View and Search Online Advice Book
Below is a listing of advices in the Online Advice Book. They are sorted and grouped by the date posted on our website, with the most recent additions showing first. You can enter a keyword to search for advices containing that term.
Advices posted during the month of January 2019
Buddhist Practices > Vows and Commitments > Broken Vows and Commitments
Rinpoche wrote this letter to a student who was struggling to maintain tantric commitments in a busy Western lifestyle. The student had received Highest Yoga Tantra initiations from Rinpoche and His Holiness the Dalai Lama, but had broken the...
Death and Transitions > Caring for Others at the Time of Death > Practices at the Time of Death
A student’s mother was dying. Rinpoche’s advice includes prayers and practices, as well as instructions on how to care for her after the breath stops.
Sutras, Mantras and Root Texts > Sutras and Sutra Commentaries > Arya Sanghata Sutra
A student wrote that their family members were going through a difficult time, financially, emotionally and health wise. Rinpoche advised these practices.
Sickness and Health > Addictions and Mental Illness > Acute Mental Illness
A student with a mental health condition had just experienced a brief psychotic episode, the first in more than four years. The student was taking medicine prescribed by Western doctors and asked Rinpoche for practice advice.
Death and Transitions > Preparing Oneself for Death > A Happy and Peaceful Death
Rinpoche sent this message to his uncle, who was at Lawudo Retreat Centre, Nepal. He was in a lot of pain and could be close to passing away.
Sickness and Health > Brain and Nervous System > Dementia and Alzheimer's
A student wrote that her husband’s Alzheimer’s disease had become considerably worse. He needed constant supervision and was belligerent and physically abusive toward his carers.
Contemporary Issues > Dharma in Daily Life > Travel and Immigration
Rinpoche gave this advice to a student who asked if there was any risk if they traveled around a third world country for a TV show.
Buddhist Practices > Protection from Spirit Harm > Protection from Spirit Harm
A student wrote that there could be spirit harm in their house. They would like to check whether the problem is connected to the house, or to the individuals living in the house.
Compassion and Bodhicitta > Developing Compassion > Compassion
Advice and stories about developing compassion, the good heart, sent to a student who had been offering healing classes at a center for twenty-five years.
Buddhist Practices > Practice Problems > Problems During One's Practice
A student was experiencing many obstacles when trying to practice Dharma and asked how to purify the obstacles. Rinpoche advised that death can happen any time, so we need to find time for daily purification practices. Rinpoche also recommended...
Advices posted during the month of December 2018
Sickness and Health > Healing and Pacifying Illness > Healers and Healing
Rinpoche gave this advice to a student who does healing work.
Path to Enlightenment (lam-rim) > Lam-rim Study and Practice > Training the Mind in Lam-rim
Rinpoche sent this letter to a student advising how to make life most meaningful.
Sickness and Health > Cardiovascular and Respiratory > Cardiovascular Disease
This practice advice was sent to a student with a pulmonary embolism (a blockage in one of the arteries in the lungs).
Death and Transitions > Caring for Others at the Time of Death > Caring for the Dying
Rinpoche advised a student how to best help people in hospital who were ill and approaching death, by reciting prayers and dedicating other daily practices for them.
Sickness and Health > Cancer > Various Cancers
A student with lung cancer wrote to Rinpoche for advice. The prognosis was poor, with a small chance of survival.
Contemporary Issues > Dharma in Daily Life > Travel and Immigration
On a recent journey, a flight attendant had asked Rinpoche for a prayer. Rinpoche recommended Tara practice and explained a visualization and prayers for the safety and happiness of others.
Working for the Dharma > Service and Support of the Dharma > Generosity and Charitable Projects
Rinpoche sent this letter to thank a benefactor who had donated money to a center. Rinpoche advised that helping the center is helping all sentient beings.
Family and Relationships > Parenting > Parenting Problems
A student asked Rinpoche for advice about regaining care of a child after a divorce.
Benefiting Animals > Practices to Benefit Animals > How to Benefit Animals
Rinpoche wrote this letter to a student with advice on how to care for a cat that was twenty-one years old and very sick. Rinpoche suggested various mantras and also advised circumambulation of holy objects with the cat.
Advices posted during the month of November 2018
Buddhist Practices > Protection from Spirit Harm > Protection from Spirit Harm
A student wrote that their child had recently passed away before birth (in the womb). The student was able to communicate with a being and thought it was the child. The communication was like a teaching—always helpful, compassionate and wise, and...
Holy Objects > Making Offerings > Offering Practices
A group of sixteen retreatants had completed 100,000 water bowl offerings together and offered their practice to Rinpoche. They asked if they could do other preliminary practices in the same way, doing the practices as group and counting what...
Sickness and Health > Cancer > Breast Cancer
A student wrote that she had advanced breast cancer. Rinpoche offered this advice.
Compassion and Bodhicitta > Developing Compassion > Compassion
In this card sent to a student, Rinpoche writes about compassion and bodhicitta.
Holy Objects > Making Offerings > Offering Practices
Rinpoche sent this letter to a benefactor who had made offerings to a center and to the Sera Je Food Fund. [This fund offered three nutritious meals daily to all the monks at Sera Je Monastery, India, for over twenty-six years. See also the...
Compassion and Bodhicitta > Bodhicitta > Advice on Developing Bodhicitta
Rinpoche handwrote this card and sent it to a student. [Lightly edited by Sandra Smith.]
