In the presence of Manjushri | 恩师甘露法雨
（中文分享请往下看）
On July 21, 2016, 16 of us came together to engage in a retreat on the sacred practice of Manjushri. It was a four-day retreat in between work and assignments. By the end of the retreat we had each recited 100,000 mantras. Collectively we accumulated 1.6 million mantras altogether. During the retreat, our Guru, His Eminence the 25th Tsem Rinpoche shared a message with us on the state of the mind and the benefit of Manjushri’s practice.
“Outer obstacles (financial, sickness, fear, disasters, etc.) arise from our own actions. Actions arise from our state of mind. Our mental state is up to us. Whether our mental state is positive, negative, virtuous or non-virtuous will depend on our knowledge of the true state of existence and understanding where suffering arises from.
When our minds are virtuous due to practice and knowledge, we engage in virtuous actions leading to virtuous results and vice versa. Laziness is easily overcome. Understanding this is good but for the knowledge of virtue to penetrate our minds to change our actions, this depends on merits, re-habituation and consistency. This affects our karma and its results positively.
In our spiritual journey, the collection of merits and ‘contacting’ beings of wisdom that confer penetrative insight is very important. Manjushri is superior in this. The great beings of the past have meditated, prayed to and solicited Manjushri to gain penetrative insight in order to change their minds, overcome laziness, re-habituate and overcome obstacles for 2,500 years.
Engaging in daily practice (sadhana) of Manjushri is extremely helpful in this. From time to time, one should make the effort and focus more on intensive retreats, engaging in further meditation and recitation of Manjushri’s mantras. This is highly recommended by many attained lamas of the past and present.
I am happy to see this group engaging in Manjushri retreat starting today at Kechara Forest Retreat. Each one of them is doing two sessions per day and over the next few days intend to collect 100,000 mantras of Lord Manjushri each. Collectively that is 1.6 million mantras.
It is wonderful that this group of 16 people is engaging in sacred Manjushri’s meditative retreat. This will collect a lot of powerful and virtuous energies. It is wonderful they are doing retreats together and supporting each other in this. It is nice to do retreats with other spiritual friends. I am so happy to see more people in meditative retreats in Kechara Forest Retreat which will better their lives and bless this place for future aspirants. Spiritual friends that guide us to do Dharma are true friends with wisdom and virtue.”
— Tsem Rinpoche
P.S. Some of us may not understand the full meaning and benefits of doing meditational retreats or even meditating on Manjushri. But in time you will feel the benefits and understand more. For now, rejoice you are doing something very good. Any ‘discomfort’ felt internally or externally during a retreat is a sign of its effectiveness because the karma is being purified. This I was told by my teachers.
Two days into the retreat, His Eminence paid the group a surprise visit just as we ended the first session of the day. We were told that there were rainbows outside at the time, a sign indicating the auspiciousness of His Eminence’s visit. I would like to take this opportunity to share the content of the teaching here with everyone to the best of my ability, with the motivation it will benefit you just like it did for me.
His Eminence giving profound teachings to the Manjushri retreatants
Who is the best friend we hold dearly? It is the ‘I’ and ‘mine’. It’s the partner we have who strengthens the idea of a solid and immortal ‘I’. We spend all our life protecting ‘I’; we dress it up, defend it, take care of it to the finest details; we sleep, eat, shop, travel, work together with it, we are basically inseparable from it. For the sake of the ‘I’, we look for a partner who will protect the ‘I’, further increasing our grasping of it. Our ‘I’ arises from attachment, anger and ignorance, blocking us from seeing the truth, causing us to make excuses, endlessly creating negative actions — the source of all suffering. In actual fact, a partner, sleep, meals, shopping, travelling, work etc., are good, but it is the negative karma that we create through these people and events that are the problem. Negative karma is the force that traps us in samsara. His Eminence said that we are all the same group of people who came back to samsara, again and again, changing our identity but continuing to be trapped in samsara.
Although we are caught in our current situation, we are still able to meet with a Guru, listen to the Dharma and enter into retreat, how lucky and fortunate we are! His Eminence also reminded us that in order for us to recite the sacred name of Manjushri, to learn about him and to understand the benefits of his practice, especially entering into retreat, all without having to take any tantric commitments, we must have created a lot of good karma previously. Manjushri’s practice is also very potent and effective. To enter into a retreat is to be separated from the ‘I’ temporarily, allowing us to see the real situation.
His Eminence further explained the importance of kriya or action tantra without having to refer to the text by the 7th Dalai Lama (1708 – 1757), Kelzang Gyatso, which describes the practices in detail. The method we use when entering into kriya tantra retreat is to watch our mind. We need to be mindful of each thought and see how it changes clearly, thus understanding how our mind works without participating or engaging in the thought. In other words, we do not allow our thoughts to lead us, but we simply see that the thoughts arise and then disappear. This is to retreat from our ego. We do not need to judge our thoughts, whether they are good or bad. We simply acknowledge that the thought arose and acknowledge that is disappearing.
The 7th Dalai Lama (1708 – 1757), Kelzang Gyatso
In the process of this meditation, if we accompany it by reciting a mantra, then we will be blessed by the power of the mantra, thus allowing our condition to improve. It allows us to connect to the qualities of our true nature and those that correspond with the mantra, for example Manjushri for wisdom, White Tara for long life and so forth. A mantra is itself the combination of the Buddha or Bodhisattva’s noble qualities, embodied in the form of sound. When we recite a mantra, we are therefore praising their qualities. Hence, if we receive an oral transmission with a good motivation, it will plant the qualities of the deity in our minds as the cause to become one with that deity.
During kriya tantra practice, especially in retreat, we refrain from the following five black foods:
- Onion
- Garlic
- Dairy
- Meat
- Egg
This is because of the effects of the five black foods:
- Onions and garlic create blockages in the psychic channels
- Dairy products create excess mucus and can cause drowsiness
- As animals die in fear, there is a lot of adrenaline in their flesh. When consumed this meat gives rise to anger
- As for eggs, their condition is debatable. The main reason these days is because of the inhumane and uncompassionate ways in which the hens are farmed, as well as the dirty substances contained within the eggs themselves.
Therefore, these types of food are not suitable for practitioners of kriya tantra. It is advisable to avoid these foods during meditation sessions and in between meditation sessions. This means that whether we are in between retreat sessions, or before or after retreat sessions, we should avoid the above foods. A retreat is meant to transform our mind so that we can exercise our mind’s full and distinct potential. Therefore it is necessary to watch our minds all the time, thus allowing its awareness to reach its maximum potential.
In addition, His Eminence also elaborated on the importance of holding vows. Holding vows allow us to have true freedom, without having to cover our mistakes, by living life in a steadfast and honourable manner, no longer burdened by our negative emotions. Holding vows is to engage in virtuous actions and avoid non-virtuous ones. When we have vows as our guide, we will then be able to see the benefits of doing good. In this way, we are able to modify our bad habits and soon they will be transformed into good habits.
This kriya tantric retreat method is suitable for the following practices:
- Manjushri
- All forms of Tara
- Trakpo Sumtril
- Vajrapani
- Avalokitesvara
- Black Manjushri
- White Tara
- Loma Gyoma
- Sengdongma
In order for us to engage in the other three types of yoga, especially the anuttarayoga tantra or the highest yoga tantra, we have to lay the foundation properly and firmly by engaging in the methods taught for kriya tantra retreat in our daily lives. Following this, we may have the opportunity to receive anuttarayoga tantra practices such as Vajrayogini which focus on attainments like the rainbow body, clairvoyance and powa (transference of consciousness). At that point, the scope of our practice changes; the ‘restrictions’ of the practice change from dealing with our gross mind, to dealing with the more subtle aspects of our consciousness.
I present this all to you with appreciation towards Pastor Niral and Pastor Jean Ai who contributed editorial assistance.
恩师甘露法雨
当天天气晴朗，天上却出现彩虹。
这次的文殊闭关圆满结束了！我感到特別充实，而且法喜充满。怎么说呢？可以在有助於修行、修心的好环境闭关是其一，得闻文殊殊胜名号、持念其名、得闻其法之益是其二，得见文殊现身说法是其三。在闭关的第二天，上师尊贵的第廿五世詹杜固仁波切现身为我们说法。当时天空出现彩虹，是吉祥的征兆，非常殊胜。所以我想借此跟大家分享其中的概要，希望你们跟我一样能从中得益。
师父说我们的挚爱有两样：自我、巩固自我的另一半。我们用尽一生的力量来保护自我，为自我包装、辩护，照顾到无微不致，一起睡觉、吃饭、逛街、旅行、上班，无一刻是分开的。因为自我，我们寻找认同自我的另一半，那个会保护我，加强自我的她或他。自我源自贪、嗔、痴，让我们无法看清事实，不断地为自我寻找理由，永不止境地制造恶业，一切痛苦的来源。实际上，伴侣、睡觉、吃饭、逛街、旅行、上班没有错，而是我们透过这些人、事、物所造的恶业才是问题的所在。恶业是让我们不断轮回的推动力。师父说我们不断地轮回，而且一直都是同一组人在轮回，只不过每一世改变身分而已。
虽然我们的现况如此，但是我们还可以遇见上师，听闻佛法，进行闭关，实在难能可贵。师父说不知道我们累积了什么功德，今天竟然有机会念诵文殊心咒，认识祂，明白修持其法的利益，还可以在不破坏任何密续承诺的情况下进行闭关，可是非常难得和珍贵。闭关实际上就是与自我暂时分开，让我们有机会看到自我以外的真实情形。
恩师与文殊关学员的全体照
师父进一步为我们解释事续（所作怛特罗）闭关的概要，其内容是按照第七世达赖尊者的著作所说。事续闭关的方法就是观照自心，静观每一个念头，看清自己念头的变化，了解自己心的作用，但是不参与其中，不让自己被念头牵着走。我们不对自己的念头做判断，不因坏念头感到沮丧，也不因好念头而感到快乐，只要知道自己目前的状况，然后对症下药。这时候持诵心咒，就可以透过其力量加持我们，让我们的心力提升，开启与心咒相应的本质，例如：文殊咒开启智慧、白度母开启长壽等。心咒本身是佛、菩萨所有功德的组合，与佛、菩萨之身相同，所以在念诵时等同于赞颂佛、菩萨的功德。
在进行事续的闭关时，禁止食用以下五种食物：
- 葱
- 蒜
- 肉
- 乳制品
- 蛋
其原因如下：
- 葱、蒜会导致气脉的阻塞；
- 肉是愤怒的来源。动物在死亡的时候会因恐惧而产生肾上腺素，食其肉会激发我们愤怒的情绪；
- 乳制品会让我们生痰，昏昏欲睡；
- 有人对蛋持不同的看法，但主要是农场养鸡的方式不仁慈，而且鸡蛋产生的环境不干净。
因此，这些食物对修行、修心来说，都是不利，所以需要避免。座上、座间、座下皆是如此。座上指在禅修、闭关的时候，座间是在禅修时段之间，座下指出关后回到日常生活的时候。闭关主要是转化我们的心，让它发挥清晰、明瞭的能力，所以需要无时无刻观照自己的心，不让自我捣蛋，让心觉知的本质好好发挥功能。
出关前拍摄的全体照。可见大家是法喜充满的！
另外，师父还有说明持戒的重要性。持戒能让我们得到真正的自由，从此不必遮掩自己的错，踏踏实实、光明正大过生活，不再需要背负负面的情绪。持戒就是从善、止恶。当我们有戒律指引，就可以清楚看到从事善行的益处，然后开始改变以往的坏习惯。这样持续下去，久而久之好习惯就会形成了。
这些事续闭关概要适用在以下法门：
- 文殊菩萨
- 所有度母
- 秘密主三身合一忿怒尊
- 金刚手菩萨
- 观音菩萨
- 黑文殊菩萨
- 白度母
- 叶衣佛母
- 狮面空行母
事续是行续（行怛特罗）、瑜伽续（瑜伽怛特罗）、无上瑜伽续（无上瑜伽怛特罗）的基础，所以必须把基础做好。哪天有机会接受无上密续的时候，专注点就会在成就彩虹之身、神通、破瓦上，而不只是静观内心念头的转化了。
最后，谨此谢谢晓晶讲法师惠予宝贵的意见及编辑方面的协助。
Other Forms of Manjushri
Another form of Manjushri known as Manjushri Namasamgiti together with Dorje Shugden. Click on image to enlarge or click here for more beautiful thangkas.
Another form of Manjushri known as Dharmadhatu Vagishvara Manjushri together with Dorje Shugden. Click on image to enlarge or click here for more beautiful thangkas.
White Manjushri. Click on image to enlarge or click here for more beautiful thangkas.
For more interesting information:
- All About Manjushri / 关于文殊菩萨
- Black Manjushri and An Overview of the Mind
- Black Manjushri
- Black Manjushri Thangka
- A Black Manjushri Sadhana
- White Manjushri daily practice
- In You Manjushri
- Manjushri initiation in Gaden Shartse
- 1000-armed Manjushri!!!
- Kechara Forest Retreat’s Manjushri!
- Dream Manjushri
- Manjushri for Justin
- Hecelus Tan does his first Manjushri Retreat!
- Manjushri for Li Kim’s boys!
- Look what the postman brought!
- Tsongkhapa Retreat Instructions
- H.E. the 25th Tsem Tulku Rinpoche’s Biography
- Do I Irk You?
- Karma and the Law of Attraction
- Circuses and Clowns
- Cosmic Tantra
- Mantras – Holy Words of Power
- Gangloma
- Spectacular White Tara…
- Tantric meat
- A Chicken and Egg Situation
- Discovering Yourself: A Teaching on Karma & Mindstream
- For those who hold vows
- Tara
- Vajrapani
- Chenrezig Ngesung Kundrol
- The Healing Deity – Loma Gyonma
- Protection from Black Magic and Spirits
- Tea Offering to Vajrayogini (For the 1st Time!)
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
Reading this gives us a better understanding of Manjushri and its practice,the Bodhisattva of wisdom. Manjusri is one of the most important iconic figures in Mahayana art and literature. Manjushri’s practice is also very potent and effective, it have numerous benefits for the practitioners when reciting its mantras. When we recite mantras they stimulate the various parts of our body to heal itself, to clear itself, to purify itself and to gain higher states of consciousness. It had since benefited many more so when doing Manjushri’s retreat. Even its an old post, rejoice to those who had participated in th meritorious retreat.
We are fortunate having a koi fish pond, where the magnificent statue of Manjushri,is there. It allow visitors to circumambulate around Manjushri receive the same blessings so as those fishes in the pond.
Thank you Rinpoche a great post with all the explanations for us to understand better.
Rejoice to all retreat ants who were able to recite the sacred name of Manjushri, to learn about him and to understand the benefits of his practice, especially entering into retreat, all without having to take any tantric commitments, the retreat ants must have created a lot of good karma previously.
Retreat is a good time for self-reflection, among other things are exploring the complexities of our mind, renewing of vows, making new resolutions and most importantly invoking the blessings of the enlightened.Thank you very much for wonderful sharing.
Most of us has taken it for granted that we have a connection with Dharma, let a lone met a qualified teacher. When we have met a qualified teacher, we must not let go of the teacher because we are not sure when we will meet a qualified teacher to have him guide us in our spiritual journey. In order to be connected to our teacher and the three Jewels not only in this life but all of our future life times, we must take the opportunity to make offerings and do the practice. Sometimes, our negative karma is so strong that we cannot see the truth, but have faith in our teacher and follow his instruction without having a doubt. When we have purified our negative karma and collected enough merits, we will have the realisation.
Mantras in the waters of Kechara Forest Retreat-Malaysia
Mantras represent the blessings of the enlightened beings in the form of sound. When we recite mantras they stimulate the various parts of our body to heal itself, to clear itself, to purify itself and to gain higher states of consciousness. Therefore, mantras are very powerful. They can be written, visualised or recited out aloud. The mantras of enlightened beings bless ordinary beings, animals, ethereal or formless beings and everyone in the environment.
In Kechara Forest Retreat, Malaysia, we have a koi fish pond, on which sits a magnificent statue of Manjushri, the Buddha of Wisdom. When the fish circumambulate around Manjushri they are blessed by his divine presence. At the same time, people who come to visit the pond and circumambulate around Manjushri receive the same blessings.
Along with the Manjushri fish pond, we also have a lake in Kechara Forest Retreat. In the middle of this lake is a Shakyamuni Buddha statue. In both these places we have placed Manjushri mantra stones underneath submerged under the water so that the animals, humans and beings who circumambulate these holy statues, not only circumambulate the images of the Buddhas but also sacred mantras. The is done in order to plant the seeds of enlightenment in their mindstreams so that in the future they are able to realise Bodhicitta, the realisation of Emptiness and higher states of consciousness. So, I thought I would share this little video with everyone. Thank you.
Tsem Rinpoche
https://www.tsemrinpoche.com
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videouploads/comment-1542840739.mp4
This video, narrated in Chinese, features Manjushri mantra stones. These are stones carved with the sacred mantra of Manjushri, the Buddha of Wisdom. The mantra of any Buddha is basically the manifestation of the enlightened being in the form of sound. Therefore, Manjushri’s mantra embodies the special qualities of his transcendent wisdom. Offering of these mantras stones is likened to an offering of Manjushri-like speech to the Three Jewels.
Sponsoring and offering such stones has the benefit of gaining deeper insight into spiritual practice, improving one’s memory, critical thinking, creativity, language and the purification of negative karma related to speech. It also promotes the development of powerful speech that has a positive impact on others.
In the video we see mantra stones placed at the majestic Four-armed Manjushri statue in Kechara Forest Retreat, Malaysia. The more stones are offered there, the more benefit it brings to the person circumambulating and paying homage to Lord Manjushri. These stones are available at Naropa’s Cave in Kechara Forest Retreat and can be offered to the statue of Manjushri here just as you see in the video.
Tsem Rinpoche
https://www.tsemrinpoche.com
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videouploads/comment-1542838906.mp4
Dear Pastor Adeline,
Thank you for sharing the precious teaching of Rinpoche with us. Buddha Manjushri is very important in our spiritual practice and it is impossible to reach enlightenment without relying on this Buddha of Wisdom.
Buddha Manjushri is also a very important deity during Buddha Shakyamuni’s time because it was said Manjushri manifested as a student of Buddha Shakyamuni and he requested alot of teachings from the historical Buddha. Hence, we can thank Manjushri for alot of the teachings because without him, those teachings might not exist.
I rejoice for the group to engage in the retreat of Buddha Manjushri to detach ourselves from our ego. May the group be blessed by Buddha Manjushri and produce more enlightening articles to spread Rinpoche teaching’s far and wide.
Rejoice to see so many Kecharians participating in Manjushri retreat.?? Indeed Manjushri practice is very beneficial and effective for wisdom and clarity of the mind. I hope to experience Manjushri retreat in Ipoh Study Group in the future. Thank you Rinpoche and Pastor Adeline for this great write up about doing Manjushri retreats.???
Dear All
I would like to share with you the sacred prayer of Manjushri – A Concert Names of Manjushri (’Jam-dpal mtshan-brjod, Skt. Mañjuśrī-namasamgiti), which consists of 160 verses and mantra sentences. One version is translated by Alexander Berzin, a scholar, translator, and teacher of Tibetan Buddhism, and the other one is from FPMT.
Valentina
This is so beneficial to know about doing a Kriya retreat. Without wisdom of Manjushri we can never leave samsara.
Congratualations on your successful four days group retreat on the sacred practice of Manjushri at Kechara Forest Reserve. May Lord Manjushri bestow his great blessings on your group to rid-off whatever outer obstacles, all mental-state energies of negativities and non-virtuous actions instantaneously. Lord Manjushri’s practice is known to be very potent and effective, as our Guru’s teachings have said. A great many thanks to you, Pastor Adeline for the sharing, especially of Rinpoche’s precious teachings, which will be of benefit to all! Om Mani Padme Hung.
Thank you Pastor Adeline for the sharing on the benefit of Manjushri retreat.We were very fortunate to have further detail explanation by dear Rinpoche on the importance of the practice and how to attain maximum benefit from such retreat.
We certainly hope that in time to come,we could have a chance to engage in such retreat at KFR. May we be able to overcome the attachment of the ” I ” and stand firm to propagate the united power of ” US “to spread dharma to all those in need.
Thank you Pastor Adeline for sharing. I agree fully for what Rinpoche has said about holding vows, as for now we lay people are holding our refuge vows and some of us are also holding on vegetarian vows which I think is very beneficial because the vows is to keep us from committing non virtue actions that will create more negative karma thus it actually free us from all the suffering this are not aware by lay people like us who do not come across the Dharma, therefore taking a vows is important so that we at the same time can collect merits to further improve our mind and continue our spiritual journey.
Thank you Pastor Adeline for your sharing.
Engaging in a Manjushri retreat is a powerful experience, as Manjushri the Buddha of Wisdom,bestows much blessings, and this leads to our receiving a lot of powerful and virtuous energies. There are many benefits from doing this retreat. There will also be purification taking place, and the signs of this are when we experience internal and external discomfort.
The retreat becomes even more powerful if we can detach from our “I” temporarily. Grasping at this “I” has been the main cause of our suffering. When we can separate from the “I” for a little while, we can let go of the anger, attachment and the ignorance that accompany the grasping at the “I”. With that,we can see true reality more clearly. If we can be detached from these three poisons, we can save ourselves from creating negative karma, root cause of our suffering.
Hence, it is truly wotrhwhile to engage in a retreat and practice letting go of the “I”. Reciting the mantra is very important. Reciting the mantra of Manjushri allows us to connect with the innate wisdom nature within us. The mantra embodies the qualities of the Buddha of Wisdom. If we have received the oral transmission of the mantra, with a good motivation, it will plant the qualities of Manjushri in our minds as the cause to become one with Him.
Duirng the retreat, we can benefit greatly if we can watch our minds, and see how each thought changes clearly, thus understanding how our mind works without participating or engaging in the thought.
If we can practice this mindfulness and meditation, it will benefit us tremendously.
Thank you Pasto Adeline for sharing with us the gist of His Eminence’s teaching during a wonderful Manjushri retreat. Rejoice to all retreatants who were able to recite the sacred name of Manjushri, to learn about him and to understand the benefits of his practice, especially entering into retreat, all without having to take any tantric commitments, the retreatants must have created a lot of good karma previously. Manjushri’s practice is also very potent and effective.
Also entering into a retreat allows retreatants to separate temporarily from the attachment to the “I” that keeps everyone trapped in samsara. These are time when one can see the real situation. This is to retreat from the ego. Retreatants do not need to judge their thoughts, whether good or bad, but simply acknowledge that the thought arose and acknowledge that is disappearing.
Thank you Rinpoche for giving such precious teaching, and also to Pastor Adeline, Pastor Niral and Pastor Jean Ai contributed in sharing Rinpoche’s teachings with us!
Rejoice for all the retreatants who had successfully completed their Manjushri retreat and collectively accumulated a total of 1.6 Million mantra counts in this 4-day retreat!
What I get from this teaching is that to meditate on meditative Buddha such as wisdom Buddha Manjushri is utmost important especially in this degenerate age, where attachment towards ‘I’ has clouded our true self, blocking the true self to surface. Not knowing the truth, hence we are all still wandering in samsara, over and over since time unmemorable. I gathered that by engaging retreat (in this case Lord Majushri’s practice/ retreat), helps practitioners in collecting merits, this field of merits support us in further understanding and realising the truth of all phenomena, the penetrative insight. Rinpoche has mentioned that Lord Manjushri has been propitiated by many highly attained beings past present and future, we as students really need not doubt about it and just focus and practice, results will surely arise!
In addition, mindfulness practice is essential – mindful about the thoughts that arise, that disappear, mindful about the ‘I’, the ego, do not get attached, do not be tricked by it. We should really watch our mind at all time not only during sadhana/ retreats if we would like our mind to reach to its highest potential – mindfulness practice is really what we should integrate into our daily life.
Sincere thanks to Rinpoche again for tirelessly sharing wonderful Dharma with all of us! _/\_
Thank you Pastor Adeline for sharing Rinpoche’s teaching. And rejoice to all of you who were in the retreat.
The gasping of “I” is indeed very sad and very deep attachment, but many people in the world don’t understand this, and yet they grasp on “myself” so much. Some even because of “I” they hurt people around them, this causes very heavy bad karma. We need wisdom from Manjushri indeed, so that we can understand and learn more in Dharma. I can imagine if we don’t have wisdom to practice dharma, so much attachment in samsara, we’ll be trapped in samsara forever and ever.
Thank you Pastor Adeline and Rinpoche again for the precious teaching, with folded hands. _/\_
Thank you Pastor Adeline for writing this article. This is such an informative article. Manjushri’s practice is indeed a very good as everyone needs wisdom whether they are young or old. We need the wisdom from the Buddha of Wisdom to learn and practice the Dharma so that we won’t be trap in samsara forever.
With folded palms,
Vivian
Thank you Rinpoche and Pastor Adeline sharing this wonderful article about Manjushri retreat. There are a few points stood out to me:
1. Doing retreat is actually to watch our mind. During the retreat, we acknowledge the thought arose and then disappear. We do not allow our thoughts to lead us but just watch it.
2. Retreat for our ego. This is because when we are engaged in the retreat, we are doing something good and follow the 5 precepts eg no killing, no stealing, no lying, no alcohol and no sexual misconduct.
3. Refrain from the 5 black foods during the retreat including onion, garlic, dairy products, meat and egg. These 5 black foods are not suitable for retreatants (as mentioned in the above article) and therefore need to be avoided.
The root of all suffering is ignorance. If we were to be aware of how our daily actions hurt us, we would immediately stop doing them or rather do them differently. And the most potent antidote to ignorance is of course wisdom. And so when we practice Manjushri, we attend to the very core of our samsaric afflictions.
A common assumption we make is that as long as we are not actively committing a crime or violently harming others, we are doing fine. That is not true and merely by our existence in samsara and our participation and application in worldly rules and systems, we greatly reinforce our attachments and ego. Think about it, everything is about us, for us, related to us and all aligned to our desires and expectations. And even when we appear to be engaging in activities that benefit others, there is still a strong element of ‘I’ and ‘mine’ driving the process.
Retreats are invaluable because for the period of the retreat at least, the retreat instructions and rules create the opportunity for us to we temporarily re-wire our instincts and instead focus on something meritorious. When we are focusing on the mantras and observing our mind, we are not reinforcing our attachments and habituations.
I remember this teaching very well, especially the way Rinpoche deftly distilled the key elements of the 7th Dalai Lama’s text on kriya tantra and delivered it to us in simply terms that penetrated the mind. But then again, if we look carefully, Rinpoche’s blog is full of similar gems.
Thank you for this treasure, Pastor Adeline.
“可以在有助於修行、修心的好环境闭关是其一，得闻文殊殊胜名号、持念其名、得闻其法之益是其二，得见文殊现身说法是其三.” – 文殊菩萨化身亲临闭关现场为你们讲经真的是非常珍贵，非常法喜你们能够有这样的好功德。
文中仁波切提到的我们的挚爱：自我及巩固自我的另一半，正是我们每天烦恼的来源。仔细想想也是，每天早上醒来的梳洗打扮，上班下班，三餐，逛街娱乐等等都是在自我满足。很多朋友也会反问，难道我工作这么幸苦赚来的钱，皜赏自己也有错吗？我努力工作结婚生子完成人生目标，不行吗？错在哪里？当然这些都没错，也没有人能过阻止任何人做任何事情，重点在于这些我们认为的人生目标及人活在世上就得做的事，并非件件都能为我们带来快乐，有些甚至伴着一辈子的痛苦。我们并非圣贤，所以我们每天做的事情或多或少都会为我们累计一些恶业，而久而久之恶业累计如山，我们就这样一直轮回着。
感谢仁波切一直不厌其烦地为我们弟子重复这些教诲，目的就是让我们能重新检讨自己，对症下药，转化心识, 以达到修行证悟。
Rejoice to all retreatant of Manjushri retreat. Kechara Forest Retreat is really a suitable place to practice retreat or meditation. It surrounding by many green trees and plants.
Base on my understanding that retreat is a method of rehabituation which can train up our mind to become virtuous mind and follow by virtuous actions benefit others.During Manjushri Retreat, recitation of his mantra will tap us with Manjushri’s qualities, increase in wisdom and cut off ignorance.
From Pastor Adeline’s write-up , 5 black foods(onions,garlic,dairy,meat and egg)are refrained during the retreat. The explanation really useful to new retreatant.
Thanks Rinpoche and Pastor Adeline’s teachings and sharing.
Jason
Congratulation to all of you! Great and meaningful sharing from Tsem Rinpoche and you, Pastor Adeline.
It’s well known that when our minds stay silent, tons of thoughts will be hoping out from every corner within our brains. Moreover, if we tend to eliminate our uncontrollable thoughts, they will be intensify and go wilder.
Now only I know how to react to them if these thoughts comes into my way while I’m in a retreat or meditating. Thank you very much!
Dear Pastor Adeline,
This is a precious sharing by H.E Tsem Rinpoche, especially on the part how to observed our thoughts. It is very disturbing during retreat or meditation that all kinds of thoughts came in. By reading this write ups, i could know that when the thought came in and we are reciting mantra, is actually a blessing.
It is very lucky for us to have met with H.E Tsem Rinpoche, under our Guru we have chances to practice dharma and benefits peoples around us.
Thank you for write up.
Regards
Freon
Lama Tsongkhapa himself entered into extensive retreats even though he was already a highly attained being. This sets the example for us, is a powerful teaching in itself, that before we can proceed further in our practice to achieve mental quiescence and the perfection of wisdom, we need to engage in purification practices and accumulation of merit in order that the mental veils that block our progress in achieving penetrative insight be removed.
A retreat is very necessary for us to retreat from our ego and the outer distractions we caught ourselves in consciously or unconsciously. The best place to have a retreat is one that has green and mountain, close to rivers or lake, no distractions, has vast space, fresh air and cool breezes. Tibet has a lot of places like this so it is very conducive for a retreat. You may like to watch them on “Excellent Travelogue of holy places in Tibet” https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/?p=50824.
Rejoice for you and the team for the successful completion of the retreat. Kechara Forest Retreat is such a blessed place where all conditions are conducive for retreats from the premises to the environment.
Thank you for sharing the teachings by Rinpoche. It gives us a better understanding of what black foods are and why they are avoided especially during retreats.
The points of meditation and contemplation are useful for us to put that in our mind and hopefully be able to remind us of the true meaning behind retreats.
I agree with you, Fong. Kechara Forest Retreat fits the five ideal conditions for a perfect retreat you might find interesting here https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/?p=74988. We are blessed that Rinpoche has kindly given us the retreat advice and made a trip purposely to give us the precious teaching. Personally, I found the teaching cleared many basic yet important questions that many have. With Rinpoche’s explanation, it becomes clearer why we do certain practices before, during and after retreats, as well as in between retreat sessions.
Kechara Forest Retreat is indeed a pureland on earth where conditions are such that it is conductive to conduct positive deeds. It is a paradise on earth in the sense that living or doing things there will lead to ultimate happiness.
The Manjushri retreat above is a perfect example.
Part of the idea of refraining from distractions and focusing on the mantra of the deity, in this case Manjushri is to curb external stimuli that feeds our delusions and that in turn feeds our ego. The more we adhere to the restrictions of the retreat, the more we restrict external stimuli to the ego.
Hence, engaging in retreat, we curb the ego and the more retreats we engage in, the lesser our ego and the lesser the ego, the less likely we would commit negative actions and the lesser our suffering. As we all know, the ego is the source of our suffering.
Now, restriction stimuli is just one half of the retreat, the other is getting closer to the yidam and in this case, the sublime Manjushri. Manjushri is superb practice to gain realization and insight into the Buddha’s teachings. There are incredible benefits in Manjushri’s practice. Hence, this retreat was highly beneficial for those involved. I rejoice to have had the opportunity to be a part of this retreat.
Thank you Pastor Adeline for sharing your experience on your recent Manjusri retreat, I am happy to share your joy that you have all successfully fulfil the 100,000 mantra recitations. Going for an intensive retreat is indeed a rare opportunity and not to be missed. In addition a retreat held at Kechara Forest Retreat among the serenity of the mountain atmosphere and also being visited by Rinpoche is indeed a very rich and rewarding experience.
Retreat is a good time for self-reflection, among other things are exploring the complexities of our mind, contemplation on the rights and wrongs we do in life, renewing of vows, making new resolutions and most importantly invoking the blessings of the enlightened.
I would assume that all retreatants at the end of a retreat would discover that the senses and awareness heightened, tempers toned down, bad feelings subdue and an elevated view that all things in life are transient.
Dear Sonny,
It is important to focus the mind single-pointedly on the method (Manjushri’s mantra in this case) during a retreat and not be distracted by our thoughts, the complexities of our mind, contemplation on the rights and wrongs etc. Otherwise, we will end up pulling ourselves back to the method every second, provided if we do not get carried away by our thoughts, LOL!
Holding vows, observe silence, and refrain from the black foods allow us to focus more easily as they allow us to control the stimuli that feed our ego, the elements that distract us. This is why when we observe those rules well, we will be greatly benefitted from a retreat.