Losar message 2016:
Everyone says it’s Losar, the New Year, and they are making a big deal, so I guess I will say Tashi Delek to everyone. I hear that at Tashi Choling, they are doing Vajrasattva practice and somebody mentioned that they don’t have a lama there presiding during the practice. Are you crazy? That Vajrasattva practice is the practice of offering to Vajrasattva as the lama. How can you say that there is no lama there? The name of the practice itself is Dorsem Lama Chodpa—Making Offerings to the Lama as Vajrasattva. How can you say you need another lama beyond that? Vajrasattva is all lamas. So close your mouth to that kind of talk and have faith that all lamas are there. What else do you need? Do you think you need another lama or a better lama than Vajrasattva?
Actually, how can you say that any of the centers don’t have a lama there? Look at all the empowerments, transmissions, and instructions that so many wonderful masters have come and given—they have blessed those places again and again. The lamas’ blessings are there, continuously. Have faith in that, in their blessing, whether you have someone sitting on the throne or not.
Rather than think that you are something special, try to recognize your own nature. That is the real lama there. The lama, Vajrasattva, the nature of your own awareness—these are the same. The lama is dharmakaya, is sambhogakaya, and is nirmanakaya. You think you will get a lama beyond that? Do you think you need one beyond that? Good luck.