[HH Dalai Lama Quote of the Week] What is Progress?

We been writing a lot on our activities, I thought of doing something different, I would like to share with all of you what I received through my email today,  "HH the Dalai Lama Quote of the Week" (coutersy of Snow Lion Publication, my favourite online Buddhist bookstore)

May You Have A Peaceful & fulfilling Weekend!

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Dalai Lama Quote of the Week 

What is Progress?

What is progress? How do we recognize it? The teachings are like a mirror before which we should hold our activities of body, speech, and mind. Think back to a year ago and compare the stream of activities of your body, speech, and mind at that time with their present condition. If we practice well, then the traces of some improvement should be reflected in the mirror of Dharma.

 The problem with having expectations is that we usually do not expect the right things. Not knowing what spiritual progress is, we search for signs of it in the wrong areas of our being. What can we hope for but frustration? It would be far better to examine any practice with full reasoning before adopting it, and then to practice it steadily and consistently while observing the inner changes one undergoes, rather than expecting this or that fantasy to become real.

 The mind is an evolving organism, not a machine that goes on and off with the flip of a switch. The forces that bind and limit the mind, hurling it into unsatisfactory states of being, are impermanent and transient agents. When we persistently apply the practices to them, they have no option but to fade away and disappear.

 Ignorance and the "I"-grasping syndrome have been with us since beginningless time, and the instincts of attachments, aversion, anger, jealousy and so forth are very deeply rooted in our mindstreams. Eliminating them is not as simple as turning on a light to chase away the darkness of a room. When we practice steadily, the forces of darkness are undermined, and the spiritual qualities that counteract them and illuminate the mind are strengthened and made firm. Therefore, we should strive by means of both contemplative and settled meditation to gain stability in the various Lam Rim topics.(p.176)

 --from The Path to Enlightenment by H.H. the Dalai Lama, 

edited and translated by Glenn H. Mullin,

 published by Snow Lion Publications

[Report] Geshe's Lhakdor Visit to SDC

It has been a very auspicious start to the year of the "water Dragon" for us at the centre. We have had many happening at the centre that we could rejoice, one of them being a visit by Geshe Lhakdor to our centre on Monday, 20 Feb 2012.

Many of you would know that Geshe Lhakdor has served as a translator and religious assistant to His Holiness the Dalai Lama and is currently a director of the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives in Dharamsala, India. (for more info on LTAW, pls click HERE). So when we heard that Geshela would be in Malaysia to conduct a Dharma enrichment camp organised by BGF (see our earlier post for more details), we decided that we should invite him to visit our centre. To our great delight, and through the effort of our Past President, Bro Lai SK, Geshela accepted our invitation.

On that Monday, namely 20 Feb 2012, in great anticipation of the visit and Dharma talk by Geshela, many members arrived very early at the centre, to prepare and wait for Geshela's arrival.

members waiting at the hall

Preparing to welcome Geshela at the gate.

Geshela arrived promptly at 8.00pm, before he entered our main hall, he made a light offering at the Namgyal Stupa at our Garden. Once Geshela sat down on his seat, we started our short prayer and made mandala offering to Geshela. (This a traditional ritual we do as a request for the teaching for a short explanation of it meaning => HERE. courtesy of Berzin Archives)

Geshela arriving

Geshela making light offering

Geshela making offering at the main altar

members making mandala offering

members making mandala offering

From the onset, we could see that Geshela was a very humble and friendly. As the talk progressed, it was also obvious that he also has a great sense of humour too. His talk was SIMPLE.

SIMPLE to understand

SIMPLE to implement; and

SIMPLY no excuse for us NOT to put it into practice.

It would do Geshela no justice to recount the full text of his talk, I would just set out my favourite quotes from the talk (sligthly edited and rephrased for the blog). They are as follows:

"What is DHARMA?

Dharma is simply the LAW of NATURE"

"BUSY! BUSY! BUSY!

But you're BUSY with WHAT?"

"We'll die. That's certain.

But we live and prepare our lives as if we'll live forever"

"The core of Buddha's teaching is Wsidom & Method....

...The Training of our Heads & Hearts...."

It was an inspiring teaching, it gave rise in many of our hearts, a sense of regret that we have not put the things we had learned into practice. It gave many of us new impetus to revitalise our daily practices.

After the teaching, some of  the senior members of our centre took the opportunity to catch up with Geshela by looking through the old photographs taken in the 1990's when they first met Geshela.

Catching up with Geshela

Catching up with Geshela

Old photo from our archive (is that Geshe Lhakdor?)

Old photo from our Archive (Audience w HHDL)

Old photo from our Archive (Audience w HHDL)
His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama (on the left)
Our teacher the late H.E. Khensur Jampa Yeshe Rinpoche (right)

Then we took a group photo before proceeding to our garden for a light refreshment.

wow, what to eat?

Geshela chating with Bro Lai SK, and Bro HP Lim

light refreshment

Thank you, Ven Geshe Lhakdor, for your Inspiring teaching!

Group Photo
(many happy people!!!)