Tendencies
(By Tsem Rinpoche)
Never say “I CAN’T change”, never say “It’s TOO LATE to change”, because when you say it you are thinking it, when you are thinking it, you open up that karma that “you CANNOT change”.
You CAN change, you CAN transform, you CAN improve, we can overcome it when we think we can overcome it, because we create the karma to overcome it. It is not magic, it is called karma.
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Tsem Rinpoche
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Progress is impossible without change, those who cannot change their mind cannot change anything or to improve themselves. Always think positive nor matter whatever happen never give up.
Never say “I CAN’T change”, never say “It’s TOO LATE to change”, ..quoted so true as said by Rinpoche. I am fortunate to come across Rinpoche blog that has indeed changed my life, learning ,and practicing Dharma late. We are never too late to learn, what is necessary to know before our time is up. Never too late to transform our mind to be better.
Thank you Rinpoche so much for this inspiration post.
Inspiring and profound teachings . What ever you have taught and I have learned really kept me going that have in fact changed my life in many ways I came across. Truly have inspired me to read more of Rinpoche’s teaching and more Buddhism books. Each of it have increase my knowledge of Buddhism which I never got a chance to read those days.
(Never say “I CAN’T change”, never say “It’s TOO LATE to change”,
You CAN change, you CAN transform, you CAN improve…).quoted
Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing.
Dear Rinpoche,
Thank you so much for this inspiration. At times, I falter, and often I do. When everything seems hopeless, you have given me the strength to continue on my spiritual journey. I want to change and transform, and as you said “You Can” as it’s never too late to change. I hope to create good karma to overcome my obstacles.
Best regards
Leonard Ooi
KPSG
Thousands are inspired by your teachings Rinpoche la. Thank you so much. You are the inspiration, the burning lamb for us. A personified and peaceful teacher who can lead us to right direction, you are the one rinpoche la. Thank you so much… May you shine bright always.
感恩仁波切的开示与教诲
很多时候，是我们自己迷失了在这娑婆世界里，然后沉浸其中，不是无法自拔，而是我们习惯了一切的习气，我们习惯了不去改变什么，更迷失的我们习惯了痛苦，习惯了一切来之这娑婆世界的一切
我们来到这里，接触了佛法，遇见了我们尊爱的上师，我们都希望能学习到更多，能累积更多的福德资粮，我们潜意识里佛性与我们的心识及菩提心开始发芽，然而倘若我们依旧因为得到了庄严佛法及尊爱的上师的教诲与开示而没有开始改变许多不好的恶习，那么我们来这里到底又为了什么呢？
仁波切总是苦口婆心的教诲我们是因为他爱我们，仁波切严厉的督促我们是因为他慈悲的心不忍我们在娑婆世界里继续打滚，仁波切不断乘愿转世而来，不是因为喜欢这里，而是他知道，我们要改变很难，我们总是万般借口来抵挡佛陀的八万四千法门，所以他乘愿再来，并牺牲一切的，用他的大爱与身体力行的来陪伴我们，给予我们佛法教诲与开示
要相信因果，不要因为习性，而结下不好的果，万劫不覆，要相信因果，努力结下更多的善因，得到善果，离苦得乐
感恩仁波切您，祈愿您长驻在世，常转法轮
Just like the world renowned scientist- Thomas Edison, if he got to tell himself that he couldn’t do it and will not be able to invent a light bulb, there will be no light bulbs invented. He failed so many times but he kept trying and trying until he gets what he wants. I think that it’s a very important attitude that all of us should have, sometimes when we don’t try, we’ll never know. It’s better that we try and fail than just sit there and do nothing then fail. Thank You for sharing Rinpoche.
Never never think that you can’t do it. But think of ways to do it.
Impossible will change to possible if we do our best to make it possible. Not that we are smarter than others, but we never giving up of trying until we able to make the result. This is where we learn to stand up again and try again whenever we fall.
It’s never too late to change. It’s depend on us whether we want to change or not. And everyone of us CAN change.
Thanks to Rinpoche’s sharing. Especially the phase “You CAN change, you CAN transform, you CAN improve, we can overcome it when we think we can overcome it, Because we create the karma to overcome it”. I love it.
Come to think about it, we hardly use 10% of our brains and therefore all the decisions we make are based on the limited knowledge (and who knows what tremendous knowledge we have but cannot yet access). We totally discount the possibility of accessing more of our mind/brain when we say we can’t. When we say we can, we leave the door of possibility open. There are autistic people with uncanny skills eg perfect memory, something the ordinary mind cannot manage and yet autistic people do not have a bigger brain/mind but are “wired” differently in their brain and so while they lack “normal” skills, they are gifted with skills that we regard as extra-ordinary. This says to me that indeed we do have more knowledge and imprinted skills that we have yet to unlock, but they are there.
Saying we can sends impulses to open up that possibility. Whether we explain it by way of karmic logic or neuro-science, the bottom line is, saying ‘no’ closes all doors immediately and we short-change ourselves.
Yes, one of the main characteristics of the law of cause and effect is that, Karmic seeds inevitably ripen in accordance with their causes, i.e. virtuous ones lead to joy and non-virtuous to sorrow. The sufferings, chaos and inequality we experienced is the result of Karma that is generated in this way. But, it is also believed that there is no action which cannot be purified if the four opponent powers are present and excercised, namely:- (a) Regreting our actions (b) Having refuge in the three Jewels to purify our negativities (c) applying antidotes such as purification practices and (d) not to repeat the actions again. As stated in the Darma teachings, never say “I can’t change, it’s too late to change”, etc., etc., because we have to create the Karma to overcome it as mentioned above. It is not magical but Karmically done! Thank you Rinpoche once again for your invaluable advice and reminder!
Thank you Rinpoche for the teachings. With a positive mind, we can change, overcome, improve and transform ourselves into better person. Never say that we cannot change or too late to change because most of our failure is often caused by us not believing in ourselves or because we are lazy due to our selfishness.
Thank you very much Rinpoche for a very powerful teaching.
I fully agree that when we are given instructions by our Guru to do something, we must have the trust and faith to do it. This is not following instructions blindly, but knowing fully well and trusting deeply that our Guru knows us , even better than we know ourselves ! Our Guru see our fullest potential, and when he sets us an assignment, it’s for our benefit.
It’s all in our mindset and our attitude . We set our mind that “Yes i can do it and i will do it!” achieves so much more that will surprise and amaze ourselves.
I came across a lovely saying the other day :
The difference between TRY and TRIUMPH is a little UMPH !!!
I have been always grounded myself everyday that “I CAN”. Furthermore, i have the choice to choose to be POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE. Therefore i choose to be Positive…so that good imprints will be planted into my thick skull.
I love this concept and I love this teaching from Rinpoche. Karma, cause and effect, basically we are our own creator. Easy as that.. Thank you for sharing, Rinpoche!
When we claim that we can’t change, we are creating the causes to not change. We are also being lazy as when we say we can’t change, we are just saying we do not want to change. I believe it is this way. Anyone can change if they are willing to change. It is never too late to change.
“To say You “CANNOT” is Failure before even Trying, why put yourself down? Life is about learning and relearning to get better! ”
100% agreed on the above statement. Life is about learning and relearning , I change in the process of learning , NEVER SAY CANNOT is the key that I always remind myself because I do not want to open up the KARMA of CANNOT !
Yes, can do it, we can change to be a better person, and Yes.. We can enlightened, we can improve. Strongly believed in Karma, and don’t like to play around with it.
Thank You Rinpoche for this topic to us.
Best Regards : Eric kksiow
Thanks Rinpoche for the teaching. We should always create the good and positive cause then only we may get the good and positive result.
We should always remember that ” You CAN change, you CAN transform, you CAN improve, we can overcome it when we think we can overcome it, because we create the karma to overcome it. It is not magic, it is called karma ” hence to be a better person.
Can or cannot is not what comes up in our mind, there are many times where before we do it, we already think that it is not possible, or it can’t be done, then of course we can’t do it, because our mind already set to fail.
We shall not limit ourselves as the limit is just a projection of our mind, we are the one who set it, it is not real. just like a kid, when we learn to walk, and fall down, we think that we can’t do it, it’s too difficult to walk and I’m not capable enough to do it, because having the fear of falling down again, but look at us now, we all walk like it is so easy. So that is not because we can’t do something, it is just because we have no experience on doing it and once we try again and again, things will become easier and we will definitely make it in the end.
Changing ourselves is also the same, if we can learn to do new things in any age of our life, we can definitely also change our habit. The only time where it is too late to change is when we died, but then before that, even till the last minute before death, we can still change. As I said, all are playing in our mind.
这是多年以前的开始，仁波切在当时已开实提及在山林间禅修静坐。仁波切始终如一，对于他上师的陈诺不改。
当我们所自己不能，或许是华人的“谦虚”，可是这样的文化毕竟也让我们留下了后路，有了后路自己也不会尽力而为。思想毕竟是就定我们一生的关键所在。善恶因果的开启决定于我们的念。不断的否定自己，同时也开启负面的业，恶性循环。
Well, tendencies are basically an explanation that we are all creatures of habit. If we have been programmed to behave in a certain way during childhood, we will carry that habit way into adulthood. Most people are basically carbon-copies of our dominant parent whether we like it or not. In fact, if we are into spirituality, we would notice it would be easier to be selfish than it is to be giving, compassionate and altruistic.
Why is that? We have a whole lifetimes geared towards being self-centered so anything out of this norm would make it difficult. Another factor is that negative actions tend to open the karmic seeds of negative actions and vice-versa. So, even one small negative action could trigger a lot of things to open. Hence, it would be best to always self-examine and if we have a Guru, it would be to pay extra attention to his advice and instructions always.
Dear Rinpoche,
Thanks for sharing and well said. I will practice with what you have shared.
Regards,
Venix
“All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think we become.”
All thoughts, good or bad, are created by us so it is important that we must learn to be more positive. Since everything we created around us is first created in the mind we must be mindful of our thoughts.
With a positive mind, we can change and we can transform.
This i true especially when it comes to our Guru’s advice or instructions. The Guru will never set us up to fail and if the Guru tell us that something can be done, it is because he knows for sure that we have the karma to fulfill that certain objective. But we still need to generate the causes or merits for that karma to open up and come into fruition. By insisting that we cannot, we not only deny ourselves the necessary merits but in fact creates the causes for the objective not to be accomplished.
The entire basis of the Buddha’s teaching is that everything changes and we all have the capacity to attain the highest achievement which is enlightenment. If that is attainable, then what is it that is impossible? Therefore even if something seems unlikely at the moment, by saying it can be done and then proceeding to do it often create fresh means for the objective to be achieved. Nothing stays static unless we short change ourselves.
Martin, I like what you say here about how when the Guru gives us advice or instructions it is never to set us up to fail. In fact, his instructions are only for our own benefit and for what he knows will and can only bring us happiness and peace – he doesn’t get anything out of these instructions. So when we say that we can’t, we shut the door in the face of our own happiness. It really is a choice, as you said.
The new-age spiritualists believe in something called the power of manifestation, something like what is talked about in the book The Secret. In Buddhism, this is more logically explained by the way in which we trigger our positive karmic imprints to open, just as Rinpoche explains. We may not believe it right now when we tell ourselves that we can do it; in fact, it may feel contrived or sounds fake, but we also all know that saying “fake it til you make it!” and that’s precisely what it is. Even if we don’t really believe in it, saying it to ourselves or thinking it – no matter how fake it feels – triggers the karmic causes and imprints for it to become real. Simultaneously, when we think it, over time, our actions and speech will follow accordingly to enact and manifest what we are thinking. This reminds me also of a time Rinpoche asked us very simply, “Do you want to be happy?” Just by answering that question alone, very honestly, we will automatically adjust whatever we need to do or say to bring about that result of wanting to be happy. It all starts with a thought, an intention!
Dangerously, this also means that the converse is true – saying we cannot triggers those corresponding imprints too. So positive affirmations (and negative ones!) do have a very logical basis that is nothing mystical or magic.
So, let’s say “I can” then, rinse, wash, repeat!
This is so true when u have been given assignments from Rinpoche you never thought in your wildest dreams you can do…like for me it would be learning how to paint Buddha statues and oh the biggest challenge was learning how to upload videos, create a simple website…oh my gawd trust me… that was sooo scary for me because I always tend to do something silly on the comp and everything goes hay wire! Doing anything with the comp was so scary and I felt so intimidated by the the whole internet… I hated it. I always thought it was such a waste of time… until Rinpoche pushed me to do it and I had no choice but to follow my Guru’s instructions. Next thing I knew I waste posting and doing social media and liking. I even had people, strangers liking and telling me how my so called silly posts on FB inspires them. To me this was fulfilling results that I got someone’s attention on to something I posted on Rinpoche… as that was the whole reason and main reason why I even bothered challenging my self to be on social media. Otherwise I really cannot be bothered.
So now I am no longer intimidated by it so much and heck I actually enjoy getting online! When you realise you CAN get over the self created silly insecurities and fears… it is so fulfilling and uplifting. You end up inspiring yourself and that is how we gain self-confidence and perhaps even inspire someone else. I am so fortunate to have a Guru like Rinpoche to push my buttons to improve and become a better person. To say You “CANNOT” is Failure before even Trying, why put yourself down? Life is about learning and relearning to get better! Thank you Rinpoche for always teaching us even in the simplest task like learning the computer!!!
What Rinpoche shared here makes me think of the willpower. When we say we can, then we will tune our ‘mode’ to make something done/successful. When we say we can, we will definitely find ways to get things done, because we want to it to be done. Whether can or cannot, it is just the word that we tell ourselves. It is not really about our abilities, it is about how much we want something.
“Our subconscious is always listening. Our subconscious forms the conscious. Our conscious acts out in speech and actions. These in turn affect everyone and everything around us. So we must first start without thoughts. If not, our lives will be one endless round of sympathy-seeking selfish egos not achieving anything much and then our time here is over.” ~Tsem Rinpoche
This is extracted from one of Rinpoche’s blog post ‘Why are excuses impermanent?’ http://blog.tsemtulku.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/inspiration-worthy-words/why-are-excuses-impermanent.html
We must never say that we cannot do something, especially when it is something that our Guru tells us we can achieve.
Take for example, if you can plant good imprints into your mind when you’re around your teacher, imagine what type of imprint you will plant in your mindstream when you keep telling your teacher ‘I cannot, I can’t, I this, I that” etc.
The very fact that we say we cannot is because we are so attached to our comfort zone that we refuse to get out of it and do what normally would make our Guru happy, which is putting an effort to make the Dharma grow.
When we choose to say ‘I CAN’ instead of ‘I CANNOT’ it means that we have grown spiritually, and we have chosen our Guru over our Attachments.
Think positive thoughts to translate them into positive action.
Just like the saying: You are what you eat; then You are what you think, is also appropriate.
i like what rinpoche say. Never say “I CAN’T change”, never say “It’s TOO LATE to change”, because when you say it you are thinking it, when you are thinking it you open up that karma that “you CANNOT change”.thank you rinpoche .