In this series, Khen Rinpoche Geshe Tashi Tsering, in his typically humorous, warm-hearted and accessible style, chooses topics from His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s Daily Inspirations for discussion and reflection.
In this episode Geshe Tashi reads and discusses His Holiness’s Daily Inspiration for the 9th April. Just as those of you on the Foundation of Buddhist Thought Course have been learning the importance of analysing our mind and body in the Four Noble Truths module, here His Holiness urges us to use our own mind and body as our laboratory:
“Taking your own body and mind as the laboratory, engage in some thoroughgoing research on your own mental functioning, and examine the possibility of making some positive changes within yourself.”
Geshe Tashi expands on this, noting how, examining our mind and body in this way, we can come to understand the Buddhist teachings of impermanence, interdependence, the nature of life and of reality.
He points out that to make long term changes it is not good enough to merely examine our body and mind, we need a strategy, we need to know what to nurture, what to enhance and what to let go of. The small amount we can do may seem insignificant. But if we have consistency and a continued practice with a good strategy, then in the long term we will gain the very noticeable positive changes that His Holiness speaks about here.
Once again, Geshe Tashi urges us, if possible, to help others, and to try to do so without self-interest, negative pride or arrogance, but as genuinely as possible, with love and compassion.
With best wishes to you all,
Peter & Tri