The Meditations
When you have finished reading this chapter and watching the videos, do the following meditations by reflecting on the quotes drawn from Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s teachings. During the meditation session, you can re-read the related section of the chapter to refresh your memory. Try to make the meditations as personal and meaningful as possible.
To qualify for the Certificate of Achievement, each meditation session should last a minimum of half an hour. Start the session with a short bodhichitta motivation and, if you like, do some preliminary prayers. End the session with some dedication prayers. Spend at least 20 minutes of the session doing the actual meditation.
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To qualify for the Certificate of Achievement, keep track of the meditations you do using the Personal Log. Then, when you finish the entire module, tick them off in the Checklist for the Certificate of Achievement.
Meditation 7: Rejoice in Suffering
Kharag Gomchung, a Kadampa geshe, advised that your experiencing suffering now, any problem, depression, or cancer, or a relationship problem, makes past negative karma, the cause of that suffering, finish and so there won’t be any suffering, but only happiness, in the future. Just like there is only one sun in this universe but, due to its shining, all the animals, even insects, and all the human beings can enjoy themselves, you will have much happiness from life to life and then you will go to enlightenment. Therefore, rejoice in the suffering that you have, whether it is cancer, a headache, a toothache, depression, or a relationship problem, by seeing the benefits of experiencing what is happening to you. Then, there is great happiness. (Lama Zopa Rinpoche)
Think of the various kinds of suffering you are experiencing and rejoice in them by seeing the benefits of experiencing what is happening to you.
(To qualify for the Certificate of Achievement do this meditation at least one time.)
Meditation 8: Dedicate Your Happiness to Every Sentient Being
When you are happy, if you dedicate your happiness to every single sentient being, you collect more than skies of good luck, or merit, numberless times. Even if it is dedicated for one sentient being, you collect more merit than the sky. So now if you dedicate it for numberless sentient beings, you collect merit more than the sky numberless times. Then every sentient being receives peace and happiness filling the whole sky, like the limitless sky. That is the prayer; it is unbelievable. (Lama Zopa Rinpoche)
Think of the various kinds of happiness you are experiencing and dedicate it to every single sentient being.