Accomplishing Mahamudra

Garchen Rinpoche

For those of us who really want to accomplish the meaning of Mahamudra we need to understand that daily, constantly, we have thoughts of self-clinging arising in the mind, thoughts conditioned by self-clinging. Even when drinking a glass of water we think—oh, this water is “mine.” This is “my’ water in “my” glass and “I” am drinking. This constantly reinforces this habit. As a result our self-clinging is like a huge mountain. If we can create the positive habit of making offerings of all our enjoyments throughout the day to the enlightened ones, then each time we do that it is like removing one grain of sand from the mountain of self-clinging. If we do this continuously again and again, then one day that mountain will be flattened. If on the other hand we don’t make mental offerings, then this concept of self continues to grow. So my great hope is that you will all continuously practice offering throughout the day. This is my great personal instruction to you.

Garchen Rinpoche, from the Millennium Teachings at Garchen Institute