Doubts in Practice

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Published on Wednesday, 18 May 2016 00:00

Q: When I am engaged in practice, I often feel pressured - worrying that I might not do well and can't benefit others who have immense suffering. As a result, it is difficult to have a relaxed mind nor rejoice at the end after dedication. Please Rinpoche give some advice on this problem.

A: When you mediate, don't think about “will I benefit or will I not benefit sentient beings”. So when you mediate, it is like you are creating the seed of a flower now. When you mediate again and again, then this seed will grow a sprout. Then from the sprout, it will grow the stalk, and then it will become the bud and flower. So don't doubt whether if I will benefit the sentient beings. Just continue to mediate continuously, but don't try to wonder whether or not it will benefit. Now we are creating the seed of the flower, so don't worry about will the seed be of any benefit. Just know that from the seed, the flower will grow.
So when you mediate and you attain enlightenment, then you can really benefit them. When we are creating the seed, we have to focus on meditation and cultivate love and compassion, thinking about your parent, your teachers, your country and cultivate love for them. Especially the greatest love you should have is for our country, they give you roads, hospital, school and so on. So actually think that all the countries in the world are very kind, very precious, so you cultivate love for your country and then love for all the countries. Then also those that are not human, like animals for example. What is the difference between animals and human? The difference is the degree of bodhicitta. If you have a little bit of bodhicitta, you are born as human. If not, you will be born as animals and animals temporary suffer. That is their karma of ignorance, not knowing karma, cause and effect. If you cultivate love and compassion for them, then slowly they will pass from this existence. So if you mediate, actually it will benefit all sentient beings and also pleases all the Buddhas. Don't wonder whether or not if this will benefit, this is just another way of thinking mind. So planting the seed of flower, you cannot say it have to benefit right away, you can't eat right now. First you have to nurture the seed, then later it will grow into flower.