Archive Result

Soundfile: 19930720GR3P

Speaker : Gelek Rimpoche

Location: Ann Arbor

Topic: Three Principles of the Path

Transcriber: Matt Hannah

Date finished: 12-22-20

Now, welcome. I should say today, because this is the last in this--oh when did you appear?--suddenly popped up [laughs]. Ok. For this last day of this particular series that we talk--Three Principals of the Path. So sort of simply going back to a little bit of reflecting what we spent number of Tuesdays here. A number of you have coming from long distance, driving every Tuesday from very far places. Like sometimes even people, some people are driving 2 hours--do you take 2 hours or how long you take? 1 and a half hours, ok? And I hope you are the maximum driver on that, but there may be more. But many of you like an hour, an hour and a half, and coming every day, every Tuesday. And try to gain some benefit. [0:01:49.7]

And from my point, from my side, I also try to make sure that I be here every Tuesday. Even when I'm in somewhere else, doing something else, try to make sure I get back on the Tuesdays, whether I'm in New York or Chicago, Cleveland or wherever, somewhere, or Nebraska or something. So we make sure that I get back for the Tuesdays here. And we put some efforts from both sides and did it.

Anyway I think as far as the text is concerned, we have finished. So whether it's finished or not, but we sort of basically talk on the ideas and dealt with it. And the subject what we dealt with is, what we call it three, the principals of practice. And normally they just say “Three Principals of the Path.” But really most important thing in one's spiritual life: what one has to do. So these are the three most important points. Which is real essence of Buddha's teaching. And the real essence of the Buddha's teaching, when you really look at it, person like us is absolutely impossible to take the essence of the Buddha's teaching out in such a small way and say: "hey, this is the real, what Buddha's real message boils down to. We can't do that." It needs some kind of extraordinary person to be able to do that. So that's why we choose the root text, called the root text of the Three Principal Path. Which is given to Tsonghkhapa by Manjusri. Manjusri is the embodiment of the wisdom of all buddhas, it's call it bodhisattva. It appears as a person and so in the vision of Tsongkhapa, Manjusri appeared and gave him those three little sort of dosage.

And to boost the, not Tsongkhapa’s spiritual path, but people who are following thereafter, to get them sort of essence, so Manjusri has given that. [0:04:43.6] And which we normally, we have to call it: "vision of Manjusri to Tsongkhapa." We have to say because Manjusri is not a human being. As we, as we, like say, “somebody came to visit and gave those messages”--not that manner. But it is some sort of enlightened being, fully enlightened being, that we call it like divine being, appeared to a human being. So which we normally could put under the category of visions.

So when you talk about visions there are a number of different ways of looking at the visions. Some visions are nothing but hallucination. And some visions are a real vision and we have a saying in Tibetan--if I don't share that with you, then that's not right: [0:05:55.3] [Tibetan]

So when you have all three chakras and three root channels are absolutely cleared and pure, then there’s a pure visions are appeared, and that's called: [0:06:13.8] [Tibetan] The other ones called [0:06:19.0] [Tibetan], which is the natural confused thoughts are getting at a more sort of hallucinated. So that is the, that is the root they based in two different ways [0:06:42.4] [Tibetan].

So when the moment you talk about visions, you have to look in the line whether it is the pure part of it or is it hallucinated part of it. When it is hallucination part of it, umm, basically in the Tibetan tradition, actually, there are a number of means and ways of doing it. There are certain traditions, particularly like Nyingma traditions, all these traditions they may not have very strong objection they may not [0:07:24.7]? do it. But in the Gelukpa tradition, the Tsongkhapa tradition which I follow, basically you turn down all the visions down, whether it is good or bad--doesn't matter. And you sort of put it very lowest priority and try to turn down. That is the traditional teaching. And you turn down, pay no attention, make no big deal, nothing, just turn down. Turn down. And when you turn down it completely then what happens is when it is a hallucinated, or sometimes even the interference of the spirit, or sometimes all these funny little things due to certain things come, and they sort of gradually died out by itself if you turn down it. And in addition to that, pray strongly to the buddha, dharma and sangha. Pay no attention, have no fear, no hope. And so sort of ignore it as though nothing is happening. [0:08:40.4]

So when you do that, what will happen is that most of hallucinated type of thing, if it's not something wrong physically or mentally, it will disappear by itself. Then the pure things will started sort of collecting, becoming more stronger, and more stronger, and after sometimes it will be there. Will be there. Like for example, for example like Tsonghkhapa himself when he had a first vision. You know what happened is Tsongkhapa, if you know the Tsonghkapa's life story, it's a little bit interesting.

Tsongkhapa came in 1357-1419, and just a simple beggar, actually, practically a beggar in Tibet. Born in sort of East part of Eastern Tibet. Not even the Kham in Amdo area, very far away where the Chinese border area from there to the central Tibet. From, really he virtually walked away, and carrying a little bit of his food at the back, and begging through the street all the way through the road. And he from village to village, he keep on begging a little bit had food, and finally came to the central Tibet. And where some incarnate lamas in Old Tibetan society it’s different, very much different, totally different than American society. If you are known incarnate lama or reincarnation of this or that of if you have something they have little privileges and get a little notice. It's almost the same in America too, though we say there's not much difference. But it do. When you look in political families, those who are come from the background of the political families, we have more attention like the Kennedy family or any other. They have more attention than everybody else. [0:11:05.5]

Very similar to that we also have the same thing, except it’s not hereditary, it’s been selected. But Tsongkhapa has none of those type, just has to be simple, poor, beggar monk. And through his hard work and efforts, and study, and within the very short period he’s almost outstanding teacher over there. Having thousands of followers following, and he sort of traveled round, and goes--when he goes you know the people follow, thousands of them follow. And some of them he goes to certain places to study, and to certain teachers or something, and there’ll be a thousand people follow. He been there already a month by the time when he was leaving, the later ones are arriving.

So you know that’s sort of a funny little way he been a long time in that manner. And almost all the basic, basic teachings he was, he is having a teacher from Sakya tradition, Kagyu tradition and from all the different traditions from everywhere, and having different teachers and he studied them. And by the time when he really reaches to the perfect viewpoint or the wisdom point, when he becomes to the wisdom point, and he is not satisfied with the explanations of the Tibetan teachers who are there at that time. And he agree, totally agree with a number of earlier teachers but he couldn't really figure out what is really working. And he could not satisfy with the existent teachers at that time. So finally he decided to go to India and to find the tradition, that Indian teacher who’ll be able to explain him better. So when he decided to do that, and there’s a number of teachers--his own teachers—and started stopping him and requesting him not to go, not to do this, not to do that, not to do this, and they had a lot of requests to try to block him going. [0:13:47.9]

And so finally one of the Sakya lama called Lama Umapa. Lama Umapa said: “Ok, now if you have so much questions, I will not admit, but I have to tell you that I tell you that I have a vision of Manjusri. I'll talk to Manjusri. So you bring your questions and I’ll ask Manjusri.”

So first Lama Umapa was his teacher. Of course he’s understanding what Tsongkhapa’s talking about it and he related it to the Manjusri. And Manjusri gives answer, he's like a you know, acting as a messenger in between. After some time Lama Umapa couldn't understand what Tsongkhapa’s questions is, and they started writing down and he read it to the Manjusri. And Manjusri replies, and he couldn’t understand what he’s talking about. They read the answer and give to Tsongkhapa, going on doing this for awhile, and after sometime Manjusri said: “that won't work any more.” So he has to go for retreat and all this sort of thing and do this.

And at that time number of teachers started begging for Manjusri and says: “please don’t let him go for retreat.” And they ask Manjusri for how long. He says: “I don't know for how long.” So they beg him and say: “please don't make him do that, because there's thousands of people following him all the time, and who's going to guide them? So don't make him do that.” So at the end Manjusri has to say: “do you think you know better or I know better?” So that’s why Lama Umapa has keep quiet thereafter, and so did Vajrapani with the ?[0:15:34.0] legend earlier and all this.

Anyway, finally Tsongkhapa went to the retreat and then only eight people are allowed to go with him, all eight of them selected by Manjusri himself. And during that period, the visions begin to pick him, and Tsongkhapa was sitting on top of mountain and doing the retreat and practice and thirty-five buddhas started appearing on the peak of the mountains, and Tsongkhapa refused to look at them. Pay no attention, just won’t look at them at all. And then the Buddhas started coming from more close to it and more close looking to it he will not bother. Not bother. Until they started talking to him. [0:16:22.6]

When they started talking to him he has most difficult questions, which answer he already knew and he asked those questions. And then he knew whether they are telling truth or whatever it is still he's not fully attached? [0:16:38.5] Finally Manjusri has to appear to the Lama Umapa. Lama Umapa has to send a messenger on horseback and telling Tsongkhapa: “pay attention these are the real things, not a fake or not a these thing” you know--they have tell them he won't bother, and that sort of thing. And when you look at today what we do. If we have a slightly different dreams, we probably has to, can't even wait for three minutes to keep that to ourselves. We have to make everybody known or call somebody or do all this. We have to really think it's fantastic. Anyway, so like that.

And when you even appeared to you as a vision and that also have two kind of appearance: one is called “appearance to a consciousness” or to the mind; or another is “appearance directly to the senses,” like eye, ear, nose, that normal senses. So out of two, the appearance to the mind is considered less authentic, and there’s more possibility of confusion and getting mixed up. [0:18:07.7]

So really appearing like a person, really coming to visit you know, so in that manner, like a person-to-person, face-to-face, hand can touch, eye can see, ear can hear, nose can smell. And that sort of vision is considered authentic vision. So why I am mentioning this because it is important to pay--to be on the ground is absolutely important. You cannot rule out there is visions, there is appearance, they're all of them there, but you cannot rule out. But at the same time, it is very important to be grounded, to be grounded and so that even the visions are not sort of funny looking half-true, half not, not that sort of thing. If your eyes have been diluted with a certain drops they put in eye, you see all different things. Now there’s eye specialist--when you go see them they put something in the eye, you see the blues are more blue than ever, greens are best, and you see the bright, so bright you see that, this is you know, we've all seen that. You know we don't have that in Tibet, in old Tibet. You know, they give you an example: if you are hit on your eye somewhere by some stick or something, you see all different things. They give you that as an example of vision, you know,[laughs] and so unreliable, that's how it is, the traditional. And today you don’t have to do that, the eyedrops will tell you exactly. Anyway, so Manjusri give these three as most important point to Tsongkhapa.

So the, so when Tsongkhapa even started writing the huge lamrim texts, even Manjusri teased him one day: "oh you think my three principals are not good enough so you are making big lamrim, right?" So Tsongkhapa replied: "not at all. I kept that as a backbone, and real basic information and then little elaborated." And so anyway, so it is the really backbone and fundamental grounding foundation work for one's spiritual life according to the Buddha. So that's why we pay attention, we took sort of attention to that. [0:21:24.8]

And why these are important, the true understanding of true nature, what we call it wisdom or Buddhist terminology, we call emptiness or shunyata. Emptiness. It is absolutely necessary without which you cannot really, you cannot really uproot the negativities within us. We cannot uproot negativities within us at all. No matter. Take anger all right? We apply patience, we try not to get angry, we keep on trying, I told you number of times: we can learn lesson all the time. We keep on good learnings all the time, but no matter how many times we keep on doing it, it's not going to get uproot the anger at all. We make anger powerless, weak, powerless and all this sort of thing we can do it. But we cannot uproot the anger--you call “uproot,” right? Take it out from the root like a tree. Cut all the roots and take it out. You cannot do it without wisdom. Attachment. You cannot uproot attachment without wisdom.

So wisdom not easy to get it, but without which you cannot handle it, without which you cannot uproot. So only until then we have to be sort of reducing it, whatever it is, disciplining it, all this. We have to do it, because discipline it, by so that you can reduce its effect and only that's what we can hope to do. We cannot totally get out of our system completely unless we have the wisdom. So wisdom is absolutely necessary part of it. Also as a Mahayana Buddhist, the ultimate goal to achieve is for the spiritually--how far can you go? What can you really become at the end ultimately? We look as a Buddha state, state of the Buddha, state of enlightenment. State of all knowing, all awakened state, that’s what we call it: all knowing, awakened buddha state. The state of the Buddha, buddha state is also has two important point: the physical state and the mental state. The cause for the mental state of the Buddha, right? The cause and effects, the karmic principle, what’s happened , the karmic principle, the cause and effects, karmic principle, the cause for the mental level state of the Buddha level is the wisdom. So without which you cannot become, you don’t have all knowing at all.

So like Nagarjuna said: [0:24:58.6] [Tibetan]

So like they call it, technically, “two kayas”—means, actually means two collections. The physical point and the mental state. So all this mental state of all-awakened, all-knowing buddha mind is the result of, the result of one's practice in wisdom. So without which, even you become a buddha you become a thoughtless buddha or mindless buddha, so it be equal to the statue something like that you know, that will become. So that's why it is one of the necessary points.

The second point is love-compassion and particularly unconditioned, unlimited love and care for all. Unconditioned, unlimited. So that is the most important. And so far whatever we have, we have conditioned love, right? We do have love, we all have, love we all have compassion. But there’s a lot of conditions involved. Lot of conditions. Without conditions we don't give, we don't share love. Most of them we wanted something. [0:26:36.1] Possessiveness, attachment, all these are the sources of our love. So which is contaminated love, which is conditioned love. So what Buddha wanted and what the Buddha had, and what Buddha have and what Buddha recommending for the people to have is unconditioned, unlimited love. So it’s not conditioned because you gain something out of it. It is not conditioned because you are attacked? [0:27:20.8]. It is not conditioned because you like it. It is unconditional love to all. And unlimited. It's not limited to a person or this sort of that's the most important point. And how to develop, how to handle which way to go is become second part of it. [0:27:54.1]

In order to have that, in order to have that to the individual, unconditioned love and compassion, and it is become important to be able to have, to love yourself, to be able to care for yourself. To recognize our own condition, our present conditions. Conditions that in the life what we deal has been conditioned by addictions. And which makes us to do all sorts of funny things. Which also put us through subject of suffering, pain, mentally, physically, emotionally--all of them because of that is our true situation. To be able to recognize that, to be able to acknowledge that, and to be able to handle that without losing control. And also seeking freedom from them--without recognizing their problems you cannot seek freedom.

I give, we shared a lot of example of the prisoner who think the prison is a paradise is never going to worked out for him, or for her to get out of it. Similarly for us, if we do not recognize how badly we are to the subject of problems of mental, emotional, physical, and not to mention of death, rebirth, and birth, death, and rebirth. Or aging, sickness, and loneliness, dying. Or of all this, all dissatisfaction, uncertainty, changing. All this. [0:30:41.9] So if we don't sort of recognize how badly we're subject to that we will not be interested to seek freedom from it.

It is also important, to also to know what is the other side of it. Unless until we know what freedom is really is or about it, and human beings have a tendency to stick to whatever it is—we have a very easy, we have seen very clearly what's happening in the under, the what happened in the, under the Communist rules. If you look in the Eastern European countries. And the Russians, and now the Chinese and all this, when you look in that and you will see what happens. Because when they don't know, when they don't know what really, when they don't know what really freedom is, so whatever the conditions may be, they just stick to that and they just sort of intend to make best out of it. And the moment they saw that the union is collapsed, and we can see and they started, ahh, they like what freedom is and everybody want it. And, I mean they can fight for and do all this. Today, you see what's happened in Yugoslavia right? We've been seeing that for months almost right? And sometimes we see they're going to divide it into nine different pieces or something, and sometimes they going to go to three pieces or something, whatever it is [laughs], you know. So all this, when you begin to see the outside, there's a little more freedom and all this, and then you can get the idea. And similarly the human beings, we have the same thing.

We may not have, you know, we may have the material freedom here, unlimited. The America is a free country; I'm not criticizing it. But freedom's very limited to tell you truth—it’s very limited. I mean, it is freedom--I've been under communists, I know. And I've been in third world nations, and I've been here. And the freedom's here, true; it's really true, free. But they also have a lot of, that freedom also have a lot of, lot of limitations. True, lot of limitations. [0:34:02.8] Again, these limitations are coming to protect somebody else's freedom, you know that's why they get limited to somebody else that is how it works here, right?

So but at the spiritual point of view and all of us who don't have the freedom at all, freedom at all, we are lack of freedom, we are totally subject of all these problems as long as we're subject of the pains that emotional, mental, physical, all this are when we are subject to that. We don't have total freedom. That's, let there be no misunderstanding on that, let that be absolutely clear. When we are talk about freedom in the spiritual path and that's what it is. That's what it is. Freedom from the cause of suffering, the physical, mental, emotional.

So unless, until we recognize that we are subject to that, and by recognizing we are subject to that, we don't have to go and get depressed on that. Because there's way out, there's a way out, that’s what the Buddha said: there’s a way out, I went out, let me show you. I will share how I went out, that's what it is all about it. So there's a way out. There’s no point of getting depressed and sitting down, or shutting, shut your doors and talk to no one, and turn down the, turn off the light, and what you call it the window thing--the shading--pulled down. And then even if you, even on top of that even if you put your blankets on head or whatever, even there’s and that won't help. And that not only , not only it won't help, but reinforce them. They reinforces those, so depression, so you have to go out, go out of the way. [0:36:44.8]

So going out of the way is seeking freedom from that, and getting out of that clutch seeking out of that--freedom. That's what we call it: determination to be free. That is one of the principle, right? The first principle. That's why all three are become important in one’s spiritual life, no matter how long it takes. Life after life, or one single life, or whatever it may take, this is the three most important point.

So basically as simple, as brief as possible, we have talked about that for the last how many Tuesdays anyway? Originally we planned nine and then how many it went? You don't know? [to audience] Anyway--does anybody know? Lost count right? So anyway, so, so that’s what we did it. And whatever we put our efforts in, whatever we did talk about it, and don't leave it on your notebook, and just think about it. And put some thoughts on that whether you are working somewhere or sitting, waiting on parking lot, or just sort of cruising in the shopping malls [laughs]. Or meditating on the ? [0:38:42.0], or having nice and warm, hot and cold shower, or whatever it is--keep little thoughts on that. Keep little thoughts on that, and try to remember certain important points, and apply that on your everyday life. And when you do that, I think that contributes how we change, that contributes how to changing of habit, habitual patterns. Freeing ourselves from the addictions of anger, attachment, and hatred.

Not contribute on the addictions, but get yourself free from it, and that is the spiritual way. And I must tell you one more thing: there is no instant, there’s no instant spiritual development, right? Instantaneous. There may be instant coffee, which is not very good, as we all know, so there is no instant, there is no instant spiritual development, but if there is, it will be like that of instant coffee [audience laughs]. [0:41:03.3] So that’s what it is.

And to my understanding the spiritual practice is not really depend on that person has to sit down and then you know, make your backbone straight like Allen's poem says, right? And get on the ground or whatever it is and all this. Might not absolutely necessary. And it’s also not absolutely necessary for one individual to say certain number of mantras and do all this and that. And it is also, absolutely not a necessary--absolutely not a necessary to change yourself in the different culture.

We do have a number of American what do you call it--Tibetan Buddhist, some of them are more, much more medieval Tibetan than I am [laughter]. Yeah who like to wear some kind of funny Tibetan dresses and like to keep little dirty, not to take bath for couple of weeks, and have long nails with filled up with dirt on that. And dirty old mala carrying around, and so sort of they've become more medieval Tibetan than I am, though I'm born in there so, so that sort of change is not spiritual change at all. To me, it's not. You can be perfect, clean, clear cut yuppie and be a spiritual, or hippie and be spiritual--both can be done. I mean there’s really--most important thing: to remain what you are. [0:43:56.8] And don't try to become somebody else. Try to remain what you are. And, and put in the good thoughts and good informations, and good messages, and good things. And apply that for changing the, apply that on changing the habitual patterns. Apply that changing the addictions: addiction for anger, addiction for attachment, that is the possessiveness or whatever.

Try to change that, so pick up that without changing your dress, without changing how you look, without becoming a medieval Tibetan. So try to change that way. We have seen that right, even in this country--couple of years ago, number of people tried to become like a, like sannyasins, or the sadhus. And they were, I mean, the number of Rajneesh followers used to wear orange shirt, and Rajneesh picture and mala and all this, remember? And didn't do much good did it? And some, few people had a lot of effect and these people going to have effect even if they don't wear that orange shirt, they will have the effect. And those who changed the orange shirt did not have much addiction or effect. So keep that in mind. And so don’t become medieval Tibetan, but do that sort of thing, you know. And that's how you, to put lot of thoughts on that, try to think about it.

And when we seek refuge to buddha, dharma and sangha--those who are following the Buddhist path--when you seek refuge, to take refuge to buddha, dharma, and sangha. And when you take refuge to, buddha, dharma, and sangha so what happens? What is the basic thing what happens? And they say yeah, the Buddha, by taking refuge to Buddha, Buddha cannot remove our sufferings by hand. Buddha cannot remove, cannot wash away our problems by pouring holy water on it. [0:46:57.9] [Tibetan] Buddha cannot certainly transfer the spiritual development. After all, Buddha cannot transfer his American Express card to us, it’s non-transferable, so Buddha can never transfer the spiritual development to us, true.

So only thing is the individual to take refuge to Buddha, and then Buddha rsaid "yeah I will share my paths, and I will have these [0:47:29.3] guardians/guidance? goes to you, but you have to follow the basic and natural law, which is called karmic rule, which is the positive karma will give you positive result, and negative karma will give you negative result." So avoid negativity and build a positivity as much as you can. I don't mean positiveness what we have sometimes in the West: if you think of positive you, will become positive. You will keep on thinking: “I will have a new car within next year,” and you will have new car. I'm not talking about that positiveness. I'm talking about real, true, karmic positive.

So when you build up the positiveness and you have the positive result and when you cut the negative you have, you don’t have sufferings. So that’s what Buddha called Buddhism. Somebody asked Buddha: what is Buddhism? Buddha said: [0:48:36.3] [Tibetan] He said: “Buddhism is nothing more than that. It is all about this.” That’s what Buddha said. That's what so that it is much different than the religion of normal Western understanding, that you have to go every Sunday to church or something, you know. It’s something different, and it is really it boils to down to way of life.

There are a number of scholars will tell you: Buddhism not a religion, they even try to take out of religions list and say it is, put in the way of life, that’s really true. Whether it's true or not, but when you boil down to it, it is, Buddha himself said: avoid negativities and build positive as much as possible and that is Buddhism. [0:49:34.2] [Tibetan] Control your mind and that is Buddhism. So that 's a verse I was missing. And that is what really spiritual path is, and that’s what you do. And you one also should not be saying that, well what is next? You should not be jumping so quickly--so what next? And that is impatient. What next is totally depend on you, on self, whatever that first step is taking effect to you, then you will know what next is. And without letting the first point, taking step, taking turn on you, and you keep on what next, and there is no next, that’s what it is. Because there’s no first, so how can be second? So that's what it is.

And that is the, basically, I would like to share with that. So one after taking refuge to buddha, dharma, and sangha and then what does that follow? That follows two things, two things. The positive advices and the negative advices. [0:50:56.7]

The positive advices is:, positive advice is to honor the karma, remember the karma, know about it, remember, and who makes the karma? Nobody else, ourself. So we are responsible to our own deeds; we are responsible to our karma. I think yesterday Rachel called me and said: "there’s a reincarnation show on television? Right? That was yesterday or day before yesterday? Yesterday on channel 47, right? So I looked through, and I just saw a person from Stanford University, right? And doing a scientific research on the reincarnation, and the result with the blessing of the institution, Stanford University. They show on the national television, the reincarnation on that. But on that they talk about karma. The moment I turn on they talk karma, and they said: "the karma is the governor of death, birth, and rebirth." [Laughs] “Governing force,” that’s exact word--governing force of birth, death, and rebirth something like that he went on. And it’s interesting, I watch for a little while and I fall asleep.

And anyway, so the karma controls, I don't know whether its karma controls, really true, anyway I thought it’s true, karma controls. Rather the karma is the timekeeper of the all the events that take place, but who controls karma is ourself. [0:53:06.5] We control karma, and karma is the timekeeper. Once we appointed karma, then karma does it's own job whether you liked or not. But we appoint that. We are the appointing authority of our own karma. That makes ourself responsible to our own deeds. And that makes ourself responsible to our own karma. And that is the positive advice of, after taking refuge to buddha, that is the positive advice.

The negative advice is the point, points that what you really don't like it, what you should not be doing it, and don't do it, and that's the negative advice. [0:54:08.7] Buddha reinforced that taking very strongly. After taking refuge to buddha. I mean it's very not only Buddhism it's almost all religions, almost same thing--but particularly in Buddha, most important thing’s: one shall not kill any beings. I don’t think anybody have a problem with that. Everybody will be very happy.

But killing is depriving of most precious thing from other, their life is the most precious thing. Whether it is human being or little animal, or little insects. If you touch little insects and they run away, they try to run as fast as they can? Why? they're afraid of losing the most precious thing what they have--life. Right? When we kill it, when we kill we depriving the most precious one possess. So, we should not kill, killing we should, whether it is insects—nobody’s going to kill human beings, we all know that. Unless you have to for self-defense or something, which is different issue. Should not be but it is different issue, if it's self -defense. Totally, even in spiritual path it is defense. Self-defense is totally different issue. Because it is the most precious thing we have is important life. To protect that if you have to indulge than that’s a different issue.

Stealing, the second, stealing, nobody will have problem with that.

And third is sexual misconduct [mispronounces as “miscontact”] and lot of different uh conduct, thank you [laughs]-- what did I say? You sign a “contact. “[laughs] Sexual misconduct. And that’s a lot of different explanations and interpretations are there. But most important thing is to me, personally--I can't speak on behalf of all buddhists or something--but to me most important thing is to honor your own commitment. And if you have vows, commitments you have to honor them. Breaking that will probably be sexual misconduct. [0:57:21.4]

Not it doesn't matter whether you are homosexual, or heterosexual, or lesbian or whatever it is. It is your private concern, as far as I'm concerned. I'm not making statement on behalf of Buddhism or buddhists--that' s my personal point of view, that doesn’t matter. But your own commitment, honoring it. And certain, most important thing is unwillingness, forcing it what do we call it—rape, is the most important sexual misconduct. And that’s not only causes difficulty for the other person, but it really makes the rest of life miserable for that other person. You're depriving tremendous joy and precious of that other person, just for fun or whatever it might be. For not thinking or whatever it might be. For just little funny thing and so you deprive another human being, destroying their life and think about sufferings that individual going to face throughout the life and that is the measure, sexual misconduct. [0:59:17.0] Thank you. Very true.

And then the second, after that is the lying. And lying is not so much white lying, as it may not be that bad. Black lie is the bad, really true. And the salesman, the old, used car salesman will have to do his or her business, and it's maybe a white lie. But a black lie here goes to us. And that is particularly we pretend to have spiritual development, which we don't have it. Which we pretend to guide people through a what you call it—quote, unquote--to insight? Which we don't have it. The guide himself or herself is totally more confused than the person you guide, and you pretend to have some kind of insights which will only know, you will only know by tomorrow, when it's absolutely clear in the presence of the Yama. When you say what is good, what is bad, and how much they've done. And when you're making, when you begin to make the bigger, total calculation, the grand total. When the Yama looks into the computer, and when you look in the life computer, and then give you grand total. And that time, only that time, we will know. Until then we don't know. So that is the black lie, and that is the basically, I mean--did we miss anything now? One shall not kill; one shall not steal; no sexual misconduct; and no lie, and then fifth one: [1:01:17.7] [Tibetan]

So one of these normal, traditional, Tibetan even, way they teach you is [1:01:32.4] [Tibetan] the Tibetans enjoy chaanng. Is a Tibetan beer, it is between the between the barley water and beer. It is fermented barley water, and that is national drink and lot of them, lot of Tibetans are, are alcoholic because they drink that. And if they don't--I know a number of people if they don't get the drink in the morning they start shaking like this. They get the cup, and they go like this [makes shaking sound]. Here in America when they don't get coffee they say “I'm not wake up,” very similar to that they do if they don't get chaanng.

So [1:02:18.7] [Tibetan] The root of all problems, root of all downfalls is come from intoxication. So [1:02:32.3] [Tibetan] it's don't use it, even what you call those dews--when you walk in the morning on the grasses they have little dews. Dew? [repeats several times to pronounce correctly] Don't even use a slice of dew. And that is the normal advice, the Tibetan spiritual advice they give you [1:03:05.7] [Tibetan] and one of my teacher use to tell me a story.

There's a guy, there's a person, and a group of them. And one of them happens to be monk, and his friend is not monk. And they went together and somewhere and, and the other guy told him: let us shoot this animal, some kind of wild animal. Let us shoot this animal. Let us shoot this animal and then we enjoy the meat. This monk says: “No I can't do that, I'm a monk, shall not kill. I'm fine.”

And there’s a nice woman went by, he said: "let us get hold of that woman and we will do something bad." He said “no, I shall not, I am monk.” Then he got a bottle of chaanng said, “let us drink this.” And he said: "Well, ok that, well it is a little hot now, and it is quite hot and is difficulty here. All right I'm a little thirsty, all right let's have that." So they have the chaanng. After they drinking the chaanng due to the effect of the chaanng, due to the effect of chaang, they kill the animal, cooked and the raped the woman too. So that's how they give you the example.

So it is very important to pay, if people have occasionally once, or for once or something like that it is not a big deal--maybe not good but not big deal. But one has to be very careful not to be habit. Or not to have a very often on these cases. And remember the teaching says: "not even a slice of a dew." [1:05:46.4]

And particularly, and try to involve other people in that. If you're drinking, if you're letting yourself down that's fine, don't encourage others to do it. And that becomes the additional thing. So these are the negative advices that after taking refuge to Buddha. And these are the negative advices saying what should not do. These are the negative advices. And there are positive advices.

So basically what you do is spiritual practitioner, what you do is to have very good motivation in the morning, for not only helping yourself, but help to benefit others. And every point, every point--I'm going to tell you simple language, not going to tell you meditation. I'm going to tell you: think, pay attention, and be awareness. Thinking is meditation, you have to remember that. Think points and try to change the habitual patterns, cut the negatives, build the positives, and go from there. And then things will take its own little course. Gradually you will see the difference within you, when you look back, your life, Don't look back yesterday what you did, what different today, you are not going to see it. But a little long times when you look back, how you handled the problems, the problems come to you, how you handle it. And this is important. [1:07:53.3]

And some people will tell you as a spiritual person you have to be very passive. You can’t be aggressive. And that's not true. As a matter of fact you have to be aggressive. You have to be aggressive against anger. You have to be aggressive to get compassion. You have to be aggressive towards enlightenment. You have to be aggressive towards your development. And as a spiritual person you don't build a passive person, but you build aggressive person. And when you work this way I'm sure we'll all be all right, some time or another. I still believe I have one verse left or that's what Kathy was telling me [laughs]. We still have verse left and that is:

Audience: when you realize the essential...rely on solitude and powerful efforts and swiftly achieve the eternal goal...

Then the next one. One before that, yeah.

Audience: Further while appearance eliminates absolutism.

Oh I left that out. All right. Ok, go ahead read that.

Audience: Further while appearance eliminates absolutism, emptiness eliminates nihilism. And you know emptiness manifests as cause and effect, then you will not be deprived by extremist views.

That is the what I left out, I'm sorry, I thought I've done that. [1:09:40.9] [Tibetan] I'm sorry give me couple of minutes I'll try to close that possible. [1:09:47.3] [Tibetan]

When we are talking about emptiness, there's two problems, two extreme viewpoints. These are normally called center path or middle path, center path balancing both. What you're balancing is balancing from the two extremist viewpoints, two extreme viewpoints. Totally negation, negating it's--what's call it--nihilism, nihilist. And totally what is the others? [Eternalism] Ok, so balancing in between this and totally because when you talk about empty, empty, empty, the possibility of becoming a nihilist is more than eternalist part. But when you see the appearance when you have the appearance, normally what appearance should do, appearance should eliminate nihilist, right? Because when you see it, so it's there, so it's not there cannot be functioning right? And likewise versa versa other side. When you don't see it, when you don't see it, and then existence-alist should not be there, eternalist is not there that is normal way--wrong? Tsongkhapa says wrong. [1:11:28.] [Tibetan] When you have the appearance it should eliminate the nihilistic, and when you seeing empty it should eliminate the--eternalist. I'm sorry what? Ok.

So [1:11:57.5] [Tibetan] you know a simple reason, and remember I keep on telling you when you look at the empty, don't look what is empty of it. Look how you exist. When you look at that how you exist, exist, you're existing only a combination of lot of things, lot of conditions, and lot of elements. And consciousness and all of them together, and combination of it. The time, time, condition, the material, the mind, all of them combined together, on the combination of it, we have existed. You get it? Our existence is on the combination. Not on solid single pointed, so when you really know how we exist, when you have the appearance it should be able to eliminate eternalist, you say it, right?

Another word is solidly existing, permanent, independent--that thing should be eliminated by seeing it. By not seeing it, should eliminate the empty. Because by, by not seeing it here, it is not totally not there, but some part is missing. It's like when something's not working you say “something's wrong, some part is not working, that’s why this is not functioning.” Likewise we can look at the car and see when car's not running properly, we say: “something is wrong here.” And otherwise it runs, right we know that? So likewise when you are grounded, when you’re grounded, when you're not seeing it, you're seeing it some conditions are missing like we can know car is not working because certain part is missing or not working or gone bad, or whatever it is. Likewise you'll be able to see that level [1:14:23.7] [Tibetan]

So within that, when you see how the karmic principles working, and then it is clear sign you have understood the, you have gained the wisdom. Until that comes we have not gained the wisdom, that’s what this verse says. Get it? Ok. [1:14:52.8] [Tibetan]

The last verse I don't even remember. [1:14:58.4] [Tibetan]. That’s right. So the Tsongkhapa says: "By understanding those important principles, then put your efforts in that. Whether you want to go meditate in the mountains. There’s old Tibetan, style or, whatever you want to do, put your efforts in that, and then you can achieve the essence. You can really benefit having such a precious life. We can make difference too your life after life efforts, that's what Tsongkhapa's talking about . Put efforts -- doesn't have to go into the forest; doesn't have to shave your head, as I mentioned to you earlier. Don't have to. [1:16:08.4] [Tibetan] One should be able to meditate, practice, and achieve enlightenment in one's home, in the middle of downtown Detroit. Or whatever.

[To audience] Is that Gloria—what’s happening? Then did you tell her where to come?

So [1:16:45.0] [Tibetan] like the great Marpa Lotsawa, the foundation for the Kagyu tradition in Tibet and all this, and they have married normal life. A farmer who's growing food has achieved ultimate enlightenment, and one should be able to do that. But on the other hand--the moles right? One who goes and sit under the ground for--mole? The mole goes and hide under the ground for number of months, particularly during the winter right? You don't see them ‘round, they hide under, is the mole or groundhog whatever they call it. So, so they hide under the ground in solitude for months, but when they come out they'll come out same old way, looking like that and no difference. [1:17:59.1]

So as in a human being --really true--as in a human being. Intelligent, educated, wonderful person living in 1990s should be able to do, handle it, within the having normal, natural life. Within that one should be able to handle all of them. So that's it, and I like to say thank you so much. I don't think I give you time to ask questions and answers--I really like to say thank you and we're going to end this for the time being, this Tuesday.

[Announcements]

Everybody has a summer holiday, so and I have a list and Rachel suggested, and Rachel has been requested by a number of people. And suggested that not only we talk in that, but in the practical form of practicing, we should have some work to be done. And those of you who are interested and the talk, we came a couple of times and--they came a couple of times. And we thought the Thursday may be very useful, so beginning with this coming Thursday, since that is day after tomorrow, right? That is the day after tomorrow right? Yeah. If your back still go then you have to lie down, I don’t know, but you're not alone there so you'll be all right. And if your back’s ok, you'll stand up. If your back’s gone, you lie down. So whatever you do, so anyway. So, so by beginning with next Thursday and group of people may meet together and there are people who sort of what you call it--what we call coordinating, who’ll be leading or guiding or whatever it is.

Couple of names--the other day Aura came over and we talked and we made up the list. So I would like to share that with you. And these are not been told to the people who are leading it, nobody has been sort of told, so I'm going to read these out.

So on July 22, that is day after tomorrow is it? July 22nd Matthew, that is Matthew ? [trans. Note: I left the last names question marks where I couldn’t make them out] over there, would you like to raise your hand? Thank you Matthew. And Rachel who doesn’t have to raise hand because lying there, so we see. And Matthew and Rachel will tell, will take refuge and generating the bodhimind. That is the beginning when you say: “I take refuge to buddha, dharma, and sangha and until I obtain enlightenment for benefit” A little, it's not going to be a talk it's going to be what you meditate, what you think, a little essence, when you say, when that word go. And you may discuss little bit

Sort of Rachel refuge and Matthew bodhimind. Oh I see it's other way around. That’s why you wrote Matthew and Rachel, that’s why I started looking up and down. So Rachel refuge and Matthew bodhimind it says here. Is that right, ok? Then Rachel takes on "om" is there "om gate gate" Is there “om?” What somebody wrote here “om.” “Gate gate and muni muni” and Matthew takes “muni” and “tare tu tare.” So that's what they’re going to do.

On July 29th Supa and Chris Benson. Supa’s over there if you raise your hand. Chris Benson's not here today but, I'm sure she will be. [1:23:15.0] Chris Benson, two verse of Ganden Lha Gyema. Chris has “from the heart” and Supa has two verses, two to each is it? Two to each.

And August 5th is Steve ? and Kathy. And Kathy is been positive in the in the normal attitude, so we have purification for you. And Steve the opposite of it, so we have rejoicing for him, these two verses. And then August 12th, Tony and Jan Rosebrow? Jan is not here, Tony's here. And request for the teaching for Jan and dedication for Tony.

September 9th ? and Caroline Hasting talking about “Mig Me Tse, etc” so the whole thing, thing and dealing with the compassion, wisdom power and the lights, nectars and outer exemplary, inner as it is, the secret, uncomprehensible, all of them.

Ok, then on September 16th Gloria and Steven ? On disillusionment.

On September 23rd Kathleen, Kathleen, right this is Kathleen? Kathleen and then ? on final dedication. and then day after I will walk around again more. So these are the how it's going to work. And those of you who are interested to do, you're welcome there's no fee, nothing.

Supa you're raising hand do you want to say something? Put a lot of efforts and deed the opportunity for share with others mean opportunity to refreshing yourself, and that's how we normally do. So I think you'll be great and hope it will be useful.

And then of course I'd like to remind you that upcoming retreat. The retreat will be, can somebody give me that brochure over there for a minute, please? We make a rather important point of those two retreat, summer and winter retreat, really make is very important points for us. Lot of purpose-- number one it is opportunity for us to be able to meet together as a group. And number two, they'll be lot of sharing, people to share lot of things and also lot of interesting things. We almost have all the best speakers ever possible, really, in the Buddhist field round here. And if you read this, I'm not going to read, we have, we have who's here, we have Aura: Diamond Root of Jewel Tree, right? So Diamond Root of Jewel Tree, Aura's going to talk whole afternoon. These afternoon talks are probably going to be not less than 3 hours, so it's going to be little long time, and that's Aura's going to talk. I don't know what date is what.

Allen Ginsberg's going to talk called, "Vomit of Mad Tyger." That’s going to be his. That’s going to be his experience of dealings with the ‘60s along with the spiritual path. Poetry and Buddhist practice and fighting against social injustice, and all this. Particularly it’s sort of going to be a running of his life particularly during the period of ‘60’s. And we thought about this type of title. Particularly it's my thought, and then somebody said could we, it was Rachel. I said can we have the “tyger” with a “y?” Sure because it's Blake thing, it's the William Blake's, so when I mentioned this to Allen, and he say, when I saw him, he really liked this title. He said he had four--

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