On the Spiritual Path: From the Teachings of His Holiness Khenchen Jigme Phuntsok (vegetarian), Part 1 of 2

His Holiness Khenchen Jigme Phuntsok (vegetarian), was born in 1933 in the Golok region, now part of Qinghai, China. At the age of five, he was recognized as the reincarnation of His Holiness Lerab Lingpa, and not long afterwards, he began his spiritual journey. He became an influential Tibetan Master of the Nyingma lineage, as well as a Tibetan Buddhist Tertön who uncovered many hidden spiritual treasures. In 1980, he founded the Larung Gar Monastic Academy in Sichuan, China, which, by the late 1990s, had become a spiritual oasis for approximately 40,000 monks and spiritual seekers.

His Holiness Khenchen Jigme Phuntsok was the leader of the Tibetan anti-slaughter movement, advising that the animal-people flesh industry was inhumane and against the compassionate teachings of Buddhism.

Today, it is an honor to present “The Heart Essence: My Heart’s Advice,” by His Holiness Khenchen Jigme Phuntsok (vegetarian).

“By relying on genuine, qualified spiritual teachers, Your virtuous qualities will develop and increase, And all your faults and failings will be cast away, So serve them in the three ways, and accomplish others’ aims. Just as gardens are not to be found growing in midair, All the bounties of the higher realms and liberation Will never be yours as long as you lack moral discipline, So with mindfulness, awareness and caution, control your mind. Up to now, you have wandered as if crazy and without a guide Through the vast darkness of unknowing in beginningless existence. So now, in order to find the great palace of peace and happiness, It’s right that you take joy in studying the ocean-like teachings.

Yet hearing alone will not be enough to eliminate misconceptions, And confidence in the teacher and teachings will not come easily, So, through a hundred forms of debating, explaining and composing, Gather the elixir of mind that is the wisdom born of reflection. Even the most erudite of teachers with vast scriptural learning Can repeat words like a parrot, without taking them to heart, But when death suddenly arrives, this will only bring regret, So rely on the essential meaning of the teachings, my heart-friends! All the infinite teachings of the Buddhas, so vast in number, Are imparted purely as a means to subdue our own mind. Don’t put your faith in words alone! I urge you once again: Let the key points of the deeper meaning seep into your hearts!

This physical existence is difficult to find, like an uḍumbara flower, Yet more rewarding than the discovery of a million precious gems. To find an opportunity like this again in future will be difficult indeed, So don’t let it pass without accomplishing the highest of all aims! Our great enemy, the lord of death, arrives like lightning from the sky, And nobody can predict when and where he will strike next. So you can ill afford to be idle, waiting months or even years. Now, right now, is the time for virtuous Dharma practice! For all beings, actions will not go to waste, but will bear fruit, And when karma ripens, there’s no way to change its outcome. So now, while you’re fortunate enough to have some influence, If you still insist on deceiving yourself, who then will protect you! […]”