My most dear Julie,
Thank you very much for your kind letter and for doing everything I told you, such as the practices. I am extremely happy about this.
According to my observation, it comes out best for you to continue as a minister for another three years, but, of course, you can check and see how it goes and stop before then if you feel like it, but generally what comes out best is to continue for three years.
I think basically it means that your karma to be born as a Buddhist ripened in this life. In your early life there was more karma to benefit others by being Christian. By being a minister, so many people are able to connect with you and like you; I think this is very good. Also, I am extremely happy to hear about all the practices that you have been able to do; it is great.
Somehow, like a miracle, like a dream, we have received this most precious human body with eight freedoms and ten richnesses (endowments). This perfect human body gives us the greatest opportunity to achieve every happiness in this life, also one’s happiness in future lives. Even the ants and mosquitoes are able to achieve happiness in this life, so aiming for that is not special. But being born a human being, we have the capacity to achieve liberation from samsara, and not only that, to achieve enlightenment, which is the total cessation of suffering, the cessation of gross defilements, even subtle ones. We have the capacity, with this human body, to achieve all the realizations. One has the capacity to never be reborn in the lower realms again, to achieve perfect compassion for all living beings, and to achieve perfect power to benefit all living beings. Here, I am only mentioning a few basic things that one can achieve, but of course one is able to achieve the holy body, holy speech, and holy mind, having skies of qualities. Even just one of these qualities is amazing, amazing, amazing. There are no words to express it. Not only that, one can liberate all the oceans of sentient beings from every realm and bring them to full enlightenment. Being born in this life as a human being with all the opportunities means we can achieve this. It is unbelievable, unbelievable. We must do it!
Buddha taught 84,000 teachings. There are 100 volumes of the Buddha’s teachings and 200 volumes of the great Indian pundits’ commentaries on Buddha’s teachings, explaining the path to enlightenment, both sutra and tantra. From all the teachings, the lam-rim—the stages of the path to enlightenment – is the very heart, the integration of all the teachings of Buddha, including the lesser vehicle teachings, as well as the greater vehicle teachings. By practicing lam-rim it is like you are practicing all the Buddha’s teachings.
In three years you can check how it is going. If you feel that you can benefit others by living another way, then you can stop. However, here you are able to benefit the Christian people, by them coming in contact with you, meeting you, and it offers great meaning for them. The very heart of things, to always be emphasized, is compassion, also that one is responsible for one’s own happiness. This is why one can achieve liberation, enlightenment, and freedom from suffering forever. This is essential Dharma, but you don’t need to call it that. However, we have the capacity to totally change this life, because our mind is the creator of happiness. Everything depends on one’s mind, not God. Our mind is the main thing, everything depends on it, so you can see it is a big responsibility to use this situation, our precious human life, to benefit sentient beings, to bring peace to all, starting with just one person. This is the cause of world peace, peace for your parents, peace in your heart, peace for one’s country, region, area, and the whole world. We must use this opportunity now to develop compassion, and to bring peace to everyone, from life to life, to all living beings now, not only in this world, but in other universes too. This is how you can guide people. The main thing is to bring more compassion, a more correct way of thinking, and for you to practice; these are the most important things. Be an example. Loving kindness and compassion are what bring the most happiness within you. This is the best offering, because it causes and brings happiness and peace to all living beings. Also, one does not give any harm. In this way, from your loving kindness and compassion, from you, one person, all living beings receive all happiness, not only in this life but in future lives, liberation from samsara, and ultimate happiness—enlightenment. This is what you are giving all beings. Then, along the way, you receive everything, all happiness, from your loving kindness and compassion. Besides that, you can achieve all happiness, including liberation and enlightenment. This is unbelievable. From your loving kindness and compassion, all living beings are able to receive all happiness, up to enlightenment, from you.
I hope I can meet you again. I am sending you some presents. My assistant will mail them to you next week. She is also sending you some cards I picked out for you. I hope you enjoy them.
What makes your life most meaningful is meditation on the lam-rim, then to live your life with a bodhicitta motivation. This is the best.
With much love and prayers...
