Lillian Too: The Buddha Book: Buddhas, blessings, prayers, and rituals to grant you love, wisdom, and healing

I dedicate whatever merit arises from this book to the long life of most precious guru, Lama Kyabje Zopa Rinpoche, to whom I prostrate, make offerings and go for refuge. May all his holy wishes be fulfilled immediately. May His Dharma inspired projects in India, Mongolia, Australia, United States, Asia and Europe to benefit sentient beings actualize and meet with success, including the building of the world’s largest Buddha statue of Maitreya Buddha in India.

Spiritual means the mind, and spiritual people are those who seek its nature. Through this they come to understand the effects of their behavior, the actions of their body, speech, and mind. Morality is the wisdom that understands the nature of the mind.

When you know the nature of your own mind, depression is spontaneously dispelled. Whatever pain, pleasure, or other feeling you experience, it is all an expression of your mind. When you discover that true satisfaction comes only from the mind, you realize you can extend this experience without limit, and then it is possible to discover everlasting happiness … so it is actually very simple.

LAMA YESHE

Title Page

Dedication I dedicate whatever merit arises from this book to the long life of most precious guru, Lama Kyabje Zopa Rinpoche, to whom I prostrate, make offerings and go for refuge. May all his holy wishes be fulfilled immediately. May His Dharma inspired projects in India, Mongolia, Australia, United States, Asia and Europe to benefit sentient beings actualize and meet with success, including the building of the world’s largest Buddha statue of Maitreya Buddha in India.

Epigraph Epigraph Epigraph On Life Introduction: Meeting a Living Buddha Chapter 1: Meeting the Founder-Buddha, Shakyamuni Chapter 2: Five Tantric Buddhas for Spiritual Transformation Chapter 3: Purifying Negativity: Vajrasattva and the thirty-five Confession Buddhas Chapter 4: Meeting the Medicine Buddha Chapter 5: Meeting the Compassion Buddha, Avalokiteshvara Chapter 6: The Trinity of Longevity Buddhas: White Tara, Amitayus, and Namgyalma Chapter 7: Meeting Green Tara, Mother Goddess Chapter 8: Meeting the Wealth Buddhas Chapter 9: Meeting Maitreya, the Buddha of the Future Appendices Glossary Index Acknowledgements About the Author Copyright About the publisher Spiritual means the mind, and spiritual people are those who seek its nature. Through this they come to understand the effects of their behavior, the actions of their body, speech, and mind. Morality is the wisdom that understands the nature of the mind. When you know the nature of your own mind, depression is spontaneously dispelled. Whatever pain, pleasure, or other feeling you experience, it is all an expression of your mind. When you discover that true satisfaction comes only from the mind, you realize you can extend this experience without limit, and then it is possible to discover everlasting happiness … so it is actually very simple. LAMA YESHE

On Life On Life Life is … like a flickering flame: a phenomenon that cannot last long. Like an illusion: appearing real but not there— being empty. Phenomena are like dewdrops or water bubbles that can perish any time. Being transitory in nature like a dream they appear real from their own side, yet they are empty from their own side. Like a dream— exactly like that. Total hallucination Like lightning, transitory in nature. When there is lightning a flash of light appears and then it is gone. Same: When death comes all appearance of this life go, like friends who were here then pass away and are gone. Buddha said: If we cling, if we grasp there is suffering. Things cannot last; they are impermanent by nature. Holding the view of permanence only leads to suffering. It creates the cause to reincarnate in samsara again. Attachment ties us to samsara … again. From Lama Kyabje Zopa Rinpoche’s teaching on Impermanence, given at Losang Drakpa Buddhist Meditation Center, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on February 2 2002.

Introduction: Meeting a Living Buddha

Chapter 1: Meeting the Founder-Buddha, Shakyamuni

Chapter 2: Five Tantric Buddhas for Spiritual Transformation

Chapter 3: Purifying Negativity: Vajrasattva and the thirty-five Confession Buddhas

Chapter 4: Meeting the Medicine Buddha

Chapter 5: Meeting the Compassion Buddha, Avalokiteshvara

Chapter 6: The Trinity of Longevity Buddhas: White Tara, Amitayus, and Namgyalma

Chapter 7: Meeting Green Tara, Mother Goddess

Chapter 8: Meeting the Wealth Buddhas

Chapter 9: Meeting Maitreya, the Buddha of the Future

Appendices

Glossary

Index

Acknowledgements

About the Author

Copyright

About the publisher

Life is …

like a flickering flame:

a phenomenon that

cannot last long.

Like an illusion:

appearing real

but not there—

being empty.

Phenomena are

like dewdrops

or water bubbles

that can perish any time.

Being transitory in nature

like a dream

they appear real

from their own side,

yet they are empty from

their own side.

Like a dream—

exactly like that.

Total hallucination

Like lightning,

transitory in nature.

When there is lightning

a flash of light appears

and then it is gone.

Same:

When death comes

all appearance of this life

go,

like friends who were here

then pass away

and are gone.

Buddha said:

If we cling, if we grasp

there is suffering.

Things cannot last;

they are impermanent by

nature.

Holding the view of

permanence

only leads to suffering.

It creates the cause to

reincarnate in samsara

again.

Attachment ties us to

samsara … again.

From Lama Kyabje Zopa Rinpoche’s teaching on Impermanence, given at Losang Drakpa Buddhist Meditation Center, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on February 2 2002.