as a result. It would be terrible if the care-

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giver were to become heartbroken and inconsolable once the sick

person had passed away.

Therefore, as children, we should focus our efforts on taking care

of our parents. It is best if we can generate a sense of gratitude to-
wards being able to be by their side and look after them. Caregi-
vers should also cultivate the same attitude and regard the sick as
their own family members.

Finally, if we realize that the sick person might be close to death,

we need to remain calm at their side. We can reassure them with
reminders like, “You are about to die. You must keep a virtuous
mind and pray earnestly to your guru or the Buddha.”

If the person does regular dharma practice, we can remind them

not to forget the practices or the dharma teachings that they have
learned. We can also remind them to practice tonglen even if they
have not had much experience with the practice.

In the mind training teachings, the practice of tonglen is one of

the most important practices for the dying. Tonglen is practiced
by using the breath as a support for meditation: As we breathe
out, we meditate on sending our happiness to sentient beings. As
we breathe in, we meditate that the suffering of all sentient beings
dissolves into our bodies.

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If the dying person is a Buddhist, according to the Buddhist tra-

dition he should receive the empowerments of Amitabha and Ak-
shobhya. Doing so is not only helpful at the time of death, but is
also beneficial for the future rebirth.

The practice of phowa is conducted after the person dies. A series

of rituals spanning forty-nine days are conducted to liberate the
deceased by helping them to remove non-virtuous karma and ob-
stacles, allowing them to be reborn in a better place.

THERE IS ALWAYS A WAY IN LIFE

We often encounter difficulties and unfavorable situations in life.

But we should not give in to despair. When our loved ones leave
us, we must not lose hope and become pessimistic; we need to try
our best to live on. We might encounter the dharma along the way,
and our lives will be transformed as a result.

Once, there was a businessman in Tibet called Norbu Sangpo.

He had failed at business nine times. After the ninth time, he was
overwhelmed with grief and wondered why he kept failing at busi-
ness. While he was lying in a broad grassland, engulfed in sadness,
Norbu Sangpo noticed a little bug crawling beside him. The bug
tried desperately to climb to the top of a blade of grass, but fell off
the stalk every single time. It tried to climb it a total of nine times.

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Then, on its tenth attempt, it actually made it all the way to the
top! There was a seed at the tip of the grass and the bug was able
to eat it.

Norbu Sangpo immediately had a realization — if bugs can suc-

ceed at something, humans must be even more capable! Inspired
by the bug, he made another attempt at his business. This time
around, he succeeded.

In the same way, the past is gone and we must continue living
our lives. We must not be overcome by the grief of the passing
of a loved one or consider ending our own lives. Suicide is an ex-
tremely terrible thing that brings no benefit but only harm to both
ourselves and others. As long as we are alive, there is a chance to
lead a wonderful life. Instead of being short-sighted, we should set
our eyes on the future.

FULFILLING THE WISHES OF THE DEPARTED

Whether the caregiver is the child or a family member of the de-

ceased, they will likely encounter a very challenging time. But the
dead are gone, and the best that we can do is to fulfill the final
wishes of the deceased — we need to cherish life, maintain a kind
heart, and live on happily. This is the best thing that we can do for
the deceased, and this also allows them to depart in peace.

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Finally, we need to be especially attentive with regards to any inhe-

ritance that may be left behind. Whether the deceased was a parent
or someone else, their possessions were obtained through a life-
time’s worth of hard work. We should not be thinking only about
how to divide the inheritance. Instead, we should be thinking
about how we can use any money to build monasteries, stupas, or
statues to benefit the deceased. Of course, we don’t have to use the
inheritance for dharma activities; we can also use it for charitable
deeds like supporting schools, helping the poor, or practicing life
release.

It will definitely be beneficial to the deceased if we can dedicate at

least a portion of the inheritance towards charity. The possessions
accumulated during their life can then become valuable and mean-
ingful as a result.

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 COPYRIGHTS

Co-publishers:
DHARMAKARA CO., LTD. and DHARMAEBOOK.ORG 

2022 © The Ninth Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche

Original title: 幸運到老：老年修行入門手冊 

Tibetan to Chinese translator: Ani Jangchub Drolma
Chinese editor: Khenpo Lodro Tengye

English title: A Life of Happiness: A Practice Guide for Older Practitioners

Chinese to English translator: Jamyang Woser
English editors: Jo Gibson, Khenpo David Karma Choephel
Graphic designer: Beata Tashi Drolkar
Illustrator: Lily
 
First eBook edition: February 2022
 

This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-

NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. For any other usage or distribution,
contact [email protected] for permission.