Freedom is near
Freedom is near
Death is near,
no time to think.
Death is near, no time
to waste.
Death is waiting,
no time for excuses.
Change is a choice,
others are more important,
than oneself,
this is the ultimate truth.
As long as we keep identifying
our aggregational attachments
as the real us, we are in prison.
Change is now. Change is in us.
Change is the way to Buddhahood.
Realizing all that we do
leads to nothing at death,
it behooves us to practice dharma,
and go all the way as this is
the real freedom.
Be free. Be free from your attachments
and then you are free.
~ Tsem Rinpoche
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Very meaningful and in fact powerful poems to wake us up. Death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. As long we live our life to the fullness and meaningfully there is no regret. We need to change ourselves ,transform our mind by learning and practicing Dharma .
Be free. Be free from your attachments
and then you are free……… quoted Tsem Rinpoche
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing.
Dear Rinpoche,
The last verses
{Be free. Be free from your attachments and then you are free. } It is very true that if we do not trapped by our attachment, we will not be selfish, we will not be lazy, we will not have so much excuses to justify what we suppose to do but not doing it.
Many times, when we endure our attachment, we forgotten that the death is there. We can die anytime without we preparing for it. We will never have chances to know when we dying, and, by the time the only regret we have is we never accumulate enough merits for our next life. This life might be the only chances that we have to accumulate the merits and thus free us from the chain of samsara and non stopped rebirth.
Change and go all the way with dharma is what Rinpoche have always advise us. I have to work hard to change, push myself and go all the way with dharma while I still can.
Thank you Rinpoche for the advise
Bowing to Rinpoche’s lotus feet, Love
Freon
Thank you, Rinpoche. This poem is meaningful, reminding us death waits for no one and it is inevitable. What makes death so fearful is the vast unknown we will be plunged into after death, likely more suffering if not the same than now. It is because we clutched tightly to all things Samsara offers. Samsara chains us down with a tool called attachment. If we do not get of our attachment to our “self” and our possessions, we will never be free from the cyclic existence of perpetual suffering.
Thank you Rinpoche for the Poem. Death is near and time is short. Change is a choice. Even though changes is sometimes scary, we should manage our fear and go all the ways to look for our real freedom.
Thank you for sharing this absolutely inspirational poem with everyone here. Death is inevitable and we just have to prepare for it and it’s consequences. How? By doing the dharma! We cannot just wait. We must practice kindness and compassion so that our future lives will lead us towards Enlightenment.
死亡近了，没有时间去思考。,死亡近了，没有时间浪费。
死亡在等待，没有时间为借口。变化是一种选择，其他更重要的，自己，这是最终的真理。
实现我们所做的一切，没有死亡，我们有必要修行佛法，并一路走下去，因为这是真正的自由。
感恩大爱的仁波切，总是给予我们简单但却充满佛法的开示与分享，让我们纠正我们总以为是的道理与习气，让我们体会死亡与生存的意义
自由并不是执着着寻找完美的生活，而是能了得证悟与离开不断在六道轮回的因果
I reread this poem today after recently attending a funeral for a loved one. This time it hit me with a THUD!
And so the process of enlightenment continues…
Thank you my dearest Rinpoche.
really tounching
Change can be an instant, change does not have to be a long protracted process. All it takes is the mind to shift the change just happens.
Realizing that death is inevitable and the only way is to face it with no regrets and fear. It’s definitely not a easy things but we can start from now, bit by bit we let go our attachment and focus on others we will live our live more meaningful.
Once we are able to let go we will be free from all fears because nothing hold us back.
Thank you Rinpoche for the reminder. I wonder we all know death is imminent and may just arrive at our doorstep tomorow, but for most people including myself, this Fact still needs to be drilled into our mind so that we dont procrastinate and that is the continuos battle we face daily. I hope to keep the goal of Freedom in mind and Dharma as the tool to freedom
Death has always been with us since birth, but accordingly, death is not an end, it is not a finality, it is believed to be the beginning of another new existence. But, as Rinpoche said, “As long as we keep identifying our aggregational attachments as the real us, we are in prison.” Therefore, we must change before death comes, and to practice Dharma seriously and diligently, going all the way, as this is the way which can lead us to the real freedom. Thank you, once again Rinpoche, for your deep concern, kind-hearted compassion and love for all of us.
Beautiful poem! It is something that I need to have peace and quiet to think about. Although I understand the surface of the poem’s meaning, but I’m very sure there is more deep message that one has to contemplate about… I love contemplating.
Thank you Rinpoche for such a meaningful and beautiful poem! How true that death is just around the corner. So near and yet we are not doing much about it. But that doesnt mean that we do not do it. What we do now in samsara is not the happiness we think it is. Persevere and do the right thing. Change for the better and live for others. That is the true everlasting happiness! May I always remember this meaningful poem!
I also like this poem about death, by a non-Buddhist, who understands impermanence.
AN EPITAPH
Walter de la Mare
Here lies a most beautiful lady,
Light of step and heart was she:
I think she was the most beautiful lady
That ever was in the West Country.
But beauty vanishes; beauty passes;
However rare, rare it be;
And when I crumble who shall remember
This lady of the West Country?
When meet some sths/ppl, we feel angry. Not because of others, but because of our wrong view, our attachment. We attach what is we like, what is we want, but not aware of others. If you can look deeply, you will find others are do things rightly at their situation. Wish we can all free from our attachment.
Thank you Tsem rinpoche for sharing this meaningful poeam with us. Yes, what rinpoche written is true for us. The death is just at at our surrounding and as an ordinary people lie us, we will never able to know when is our “time”. At the moment of death, we are unable to bring along with any things unless for those karma those we had created in our life. Thus, we shall do more positive action before it’s late and hope that those good karma that we have done will eventually lead us to have a good rebirth.
This poem is really realistic. May i always be able to stay well and have the opportunity to do physical dharma work from now on till the last breath of my life. I’ll keep this teaching in mind seriously.
生死無常，為有用心体會死亡每一分每一秒都在等待著我們，在觀想死亡應學習放下我執，欲念，瞋恨心還有不愉快的經驗，通過學習佛法，改變，我們才能超脫輪迴的束縛，才能擁有真實的解脫和自由。謝謝上師教悔。
Thank You Rinpoche for the poem, that’s so truth, things are impermanent, when death is near what is important in life? I always reminding my self on it.
Best Regards : Eric kksiow
Freedom is a misnomer when we seek it in replacement of attachments because they are two sides of the same coin. Escaping from death brings us closer to it. There is always a trap within a trap. Can the enlightened mind sees through it.
Thank you, Rinpoche for this kind reminder.
As long as we have the courage to change and persevere,we can acheive transcendence after a difficult struggle .
Thank you Rinpoche for this apt reminder. Whenever I have doubt may this poem strike through those doubts and fears so that true freedom can be achieved.
I came close to death twice this year… I realise all that I have, all that I want and all that I hold on to does not really matter when you close your eyes. You will have to let go of it all, so what is the point of grasping and holding on to it while you are alive.
No man or woman is immortal no matter how many botox, creams, plastic surgery we slap on our face. And the worst part is holding on to negative feelings such as anger, worrying about this or that, holding on to a place, a person. Really it all does not matter in the end, and I realise not one but me myself is the one making me suffer. So when we realise the true nature of our bodies and how everything is so fragile and impermanent… you will come to terms with yourself… and perhaps a glipse of true freedom can be experienced… and finally a certain kind of calmness arises where you find peace within 🙂
So my advice to anyone reading this post is to wisely contemplate, meditate on this poetic truth written here by Tsem Rinpoche.
人生皆无常，这一世可以得到人身皆是前世修来的福！我们不知道下一秒会发生甚么事，有人说，买保险是为了保障我们年老的生活，但，我想加多一句，就是说，参与佛法事业和行菩萨道，你就会明白佛法的精髓，然后「改变」我们不好的习气和放下执着，那就为我们下一世铺路了呀！
谢谢仁波切一路以来的教导和关怀！
This is really good for meditate and contemplate. Very profound poem and teaching from Rinpoche. It is true that when death comes we left nothing. We are fortunate to be in Dharma, work for Dharma and so near to our Guru that teaches us tiredly. Waste no time anymore to change our mindset for Dharma.
Dear Rinpoche,
Thank you Rinpoche for the kindness to all of us. This poem really inspire us what life about while we still chasing and suffering, and we are not aware that they are all cause and effect of suffering.
We repeated daily works and thought that is enjoyment yet this is all samsaric while we are not aware death is near.
From this poem, “Realizing all that we do leads to nothing at death,
it behooves us to practice dharma,and go all the way as this is
the real freedom.” Do we realize we are in prison ?!!
I hope the rest of all could read this asap. Hope they are not drifting away by samsaric pleasures.
## Be free. Be free from your attachments, and then you are free.##
我们不停努力工作养育下一代。赚很多钱，买下很多的保险，储蓄将来退休要用的金钱。
可是我们忘了，忘了有一天我们会面临死亡! 你准备了吗？ 这能准备吗?
我不想那么多了。 我努力为佛法事业，就是最好的储备了。
Thank you Rinpoche for the mind blowing poem. As always! It is a must to always remind myself how fragile and short life can be and it must always be used the best way I can! Not a moment to waste as everything that Buddha and Rinpoche taught is precious and must be practiced for it is the truth. Went the time comes, only I can save myself. Change must be done everyday, in every best possible way!
Thank you Rinpoche for composing this poem, its not difficult to understand it literally, all of us who read this agrees with what is being written and we all wanted to be free from samsara. Death with fear, attachments can be rid of if we change. Changing our mind is always a battle with our different level of habituations. Its not a overnight change but a consistent practice.
Freedom is near, and yet we make it so far and distance. We thought freedom is in this life (samsara) or can be found in this life, but that it is not, it is what has pull us back from our real freedom.
Thank you Rinpoche for this simple and yet profound teachings. It is so true that nothing is certain except death. Mp one can escape death and time is so short for us to practice. Many of us including me as cheating ourselves thinking that we still have tomorrow and if tomorrow never comes. When I was a catholic i remember a simple sermon by one of the father. That most people have the perception that we still have tomorrow and start tomorrow. How foolish I was then. Thank you very much for the reminder that we should start now and not later to free ourselves from the attachments and maras. Thank you once again and may you be well.
Death is the ugly truth which everyone tends to want to ignore when in eventual truth we would all have to suffer in the end. Death is unavoidable and it is close to all of us, until we learn to realise and accept the truth we would always be trapped. Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this short yet powerful poem.
this is true, death is close but if you realize it and accept it you will not trap yourself in your own prison. do not have attachments, then you can be free. thank you Rinpoche for sharing this with us.
I love this poem, it’s very direct and nicely written. Thank You for sharing the poem Rinpoche, it reminds me a lot about death. People die every 3 seconds, the thing about death is that it can’t be predicted, we will never know if we are next one.
I don’t know if Tsem Rinpoche is better or not than other masters, I’m not in position to decide this. But for me He is the one who keep alive my enthusiasm. He is the best in doing this. It is very important to keep alive your enthusiasm on the Path.
Thank you Rinpoche for the precious teaching about death and attachment. Attachment holds us from being free in this world of samsara. May all the sentient beings be freed from suffering.
This poem reminds me of how precious human life is.. What we do while we’re still alive matters the most. Because once our time is up, that’s it. We take NOTHING away with us to another life.. Except for the shadows of our karma.. This poem also reminds me of how attachments could free or imprison us.. We have to be free..
Thank you for the beautiful poem, Rinpoche..
Dear Rinpoche,
Thank you so much for the lovely poem, the line I like most and will practise is CHANGE IS A CHOICE, OTHERS ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN ONESELF, THAT IS THE ULTIMATE TRUTH.
May I always remember that and a lot of my sufferings will be abated.
Come to think of it, death is no other than the death of our destructive habits and afflictive emotions. There is no more time for it nor is there time for it to continue festering. The fact that our attachments brings us and drags us down, it is likened to a terminal disease which brings us to our ultimate death.
When the death of our normal afflictions arises, there will be life, a life which we will use ourselves, our skills, senses and sometimes even our attachments to help others. This is a very good and mind awakening poem to read to help us reflect on the true nature of death. Our fear of death should propel us to become better people in order to be of help to others.
Death is near but change is also near and how we end up depends on whether death occurs first, or indeed change happens before death. Part of being imprisoned in the mind is not realizing that change can happen in an instant. But that change for the better requires us to realize that in fact our natural mind can be free of its attachments that compels the body to replay all the thoughts and actions that keeps it in prison. Its the realization that in fact we CAN be free if we decide not be bound by attachments. It is not enlightenment that gives freedom, but its the knowledge that our mind can be free of its attachments that takes down the path of enlightenment.
All the time, this change is waiting to take place but if we do not take advantage of this ability to separate our mind from its aggregational attachments, then it may not be as simple if we are reborn without the same aggregates to effect change easily.
Thank you Rinpoche for this profound teaching.
Yes, change is the way to go and the Dharma teaches us about the need to change and how to change. Change is about transforming our perspective and state of mind from being ego-centric and self-cherishing to being kind and caring and cherishing others and benefiting others. Change involves letting go of our habituated attachment to the five aggregates which we see as a solid, permanent “I”. When we can free ourselves from this self-grasping,then we will be free of suffering and its causes.
Yet it takes deep contemplation and meditation on ‘Death’ to galvanize us into action and into practicing the Dharma in earnest , so that death won’t ‘cheat’ us of our freedom from suffering.
Beautiful poem! Rinpoche forwarded this poem to me as well as he gently encourages me to take on more. I think he sees my potential in doing more and accomplishing more for others. This poem doesn’t just apply to dying per se, it also applies to all the limitations we put in our minds and all the fears and indecisiveness that we have that prevents us from accomplishing more and becoming a better person. We are all capable of improving and becoming better, I think for everyone but particularly for myself, I think gratitude for the good things I have had from others, chiefly from Rinpoche encourages and nudges me to think higher and better for others.
Beautiful poem. Knowing that nothing last forever and death can happen anytime and anywhere, we should start learning to let go of our attachments as at the time of death we will leave everything behind except our karma which follows us like a shadow.
We are very fortunate to be born as a human and be near the dharma; we should not waste this human life chasing after worldly desires which lead us nowhere but to use this opportunity to learn, practice and serve the dharma.
Thank you, Rinpoche, for this beautiful yet powerful poem.
The seemingly fixed and solid world we see around us actually is in a state of flux.Our senses may not be able to detect moment to moment change,but everything is always changing.When we appreciate our experiences without clinging to them,we can learn to let go of fears,disappointments and regrets.Nothing is permanent,everything is possible.Liberation is possible.Enlightenment is possible.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this magnificent and powerful poem.
If we have come to a point of realization that nothing lasts forever and we cannot grasp onto them at the last moment of truth, that is death – that can strike at any time, don’t hide, evade or deny that fact of natural process of life.
We should come down to do a reality check before its too late to do anything about it. We may hold grudges with someone, just let it go now. Forget about the negative past mistakes and move on and forgive.
If we are aware that karma is a cycle, then Do Good for others and our self for Good to return. Payback time in future lives by living Good for others now.
Impermanence and death and come at any time without any sign, it we still find thousand of excuses on not practicing Dharma and also only putting whole effort on worldly activities. Then what a great waste! Having a precious chance to be able take rebirth at human realm was extremely rear and find it only once. I was really grateful because I was able to met Rinpoche and be invited to volunteer at Kechara although until now I am still not able to be with Rinpoche and to serve him directly, but I will keep waiting until the day comes. Thank you those helpful and kindly Kecharians, some of them really dedicated their full-time on Dharma with a joyful mind. We need them much and also pray for Rinpoche’s longevity so that Dharma gets flourish. Serving guru and Dharma make my life meaningful.
Simple yet filled with teachings on inevitable reality of our life and method to attain eternal freedon. Very nice, especially with the picture (mist behind Rinpoche creating that mysterious effect).
Shellytai on 21June at 5pm
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this inspiring poem with us. Death is inevitable we really need to keep remaining ourselves don’t wait till it come without prepare . Thank you Rinpoche once again for this poem.