The FPMT recently highlighted Thubten Zopa Rinpoche’s teachings from a Four Kadampa Deities Retreat in 2003, which took place at Institut Vajra Yogini in France.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s teachings cover a variety of lamrim topics, with a particular focus on the four Kadampa deities. One standout teaching is titled “Contemplating the Emptiness Found in Sound.”
Lama Zopa introduces a meditation practice focusing on the sound of rain, suggesting two distinct approaches.
Initially, practitioners reflect on the ordinary reality of the sound of rain, pondering its essence and how it is perceived by the mind.
According to Prasangika teachings, the sound exists only as a mental imputation onto the sense of the ear.
Then, Lama Zopa guides students to meditate on the sound’s illusory nature and its emptiness, recognizing that it lacks inherent existence.
This practice aims to distinguish between the perceived appearance and the ultimate reality of emptiness.
Practitioners begin with a compassionate intention and use mindfulness and awareness in their everyday activities, utilizing the stages of the path as a method to overcome negative mental states.
By meditating on sound, practitioners cultivate wisdom and compassion, paving the path to liberation and enlightenment for themselves and all sentient beings.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s teachings offer insights into the practice of emptiness and its application in daily life.
