Tonglen
Ringu Tulku Rinpoche, (Berlin 2006)
Purpose
The purpose of tonglen is to work on attachment and aversion, to bring last-
ing peace and happiness to all, to train ourselves to feel love, and to be puri-
fied, healed and transformed. This is very important. Normally we have
problems with giving things to others. Our usual mentality doesn’t allow
others good, even if nothing is taken from us! So, this is something that
needs to be exercised.
Meditation
Relax your mind and body.
Then think, “What is the most important thing that I wish for?” We wish to
have lasting peace and happiness and to be free from suffering; and that is
what everybody wants.
Be very clear about this motivation: The most important thing is that we
could contribute to that lasting peace and happiness which is free from suf-
fering.
We make a strong wish for that to happen and invoke the blessings of all
great beings to grant us the power and blessings for this to happen, “I must
make this happen, because it is the most important thing.” Whatever I do, I’ll
dedicate all the positive things which arise from that motivation to that end.
I breathe in deeply and inhale all the pain and suffering of all beings of every
kind, throughout space.
I feel that all negative things and their causes, come in the form of a fog or
pollution.
I feel that all my negative karma and emotions, habits and illnesses, and
problems and pain is in my heart in the form of a dark crust which encases
my true essential Buddha nature, my essence; my true nature is encaged in
these defilements.
When I bring in the negative things, they eat my own negativity like acid,
like poison eating poison - all in one moment.
And then my Buddha nature, healing power, shines out like the rays of the
sun. Everything I breathe in is, in one moment, dissolved, like darkness is
dispelled by light. Like a clay pot being broken.
I feel totally purified, healed and transformed; and that very bright light ra-
diates through all the pores of my body and the bodies of all beings, radiating
in all ten directions. Whoever is touched by the light feels blissful and warm.
The light is cleansing and immediately dissolves all pain and illnesses, and
purifies all negative emotions, habits, and karma, in all beings.
Every being is completely purified, healed, transformed, feeling joyful, bliss-
ful, enlightened, and transformed.
Whenever a thought comes, we begin again.
We do it any number of times, as oen as we like.
There are different methods of doing this meditation – it doesn’t matter too much!
Do it as you feel most convenient. Even if you do it your own personal way, it’s okay.
How to bring the practice into our daily life
Our daily life is conducted with body, speech, and mind. The mind controls
our body and speech. The mind consists of our thinking mind and emotions,
as well as, our way of seeing things and conscious mind habits.
We need to work on our reactions, emotions, and habits, slowly – but not too
slowly, patiently, step-by-step. It is like breaking in a horse, first with a long
rope, and then pulling it in closer and closer.
It’s easier to change our attitude than to change the others; so work on these
first:
1) A different way of seeing and
2) A different way of reacting.
BODHICHARYA
Awaken the Heart by Opening the Mind
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