Request to Guru

Request to Guru

Date of Advice:
September 2013
Date Posted:
November 2014

A student wrote requesting Rinpoche to be her guru and guide. Rinpoche sent this reply.

My most dear, precious, kindest, wish-fulfilling one,
Thank you very much billions of times for your kind letter; it made me very happy, expressing your heart and practice. Of course I will accept, even though I am not qualified. You took the Vajrasattva initiation so the connection was made already, so I will try my best and you try your best.

I am very happy you expressed your sincerity—Calling the Guru from Afar, the feeling you got, that is the root of the path to enlightenment; it has the whole path to enlightenment and is most important, so please continue.

It is very good to read the book The Heart of the Path. Also recite the Daily Meditation and meditate on the lam-rim. [See The Method to Transform a Suffering Life into Happiness (Including Enlightenment) which has now replaced the Daily Meditation.] 

First study lam-rim, if you haven’t studied it before from beginning to end, with someone—a geshe, resident teacher, or old Sangha who has studied the lam-rim. To begin with, study a short lam-rim text, Essence of Refined Gold. Next study Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand, but the main lam-rim text for you to study is Essence of Refined Gold.

For three months train the mind in guru devotion, following the outline in Essence of Refined Gold, then five months on the path of the lower capable being: the perfect human rebirth, its usefulness and how it is difficult to find again, death and impermanence, the lower realms, karma, etc. Then three months on the path of the middle capable being, one month on bodhicitta and five months on emptiness. This means that is the main meditation during that time, but it does not mean it is the only meditation, it just means it is the main focus.

After that train your mind in guru devotion, no matter how many months or years it takes, until you see each guru as a buddha, no question, not just for a short time, but very stable, seeing that for years and on that basis having realization.

Train the mind in the path of the lower capable being, again until your mind is transformed, no matter how long it takes, how many months or years, having stable realizations that last. On that basis train the mind in the path of the middle capable being, and then in the path of the higher capable being, bodhicitta and emptiness. You should also meditate a little on emptiness every day, by reading different texts and prayers, so do some meditation on emptiness every day.

To successfully actualize the path to enlightenment for sentient beingsfor numberless sentient beings from each realm, for every sentient being to achieve enlightenmentyou need to achieve realizations on the path. You need to purify negative karma and obstacles, and collect extensive merits, so you need to practice guru yoga, Lama Tsongkhapa Guru Yoga. You should recite 200,000 migtsema mantras, not just counting but meditating on the practice.

You asked for guidance so this is what I am advising, to make your life most productive and most beneficial for sentient beings. With no regrets, you will go from life to life more and more to enlightenment.

Please enjoy these cards. With much love and prayers...