Part One: The Preliminaries Heading 4

4. The Things He Did to Further the Doctrine after Gaining these Qualities

In India, Atisha held up the teachings and ‘because he showed no sectarianism, he became the crowning jewel of all the Sangha in Magadha as well as across India. He was the acknowledged master of the whole teachings of sutra and tantra to be found in the three baskets and the four classes of tantra. And as for the teachings themselves, it was as if the Victorious Ones himself had returned.”

~~~~~~~

Atisha went beyond what most people would have done. He purposely and completely made the teachings his life. And when people see that you are committed, they look deeper. They look beyond what  images appear….they look at the Dharma itself.

That is the point…it is not our reputations, for ourselves, it is our reputation for the Dharma.  The teachings went far due to Atisha’s diligence and dedication and he did this only for the Dharma to flourish.

/!\ Debra

Related articles

• Part One: The Preliminaries ~ headings 1 – 3 (abuddhistsjourney.wordpress.com)
• Part One: The Preliminaries (Preparing to read and study lamrim) (abuddhistsjourney.wordpress.com)

Immerse yourself…

Image by Wonderlane via Flickr

“Immerse yourself in the meaning of the teachings, day after day, month after month and the spiritual qualities of a Bodhisattva will develop without difficulty, like honey collecting in the hive as the bees go from flower to flower, gathering nectar.”

– Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche –

Relying on the Dream world

Self-deception seems always to depend upon the dream world, because you would like to see what you have not yet seen rather than what you now seeing. You will not accept that whatever is here now is what is, nor are you willing to go with the situation as it is. Thus, self-deception always manifests itself in terms of trying to create or recreate a dream world, the nostalgia of the dream experience.

~ Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche

By This Merit…

Image via Wikipedia ~ Nagarjuna

By this merit may we obtain omniscience
Having defeated all the enemies of wrong-doing
May we liberate migratory beings suffering in the ocean of existence
From its stormy waves of birth, old-age, sickness and death.

~ Nagarjuna’s dedication of merit

Related articles

• Part One: The Preliminaries (Preparing to read and study lamrim) (abuddhistsjourney.wordpress.com)

A Meaningful Life ~ from Tricycle

A meaningful life must also answer the question, “What have I brought to the world?” If I can look at a day and see that virtue, happiness, truth, and living an altruistic life are prominent elements, I can say, “You know, I’m a happy camper.” Pursuing happiness does not depend on my checkbook, or the behavior of my spouse, or my job, or my salary. I can live a meaningful life even if I only have ten minutes left.

~ B. Alan Wallace, “What Is True Happiness?”