The Liberation Stories of the Kagyu Masters – Day 2

Namtars are not simply ‘life stories.’
‘Nam’ refers to a master’s life, their way of living, what kind of life they had. In a way this can apply to anyone – we all have a life, and there are many life stories, but this is not what makes a namtar. ‘Tar’ refers to liberation – the master’s way of liberation. So through a namtar we see what an individual did, how they studied, contemplated and meditated, so that they became liberated. And if we have faith in what we read, then our minds are led in that direction, so that their life leads us to liberation too.
As practitioners we must have faith, because when we do our mind undergoes a change, it goes in the direction of the object of our faith. Our mind becomes open, workable, and a change can happen.
When we feel the dharma is not so important then we are closed to it, we have a kind of arrogance that prevents blessings from entering us. Blessing is the change that takes place within our mind.