Certain religions like to stress the mysterious power of ghosts and spirits. Although Buddhism does not deny their existence, it believes the biggest demon in the world is the deeply embedded tendency to cling to the self. Outer demons can only affect our daily life in small ways, such as causing illness or obstacles. They cannot bind us in samsara, not even if the ghosts of the entire universe combine their forces. Only clinging to the self has such power. Yet, we have never realized that this fellow, Self, who abides in our mind at all times and whom we are very fond of, is really a demon. If we are tired of taking the same route back to samsara again, we must first eliminate this demon. Only then can we be completely free of its interference. 

~Depicted from From Believers to Boddhisattvas

Now i have to remind everyone once again to recall and reflect on the many years of your Buddhist practice to see if you had in your mind only the interest of others and no concern at all for your own liberation. Had this idea ever crossed your mind? If not, there could not have been any real altruistic action either. And neither have you been Mahayana practitioner all these years. Besides, even if we have been reciting the sadhana of Receiving Boddhisattva Vows everyday, without the determination to attain Buddhahood for the sake of sentient beings, we are unlikely to be affected much by the recitation. It will just become a mere formality in the end. How dreadful that must be.

~Depicted from From Believer to Boddhisattvas

Many people are practicing preliminary practices, prostrating several hundred times daily. When prostrating, if one can chant the mantra: om namo manjushriyé soha, namo sushriyé soha, namo uttamashriyé soha, then the merit of prostration will multiply by 10 million time. However, the preliminary practice of prostrating for 100,000 times cannot be replaced by chanting this mantra once.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

What is bodhicitta ? The answer is simple and known to everyone, at least in words : bodhicitta is the wish to attain Buddhahood so as to be able to liberate all sentient beings. But in practice, it is not so easy at all. Even some senior monks and people who claim to be yogis of the Great Perfection school or Vajrayana practitioners have yet developed genuine renunciation and boddhicitta. 

~Depicted from From Believers to Boddhicittvas

Why is suffering the second characteristic? People in general think that there are also many elements of happiness in life and do not sense that samsara only has miseries. The reason why we so actively and enthusiastically engage ourselves in the pursuit of wealth and fame of this world is because we believe there is happiness to be had in these worldly achievements. This view comes from our belief  that life in the god and human realm is basically a happy one. The Buddha requested that we regard all phenomena in samsara as suffering, which not only is a request from the Buddha but also a fact. Conversely, if the Buddha did not tell the truth, we would not need to comply either, whether or not the Buddha has requested. Although in real life we can see and experience suffering around us at any given time, we tend to easily forget what we have witnessed. As a result, the miseries we so witnessed cannot help us discern the true nature of samsara. This is why the Buddha taught us to regard samsara as nothing but suffering. 

~Depicted from From Believers to Boddhisattvas

Why the negative karma of having the wrong view is so severe? According to Chittamatra school, various virtuous and unvirtuous seeds are stored in the alaya consciousness of sentient beings. Once we engender wrong views, which will vanquish all the power of virtuous seeds, from then on, the virtuous seeds or the root of virtue in our mind stream will discontinue.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

Longchenpa said that all virtuous actions, great or small, should be performed within the framework of the Three Supreme Methods. If so , whatever actions being undertaken will be leading to the path of liberation. Otherwise, the good deeds will be far removed from the path to liberation, however great or appealing they appear to be. This is how important the Three Supreme Methods is. 

~Depicted from From Believers to Boddhisattvas

In conclusion, the bodhisattvas are said to have transcended but not abandoned samsara. Having transcended samsara is because they are no longer bounded by the six realms, completely undefiled and unaffected by samsara. Not abandon samsara is because they have reached the highest state of realization of emptiness but opted to remain forever in samsara as their sole purpose is to benefit sentient beings more effectively. This is the ultimate state, the final goal that we should all aim for. 

~Depicted from From Believers to Boddhisattvas

There are two ways to realise Dzogchen: one is to listen to dharma extensively, then to accumulate immense merits by engaging in the practice of cultivating renunciation and bodhicitta, the practice of mandala offering and embarking on the path of bodhisattvas. When accumulation of merit rises to a certain level, one can realise emptiness; another way is to rely on the qualified master’s blessing. The premise to receive such blessing is to have devotion. The stronger the devotion, the more blessing one can receive.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES