Table of Contents
BuddhaNet Title Page for 'Transforming Problems...'
Acknowledgements
Dedication
About the Author
Contents
Transforming Problems Into The Dharma Path
24th August 1997
31st August 1997
7th September 1997
Amitabha Buddhist Centre
The Merits of Producing Buddhist Teachings & Buddha Images
Subheadings (in order)
The Nature of Mind is Pure
The Real Causes of Unhappiness
The Nature of the Mind
Body and Mind
Mental Consciousness
The Two Types of Meditation
The Four Noble Truths
Breaking Through Mental Pictures
Buddha Nature
Change and Grasping at Impermanence
We Are Like Children
Relying on the External World
Inner Growth of our Mind
Loving Kindness and Compassion
Compassion, Balanced with Wisdom
Unhappiness is Impermanent
Wisdom Realizing Emptiness
Life’s Trivialities
Misconception of What is Valuable in Life
Futility of Indulging in External World
Spread and Relevance of Buddhism
Putting Teachings into Practice
How to Cultivate Loving Kindness and Compassion
How Attachment Arises
Self-centred Attachment
Swinging from Attachment to Aversion
Giving Up Our Self-Cherishing
Making Others Happy
Pride and Arrogance
Abandoning Our Aversion to Suffering
Dealing with Anger
Helping Others
Praying for Others
Dealing with Missionaries
Karma and Our Life span
Dealing With Those Who May Harm our Practice
Dealing with Physical Danger
How Venerable Gyatso Came to Buddhism
Making Use of Whatever Happens
Discriminating mind
Discrimination Arising from the Self-Cherishing Thought
Love and Compassion, Mixed with Attachment
Mind of Equanimity
How friends can become enemies
Contemplation of previous lives
Seven-Steps of Cause and Effect Meditation
Lineage of Thought Transformation
Our Approach to Life
Appearances
The Importance of Practice
Overcoming the Fear of Problems
Two Ways to Approach Problems
Not Dwelling on Problems
Developing an Attitude of Happiness When Problems Arise
Develop Happiness that Suffering has Arisen
Using Suffering to Generate Renunciation
Renunciation has to grow and grow
Objects in Samsara are Imperfect
Taking Refuge
The Only True Refuge
Overcoming Pride
Dealing with Pride in Others
Dealing with Anger in Others
Dealing with Our Pride as Mirrored by Others
Abandoning Worry
Coming to Grips with the Mind
Dealing with the Attachment of Others
Guarding Merit from Harm
Transforming Problems, Transforming Happiness into the Path
Abandoning the Thought of Aversion to Suffering
Uselessness and Danger of Worry
Cultivating Joy when Problems Come
Problems are opportunities to Transform the Mind
Renunciation
Renunciation Symbolized by the Lotus Seat
Taking Refuge
Pride: Using Problems to Deflate Our Pride
Anger: A Destructive Emotion
Anger Can Lead to Loneliness
Anger Weakens Merit
Anger Can Lead Us to Rebirth in Lower Realms
Patience – Antidote to Anger
Start Practice of Patience with Small Problems
Who Presses the Buttons?
Our Minds are not Limited
Anger Weakens Merit
Dealing with Anger
Generating Joy when Problems Arise
Karma
Four Principles of Karma
Problems Support Training in Virtue
Attachment
Purifying Karma
The Hell Realms
Practising Dharma in Good Times and Bad
Eliminating Negative Karma
Realizing Emptiness
Do not Wait to Purify Karma
Purification Practices
A Most Skilful Method to Meet with Problems
Having an Agenda in our Lives
Inner Maturity Brings Ability to Deal with Problems
Seeing Problems as Teachings
Practise Before Problems Occur
To Really Have Compassion, We Have to Suffer
Giving and Taking Meditation
Problems: An Excellent Opportunity to Train Our Minds
Practise Well Before Problems Come
An Anxiety-Laden, Mind Cannot Turn Suffering into the Path
A Virtuous, Not Vicious Circle
Practice to Avoid Anger
Reflect on Karma
Reflect on Compassion
Request Problems to Practise Virtue
Problems are Definitely Coming
Of Not Seeing Problems as Problems
Feeding Mosquitoes
Keeping Entertainment at a Distance
Find a Quiet Place
Stop the Arising of Aversion to Internal Illness And Outer Enemies
Seeing Dangerous Situations as Valuable
No Harm Comes to a Virtuous Mind
The Armour of Being Able to Transform Problems
We Already Have Everything We Need
Chasing After External Objects
Reflecting on Ultimate Reality: Ideal Method of Overcoming Suffering
Preventing Happiness from Becoming an Obstacle
Not to be Distracted by Happiness