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A Teaching Given by Chögyal Namkhai Norbu
A Teaching Given by Chögyal Namkhai Norbu
from Ogyen Tendzin !art One" #ood morning, good afternoon, good evening to a$$ %eo%$e &'o are interested around t'e &or$d( We are very 'a%%y to 'ave t'is communication and to be toget'er s%iritua$$y and menta$$y) We are 'ere at Merigar at our August retreat) We 'ave a very nice day) *t+s not so &arm but it+s very nice) We ,no& a$so t'at t'ere are many %eo%$e in t'e co$d &eat'er t'ese days, in t'e sno&, but &e a$so ,no& t'at many of you are 'aving &arm &eat'er so $et us en-oy t'is moment toget'er in any case) * &ant to communicate some very sim%$e teac'ing to you) Among many of my .zogc'en teac'ers, one of t'e most im%ortant &as my unc$e &'o &as ca$$ed Ogyen Tendzin O rgyan rten +zin") /e &as not an inte$$ectua$ %erson but 'e &as an e0ce$$ent .zogc'en %ractitioner and * received many .zogc'en 1%adesa teac'ings as &e$$ as many teac'ings and ,no&$edge of 2antra 2oga from 'im) /e &as one of t'e most im%ortant students of Adzom .rug%a) Adzom .rug%a is a very im%ortant .zogc'en teac'er &'o s%ent most of 'is $ife doing %ractice and 'ad a rea$$y very 'ig' rea$ization of .zogc'en) My unc$e &as an e0ce$$ent %ractitioner and teac'er, but not $i,e t'ose teac'ers &'o 'ave studied for a $ong time in an inte$$ectua$ &ay) W'en *
a34a teac'ing given by c'5gya$ nam,'ai norbu)doc
$ast sa& 'im in 1678 or 73, * don+t remember &'ic', * 'ad gone to see 'im to receive some %articu$ar ,no&$edge of 2antra 2oga) * s%ent a fe& days &it' 'im and &'en * $eft * as,ed 'im to give me some advice) *n genera$ &e 'ave t'at attitude &'en &e are fo$$o&ing a teac'er, &e as, 'im to give us some advice) *t doesn+t mean t'at * am te$$ing you to do t'at) $aug'ter" 9ut &e 'ave t'at attitude) For e0am%$e * as,ed my teac'er at :o$$ege and 'e gave me some advice) * a$so as,ed ot'er teac'ers $i,e Ayu ;'andro and t'ey gave me some advice) T'is advice is main$y about 'o& to integrate teac'ing and go a'ead &it' our %ractice) <ome teac'ers &rite %ages of advice) For e0am%$e &'en * as,ed advice from one of my teac'ers, ;'on,ar =in%oc'e, 'e &rote me a $itt$e boo,$et of more t'an fifteen %ages) *f someone is a %ractitioner and a$so 'as inte$$ectua$ ,no&$edge it is easy to &rite it do&n) 9ut &'en * as,ed my 1nc$e Togden, 'e said, >O; t'en, get a %en and some %a%er) 2ou &rite and * &i$$ te$$ you)> /e on$y gave me four verses) T'is &as 'is advice) Of course * considered t'is to be somet'ing very im%ortant and * &ant to e0%$ain t'ese four verses to you so you too can maybe understand 'o& advice on t'e essence of ,no&$edge is given) T'is is t'e first verse) +:'e bu+ s,yes bu" means %erson) W'en &e say +c'e bu+ in Tibetan, it cou$d be ma$e or fema$e) *n ?ng$is' &e say +%erson+, &'ic' cou$d be ma$e or
a34a teac'ing given by c'5gya$ nam,'ai norbu)doc
fema$e) +@odro den%a+ b$o gros $dan %a" means not on$y a %erson but one &'o 'as a ca%acity of understanding, for e0am%$e, &'at is a good &ay, &'at is a bad &ayA a %erson &'o can understand and a$so a%%$y t'at understanding) *n genera$ &e say t'at t'is is t'e c'aracteristic of 'uman beings) /uman beings are different from anima$s) Anima$s do not 'ave t'at ca%acity) !eo%$e can e0%$ain, can ta$,, can communicate) Bot on$y communicate but t'ey can -udge and t'in,) <ome %eo%$e are ab$e to communicate and distinguis' t'e difference bet&een good and bad) T'at ,ind of %erson is ca$$ed +$odro den%a+ and 'as t'is ,ind of inte$$igence) <o t'is &as addressed to me, >2ou are t'e ,ind of %erson &'o 'as t'at ca%acity>) *t means, >2ou aren+t stu%id>, if * e0%$ain somet'ing, you ,no& 'o& to understand and a%%$y it) T'is is t'e first verse) T'e second verse 'as a very condensed meaning) +Tsun tun c'o c'od ge&ar gyur+ Ts'u$ mt'un c'os s%yod dge bar +gyur") +Tsun tun+ means you ,no& 'o& to a%%$y everyt'ing according to its condition) *t is a very im%ortant &ord) *n genera$ &e 'uman beings ,no& a $ot of t'ings) 9ut even if &e ,no& a $ot sometimes &e tend to go more &it' our fantasy and interests) T'is, 'o&ever, doesn+t corres%ond to t'e rea$ condition) T'e rea$ condition means 'o& it is, its rea$ function For e0am%$e, if you are in samsara, you ,no& &'at t'e condition of samsara is $i,e) <amsara is not a$&ays %$easantA it is made u% of a $ot of suffering and %rob$ems) W'en t'ey 'ave %rob$ems, some %eo%$e get u%set
a34a teac'ing given by c'5gya$ nam,'ai norbu)doc
immediate$y) W'yC 9ecause t'ey do not notice or understand &'at t'e condition of samsara is $i,e) *f, for e0am%$e, you are a&are t'at you are in samsara, you ,no& &'at t'e situation of samsara is $i,e, &'en you 'ave a %rob$em t'ere is no reason for you to be too u%set) Of course if you 'ave some %rob$ems, it isn+t very nice) 2ou are not 'a%%y but you ,no& &'at t'e situation is $i,e so you can acce%t it t'e &ay it is and do your best to overcome and diminis' %rob$ems) T'is &ay you don+t get c'arged u% and accumu$ate tensions) ?ven &'en t'ere are %rob$ems, t'ey become $ig'ter instead of 'eavier) T'is is ca$$ed3 ,no&ing 'o& t'e situation or t'e condition is) First Mindfulness T'en, in genera$, &'en &e are fo$$o&ing any ,ind of teac'ing, first of a$$ our teac'ers introduce us to or teac' us t'e Four Mindfu$nesses) W'y do t'ey teac' t'e Four Minfu$nesses firstC 9ecause it is not somet'ing t'at &e 'ave invented or created but is t'e rea$ condition of our $ives) 9ut even if it is our rea$ condition, &e are not a&are t'at it is) For t'is reason, teac'ers ma,e us understand and be a&are t'at t'e situation is $i,e t'at) T'e First Mindfu$ness ta$,s about being a&are of t'e %reciousness of t'e 'uman condition) W'en &e study in a more inte$$ectua$ &ay &e say t'at t'ere are eig'teen conditions) We are free from eig't of t'ese conditions) For e0am%$e &e are not in t'e 'e$$ condition, &e are not in t'e condition of anima$s, &e are not %retas, &e are not %eo%$e &it'out t'e
a34a teac'ing given by c'5gya$ nam,'ai norbu)doc
ca%acity to -udge or to s%ea,) We are not in a country or %$ace &'ere t'ere is no teac'ing, no transmission, &'ere &e don+t ,no& &'at t'e teac'ing or t'e %at' is) ?ven if &e 'ave a 'uman birt', if &e are in on$y one of t'ese conditions t'en it is not so easy to be on t'e %at') <o t'ere are eig't different categories) 9ut t'ese eig't do not rea$$y tota$$y re%resent our condition) T'is is on$y a ,ind of e0am%$e) We are free from a$$ negative conditionsA t'is is t'e rea$ sense) And t'en t'ere is +-or%a c'u+ &'ic' means t'e ten t'ings t'at &e 'ave %erfected) Of t'ese, five %erfections are re$ated to t'e individua$ and five are re$ated to our circumstances) <o t'en &e $earn &'ic' is t'e first, second, t'ird, etc) !articu$ar$y t'ose &'o are interested in inte$$ectua$ study $earn t'ese to%ics one by one and &'en t'ey 'ave $earned t'em t'ey t'in, t'at t'ey 'ave rea$ized t'at ,no&$edge) *f you &ant to e0%$ain t'ese ty%e of detai$s to someone, t'en you &i$$ be ab$e to e0%$ain better but in t'e rea$ sense, t'e %rinci%$e is not doing ana$ysis) T'e %rinci%$e is ,no&ing, understanding concrete$y &'at t'e rea$ sense is) For e0am%$e if &e com%are ourse$ves to an anima$ suc' as a dog, a nice dog, a very famous dog) ?ven t'oug' t'at dog may be very famous, very goodD $oo,ing, it cannot -udge and t'in, and fo$$o& teac'ing and do %ractice as &e do) <o it is very sim%$e to com%are ourse$ves to any ty%e of being in order to understand t'at &e 'ave a very s%ecia$ o%%ortunity) W'en &e s%ea, about
a34a teac'ing given by c'5gya$ nam,'ai norbu)doc
rea$ization suc' as t'at of my 1nc$e Togden &e are not ta$,ing about ancient 'istoryA it 'a%%ened very recent$y during t'e :u$tura$ =evo$ution) <o if t'is ty%e of rea$ization sti$$ e0ists t'at means t'at t'ere is t'is %ossibi$ity and t'at t'is %ossibi$ity is re$ated to transmission, to a met'od of %ractice) We 'ave met'od, &e 'ave transmission, &e 'ave a teac'er) A$so t'e transmission 'as not been interru%ted) We 'ave a$$ t'ese t'ings &'ic' means t'at &e 'ave a very good o%%ortunity to fo$$o& teac'ing and do %ractice) <o &e can rea$$y ref$ect on 'o& %recious our 'uman e0istence is because &e can tru$y 'ave some rea$ization) /aving rea$ization means t'at &e are tota$$y free from samsara, free from a$$ suffering) Bot on$y do &e become free ourse$ves but &e can 'e$% many ot'er sentient beings) <ome %eo%$e say, >O', * &ant to 'e$% ot'ers>) *t is a very good intention but before you can 'e$% ot'ers you need to 'ave some rea$ization yourse$f) *f you 'ave no rea$ization or ,no&$edge, you cannot 'e$% ot'er beings) /e$%ing ot'ers doesn+t mean t'at you go and give a $itt$e food or &ater or some ot'er ty%e of 'e$%) T'at ,ind is necessary but it is not rea$ 'e$% for sentient beings because t'ey are transmigrating continua$$y, infinite$y in samsara) /e$%ing means t'at you $iberate someone from t'at ty%e of samsara, you do somet'ing direct$y or indirect$y) <o to do t'ese t'ings you need to 'ave certain rea$ization and ,no&$edge) For e0am%$e, if you &ant to 'e$% someone &'o is i$$, you rea$$y need to be a good doctor) T'at means you need to study to become a
a34a teac'ing given by c'5gya$ nam,'ai norbu)doc
good doctor) *t isn+t enoug' t'at you go to t'at %erson, offer a $itt$e &ater and say t'at you are 'e$%ing t'em) T'at is an e0am%$e) Our rea$ization is very im%ortant) A$$ t'ese %ossibi$ities are in our 'ands) Many teac'ers give advice saying t'at rea$ization is in our 'ands) T'at means t'at t'e teac'er gives you transmission, met'ods, and you ,no& &'at you s'ou$d do no&) Bo& rea$ization is more or $ess in your 'ands but &'et'er or not t'at rea$ization becomes com%$ete de%ends on you) 2ou remember &'at 9udd'a said, >* give you t'e !at', but rea$ization de%ends on you)> We 'ave t'at ,ind of condition so t'is is t'e First Mindfu$ness) Second Mindfulness Mindfu$ness in genera$ means somet'ing t'at &e s'ou$d a$&ays remember) W'yC 2ou can understand t'is &it' t'e <econd Mindfu$ness) T'e <econd Mindfu$ness is t'e ,no&$edge of im%ermanence) ?ven t'oug' &e 'ave t'is %recious %at' and transmission in our 'ands, &e e0ist in time) Today &e t'in,, >O', *+ve received a &onderfu$ teac'ing and in a fe& days * &ant to do a %ersona$ retreat, * &ant to %ractice(> 9ut after a fe& days you go bac, to your -ob and meet $ots of %rob$ems and you t'in,, >O', * can+t do t'is today because *+ve got a $ot of im%ortant t'ings to do, but *+$$ do it ne0t &ee,(> W'en t'e ne0t &ee, arrives you sti$$ t'in,, >A', *+ve sti$$ got a $ot of im%ortant t'ings to do) Maybe *+$$ do it t'e fo$$o&ing &ee,)> Be0t &ee, never finis'es, it a$&ays goes a'ead and one day &e arrive at t'e end of our $ives and &e 'ave a
a34a teac'ing given by c'5gya$ nam,'ai norbu)doc
sur%rise) >O', t'is is t'e end of $ife( W'at do * do no&C W'at did * doC> And &e observe and discover t'at &e 'ave s%ent a$$ our $ife t'in,ing of %racticing ne0t &ee, but &'at &e 'ave concrete$y is a co$$ection of teac'ings) We 'ave a$&ays &ritten everyt'ing do&n but &e don+t rea$$y need it because &'en &e die &e can+t ta,e anyt'ing &it' us) T'at means &e 'ave not been a&are of time and &e 'ave $ost t'at good o%%ortunity) <o even if t'ere is a good o%%ortunity, if &e do not understand and a%%$y it, it 'as no va$ue) *n t'e .zogc'en teac'ing &e say t'at everybody 'as infinite %otentia$ity) Our rea$ condition and %rimordia$ %otentia$ity is -ust $i,e t'at of ?n$ig'tened 9eings) 9ut &e are ignorant and are not in t'at ,no&$edge) *f &e are not in t'at ,no&$edge, even t'oug' &e 'ave t'at Eua$ity it 'as no function) <o it is very im%ortant t'at &e a%%$y Four ,no&$edgeG and rea$ize somet'ing) Time a$&ays %asses very Euic,$y) *f you observe c'i$dren &'en t'ey are gro&ing u%, after a year or t&o 'as %assed and &'en you see t'em again you t'in,,> /o& muc' t'ey 'ave gro&n(> 2ou on$y notice t'e c'i$dren gro&ing but don+t notice t'at your time is %assing) ?ven &'en &e $oo, in t'e mirror it is difficu$t to notice because &e $oo, t'ere every day and t'e c'anges are gradua$ not immediate) We seem more or $ess t'e same) <%iritua$$y &e a$&ays fee$ young) W'en * &as very sma$$ one of my :'5d masters to$d me, >* never 'ad time to be a young man)> And * as,ed 'im, >/o& is t'at %ossib$eC> /e re%$ied,
a34a teac'ing given by c'5gya$ nam,'ai norbu)doc
>9ecause * sti$$ considered myse$f to be a c'i$d) * a$&ays fe$t $i,e t'at) T'en one day someone ca$$ed me an +o$d mon,+ and * discovered t'at * &as a$ready o$d(> T'at is very rea$ because &e sti$$ 'ave t'e same fee$ing t'at &e 'ad &'en &e &ere very young) <o it is very im%ortant t'at &e ,no& t'at time is %assing) For e0am%$e, no& it is summertime and if &e t'in, about ne0t summer it seems a $ong &ay a&ay but actua$$y it arrives very Euic,$y) W'en * dra& u% my retreat %rogram * a$&ays notice t'at after a mont', four mont's, five mont's &e &i$$ do t'is and t'at retreat) * sti$$ t'in, &e 'ave $ots of time unti$ &e reac' t'at %oint Fin timeG but t'en going a'ead, day after day %asses and becomes 'istory) <o it is very im%ortant for %ractitioners to remember t'at time is %assing Euic,$y) *t isn+t necessary t'at you concentrate on your deat') *f you concentrate on your deat' too muc' you become %essimistic and you a$so fee$ bad) We don+t need to do $ots of visua$ization of deat' but &e s'ou$d understand t'at it is somet'ing rea$) We must be a&are and %resent about everyt'ing t'at is rea$) 9eing %resent about time is very im%ortant) First of a$$ it is very im%ortant for t'e teac'ing and t'e %ractice) T'at &ay &e can rea$ize somet'ing) And a$so it is very im%ortant for ordinary $ife) An e0am%$e, if you are a young %erson, you s'ou$d go to sc'oo$ and study) T'is is your duty in our society in our 'uman condition) *f you do not study and trave$ around instead, t'en you $ose time) At t'e
a34a teac'ing given by c'5gya$ nam,'ai norbu)doc
end, &'en you are t'irty years o$d and start to study it is not so easy) W'en you ,no& t'at time is %assing you can study and do &'at you 'ave to do so t'at you &i$$ 'ave more time $ater on to %ractice and do ot'er t'ings) *t is a$so very im%ortant for re$ations'i%s in fami$ies and bet&een %eo%$e suc' as 'usband and &ife &'o marry and stay toget'er) W'en t'eir emotions diminis', t'en a$$ sorts of %rob$ems manifest) At t'at moment t'ey t'in,, >/o& can &e $ive a$$ our $ives t'is &ayC>) T'ey t'in, $i,e t'is, get c'arged u% and accumu$ate and deve$o% tension) *f you are a&are of time &'en you get married, t'en you t'in,, >We &ant to be toget'er, 'e$%ing eac' ot'er and co$$aborating, &e &ant to s%end our $ives toget'er>) W'en time %asses and your emotions diminis' you &on+t 'ave t'is idea, >O', 'o& can &e s%end our $ives toget'erC> because you ,no& &'at $ife means) @ife can be one day) @ife can be one &ee,, or even some years) T'ere is no guarantee) Our $ife is -ust $i,e a cand$e $it in an o%en %$ace) T'ere are t'ree very %recise facts) One is t'at &e rea$$y die one day) Anot'er is t'at t'ere are %$enty of secondary causes for dying) Anot'er t'ing is t'at t'ere is no guarantee &'et'er &e $ive a $ong or s'ort time) W'en &e ,no& t'ese t'ings &e can become more a&are of t'e situation) *f you become more a&are of time t'en you can re$a0 t'e arguing and not %aying res%ect to eac' ot'er) *t is a$so very im%ortant to be very a&are of time) Time is %assing and it is im%ermanent)
Karma 2ou see, &e e0ist not on$y in time, but in genera$ everyt'ing de%ends on our actions) We cannot e0ist &it'out doing somet'ingA &e are a$&ays in action) *n t'is case it is very im%ortant t'at &e ,no& t'at &e must not create negative ,arma and t'at t'e situation of ,arma is re$ated to time) We must a$&ays be a&are of ,arma, too) *f &e accumu$ate negative ,arma in any case &e e0%erience t'e effect of it) <o instead of accumu$ating negative ,arma, &'en &e are a&are and t'e %otentia$ity of negative ,arma arises, &e try to %urify and e$iminate it) T'at means t'at &e are doing our best) T'is mindfu$ness of ,arma is a$so very im%ortant) W'y do &e need to be a&are of negative ,armaC 9ecause &e are a$so ab$e to be a&are of t'e situation of samsara) We ,no& t'at samsara is fu$$ of %ainfu$ %rob$ems) A$$ of t'e suffering of samsara is %roduced by ,arma) ;arma is %roduced in time so in t'is case it is very im%ortant t'at &e are mindfu$ of t'is) Wit' mindfu$ness &e don+t create negative ,arma and in t'at &ay &e 'ave $ess %rob$ems of samsara) <o you see t'ese Four Mindfu$nesses are not somet'ing t'at &e 'ave invented in a t'eoretica$ &ay but are somet'ing concrete) First of a$$ &e need to ,no& t'is and t'en a%%$y t'is ,no&$edge in a correct &ay) *+$$ give you a very sim%$e e0am%$e) *f you go to a foreign country &'ic' is very different from your o&n, suc' as a country &'ere t'ere are
a34a teac'ing given by c'5gya$ nam,'ai norbu)doc
some very 'eavy and terrib$e ru$es, t'en you must be a&are of t'e ru$es and t'e situation in t'at country) 2ou cannot do anyt'ing against t'e ru$es of t'at country) *t does not de%end on &'et'er you $i,e or dis$i,e t'e ru$es, &'et'er you agree or disagree) *f you &ant to return from t'at country t'en you must be a&are, %ay res%ect and not argue &it' t'e %eo%$e) T'is is ca$$ed, +'o& t'e situation is+) 2ou ,no& about t'e situation, a%%$y yourse$f to t'at so t'en you &i$$ 'ave $ess %rob$ems) *n t'e same &ay, t'e four mindfu$ness are t'e universa$ situation of our condition) Working with circumstances Bot on$y t'e Four Mindfu$nesses but t'ere are infinite t'ings) We cannot ma,e a dictionary of t'em a$$ and even if t'ere &as a dictionary, you cou$dn+t use it) 9ut it is muc' better t'at you use your a&areness, a%%$ying it as you s'ou$d) T'at is &'y in t'e .zogc'en teac'ing &'en &e s%ea, of our attitude, &e a$&ays say t'at &e s'ou$d &or, &it' circumstances) :ircumstances mean t'at &'atever t'e situation is $i,e, &e a%%$y Four ,no&$edgeG in t'at &ay) <ome %eo%$e say, >O', * cou$dn+t come to t'is retreat) *+m rea$$y sorry because my mot'er is rea$$y i$$ and in t'e 'os%ita$>) Or ot'er say t'at t'ey 'ave some i$$ness or %rob$em) Or some say t'at t'ey can+t come because if t'ey do t'ey &i$$ $ose t'eir -ob) <o t'en * re%$y to t'em, >.on+t &orry) W'en you 'ave t'e %ossibi$ity one day, you go and study and fo$$o& t'e teac'ing)>
=emember t'at t'e most im%ortant t'ing is t'at you &or, &it' your circumstances) :ircumstances say or s'o& t'at you s'ou$dn+t come to t'is retreat, t'at you s'ou$d do t'ese ot'er t'ings) 2ou don+t %ay res%ect and come to t'e retreat, maybe $ater you &i$$ 'ave a $ot of %rob$ems) <o you see, t'en, &'at &or,ing &it' circumstances means) *n genera$ it is very im%ortant for our %ractitioners to $earn 'o& to &or, &it' circumstances) T'at is &'y * rea$$y $i,e t'is *ta$ian song &'ic' goes, >@a vita, $a vita eH be$$a, basta avere un ombre$$a in Eueste giorni de$$a festa %er co%rire $a testa>) F@ife, $ife is &onderfu$, a$$ you need is an umbre$$a to s'ade your 'ead during t'ese days of 'a%%iness)G T'at means it is sufficient to 'ave an umbre$$a) 9ut it doesn+t mean t'at if you 'ave an umbre$$a you don+t 'ave any %rob$ems) For e0am%$e, today &e don+t need an umbre$$a) A fe& days ago, 'o&ever, &'en t'ere &as 'eavy rain, &e needed one) T'at is ca$$ed circumstances) According to t'e circumstances if you need certain ,inds of %ractices t'en you can a%%$y t'em) *n t'e .zogc'en teac'ing &e say t'at if you don+t fee$ $i,e doing %ractice, you s'ou$d never force yourse$f) <ome %eo%$e say, >O', if * don+t do %ractice t'en my $aziness &i$$ be stronger t'an me and * &i$$ $ose my %ossibi$ity of doing %ractice,> and you fig't &it' your $aziness) T'is is a met'od t'at is used more in t'e <utra sty$e of %ractice) *f you fo$$o& a .zogc'en teac'er and you as, 'im, >W'at s'a$$ * doC * don+t fee$ $i,e %racticing today)> T'e teac'er &i$$ say, >O;) don+t do any %ractice) =e$a0, en-oy yourse$f)> 9ut don+t re$a0 and en-oy yourse$f
a34a teac'ing given by c'5gya$ nam,'ai norbu)doc
&it'out 'aving %resence) 2ou a$&ays need your %resence) *f t'ere is a continuation of your %resence t'en you re$a0, you don+t %ractice) After a fe& days you &i$$ discover &'y you don+t fee$ $i,e %racticing) 2ou can+t fee$ t'at you don+t &ant to do %ractice &it'out 'aving a cause) T'ere is a$&ays a cause, a factor) *t+s very im%ortant t'at you give yourse$f more s%ace, re$a0 and discover &'at it is) W'en you discover &'at it is t'en you can &or, &it' t'at and t'en you can do %ractice, you 'ave $ess %rob$ems) !ractices are not on$y done in one &ay) <ometimes &e do %ractice in a forma$, ritua$ &ay, you do it for one, t&o t'ree, four days etc), t'en one day you don+t fee$ $i,e doing it) 2ou fee$ tired of doing it) T'at+s norma$) 9ut it isn+t necessary t'at you do t'at ,ind of %ractice) 2ou can do %ractice in a re$a0ed &ay sim%$y re$a0ing in a state of #uruyoga or doing recitation of t'e Va-ra) T'ere are many &ays of doing %ractice and t'at is &'y you s'ou$d $earn t'em) 2ou need to $earn different ,inds of %ractices so t'at you can &or, &it' circumstances) *n Tibetan &e say t'at if someone s'o&s you t'eir inde0 finger, you s'ou$d re%$y &it' your inde0 finger, not &it' your $itt$e finger because it doesn+t corres%ond) Bot even &it' your t'umb because it doesn+t corres%ond) T'is is an e0am%$e to s'o& t'at &e must &or, &it' t'e situation t'e &ay it is) T'is is ca$$ed &or,ing &it' circumstances and is rea$$y a very im%ortant t'ing) <o t'en you ,no& 'o& t'e situation is and 'o& to &or, &it' t'at situation) T'is
is t'e meaning of t'e &ords +tsun tun+ ts'u$ mt'un" in t'e advice from my unc$e)