This meditation is in two parts...
2. Our Precious Human Life
First Contemplation: Countless living beings take rebirth as animals, hungry ghosts, and hell beings. Because these beings experience continuous, unimaginable suffering in the lower realms, none of them has the opportunity to practice Dharma. Among those born as human beings there are many who have no opportunity to practice Buddha's teachings. Millions of people live in countries where religion is not tolerated. Some people hold wrong views denying rebirth, the law of karma, or the existence of enlightened beings. Many people are physically or mentally handicapped, or incapacitated by accidents. Others suffer extreme poverty and deprivation, or are caught up in wars or natural disasters. None of these people have the opportunity to follow the spiritual path. Realizing this, we should think 'Unlike all these poor beings, I am free from all these impediments. I am very fortunate. I have an opportunity to listen to instructions on Buddhadharma and put them into practice. I have faith in these instructions. I have complete mental and physical faculties, and it is easy for me to find all the other conditions that are necessary for practicing the Dharma.
The First Meditation: We contemplate these points until we generate a feeling of deep appreciation for the preciousness of our human life, seeing that it provides all the conditions necessary for spiritual practice. We think 'I am very fortunate', and then meditate in this feeling single pointedly.
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All meditations and contemplations presented here are extracted from 'The Meditation Handbook' by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso (Tharpa Publications)
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