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Soundfile 19901229GRFNLCWR6

Speaker Gelek Rimpoche

Location

Topic

Section

Transcriber Wee Lin

Date 24 Feb 2022

0:00:00.1 [The visualised image] is like a hologram type of thing. Hologram is a great example for that. Now straight down from your tip of your nose straight about 45 degrees down on the ground is a little white ball. It is very tiny so maybe not ball [like] but some kind of little white pea. So a light nature little white pea. The ball has become extremely small. You know how big peas are, green pea or black pea, that is the size. I don’t think we can call it a ball. That will be a strange ball then. If you have difficulty to find that, it is permitted to make it a little bigger. If you want make it little smaller, that is also permitted.

0:02:38.6 If you try to develop shamata through Vajrayana practice, then it is strongly recommended to sit crossed legs and if possible vajra styled crossed legs which normally what Americans call Lotus crossed leg. One [leg] goes through the other. That’s called vajra style. You will find a lot of Tibetan textbook translating that as vajra crossed leg. It is not crossed vajra but vajra crossed leg. And it is important to have those meditation posture. That is very important. And also all other usual [meditation posture as well] like spine has to be straight, eyes should be focussing on the top of nose. Apply all these usual style here. The head should be slightly lowered rather than up and put your tongue to the roof of mouth so that the tip of the tongue is touching to the roof of the mouth. The simple reason is so as not to get thirsty. Number one, it protects the saliva, number two it keeps it within your mouth and then keeps the heat from the body going out so much which will make you thirsty. So that helps [to keep us] not be thirsty. Then keep shoulders straight etc. You have to do all these seven Vairocana style of sitting, .

0:07:23.3 Now get your mind completely free of every activity whether good, bad, past, present, future, whatever it might be. Let it be free of those completely and concentrate on the third eye of the Tara or at the heart, whichever is easier. Probably third eye is easier. The Tara being in the front. That is one object [of concentration]. Then the second object of concentration is the letter OM at the heart level of Guru [which may be visualised] as yellow or red lump. At that heart level even if it is [visualised as a] lump, try to get picture of letter OM over there. Third [object of concentration] will be that little pebble or sphere down there. Then you have to rotate [your object of concentration]. This is normally different than usual. Normally you are taught to concentrate on one [object] and try to forget everything else, just concentrate on one. Here you have to rotate. You concentrate on that little sphere and the moment you lose focus on that, focus on the third eye of the Tara in front of you and when you lose focus on that you focus on the OM at the Lama’s heart. Then when you lose that, go around, backward forward. There is no order, just keep on rotating.

0:10:31.1 During that period, even if you have pain on the leg or if your eyes are burning or even shedding tears or whatever it is, try to hold it till you lose the body posture. The body posture is very important. Keeping it really tight is important. In the sutra path, the body can be very relaxed, it doesn’t matter as long as you don’t lie down. But for Vajrayana here, because this is a different technique the body posture is very important here. It is important not to touch [the body], eyes or wherever so try to avoid completely touching and scratching. Then if you are able to gain a little control of staying [focused] and may be able to stay [focused] longer than normal for each one of them, it is recommended not to. Don’t sit more than the period of saying seven, eight or not more than 10 Om Mani Padme Hum. So around 7 seconds. You keep [focus] for each one [for around 7 seconds and] then try to change [your focus.].

0:12:44.9 Vajrayana will teach you differently than [other traditions.] You are to change the focusing points after 7 seconds. To hold for 7 seconds is also very difficult for the new ones. I don’t think they can hold for that long. For this, 7 seconds is long and when losing focus change to the other one and if lose again change to another one. If you lose focus after half a second, it doesn’t matter. But when you get used to it, it is recommended to not to spend more than 7 seconds because if you begin to get stable and enjoy staying there, people take that as relaxing and great but this particular technique will not lead you to that. If you are looking for meditation for relaxation better not use [this method]. Use the usual one. Keep on sitting on it. That’s fine.

0:14:12.1 When you keep on rotating this, you got White Tara right? And then if you can you can [visualise] light radiating from that Tara and then you can visualise more of white shell like what we did yesterday. Now this is colour therapy, ha ha ha. The West calls this colour therapy, I believe. This is only the body and mind part of it then we add up mantra on top. Now you begin to know why we say OM Tare Tuttare ture soha, why we are saying that, we begin to know, otherwise all combined together, that’s what you are doing. Then think White Tara in the house or the roof in that shell is completely white. So Tara is white and shell is white. We do have a system in Tibet, very elaborate where some people will paint everything white and put the person in white room too. Then from white you change to yellow, yellow to red, red to blue, green and liver colour which are the colours that I introduced yesterday. Ha Ha Ha people are very happy using the liver colour.

0:16:27.1 Audience: ……( about the shells)

Rimpoche: Temporarily you can forget about them, each one of them. They are there but you don’t dissolve them, just temporarily forget about them because remember, this is mind, so is not real. You can’t say it is mind, that sounds bad. It is visualisation, ok?

Audience: …

Rimpoche: If you can they are there, all of them. Then you switch back and forth and whatever you want to see around everything is the same colour. When you are fed up with white, go to yellow, when you are fed up with yellow go to red, that’s what it is.

Audience:…..

Rimpoche: The roof and everything all of them are the same colour. Tara will also change from white to yellow etc [correspondingly], everything thing changes.

0:17:41.9 Audience: Are we generated in the form of Tara?

Rimpoche: You are. From the beginning we mentioned that.

Audience: Are you saying it is 3 dimensional, keeps going out of your body, legs and then flowers all that ……

Rimpoche: And the top and the bottom. That is 3 dimensional.

Audience: Are the other shells still the same colour?

Rimpoche: I don’t think you can catch it with your eyes and in your visualisation. Naturally they are there so what you actually doing is you are switching back and forth. That’s what you do. Actually I might have forgotten [to mention] yesterday that each one of those shells is always not blocking. It is completely open. So whatever you want send from inside to outside it is not blocked. But anything coming from outside in is totally blocked unless it opens from the inside.

Audience: …

Rimpoche: When you dissolve yourself into the body you can leave anything outside that like in case you have cemeteries etc, just the cemeteries come through the protection realm without any difficulty and dissolves to you. But always keep protection realm there.

0:20:04.9 So that’s what you do. Concentrate on that and try to let the mind remain completely relaxed. Don’t have to hold the [mind] too tight or don’t have to [tell yourself] yes now there is white, yes now there is white. You don’t need all these acknowledgements. Just be in relax manner and then that’s that. Don’t even have to acknowledge. Maybe this much is enough. If I give more, it will be more complicated.

0:20:59.6 Then if you can manage, say the mantra together. When you say mantra say if you are saying about 100, at the beginning number of times, at about 7, 8, 9 or 10 but not more than 21, you are reading the mantra mala, if you have one, and if you don’t have it, it doesn’t matter. Then focus on that concentration and let the mantra automatically follow from your mouth effortlessly. Just let it go. After you have learnt the corresponding of mantra and the mala , it will automatically go from the mouth without having to putting any efforts. Also there are lots of systems and certain system will say you are supposed to count the mantra on this [ring] finger. That is not easy at all to count using the ring finger. You know why [ring finger]? The ring finger is out of the five activities, this is four, peaceful, prosperity and power. So it should be able to develop power to be able to connect with the deity. That’s the power finger. But that is very hard, nobody does that. So that’s why you see some people doing between the three fingers like that, some people do on this [finger] and on that [finger]. If you are doing long retreat, it is recommended do about 100 or so on [the ring finger] and then go about wherever you do.

Audience: …..

0:23:32.3 Rimpoche: The reason is this is the power finger. There are more [reasons] than that like nadis and energy channels and all these. Let’s not go there. I think that should be enough.

Audience: ….( You had said about changing the focus between the Om in the Buddha’s heart and then Tara the third eye and the drop on the ground, then you describe all the shells)

Rimpoche: Everything.

Audience: I understand that but you said stay for 7 seconds here , here and here and keep changing and then you described changing the colour of the shells. Is changing the colour [of the shells] another change of focus or are we doing both simultaneously.

Rimpoche: You feel the colours are there and you are still concentrating on the same things, still doing the same thing but have different atmosphere. Atmosphere of the yellowness, atmosphere of the whiteness. Thank you. It is a good question.

Audience: I am trying to get the picture, do I stay with it until I get it or do I just skip it about 7 seconds and then …

Rimpoche: For beginning level I would recommend I will say it is there. If you put lots of efforts to try to get it then you won’t get it. Then you try to get there, it’s not there. And then you have to search for it. So sort of be there, be there for a while. It could be obstacle but it is ok. You can get it back easier.

Audience: …….

Audience: ….( on the atmostphere) ….

0:25:40.5 Rimpoche: it is like changing the bulb, yellow bulb, red bulb or green bulb

Audience: Is there a limit as to how much time you should do this whole mediation at first

Rimpoche: You can do however long you want to, half an hour, 45 minutes, one hour. If you really want to develop shamata, then you should really do the majority of the time. If really want [to develop], then it is recommended to focus on that even during the eating period, talking period and even during the sleeping period. And then it [will really develop] like within three to four months’ period. Supposed to be.

I was talking [about that] to Lati Rimpoche the other day in Chicago. He said, “that will never work.” I said “why not?” He said people will never do it. Ha Ha ha ha. I had told Lati Rimpoche that somebody in Seattle had this one year shamata retreat. They brought somebody from Daramsala. I don’t even know who that guy is. I asked Lati Rimpoche if he knew that guy, he said “yes, I saw him a number of time.” “Who is he?” “He is not a person who had teaching from Kyabje Ling Rimpoche or Trijiang Rimpoche but he had taken lots of teachings from His Holiness”. “And so what about that? Will that shamata really develop within one year?” He said, no way. Then I said but in our normal teaching Kyabje Rimpoche and all said it [can develop within] three months. We have seen people who did that in three months. He said, “No no it doesn’t work here.” I asked why? “People won’t do it.” Ha ha ha. Lati Rimpoche was quite straightforward. He said,” People won’t do it.”

Audience….

0:27:44.5 Rimpoche: [Have to be done] constantly but you have to break during sunrise, noon, sunset and mid night. These are the four periods you have to break. You really have to break. These are the four periods where the samadhi is destroyed. It has something to do with astrological business. I do not know, some planets movement, that’s the problem, they say. These are the four periods you avoid.

Audience: I understand that you use White Tara as an example here because we had done that meditation yesterday.

Rimpoche: Yes.

Audience: Is one of the criteria for choosing …..

Rimpoche: It doesn’t matter whatever you like. But it is not recommended to choose Yamantaka type of thing because that has too many hands, too many figures, too many heads so will be too difficult to figure out. Just recommended something simple, easy.

Audience: ..

Rimpoche: Goes on changing yellow, red and accordingly

Audience:

Audience:

Audience: If you are doing this to really develop that full time, could you stop to do other practice?

Rimpoche: No. Commitment is commitment. No matter whatever you do, you can’t break your commitment. Have to do it.

Audience: Do something else then come back.

Audience: ….

Audience: …. About breaking during sunset and sunrise…..

0:30:10.6 Rimpoche: I shared that information with you but don’t try to do it because you have the tendency. You do it a little bit but don’t do it like 24 hour business. You do it, it is fine, it is meant to be done but don’t try to do for 24 hours continuously. Ok? You have that tendency to do that. Don’t do it.

Audience: ….

Rimpoche: There are five different buddha’s colours and they also interlink and connect with your five skandas and your physical structures and all sorts of things.

Audience: ….. when you lose concentration …

Rimpoche: You try to avoid when you are doing this [meditation]. Try to avoid outside activities. If you are in room, lock it. Don’t let yourself hear the telephone ringing. Lock the room and don’t let anybody walk round. Don’t let Jessica call you Mom. Ha ha ha. Don’t let the telephone ring.

Audience: …. Start crying

0:32:18.3 Rimpoche: Keep on crying for a while. Let it go on for a while. What’s wrong. Touching won’t help, let it drip for a little while and if you lose your body posture, it is time to stop then you start again. Remember I used to say, in one sitting you may start 300 times. When you have to relaxed and move everything then you have to touch it. That means you have to stop then you start again. You may still be sitting but in reality you are starting again.

Audience: … ( something about not Vajrayana and doing Tara meditation )

Rimpoche: [Visualise Tara ] in front only. Do not visualise yourself in the form of deity.

Audience: ……

Rimpoche: If you visualise your body in the form of Tara, I get the downfall because I show you this technique and then I get the downfall. You get nothing probably.

Audience:…..

Audience:….

Rimpoche: In reality none of us are Tara yet.

0:34:26.1 Audience: If you have Tara blessing initiation can you project yourself in Tara form?

Rimpoche: If one has the short empowerment or the short blessing which they called initiation, I don’t think it is authorised to do that. It has to be a proper full initiation normally in the Vajrayana system. For initiations where you have sit there for 45 minutes or 1 hour or 2 hours and where they ring a little bell, have something hit on head and [give you some] water to drink, that probably doesn’t become [a full initiation which has the four initiations, vase initiation, secret initiation, wisdom and word initiation. Kriya and Charya tantras have the water and crown initiation. Above the yoga tantra, they have the four initiations, [vase, secret, wisdom, word]

0:36:34.1 Audience: People are asking about the pictures of your teachers that are behind you. I was asked to difference between the junior and senior tutors of the Dalai Lama and what your relationship with them and what did you learn from them

Rimpoche: What did I learn from them?

Audience: I was asked whether you have a personal relationship with them. Were they your personal teachers, … group of monks, in other word, can you say something about Ling Rimpoche and Trijiang Rimpoche and what your connection with them was.

Rimpoche: The bigger picture here is His Holiness Kyabje Ling Rimpoche. And the smaller picture is His Holiness Kyabje Trijiang Rimpoche. I had been very fortunate to be able to have a very close relationship with both of them. When I first join the Monastery in Drepung, we had those [enthronement] ceremonies where they picked up the little kid and put on the throne and gave scarves. All these monks, a couple of thousands of them particularly those from Nyare Khamtsen and Loseling and others came, gave scarves, put on throne and do all these. Almost all the other different Lamas, their representatives, many of them were there mainly because of my father’s personal relationship with all these different lamas. That’s why they sent their representatives. We had representatives from Karmapas, Sakyapas and Drukungpas. All of them came and then what surprised me was that both the managers of Ling Rimpoche and Trijiang Rimpoche were there. Normally they didn’t have the managers come because they would send somebody else. Ling Rimpoche’s manager who is still alive in Dharamsala told me, “ You know I come here not only because of the relationship with your father’s Labrang.“

My father was also very well-known incarnate Lama, one of the highest incarnate Lama in Tibet. He had been regent of Tibet for a number of years, number of lives, three times running almost like 20 years. Then we had a civil war against Tibet government and all these funny things. We had war with Tibet government for ten years.

0:40:21.5 The manager said he was there also because of Kyabje Ling Rimpoche’s relationship with my previous incarnation, that was Tashi Ngamgyal so Kyabje Ling Rimpoche told him to be personally there and gave me personal gifts and things like that. Normally when they gave gifts, they would line up and [announced] “here are 10 rolls of brocade etc”. They have some very funny system. They would say 5 bundles of gold and 10 bundles of silver which though actually were there but they did give them to you. They would just pay some money and provided that and then they would write that down. They did all the time, We had a funny system. Besides that there were some personal gifts.

I really didn’t know much and later Kyabje Ling Rimpoche told me, “ You remember blah blah?” I was a little kid so I don’t remember anything. Anyway when Kyabje Ling Rimpoche became the Junior Abbot of Gyuto, my previous [incarnation] was the Senior Abbot of Gyuto. So they had been together. Then later before Kyabje Ling Rimpoche died he told me, “you”, sometimes Kyabje Ling Rimpoche would say “you”, and sometimes he would say “ your predecessor.” He said “ You used to sit on the throne with a bang as though everything had fallen down.” Kyabje Ling Rimpoche was the Junior then and he said he was scared because my predecessor would be scolding all the time. So Kyabje Ling Rimpoche won’t say anything.

When he was Tantric Abbot there was some old throne in the central temple of Lhasa. They had to use the throne all the time so they had to drag that. They can’t lift it as it was very heavy. So the throne was tied together with the table with piece of leather all the time so that if one is moved the table would also move. As Tantric Abbot they had to put all these ritual implements on the table for him. Kyabje Ling Rimpoche told me, "you won’t sit nicely, you would just bounce yourself and naturally everything will shake.” And when that shook, two monks would have to come and hold on to that. He said even though it was you who bounced and cause things to shake and when [things ] dropped, you would hit [ the monk] across the face, bhang. Ha ha ha ha.

Kyabje Ling Rimpoche said though he was his Junior Abbot he did not dare to say anything, he would probably hit him the next, ha ha ha.

0:43:22.2 The two Abbots had to stay on the upper floor of the Upper Tantric College where there were quarters. Kyabje Ling Rimpoche said if you make any noise in the head quarter, he would jump, come out and start scolding straightaway no matter whoever it was. He would start shouting at top of his voice. So one day Kyabje Ling Rimpoche made momo in his own house. Kyabje Rimpoche Ling used to be so scared to make momo in his official quarter because they had to chop the meat to make the momo and there would be noise when the meat were being chopped. You could not buy the hamburger meat there. You have to chop up the meat. When the meat were chopped my predecessor would start scolding them for making noise. So then they had to make momo in Kyabje Ling Rimopoche’s own house and then bring them over for him.

One of Kyabje Rimpoche’s servants whom I know, this guy with a long beard, brought over the cooked momo on top on his shoulder. There were steps and when he walked over there he hit something there and all the momo fell. And the noise from that, not from the momo falling but the noise from the pots falling, three or four of them all fell going bang bang bang all over the place. Tashi Ngamgyal was [at that time] eating some kind of pa. He jumped out of the pa eating with all his fingers were full of pa and started coming out [to where the noise was from]. Kyabje Ling Rimpoche came out to look for the momo and when he saw the Abbot coming from the other side he said he ran away back to his house and kept quiet. Kyabje Ling Rimpoche said however my predecessor didn’t scold, but said “ Oh sorry you drop the momo, pick up quickly and clean it up then offer to Kyabje Rimpoche, don’t offer dirty ones.” That’s all he said and went off. Kyabje Rimpoche really liked [that my predecessor did not scold then]. He might have told me about this 30 times. Ha ha ha. “He did not scold”. Ha ha ha.

So whatever the reason might be, Kyabje Ling Rimpoche was very very kind to me. Very kind to me. And personally.

0:46:22.9 As far as teaching is concerned, at the beginning when I became a monk, the regent was Taktra Rimpoche who was regent after Reting. Taktra Rimpoche was the first person from whom I took the novice vows and also the monk’s vows, the pre novice vows, not Bikshu vows. Nowadays nobody knows about that and they pay no attention. Actually when you take pre monk vows you just shave your head, cut little hair here, put with the rice and say something.

My previous incarnation had the war with Tibet government and then we lost the war. Tibet government declared that the Tingeling’s reincarnation cannot be recognised. Then my father born as the nephew of 13 Dalai Lama so the Tibet government changed their policy saying that due to the service of the precious Demos we will allow you to recognise the reincarnation. Anyway due to that, that is the problem there. Two Trijiang Rimpoches came up, one claimed to be somebody else a Trijiang Rimpoche and this one. So people weren’t very sure which one was which. Both of them had they had a lot of relationship before so both of them they sort of pull together and stayed for about from 7 to 11 years. Both passed their Geshe degrees and both were students of Pabongka and then they separated. The first time when I saw Kyabje Trijiang, Kyabje Trijiang Rimpoche always used to say, “whatever you need, I am there to do this and that.” Even in India after becoming a refugee there, Kyabje Trijiang Rimpoche told me three times, “if you need somebody who represents your father or somebody to protect you, that’s me. You have to come to me.” He told me three times. So we had that sort of very close personal relationship.

Each one of them would allow me see them whether they were in bed, in retreat or whatever. They were very very kind. The Senior and Junior business were not [categorised] by age. The Dalai Lama always have two tutors. The first senior tutor was Reting, the Regent and Taktra Regent was Junior tutor. When Reting resigned Taktra Rimpoche became the Regent of Tibet as well as the Senior tutor to His Holiness Dalai Lama and Kyabje Ling Rimpoche because the Junior tutor. Later when Taktra Rimpoche resigned Kyabje Ling Rimpoche became Senior Tutor and Kyabje Trijiang Rimpoche became Junior Tutor. That was how senior and junior work. Otherwise age wise, Kyabje Trijiang Rimpoche was senior to Kyabje Ling Rimpoche by two years.

0:50:30.7 Audience: …… idea of being reborn in lower realm,

0:51:02.3 Rimpoche: Ya. Some people said our consciousness is human consciousness. Human consciousness goes higher and higher all the time and not go lower. So if you die you cease to be human being. I don’t have any problem that the human consciousness is definitely higher consciousness than that of the animals and even spirits’. We do some times respect [the spirits] a lot and think spirits are very good. To tell you the truth the spirit are lower than human beings. Human consciousness is very high consciousness. Almost all the spirits, whether it is protector or whatever it is, unless it is non samsaric, then that’s different, otherwise they fall in category of hungry ghost. Unless they are enlightened, highly developed non samsaric [beings] then that’s different. Otherwise it totally falls in category of hungry ghost. It is lower than human beings, not higher. That’s why I even mentioned earlier, some non virtuous if you don’t completely purify, you will take rebirth in the lower realm but you don’t suffer. Then I mentioned hungry ghost. That is the reason behind why I mentioned hungry ghost.

0:53:19.8 So if you put in constant effort then anything which you think you cannot do can also be done. Did you hear that? So if you put in constant effort, when you die you can take better rebirth or at least the human being continues . And if you don’t when you die you will no longer be human being, you cease to be human being. Then your consciousness can fall in any flying consciousness which can definitely take rebirth in the lower realm. There is no question about that. Today’s human being, nice, beautiful, handsome, wonderful looking, clean, proud, can be tomorrow a dirty, filthy, living in swamp, a pig or a cockroach. That is definitely absolutely possible. That is the principle of samsara. This is circle of existence. Why they call it circle, because it is continuation. If you do it well, work hard and put efforts, today’s old, terrible looking, broken leg, eyes not seeing, ears not hearing, cannot hear, cannot speak, cannot smell and terrible looking can also change in the evening to a young, youthful and beautiful samsaric god. That is also very much possible.

0:55:47.7 Longdo Lama used to say that all the time. ( Tibetan) On the morning of the day Longdo Lama died, they asked him, “ What are you doing Rimpoche today?” He said ”Oh my this old broken, terrible, horrible and smelly body and now I am changing to youthful and young goddess in the evening. I had mentioned Longdo Lama to you a number of times. Longdo Lama came in the 1700 during the 7th Dalai Lama’s period. He had been teaching, making lots of efforts and praying all the time. Then Longdo Lama asked Panchen Rimpoche, the Panchen Lama at that time to do a mo, a divination whether his wish could be fulfilled or not. He sent a gift. He was so old, can’t move and sent somebody to see Panchen Lama and asked whether his wish could be fulfilled. And Panchen Rimpoche said what else could there be that Longdo Lama could not have his wishes fulfilled. Panchen Rimpoche picked up his dice and [checked] three times, “I didn’t realise such an old monk has so much desire,” and he said “ well if he continue to do this and this and more probably he will fulfil his wishes.” People got shock at what Panchen Lama said. “What is he saying? What does Longdo Lama want? “ Longdo Lama was totally living like just a simple poor monk. Everything that [was given] to him, offerings, everything, he used to make offerings. So many pure gold butter lamp offerings in front of central temple of Lhasa were made by Longdo Lama. I think about 6 or 7 of them. Longdo Lama did not earn anything. Anything that came as gifts, he would [use those to] make offerings here and there. However Panchen Rimpoche still recommended that he make two more golden lamps [offerings] and all these sort of things. Then somebody asked Panchen Rimpoche “What happened?” Panchen Rimpoche said he want to become King of Shambala. Panchen Rimpoche got a shock, “Such a simple monk has so much desire. But he will make it, he will definitely make it.” He wanted to be King of Shambala. I hope that answers whoever asked the question.

Audience: Yes

0:59:15.7 Audience : You have a stronger aversion to say certain kind of insect or creature.

Rimpoche: The reason why I have a strong aversion to say certain kind of insect or creature because it affects certain individuals more. I could have made soft but I purposedly made it stronger, terrible looking, full of smell, dirt, people chasing you around with Black Flag spray. I purposely do this [for you ] to feel and if you can feel it, then the dharma becomes action. If you cannot feel it, if you leave dharma over there and your feeling here, then somebody can ride a horse between you, the individual and dharma. Then it becomes equals to Johnny Carson show, rather than becomes dharma.

1:00:39.5 Audience: I thought about this and some creatures that I really hate, really do, just thinking about it makes my skin crawl and I don’t want to feel this way. I don’t want learn to appreciate it by having to be one in another life. ( Laughter)

Rimpoche: That’s very good.

Audience: So how do I possibly overcome the aversion to it in this life.

Rimpoche: Great. Then you work hard, create the cause which will not become that one and any causes you think may create it, you may think if you have within you, you purify. That’s what you do. Besides that to hate certain creature, hate itself could be, could cause to become one of them. Could be. I am glad it makes you feel. If you feel it that’s good. If you don’t feel it, then it is not good. As long as you feel that’s great. That’s how it goes. So if you don’t want the misery, the problem and suffering, avoid the cause and create cause of harmony, pleasure, joyful and blissful. That’s in our hand. That’s the reason why we say this human life is precious. If you are that creature already, then you have to go through with that. There is no way you can avoid. Today is never too late, it is not late and is never too late to do anything. So it is very nice to feel that way. That’s why I use those creatures to feel it and it is working. I am happy.

1:03:19.2 Audience: Rimpoche I have question. Yesterday in the practice we did not dissolve the field of merit of Tara or Avalokitesvara. And I am wondering in the daily practice if that’s …

Rimpoche: You mean yesterday or day before yesterday.

Audience: I think yesterday. We did at the end of the day.

Rimpoche: The first day of the year.

Audience: I am wondering in the daily practice, what is happening when you are not dissolving. Is it something to be done in daily practice or ..

Rimpoche: Dissolving what?

Audience: Field of merit.

Rimpoche: Daily you are supposed to dissolve the field of merit. You are supposed to and on the day of the purification, we left that purposedly to be able to sleep on the lap of the field of merit. Remember to use that as a sleeping yoga, yoga of sleeping. To use that we purposedly left that and in the morning I hope you have done three prostrations thanking it and that’s what it is. The Tara practice, this protection realm is a New Year’s gift. Didn’t you hear that before, ha ha ha ha. I am just joking. Normally the protection realm you don’t dissolve. You can but you don’t have to dissolve. Somebody raise the question and I said the cemeteries and everything can come across the protection realm. You normally keep the protection realm. When you become sadhana practitioners then probably you will be using that sort of sleeping yoga almost all the time.

1:05:32.3 Whether you dissolve or not dissolve, the most important point is, your consciousness becomes inseparable that of Lama Buddha Vajradhara. Lama Buddha Vajradhara and your mind become inseparable and that is very important. It is one of the major practices. It will be introduced later in Vajrayana. One’s consciousness becomes inseparable than that of Lama Buddha Vajradhara’s. And when you become enlightened when you become Sambogakaya all your retinue will be pure retinue, all your lands will be pure lands, so all males will be like Avalokitesvara and all females will be like Tara and all these. These become possible because your own consciousness and the consciousness of the Lama Buddha Vajradhara become inseparable. That way it will work. So the dissolving you should do but it is not that absolutely important. [This inseparability] is one of the awareness [we need]. At the beginning you may be aware of I am walking, I am living, I am eating, I am doing this, I am doing that. But ultimately you will not lose awareness of the inseparable. There are a lot of additions on that but I don’t think it is appropriate to mention here.

1:07:55.8 If you read the Thurman’s translation of Virmalakirti somewhere they said Shariputra or somebody had asked the Buddha, “ Every Buddha has a pure land but our Buddha has suffering land, what is this?” Then the Buddha said, “do you really want to see my pure land?” and he put his toe down and Shariputra saw everything as pure land and pure. The cause of those things are the awareness of your own consciousness inseparable. That’s the real cause.

So the dissolving as part of the ritual, yes. If you don’t do it, it might not be completing it but as a part of practice of awareness, it should be there all the time so dissolve or not dissolve that is [not important], that’s why we dissolve at your heart level. Don’t we say,

O glorious and precious root guru,

come take your lotus and moon seat at my heart

and keep me safe in your great kindness

Remain steadfast until I achieve buddhahood

That’s the reason why.

1:09:23.2 Audience: I have a question on Precious human life, gained but once. Why once?

Rimpoche: We had Blue moon day before yesterday. We don’t get all the time. Ok?

Audience: …….

1:10:44.8 Rimpoche: I am glad you raise this question. I think it concerns everybody and my concern too. I think that a lot. We had a nice, I hope almost like a week here and then what will happen thereafter to all the friends when they go [back to] their world. That’s my concern too. I watch a lot of television, I love television. And I notice I am making a mistake, a big mistake. That’s not watching the television but I get into there, I get inside the television and I become part of it. That’s my mistake. Especially if it is some kind of movie with a little of violence, little bit of sex, a little bit of corruption here and there, I get into there. But if I watch Johnny Carson I don’t become Johnny Carson at all. So I enjoy that. At the same time, I don’t enjoy watching Johnny Carson too because I can’t become it. But I believe it is the right way to watch it.

When you do the practice, you become that and let there be no gap between you and the practice but when you observe the world, let there be somebody who can ride the horse and run between you and [whatever you are observing]. You know what I mean? But on the other hand, we should all pray. That’s all we can do, at least I can do, I am not American citizen. So I can pray that Bush and Bagel will not go crazy and start some crazy thing. That we should do. That’s what we dedicate our vows and everything for the peace in the world, remember? Even our small puja tomorrow will also be dedicated for the peace in the world. Last year there was no so much urgency because anything can go wrong in this situation. Somebody else with no order, can make some mistakes somewhere and can spark [something] . Anything can go wrong. So we should really put lots of efforts and energy together at least to have safe environment where we can breathe for a couple of more years easily. I don’t think we are ready to die yet. That’s what I have been doing, every protector prayers and every evening I try to make this Tushimo offering, saying for god’s sake, don’t start a war. Ha ha ha. Not only so many people will die there but everywhere there is going to be trouble.

Well since there are not so many questions I am lucky today.

1:15:51.2 Audience: I have question. We were offering prayers to tara for a long life and good luck.

Rimpoche: I beg your pardon. We did not offer prayers to Tara for long life and good luck. We practice the Tara practice to be able to build that.

Audience: During the practice for that, I would like to hear more of about the luck particularly how that relates to lucky karma.

Rimpoche: Lucky karma and luck are very much related. However all the lucky karmas are luck but all lucks are not lucky karma. Let me put it that way. All lucky karma are luck and all luck are not lucky karma. For example, if you don’t have good luck, you are not going to develop bodhimind at all. In order to develop bodhimind, you need tremendous luck and that is why wherever you see generating bodhimind, you always see one verse where we rejoice in the activities of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Everywhere you look, [you will find] I take refuge in Buddha Dharma and sangha, I rejoice… it is always there. That is the indication. I purify all my non virtuous, I rejoice all the great activities, [ these are ] constantly there to build luck. We all do need the luck.

In other word there is no unlucky Bodhisattva, there is unlucky Buddha. If you want become a Buddha or Bodhisattva, you have to be lucky. That’s number 1. Number 2, as far as lucky karma is concerned there are also common karma and individual karma and collective luck, common luck and individual luck. If we are lucky, if we have the common luck, good one, or collective luck, good one, we can avoid the war. If you are unlucky, collective wise, the players or actors in [this situation], may be the George Bush, Saddam Hussein and James Baker and so and forth but what will happen is they play on the collective karma of all the human beings in this planet, particularly those in the Middle East. So if our collective luck is good and strong, we may be able to avoid or even if you cannot avoid, there might not be that much damage. If your collective luck is low, then we have had it. That what it is. That’s why we say, may my life, luck be increased Soha. We say that, remember? And we dedicated it for world peace , remember?

1:19:45.9 Audience: …

Rimpoche: Condition we play, collective karma, the members of this universe have a collective karma which will destroy the universe and which will also maintain the universe, both are there. Both are very strong are there. That’s why every time we have the swinging back and forth and swinging back and forth, looks like peace, looks like war, looks like peace. These karmic [forces] are going like this, this is collective karma, for sure. What will materialise and what will not materialise depend on the conditions. The collective luck will provide or avoid the conditions to ripen either negative or positive karma. As simple as that. There is no mystery about it.

Audience: ……

Rimpoche: You can’t address the conditions, you can provide or you can avoid. And I think in this case, looks to me it only depends on luck. If we are lucky enough, people wake up then we are safe. If we are not lucky enough and people keep on still getting drunk then we are in trouble.

Audience: Can our individual consciousness create luck and contribute to the collective …

Rimpoche: Contributes to the collective karma and collectively function and collectively suffer because if it is enjoy, the whole members of this universe will enjoy and if it is suffer, the whole universe will suffer.

Don’t think each individual will make no difference. Each one of us will make difference especially you people will make more difference.

Audience: The way you explain the example about collective luck, it seems to me that that’s the same thing, you could have said collective karma.

Rimpoche: Collective good karma, I could have said that too. Luck is American language.

Audience: I wonder because it started out was the cause and there was a difference between luck and lucky karma

Rimpoche: Lucky karma is different. When she was asking about lucky karma, lucky karma is karma which will make you take rebirth within the samsara but very good rebirth. Makes you to be reborn as son of Rockerfella, heir of Rockerfella or whatever. If you are too late it may not be that great. There are so many. Did you hear me? There will be a lot of Rockerfella sons so that may not be too good. Ha ha ha.

Audience: …. (On destiny)

Rimpoche: What do you mean destiny. There is. You can become a Buddha, you can become Arahat, you can become Bodhisattva.

Audience: …..

Rimpoche: I don’t think there is something called fixed. If there is something called fixed, it has to be permanent. If there is permanence, I don’t think there will be change. So we can see that this world is impermanent. We can see today and it will continuously be. Even if it changes, it will remain impermanent. I am quite sure about that.

Audience: …… (on destiny)

Rimpoche: Oh yes. We do have that. You want to know what that is? After birth, the destiny of birth is death. Destiny of youth is old age, destiny of civilisation or development is big balloon, destiny of up is down and destiny of down is up likewise. That’s why it is samsara, ok? Really, that’s why it is samsara. Accumulation is exhaustive, we collect and collect then you finish, end of accumulation. And friendship, separation, company, separation. That’s is sad part of this whole thing. The destiny makes the sad part of it. That’s why Buddha said it is all suffering, no matter whatever you do. There the Buddhist suffering comes in.

1:27:12.2 Audience: I was wondering why the pictures have scarves

Rimpoche: That is the cultural garbage. Ha ha ha. True. Buddhism came from Indian. Earlier the Indian way of showing respect or welcoming, they will place flower garlands like how the Hawaiians do. When Buddhism came to Tibet, there were not so many flowers as it is cold and dry, not like Michigan. Michigan is not dry. Tibet is very dry so there are not so many flowers there. So they changed to using scarves. That is the culture. I think the Chinese might have introduced that. I am not even sure whether it is Chinese culture, Tibetan culture or Mongolian culture. But from one of them. The flower garland culture came from the Indian culture but who that changed into scarves? I don’t know. Chinese or Mongolians or Tibetan, I don’t know.

1:29:13.1 Audience: ……( about trees and rocks)

Rimpoche: I admire trees and rocks too. Very definitely I do. It’s not particularly I admire old trees but I like this big Oak tree. I really like it. The trees are life, you normally say that. I can’t say trees not in live. We always say, the tree died and tree living all this and that. But I do not know whether every tree has consciousness or not. Certain trees definitely have consciousness. Every tree I do not know whether it has consciousness or not. But it definitely has very strong relation with the inhabitants of the particular universe. Because the universe, its basis and inhabitants and environment there is a very very strong relationship. When the universe destroys, the inhabitants will be destroyed by destroying the environment. The environment includes all these elements that is earth, water, fire, tree and even iron. I do not know why iron is needed there and that is how it is connected. Inhabitants will only be destroyed by environment. As we die because our body has become unserviceable, so when the whole universe becomes unserviceable to the inhabitants that will become end of that particular universe. There is a very strong relationship, very very strong. Not only strong relationship, we depend on each other. If there are inhabitants the environment can easily be repaired or kept. And when there is no inhabitants, it is very difficult to build environment also. So as if there is not environment, inhabitants cannot survive. It all depends. There is dependent relationship. Dependently existing. Our existence depends on that. You know that, I don’t have to tell you that. Even the normal Western education will tell you that.

Audience: I can’t that consciousness sleeps in the trees and rocks. It’s sleeping consciousness , it is not just plain unconsciousness.

Rimpoche: I don’t know. I just want to joke when you said the consciousness sleeps on the rocks and trees. We have to make sure when you go sleep you will be in there, ha ha ha. That reminds me of a very funny thing. In our family, we have a very very powerful protector called Tsimara. Originally came from the Nyingma tradition, a very powerful protector. It is my family protector. What happened is when the Chinese came to Lhasa and they gradually started occupying the bigger houses, saying, can we rent the large houses and this and that. So one complete unit of the big Chinese military unit moved into our house. I was told later there was this fella whose rank was colonel that he used to occupy our ( continues in the next recording)