Gratitude: The Root of Lasting Good Fortune 

At the heart of Singha Rinpoche’s teaching on good fortune is a surprisingly simple principle: gratitude. 

He often says that the true root of success—whether in worldly life or in spiritual practice—is an attitude of gratitude. When a person lacks gratitude, even if success comes, it does not last. There is always anxiety, fear of loss, and dissatisfaction. When gratitude is present, however, even ordinary circumstances begin to feel rich and meaningful. 

One of the most powerful and practical methods he teaches is rejoicing in the happiness and success of others. In Buddhism, this is considered a direct way to accumulate merit. Singha Rinpoche explains it in a very accessible way: when you sincerely rejoice in someone else’s good deeds or achievements, you automatically receive a share of that merit—without needing to do the hard work yourself. 

On the other hand, jealousy, pettiness, and constant comparison push good fortune away. He sometimes uses the term “Xiao Ren” (a petty or scheming person) to describe someone who is narrow-minded, calculative, and always unhappy with others’ success. Such a mindset, even if combined with wealth or talent, leads to a poor and constrained inner life. 

In this view, “good luck” begins not with asking, but with appreciating—and celebrating—what is already good in one’s own life and in the lives of others. 

What to Do When You Are in a “Bad Luck” Cycle 

Almost everyone goes through periods when things seem to go wrong one after another. Business slows down, relationships become difficult, health issues arise, or plans fail repeatedly. Many people describe this as being in a “bad luck cycle.” 

Singha Rinpoche’s advice in such times is very different from what most people expect. 

First, he says: do not hide and do not go into low-profile mode. Many people, when facing difficulties, withdraw from life and wait for the storm to pass. He suggests the opposite: this is the best time to learn, upgrade, and train yourself. Take courses, learn new skills, study languages, or improve your professional abilities. 

He makes a humorous but sharp observation: if you do not willingly pay to learn, life will still teach you—only through much more painful and expensive “lessons.” 

By continuing to move forward and improve yourself during difficult periods, you are preparing for the next upswing. When conditions improve, you will not just return to where you were before—you will return as a more capable, stronger, and wiser person. 

He also explains that many obstacles are simply the ripening of past karma. If negative tendencies and habits are not purified, it is like never washing a bowl—eventually, it will always be dirty. In this sense, so-called bad luck is not a punishment, but a result, and also an opportunity to clean up old causes. 

Becoming Your Own Benefactor 

In Chinese culture, a “Gui Ren” refers to a benefactor—someone who appears at the right time to help you. Many people pray to meet such benefactors in life. Singha Rinpoche teaches something very practical: if you want to meet benefactors, become one first. 

When you help others solve their problems and clear their obstacles, you are planting the causes for help to come to you in the future. When you truly live for the benefit of others, he says, then when you are in need, support will come—not only from people, but also from unseen conditions. 

This links back to the idea of not being a “Xiao Ren.” A petty person calculates every small gain and loss. Even if such a person becomes rich, they live in constant fear and dissatisfaction. A person with a big heart, however, may appear to give a lot, but actually lives in abundance—because their mind is spacious and relaxed. 

Another key point he often emphasizes is this: what you focus on, you magnify. If you constantly complain about bad luck, unfairness, and obstacles, your mind becomes filled with them, and they seem to grow larger and larger. In contrast, if you consciously train your mind to notice what is good, what is working, and what is meaningful, you amplify those aspects of your life. 

In some Buddhist traditions, especially in Tantra, practitioners are taught to deliberately focus on the pure and positive aspects of reality—not to deny problems, but to prevent the mind from being trapped by them. 

Luck Is Created, Not Found 

One of Singha Rinpoche’s most direct teachings is this: luck is not something you find; it is something you create. 

In Buddhism, what people call “luck” is simply the ripening of karma and merit. Yet many people come to temples with what he calls a “beggar mindset” or a “trader mindset.” They make offerings and pray, but internally they are thinking, “I lack something, and I want to exchange this for that.” 

This mindset reinforces a feeling of scarcity. You are constantly telling yourself—and your mind—that you do not have enough. 

He contrasts this with what he calls a “wealthy mindset.” To have abundance, you must first be generous. Money, opportunities, and good conditions are attracted to people who are open, warm, and joyful—not to people who carry a “black face” or a tense, demanding attitude. 

He often uses very simple examples: if you want chili, you must plant chili seeds, provide soil and water, and wait. You cannot just pray for chili to appear. In the same way, if you want good results in life, you must create the causes. Praying without action is like hoping for a harvest without planting anything. 

Destiny, Choice, and Responsibility 

Many people wonder: if everything is karma, can destiny really be changed? 

Singha Rinpoche’s answer is very nuanced. He explains that simply “practicing” Dharma in a superficial way—just performing rituals or following forms—does not change destiny. But cultivating Dharma, meaning truly changing your mindset, habits, and behavior, can change the direction of your life. 

He also points out something very empowering: your life is not 100% determined by karma. At least part of it—he often says “at least half”—is shaped by your decisions. Even if conditions are 99% set, your 1% decision determines whether that 99% will manifest or not. You must “allow” your life to become better. 

People who feel unlucky often fall into the habit of blaming everything else: their parents, society, the government, or even “karmic creditors.” Singha Rinpoche says that true liberation begins when you stop seeing yourself as a victim and start taking responsibility. In his words, “liberating the ghost in you” means freeing yourself from this victim mentality. 

The Real Meaning of “Good Luck” 

In the end, Singha Rinpoche’s message is both very simple and very demanding: stop waiting for miracles and start becoming the cause of your own happiness. 

You do not even need to be Buddhist, he often says. You just need intelligence, diligence, and a willingness to work on your own mind and actions. When you cultivate gratitude, generosity, responsibility, and effort, success and good fortune naturally follow. 

From this perspective, “good luck” is not a gift handed to you from your birth. It is the visible result of invisible habits—how you think, how you treat others, and how you respond to life, day after day. 

Perhaps the most auspicious thing we can do at the start of any new year is not to ask for a better destiny—but to become a better cause. 

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