Lam Rim study/practice

Post Reply
User avatar
Dave The Seeker
Posts: 409
Joined: Wed Dec 14, 2011 11:02 pm
Location: Reading MI USA

Lam Rim study/practice

Post by Dave The Seeker »

I'm reading about Lam Rim, and have a book from FPMT.
I am at the beginning and was wondering, should one stay at the first stage until the visualizations come complete before moving on?
Please don't think I'm rushing to get to the next stage, I'm not.
I am just posting this question for opinions from the experienced members here.
Thanks
Everyday problems teach us to have a realistic attitude.
They teach us that life is what life is; flawed.
Yet with tremendous potential for joy and fulfillment.
~Lama Surya Das~

If your path teaches you to act and exert yourself correctly and leads to spiritual realizations such as love, compassion and wisdom then obviously it's worthwhile.
~Lama Thubten Yeshe~

One whose mind is freed does not argue with anyone, he does not dispute with anyone. He makes use of the conventional terms of the world without clinging to them
~The Buddha~
ngodrup
Posts: 746
Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2010 6:58 pm

Re: Lam Rim study/practice

Post by ngodrup »

Probably a question for your teacher. What parts get emphasized, where
you start, is really contingent on your capacity.
User avatar
Dave The Seeker
Posts: 409
Joined: Wed Dec 14, 2011 11:02 pm
Location: Reading MI USA

Re: Lam Rim study/practice

Post by Dave The Seeker »

Thanks for the reply, as soon as I can get to a group and possibly meet a teacher I'll ask.
Everyday problems teach us to have a realistic attitude.
They teach us that life is what life is; flawed.
Yet with tremendous potential for joy and fulfillment.
~Lama Surya Das~

If your path teaches you to act and exert yourself correctly and leads to spiritual realizations such as love, compassion and wisdom then obviously it's worthwhile.
~Lama Thubten Yeshe~

One whose mind is freed does not argue with anyone, he does not dispute with anyone. He makes use of the conventional terms of the world without clinging to them
~The Buddha~
zerwe
Posts: 778
Joined: Mon Jun 07, 2010 4:25 am
Location: North Carolina

Re: Lam Rim study/practice

Post by zerwe »

Some people move quickly through each topic and others spend a long time deepening their understanding.
Initially, I think it is fine to move through the cycle of topics fairly quickly until one develops more understanding.
Then, the pace (entirely up to the individual) slows and we might spend more time deepening our experience of each topic or particular topics.
My first year I probably cycled through my Lam rim meditations every 2-3 months. Now I take about a year to get through them all.
Everybody is different though.

Shaun :namaste:
User avatar
Dave The Seeker
Posts: 409
Joined: Wed Dec 14, 2011 11:02 pm
Location: Reading MI USA

Re: Lam Rim study/practice

Post by Dave The Seeker »

Thank you very much for your input Shaun :anjali:
Everyday problems teach us to have a realistic attitude.
They teach us that life is what life is; flawed.
Yet with tremendous potential for joy and fulfillment.
~Lama Surya Das~

If your path teaches you to act and exert yourself correctly and leads to spiritual realizations such as love, compassion and wisdom then obviously it's worthwhile.
~Lama Thubten Yeshe~

One whose mind is freed does not argue with anyone, he does not dispute with anyone. He makes use of the conventional terms of the world without clinging to them
~The Buddha~
Caz
Posts: 543
Joined: Mon Mar 14, 2011 12:49 am

Re: Lam Rim study/practice

Post by Caz »

zerwe wrote:Some people move quickly through each topic and others spend a long time deepening their understanding.
Initially, I think it is fine to move through the cycle of topics fairly quickly until one develops more understanding.
Then, the pace (entirely up to the individual) slows and we might spend more time deepening our experience of each topic or particular topics.
My first year I probably cycled through my Lam rim meditations every 2-3 months. Now I take about a year to get through them all.
Everybody is different though.

Shaun :namaste:
Every time we do the preparations for Lamrim we are creating the causes to accomplish it quickly, It doesn't matter if one cycles through them each day, week, month or even year it creates imprints on the mind that will naturally be ripened when the time is due. :thumbsup:
Abandoning Dharma is, in the final analysis, disparaging the Hinayana because of the Mahayana; favoring the Hinayana on account of the Mahayana; playing off sutra against tantra; playing off the four classes of the tantras against each other; favoring one of the Tibetan schools—the Sakya, Gelug, Kagyu, or Nyingma—and disparaging the rest; and so on. In other words, we abandon Dharma any time we favor our own tenets and disparage the rest.

Liberation in the Palm of your hand~Kyabje Pabongkha Rinpoche.
Admin_PC
Former staff member
Posts: 4860
Joined: Wed Sep 19, 2012 11:17 pm

Re: Lam Rim study/practice

Post by Admin_PC »

Dave The Seeker wrote:I'm reading about Lam Rim, and have a book from FPMT.
I am at the beginning and was wondering, should one stay at the first stage until the visualizations come complete before moving on?
Please don't think I'm rushing to get to the next stage, I'm not.
I am just posting this question for opinions from the experienced members here.
Thanks
Dunno if you want any input from a beginner.
I go to a local student-lead Lam Rim group that welcomes bhikshus and bhikshunis who visit from time to time - we've been working on the 8 verses of mind training.
I'm playing catch-up with the rest of the group so I'm looking at some supplementary training.
Just started the Meditation101 online with FPMT and that has 12 different guided visualizations/meditations (first 2 are very preliminary).
My plan is to be able to do each of the guided meditations from memory before moving on to the next, with the bare minimum being probably a week on each.
The official course recommendations are to do each meditation at least 3 times and shoot for being able to do it alone without scripts/guidance.
User avatar
Dave The Seeker
Posts: 409
Joined: Wed Dec 14, 2011 11:02 pm
Location: Reading MI USA

Re: Lam Rim study/practice

Post by Dave The Seeker »

Thanks for the input Caz :twothumbsup:

Thanks Porkchop, think any input in the right direction is great help.
I'm also doing the FPMT at home course. I'm still in the first module "Mind and it's potential".
But I have the Meditation one as well. In the course listings the first one isn't there, it's in another section of the site :shrug:

Thanks again to all who have replied and helped me out :namaste:
Everyday problems teach us to have a realistic attitude.
They teach us that life is what life is; flawed.
Yet with tremendous potential for joy and fulfillment.
~Lama Surya Das~

If your path teaches you to act and exert yourself correctly and leads to spiritual realizations such as love, compassion and wisdom then obviously it's worthwhile.
~Lama Thubten Yeshe~

One whose mind is freed does not argue with anyone, he does not dispute with anyone. He makes use of the conventional terms of the world without clinging to them
~The Buddha~
User avatar
Konchog1
Posts: 1673
Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2011 4:30 am

Re: Lam Rim study/practice

Post by Konchog1 »

"You have reached a critical point when, while meditating on the lower levels, you increasingly wish to attain the higher levels, and when studying the higher levels, your wish to practice the lower levels becomes stronger and stronger."

Lam Rim Chen Mo eng v3 362-363 tib 806

Lord Tsongkhapa then continues to say it is expected to go back and remeditate on the fundamentals to strengthen weaknesses that have appeared in your practice.

My understanding and thus advice is do what feels natural. Learn to where you get bored and come back later after reading further.
Equanimity is the ground. Love is the moisture. Compassion is the seed. Bodhicitta is the result.

-Paraphrase of Khensur Rinpoche Lobsang Tsephel citing the Guhyasamaja Tantra

"All memories and thoughts are the union of emptiness and knowing, the Mind.
Without attachment, self-liberating, like a snake in a knot.
Through the qualities of meditating in that way,
Mental obscurations are purified and the dharmakaya is attained."

-Ra Lotsawa, All-pervading Melodious Drumbeats
User avatar
Ayu
Global Moderator
Posts: 13245
Joined: Mon Oct 29, 2012 8:25 am
Location: Europe

Re: Lam Rim study/practice

Post by Ayu »

Another point:
For some people it takes a very long time until a visualisation becomes "perfect". The pressure to want to SEE the object of Meditation is a hindrance for the meditation... If one keeps calm and satisfied with only knowing "it is there", he creates a better circumstance for a clearer visualisation. Clearness comes better in a calm and steady mind.
User avatar
Dave The Seeker
Posts: 409
Joined: Wed Dec 14, 2011 11:02 pm
Location: Reading MI USA

Re: Lam Rim study/practice

Post by Dave The Seeker »

Thanks to both of you for the replies.
It helps greatly to get input that makes sense.
:namaste:
Everyday problems teach us to have a realistic attitude.
They teach us that life is what life is; flawed.
Yet with tremendous potential for joy and fulfillment.
~Lama Surya Das~

If your path teaches you to act and exert yourself correctly and leads to spiritual realizations such as love, compassion and wisdom then obviously it's worthwhile.
~Lama Thubten Yeshe~

One whose mind is freed does not argue with anyone, he does not dispute with anyone. He makes use of the conventional terms of the world without clinging to them
~The Buddha~
Post Reply

Return to “Gelug”