Dear one,
There is some reason why you feel sad. Look at that situation as positive instead of negative. This is how you transform it into happiness, through transforming the mind. The mind projects a negative label on a situation in life, and this needs to be transformed into a virtuous thought: compassion, loving kindness, bodhicitta, cherishing others, and experiencing suffering for others. In this way, experiencing the problem, including sadness, is used in the path to achieve enlightenment for sentient beings, which means it becomes the cause of happiness for all sentient beings. The other thing is wisdom, looking at it as empty of existing from its own side.

Here are a few examples. Give the sadness to your ego—the self-cherishing thought, which has prevented you from achieving enlightenment, liberation from samsara, and the rest of the path, from beginningless rebirths up until now. It has made you suffer so much and caused you to feel this sadness for beginningless rebirths, not only in this life.

Your ego prevents you from being successful. It interferes with the happiness of future lives and a good rebirth, causing continuous suffering. So, give the sadness to your ego to destroy it, like a bomb, blowing up the self-cherishing thought. When you do this, you are using your sadness to develop bodhicitta. Take all sentient beings' sadness on yourself. From time to time, during the rest of the day, think, “I am experiencing this on behalf of all sentient beings.” This is the best meditation.

If you die with this thought, you will be reborn in a pure land or you will receive a higher rebirth, because you have bodhicitta. It brings great purification. The stronger you dedicate yourself to others, with the thought to benefit all sentient beings, the more negative karma you purify and merit you collect. You become closer to enlightenment and closer to being able to enlighten all sentient beings.

The other thing is also to accept your sadness. Think that it is the result of your past karma: having broken samaya with the guru, caused sadness to others, or engaged in sexual misconduct. Depression that occurs without a reason and that happens at certain times, such as when you get up in the morning, or at night, is the result of sexual misconduct.

Think: “I created the negative karma, so this sadness I am experiencing is the result of that.” Accept the karma. This will also help. Kadampa Geshe Kharag Gomchung said: "Even this small suffering now helps to finish past negative karma and there will be happiness in the future.” It is good to think like this. Transform the problem into happiness in relation to karma.

Every day, recite one mala of the name of the Medicine Buddha Glorious One Free from Sorrow (NYA NGEN ME CHOG PEL). Nectar beams enter your body and mind, purifying all your harms from spirits, downfalls, negative karmas, and delusions and their imprints. You receive all the buddhas' wisdom, compassion, and power. Then, your whole body is filled with joy. The nectar fills you with bliss, especially your heart and chakras. (Also, recite the names of the Seven Medicine Buddhas seven times, but do one mala of this name with the meditation. Practice it with a motivation of bodhicitta and a dedication at the end.)

Thank you very much. I hope this will help you. Goodbye.

With much love and prayer,
Zopa

PS. If there is a reason for your sadness, such as committing negative karma, it can always be purified. Everything can be changed. But if the sadness means you are incapable of doing your work, study, practice, or other things, then one way to think is that there are many other beings who are much worse off than you. That way you see your situation is not so bad and that brings happiness. Don’t think that it is hopeless. Think, "I will put in more effort. I will try. I will be better." Encourage yourself. For example, if you are unable to do your practice, missed your practice, encourage yourself, "Again, I will try. I must try." Think of the opportunity you have rather than seeing it as hopeless. This will help.