6. Actions And Their Effects
Contemplation: The main cause of rebirth in the lower realms is non-virtuous actions, or negative karma. All the suffering we experience in this life, such as sickness, poverty, conflict, accidents, and harm from humans and non-humans, is the result of our own past negative karma. If our dearest wishes remain unfulfilled while the things we dislike appear with ease, or if we fail to find good friends, or, having found them, we are soon separated from them, these too are due to the ripening of our past negative karma. Even minor annoyances such as interferences in our daily routine, or the discontent that underlies so much of our life, are the result of the non-virtuous actions accumulated in previous lives. Conversely our precious human life, and the attainments of liberation and enlightenment are the result of virtuous actions.
The dependent relationship between actions and their effects, virtuous actions causing happiness and non-virtuous actions causing suffering, is taught by the Buddhas based on their perfect knowledge. We must believe it because conviction in the laws of karma is the root of all future happiness.
Meditation: We contemplate these points until we develop conviction in the truth of karma. Then we make the determination 'Since I wish to be free from every misfortune and enjoy uninterrupted happiness, I must abandon non-virtuous actions and practice only virtue. In particular, I must abandon the ten non-virtuous actions.' We then make this determination firm by meditating on it with single pointed concentration.
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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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5. Refuge Practice
Contemplation: Since all the fears and dangers of samsara, including rebirth in the lower realms, arise our deluded minds, our real refuge is Dharma, the spiritual realizations that directly protect us from delusions. For example, if we gain a realization of death and impermanence this will help us to reduce our attachment to the things of this life. If we have strong awareness of the inevitability of death and the uncertainty of its time we shall naturally value the practice of moral disciple more than the pursuit of transitory sense pleasures, wealth, or power. We shall not be tempted to commit non-virtuous actions such as killing, stealing, or sexual-misconduct, and so we shall not have to experience the unpleasant consequences of such actions. This is how Dharma realizations protect us from suffering. The ultimate Dharma refuge is the realization of emptiness. This permanently eradicates all our delusions and frees us once and for all from suffering.
Whereas Dharma is the actual refuge, Buddha is the source of all refuge. He is the supreme spiritual guide who sustains our Dharma practice by bestowing his blessings. The Sangha are the spiritual friends who support our Dharma practice. They provide conducive conditions, encourage us in our practice, and set a good example for us to follow. Only the Three Jewels have the ability to protect all living beings from all suffering.
Meditation: By thinking in this way we generate a strong convictions that the three jewels are the only true objects of refuge, and we develop deep faith in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. We meditate on this without allowing any doubts to arise.
When we meditate on mental attitude such as faith, we do not merely think about it and focus on it as if it were separate from our mind; rather we transform our mind into a state and hold it single pointedly. We should feel as if our mind has merged with and ocean of faith.
After meditating on our faith in the Three Jewels for a short time, we imagine that in front of us is the living Buddha Shakyamuni surrounded by all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas like a full moon surrounded by stars. We generate a strong conviction that all these holy beings are actually present before us and focus on them for a while. Fearing rebirth in the lower realms and having deep faith in the Three Jewels, we generate a strong determination to build the foundation of the Dharma Jewel within our mind by relying upon the Buddha Jewel within our mind by relying upon the Buddha Jewel and the Sangha Jewel. With this motivation we make the following request:
All Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and holy beings.
Please protect me and all living beings
From the various sufferings, fears and dangers of samsara.
Please bestow your blessings upon our body and mind.
We recite this refuge prayer many times with deep faith in the Three Jewels.
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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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4.The Danger of a Lower Rebirth
Contemplation: When the oil of a lamp is exhausted the flame goes out because the flame is produced from the oil, but when our body dies our consciousness is not extinguished because consciousness is not produced from the body. When we dies our mind has to leave this present body, which is just a temporary abode, and fins another body, rather like a bird leaving one nest to fly to another. Our mind has no freedom to remain and no choice about where to go. We are blown to the place of our next rebirth by the winds of our karma. If the karma that ripens at our death time is negative, we shall definitely take a lower rebirth. Heavy negative karma causes rebirth in hell, less negative karma causes rebirth as a hungry ghost, and the least negative karma causes rebirth as an animal.
It is very easy to commit heavy negative karma. For example, simply by swatting a mosquito out of anger we create the cause to be reborn in hell. Throughout this and all our countless previous lives we have committed many heavy negative actions by practicing sincere confession, their potentialities remain in our mental continuum, and any one of these negative potentialities could ripen when we die. Bearing in mind, we should ask ourself: 'If I die today, where shall I be tomorrow? It is quite possible that I shall find myself in the animal realm, among the hungry ghosts, or in hell. If someone were to call me a stupid cow today I would find it difficult to bear, but what shall I do if I actually become a cow, a pig or a fish?
Meditation: We contemplate the sufferings of the three lower realms, and danger of being reborn there, until we generate a strong fear of taking rebirth in the lower realms. We then meditate on this feeling of fear for as long as possible.
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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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3. Death and Impermanence
Contemplation: We think 'I should definitely die. There is no way to prevent my body from finally decaying. There is no way to prevent my body from finally decaying. Day by day, moment by moment, my life is slipping away. I have no idea when I shall die; the time of death is completely uncertain. Many young people die before their parents; some die the moment they are born – there is no certainty in this world. Furthermore, there are so many causes of untimely death. The lives of many strong and healthy people are destroyed by accidents. There is no guarantee that I shall not die today.
Meditation: After contemplating these points we mentally repeat over and over again 'I may die today, I may die today' and concentrate on the feeling it evokes. Eventually we shall come to the conclusion 'Since I shall soon have to depart from the world, there is no sense in my becoming attached to worldly enjoyments. Instead I will devote my whole life to the practice of Dharma.' We then meditate on the conclusion for as long as we can.
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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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Our Precious Human Life. (Part 2)
Second Contemplation: We think 'If I use this human life well by practicing Dharma, I shall be able to protect myself from falling into a lower rebirth in the future. If I practice the stages of the path of the intermediate scope I shall become free from uncontrolled rebirth and attain the peace of liberation; and if I practice the stages of the path of the great scope I shall attain full enlightenment and be able to benefit all living beings. My human life is a real wishfulfilling jewel, because it enable me to fulfill my principle wish to free myself and others from every kind of suffering so that we can experience real happiness. It is only with this human form that I can fulfill this wish.
Second Meditation: We contemplate these points until we generate the determination 'I will use this precious human life to practice Dharma without wasting even a single moment.' we then meditate on this determination 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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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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Starting this week, I’ll be doing a series on the 21 Lamrim Meditations.
1. Relying upon a Spiritual Guide.
Contemplation: We think ‘If I rely upon a Spiritual Guide, he or she will lead me along the spiritual path, which is the only way to I can solve all my problems and make my life meaningful. I shall gradually draw closer to the attainment of full enlightenment. All the Buddhas will be delighted with me; I shall be protected from harm caused by humans and non-humans. I shall find it easy to abandon delusion and non-virtuous actions. My practical experience of the spiritual path will increase. I shall never be born in the lower realms. In all future lives I shall meet well-qualified Spiritual Guides. All my virtuous wishes for beneficial conditions within samsara, as well as for liberation and enlightenment, will be fulfilled.
Meditation: We contemplate these benefits until we generate the determination to rely upon a Spiritual Guide sincerely and with strong faith. We meditate on this determination for as long as possible.
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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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