The Prince and the Zombie

by Tenzin Wangmo

  It is not my intention to pass judgment here. I would only like to point out what the framing story for the zombie’s tales shows so clearly: how deeply and how quickly every one of us can get caught up in a web of obsessive attachment, desire, greed, pride, jealousy, grief, or anger—to the point where we are no longer able to step back and analyze our situation accurately and no longer able to gauge the consequences of our actions.

  In the story of Prince Dechö Zangpo, we learn that he was possessed of many skills and inner resources, which initially he used with destructive intent. After his meeting with the great master and his moment of realization, he managed to make significant use of these skills and inner resources on his path of transformation toward a more constructive and meaningful life. If we ourselves direct our awareness in the right direction, we will be able to see that the things that present themselves to us as problems are the very things that lead us to solutions. Thus the prince’s perseverance, his courage, ingenuity, creativity, intelligence, flexibility, and even vigilance, which he initially used to satisfy his obsession with magic, in the end led him to fulfill his mission and to purify himself of his bad karma. In the functioning of a human being, everything is useful, everything is recyclable, nothing needs to be thrown away, and nothing new has to be invented. Everything is there, in front of our eyes. This is a profoundly ecological vision. If we proceed to apply it, we will find that by wasting less energy, we can reach lasting solutions to our problems and come to a more fruitful level of development and greater inner peace in our lives. This approach is within everyone’s reach, regardless of ethnicity, religion, political views, or professional and social status. All we have to do to transform our weaknesses and strengths is to change our inner outlook toward things.

  By constantly struggling against things—by practicing the mode of exclusion—we waste, energy, time, and money. It is not an efficient way of proceeding because it only reinforces the resistances we face. By using what we have, by contrast, we practice the mode of inclusion and we economize on energy, time, and money. For example, we can all agree that it would be stupid to refuse to use a knife because we had cut ourselves on it one day. By learning to use it properly, we go on beyond our first negative experience and we come to see its usefulness and efficiency. With such an approach we expand our horizons. All the same, there is a big difference between a simple object like a knife and a trait of human character. While an object deteriorates and wears out as it is used, a human trait develops and becomes more refined every time it is called upon. This is the way that our inner wealth and our confidence in ourselves increase.

  The Buddhist Path

  Buddhism is a therapeutic approach that aims at overcoming suffering. The Buddha said, “When a man is wounded by an arrow and he wants to find out the name and caste of the perpetrator, he puts himself in mortal danger. As for me, my teaching is to remove the arrow.”

  On this path to liberation from all suffering, the Buddhist texts make very clear the importance of the quality of the connection that binds together a realized teacher and their disciple. Ultimately, it is this connection that enables the disciple to understand and integrate spiritual practice into their being. This was the case between Gömpo Ludrup and Prince Dechö Zangpo. Their solid and unfailing connection made it possible for the prince to transcend his faults over time and to free himself from his bad karma.

  KARMA

  “Karma” is a Sanskrit word. The Tibetan word is le (las), meaning “action.” An action can be performed by the body, through speech, or by mind. Karma is a universal law according to which our actions, whether they cause suffering or happiness, necessarily lead to analogous consequences for ourselves. This law is absolutely just and is a principle that brings both balance and development.

  It is not the purpose of the law of karma to punish or reward human beings. By confronting us continually with the consequences of our own actions, this law makes us aware of the fact that we alone are responsible for what happens to us. Actions and their effects form an endless chain, because in their turn the effects cause further effects. Even our most insignificant actions have positive or negative repercussions on ourselves and on our environments. These repercussions are what determine the quality and conditions of our lives in the present and in the future.

  According to the Buddhist point of view, there are two kinds of karma. There is the kind we have created in the recent past or in the course of previous incarnations, which is poised to come to fruition in the form of inevitable events in our present life. The second kind of karma is the kind we produce in every moment of our present action. Through our attitude toward ourselves and others, moment by moment we modify our present, determine our future, and repair our past.

  We ourselves are the artisans and masters of our lives and our reincarnations. Our karmic potential ripens and is realized the very moment the right conditions for it come together. That might happen right away, in a few years, or after a number of lifetimes.

  A prophecy by the great seventh-century master Guru Rinpoche, whose Sanskrit name is Padmasambhava (“Lotus Born”), tells us that the karmic law of cause and effect is operating faster and faster, and that sometime in the future it will produce its results almost instantly. Nowadays, in our everyday life, there are quite a number of tangible signs that indicate that we might reap in a very short time what we have sown by our actions of body, speech, and mind, the positive results as well as the negative ones.

  THE SIX PARAMITAS:

  THE TRANSCENDENT VIRTUES

  The six transcendent virtues are the very heart of the training of the Great Vehicle, the Mahayana. They may be looked at successively, with one forming the basis that permits the next to develop. However, altogether they form an indivisible whole. They are interdependent, with each one being purified by the five others. Thus all of them develop simultaneously on the path of awakening.

  Generosity, the Antidote to Greed

  • Cultivate the kind of generosity that is without attachment and is unconditional.

  • Give, and then abandon or let go of what you have given.

  Ethics or Right Conduct, the Antidote to Lust

  Right conduct is one of the aspects of the Noble Eightfold Path of Buddhism.

  • Maintain right speech: do not lie, do not spread discord or divisiveness, do not use coarse language, do not engage in idle chatter, conduct yourself properly (with regard to the Five Precepts).

  • Engage in right livelihood or a wholesome profession.

  Patience, the Antidote to Anger

  The practice of patience is one of the perfections or transcendent virtues in the Theravada and Mahayana schools of Buddhism.

  • Tolerate the ingratitude of others.

  • Gladly endure difficulties, trials, and privations as part of your spiritual practice.

  Perseverance or Enthusiastic Energy, the Antidote to Laziness

  Perseverance is one of the five controlling faculties, one of the five powers, and one of the five factors of enlightenment. It is identical to the element of right effort on the Noble Eightfold Path.

  • Practice difficult and sustained efforts in order to surmount giving in to incapacity.

  Meditation, the Antidote to Distraction or Scattered Mind

  The term “meditation” designates contemplation and various states of concentration.

  • One may choose one’s own breath or any other object or image as a support for meditation.

  Wisdom, the Antidote to Ignorance

  Wisdom is also called transcendent awareness. It is symbolized by a bell in Buddhist rituals and Buddhist spiritual imagery. It is regarded as feminine in nature. Only acute perception is capable of attaining “transcendent wisdom,” which, as its name indicates, transcends the individual mind or ego insofar as it is fragmented and fraught with dualistic projections, and in this way it makes possible a more accurate understanding of existence.

  • One should realize the non-existence o
f the individual self and also realize that all things are devoid of unconditioned existence; one must thus understand the interdependence of all phenomena.

  QUESTIONS TO STIMULATE PERSONAL REFLECTION CONCERNING EACH OF THE SIX VIRTUES

  1. What do unconditional generosity, ethics, patience, perseverance, meditation, and wisdom, respectively, mean for me?

  2. How do I put each one of these into practice concretely?

  3. If I do not practice these, what is it that is preventing me from doing it?

  4. What are the practical advantages of practicing generosity, ethics, patience, perseverance, meditation, and wisdom?

  5. What are the difficulties of practicing generosity, ethics, patience, perseverance, meditation, and wisdom?

  6. What are the possible fruits of these practices?

  Glossary

  ACCUMULATION OF MERIT

  In Tibetan, sonam kyi tsok. This is one of the two accumulations: (1) accumulation of merit; and (2) accumulation of wisdom. This first accumulation makes it possible, through generosity and other practices, to acquire favorable karma. It consists of generating in the mind, little by little, a positive flow, which later enables one to reap the good results of authentic practice and also facilitates the spiritual path.

  AVALOKITESHVARA

  This is a Sanskrit name. The Tibetan name is Chenrezi. Tibetans sometimes also simply call him Chomdende (Bhagavat in Sanskrit), a general epithet for a buddha. He is the buddha who personifies compassion. His practice is very popular in Tibet and throughout the Buddhist world. He is depicted with one or several faces, with one or several pairs of arms—up to as many as one thousand arms altogether. His mantra is OM MANI PADME HUM. The Tibetan people consider the Dalai Lama to be an emanation of Avalokiteshvara.

  BARDO

  A Tibetan word designating the intermediate state between death and the ensuing (re)birth. When a death occurs, the kin of the deceased invite monks to chant specific prayers during the period of the bardo—which is a maximum of forty-nine days—in order to guide the deceased to a favorable rebirth.

  BODHISATTVA

  A Sanskrit word; the Tibetan is changchup sempa, which means “hero of enlightened mind.” For the sake of (continuing to work for) all beings, such a hero renounces entering into the state of a buddha of complete liberation or enlightenment.

  BUDDHA

  A Sanskrit word, which in Tibetan is sangye. A buddha, an “awakened one,” is someone who has succeeded in liberating him- or herself from the three poisons: attachment or desire, hatred or anger, and ignorance. These are the sources of all suffering, and they are what generate karma.

  BUDDHIST ROSARY

  Mala in Sanskrit. It consists of 108 beads and is most often used to count mantras. The number 108 refers to the same number of volumes of canonical Buddhist texts. The mala is held with the left hand and, if possible, at the level of the heart.

  CHANG

  A fermented drink made from barley in a process similar to that for making beer. Low in alcohol, it is very much appreciated by many Tibetans.

  COMPASSION

  Bodhichitta in Sanskrit. The practice of compassion begins with an altruistic thought directed toward enlightened mind and continues with activities directed toward enlightenment. The aspiration and motivation of compassion have as their aim continuing to work for the welfare of all beings for as long as they continue to suffer.

  GARUDA

  A Sanskrit word; khyung in Tibetan. A mythical bird who is the enemy of snakes and nagas. The garuda is an important element in rituals performed to cure diseases brought about by the nagas. Guru Rinpoche left behind propitious garuda-related liturgies for the healing of such diseases.

  GÖMPO LUDRUP

  The Tibetan for the Indian name Nagarjuna. Nagarjuna means “He Who Subjugates the Nagas.” Nagarjuna was a great Indian master to whom many writings are attributed. The most famous concern the Middle Way, of which he is considered the originator. According to legend, Gömpo Ludrup went to the realm of the nagas (deities having the form of snakes) to teach them the Dharma.

  GREEN TARA

  Green Tara is a female deity who symbolizes compassion that acts with the speed of the wind. Her legs are arranged in the bodhisattva posture. The left leg [folded in] represents renunciation of the passions; her right leg, which is partly extended, shows that she is ready at any moment to rise up and go to the aid of beings. The people of Tibet regard her as the mother of all the buddhas, or the embodiment of the perfection of knowledge (prajñaparamita). Her mantra is OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SVAHA.

  GURU RINPOCHE

  Tibetan, “Precious master.” His Sanskrit name is Padmasambhava (“Lotus Born”). He is considered to have been the founder of Buddhism in Tibet. Tibetans venerate him very highly and regard him as a second Buddha. His extraordinary, legendary life is an edifying example for spiritual practitioners.

  INNER VEILS OF OBSCURATION

  Two main categories are distinguished, and thus the name “the two veils” is also used. These two veils include the range of factors that cover over or hide the buddha nature in every sentient being and thus act as obstacles to the attainment of liberation and enlightenment. The two are the veil of emotional obscuration, which impedes liberation, and the veil of cognitive obscuration, which is an obstacle to omniscience and thus to the attainment of the complete enlightenment of a buddha.

  KAILASH

  A Sanskrit name, for which the Tibetan is Gang Rinpoche. It refers to a sacred mountain in the western part of Tibet that is a pilgrimage site for Buddhist, Hindu, Jain, and Bön practitioners.

  KARMA

  The Sanskrit word for “act” or “action.” The concept is to be seen here in the dynamic context of the law of cause and effect. Any action—physical, verbal, or mental—necessarily produces a consequence, which can be positive, negative, or neutral. We may speak of an accumulation of causes, which once the appropriate conditions come about—either immediately or sometime later—produce a fruit, a consequence.

  KHYUNG

  See Garuda.

  LAMA

  A Tibetan word, guru in Sanskrit, that means spiritual master. In the Mahayana, the lama is the equivalent of the enlightened bodhisattva who helps his peers on the path to enlightenment.

  LHASA

  The name of the capital of Tibet. Translated literally from Tibetan, it means “Land of the Gods.”

  MAHAYANA

  A Sanskrit word; in Tibetan, thegpa chenpo. The term means “Great Vehicle” and designates the body of Buddhist teachings proclaiming the ideal of the bodhisattva and universal compassion.

  MANTRA

  A Sanskrit word; in Tibetan, ngak. Mantras are composed of syllables of healing and energy. The mantra most recited by the people of Tibet is OM MANI PADME HUM.

  NAGA

  A Sanskrit word; in Tibetan, lu. Nagas are beings who rule the subterranean world and bodies of water, and who control weather and rain. Their usual form is that of a snake, but they are reputed to be able to assume human form and to interfere with the affairs of human beings. Sometimes friendly, sometimes vindictive, always extremely touchy, the nagas are capable of causing diseases in humans who have provoked them by causing a disturbance in the realm of waters or the underworld. They are of major importance in Tibetan medicine.

  NAGARJUNA

  See Gömpo Ludrup.

  NOBLE EIGHTFOLD PATH

  A major body of teaching composed of eight practices to be carried on simultaneously: right understanding, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right attention, and right concentration. Practicing these eight in everyday life should make it possible for the practitioner to understand the causes of suffering and to discover the remedies to them.

  NYINGJE

  A Tibetan word that expresses profound compassion toward a suffering being.

  OM MANI PADME HUM

  This is the short mantra of Avalokiteshvara, which the people of Tibet very
often recite. It is carved into stones and placed in written form in prayer wheels so that suffering may be transcended and help may come to all beings.

  PARAMITAS, OR TRANSCENDENT VIRTUES

  In Tibetan, parol tu chinpa, a major body of six practices: the six virtues or the six perfections. These are: generosity, ethics, patience, energy, concentration, and knowledge. These paramita practices (in the Mahayana tradition) are an integral part of training to attain the awakened state of mind, bodhichitta, of which compassion is a main characteristic.

  SANDALWOOD

  A tree that grows in India and other places whose wood exudes a very pleasant and long-lasting fragrance.

  SHO

  A Tibetan word, the name of a traditional Tibetan dice game, often played for hours at a time by two, three, or four players.

  SILWAYTSAL

  A Tibetan name meaning “ Garden That Brings Coolness.” It probably refers to a place in India, in the state of Bihar, near Nalanda, where the Indian people brought their dead to have them cremated or buried. In Buddhist literature it is often referred to by its native Sanskrit name, Sitavana, which is usually translated “Cool Grove.” It is one of the eight great charnel grounds of the tantras and was a prominent site in the life story of the Buddha.