About Shang Rinpoche

Rinpoche’s spiritual pursuit began at a very young age and has spanned many years, in which he received lineages of all four major Vajrayana Buddhist schools—Nyingma, Kagyu, Sakya, and Gelug—from numerous lineage holders and great yogis of our time in India, Tibet, Nepal and Bhutan. Rinpoche has acquired all the necessary empowerments, transmissions, and teachings to become a fully qualified Vajrayana master. Furthermore, Rinpoche is a recognized tulku (reincarnate lama), authenticated by eminent lineage holders and distinguished masters of our time.
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2014年4月29日 星期二

What’s an affliction, anyway!


A growing number of people are unable to find ways or methods to face and resolve their troubles, not to mention trying to move beyond them. Afflictions are not limited to just common people; all people on this earth cannot get away from problems induced by fame, wealth, and worldly affairs. In truth, as long as we are in the human realm we inevitably have afflictions, even high-level practitioners. A Rinpoche once told me that when he was younger he contracted an extremely serious case of leprosy. At that time in Tibet, leprosy was a frightening affair: it was equivalent to a terminal disease like cancer and all those who contracted the disease were quarantined from everyone, including their own family. The venerable Rinpoche was taken to an isolated and depressing place in the mountains. Squeezed into a tiny room, the only thing to keep him company in his miserable state while his skin festered with blisters were the mantras and sutras he recited everyday. He had even greater afflictions: the constant agony of wondering if and when he would recover. His greatest desire was to guide and help sentient beings; it was inconceivable that he would be cast into isolation. He had a very hard time with this on a daily basis, and continuously prayed to his master for blessings. Then finally, one day, his master came to his room. Rinpoche couldn't bear it and groveled before him, begging for blessings. Unexpectedly, the master only coldly said a few words: "If you believe in me, just recite Vajrasattva's hundred syllable mantra and you will swiftly recover from your illness."

This true account made me realize that the companion afflictions like most is someone who gets completely caught up in them. Everyone is the same: when you make an affliction out to be a big deal, you’re just giving it more momentum, allowing it to cast its net wider and wider. From my experience, the most effective way of transforming afflictions is actually to find an even bigger affliction than the one you’re currently facing, or the thing you dislike the most, or the thing or person you enjoy most, or perhaps a long-held desire you haven’t actualized — shift your attention to any one of these and your original affliction will quickly disperse, as if clearing smoke or fog. Some people use exercise or singing as a means of diverting their attention. Whichever you choose, so long as you don’t give your affliction much attention, it will also lose interest in you and eventually leave altogether.

When I was a high school student, I ran into a huge affliction. I was extremely self-conscious about my image then and didn’t know who to talk to about it. The person I trusted the most at the time was my Daoist master. He took me to the foot of the stairs leading up to Zhinan temple and said, “Don’t think about anything. Just run up and down these stairs without stopping ten times!” I took up the task and ran until I was covered in sweat, gasping for breath and my legs felt like jelly. To tell the truth, it really was effective. My affliction disappeared. So the bit of advice I can offer to the readers is that an affliction’s biggest enemy is being ignored, so go ahead and put some effort into shifting your attention away from your problems!

from Shang Longrik Gyatso Rinpoche

2014年4月24日 星期四

My Mind


Many people cannot master the state of their own mind.
Actually, the mind is not to be used for observation or to be watched.
So herein lies the problem -- where exactly, you ask?
When you don’t feel like observing it, it will secretly come for a visit.
When you don’t feel like observing it, it actually quietly comes to visit.
Gradually, even though you have no desire to observe it, 
the mind will find a way to interact with you.
Little by little, it seems that you start to see its faint outline.
Its image will seem like a recluse separated from you by a thin veil,
although mysterious, yet you feel you may have met before.
Sometimes, you call to it and it responds, yet other times it turns a deaf ear.
Sometimes it’s like a woman passionately in love: 
both nervous and excited, yet also shy and hopeful.
Sometimes, it’s like the Eastern Dragon that sweeps past in the vast sky.
Sometimes, it’s like an old bear that lives in the mountain forest.
Sometimes, it’s like a warrior with an ugly face but an impressive physique.
Sometimes it’s like a Yaksha demon, feasting on souls wherever it goes.
Sometimes it’s bright like an angel flying in the sky, or like a white conch shell.
Sometimes it’s like a drunkard who can’t make sense of any worldly logic.
Sometimes it’s voracious like a python waking from a long hibernation in a cave.
Sometimes it’s like a sterile woman who becomes pregnant, doing things which are unfathomable to herself or to others.
Sometimes it’s as sharp as an eagle dominating the sky, hunting for prey: crystal clear about its direction and goal.
In short, our mind, soul and consciousness are like triplet siblings: although they originate from the same place,
however they often cause people to feel lost, aimless, and confused.
The majority of people probably cannot complete this homework in an entire lifetime!
Concerning my mind.

2014年4月12日 星期六

A poem from Chinese :Everyone ‘Gets It’


《人人都「曉得」的歌》 
Everyone ‘Gets It’

人人都曉學佛好,只是功名利祿丟不了。
人人都曉學佛好,只是金銀財寶放不了。
人人都曉學佛好,只是嬌妻美妾捨不了。
人人都曉學佛好,但有兒孫跑不了。
人人都曉學佛好,但因貪心轉不了。
人人都曉學佛好,只因執著進不了。
Everyone knows that studying Buddhism is good,
but they just can’t put aside fame and fortune.
Everyone knows that studying Buddhism is good,
but they just can’t let go of gold and riches.
Everyone knows that studying Buddhism is good,
but they just can’t get on without their attractive partner.
Everyone knows that studying Buddhism is good,
but they can’t escape their sons and daughters.
Everyone knows that studying Buddhism is good,
but greed locks them out of transformation.
Everyone knows that studying Buddhism is good,
but attachments hold back their progress.

人人都曉學佛好,心有罣礙棄不了。
人人都曉學佛好,只因境界過不了。
人人都曉學佛好,不到無常心不了。
人人都曉學佛好,一念瞋心下去了。
Everyone knows that studying Buddhism is good,
but they can’t get problems off their mind.
Everyone knows that studying Buddhism is good,
they just can’t get past the states that confront them.
Everyone knows that studying Buddhism is good,
but before impermanence strikes their mind remains obscured.
Everyone knows that studying Buddhism is good,
and go down with their first angry thought.

人人都曉學佛好,我慢貢高很不好。
人人都曉學佛好,勤修十善上天去。
人人都曉學佛好,捨執放心便能了。
人人都曉學佛好,莫忘戒律要守好。
人人都曉學佛好,起心動念要看好。
人人都曉學佛好,寵辱不驚禪定好。
Everyone knows that studying Buddhism is good,
pride and arrogance are not good.
Everyone knows that studying Buddhism is good,
hard practice and good deeds lift you to the heavens.
Everyone knows that studying Buddhism is good,
abandon attachments and the mind leads to understanding.
Everyone knows that studying Buddhism is good,
not forgetting to keep their precepts.
Everyone knows that studying Buddhism is good,
keeping an eye on thoughts that arise.
Everyone knows that studying Buddhism is good,
unalarmed by honor or disgrace in meditative stillness .

人人都曉學佛好,且看虛空便知了。
人人都曉學佛好,瞬息萬變要顧好。
人人都曉學佛好,惺惺寂寂守護好。
人人都曉學佛好,紛紛擾擾恐難了。
人人都曉學佛好,自然無為好上好。
Everyone knows that studying Buddhism is good,
gazing at the empty sky, they come to know.
Everyone knows that studying Buddhism is good,
guarding themselves amongst constant flux.
Everyone knows that studying Buddhism is good,
preserving their awareness and tranquility.
Everyone knows that studying Buddhism is good,
a disturbed, tumultuous mind clouds awareness.
Everyone knows that studying Buddhism is good,
a natural and uncontrived mind has no equal.

人人都曉學佛好,多積陰德往生好。
人人都曉學佛好,夜半不驚心情好。
人人都曉學佛好,無憂無慮直到老。
人人都曉學佛好,禍福無門人自找。
Everyone knows that studying Buddhism is good,
gathering merits for a smooth journey after death.
Everyone knows that studying Buddhism is good,
the mind calm and well even in the darkness of night.
Everyone knows that studying Buddhism is good,
passing into old age without worry or care.
Everyone knows that studying Buddhism is good,
happiness or calamity rest solely upon our own decisions.

人人都曉學佛好,善惡有報跑不了。
人人都曉學佛好,無善無惡真正好。
人人都曉學佛好,親見爹娘無上好。
人人都曉學佛好,過去不留是心好。
人人都曉學佛好,遠離四相便悟了。
Everyone knows that studying Buddhism is good,
no one can escape their karma for good or worse.
Everyone knows that studying Buddhism is good,
the truly excellent state beyond good or evil.
Everyone knows that studying Buddhism is good,
the unrivalled glimpse into your buddha nature.
Everyone knows that studying Buddhism is good,
the good mind leaves the past in the past.
Everyone knows that studying Buddhism is good,
attaining enlightenment as the Four Notions are left behind.

人人都曉學佛好,花開見佛太棒了。
人人都曉學佛好,不沾不惹清淨好。
人人都曉學佛好,花開花謝看盡了。
人人都曉學佛好,樓起樓塌看清了。
人人都曉學佛好,人法二執盡棄了。
人人都曉學佛好,心如止水境界了。

Everyone knows that studying Buddhism is good,
it is great that your mind lotus blossoms and you are aware of your Buddha nature.
Everyone knows that studying Buddhism is good,
it is wonderful to be untainted and stay in peace and purity.
Everyone knows that studying Buddhism is good,
seeing through blossom and wilt.
Everyone knows that studying Buddhism is good,
seeing through ups and downs.
Everyone knows that studying Buddhism is good,
discarding attachments to ego and Dharma.
Everyone knows that studying Buddhism is good,
achieving your inner peace just like still water.
Everyone knows that studying Buddhism is good,
attaining enlightenment in the pure land.

2014年4月6日 星期日

Transforming the suffering of humiliation into something miraculous


Our attitude towards standards for quality of life and personal character should be akin to cutting and polishing jade. If a person can integrate this idea into their life, like using fine sandpaper to refine a precious stone so that its very best facet truly shines, then this person is exactly on course for good standards of behaviour and nurturing their character.

The hardest thing about interacting with others is to communicate with the one you love the most, and the one you can’t stand the most. At such a time you have only one choice: first, deeply reflect on yourself; accept the other person as they are, without defining their role in your life. Listen to them attentively with an open mind, without a trace of resistance. To engage in an entire conversation with empathy is the only skill you need. The biggest obstacle to successful communication is having expectations, and waiting for them to behave in a certain way. This kind of attachment will put immense strain on interpersonal relations. You should simply try to temporarily put away all your assumptions and anticipations.

“I’m sorry” and “Please forgive me” are the most important mantras for today’s hate-filled world, whether for negotiation and reconciliation, or interacting in larger groups. Regardless of whether you’re in a leading role or simply a participant, next time you encounter a stalemate conflict or an awkward situation, try using one of the above phrases. You shall see that space is created, enabling you to shake off those uncomfortable feelings. You’ll even think to yourself, “Is it really just that simple? I’d never thought that we could reconcile so easily.”

It’s inevitable that everyone will at some point in their life be insulted, misunderstood, or humiliated. Please refrain from thinking you are hopeless, trying to get even, or resorting to other ways of retaliation. You should read up on how Hans Christian Andersen overcame his many personal difficulties, or try to understand what kind of intense criticism Victor Hugo underwent after publishing Les Misérables. Yet all those public figures who earned a name for themselves in history have one characteristic in common: they were capable of forgiveness, patience, and enduring hardships. Therefore, when you are misunderstood or humiliated, consider the other person as your benefactor, because they are helping you to purify your karma and obstacles. When others insult you with the harshest words or behavior, regard them as your spiritual master, because they are in fact blessing you. Coming out on the other side of this experience, you’ll be made new, as if you’ve experienced a turn of good fortune. When others don’t understand you, criticize you or even jointly attack you, be happy, because at such a time all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the ten directions are giving you an empowerment.

From Shang Longrik Gyatso Rinpoche