Advice After the US Election

Advice After the US Election

Date of Advice:
November 2016
Date Posted:
August 2017

Rinpoche offered this advice following the 2016 presidential election in the United States. Transcribed by Ven. Holly Ansett on November 14, 2016, and edited by Nicolas Ribush.

My most dear, most kind, most precious wish-fulfilling ones,
In regards to the recent election in the United States, I wanted to suggest that you make prayers that loving kindness, compassion and bodhicitta be generated in the heart of Mr. Trump, all the government people and everybody else in the country, and even in the heart of people in other countries. In that way everybody in the United States and in the world can enjoy perfect peace and happiness.

Pray also to pacify war, famine, disease, economic problems and the dangers of fire, wind, water, earthquakes and tsunamis in the United States and the whole world—may these things never happen and may there be perfect peace and happiness in the United States and the rest of the world.

Pray that America will help and bring harmony to other countries and cause perfect peace and happiness to them and to help everyone to develop the correct wisdom that pacifies suffering and brings ultimate, everlasting happiness.

Prayer has power since everything is created by the mind; everything comes from the mind. So prayer does have power. As the Buddha said, “The results of whatever prayers are done will happen.”

We all need to develop the correct ultimate wisdom realizing emptiness and bodhicitta. If we ourselves do not wish to suffer, we need to be free from samsara. That is why wisdom is so important.

The Buddha also said, “Do not engage in unwholesome actions [because you don’t like suffering], engage in perfect wholesome actions [since you wish for happiness] and subdue your own mind.”

Don’t harm yourself and don’t harm others—practice the good heart towards others. This will bring peace and happiness to all living beings in this world, to the United States, to your own family and lastly, to you yourself. You are the last one.

Thank you very much.