13 Realizing Emptiness Leads to Great Compassion and Prayers from Lama Chopa Practice 10-Sept-2004

This teaching was given by Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Lama Tsonkhapa Institute in Italy as part of the Ganden Lha Gyama retreat between September 3-30, 2004.00:00:01 The mind is obscured by many superstitious thoughts, like attachment, anger, and self-cherishing, which are based on grasping at an exaggerated object.00:06:47 While everything is empty of true existence, the ignorance projects true existence onto phenomena, like wearing colored glasses that make everything appear a certain color. We then allow our mind to believe this hallucination is real.00:14:52 Realizing emptiness helps generate strong compassion for sentient beings, seeing how they are suffering due to being ignorant of the way things actually exist. Their suffering comes from wrong concepts and mistaken ways of thinking.00:22:24 Realizing emptiness doesn't contradict bodhicitta, but rather makes one generate stronger bodhicitta. The positive thoughts like compassion and bodhicitta are not caused by or based on the ignorance grasping at true existence.00:26:20 Reciting Calling the Guru from Afar. The way to clean away the superstitious thoughts is through guru devotion - making requests to the guru from one's heart. One should strive to devote to the guru with the nine attitudes, such as viewing the guru as a buddha, following the guru's advice, and seeing the guru's actions as perfect and so on.00:36:30 Lama Zopa Rinpoche leads the recitation of Lama Tsongkhapa Guru Yoga, offering of a short mandala, and recitation of Migtsema mantras.00:51:35 The group recites the Lamrim prayer from Lama Chopa.00:59:05 The group recites the Eight Verses of Thought Transformation and other prayers from Lama Chopa.1:23:32 Lama Zopa Rinpoche leads the protector prayers and dedications.02:08:55 Lama Zopa Rinpoche tells about Geshe Lama Konchog's Life. Dedication prayers.Find out more about Lama Zopa Rinpoche, his teachings and projects at https://fpmt.org/