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 April 2020
Family and Relationships > Children > Educating Children
In this letter to the director of a school, Rinpoche advises the importance of helping children develop wisdom and compassion, so they can bring happiness and benefit to other sentient beings.
Death and Transitions > Impermanence and Death > Impermanence and Death
A student wrote that her son had just died. Rinpoche explained that the cycle of death and rebirth continues until we attain buddhahood and advised that cherishing others brings both temporary and ultimate happiness.
Advices posted during the month of March 2020
Working for the Dharma > Advice to Dharma Centers > Building at the Center
Rinpoche gave this advice about the process for starting construction of a building.
Sickness and Health > Cancer > Various Cancers
A student’s father had liver cancer and cirrhosis. Rinpoche checked extensively and gave this advice.
Negative Emotions > Depression > Advice on Depression
Rinpoche wrote this card to a student who was experiencing depression and also had life obstacles.
Holy Objects > Relics > Blessings of the Relics
In this advice, Rinpoche discusses the relics of holy beings and advises that seeing the relics emit light depends on people’s karma and merit.
Path to Enlightenment (lamrim) > Guru Devotion > Obstacles to Guru Devotion
A longtime student wrote that harm from the past had been very hard to let go of. They also confessed to getting upset with their guru. Rinpoche gave this advice on how to think about past harm and how to train the mind in guru devotion.
Sickness and Health > Transforming Pain and Illness > Transforming Pain
A student wrote that they were suddenly experiencing incredible pain. Rinpoche recited Vajra Claws and Burning Pinnacle, and gave this advice to the student.
Contemporary Issues > Dharma in Daily Life > Travel and Immigration
There were concerns about obstacles for flights. Rinpoche checked and advised the importance of doing the following practices.
Buddhist Practices > Tantra and Deity Practice > Tantra
A student wrote to Rinpoche about their problem with visualization and absorption of the guru through the crown while doing the six-session guru yoga and other sadhanas. Rinpoche gave this advice.
Death and Transitions > Impermanence and Death > Impermanence and Death
A student wrote that they had a deep fear of death from an early age and asked Rinpoche how to overcome this fear. Rinpoche offered this advice.
Sickness and Health > Infectious Diseases > Various Infections
In this advice, Rinpoche recommends Vajra Armor mantra and The Prayer Liberating Sakya from Disease as the main practices for protection and healing from coronavirus COVID-19. Rinpoche also advises that bodhicitta and tonglen are...
Advices posted during the month of February 2020
Emptiness > Advice on Emptiness Practice > Emptiness Meditation
A student wrote to Rinpoche about their experiences while meditating on emptiness. Rinpoche gave this advice about the subtle object to be refuted according to the Prasangika Madhyamaka view.
Buddhist Practices > Tantra and Deity Practice > Tantra
Rinpoche explains why Highest Yoga Tantra is the quickest way to achieve enlightenment and outlines the levels of completion stage practice. Rinpoche advises that the three higher trainings and the preliminary practices, to purify obscurations...
Contemporary Issues > Work and Business Problems > Removing Business Obstacles
A business was having difficulties. Rinpoche checked and advised the following practices.
Buddhist Practices > Preliminary Practices > Completing the Preliminaries
A student asked if a monastery could be sponsored to do sutra recitations which Rinpoche had advised as a preliminary practice. The student also asked about reusing water offered in water bowls.
Sickness and Health > Infectious Diseases > Various Infections
Rinpoche was asked what could be done for the recent outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19), which has now been declared a global health emergency. Rinpoche's initial advice included mantra...
Sickness and Health > Healing and Pacifying Illness > Practices for Pacifying Sickness
A student had a recurrent sickness that no Tibetan or Western medicine seemed able to cure. Symptoms included very low blood pressure, headaches, weakness and tremors. Rinpoche gave this advice.
Sickness and Health > Cardiovascular and Respiratory > Cardiovascular Disease
A student wrote that she had hole in the heart and had lost consciousness. She asked Rinpoche if she should have an operation to fix it and what pujas and practices she should do.
Buddhist Practices > Advice for New Students > Advice for New Students
Rinpoche sent this letter to a student who was planning to go Kopan Monastery in Nepal for the first time to attend a meditation course.
Negative Emotions > Depression > Feeling Suicidal
Rinpoche sent this letter to a student who had written about her work helping people with suicidal ideation.
Working for the Dharma > Service and Support of the Dharma > Offering Service
A student wrote that doing karma yoga while also studying at the center required a lot of energy and time. The student asked Rinpoche about ceasing the study program.
Sickness and Health > General Illnesses > Urogenital and Menstrual Conditions
Rinpoche sent this practice advice to a student who had uterine fibroids (a large myoma or benign tumor.)
Advices posted during the month of January 2020
Contemporary Issues > Dharma in Daily Life > Travel and Immigration
A geshe at a Dharma center was having great difficulty in getting a visa for his return to teach at the center. Rinpoche checked and gave this advice.
Sickness and Health > Brain and Nervous System > Neurological Disorders
This advice was given to a student who had recently been diagnosed with motor neuron disease (also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease.)
