What Is Really Important

Most of the time, we don’t know what is really important. To give an example: if we were attending a puja and the substances were being distributed, but we didn’t get any, we would immediately make a fuss and say, ‘Excuse me, I didn’t get any.’ In truth it makes no real difference if we get this stuff or not. But what will a make a difference? The Dharma. This is what we have to listen to and obtain. This is what will free us, liberate and awaken us. The biscuits and so on we can buy in the shop. Not getting them is probably not going to be a great obstacles on our path to liberation and awakening. It is not that if we get a share, everything is going to be wonderful, and everything will go terribly if we don’t.

We must come to know what is important, what is essential, what is it we truly need to apply ourselves to. That which will free us is the Dharma. The Dharma is what teaches us what we should and shouldn’t do. It is this intelligence that we have to obtain.

Drupon Khen Rinpoche teaching at Taichung Thrangu Tara Abbey Centre, 17 November 2016