Sms
“If you absorb dharma, open your heart, surrender into it, the rest of your life will be fulfilled and happy. Don’t run anymore. Listen, learn, adhere, do not give up, do not look for another ‘better opportunity’. Stick diligently to the holy dharma and devote the rest of your life to it. Don’t look for perfection, don’t look for mistake free people and situations. Accept those around and have no expectations of them. LET GO, accept and practice, transform and be at peace. Then you will see your mind become happy and beneficial” ~ Tsem Rinpoche SMS teaching 11.1.2005
“In life everything passes by very quickly whatever happens. Later it does not matter anymore. It becomes like a dream. And in time, even the dreams fades. But actions and results from that dream doesn’t fade and bear results we have to experience. The results are what we need to be aware of. Thinking of the results again and again, then attachment lessens, awareness grows and a mind clearer and ‘purer’ and easier arises that wishes to actually benefit others. That is what we want. That mind will benefit people we love and all other beings we contact directly/indirectly. That’s why we go for dharma. To achieve this state of mind which is realistic, so let others win whether they are right or wrong. LET GO of conventions/rules/projections/expectations. Just be and don’t let any experience which happens every moment be another factor for us to create more unhappiness because everything fades, just the results remain” ~ Tsem Rinpoche SMS teaching 9.1.2005
“When we get angry and hold it, it shows how we want to be right no matter how much we will lose or who we hurt. So why should we be forgiven? How will confessions and prostrations and prayers have effect? We shouldn’t get angry with anything I mentioned above, but we should check honestly WHY everything makes us angry. Be honest, get over it and move on…”~Tsem Rinpoche SMS teachings Dec 2004
“If I have truly taken refuge in the 3 Jewels, then I would accept others/situations as a result of my karmic actions. If I accept dharma, a sign of that is I would be kind in body and words to all others. If I have taken refuge in the sangha, then I would/could resist the samsaric motivated activities by wayward friends. If I have really taken refuge in my Lama, then I would keep all my promises/commitments and sadhanas. If I truly believe in Kuan Yin, then I would have great compassion. A sign of my buddhism would be that I accept the sufferings of others and offer my merits/good fortune to all others and I wouldn’t procrastinate in my practice because I hear the cries of beings trapped in existence and the thought arises, I must do something and I do.”~Tsem Rinpoche SMS teaching Jan 2005
Please support us so that we can continue to bring you more Dharma:
If you are in the United States, please note that your offerings and contributions are tax deductible. ~ the tsemrinpoche.com blog team
Thank you Rinpoche for always writing all these precious teachings to us, teaching us no matter where we are. This shows that we can learn the dharma no matter where we are and how far we are away from our gurus. Some of us may not be 24/7 beside Rinpoche, but we too will get different teachings from RInpoche to improve ourselves. Thank you.
I remember these… back in the days when all we had were rusty little phones with no colour and a very short SMS limit. I remember Rinpoche filling our days with bite-sized wisdom which have come to be classic quotes.
It’s interesting to look upon ourselves and see how our reactions to these quotations change as we change – how I read these a few years ago is very different from how I am reading them now and I appreciate very much how relevant they are for different times and situation in our lives.
This sticks out for me today: “Don’t look for perfection. don’t look for mistake free people and situations. Accept those around and have no expectations of them. LET GO, accept and practice, transform and be at peace.” It resounds because I spend a lot of time expecting things, people and even myself to be perfect. This never happens of course. I am far from this, and knowing this, getting embroiled in obsessing about not being perfect becomes extremely paralysing.
I remember Rinpoche telling me once that I should consider my yidam to be acceptance and I hadn’t understood it at the time. I wanted an exotic coloured goddess with many arms and implements to be my yidam. It clicks into place right now as I read this quote because there really couldn’t be a better quality to develop for myself than this. For in acceptance, I will understand that things aren’t perfect BUT IT’S OKAY and we start exactly where we are, in all honesty to ourselves, and then change. It would be much more peaceful to strive for a very possible future perfection than to develop an anxiety about the fact that it isn’t right now.
When anger comes I only realize it is anger much later. What Rinpoche said make much sense, we like to hold on to our anger. I am very attached to anger and harbor ill wills towards others. This anger makes me suffer in the long term and my relationship with others. The person who is honest and humble would have very little anger in him and her.
To let go of expectation, to accept what have happened, to give up on looking for perfect situation and people, to offer victory to others and etc, all are not easy.
May be after trying for a while, I manage to do some but sometimes later, I failed.
I hope I only failed temporary, I pray to have more courage to open myself, wisdom to accept, let go and move on.
其实，在我还是轻少年得时候，我总觉得什么事情都是自己能控制的，只要自己不断的提升自己的能力，什么事情都是能够解决的。可是，当人生的历练有了，才知道原来自己是那么的渺小，而且并不是你有能力，就能解决所有的事情的。自从，自己接触了佛法以后，才知道以前的认知原来只是冰山的一角，佛法的道理在自己实践了以后，自己才知道原来佛法是那么的实际，它就是生活。星云大师曾经说过一句话，有佛法就有方法，这句话一点也不为过。。。。
Thank you, Rinpoche for the SMS Dharma lessons. How wonderful technology is. But what is apparent is that Dharma does not fade with time. All these teachings still stand today despite the lapse of years. Because they are true and come directly from Shakyamuni Buddha.
These SMS teachings are but just a few of hundreds that Rinpoche sends out monthly. On top of that Rinpoche teaches wherever he is to whoever he is with. Rinpoche never stops teaching dharma, he is dharma. We are so fortunate to have Rinpoche among us benefiting those who are near and far.
When I read all the sms, my heart feel uncomfortable, then I realize I have all of them. That is why I feel I can’t focus on it. It shows also I have a huge negative karma. Next, I need to change now. To keep myself to follow the guru teaching, practice and share with others. Otherwise I am just wasting my precious human life.
Thank you for Rinpoche sms keep reminding us.
The way I see Dharma is a conduct. How we treat other people and how we perceive things in our daily samsaric lives. If we do not have Dharma, we will wrong people easily, get upset for things that are minute in nature, and worst of all, we never knew the person inside us is such a horrible monster!
To accept our weaknesses is never easy, but if we accept the Dharma, we will have to confront our weaknesses, admit it and move on. It is difficult but not impossible if we break it down day by day, month by month, to address our weaknesses and move on.
Great reminder for me and this message strike me the most :
“Thinking of the results again and again, then attachment lessens, awareness grows and a mind clearer and ‘purer’ and easier arises that wishes to actually benefit others. That is what we want. That mind will benefit people we love and all other beings we contact directly/indirectly. That’s why we go for dharma. To achieve this state of mind which is realistic, so let others win whether they are right or wrong. ”
Its kind of difficult to let others win whether they are right or wrong before I joined dharma, after joined dharma and consistently listen to Rinpoche’s teachings, I am grateful and feel fortunate that I choose dharma as my career and this path definitely not easy one but life really fulfilled and happy.
Rinpoche’s has never shied away from utilizing technology from sharing the dharma with us. Thank you Rinpoche and make it easy for us to have access to dharma.
(Post in response to Rinpoche’s second sms above)
Every moment, we are going through one experience or another. Yet these experiences will fade,in time, like a dream. What remains are the RESULTS of our actions in response to the experiences.
With Dharma, we become MINDFUL of these results. Being mindful, we will learn to LET GO of our attachments, our projections and our expectations towards these experiences. With that, we begin to cultivate a mind of clarity and peace, a mind of compassion that allows others to win, a mind that seeks to benefit others always.
To reach a state of calmness and peaceful mind, we have to let go of situations especially the negative ones and attachments whether to people or material things. I am not perfect and so should not expect the people around me to be mistake free. At the time of death, nothing matters anymore so we should free our mind from conventions, expectations,rules, perceptions. Only the Dharma can help us to be at peace. Our actions will determine our karma so we have to be mindful of what we do or say especially when angry. And accept our situation as it is the result of our karmic actions.
Thank you Rinpoche for the sms teachings. Even though we have read it years ago, it is a very good reminder as we tend to slip back to our old ways if we are not mindful and put the teachings into practice.
As we do more Dharma, I must that all this make sense more now then ever before. Dharma work done well generate the merits for us to realize the knowledge. The smses are advice for us from the Guru. We need to internalize it as realizations and the only way I know is doing more Dharma. Thanks Rinpoche for the Dharma and the opportunity for us to do Dharma more and more.
”If I have truly taken refuge in the 3 Jewels, then I would accept others/situations as a result of my karmic actions.”
I recall a wise elderly lady counseling me about 15 years ago. She is not a Buddhist, in fact she is not of any faith. I was frustrated as things were not turning out the way I expected it to be despite having taken refuge, praying and doing good things. The lady said, “looks like you have not taken refuge because that would mean you surrender yourself to someone you totally trust to chart the course of your life and accept whatever comes your way.”. She added, “maybe you have done alot of bad things previously and at least you can look forward to your next life as you will be able to start off again on a clean sheet of paper after the cleansing exercise”.
Her advice helped me pull through and now 15 years on, after understanding dharma much more than when I started off, i look back at all the challenging experiences and it is like a movie. It was a passing phenomenon, a dream. It does not matter anymore. What i do today, tomorrow, the day after…thats what will decide what type of experience I have to bear in future.
I like the 1st SMS very much. LET GO… Yes, it was easy in the beginning for me or else I would have become Enlightened the moment I have and learn Dharma. Being able to let go have taught me so much. Especially the pain and expectations that I held on to. We may fall or fail but never let that hold you down. We practice Dharma to be free so this is one of the best start, let go. Thank you so much!
In life, everything passes by very quickly, whatever happens later on, it does not matter. As Rinpoche has advised, “stick diligently to the holy Dharma and devote the rest of your life to it. Let go, accept and practice, don’t look for perfection”. Following the teachings of the triple gems advocated by our Guru, gives eternal protection from falling into the lower realms of rebirth – the goal of our dharma practice – the essential of final achievement. Thank you, Rinpoche for your unfailing care and nurturing.
Thank you, Rinpoche, for all these profound teachings. Dharma practice is not only about rituals and prayers but to understand the dharma and apply into our lives and now is the best opportunity for us to practice with Rinpoche here to guide and help us.
By letting go of our perceptions, attachments and the enemy with us, our life will be more fulfilled and happy. We can’t change the world but we can change ourselves by changing our perception in life. Since we are here for only a short time, we should take this opportunity to put every effort into the dharma as this is the only thing that can follow us to our next rebirth. The rest just fade away……
The journey may not be easy but with perseverance and consistency it can be achieved.
Dear Rinpoche i m very fortunate to get to know the dharma.I have been so blessed to come across your teachings. Thank you for your kindness i have learn so much through your videos. I learn to benefit other people first before myself i learn to give and not to receive. This has been a great journey for me.
Good SMS sharing which can keep remind us when we go to stray way…most of time our action & talk did not match our believe,we easily forget the commitment that we have promise, just react and show our anger …we must stop the negative action and thought…
(In response to Rinpoche’s first sms teaching above)
Without Dharma, we will most likely be pursuing the objects and relationships of this life vigorously, thinking that they will bring us lasting peace and happiness. Unfortunately, these objects and relationships are not what we expect or project them to be – perfect, solid and permanent/unchanging. Rather , because these objects and relationships are essentially flawed/imperfect and characterized by impermanence and change, pursuing them will lead to unhappiness and suffering instead.
When we study the Holy Dharma, absorb it and open our hearts to it,when we devote ourselves to it diligently, when we accept things as they are and let go,when we practice and transform, then we have begun a journey towards true lasting peace and ultimate happiness.We will have stopped running towards pain and suffering.
Thanks Rinpoche for repost the year 2004 and 2005 sms teaching for us. I think many of senior received these sms teaching but why some of them still cant lower down their Ego and Anger??
But to me, we should not see others to cover ourself, the most important is how much we learn and apply in our daily activity hence how is our own result.
Thanks Rinpoche for the teaching, i will keep in practice to be a better person…
Thank you Rinpoche for sms teaching, I have been an angry person all these years, angry with things, people, situations. A million thanks to Rinpoche for yor teachings, may I do so
I count myself fortunate to be able to meet dharma, even though, frankly speaking, I dont feel that this is an easy path.
I have negative habituations and being a ‘being’ with emotions, sometimes I do things which I knew it was wrong, or I didnt know it was wrong but I did it and they end up to be negative karma, which I later on have to face them.
Dharma is about making myself a better person, this is how I see it now, and hopefully with this change, people surrounding me or the environment can be affected in a positive manner.
It is not easy, but I will do myself.
Thank you Rinpoche for putting here your dharma teachings which we can refer to in the future.
The last teaching of Rinpoche “If I hve truly taken refuge in the 3 Jewels, then I would accept others/situation as a result of my karmic…… touches me deeply. It bring tears to my heart.
Thank you Rinpoche for this timely reminder as I have been living on the edge lately and have hurt those that are close to me. Worst of all as a result I have hurt myself as well. Will take a step back now and let go some of the stuff that are causing me all these.
“If you absorb dharma, open your heart, surrender into it, the rest of your life will be fulfilled and happy. Don’t run anymore.”
More I run, more problem I will create and more tired am I.
I just need to face it, accept it and practice more.
Thank you Rinpoche for the teaching.
Thank you Rinpoche for these powerful profound quote… I especially like no2 because yes it is true we are only here for a very short time… sometimes we don’t really realise how short it may seem abd before we know it we are dead and gone. And everything else fades, just the results remain… just what we have done, the causes we’ve created will be our experience and result when our eyes close. This is perhaps the part we so often miss and forget to think when we boldly say “we’re not afraid of death”. The quote is an apt reminder…
I understand how you feel. Its very scary because people are slowly dropping like flies. I just had a very young facebook friends pass away and he’s just 24 years old. Its so scary…I have been imagining myself in his position where I am the one dying. Although I am not that young but death is not something that’s on my mind now. Death has a very strange effect on us although I don’t really know him but I just feel really sad and I wonder how I would be dying. Maybe it will come even faster than I can imagine.
It’s all about effort really. The path is simple enough to follow but the mind with its strong habituation keeps fighting with what is to be towards enlightenment. Without effort we are stuck in this constant wheel of sufferings.
Meeting the Dharma , learning the Dharma and practicing the Dharma . That has been my journey the last 3yrs . The learning and practicing is definitely not easy . Pushing myself out of my comfort zone is the hardest .. Taking refuge and Moving forward , remembering that all results are caused by my own actions , letting go my attachments bit by bit ,applying the Dharma every moment of the day…. The journey so far has been most fulfilling ! Thank you to Rinpoche for the consistent teachings , without which I would never have understood what life should be all about .
”When we get angry and hold it, it shows how we want to be right no matter how much we will lose or who we hurt……” this quote hits me right on my face.
Ya, I always pin the point on I am right you are wrong; more I care for the person argue with.
Right or wrong is not the focus, focus should be whether we suffer or not, others suffer or not.
It is either on this side or on that side. I want others to be on my side as well. I want people understand me but I don’t want or too lazy trying to understand other people. It is very one sided view of things. I am more important than others otherwise ‘I won’t be happy’.
I like what Doreen wrote. Everything good or bad passes and will be nothing. What was written also reminds me of the post on Rinpoche’s blog on Gebchak Nunnery.
During an interview between Ani Lama Sherav Zangmo and Wangchak Rinpoche, Ani Lama spoke about the rising of conceptual thoughts in our mind and that when that happen, we should not suppress them as in suppressing them, the conceptual thoughts will increase. From Ani Lama’s experience when such thoughts arise we should meditate on our Guru and on the nature of such thoughts. In finding the nature or source of such thoughts and meditate on our Guru, the nature of original thoughts will transform and we will rid them with clear understanding and transformation of motivation.
If we have been practising and meditating on the sms teachings of Rinpoche since 2004, we will be much better off as a Buddhist.
May I humbly hope that I can do so.
It’s our responsible to change, not others. Like Rinpoche mentioned, result is the ultimate things that will stay, so why make things difficult?
“A sign of my buddhism would be that I accept the sufferings of others and offer my merits/good fortune to all others and I wouldn’t procrastinate in my practice because I hear the cries of beings trapped in existence and the thought arises, I must do something and I do.”
Yes, how can we let more people sufferings when we know we can do something about it? We must always do things for others no matter what we feel and what situation we are in.
Thank you Rinpoche for the practical and useful teaching of how to be a better Buddhist.
Everything just passes very swiftly like a dreams, and it does not matter when is pass. I have tried doing so, looking at the positive outcome or results of this journey, and it is so much better. Yes, our feelings, friendship, relationships just passes by, we cherish the good ones, but abandon the negatives ones. Leaving one by one of this heavy luggage behind us. Anger, expectations, hatred, jealousy, perfection, etc…..can be reduced day by day. Less each day of this feelings, but not accumulate it. I read the latest publication of “the living Buddha within” and Rinpoche says that it is not possible to abandon this all together, as it is part of us, but by doing step by step, with consistency, it is possible. If not, there will be no enlightenment. We should look at the bigger picture of results or outcome that we want to achieve, and listen to the motivation of everyone intention, and it is not matter or wrong or right idea, but a different level of our minds and expectation. Thank you Rinpoche.
thank u for this rinpoche .I was very angry about something until read this .this teaching has open my mind and has made me think about my anger and hate . I shall remember this teaching for the future
It was so beneficial for Rinpoche’s student to receive such quotes and teaching back in 2004 and 2005. Such quotes would have made a HUGE HUGE impact on the students back then as it have made a big impact on how i look at things.
So much wisdom in those words and the contemplation on these words are practically never ending.
I have shared such quotes via my social media presence and hope that it could benefit more people. After reading such quotes, i personally think it would not just benefit dharma practitioners because it is such a common advice that everyone from the world could understand and apply them.
Thank you Rinpoche with folded hands 🙂
Yup, the quotes are applicable to each of us to manage our emotions effectively, to let us realize our responsibilities and thus making us a better human being. The quotes are timeless and for every human being alive 🙂
Thank you Rinpoche for every meaningful and encouraging sms teachings. What a good way to start a day by giving myself a deep thought.
When time is good, everything seems beautiful and easy, everybody seems very nice to each other, every morning wakes up with something looking forward to achieve. But was that real? When problems arise, all the ugliness shows, every morning wakes up with new problems, every night going to bed physically and mentally exhausted, but why no result? The frustration in my mind disturbed me a lot which I accept that it was my own conventions, rules, projections, expectations, that I got to LET GO.
It is never easy to face and say YES I FAIL AGAIN! But when I face it, we accept it, see the reality, forgive, move on, and make sure I pull myself up again.
Accept my karma, kind to others, resist samsaric motivated activities, and keep to my commitments and sadhanas.