Right Mindfulness and Right Awareness

1)
Question: How can one immediately recognize and break free from the special attraction of vow‑breakers, people under demonic influence, or non‑Buddhists? It feels like after interacting with them for a short while and hearing them say a few things, one starts wanting to follow them, strongly agreeing with and liking their characteristics. Sometimes, even knowing they have many faults, but still feel like abandoning own pure practice to approach them.

Master: Interacting with such people creates major obstacles to one’s Dharma practice and can undermine one’s faith in the Three Jewels. There is no benefit in it, so one should keep away. When others encounter non‑Buddhists or vow‑breakers, they also should not give rise to hatred, because even non‑Buddhists and vow-breakers are still sentient beings.

2)       

Question: Ginseng is said to be quite spiritual. So is it a wrongdoing to eat it? What about medicinal substances like lingzhi (reishi) or cordyceps—does consuming them create any fault?”

Master: Ginseng is a plant, so generally speaking, eating it is not a problem. In special cases, however, ginseng—or even stones or leaves—may move. When that happens, it could be that a being from the ‘lonely hell’ has taken rebirth inside it. If that is the case, it must not be eaten. Lingzhi (reishi) is fine to eat. As for cordyceps, the insect inside is already dead, so in general, consuming it is also not an issue.

3)  

Question: Can Buddhists get tattoos? Would it count as breaking Vajrayāna vows?

Master: No, they should not. It probably would not violate Vajrayāna vows.

4)    

Question: “Before studying Buddhism, I didn’t pay much attention, but after beginning to learn the Dharma, I discovered that my workplace is full of greed, anger, ignorance, and also deception and lies. Yet giving up my job and daily life would create other problems. As lay practitioners, what is the best way for us to handle this situation?

Master: If your work involves harming sentient beings, try your best to avoid telling lies, and you can use the money you earn to perform more life‑release activities.

5)       

Question: Shakyamuni! Amitabha! Greetings Guru!

I have a question that has troubled me for some time. My sister‑in‑law recently gave birth, and every day she asks my mother to buy fish and kill them to make soup for her. She says she needs it to breastfeed the baby. Seeing this makes me very sad. My mother suffers from severe rheumatoid arthritis, and her pain is truly pitiful. Watching this situation every day, I feel completely powerless. What should I do?

Master: Try to eat the threefold pure meats (That is, meat from animals one has not seen being killed, not heard being killed, and also not killed specifically for oneself.)

6)    

Question: Why do some Tibetan incense formulas contain animal ingredients such as pangolins? Can such incense be offered to the Buddhas?

Master: That is not good. I have said before that items containing animal ingredients should not be made into incense.

7)    

Question: After attaining Buddhahood, does one become a robot that liberates sentient beings? How can one dispel this wrong thought in one's mind?

Master: The enlightened realm, conduct, and manifestations of a Buddha are far beyond the imagination or conceptual thinking of ordinary beings. It is truly inconceivable. You should carefully read the Buddha’s biographies and virtues and thereby give rise to genuine faith in the Buddha.

8)   

Question: Homage to the greatly kind Guru! Every morning when I wake up and go to the bathroom, I often use my phone to read Buddhist articles that contain many images of Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and great masters. From the point of view of respect, this seems improper, though I have no disrespectful intention. I feel that reading such things in the morning helps me maintain clear awareness and mindfulness and keeps my mind pure. May the Guru give guidance—is it okay to do this? Thank you, Guru!

Master: It is still better not to read articles or scriptures with Buddha images in the bathroom. Instead, you can contemplate the [Four Common Preliminaries] in your mind.

9)

Question: Guru, recently when I do my daily practice, I often feel sleepy or suddenly start shedding tears without reason, and I cannot concentrate. How should this obstacle be overcome? I pray for the guru’s explanation.

Master: Many people find themselves in this situation. When meditating or listening to teachings they feel drowsy. This is an obstacle. If one sleeps too much, many things cannot be accomplished. You can eat a little less, which benefits your meditation. When listening to teachings, choose a well-ventilated place. When sleepy, stand up and walk around.

10)

Question: When meditating or doing visualization practice, one especially needs quiet, but my neighbor is always very noisy and plays loud music. I have tried communicating many times without success. How should I deal with this, Rinpoche?

Master: When the neighbors are noisy, afflictive emotions arise. When these emotions appear, immediately observe your own mind. In this way, the external sounds become nothing more than the play of your own mind.

11)

Question: I am a beginner. I have heard fellow practitioners say that in Vajrayana one may rely on multiple gurus. If one is relying on multiple gurus, how should one practice properly?

Master: One should maintain pure faith toward each guru, and show even greater respect toward one’s root guru.

12)

Question: How can I know who my root guru is?

Master: The root guru is the one who bestows empowerment upon you, explains the Tantras to you, and, through essential instructions, enables you to realize the mind’s intrinsic nature.

13)

Question: Why do sentient beings have ignorance?

Master:  In Vajrayāna, ignorance is said to arise because, from the very beginning, sentient beings failed to recognize their own true intrinsic nature.

14)

Question:  How should one understand the teaching that ‘afflictions are precisely Bodhi’?

Master: All external appearances are nonexistent. Afflictions are the nirmāṇakāya; the nirmāṇakāya itself is nonexistent. It is all‑pervasive great compassion. The dharmakāya, sambhogakāya, and nirmāṇakāya are nondual and indivisible from the nature of awareness; therefore, the nature of awareness is Bodhi.

15)  Question: Guru said that the dhāraṇī blanket should only be used to cover someone who is at the point of passing away. During my serious illness, I used the dhāraṇī blanket, but now I have recovered. Should I confess for having used it earlier, or should I perform some virtuous deeds to make amends?

Master: As long as there was no disrespectful intention, it is fine.

16)

Question: Shakyamuni Buddha!
I have encouraged and guided some fellow practitioners to take refuge, and I have helped them in many ways in the past. Later, because of business competition, they slandered me behind my back and grabbed opportunities from me. I deeply understand karma and I sympathize with the difficulties in their lives, yet whenever such things happen, I still feel unhappy inside and must rely on the Dharma to counteract these emotions. I do not wish to have such afflictions. Several times I have thought about giving up my business, but part of me still feels unwilling.
Please, Guru, grant me your guidance.

Master: Ordinary people tend to be very attached to their own affairs, so situations like the one you described easily arise. Yet we should still try to understand them, and continue to help them as much as we can. Since you understand many Dharma principles and have been practicing sincerely, you should continue to generate a great aspiration to guide them.

17)

Question:

Is it permissible for monastics and lay practitioners to practice together while living under the same roof?

Master: If they are fully ordained monks (bhikṣus) and nuns (bhikṣuṇīs), it is generally not appropriate for them to live together with lay practitioners. In particular, a bhikṣu living with female lay practitioners, or a bhikṣuṇī living with male lay practitioners, is even more inappropriate.

18)

Question: Shakyamuni Buddha!  Homage to the Guru!
My working hours are quite long, and my colleagues like to talk, so my mind easily becomes scattered and I cannot settle down. Sometimes I even don’t have enough time to complete my morning practice. Guru, please advise me on what I should do?

Master: Use awareness and mindfulness to manage your body, speech, and mind.

19)

Question: I bow to the greatly compassionate Guru!

My husband has had an affair, and I feel some pain and resentment in my heart. What sutras or mantras should I recite? Is this related to my past abortion? How can I restore harmony in my family as it was before? Thank you, Guru.

Master: Do not hold on with too much attachment. Contemplate the four types of impermanence; the difficulties and setbacks in worldly matters can actually help bring about the accomplishment of supramundane Dharma.