Heart Sutra

TADYATHĀ (OṂ) GATEY GATEY PĀRAGATEY PĀRASAṂGATEY BODHI SVĀHĀ
> Go, go, go utterly beyond, go, and establish enlightenment!

“From from tears to fearlessness!”, or “Become happier and happier”.

The yardstick for our success in our spiritual practice is: as we age to become happier and happier.

Purpose of Life

The Purpose Of Life: (1) minimize misery (2) maximize meaningful happiness (ease, fullfillment).

Learn Slowly

Learn! Don’t be too quick to accept, don’t be too quick to reject (unless you are convienced, through analysis).
— Geshe Dorji Damdul La

Absorb, work on knowing, rather than judging. “Oh it doesn’t make any sense” is knowledge destroyer.

Why Dedicating

Just as when winning money, we think about how we use this money. Same with this knowledge. In what way are we going to action this result?

Compassion

(Compassion = Being of service to others) = Being of service to yourself

Overusing Buddhism

A lady was trying to provoke Geshe-la by announcing she abandoned Buddhism. Geshe-la was answering “It’s OK” all the time, but she kept repeating her decision — clearly expecting a why? Then Geshe-la asked why. “Because I have been praying the Buddha and other deities and I was expecting help with X, Y and Z and neither of these things happened”. Geshe-la says:

If you are sick go to the doctor, don’t go to the Buddha!

Teach on Request

Buddhism Doesn't Have Missionaries

Other religions might encourage spreading the word and teachings that conform it. Buddhism seems to disallow it, and it has been explicitly said that Buddhism cannot be taught unless someone requests it.

That’s why when Buddha was enlightened he says he went back to the woods, instead of spreading the precious teachings. It was some time after that Indra and Brahma prompted him Please turn the Wheel of Dharma.

Link to original