The great bodhisattva Khunu Lama Rinpoche, a profound scholar and yogi had extensive knowledge of Buddhist scriptures and teachings. His Holiness the Dalai Lama received extensive commentary on the Bodhicharyavatara from him. Lama Zopa Rinpoche attributes the origins of FPMT chanting practices to Khunu Lama Rinpoche.
Khunu Lama Rinpoche's teachings became widely known, with people seeking blessings from him. His teachings for the monks at Kopan Monastery emphasized the need to tame their minds and the importance of lam-rim teachings in this process.
All teachings in Buddhism are meant to help us actualize wisdom, and the main teaching for this purpose is the Perfection of Wisdom, which is the revelation of the truth. Buddha liberates sentient beings by revealing this truth.
Bodhisattva Chenrezig requested teachings from Buddha Shakyamuni on the Perfection of Wisdom. Reciting the name of Chenrezig, his mantra, or extensively explaining, writing down, or making offerings related to Chenrezig leads sentient beings to attain enlightenment in the future.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche explains how our feelings and mental states are intimately tied to how we label or interpret situations and objects as positive or negative. These labels are conceptual in nature and influence our emotional responses. Even seemingly external circumstances, such as other people's behaviour, are deeply intertwined with our own interpretations and labels.
When we do not remember or apply the basic philosophy of Buddhism, we may carry resentment in our hearts for a long time, causing immense pain. Such prolonged suffering is a result of our own concepts and negative interpretations. These issues are often connected to societal beliefs, cultural norms, and concepts of what is considered "good" or "bad."
It is important to accept situations and understand that they are a result of karma. By recognizing that we have harmed others in the past, we can come to terms with the harm we receive in the present and develop patience and understanding.
Rinpoche provides commentary on the Four Immeasurables, to cultivate loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity towards all sentient beings. He also discusses meditating on emptiness to analyze the concept of "I" and to recognize that the self is merely a mental construct, not an inherently existing entity. The "I" we grasp onto is a hallucination, and by meditating on its non-existence, we can gain insight into the emptiness of all phenomena.
