Breast Cancer and Life Practices

Breast Cancer and Life Practices

Date of Advice:
June 2017
Date Posted:
September 2024

Rinpoche gave this advice to a student who asked Rinpoche for life practices and advice for breast cancer.

My very dear one,
I am very sorry for the long delay in replying to your email.

According to my observation, if you can, recite the Vajra Cutter Sutra twice. 

Most important for your purification, and this might help the cancer as well, is for you to do 200,000 prostrations by reciting the names of the Thirty-Five Buddhas. [Find links to the Confession of a Bodhisattva's Downfalls to the Thirty-five Buddhas in the FPMT Catalogue.]

Also recite Vajrasattva mantra 500,000 times. If you can, do this with prostrations. That is best, otherwise count some mantras with prostrations, as many as you can, and then rest, sitting down and counting.

You can do these at the same time, so do one session of Thirty-five Buddhas a day and one session of Vajrasattva.

The main lamrim for you to study is the middle-length lamrim. Read this from beginning to end, reading it slowly and mindfully four times. Anything you don’t understand you can write down in a notebook and later discuss with the geshes or students who have studied the lamrim extremely well, or you can ask me and if I know I will answer, but it could take time. Then do effortless meditation on the lamrim.

Dorje Khadro fire puja: 300,000.

You need to sponsor a controlling fire puja at Samtenling Monastery, the Gelugpa monastery near Boudha Stupa in Kathmandu. You can ask the manager at Kopan Monastery to help arrange this. You need to first discuss the expenses for this puja. This is for your sicknesses.

Long-life tsa tsas: 115. I can ask the Sangha to make those here at my house in USA, unless you have another way to get them done.

You should recite the Padmasambhava prayer, The Prayer to Guru Rinpoche that Spontaneously Fulfills All Wishes (Sampa Lhundrupma).

This is my advice for your practice. Please try this and as much as you can, please live your life with bodhicitta in everything that you do.

With much love and prayers ...