Buddhist Centre Features

A Morning Puja - Four Reminders, Three Terrible Oaths

On Sat, 26 September, 2015 - 13:52
sheena's picture
sheena

The Terrible Oaths bit is something that Dayaka added for Buddhafield North to Vessantara’s Morning Puja! 

It’s very helpful and bracing if I pay attention to it…

The Four Reminders
Life has inevitable difficulties. No one can control it all.

This body is impermanent. Death is certain.

The karma I create shapes the course of my life.

This human birth is precious, an opportunity to awaken.

These four reminders expose my pre-occupations.
Things that at death will mean nothing to me.

This life I must know as the tiny splash of a raindrop.
A thing of beauty that disappears, even as it comes into being.

Therefore I recall my inspiration and aspiration.
I resolve to make use of every day and night,
wherever I am, to realize it.

Listen to some talks on the Four Reminders

Three Terrible Oaths, Dorje Trollo
“Whatever happens – may it happen.
Whichever way it goes – may it go that way.
There is no purpose.”

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sally72's picture

just listened to vessantaras talks which are linked on here. I am really enjoying this retreat. It would not be possible for me to get away right now but my life is full of so many new beginnings that I need some way of working with that; my son has just started specialisit school - change and acceptance that he no longer is in mainstream, I have returned to uni, fear, a new chance, the past year has been very stressful so how to let that go but also learn from this. A retreat to reinvigorate and motivate.