When Geshe La was asked about possible future teaching and study topics he answered:
One can do retreat and meditate on the yidam deity, but unless we gain the accomplishment of the practice that brings a direct vision of meeting the deity face to face, this practice is not of great practical benefit. Or we can, as well, study and recite Manjushuri’s Prayer over and over- prayer of the deity who yields the sword said to sever ignorance. These practices are helpful and beneficial. However – all please take this to heart: if you really want to do what is most beneficial, what you should really look to do, is to see that:
The ways things are, is not as they appear,
And the ways things appear, is not as they exist.
You should contemplate and analyze this again and again and come to reconcile this contradiction. When you reconcile this, this (realization) is the wisdom that cuts the clinging to reality (den dzin)- the very clinging that keeps us bound to samsara. So if you want to do something really beneficial, this is what needs to be done.
Excerpted from the teachings given by Geshe Jinpa Sonam at Indiana Buddhist Center 12/4/16 translated into English by D Mckinnon
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