Respect All!!!

Whatever religion you like, GO FOR IT. But never CRITICIZE another religion or sect. Why? May not be for you, but it don't make it wrong. Whatever school of Buddhism you like, GO ALL THE WAY! Prove it's efficacy by your TRANSFORMATION not criticism of another school. Whatever Dharma centre you find suitable, PLEASE GET INVOLVED but not at the expense of putting down another center.

Putting down another Dharma center just shows you are insecure about the Dharma center you choose. And numbers mean quality to you. The person that teaches you the Dharma is a 'Buddha' to you. Whether your teacher is H. H. Dalai Lama or a simple monk, respect all, criticize none.

Why compare which Dharma teacher is better and criticize another Dharma teacher? It shows you don't REALLY RESPECT YOUR TEACHER. Criticizing another Teacher to prove to someone YOUR teacher's GREAT, has the opposite effect for the intelligent.

Are Dharma teachers above criticism? No. But are you above criticism? No. Solution: Keep quiet & practice. Do Dharma students sometimes need criticism? Yes. Leave it to their teachers. You just practice. Why do you learn Dharma? To get information-ammunition to be quick witted to find faults in other sects or teachers? If so, wrong. 

Of course you may criticize others. When? WHEN YOU ARE PERFECT. When you are hanging off a cross or enlightened under bodhi tree. Otherwise... quiet. When 'should' you criticize other people? When You & Shakyamuni are totally equal. But then, what you say, wouldn't be harmful would it? 

Why should you limit yourself to MANY TEACHERS? When you can learn from one? The point, up to the individual and their needs. No hard fast rules. Even if your guru is very famous, an another isn't, that doesn't give you the right to put another person's center or teacher down. If you criticize another guru, you are criticizing your own guru inadvertently. Why? Because you show people how he didn't teach you correctly.

Don't run around quoting saints like Dalai Lama to criticize another person. You are just using them for your selfish narrow views. Don't criticize any religions, sects ,teachers & doctrines. Practice religion correctly by developing love and acceptance for others.

Whatever others pray to whether it's God, Tsongkapa, Shakyamuni, Tara, Saints, or a tree. Let them. Kindness is our REAL God or Buddha & goal. PICK THE FORM OF BUDDHA YOU LIKE. Never criticize different Buddhas forms or manifestations. If you do, you limit a Buddha's abilities. Never quote the negativities of a disgruntled student of Dharma to justify your own ego, selfishness and fears.

"A Dharma centre is like an ocean with few big grand whales who do their best & many 'small' fishes that don't. Follow the whales."

According to Lam Rim, criticism of any part of Buddha's teachings, equals the demerit of killing of 1,000 Buddhas. Don't quote from scriptures in order to have authority to pinpoint another & put them down. You are putting yourself down. 

Today go through the whole day without criticizing anyone. Do that for today. Challenge yourself positively

It doesn't matter who follows which guru, practice, deity or lineage. So long as they are following something. Better than nothing. To each person, their guru is the living Buddha to them. Don't criticize anyone's guru. Criticize your own criticism. Everyone doesn't have to follow what you are following to validate what you are doing. Nor do you need to validate what their doing. 

When you accept what others are following, then your mind becomes lighter. Your practice takes on real dimensions. Rejoice for others. Don't worry if others criticize you, your teacher, lineage, & practice. Follow the voice inside of you. The more you are criticized, the stronger you become. What makes you stronger? Criticism makes you look at yourself honestly & accept yourself.

A good way to hurt others in Dharma is to attack their teacher, lineage or center. By the way, that is the best way to hurt yourself too. You need to know your teacher or lineage is right for you, then go all the way. Every lineage has attained beings who practiced. Who knows, as time goes by, more Buddhist lineages may spring forth to benefit more groups of people in future. Let it be & rejoice. 

If you want any sort of attainments or results from practice in this life, have to cultivate acceptance, holding vows and realization of impermanence. Acceptance is spiritual quality because it helps you to forgive yourself & others' perceived wrongs. It makes you not holier than thou. Since time began there's been differences within people. Until the end of time, it will remain the same. So in between, just accept.

Whoever has helped you in the past, don't forget them. Reconnect with them. Express your gratitude to them or their descendants. Find all those who've helped you in past. Never forget them. Remember & pass them a gift. Life is about gratitude & kindness. 

All those who have hurt you. Remember the pain & RESOLVE NEVER TO DO THAT TO ANYONE. Lesson learned is wisdom. There's no such thing as revenge. It's just endless cycle that comes back to you again. 'Happiness' from revenge is only in movies. All those who betrayed you allowed you to check what your real relationship was with them. Forgive them. Accept the lesson. Grow. Everyone has been the target of betrayal because we have sown the seed of karma for it in the past. Cut if off by letting go. 

May H. H. Dalai Lama, Avalokitesvara from the snowy range bless us with pure view, kindness, & penetrative insights. 

When you want to criticize, count how many times that day you have criticism. That is your Dharma to work on. Flying in the sky & controlling weather are cool. But gaining the attainments of not criticizing others brings peace everywhere. 

I was hurt as a child. Grew up angry. Met my guru as teenager, He said let go, it's karma, I did, that's when I entered real Dharma. I grew up hurt. My step parents adopted me for wrong reasons. I was hurt. They were hurt. Guru told me to forgive. I did so. THANK YOU GURU.

My world crashed down in my teens, MY GURU H. H. ZONG RINPOCHE PASSED AWAY. I was in L.A. I honored my promises to Him anyways. Honoring my promises to Zong Rinpoche literally took my life another direction. From Los Angeles to Gaden in India. I'm glad I did.

When put you down because of your lineage or teacher, just look inside, see if your teacher inspired you to practice. If so that's what matters. Parents, friends, society, concepts may 'betray' you, but that doesn't give you the cause to retaliate. Accepting karma heals. 

"Be the strength because you have light inside of you. Don't blame & always look for the light. BE THE LIGHT NOW." 

Whatever form of Buddha you decide to worship, it is fine. Buddha has many manifestations. No matter what others think or don't. Tsongkapa, Shakyamuni, Vajrayogini, Amitabah, Guru Rinpoche, Tara CONTAINS THE same BUDDHA MIND. That's what matters, not their form.

Tsongkapa is NOT Gelug. Guru Rinpoche ISN'T Nyingma. Amitabah Himself isn't Mahayana. Tara's not Kadampa. We label them as so. Gelug, Nyingma, Sakya, Kagyu, Zen, Mahayana, Kadampa, Theravadin HAS NO TRUE LABELS from their side. We label & create differences.

Tsongkapa, Guru Rinpoche, Shakyamuni, Tara has no lineage they belong to or not belong. We even use them to express our bias. Buddha mind may change outer forms, but it is the same to benefit others. Our bias can take many forms too. Recognize bias.

Your criticism isn't going to change my faith in my guru, lineage, deities. Neither is mine to you. So let's just practice & be friends. Give peace a chance? Give all lineages a chance? Differences will continue as long as ego exists. So fight the ego NOT THE DIFFERENCES. 

Why are you unhappy? Because the whole world is wrong? Or your view of it? Change your view, the world follows. Hatred's the natural result of the unnatural ego. Loving kindness is the natural effect of the natural state of mind. Anger is unnatural. Kindness is natural. Hence a Buddha therefore may exist. 

Making money only as the way to happiness is a view shared by people who has never experienced true happiness. 

Why are you depressed? Because things didn't go YOUR WAY AGAIN? Try letting go of your way and try it another way. You can heal. How many times have you been depressed in this lifetime? Why? It's a red flag from your Buddha nature saying try another way!!!

You are not old or young to do or not do anything if you look at yourself within a continuous flow of thousands of rebirths. PRACTICE. Yellow hat, red hat, black hat, no hat makes no difference once you are a Buddha. Let's focus on that & put the hats away. If Shakyamuni appeared, what color hat He'd wear? What lineage would ascribe Himself to be? Northern or Southern Buddhism? None! If Shakyamuni appeared, would He choose: Thai monk robes? Tibetan? Chinese? Japanese? I guess whatever the weather suited Him? 

I'm in Chinese Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism, Zen, Theravadin, Kagyu, sounds like more labels in a Dharma that says there are no labels. Why fight for labels and win hallow victories. Go for the real wrestling match, pin the ego down!! 

I hate the whole world & love my anger. I hate my anger & love the whole world. Number two sounds better huh? I'm sorry I'm Asian & you hate me. I'm sorry I'm black, white, brown, red & you hate me. Maybe you should try hating your hate? I'm sorry you hate me because I'm Gelugpa. I didn't even know I was Gelugpa till you started hating me. I thought I was Buddhist.

When I was growing up, they told me I was created in the image of the Divine? So I asked them if His Divine-ness would be Tibetan? I'm told I have a Buddha 'inside' of me. But my guru said my 'pocket' too small, both Buddha & ego can't fit. Lose one! When I was growing up in New Jersey kids in school said I should just shut up & eat my rice. LOL. But Tibetans eat tsampa. Was hard growing up in New Jersey & trying to be what I am not. Only felt at home WHEN I MET DALAI LAMA & put my robes on! 

When I wake today, I have a choice: Live according to my ego again or ACCORDING TO LOVING KINDNESS. Hmmm....

I never said I was a Rinpoche. My gurus said so, I asked them are you sure? They said for sure YES. So I just obeyed. I didn't want to go teach or be a 'guru'. My gurus really insisted I go teach. So I did. Just doing the best I can. 

When people say I'm a good person I'm crying with happiness. When they say I'm not, I'm crying too. Which one is it?? When people compliment I'm 'happy'. When they put me down, I'm sad. What's with all these fluctuations? Is it them or me?? It's weird when people say, they are going to find themselves. Is it that hard??

My greatest teacher is Zong Rinpoche, my greatest mistake was believing others sometimes and not Him. When others say my guru is wrong. I just smile. Because I know they are not talking about my guru. When others criticize me, I try to smile. It does hurt, but I know it's not the real me hurting, but that's ego again. 

I've received more criticisms in my life than compliments. Realized how good my karma is because it's prayers manifesting to go egoless. I'm been gasping in samsara's ocean drowning in ego. It's nice to come up for air sometimes & realize there's dry land. 

Where there's misunderstanding of Dharma, may I accept the difficulties to make it clear by various skillful means. The less you criticize others, the more you have confidence in yourself. Buddhahood's everything they said it would be. Worth parting with your long time lover, ego. Bye bye ego. Not gonna miss you! You only cling to what you have to lose eventually. So lose it already!

~tweets from Tsem Tulku Rinpoche