A Letter from Tulku Dakpa Rinpoche to All Precious Dharma Friends

Dear Students and Dharma Friends,

Please contemplate that we have all received a human body, a precious life, through our own merit which we created in previous lives. If we wish to have a blissful and happy life in the future, we must develop merit. Bliss and suffering depends on our own actions. So, Dear Dharma Friends, we should keep our precious merit in our minds very well and create more and more. How can we do this? What is the way to keep merit and to increase it? Buddha Shakyamuni explains that we should guard our three doors: our body, speech and mind. As much as possible we should avoid negative acts, speech and thought and instead develop our virtue. We should always check our own mind in order to uproot our negativity, our non-virtue.

How can we recognize non-virtue? There are 10 non-virtues: 3 non-virtuous acts of the body, 4 of the speech and 3 of the mind. The non-virtue of the body is to take life, to steal and to involve in sexual misconduct. To give up non-virtue is a virtue in itself and if we want to practice the virtues of body we should involve in giving and protecting life, in donating and offering of what is ours, and by taking celibacy vows. The non-virtue of speech is lying, instigating discord, using harsh language and gossip. Giving up these is virtue. Practicing the virtue of speech is remembering to speak kindly, meaningfully and truthfully. The non-virtues of mind are general adversity towards others, grudge and wrong view. Giving up these is virtue and practicing the virtue of mind is always to be mindful about one’s own negative thought and to rejoice in the positive ones in order to increase them.

All of us want happiness. Ultimately we cannot get it from another; we have to create the causes of happiness ourselves. So, please check your own mind. Are you daily nurturing your virtue or non-virtue? Be aware of what you should accept end reject.

I wish you all the best. Take care of your body and keep your mind well.

Tulku Dakpa Rinpoche