“Even though we may feel that we have nothing to do with the cause of this virus, upon reflecting, every one of us is in this situation together. So there must be some collective karma that we all share.”
On the bright side, we all have this collective karma with many realized beings that inhabit the planet as well. So many highly awakened people, and we all have the karmic condition to be in this together. On our part, we feel we are suffering from the loss of our freedom. But our real freedom is liberation, attaining which would mean that we will no longer be affected by the result of the previous karmas created by ourselves.
So there is nothing on which to fix the blame. There is a lot of fear, anger, and justifying. But it is also a time to reflect deeply and to have compassion for the affected fellow-beings. What we need most now is love, understanding, and compassion for others and ourselves. Use this opportunity. It is the perfect chance to assess how free we are, from our personal wants, cravings, and ideas. Enlightenment is around the corner.
What we need to do is to go inward, become aware, and reconnect with it. With all of this suffering, there are students in America who feel that we are so far away from one another, but let me remind you that we all have the same intrinsic nature, so how far apart can we be?
What is most important now is the human connection. So make some phone calls or do some video chats. We can do this. We all need the same things. We need food, water, rest, shelter, and safety. Remember that this is all temporary. Good times are not permanent. And bad times are also not either. When you maintain a clear view, you are keeping afloat. Those who are the fortunate ones who choose to see the right side will decide to be of service for all beings.
Your life is not just about yourself. We can create a community where there is support for each other. Know that we can get through this together. With this COVID-19, we are really in a world war. We are fighting an enemy that is invisible to our naked eyes. So isn’t this like we are fighting our own karma?
There will be people who get sick and people who will die. What matters most now is our humanity and our karmic affinity. It’s about helping a person get a warm drink, a blanket or a jacket when they are feeling cold and hot food when they are hungry, helping someone to get back up when they have fallen or when they don’t have enough strength to stand up alone. So can we think about this instead of blaming and getting upset over so many of the little things?
Dharma Teaching by Singha Rinpoche and Edited by Sandeep Nath
18 October 2020
Sacred Mirror
The Sacred Mirror represents consciousness and the element of space. Clear, pure and bright, the mirror reflects all phenomena objectively without bias, thereby reminding us to practice objectivity and to rise above our judgmental minds. On a more subtle level, it reflects the Buddha’s core teaching of emptiness – that nothing exists on its own side without a dependent arising cause.
Pinnacle of the mirror
The pinnacle of the mirror, formed by the white crescent moon, flaming red sun and an orange flame of fire, represents the completion stage of Vajrayana practice.
Light Rays
The light rays radiating from the Sacred Mirror represent the flourishing of the Buddha’s teachings, fanning out to the furthest reaches of the universe.
Full Moon Disc
The moon disc represents Bodhicitta, the aspiration to become a Buddha to benefit all sentient beings.
Blue Lotus
Divinely fragrant, blue lotuses bloomed only in the Buddha’s time. By incorporating it into the temple’s logo, it is symbolic of the ever-present Buddha in Thekchen Choling. Moreover, a lotus flower represents purity, perfection, compassion and renunciation, similar to how the beautiful lotus remains untainted even though it had arisen out from the muddy waters.
Nine Precious Jewels
These nine precious jewels represent the Guru, Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, yidam or mind-seal deity, Dharma protector, the sky, earth, and the human realm.
Two Dragons
The two dragons represent continuity and harmony and create the cause for the temple to enjoy the strong support of members and benefactors for Dharma to flourish.
Golden Khata
The flowing golden khata represents the auspicious increase of all Dharma activities.
The Seven Gems of the Chakravartin or a Wheel-Turning King
1. The precious horse represented by a unicorn’s horn
2. The precious elephant represented by its tusks
3. The precious queen represented by round golden earrings
4. The precious minister represented by square golden earrings
5. The precious general represented by a pair of crossed swords
6. The precious jewel represented by the triple-eyed gem
7. The precious Dharma wheel represented by a branch of coral
