Closer
(By Tsem Rinpoche)
“So, every time, every day, whenever one completes one advice of guru, every time you become closer to enlightenment. Every time, every day, one advice get’s done, you become closer to enlightenment and it becomes great purification for many lifetimes, those heavy negative karma get purified. Inconceivable merits get collected.”
~ Lama Zopa Rinpoche
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Yes do agree with Jacinta Goh …..Every time when I read articles from Rinpoche’s blog, I feel a step closer to Rinpoche. Since coming to learning and practicing dharma from Rinpoche ‘s blog, I do have the same feelings as well. Reading from those articles , learning and reading time from time had me understand better and closer to Rinpoche. Joining the blog chats helps me in a way. Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s quote simple yet meaningful. Most important is following our Guru’s advice, teachings, have a strong faith then we cannot be wrong. We will transform ourselves to be better person and be closer to our teacher.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this quote .
Everytime when I read articles from Rinpoche’s blog, I feel a step closer to Rinpoche. Everytime when someone shared about Rinpoche’s stories, I feel so happy because I will get to know Rinpoche more and especially His thoughts.
For those who wanted to know more about Rinpoche, do watch the talks or sharings by Rinpoche’s senior students in Facebook, especially during the last three months (Malaysia lockdown period). In the teaching itself, these senior students would often share about Rinpoche’s private moments and their thoughts too.
1. https://www.facebook.com/kecharahouse/
2. https://www.facebook.com/KecharaForestRetreat/
3. Chinese https://www.facebook.com/kechara.my/
4. https://www.facebook.com/tsemparanormal/
Last but not least, although I know that by following Guru’s advice we will be a step closer to Enlightenment, but for me I rather feel closer to my Lama, and that’s it. I don’t need more. Enlightenment or not is just a part of it.
Thank you Rinpoche for this blog. Will continue to share my thoughts here in this blog. I’ve been putting years of silly comments. Nonetheless if these comments can help someone who might need a little encouragement in their life, then why not. After all, I have nothing to lose but everything to gain.
A short and yet meaningful profound quote from Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
Well and so true as said in this quote…always follow the advice and instructions of our Guru.Have trust and faith as to purify the negative karma so as to collect merit.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this meaningful quote with us.
Thank you Rinpoche for the sharing. We must follow Guru’s advise and complete the actions because whatever advise given by Guru, is to train, purify the negative karma and to collect merit for the students.
Action leads to another result. From here transformation is the action that we have to carry out in order for us to gain the result of being closer to gain attainments and eventually enlightenment. This process of transformation is very very difficult as we have to come face to face with the part of us which we have for this years kept it well hidden.
Like a person who want to gain quick result from going to gym has to seek for an instructor, for us who want to get a quick result of transformation has to seek for a guru/spiritual guide. Follow and go all the way with Dharma, has always been Rinpoche’s advice to all of us.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this profound advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
With folded hands,
Carmen Lin
依止上师，跟从上师，遵守与上师的联系，不做对上师无谓的揣测，不批评上师的教诲让自己在向上师学习时累计功德并和上师靠的更近。
在克切拉团体里，我们会对佛法的知识更加明了和更精进，越了解佛法的深奥道理，我们对仁波切的依止心就越有心，对仁波切的依止心越强，我们就容易得到仁波切的教诲和开示，成佛的道路也越来越靠近，整个修佛过程都是息息相关，互相联系。同修们一起加油吧！
短短几句话，就已包含佛陀的八万四千法门，很多时候，不是上师没有给予我们特别的建议或修行的法门
只是我们选择了不知道，很多人常问或说，仁波切并没有给予他们特别的修持法，所以久了，他们也变得模糊了
不知道该寻找怎样的修行道路好，仁波切已经说过很多次，在他没有特别的建议下，最适合我们的修行法
就是上师瑜伽法，因为这里面包含了佛陀的八万四千法门 ：） 很多时候，仁波切有给予我们很多建议与修行的方便法门
但是很多人都没有细心的留意到，如：我不知道该做什么好？ 然而仁波切已经成立了克切拉佛教中心与很多的部门
就是给我们不知道该怎样开始修行的人一个很好起步的地方，投入全职或当志工，就已经是累积福德资粮就已经是在修行的一部分了
只要我们多一份心思，其实仁波切的教诲与开示无所不在，倘若我们的遵循了仁波切的教导，我相信，我们一定是有所成就的
Thank you so much for sharing this insightful quote by Lama Zopa. It is so true that guru devotion is one of the best ways of achieving enlightenment. When we complete instructions from our holy gurus, it is like we are taking a step on the highway to Enlightenment. By doing things for your guru, you are not only creating merit for future furtherment of your Dharma practice but you are also doing purification to ensure that previous negative karmas will not arise at this time to hinder your Dharmic journey.
In conclusion, following your guru will lead to your eventual salvation. One step at a time. It may seem to lack results at first or results may show instantly, it all depends on your own devotion.
WOW! Love the quote. Makes so much sense to me! I am truly Blessed to have Rinpoche as my Guru and to be able to serve Rinpoche. Without any doubt nor questions, I follow whatever my Guru advice me for I trust what my Guru says. Without my Guru’s advice and teachings, I would’ve have fallen deeper into samsara like being sucked into quicksand…
I will listen and follow Rinpoche’s advice, always, without a doubt. 🙂
The truth is very simple. The guru is the source of our happiness. If we follow the guru’s instructions, it should lead to enlightenment. Therefore, we must overcome the obstacles, outer, inner and secret, that prevent us from getter closer to enlightenment. It is very hard, sometimes, but it is worth the effort.
What a simple yet such a profound quote from Lama Zopa. For this is so true to the core. Every single instructions given by the Guru is some what a path or method to help one realise something about ourselves. It could be a potential we never thought we had or a weakness we need to get rid off and was not aware of that creates our suffering.
Everything our teacher does, tells us, jokingly or straight to our face is all about benefiting us and never about them. They give us instructions which are methods to counter our inner demons and to enhanced the purity in each one of us. There should be no doubt about this especially if one has taken refuge to a Guru who seeks nothing more from his student but mind transformation. When you have taken refuge with a Guru, in Vajrayana tradition, it is the most sacred, you have basically made a pledge to be on the path of awakening – Enlightenment. Hence the Guru will start waking you up from your delusions, so why get upset when you get that wake up call? And if you do, why have a Guru for?
Even smallest thing that is assigned to us by our Guru is a path to realisation and a step closer to Boddhiscitta awakening. We should never take our Guru’s advice and instructions lightly. It is sacred because when you die, your Guru’s voice is sometimes your saving grace to follow and not get left in the black hole, or take rebirth in the lower realms… so if one does not or cannot follow instructions now how then at the time of death?
“Dharma is not out to hurt anyone”, said Rinpoche. So are Dharma teachers, who are not out to corner anyone. Both genuinely, want to help others to find lasting happiness…… There is no happiness without Dharma for sure.” Such are the wisdom words of a real true compassionate guru, to make an indelible and powerful impact in our minds to turn away from wordly actions and to engage in dharma practices. All these are meant to train us up for a much higher and more evolved path to become a proper vessel for the Dharma. With these, our guru can at least give us empowerment to enter the tantra path, for us to get closer to enlightenment.
A short and profound quote from Lama Zopa Rinpoche. Yes, it is very important to follow a qualified Guru and have a strong faith and follow our Guru advice and teaching. This is also a way train your mind to brings us closer to enlightenment. Thank you Rinpoche for sharing.
The first verse of Yonten Shigyurma – The Foundation of All Realisations is exactly about this:
http://blog.tsemtulku.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/prayers-and-sadhanas/sadhana-prayers.html#11
Well-realising that the root of the path,
the foundation for every realisation,
is to properly rely on my kind Guru,
bless me to do so with great effort and devotion.
This quote from Lama Zopa is something that all Vajrayana practitioners have to keep in mind on a daily basis. The journey to enlightenment is the accumulation of merits and the purification of our negative karma, which is fulfiled by always following our Guru’s advice.
When we follow a qualified guru, he never leads us wrong. That’s said with experience being Tsem Rinpoche’s student for a decade! Rinpoche has guided me and helped me in so many ways, its beyond whatever I can write here or even ever offer back to Rinpoche. I am not being dramatic and that’s what a qualified Guru does for you. One does not need to be physically close to a teacher, one just needs to be close to the teacher’s advice and teachings.
The more we study AND put into practice whatever he has told us is the best way towards enlightenment. That’s because a teachers wish is always to bring Dharma to all and he does it in all possible manner like this blog. Although only a small part of it appears to be able the Dharma, but actually all of it is Dharma and that’s Rinpoche’s most skillful way of bringing Dharma into our lives. It’s incredible how Rinpoche can package Dharma into seemingly trivial things into Dharma.
We had never walk through the path to enlightenment before, hence, there are many landmines on this path to look out for, but if this is the first time walking on this path, how do we know where the landmines located? when we are at the cross junction, how do we know which way to go? So when the guru is around, he can guide us and give us direction, and if we do not follow his instruction, we will walk into the wrong direction, then at the end we need to U-turn back or make another BIG round back to the right path.
When our guru give us instruction and we follow, we are 1 step closer to the destination, because we are walking on the right track and making the right turning at any junction any corner.
Have full trust in your guru’s advice, instructions, faith and love, because our guru only wants to see all of us excel, succeed, transform and be happy. Rinpoche has taken care of me and my family always, when times were really bad, guiding and instructing us to do certain things, certain prayers to help us get through tough obstacles just so that we’ll be safe. Thank you Rinpoche.
Dear Rinpoche,
WOW!!! So much said in such little words!
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this very very true and awesome quote.
It is amazing how this quote is so short and yet it means so much,
What that has been said in this quote is so true and I just cannot express in words how true it is to always follow the advice and instructions that ones Guru gives to he/she.
In my point of view, this is because whatever that a Guru tells a student to do is always right and it has it’s reasons why as well as why this particular person.
It’s true that if you follow your Guru’s Instructions like what H.E Lama Zopa Rinpoche has said we are literally another step closer to Enlightenment and all that good and beneficial stuff.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing!
Love
Jutika
It has been said that actual attainments are doing what our teacher likes/wants us to do. We must trust our Guru as HE will never hurt us. Our guru knows what’s the best for us, even though some of the tasks may be tough to accomplish, but we still have to figure out the way to accomplish them as there is always a meaning behind our Guru’s intention.
Thank You for sharing Rinpoche.
I wish everyone to find their own Guru, without a Guru, without enlightenment.
Best Regards : Eric kksiow
Dear Rinpoche. I that this as personal advice and will remember forever. Reliance on the Guru’s advise is the soundest advice and is the only way to bring eternal happiness and ends the suffering of self and others.
With Folded Hands.
So it is of utmost importance that one follows every advice of one’s Guru. Through following each advice and instruction, one is purifying a tremendous amount of negativities from previous lifetimes and collecting a tremendous amount of merits.
In this way, one creates conducive conditions for one to get realizations and attainments and thus is one brought closer to enlightenment.
Thank you, Rinpoche, for this sharing.
So much said in so little words.
There is hardly anything, there is nothing, left to add, only a field to act upon getting this beautiful message.