..續本文上一頁 the wisdom of emptiness, all sufferings can be eliminated. As we know, the person “I” who feels suffering and the perceived suffering share mutual dependence. Neither one can exist by itself. In the Fundamental Treatise on the Middle Way, Bodhisattva Nagarjuna said, “How would anyone exist without anything

　　 How would anything exist without anyone

　　” Nowadays many people feel a lot of sufferings. However, where is this suffering “I”

　　 And where are those sufferings

　　 Observing with the logic of middle way, you will realize that sufferings do not truly exist at all, other than in your illusion.

　　Therefore, not knowing about emptiness, we will easily run after for gains and losses, and think of all illusions as real. Once we can get rid of the ego-cling using the wisdom of emptiness, as many eminent monks or great virtues did before, all sufferings will vanish and the enlightenment will bring you undescribable happiness.

　　5) Practicing Tolerance

　　We can also practice tolerance when suffering. Tolerance, if put in worldly words, means being strong and persistent. With it, one does not easily give in when in pains.

　　The American President Abraham Lincoln is a great example. Throughout his life, Lincoln dealed with defeats his whole life. He lost in eight political races, failed twice while running business, and suffered depression once. He could have quit many times, but he didn”t. Because of his persistence, he became one of the greatest presidents in the US history.

　　Another example is the deaf blind American author Helen Keller. She achieved incredible miracles in her unyielding life.

　　And Marie Curie once said, “First principle: never to let one”s self be beaten down by persons or by events.” In her biography, she led a very poor life during her study at the university, and endured numerous unbearable hardship. She occasionally fainted due to malnutrition. In cold winter, she put on all she could to get warm, even including a chair to give herself some sort of illusion of weight and heat.

　　In the history of Tibetan Buddhism, the great lineage master, Longchenpa, led an austere life while practicing in Samya. At that time, all that he had was a sack made of matted yak hair. When snowing, he got into the sack, which became his quilt, cushion, and his only clothing.

　　Speaking of “the only clothing”, I recall a fox cub in a short documentary about animal conservation, where it said, “I have a beautiful coat, and I wear it in four seasons of a year. This is the only coat in my whole life. My mom gave it to me when I was born. I wear it every day since then, even when I am sleeping at night. Mankind, this is the only coat I possess, while your closet is already full. My coat is my own fur, and without it, I”m only left with flesh and blood. You can change your coat three times a day, but I will die if tgakin off mine.”

　　Indeed, if we stop wearing fur, we have other clothes to wear. If we stop eating meat, we still have vegetable to eat. Some think it is not a big deal to eat meat, but it was that piece of meat at cost of the life of that animal. Have we ever thought about it

　　 Nowadays there are many organizations in the West for animal protection. Even though it is not popular here, all of us should start caring all animals with our own actions. For example, if you enjoy eating meat, try to eat less in the future, which is also a kind of practice of tolerance.

　　6) Mipham Rinpoche”s “Practice of Joy”

　　In Tibetan Buddhism there is an instruction of practice, which can get rid of the sufferings in our daily life and keep us in a joyful mood.

　　The method is simple: First look straight ahead, free your body and mind and relax, open your mind as much as you can, hold and recite the mantra, “Tadyatha, Om Tsomo Milena Deka Tamo Svaha.” You can rep…

《How to Face Sufferings》全文未完，請進入下頁繼續閱讀…