Macau Five-Day Retreat

Drupon Khen Rinpoche has just concluded a five-day retreat at Pou Tai Temple in Macao, which included teaching and practice sessions.
The retreat was organised by Ani Sonam of Thrangu Phar Chin Ling and The Buddhist Merit and Wisdom Service.

Ani Changchup Drolma of the Marpa Translation Society provided oral interpretation.
Rinpoche taught an abbreviated version of the Guru Yoga recitation text section by section. He also answered the participants’ questions.

Here is a brief excerpt from the first day’s teaching:

“We should not treat the Dharma lightly. It is good to remind ourselves what we are doing in the Dharma and that the Dharma is the means by which we wish to attain liberation and Buddhahood.
For example, it is said that when we are receiving Dharma teachings we should do so with delight and reverence.
We respect someone who does well by us and helps us improve our situation, even in relatively minor ways. So, naturally we should respect and revere that which can help us to attain ultimate freedom.
If I’m invited to a place to teach, for instance, and I see the people there treating the Dharma lightly, I wouldn’t return to there in the future.
I feel it is important that we do not waste our time and we have our priorities correctly orientated..
This also means avoiding blind, dogmatic observance of the outer aspects of the Dharma. For example, if we have a physical ailment that makes it nigh impossible to sit in the vajra posture but we crowbar our legs into that posture regardless, because, ‘That’s how the texts teach us to place our legs’, that too could possibly be a misplacement of our priorities in relation to our long-term goals.”