When we talk of “Buddhism” we mean the path that Buddha Shakyamuni once showed us. It is the path that is to be followed and walked in order bring our own heart to full awakening. Buddha left us with 84.000 teachings, instructions and methods to really attain this very goal in the same way he did.

Once we become Buddhists we hence get started to really follow this path, to apply his methods and to finally realize “buddha” (sanskrit for ” awakened heart). In our heart, not our intellect.

For that to happen it takes our openness and readiness. An open heart cannot be thought into existence in our head! It reveals itself to us by us developing compassion. Based on compassion we develop bodhicitta for all sentient beings and devotion to the dharma and the teacher who is willing to assist us in our development. But all this needs to be practiced: continously and actively! We receive instructions in order to apply them, put them into practice. They are food for our heart that we want to awaken from its deep sleep.

We entrust ourselves to the teacher after having checked if the teacher is trustworthy. The teacher himself tests the student who asks for being accepted as a student. That makes a synergy spring forth in which the teacher guides the student step by step on the path. In fact: guides because the work is with the student.

There is not such a thing as a “fast fix” just like a meal in a fast food restaurant where you go, order, receive, consume and run away from. The only thing there is, is our heart that to awaken we must actively and genuinely set out for.

Chöje Lama Palmo