Be low maintenance
After five years in the Dharma, you should be a student who is ‘low maintenance’ or no maintenance which would mean you have transformed because you took the Dharma to heart…Very little ups and downs should disturb your practice after five years. Having ups and downs is fine, but it should not ever usurp your practice, faith and diligence because you know to accept it to be karma arising you have accrued and have to experience. Be a student that maintains others and not need further maintenance always otherwise you should transform yourself faster.
Tsem Rinpoche
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This is a good short but profound teaching on how to check our spiritual progress and what we should strive for. Low maintenance in the secular sense means living a simple life with less demands and wants. Low maintenance in the spiritual sense is to have a stable practice, a virtuous mind and be someone who nurtures others spiritually. Eg: We should not need reminders to do our daily practices or assignments given by our teacher.
Thank you for this precious teaching, Rinpoche. May all of us be low/zero maintenance students.
Thank you, Rinpoche. 🙂
Found my way to this article by June Tang (Khjb)posting this quote into a widget on the right of your blog. My first visit to my local Dharma center was in 2010 and I went a few times between 2010-2012 as a tourist. I didn’t start to practice any Dharma ’till 2012. I’ve been very wishy-washy. Practice here and there for a few days or months then nothing then back to practice. Each time I fall off the horse I get more discouraged. Each time I get back on the horse I practice with more resolve. But it only takes one slip up for me and I’m off the horse for a while. I took Refuge for the first time with my Root Guru November 24, 2013 on Lha Bab Duchen. I used the Full moon April 15, 2014 to make some changes and get back to the Straight & Narrow. So far so good. I abandoned all my friends. Instead of my helping them, we bring each other down together. Best to stay away from them completely until I have thoroughly stabilized my mind. My problem is I’ve been practicing thus far on a purely emotional basis. Today I want to practice so I will. The next day I don’t feel like practicing so I don’t. Better to approach my practice logically and reasonably with an understanding of cause and effect relationships. I want to be a low-maintenance Dharma Practitioner! Thanks for posting.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this post, I think when we are trying to avoid to do something and is thinking of letting others to take the responsibilities, when such a thoughts arise we push ourselves to go beyond and further and that’s when I think transformation kicks in.
Dharma practice means to let go our attachment in life, of course we cannot do it over night, that’s why we need to practice. When we are on high maintenance that means we are very attached to our lifestyle and our feeling, it is not good at all because when we are on high maintenance, we are using the expand of others..
High maintenance does not only mean material, it includes emotional too, when we want others to give us attention always, it does exhaust them out. Reduce our expense, give to others instead, we should always be satisfied with what we have and practice giving, spend lesser and your life will be happier.
Thank you Rinpoche for this short, sweet yet profound and precise teaching.
Since i’ve incorporated Dharma into my life, i can feel and see the changes in my life, i am more mindful in everything i do and say. I am more energetic, more motivated to do more and am looking at the world and all around me from a different perceptive. I am only a beginner but i am learning more and more each day and bringing into my life what i have learnt and am working hard to be of ‘no maintenance’.
It has been difficult but i know that i have the good karma to receive teachings from Rinpoche and be guided by Rinpoche.
Thank you so much Rinpoche.
Be low maintenance… be low maintenance… Thanks Rinpoche for such a straight to the point sharing…
Shall keep in mind and to go through all the ups and down with dharma…
I suppose being low maintenance covers both expenses on worldly materials and also emotions… with the latter being the most important.
As Dharma is designed to transform our minds, how we think and how stable our emotions and practice should reflect in our actions to bring results. If we continue to sulk, need attention and nurturing, denying what needs to be done, etc… we are being very high maintenance to the people around us, as they need to deal with our unreliability and sorry excuses. If we keep doing that, then it is a clear indication that we have not practised the Dharma, because Dharma makes ours and other’s lives lighter and more peaceful… not causing trouble and headache to those around us
Well said Sarah. Those with high maintenance are actually very selfish people. They drain you of your time, energy, resources. Some think that you owe it to them, some perpetually dwell in self pity and some think that they are god’s gift to the world hence you must always be the giver and them the taker.
Through my years of being in a dharma instituition, sad to say, i have come across many high maintenance people. It is nothing different than from the secular world. No matter what method or solution you give them, it is always rejected. Some have improved but unfortunately some had to leave too…. either their karma ran out on them or were asked to leave with the hope that they will realise the wrong they have done.
Thank you Rinpoche for this short and straight to the point article.
Definitely, I want to
“Be a student that maintains others and not need further maintenance always otherwise you should transform yourself faster.”
第一年是摸索，吸取新的知识，接着是将所知的加于练习，思考。
无论是学什么，三年后如果看不到什么改变，是时候反省了。这也表示我们没有放心思去学习。佛法不是只是坐在佛坛打坐诵经就可以了，真正的修行是每一天面对外间的人事物时，我们是否以一种比昨天昨天更开放、自在的心境来对待。
持之以恒，五年都会看到一些转变。
After I read this post, I know I need to improve myself in Dharma, then I can help others more.
Being reminded to do the same thing again and again. Being told many times of the same thing. We might not have done enough to meet certain level of expectations. Clarify expectations and next time do it with more concentration, and patience. If we are unfamiliar with the task at hand we should not do it hastily just to get over with quickly. Ask someone experience or who has done it before for guidance if available.
I suppose if we are low maintenance after five years then it lets our teacher/lama to focus on the newbies or newer people for example. As within five years if we are serious about spirituality it should be sufficient time for us to learn and practise enough so we do not need constant maintenance.
I suppose it is a reflection of how selfish we are, if we remain selfish then we still need constant attention from our teacher. If we have developed more compassion we’d really want to be really low maintenance so our teacher can devote his time to stabilise newer students or have more time to help people who have chronic problems or even life threatening ones.
From Jordan L. Polycranos on Facebook:
Love this and you give the best ‘kick in the pants’ Dharma at times.
It’s diligence, great love and being comfortable with my practice enough when obstacles arise to push through and not look back that have really been fruits of my effort.
Being mindful and having confidence in my abilities and rediscovering the fun and joy of simple things like saying the Mani for others or saving worms after it rains.
Dharma can be, initially, infuriating, frustrating and feel like such a difficult concept to get our heads around. However, as time goes on and the mind is observed, it appears that it’s not actually Dharma that’s difficult to embrace at all; the difficulty comes from our attachments, desires and aversions being unwilling to relent, and so we say that the Dharma is “hard;” in fact, the Dharma is quite easy – it’s the mind’s obstacles that seem to provide the frustration and irritation, which can leave us feeling like we should give up on the medicine and carry on courting the illness.
Having recently spent time living in a monastery, where life is stripped to the essentials, I personally felt so much at peace and found that my mind was far more at ease than it is when living every day life. When the mind is faced with difficulty (for example, I spent three hours digging a long ditch for cabling, in the searing heat) I found that I had nowhere to “escape” to – I had to face the difficulty and resolve it. I asked myself, “Where is the suffering? Where are your problems really coming from?” In that moment, I realised that suffering is simply experiencing in a moment something that you don’t want and that, by realising that the moment will pass, I found it easy to let go and continue on with the work without the internal whining.
So, I reached the conclusion for myself that it is far better to practise Sharma even in times when you don’t feel like it because, ironically, it’s in those moments that you’ll gain the little insights that will eventually lead to the big insights. Reading and studying and intellectualising are completely useless on their own. Buddhism was taught as a realised religion (i.e. you have to read, investigate, understand AND apply the teachings in order to realise the truth for yourself) and so, as Rinpoche touched upon, in order for the Dharma to be effective, it has to be taken to heart and applied. Holy, virtuous words alone are useless – Buddha said so himself. It’s only in the application of the Dharma – in the consistent application of the Dharma – that we will see results. Anything less than that results in time simply being wasted, like stepping into a gym, looking at the weights and wondering why you aren’t becoming stronger.
Kind regards,
Sandy
Many a time we lament, complain, etc but we just do not do anything to improve ourselves. We hope that be lamenting and complaining someone else will offer the solution and perhaps even solve our self created problems for us. Some of our excuses are:
“I don’t know how to solve my problems or I am not good enough to solve others’ problems. There are others who are more qualified than me.”
(I think it’s more of that not wanting to take responsibility, low esteem and laziness.)
“I dare not speak up lest I offend that person.”
(Fear of rejection because of our ego.)
“I don’t have time to talk and offer solutions.”
(Selfishness and laziness.)
And the list goes on….
In order not to be maintained but to maintain others, I do me best to put into practice the six Paramitas that Rinpoche has taught again and again.
Simple words supercharged meanings. Just like your car, if you constantly maintain it, it should become very low maintenance. If you didn’t then it start showing its faults and problems, break down and then it needs a super haul. Just like we check our car at set times, we should check ourselves and go on to the next level. 🙂
the both im referring to is Nicholas and Doreen Teoh 🙂
i agree with both of you, for me when i started Dharma and understand what is Dharma, it very difficult for me as well, its tough to let go of things that burdens me, especially when face with a very tough time during the initial stage i join Kechara, for a few month i was struggling with my burden, because i still could not let go of what had happen. But thanks to Nicholas and the team, after i did volunteer work, and read up Rinpoche blogs, understand Dharma, i started to see that everything happens because of our own karma, so just face it and deal with it, and learn to let go, because holding on to the things which has happen makes the suffering even more.
Learning to let go, understand that it happens because of own karma, face it and manage it will brings more positive results, den holding on and grudging everyday why this happen to me, why that happen to me, it brings us no where, absolutely no where, it will drag us down.
For Dharma has the medication for us. Thank you Rinpoche for the wonderful quote. with folded hands.
Hello, I have been practicing for the last year,most of what i learned was from Buddhist literature, I live in a small central american country which is 99% Christian. In fifteen days I am moving to California. but just as I feel stable anything can come out of left field and knock me down, doubt arises, inner pain, fear, regret…I understand things but the realization comes and goes. I feel lost in my practice, what should I do? Since the age of thirteen I have had Generalized anxiety disorder, Buddhism has helped with this greatly, yet scientific explanations and thinking that I have no soul makes me sometimes take nihilistic views on life. All I want is some guidence, thank you.
Thank you Rinpochela, for another precious timely advice – i do agree, having taken Buddha Dharma to heart, one should change for the better; if not, one is really bluffing oneself.
Thanks so much Rinpoche. Occasionally I struggle with not wanting to do my daily practice. I get lazy or tired
or whatever excuse pops into my head that drives me away from practice and towards my samsaric tendencies. However I am comforted and inspired just by the thought that you are out there working continuously to benefit all of us. Thank you again for your example, your words, your limitless compassion and dedication to teaching even though it is not what you prefer to be doing. You are so appreciated
Dearest Rinpoche, thank you and I will try very hard to be of ‘no maintenance’.
Dear Rinpoche,
You have so high standards and always raising the bar so to speak.
I have been practicing the Dharma and am no where near where I should be – without a Guru and support of others in the spiritual community.
Those who are near you don’t know how blessed and fortunate they are compared to desolate souls like me in a far distant land of never never probing in the dark!
Dear ST,
It is crucial to find a Guru to expedite our spiritual journey. I hope you will find a Guru soon… and don’t place limitations on yourself geographically.. if you are in a place which doesn’t have Dharma, just move to a place which does! I have often asked people – if you knew for sure that Shakyamuni Buddha was in Alaska, would you move there to take teachings or would you say it’s too far, i have a job, i have a family, i have to pay my housing loan etc? It’s a wonderful thing to contemplate on…
Initially to put dharma in practice was really a challenge for me but good enough I have the Rinpoche, the dharma brothers & sisters to guide me through and I start to enjoy it.
As time passes every moment when I face difficulties I always measure on how long I hold it and how fast I can let it go and learn frm it and move on. It’s not easy…..not easy at all. It takes quite some time for me & I’m still practicing hard.
But I need to remind myself that if I don’t let it go it will haunt me for long time and I’ll never move on. I’ll never happy and make people around me suffer too.
Dharma for me is to be happy not just for this moment but for long term and also for others. The fastest I can accept my karma and move on the better I think I’ll able to help others to guide/advise them and go through it.
Thanks Rinpoche for this precious teaching.
I fully agree with you, Nicholas. We have to let go our luggage and move on. If not, the luggage will burden someone too. It is not easy, but it is the tolerance and patient, and time that will determine this. Yes, it is always the support of our family, dharma brothers and sisters that hold you on.