The Four Thoughts that Turn the Mind from Samsara is an important part of the Ngöndro preliminary practices, and for practitioners following a dharma path. These are the four contemplations that turn the mind away from samsara, namely:

1) the difficulty of finding the freedoms and advantages, and

2) the impermanence of life,

which turn the mind away from the concerns of this life; and the reflections on

3) the defects of samsara, and on

4) action (karma: cause and effect),

which turn the mind away from our attitudes and conduct with respect to future lives.

Tulku Pema Rigtsal is a Dzogchen master in the Nyingma tradition and has two monasteries in north-west Nepal, in the foothills of Mount Kailash, where he resides. One monastery with 325 monks and a nunnery with 150 nuns. He holds large annual summer and winter retreats for over 500 people. More info on Tulku Pema Rigtsal Rinpoche is available at www.rigpawiki.

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