Vajrasattva Meditation Practice

This is the fourth entry from my fieldwork diary. The original date is 19.05.2010.

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Drupon Sangyas:

"It is unvirtuous to harm other living beings, and to lie and steal. It causes bad karma. Living a virtuous life is a good path towards reaching enlightenment. We must practice, meditate and confess our sins. It is better to be honest than to lie. If we are still stuck in Samsara, we must've done something wrong in a previous life, we have a changing mind. But one must be determined to constantly improve and develop views for the better.
You create negative karma by speaking negative things. Not only thoughts but also words hold a lot of power. And that is why it is important to visualize a calm mind. Overcome ignorance. Practice faith with a peace of mind and silence. Vajrasattva is for purification."

Green Tara

This is the third entry from my fieldwork diary. The original date is 21.04.2010.

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Verse 24 from the 37 Practices of Bodhisattva:
"All forms of suffering are like a child's death in a dream.
Holding illusory appearances to be true makes you weary.
Therefore, when you meet with disagreeable circumstances,
See them as illusory -
This is the practice of a Bodhisattva."

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Drupon Sangyas explains this text:

"We live in Samsara and have not yet reached Nirvana. There are many forms of suffering in Samsara. The suffering begins already at the moment of your birth. As we grow older, it becomes bigger for we are fearful of old age and the loss of outer beauty.

Compassion & Purification Practice (A Short Chenrezig Meditation)

This is the second entry from my fieldwork diary. The original date is 05.03.2010.

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Verse 18 from the 37 Practices of a Bodhisattva:

"Though you lack what you need and are constantly disparaged,
Afflicted by dangerous sickness and spirits,
Without discouragement take on the misdeeds
And the pain of all living beings -
This is the practice of a Bodhisattva."

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I wrote this verse down into my fieldwork diary the minute I sat down onto a spot on the floor and received the precepts that came along with a small yellow book. According to our lama, this little yellow book containing the 37 Practices of a Bodhisattva is an excellent guide for psychological self-help and mental self-improvement. I have yet to read it all and fully comprehend it. But as much as I've read so far, it seems to hold a lot of wisdom and practical advice.

Drupon Sangyas usually makes a speech before we begin our practice. And I feel like I should preserve his teachings and knowledge in my fieldwork diary.

First Time At The Sangha

This is the first entry from my fieldwork diary.

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We stood in the kitchen when my mother asked me, "Would you like to come along tonight?"
Although I was tired, I agreed to go. After all, I really did wish to see that place with my own eyes. So in a rush I grabbed a random exercise book (which would later become my fieldwork diary) and a pen from the desk in my room, slipped my shoes on and ran out of the front door.
We walked along a path and crossed a few streets until we reached a light yellow house. The center had been there all along, surprisingly quite close to our home.