17) You are grateful to me for Dharma kindness,
I am grateful to you for your kind material support.
Helping one another in this way
Is sacred Dharma work. This is my heart advice.
This verse explains the need for knowing and thinking about the mutual kindness between guru and disciples. In general, the guru’s responsibility is to turn the disciples minds towards Dharma, for the Dharma to become the path, for the path to be free of obstacles, and finally, for deceptive appearances to arise as transcendent wisdom. The guru guides the disciples on a perfect path from bliss to bliss.
A humble guru like myself does not have the blessings and power of a guru who can compassionately use forceful means to guide disciples onto the perfect path, but it is the procedure in Buddha’s teachings for the guru to teach whatever they know from experience, and for disciples to put those very teachings into practice. As Buddha said,
I have taught you the path to Liberation,
But know that Liberation depends on you.
That is how it is. That is why, for many years now, although lacking experience or realized qualities, with a pure intention I have taught, and have sometimes invited other teachers from different traditions, wishing to bring some benefit to the minds of the people of this area.
Since it is very important that we take care of our environment I have also performed ocean blessings and have given blessings for the butterfly grove, as well as blessings for private homes and lands; and I have visited those sick or dying in hospital. Doing all I can with body, speech, and mind to serve others, in these ways as well, I have bestowed Dharma kindness to you.
You, as well, since I have arrived here, have served me in many ways, great and small. Especially you who, for many years, gave me a place to live, a bed; financial support, avoided no exertion, and finally helped me succeed in getting refugee status; and the anonymous very generous donor who sponsors the purchase of my present Dharma center; all of your material kindness to me is, indeed, extremely great.
In short, your help assists in the accomplishment of powerful Dharma work that benefits others. I am a Dharma teacher; so if we do Dharma work together with a compassionate, altruistic intention for the rest of our lives, that will be a meaningful life. We will create roots of virtue and meritorious energy equally. If we can plant a few seeds of mental peace and happiness for the people of this country, that will be good. There is no one who does not want peace of mind. If you need perfect peace and happiness, there is no other path than the sacred Dharma. It is my firm promise to practice these teachings for the rest of my life and to teach the path to others, so if we all work together, it will be more powerful and the benefit will be greater. We will create merit together. Milarepa said,
The great meditator in the mountains
and the patron who supports them
have an auspicious connection to attain enlightenment together.
The essence of the connection is their dedication.
It is like that. Therefore, lama and disciples helping each other on the path is the sacred Dharma way. Continuing without either the lama or disciple becoming discouraged, we should put on the armor of patience which is the antidote to laziness. Abandoning laziness that is attachment to bad activities, laziness of discouragement that disparages yourself, and laziness of idleness, I pray that we continually do Dharma work together, not only in this lifetime, but in future lifetimes as well. Please, keep this in mind. That is the heart advice I am giving in this verse.
Excerpt from ” A Door of Entrance to the Heart Advice Called A Ship Sailing to Liberation. A Commentary to the Heartfelt Advice of Dharma Nectar” Written by Khenpo Karten Rinpoche, originally published in January of 2019. Text is available in Tibetan and English on the Teachings page.
