Lama Zopa Rinpoche

We will realize this as we are about to die, but at that time it will be too late; there will be no
time to do anything about it. No matter how sad we are, realizing we have wasted our life,
that’s it, it’s time for death.
We have met the correct teachings
People who have the opportunity to take teachings, study and meditate are extremely lucky.
Both correct teachings and a perfect, qualified teacher are needed. There are many, many
teachings and just because the subject of a particular teaching is meditation does not
necessarily mean it is correct. Actually, it all depends on an individual person’s karma. If we
have good karma, then we will meet the correct teacher, receive correct teachings and
everything will happen correctly. If we do not have good karma, then we will meet the
wrong teacher, receive wrong teachings and everything will go wrong. It is very rare to meet
the right teacher and receive correct teachings.
We need to not only listen to the teaching but also reflect on everything we hear, analyzing
the base, the path and the goal. As we have seen, the base is the two truths: ultimate truth
and the truth for the all-obscuring mind. The path is wisdom and compassion. The goal is
the dharmakaya, a buddha’s wisdom body, and the rupakaya, a buddha’s form body. We
reach this goal by analyzing the base and developing through the path of study and debate.
We do not attain the goal through belief but by studying with learned teachers and
investigating their teachings for the whole of our life.
Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche, the head lama of the Nyingma tradition, wrote a religious history
about the different traditions within Tibetan Buddhism. In it he said that Lama Tsongkhapa
was the teacher who wrote the clearest commentaries on the Buddha’s teachings, both sutra
and tantra. We are so fortunate to be following his tradition.
In the end, it all comes down to how much positive karma we, the students, have created.
Having studied meditation and received teachings does not necessarily mean that what we
have received is correct, but if we diligently follow Lama Tsongkhapa’s teachings we will
surely develop on the path. Therefore, we are so fortunate. We should feel great happiness,
rejoicing all the time, day and night. There is no time for depression. Not even for an hour, a
minute.
As I have mentioned, whether we practice Dharma is up to us, but the more Dharma we
learn, the more wisdom we get and the more we are able to discriminate right from wrong.
Then we have the wisdom eye to see what to abandon—that which harms ourselves and
others—and what to practice—that which benefits ourselves and others.
The king of delusions
I’ll give you another example. You have a child and you have to think of a name. You decide
to call him “George.” Whoever decides the name, you both agree and so the thinking is that
this is “George.”
When you first saw the baby there was no appearance of George. You didn’t see George.
After that, you decided on George. You are the main person to decide this name. Your mind
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