Audio Teachings by Lama Dondrup Dorje Rinpoche
Replacing Anger with Gratitude
In the Audio Teaching ‘Replacing Anger with Gratitude’, Venerable Lama Dondrup Dorje begins by encouraging the right motivation, explaining that “Every single trouble and problem that exists in the world, every condition that always ends up bringing suffering, is because of the obsession with the ‘I’.”
To do so we must be mindful in following the instruction we receive and cultivate the discipline of Guru Yoga to purify our karmic obscuration and to develop true understand which can only come from direct experience of putting the instruction into practice.
Emphasising the need to start by following basic practices, Ven. Lama Dondrup Dorje explains the power of repeated gratitude to replace our afflictive emotions such as pride and anger. When things are not going well, rather than becoming angry, be grateful for the opportunity to look at things differently and to purify past karma we have created by our actions in the past. When we are criticised, rather than becoming angry, we should reflect on the truth of the criticism and be grateful to learn more about ourselves.
Through the practice of repeated gratitude we move away from our obsession of labelling things as fair or not fair, right or wrong; and in so doing we cultivate the quality of equanimity, one of the Four Immeasurables. In so doing, we stabilise our mind, developing the capacity to overcome all conflict within ourselves and defeat our inner demons. When inner demons are overcome, outer difficulties are easy, and harmony with our surroundings will naturally follow.
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