Always Present: The Luminous Wisdom of Jigme Phuntsok 1559394501, 9781559394505

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The Luminous Wisdom of JIGME

PHUNTSOK

Edited by

KHENPO

SODARGYE

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Received On: OCT 07 2015

Always Present

Ballard Branch

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Always Present The Luminous Wisdom of

JIGME PHUNTSOK

Edited by KHENPO

SODARGYE

SNOW LION

Boston e¢ London 2015

SNOw LION

An imprint of Shambhala Publications, Inc. Horticultural Hall 300 Massachusetts Avenue Boston, Massachusetts 02115 www.shambhala.com

English translation © 2015 by Khenpo Sodargye. Translated into English by Emyo Yun Jia Wang. Previously published in Chinese as 74 & (bi If), © 2014 by Sino- Culture Press All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. OP S786 55 4 3ear

First Edition Printed in the United States of America © This edition is printed on acid-free paper that meets the American National Standards Institute Z39.48 Standard.

€9 This book is printed on 30% postconsumer recycled paper. For more information please visit www.shambhala.com. Distributed in the United States by Penguin Random House LLC and in Canada by Random House of Canada Ltd LIBRARY

OF CONGRESS

CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION

DATA

‘Jigs-med-phun-tshogs-’byun-gnas, 1933-2004, author. [Bu li. English] Always present: the luminous wisdom of Jigme Phuntsok / edited by Khenpo Sodargye.— First edition. pages cm Previously published in Chinese by Sino-Culture Press. ISBN 978-1-55939-450-5 (paperback)

1. Spiritual life—Rfiin-ma-pa (Sect) I. Suodaji, Kanbu, 1962— II. Title. BQ7662.6.J5413 2015

294.3D444—dc23 2014031065

Do not lose your own path. Do not disturb others’ minds.

Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2022 with funding from Kahle/Austin Foundation

https://archive.org/details/alwayspresentlum000Ojigs

Contents

Editor's Preface

ix

Introduction

I

tie

Why We Are Not Happy

3

The True Face of Afflictions

15

Suffering and Happiness Are Both Impermanent Buddha Mind

25

35

It's Never Too Late

49

. Triumph over Suffering

59

. The Power of Right View

73

aa ae Rev RtWhen You Ask for Directions, Ask Those Who Have

Gone Before

83

. Who Is the True Field of Merit?

Editor’s Afterword Glossary 122 About the Author

About the Editor

121 129

130

VII

97

Editor's Preface

Ten years have passed since our teacher His Holiness Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche departed from us. The days I spent by our teacher’s side were the most wonderful days of my life, and they remain my most extraordinary memories. No matter where he went or what the ethnicity of his audience, whether he taught the profound Buddhadharma or spoke about ordinary, everyday life, people received great benefit. I once heard someone say, “His Holiness is noble, but he does not tower over you at all with his words or actions. His gentleness and humility allow each person nearby to feel happy and warm.” I always found this to be true. Like the Buddha, His Holiness benefited beings by living and teaching the Dharma. Through the Buddhadharma, he led us to see ourselves clearly, realize the truth of all things, and find the path of liberation. During the Cultural Revolution, Buddhism was devastated. After ten years of catastrophe, His Holiness revitalized Tibetan Buddhism in China. To this day, no other Tibetan master has taken on so many Han Chinese students of the fourfold sangha—monks, nuns, lay women, and lay men.

From 1987 until His Holiness’s parinirvana* in early 2004, I assumed the role of his Mandarin interpreter and served at his side as his attendant. Regrettably, due to various causes and conditions over those eighteen years, only a few of His Holiness’s teachings were preserved. On the occasion of the tenth anniversary of His Holiness’s parinirvana, I began an exhaustive search through the recordings of the teachings he gave both at home and abroad. From these, I selected some teachings and translated them as an offering to all who have an affinity with His Holiness. As the First Dodrupchen Jigme Trinle Ozer prophesied over two hundred years ago, any being that forms a connection with His Holiness Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche can be reborn in a pure land of great bliss. It is therefore auspicious that His Holiness’s teachings are now being shared in this book. Whether you are a student of the Buddha or not, when

you open this book, you will benefit from it. Each word and phrase in the book is His Holiness’s vajra speech, unadulterated by my own discriminating thoughts. All of His Holiness’s direct disciples, who are as numerous as the stars, can attest to this. Some teachings in the book are quite pointed, which may lead some readers to feel like they are sitting on a bed of needles. But just as the Venerable Atisha said, “Criticisms that hit the mark are the most sublime teachings. Masters who admonish their disciples’ wrongdoings are the best mentors.” Truly, those who love you most are the ones who are willing * Parinirvana (Skt.): The passing away of a buddha or highly realized master.

Xx

Editor's Preface

to be honest with you about your mistakes. Whenever His Holiness censured students, it was like a loving mother’s reproach of an errant child. His criticism arose entirely from compassion and kindness. In this day and age, many people have never before encountered or heard teachings like these that open the ears of the deaf and the eyes of the blind. You have the great fortune to encounter them. These are teachings to be treasured. May this book be an eternal lamp, forever illuminating your path ahead. SODARGYE

Tibetan Year ofthe Water Snake January 2014

Editor's Preface

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