Dear Dharma friends,

We have finished the teaching series on the “Eight Verses of Mind Training”.

For the next four weeks, Geshe la will teach on the “Four Reflections that help to turn the mind away from Samsara”.

This is the upcoming schedule for the week. Note that we won’t have Wednesday meditation/prayer. Instead we will have a prayer on Friday.

17 NOV, SUN

11am – 12:30pm

Regular Dharma teaching

22 NOV, FRI

6:30 – 8pm

Lhabab Duchen Guru puja prayer

2024-11-10 teaching summary:

Geshe la began by emphasizing the importance of studying and practicing dharma, noting that one doesn’t need to convert to Buddhism to benefit from its teachings. The core message focused on
understanding cause and effect – that all experiences, good or bad, result from one’s own actions and motivations.

Key points covered:

Motivation and Actions:
* Pure motivations lead to positive results and happiness. Negative motivations lead to suffering
* One must be mindful of every action of body, speech, and mind

The Eight Verses of Mind Training (attributed to Geshe Langri Tangpa): * Maintaining humility and avoiding arrogance
* Being vigilant about afflictive emotions
* Viewing difficult people as precious opportunities for practice * Accepting abuse and slander without retaliation
* Viewing those who harm you despite your help as teachers
* Practicing giving and taking meditation (taking others’ suffering, giving happiness)
* Keeping virtuous actions free from the eight worldly concerns

Personal Development:
* Importance of having clear life goals and plans. Need to work hard for results * Being prepared for both difficulties and successes
* Maintaining stability despite praise or criticism
* Being one’s own master in transformation

The talk concluded with advice about compassion, noting that while one should cultivate compassion for those who mistreat you, this doesn’t mean allowing abuse to continue – one must maintain both compassion and appropriate boundaries.