Tonight, Acho Rinpoche gave a very
crucial teaching about the practice of Budhdism.
Someone asked Sodaji Khenpo, “I do
sadhana, mantra chanting, sutra recitation and meditation with vigour. Are
these the real practice of Buddhism?” Sodaji Khenpo replied, “No!”
What then is the real practice of
Buddhism? Sodaji Khenpo has the view that by doing inner reflection of one’s
own mind stream and rejoicing in the good deeds of others are the real practice
of Buddhism. Actually, what Sodaji Khenp is trying to say is that the real
practice of Buddhism is just “mind training”. I have been stressing on the same
point too – mind training.
Mind training simply means that one
should constantly reflect inward, watching his own mental fabrications triggered
by the external environment, including the inner thoughts and emotions. One
should continuously watch his own mind and refine his mind set, and move away
from his self-interest. Instead, he should learn to be more concerned about the
interest of others as such practice will eventually help to eradicate his sense
of ego (the source of all mental afflictions).
When a person practises the
sadhana, mantra, sutra and meditation out of self-interest, he will certainly
end up on the evil path; the highest level of achievement of such practice is
none other than the King of Mara of the Mahesvara Heaven (the highest state of
being within the Desire Realm). Therefore, mind training is the core teaching
of Buddhism and the most crucial practice.
Is it alright then for a person to
just practise mind training and forego the sadhana? The answer is “no”. However,
if a person must sacrifice one of them for whatever reason, he should then
choose mind training over sadhana. Although mind training can eventually help
one attain the ultimate state of enlightenment, it is a very slow and gradual
process. Sadhana is designed to augment the mind training practice, expediting
the completion of the mind training. Therefore, mind training augmented by
sadhana is the perfect path of practice.
A practitioner should be more
concerned about the interest of others over his own. A practitioner should do
inner reflection and watch his own mind stream, identifying his own
shortcomings and make amend. He should not look outward and pick on the
shortcoming of others. One should look inward into his own mind and change himself.
Last but not least, Vajrayanists
must observe strictly the precepts of the Fourteen Root Downfalls of Vajrayana.
Fellow vajrayanists must not create conflicts with one another. Instead, a
practitioner should not pick on the shortcoming of others but his own and make
amend.
This was a teaching given by Acho Rinpoche on 26 Sep 2015.
