Archive Result

Soundfile 19920116GRJHNLWYSTB

Speaker Gelek Rimpoche

Location Netherlands

Topic

Transcriber Roger Johnson

Date October 20, 2023

(Audio has Dutch translation along with Rimpoche’s English)

It was late from (inaudible) sorry.

And, um, I was told the topic tonight is, what did you way, when your heart stops beating, then what happens? (Laughter)

What happens, then? Maybe the rigor mortis will take place. Or maybe they take you to cemeteries. Or maybe they take you, maybe they burn you.

Or maybe they give you sky burial, or whatever it is.

Which one you like?

When the heart stops beat(ing) then the heart stops beat, right? (laughs).

Okay, now, the question arises and then what happens, really? I think…what happens? Then the different viewpoints come up, like if you are Buddhist, from the Buddhist point of view we do - we talk about reincarnation. And if you’re, I think different people give you all sorts of different ideas. Thereafter what happens anyway?

Since my background is Buddhist background so let me pick up from there. So, from the Buddhist point of view and um why the heart stops beating and what happens thereafter. All of them depends on each individual’s own karma. And um how many of you know the word “karma?” Raise hand if you know. Okay, well most of you know karma. Maybe it is because it is a romantic word. I don’t know whatever the reason is but seems to be knowing a lot. (laughs).

0:03:51.0

But also tell you that karma meaning it is um cause and effect, nothing more than that. Nothing mysterious about it, it is cause and effect. And what is the cause? Who makes the cause? And how does the effect take place to the individual? I think it is all a question about, that is the whole question anyway.

So, who creates the cause and who experiences the result? So since I’m talking from the Buddhist point of view so no one else created cause other than our self, no one else will experience other than our self. So, one of the earlier Indian um scholar and saint called Nagarjuna said (quotes in other language). So your own um, who leads you yourself? No one else can lead you. So which in other words what they’re telling you is that you are your own responsibility, totally. Why they saying that? ON the basis of the karma. On the principle of the karma. You are responsible to yourself. No one else can lead you or neither no one can make you fall down.

0:06:23.7

So it is important to get that message straight. In other words, that message is telling you you are your own or you’re free what you want to do, or they are also telling you it is your own problem. You can solve but nobody else. Excuse me, I don’t see everybody. Let me get up…

So, that rises importantness that you have to take care, rather we have to take care of ourself, and I have to take care of myself. That is the main point. You cannot depend on anybody else. So when you take care of yourself what does that mean? It doesn’t mean that you can look after yourself seeing that you get up yourself, and cook yourself and go to bed by yourself. I don’t think they are talking about that.

They’re talking about it, you have to take care of yourself from the karmic point of view. So meaning, the negative karma will give you a negative result, and the positive karma will give you a positive result. And if you want to take care of yourself you take care of your negative and positive karma. So the question now arises how to take care of the negative and positive karma? And why I want to bring that up because of the subject what is said “What happens when your heart stops?” And the topic in it, and so I mean that was allotted topic, it is not I picked it up to talk but it is allotted topic. So the question arises I mean then what happens thereafter. To me it depends on those karmic results.

0:10:04.0

Now, how to take care of it. That is the main thing. How to take care of is main thing, and before you take care of the negative or positive karma, I think it is very important to recognize how are we creating negative karma and how are we creating a positive karma. That is an important point. I’m not interested to go into “what is negative karma? What does the doctrine say? What does the teaching say? What is positive karma? I’m not interested. Everybody knows that.

Everybody can know. It is almost all the major religions tell you the same thing whether it is Judeo Christian or Hindu Buddhism or whatever it is they almost tell you the same thing. But I like to go into the point “How does one create that karma?”

And uh what, I mean what is all about it? I don’t think it sort of happens to have a big factory to create good and bad karma but it is all totally each individual’s action which makes the difference. And that also not necessarily you know making a mind, you making decide I’m going to do these because I would like to create negative karma and I like to create positive karma. I don’ think that will also make much difference.

Why I said it, it is rather surprising word I said, but why I said. Because if you look carefully no one would really like to create negative karma. No one is planning to create karma. Everybody is planning to create positive karma if you believe in the karmic system. But what we do is we always create negative karma. You claim to create positive karma yet we create negative karma. Why? Lack of something. We are lack of something. What could that be? My answer for that is lack of awareness. Lack of awareness. We don’t aware of what we are doing, we don’t aware of what we are thinking. Most of our negative karmas are created because of lack of awareness.

0:14:13.6

We get angry, we get jealous. We get attachment, we are hooking. We get angry busted out. All of them a lack of awareness. I don’t think anybody plans to get angry. I don’t think anybody plans to get hooked in. I don’t think anybody plans to develop jealousy. But it comes in. So lack of awareness. So the awareness becomes the key issue on this. Buddhist traditions will tell you watch your mind, no not watch your mind, what do they say, watch

Audience: Watch

Rimpoche: Okay. Watch. Watch what?

So, you really have to watch your mind they said, right? So watch your mind does not necessarily mean um just notice what’s happening. I mean, sometimes it is, but for the karmic point of view it is not sort of you’re not there watching who is going where and what, who is going, not like the traffic policeman over there, seeing all this side is going that side and all this side is going that side. They sort of aware of it, even the traffic police is aware of it right? Somebody going the wrong direction they come down and give you ticket.

0:16:27.4

So the awareness is necessary because it created those negative karmas without awareness. Without knowing. How does that happen? Why this is happening? And that is the biggest question in our life. At least for me. So when somebody says something bad to you, you immediately get angry. When you see something rather nice you immediately develop – okay thank you – when somebody does something else you develop jealous. I – to me, it is certainly happens to, it certainly happens. Why? I believe it is our habit. So, certain habitual patterns that we have quite deeply engraved habit which becomes pattern in our life.

So we are automatically reacting. When somebody says boo to you we immediately say “fuck you.” I mean really. I’m sorry, did I use the wrong language? (Laughter). No, but really they do that. It doesn’t need to think about it, you replay. It doesn’t have to have a planning meeting and make a decision then come down and give you the message (laughing) it is automatically said.

0:19:18.5

And then if you see something, something which you like, something which is really attractive and your attractions immediately drawn , your attention is immediately drawn, and you sort of like it and then you want it and then the desire will grow without any planning, again.

So, and that is also uh our habit.

0:20:01.7

So, to me when we say “watch your mind” or “watch” you really have to pay attention on the habitual patterns. And that pattern is when we set up once and then effortlessly it is functioning. We talk in the Buddhist background effortlessly happening this effortlessly happening that I don’t see any other way of effortlessly happening unless it is engraved as your habitual pattern. So to me when you say dharma practice create positive karma, do something nice. Particularly for uh practice.

It is nothing but changing our ordinary um habitual patterns that we have. Right? I mean, that is, I am making it simple, simple little sentence. That is the key, at least, I mean at least that is definitely the key. I don’t think there is any other key for it. Unless and until you are able to habitually change our way the mind functioning all these mental faculties will not stop popping up, I hope it is clear. The mental faculties like anger, hatred, all of them are mental faculties. Did you get that picture at all? That is really true. Otherwise, all our mental faculties been automatically popping up. Anything happens, right, if you put the toast in the toaster when it pops up when it is toasted, right?

Just like that. Any other thing happening outside. A little different perception or perceiving whatever happens to you, feelings, whatever happens and all this different mental faculties popping up. And when this negative mental faculties pop up you could create negative karma straight away. So the positive faculties are difficult to pop up we have to put a lot of efforts in this in order to come up those things. Negative karma we don’t need to put efforts in, it automatically comes up. So it is because we are used to it it is our habit, the pattern is with us. So if you can change that you get tremendous profit and benefit.

And it is easy for me to say “change that” and it is easy for you to knock your head, just like people are doing right now. But it is very difficult when you have to do it. And we know how difficult it is. If you look in our little habits you will see how difficult to change it is. Right? If you have a habit of smoking like very heavy in Europe anyway. And change that is difficult. And so does alcohol. It is difficult, right? Not only that, even small little things like say when you get up in the morning, go into your work and you are probably sued to taking certain particular route which goes to your work. And if you have to change that one day take the next street and if somebody else tells you tomorrow morning would you please go to the other side and pick something from me or for me and you, by politeness or something you may say “yeah” but in your heart of heart “I have to get up early and do this and do that and it is so difficult for me” actually it is nothing you just change the street

0:27:13.9

So don’t we see that all the time? This is called “resistance.” Resistance is the sort of the friend/guard for your habitual patterns. You don’t want anybody getting nearby because of this resistance fill you up. So, the first thing what you have to break is you have to break the resistance. Once you are able to break the resistance then you may have a chance to change habitual patterns. Otherwise, forget it. And also when you try to break the resistance um it is also very difficult too, even that is difficult. Our mind is such a funny thing that gives you a hundred different why you should not. Whether it is valid or not valid reason that is out of, that is not the point. They will give you a hundred different reasons, whatever is suitable for our mind.

They give you the most sort of likeable reason to please our biggest boss inside. I mean it can be anything. Losing my freedom. I shouldn’t be doing it. Or all, anything you can think of it. So which means negative forces that within us is also not not a single little thing to twist around, it have a lot of protections around. People give you, you know if your are supposed to do something, if you want to do something, you are doing something there is no…

People, when they are doing something, when they want to do something, when they want to change their habit or something then suddenly the sort of say “Why should I have to do this? Why should I have to do that? I don’t want to do that. I am losing my freedom and I losing that thing, that thing, some kind of losing, and particularly losing freedom, is uh one of the biggest sort of reason that our boss likes.

0:31:17.1

In true reality you are not losing freedom you are gaining freedom. However in our sort of deluded mind or in our we notice sort of losing freedom. And because I have to do, just because you have got to do it, just because you have to do it, because, just because no other reason because you should be or have to be or got to, one of those words has twisted somehow becomes very strong reason for losing freedom. Which is definitely not true, it is rather stupidity. So that is ignorance. Makes you get away from the thing where you can really change something. That is ignorance. Taking a bigger shape and holding you back from the change. So that you remain under the control of ignorance and old habit.

So, so what happens when your heart stops beat, or whatever, heartbeat stops, or heart stops beat or whatever it is? It is connected with this. Whatever we do before the heart stops beating and same thing happens to you when heart stops beating. So if you have been able to change our habitual patterns and do a little more positive then it becomes positive when the heart stops beating. If you are unable to change your habitual patterns or habit then your heart stops beating and that is what happens. Negative result. So, it is important point when the heart stops beating. Important point for positive, important point for negative, both.

0:34:47.3

And whatever is going to do is your own decision. And nobody else can make that decision either at that time or earlier. It is only the individual who can make a decision not at that time but earlier. And we, I mean everybody wants positive. No one wants negative result. Except one or two person may want negative result, who knows. Human mind is such a thing. There are some people who says “I deserve to be punished.” And there are some people who say that want to be punished. Who knows what karma caused that person to think that way, but there are people who think that way. And it is your own liberty, you can definitely do whatever you want to do. But if you want to experience better the day after, then the cause for that you have to create well, well life. So where and how you do is the only through this, not only but, through the watching, be aware of your way of functioning. Habit.

0:36:51.2

Another example I can give you how the habitual patterns not only link in one lifetime but also different lives. Might not be good reason but… If you look at children and they, their way of functioning you can see. Some will like to do certain things and that particular thing, way, is some children hate to do it. And the particularly when the children are growing up, growing up and the parents would like to bring them up a certain way and they say “Oh, they cannot do this, cannot do that, particularly certain programs like in the television they decided that children cannot see this.

The certain negatives you like to hide from the children. But, they know better than we do. You also ways get surprise from them. And they don’t need a teacher to teach them all this. But, on the other hand all other things they do need a teacher. So, these are the previous lives habits been waking up here. So, when we talk about practice, when we talk about improving our life, when we talk about upliftment of our soul, or whatever you call it, consciousness, or soul, or whatever, I don’t care about the terminology. Or even you like bringing closer to god, or whatever you lie to call it (laughs) . The main thin g is watching your habit.

0:39:54.9

And if you have been able to improve your habit then you can do the positive things effortlessly. Sometimes when we read the books we say the bodhisattvas enlightened being swill effortlessly do this and do that, I think the key to get effortlessly is getting into the habitual patterns. Any other things you can think of?

Audience: Have the habit of compassion.

Rimpoche: Habit of compassion you also use the word “habit.” Once it becomes a habit then the compassion will automatically start growing. Until it becomes habit we have to put efforts in all the time. But on the other hand human beings are such a beautiful by its own nature, pure clean wonderful thing. So there is an automatic compassion there. What makes you to raise your hand.

Audience: And just regarding mind. Are there any qualities of enlightened being (inaudible) wt least freedom of choice where there is a deliberate action …it just comes?

Rimpoche: I did not say every action of the enlightenment is a habit. But most of, when you talk about effortlessly function on this or that, it begins by getting to habit. Bodhisattva’s habitual pattern is to be compassionate and kind. And enlightened being habit is to help all other beings try to lead them to the proper enlightenment stage. That is their habit. If you tell me a Buddha has no habit of leading all other sentient beings in Buddha’s days I would be curious to know.

Audience: And should they later on go beyond the habits and act according to the situation and not out of a pattern?

Rimpoche: Even or, don’t think of like a robot, you know. Robot will get certain set of problems and (comings? 0:42:59.6) always do the same thing. I think buddhas and bodhisattvas function slightly different than that (laughs). I’m sorry.

Any problems with that?

Audience: I see there are two different things.

Rimpoche: Yeah, I’m glad you see two different things. When you have habit to do that things you are going that with choice, too. Even if you have happily if you don’t want to do it and you put up stop there and maybe the bodhisattvas and buddhas will have a little difficulty when they don’t want to help all sentient beings they may find them difficult to put stop on their habit (laughs).

Audience: The problem where I see a little conflict and I’m thinking..

Rimpoche: I don’t get the picture of conflict because you raise hand and I’m sure you have but I don’t get it.

Audience: The point is there that I have this feeling that the aim is to go beyond habits and go beyond conditions…

Rimpoche: Why?

Audience: Because I’m that seems to me be more like freedom…each moment is acting according to circumstances and not according to conditioning.

Rimpoche: Well, I’m not talking about the condition. The condition you’re thinking about it something almost look like computer type of thing which is programmed you’ll act accordingly. Not that. You are in a habitual pattern but still very much in control by yourself.

0:45:33.8

In addition to that I’m not even sure you can go beyond habit. Even Buddha should have their own habit. Individual buddhas have a characteristic, they are all aware of functioning.

(break in recording)

…all of them, habit I’m not even sure. Probably not. Probably not, what do you think?

Audience: It would seem the enlightened being or bodhisattva in whatever situation that arises would, there is the habit of compassion but what looks like compassion to us might be very fierce could be very you know might look a different way but the habit that always whatever the situation is the action there is with this habit of compassion although it could look like wrath, it could look like um cunning, neurotic pattern. But, I think the idea of whatever that the situation is always spontaneous so that whatever arises is dealt with the it is not as you said is working like a robot or just automatic response of being good or gentle or, but every situation has its spontaneous, its open but…

Rimpoche: And, I’m sorry, okay…besides that, buddhas and bodhisattvas, at that level they also have, they also have automatic knowing. Sort of automatic. The word automatic might be bad word, there might be better word to use it for that. Spontaneous action. Something like that, but with the knowing what (“suit”? inaudible 0:49:18.1) wrath, or peace or loving or cutting whatever, you know, I mean that has spontaneous discrimination…it comes up almost like automatically – “automatic” might be the bad word because it might be giving you a wrong picture because now we have so many automatic things, so maybe it is giving you that sort of wrong picture, but however very similar to that. Like a computer mind, that might not be again right example. The mind will immediately know what it should do, what is best for that person, without putting much effort of thinking, analyzing and all this depends of what level of the individual is, and accordingly it functions in that way.

Audience: Insight

Rimpoche: Insight. Spontaneous.

0:50:24.6

Let me finish one more thing here. That begins, that is begins when we are correcting our habitual way of functioning. I mean, that begins from awareness putting awareness on how we are thinking, how we are functioning, how we are reacting. I think that it begins there. The result of the inside spontaneous action being able to function begins at the level where we are putting awareness. I don’t think anyone can dispute that. Hopefully (chuckles).

Audience question: Inaudible at 0:52:14.4.

Rimpoche: I disagree. I disagree with you. You know why? There is free will. There is a free will. But, you will not act. You will not choose to do that. You can definitely switch. You can definitely, you can rebel, you can do whatever you want to. There is, there is a freedom of choice at that time. But, the person may not like to choose that.

I also like to say here the buddhas have also have free choice if they don’t want to do anything they have freedom not to do anything.

Not only what to do, but also what to do but also have freedom to do wrong, too. But they may not do it. They may not sit idle because of the compassion. What are you saying?

Audience: I wanted to say that (inaudible) comes into their minds because their habits are already formed to us (inaudible) you say compassion.

Rimpoche: They do come in the mind alright. I am merely telling you they do come in the mind alright. But they may not choose to do it. They will come in the mind alright. Do not worry about that (audience laughter).

Audience: Yes, Rimpoche, I won’t say that perhaps they distinguish, they will distinguish that is good that is not good, but I don’t say they know but I think that because they have compassion they don’t even think or do (inaudible) because the habit is already formed to us compassion…

Rimpoche: The moment you say they will not even think of doing a bad thing changes your earlier statement. They knew they can do bad things, but they will not think of it is slightly different.

Audience: I said they can make the distinction between good and bad, that is clear. They know that. But they don’t choose the bad state because they point to us compassion so…

Rimpoche: Maybe you’re right. I don’t like to argue with that. I’m not absolutely comfortable but that’s okay (laughs).

0:56:00.4

But uh what happens at that time and then is also a different question and um a different relevance for us. And for us we have a present relevance in what happens and uh that is much more important for us.

Audience: I was just going to ask the question because coming back down to our level it seems that so much of our life is interconnected with other people in these relationships as you touched on it seems sometime in order to break your habitual pattern often is very much connected with someone else’s habitual pattern where you have this habitual pattern together and yet you have this separate thing so it is even doubly more you know complicated and difficult to work and change some of that pattern and it seems sometimes that when one person feels they can be change things or maybe you’re on a different time cycles it seems that your actions might hurt or have a negative influence on the other person’s life and this is what I find so very difficult with family, with children, with husband, with people you work with you can’t operate in a vacuum, you, unless you’re living more isolated in a way that everything you do seems to have an effect on people around you and I’m just curious having worked with that so often I find that I come up to the situation where if I go this way it maybe improves this something here but if it has negative results. If I go that way it is a different constellation and sometimes I get very um locked in this dilemma of not knowing how to proceed. Maybe that is the time to do nothing.

Rimpoche: Isn’t that some kind of question of um Mahayana and Theravadan pattern, isn’t it?

Audience: Well I want to feel like everything I do will benefit others and yet I find myself in situations where that seems not to be the situation. So I question your opening statement about how basically it is our own, no one else’s experiences karma, your karma but yourself, no one else can lead you but yourself, and so on and that seems true ultimately that you act now and other people might react and respond and feel very

Rimpoche: Upset

Audience: Upset, and yet you, you’re basically going to take the heat.

Rimpoche: Uh huh. That’s true.

Audience: But I just wonder how to get that into perspective.

Rimpoche: To me, this is the question of whether you want to act according to the Mahayana way or the Theravadan way. And that also, of course we will say we want to act in the Mahayana way, we will say that.

1:01:09.5

But the question would be, really, which is the better way for you, for ME, at that time. As well as…what is better for me and uh what I’m capable of handling.

1:01:32.7

How much I can afford to lose?

Audience: But isn’t that a lesser…shouldn’t your aspiration be to the Mahayana so that…

Rimpoche: Yes. However, the question still remains. How much I can afford to do, how much I should be able to do, and I think it is a very important point. And, uh, not only is it an important point in making a decision but is also an indication of an individual’s level of the capability of handling. You know, we all like to claim to be Mahayana bodhisattvas, but I don’t think bodhisattvas lose it. When the bodhisattvas are having certain circumstances, when they give up the self interest totally and when they when they worked for the benefit of others, what’s happening is somehow the bodhisattvas are individually gaining rather than losing. And in our certain level when we do that the individual is losing rather than gaining. Do you see my point?

Audience: So the Hinayana level these are your considerations these are your boundaries that either you’re…

Rimpoche: This is not a Hinayana level or Mahayana level. But I think it is individual boundaries. Whether you act, should be acting according to the Theravadan way or you should be acting according to the Mahayana way. However, whatever the way, even if you are acting in the Theravadan way or even then you without losing the inseparation of the bodhimind you act on that way. I’m just simply giving you real practical answer. Whether that’s making, might not be suitable, I mean it is okay we are in a very small group so it is informal sort of thing. But uh I think that is exactly how it works.

1:03:59.3

Then the question arises a balancing. The balancing between the losing gains and the bodhisattvas when they lose the individual interest and they act or the other beings, it is a tremendous gain for them. But for person like me sometimes it is maybe big loss and very little gain. So the bodhimind and love and compassion for others is very important no doubt, but that does not exclude individual.

And in my opinion a lot of people loses balance on that because you just simply people a lot simply “Yeah, a bodhisattva you sacrifice yourself blah, blah, blah…” but in a romantic way they can go but I think they’re losing the balance. True bodhisattvas um every action of their own whatever, every action what they’re taking is sort of a lot of builds up to their own enlightenment. So that is what I mean they gain.

Though it may be for benefit of others, but who is going to be enlightened? You? Right. (laughs). So it is funny little circle around.

Audience: Sometimes something which looks like a loss at first turns out to be a gain after sometime.

Rimpoche: Sure

Audience: When you see that it has brought you inside.

Rimpoche: Sure, sure. I have no disagreement for that.

Audience: If a bodhisattva acts and helps others with motivation of becoming enlightened himself, does that motivation also influence the one he is helping in the sense that he puts that individual on the path to enlightenment too?

Rimpoche: I’m not sure whether there is directly help or not, but it does help the individual. In the Bodhisattvacharyavatara it said one of the benefits of the bodhimind is (recites Tibetan at 1:08:33.7) So even you harm a bodhimind or bodhisattva it also so indirectly helps an individual so definitely bodhisattvas action of helping one will definitely lead the individual to the path for sure.

1:08:50.4

Well, I’m sorry from the beginning I was late and uh I would like to go home early (laughs) so if you don’t have any other questions and maybe that much you can call home and go home.

Yes (addressing audience question)

Audience: If there is a possibility to meet people or beings who have realized this state of Buddha or bodhisattva this state of functioning of love and compassion?

Audience: I mean, is it helpful for development, to fill up your own state of being? (somewhat inaudible at 1:10:58.6)

Rimpoche: Just by meeting them?

Audience: Yes

Rimpoche: I believe so.

Audience: (Inaudible but maybe: “I don’t know a way I could find someone.”)

Rimpoche: Find bodhisattva? Well, you should advertise (laughter). But if you do advertise you have better chance by putting in London Times or something (laughter).

Audience: (Inaudible joke)

Rimpoche: Go ahead and try. You may get somebody, one bodhisattva may respond.

I believe, it is a joke.

Audience: I think even, even becoming a student of some of this you encounter you know the stories and the biographies and sense of lineage and that’s a way to begin and you start noticing them coming to you. Rooms, something…

Rimpoche: Sometimes the, when you see those UFOs…when you see this UFOs maybe the bodhisattva is driving in there. I think it depends on the individual. Uhm, I don’t think there is anybody who will call “I’m bodhisattva” and with the label will come and appear. And if it does it becomes a big question of whether it is true or not.

1:13:29.9

Audience to another audience member: His point is how do you recognize these (inaudible through chatter).

Rimpoche: No, the bodhisattvas do carry an identity card (laughter). A driver’s license. Is that identity in Europe?

Audience: You said something about no one planning to create bad karma, or negative karma and yet it seems in our world in our current…

Rimpoche: But there are, well yeah I do know that. Sort of no one is planning, yeah, okay.

Audience: But thinking of collective karma, and I think I asked you about this in Colorado, collective karma, say the United States government choosing to, they’re thinking they are going to have a clear war in Iraq and yet

Rimpoche: Clean war…

Audience: Clean war, not many of their people, and you know it seems like the situation comes up something to needing to take action, big action, and we were arguing the other night with a diplomat, he said it was a clean war of relatively you know swift, but in any case it seems that that action creates karma for many, negative karma for many, many, many thousands eons. So how, the plan, is it just stupidity, is it just ignorance, is it – isn’t it based on materialism and greed and power and…

Rimpoche: Sure, there is no question about that. But, when George Bush run for president I don’t think he had plans to create a war and he would definitely have a plan to have a, probably he would have the idea that he would like to run one of the best administrations ever in the history of the United States. With that intention he ran for the president and uh he got elected. However, as the result of the Iraq war he will probably have one of the worst presidents of the United States. I mean true in the eyes of the the karmic law. Uh, one of the worst…could even be worse than those involved in World War II. Could even be.

1:16:23.4

The worst point on this, not only the killings involved but also lying. Not only, they are cheating the people trying to show black and white picture of hitting some kind of small little building which looks like a computer game to the people and um not showing the one side what’s happening it is totally cheating the people, not only cheating one person but almost cheating the whole world.

And the continuation of hate, hatred developed in almost all the people in Iraq and around and those people who really sincere, honest people. So it looks like to me it involves the like the nonvirtues of body, mind and speech all together combined. And not only of a person president of that administration but almost everybody in the world.

Directly or indirectly we pay a tax and that money goes in there. Every one of us, in every country, every citizen has contributed with or without knowing, with or without willingness. So it has created tremendous karma.

Strong enough to be able to destroy universe where we live. And nobody planned to do that but we did it. And most of us didn’t even know. And uh some of us are still happy with that (laughs). And some people may not be very happy with that but because of certain conditions they have to defend that action. All sort of funny things.

So it is unfortunate incident and negative karma, heavy enough to destroy the whole world and however created by without planning, without awareness.

1:21:10.5

And lies still going on, lies, yesterday I read, I saw in the CNN one general comes up and says “There is no evidence of killing two hundred or a hundred thousand Iraq, Iraqis but he thinks it is about thirty thousand. (Rimpoche laughs at something)

Audience: So as Buddhists what do we, I mean it is one thing to have to be aware and um and intention to be able to discriminate these lies and seek out a relative facts and so on. But short of stopping paying taxes or taking a kind of you know subversive action, I just wonder what is our the best advice is just to keep practicing?

Rimpoche: Well this is true kali yuga. What happened was earlier there was a Tibetan teacher and student, Kadampa period, and uh the teacher has always been talking about this kali yuga all the time. So, one day the student asks him a question. So when this becomes a kali yuga period like this, um, and we are very unfortunate and I have been very unfortunate to be born in this period and this and that, do you know what he replied, the teacher?

And uh the disciple more concern is the teachings of the Buddha dharma will diminish.

And his reply was, the general teachings of the Buddha dharma and what’s happening in general is not with us. But whatever we have the individual Buddha dharma should not be diminished.

So, that tells us we have to make sure that ourself, our individual, even the kali yoga may be happening in the world, but the individual should not have the kali yuga. Or, the whole world may be having a degenerated age but individual should have um renaissance period.

1:25:39.6

When that happens, when the individual, one individual will be able to preserve the individual a little light and that again makes difference and affects the whole other things to grow.

When Alan (Ginsberg) sing that song, “One drop of water make the universe” and goes on like that, I get that picture.

Okay, thank you so much and uh that’s that.

Thanks.