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Prayers

[0:00:54]

In all our daily activities as Buddhist Ordained monks, we emphasize two most important points. [motivation and watching our mind in meditation]

The point number one is our motivation. The motivation is considered very important because Buddha pretty clearly mentioned it [speaks Tibetan 0:01:39].

Whether you practice Mahayana or Vajrayana tradition, that is not enough to achieve results without correct motivation. The key for your practice to become Vajrayana or Mahayana practice depends on your motivation. Otherwise, whatever you do, it won’t become Vajrayana or Mahayana practice. Therefore, it is very important here to set your motivation. Whenever it is going to be benefiting all sentient beings or won’t benefit anybody, it is all dependent on the pure cause of your motivation.

[0:03:16]

I am not sure how many people are familiar with terminology called Mahayana, Hinayana and all of this. If anybody is not familiar with it, please raise your hand. I am sorry, I have taken for granted that everybody knows everything.

Basically, when Buddha taught, he had interesting ways of teaching, not like us. Our way of teaching is based on certain texts, or based on certain lineage practices. Buddha taught on the basis of his personal experience, but he also taught according to the capacity of the individuals. He didn’t talk over their head, he gave as much as they can take it, as much as it was acceptable to the individuals. His way of teaching also depended on how strong were the delusions within this individual. For people with strong delusions, Buddha had taught very strong, strict, discipline-oriented teaching.

[0:06:05]

So much so that, that it becomes so tight. Let me put it this way, it is so simple. If you cannot handle those problems, better not contact at all. That is an attachment. If you cannot handle the attachment at all, you better not even see it as object of attachment. However, if you could handle it, and you may enjoy it a little bit, then make best use of it. If you can’t still needs .., then you transform them. Transform in the sense that make it helpful on the path. I don’t think an attachment itself will become the path, but it becomes a cause to turn it into a path. So, if you can’t handle it, cut it out and make it strict discipline.

That are the principles of Theravada’s teachings. The people in Theravada don’t like to call it Hinayana. The Hinayana is small, Mahayana is big. It is just a word, but people got sensitive. Instead of that, they call it self-liberation. That is about Theravada, Self-liberation.

Self-liberation means self-discipline, self-[austerities] are carried out. The essence of Theravada is cut out the delusions, and get yourself free from the samsara, the circle of existence.

[0:09:15]

The circle of existence means a life after a birth, then death, then rebirth, and the process repeats. That is technically called a samsara. When we get free from the samsara, we will reach Nirvana. Nirvana is called Peaceful Land, Peaceful Area. In the Theravada’s principles the principal goal is for an individual to be free from the circle of continuation of birth and death.

[On the other hand], it is not enough to get yourself free from samsara in Mahayana tradition. What about the people that I care about, such as my partners, companions, children, peers, my dad? It becomes more out of yourself, broader. It is called altruistic service, altruistic motivation, altruistic thoughts and actions. It is broader, open, relaxed but based on the Theravada’s principles.

[0:12:06]

If it is not for Theravada’s, there would be no Mahayana, because it was built on top of it. The foundation of Mahayana is Theravada. Some people, particularly in the West, mostly interested in Mahayana or Vajrayana, but don’t care about Theravada. This is not right, because without Theravada there is no Mahayana at all. I remember when I came to India from Tibet, we had a seminar on Buddhism somewhere, I forgotten the name of the place now. The couple of Indians scholars were present, and one of them was called Pandubuddhaeya. During the lecture, I remember that very clearly, he said, “You people are Mahayana, you people are great, very high and wonderful, you are from Himalayas. But how do we know how high are the Himalayas, if there is no Crain’s leveling rod at the sea level? We won’t know how high the Mount Everest is. In order to know how high is the Mount Everest, we need to know where is the ground [the datum]. In order to understand that Mahayana is great, we need to know Theravada’s principles [first]”.

His speech had been a great help to me, because otherwise I have tendency, we all have tendency to think that Mahayana is great, and do not bother about Hinayana.

[0:15:05]

According to the Mahayana principle, you care about others. It is not that in Theravada they don’t care about others. They do care about others and have a tremendous compassion. The difference is the Mahayana principle goes out of the way. Normally I don’t care whenever I could do it or not, I am going to do it. I am going to totally dedicate myself to serve sentient beings, whenever I could do it or not [even if I am not capable to do it at the moment]. This is a Mahayana principle.

When you want to do it, you need to have a best tool to do it. The best tool is to attain Buddhahood. Therefore, the Mahayana goal is not only to become enlightened, but to achieve the state of Buddhahood [for the benefit of all sentient beings].

[According to the Theravada tradition], if you want to be free of suffering, after achieving Nirvana you are allowed to be relaxed and have a picnic. You could go into the park or to the Nirvana. However, [in Mahayana tradition], it is not enough to free yourself, you want others to be also free. Then, you can’t go to the picnic, you have to work. The purpose of Mahayana is to help all sentient beings.

[To summarize], The Hinayana’s aim is to make yourself free, and the Mahayana’s goal is to make everybody free. They split into two different purposes and two different motivations and goals. That is the difference.

[0:17:58]

However, those differences do not contradict each other. In the Theravada your principal goal is to free yourself only, but in Mahayana you free not only yourself, but others as well. When you say others, you don’t neglect yourself. You are also included in it. That is the difference between the Theravada and Mahayana.

The Mahayana tradition itself is also divided into the two paths: Mahayana Sutra and Mahayana Tantra. There are people who say there are three: Mahayana, Hinayana and Vajrayana. People often say this, but they are often Hinduist. That is when we are looking at the angle of the individual. The individual who can take parts of it, but theoretically speaking, when you are talking about Three Yanas, [The Three Vehicles], you shouldn’t be talking this way.

When the Buddha first taught three yanas, he taught Pratyekabuddhayana, Sarvakayana and Mahayana. I won’t go into those details. As I have said, the Mahayana itself is divided into the two: Tantra path and Sutra path. The sutra path in Mahayana doesn’t have much rituals, doesn’t introduce much of yidams or mantras. Also, an attachment and anger used little bit for helping, but not so much. The sutra path is limited, very limited.

[0:21:00]

In Vajrayana, you introduce yidams [deities] and mandala. Mandala means center and surroundings, retinue. The “man” means the center and or principle, and “dala” means retinue and or surroundings. You see a lot of mandala pictures and you call them mandalas. You don’t know what it is. If you ask, “What is the mandala?”, including myself, we will tell you it is a diagram of some Buddhist deity or something like that, of their house or environment. We will not talk like that how we are talking here if would you ask, “What is the mandala?” What it really means is principle and surroundings.

The principle here is the Buddha himself or Buddha in the physical form of some deity, whenever it is peaceful or wrathful, male or female. That is the principle yidam in the center. Then the surroundings, the retinue represent the pure land, the pure place. Mandala has limitations on who could access it. It is pretty much like here too. In the West, well economically developed countries have [border] protection against people without visas. The visas have restrictions to make sure you will leave a country within a specified timeframe. It is protection, right?

[0:24:27]

So it is not accessible to everybody. In makadam we use the same in mantras: different visualizations, a totally different way of handling. The purpose it is to obtain Buddhahood as quicky as possible. So much so that earlier masters in the indesise? quickly obtained enlightenment. The subtle goal double quickly, quickly to the enlightenment. That is indesizing, the principles.

The Mahayana principle is built on Theravada’s principle, and Vajrayana technical side is added based on the Mahayana principle. Within individual practice of the practitioner, it is one built on top of the other. But within that Vajrayana, Mahayana are okay, nothing is wrong. Within Mahayana the Theravada’s path is perfect, it is also okay. That is all about Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana, the Three Yanas. I hope it gives you enough understanding.

Question: I understood different motivations exist in Theravada and Mahayana, but could you please tell more about reaching Nirvana compare to reaching Buddhahood?

Answer: Buddha is Buddha. Nirvana is Nirvana. Those are two different things. When you reach Nirvana, according to the Theravada’s principles, you reach two stages of Nirvanas. Nirvana with leftover [remainder] and Nirvana without leftover [remainder].

[0:27:41]

Nirvana with leftover [remainder] means leftover of suffering, which means our body, the physical body. The physical body is out of the four noble truths, it belongs under the First Noble Truth [Life is Suffering], the truth of suffering, because it is caused by the suffering and it is a part of the suffering. Although, if you are often in Nirvana state and mental level, but the physical level you have not yet opted. Therefore, this is called Nirvana with leftover [remainder].

Nirvana without remainder, according to the Theravada’s sutras, [speaks Tibetan], says, “It is just like you blow the candle light out, the candle dies. Like that, when there is this consciousness, body consciousness stops, the feelings, and all other 5 senses had stopped. Then you disappear [disintegrate].”

[0:29:45]

For that they call it “total freedom”. In Mahayana, this view is not accepted. They say you cannot obtain total freedom; you have to work for the others. Then this becomes Mahayana path on top [of Theravada]. The Buddha’s level it is not your own total freedom from delusions, even imprints of delusions [removed].

But it is not a picnic. You are active. That is the difference. Briefly, Theravada says it is not correct, but that way people will understand it better. If you hear this [comparison], then somebody could definitely argue and I would say sorry, but then people will understand the [difference between paths] better. But it is not misguided.

Question: What about the free choice?

Answer: Free choice means what?

Question: Is it a free choice to decide if I want to be a bodhisattva?

Answer: Nirvana or Bodhisattva [path] is a free choice. What happened is that Theravada’s principle is oriented toward [becoming] an Arhat. The Arhats are remaining in the stage what we call the “state of joy”. Then, Buddha and Bodhisattvas are sort of flying around, coming in and telling them, “Hey, how come you are still like this?” It gives sort of self-motivation and somehow wakes them up and put [them] out of that frozen stage. I shouldn’t really call it the “frozen stage”, it is a state. Maybe I am prejudice, but I am attempted to call it “mokuwon”? nice, comfortable, dzi period. From that state, they have to somehow wake up, and when they do, then they will become active. Whenever it is a free choice or [not] whenever? [… review. I am sorry, we needed the law?]

[0:33:02]

How many people don’t understand English here? Does everyone understand it or what? Ok, I don’t get an answer here…

Comment from audience: Most of the people do understand English, but they prefer Danish.

What have we learned from this Three Yana overview? The motivation [is a key], thank you. In order to make the progress in whatever we do, all listening, all thinking or even discussions whether it will be part of Mahayana or Theravada, or even become part of Dharma or not, even if you are going to be spiritual or non-spiritual, all of it depends on the motivation.

If we have no motivation, that is a great job. No motivation at all. A lot of people who have a problem with motivation like to do good work. Who does like to do something good for somebody or nobody, whatever it is, just say, “You are doing good.” Most of the friends are like that.

[0:36:00]

They don’t have motivation, particularly those foundations, don’t have motivation at all! People who are making the decisions, they are there for their salaries, that is all. For them, it is a good work, good karma. This karma has nothing to do with aiming for Nirvana, or being freed from the suffering, or directed to help other beings to be freed from the suffering. No, it is just a good karma. We call it a “lucky karma”. The lucky karma means that result of that karma won’t get you free from the suffering, you won’t become enlightened, but you will have a good life. It became like a lucky karma.

However, when you are motivated to make yourself free from the suffering, then all the effort will go to the direction to be freed from the suffering. That work causes an individual to bring Nirvana [upon yourself]. If your motivation aims at freeing all sentient beings from samsara suffering as well, then that particular work will be directed toward total Enlightenment or the Buddha State. This karma will go beyond the lucky karma, beyond obtaining Nirvana, it will go towards helping everybody including yourself. [Gate, Gate, Paragate, Parasam Gate Bodhi Swaha]

[0:39:12]

Maybe you doing the same thing, whenever it is generosity or protecting ethics, or diligence, or patience, or concentration or wisdom. Whenever you are doing, it doesn’t matter. What does matter is the motivation which directs your effort. It is just like computer program, it works the way you have programmed it, right? This is why motivation is important. The whole idea is to have a good motivation. Maybe I should have said only one word, but I went all that way to explain it.

Anyway, let us talk about the beginning of the meditation. You know Tsongkhapa had asked a question to all of the Tibetan teachers during this lifetime, “What is the first thing to do for meditation?” Nobody had answered his question, until about 100 years later. The First Panchen Lama wrote an answer for that. [Quotes on Tibetan 0:42:01].

[0:42:01]

If you read Tibetan books written in Tibetan, you will see it had been translated from Indian’s ancient language, Sanskrit. Firstly, it says something in the Sanskrit language, and translator writes something such as “In the Sanskrit it is known as”. The First Panchen Lama said, “Just like in Indian [Sanskrit] language it is known as, when you meditate, the first thing to watch is your mind, observing your mind”.

Here also for us, the first thing to do is to watch our thoughts. The first thoughts, it doesn’t mean what thoughts are coming into your head, you can remove them. That is what we have taught already before. We are also taught how to sit and all of this. This is not for me to talk here. If you don’t know, you should attend one of those meditation classes. There they will tell you how to sit, what to do, how to breath, how to watch [observe the mind] and [teach you about] all errors... They will also tell you how to remove all the thoughts, “Let it go, let it go, let it go.” They will tell you to make [your mind] empty. Our job begins here what to apply on, after everything has been emptied from your mind.

The first thing that you apply on is your motivation. If you have an understanding of the altruistic mind of Buddha mind and all of this, it is time for you to apply it.

[0:45:06]

If you don’t have an understanding, at least you could make artificially here for the benefit of all sentient beings. For all beings I would like to do this, this, this.

[added “Bodhisattva Vow” here

With a wish to free all beings

I shall always go for refuge

to the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha

until I reach full enlightenment.

Enthused by wisdom and compassion,

today in the Buddha’s presence

I generate the Mind for Full Awakening

for the benefit of all sentient beings.

As long as space endures,

as long as sentient being remain,

until then, may I too remain

and dispel the miseries of the world.

]

Let us today for the benefit of all sentient beings to learn, meditate and use this. For meditation, you have subject meditation and object meditation. You know all of this from the meditation class.

In this case, when you meditate on the death and dying [process], this is a subject mediation. When you think about death, it is definite and you have to have reasons why [you want to meditate on it]. Even if you say the death is definite, you need to have reasons, whenever you concentrate on the sign of the death is definite or you are thinking death is definite, that is not enough.

There are two reasons why it is not enough. [Let us look in depth into the first reason].

First, you need to superficially know that death is definite, but you are not convinced, you are hoping of some kind of escape. You have to block them [escape thoughts]. So Tsongkhapa introduced here the concept called the “death is definite why”. The death will definitely come, there is no escape.

[0:48:00]

It cannot be overpowered by any power, anything. When the actual death time comes, nothing can block it. The rights, wealth, medication, spiritual power, meditative power won’t protect. Nothing can protect you. The death is beyond control. This is why it is definite.

During the Buddha’s lifetime, there were number of kings that came to see him. They were asking about death. The Buddha said, “Just listen here. The great [kings] can listen to me. If there are four big mountains running from the four directions coming like this [toward the center where you stand], can you escape?” The kings replied, “No, we can’t. We can’t be protected from the big mountains coming from the four directions. We will be crashed.” The Buddha continued, “In the similar way, the illness, old age, [birth and death] coming from all four directions with all power toward you will crush you”.

[0:51:18]

Spiritually, all the possible Buddhas come and go [arrive in this world and pass away]. Even when we are talking about Buddha Shakyamuni today, like we are talking like he just went to the next room… However, if you ask what and when something happened, you will get an answer that Buddha had died 2,500 years ago. If you talk to the good spiritual teachers today in the West, good or bad, and when you talk about them, we discuss great qualities or scandals. When we ask where they are today, they are all have died. You could give [an example] of anybody, son of this, son of that, chitanata of this, right? The great masters, in the West and East alike, the great teachers, saints like Saint Patrick, etc. they all have great monuments, but if you ask where are they, they are gone, they are not here. In reality, this is the truth. None of them had survived the clutches of death. Like us, they were bound to go. If they could not escape, why do we think we will be able to escape?

[0:54:06]

Then you think, this is because of something else… What if you move into a new country, and it has a better medical system? We could go here or there, and would be able to escape [the death grip]. Better yet, what if they freeze your body until the cure is found somewhere, someday? Then you could be cured and revived. I don’t know if you or the ghost will be revived though. Somebody will be revived for sure. [.. short phrase]

Anyway, there is no way to escape the death. [speaks Tibetan]. The Buddha himself made a statement saying that if you want to escape death, then you go into the air, behind the mountain, under the ocean. However, no matter whatever you do, when the time comes, you got to go.

During the Buddha’s lifetime there was an interesting tale, when another Indian clan attacked the Buddha’s clan, the Shakya’s cast. It was a big battle during which many of Shakya people had died. The Buddha knew about the outcome of this battle ahead of time as well as his disciples. One of the Buddha’s main disciple, Mahondapudra [Maudgalyayana], had magical powers. He asked Buddha, “This event is coming… As you know, I could take one hair out of my toe, tie all soldiers with it and then throw it away. Should I do it?” The Buddha replied, “No, they have to die today. Whatever they do, they can’t escape. If you don’t believe me, I will show you.” They hid one child in the thirty-second haven somewhere.

[0:57:20]

The second child was staying with the Buddha and his disciples. Another one, the third one, they have done something to him, but I have forgot. Anyway, by the sunset in the evening, the boy in the thirty-second haven had died, and the boy who stayed with the Buddha had also died. That was an example. Usually, this example is given during an explanation of the karma period, not for the death period. However, it works anyway. [he softly laughs]

Those are examples [that death is unavoidable]. When you meditate on death, you have to tell and convince yourself that no power on Earth could really stop the death. When the unavoidable circumstances come, the unavoidable conditions arrive, you will have to die. That is definite [truth]. This is one of the reasons. You have to keep thinking about this reason, and you will convince yourself that it is a definite [truth].

When you achieve this convincing point in your mind, start meditating. You hold that [definite truth], unless you meditate you really hold that until you lose it. When you will lose it, then you pick up another reason.

[1:00:11]

Imagine that you have a bucket of water. If you let the water drip out, and you don’t add any additional water, then the bucket will become empty one day. Likewise, our life has nothing to add on, it is going down day by day. Particularly our life is based on the five elements of the body: Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Space elements. The flash and bones are the Earth element, the liquid matter is the Water element, the digestive parts are the Fire element and the movement, circulation inside the body is an Air element. The liquid moves, the heart [heat] pumps, the air pushes. Those elements are our fundamental basis of the surviving, so called life. If one of the elements ages or gets out of the order, then elements lose their balance and we get sick. Then you will go to the doctors to rebalance the elements and doctors will keep on correcting the balance as much as they can.

[1:03:02]

It is done through medication, surgery or whatever means. However, one day the time comes when nothing can help. Then you have to go. That is unavoidable. The Earth element gets decayed, the Water element gets frozen, the Fire element gets cold, the Air stops moving and the Space element is blocked. Therefore, going away is definite. Given those reasons, bringing back all the way is definite. ? Hold on. So, this is one of the reasons.

Besides that, we always talk about time passing faster. We always talk about lack of time, whether it is genuine or artificial. Sometimes we would like to pretend there is no time. Whenever it might be, we have no time, no time, no time. That is the message of the impermanence we are given to ourselves.

During the Buddha’s lifetime, there were certain teachings given by good teachers, by guru teachings given by this and that. Those teachings were given to us by ourselves, by everybody to everybody. No time, no time. What does “no time” mean? The time is going, the minutes are ticking, minutes become hours, hours become days, days become weeks, weeks become months, months become years, years become lifetime.

[1:06:25]

It is like a bucket of water, and the water is dripping out. Likewise, our time is going, [dripping away]. This is an interesting show in United States, called “Days of our lives”. The same goes up and down, up and down, and it is called “Days of our lives”. It sends the same message of impermanence. Whatever I got chance, I used to watch it, but I haven’t watched it for two years now. It starts at 1:30pm in Michigan, US. This is exactly how message of [impermanence] is given.

Another example given by Buddha was about butchers who brought animals for slaughtering. When they entered the slaughtering area, every step got them closer to the slaughter house, every minute took them nearer to animals’ deaths. Animals somehow knew and refused to go further, and used all means to escape or to pull back. However, butchers were adamant and cruel, and animals weren’t able to break free.

[1:09:12]

Like animals in this story, we don’t want to go. We would try to use everything to escape death, but aging and illness will overpower and take us there. The illness and old age are like big waterfalls. I am not making it up, the Buddha called it waterfall. When the water comes down, nobody could turn it back. The water will continue to fall down. Like this, we ourselves are standing under the waterfall.

The Buddha went to the riverside, and meditated on the impermanence of the riverside. Atisha said, “As the river goes, my days are going.” Those are examples shared by the earlier great spiritual masters. We use above mentioned examples to meditate and convince ourselves that death is definite.

Those are two most important reasons or points that we use for convincing ourselves that death is definite. Someone asked me to do to this meditation yesterday, that is what I am doing today. Those are two reasons to convince ourselves that death is definite.

[1:12:04]

When you are convinced, then you will think, “By the time of the death what do I have to carry with me, what will help me?” Naturally, nothing else but loneness you would think about.

The first thing that comes into our mind is life insurance, because we insure life, right? What will that do for us? Probably nothing, because I will be gone. We are lucky if our family has it, maybe someone who owes us, who knows? So, life insurance won’t help us during the death.

What are about the savings, retirement assets? We have a saying in Tibetan, [speaks Tibetan], “If you are a king, who owns the whole universe, you have to leave the universe and go. If you are beggar, who has only begging bowl and the stick for protection from the dogs’ bites, you have to leave the begging bowl and the stick and go.”

Nothing really helps at that time, even the body. Although we are born with it and put a lot of efforts to take care and maintain it, the body will let us down.

[1:15:16]

The body won’t go with you at the time of death, as well as friends, children, family members, no one. What will you do then? Only imprints of good and bad karma will go with you. The good karma is built by doing a positive work in this life, and the bad karma is also created during this life. Plus, we take with us what we were carrying all along [from the previous lifetimes], both bad and good.

When you look at what you have in our package, in our bag, you will find that you don’t have much positive karma because you didn’t find time to pack it. This is another regretful thing. So, you will have to meditate on it now. It is not a direct meditation on death, but Tsongkhapa recommends to meditate this way. [If we follow his advice], then when the time really comes, we will not have regrets.

There was a great teacher who was about sixty or seventy years old. Once, the disciple asked him to write the autobiography for the appreciation and joy of the students. The teacher replied, “I have no story to tell you. I have nothing, nothing.” Nevertheless, the students insisted and the teacher finally wrote one verse.

[1:18:05]

[Speaks Tibetan]. “I am keep thinking I am kid, I am kid, I am kid. I pass twenty years thinking that I am kid, I am kid. Then I [keep thinking I] will do something, I will do something, I will do something about [my life] for another twenty years. Then I will abide, abide, abide for another twenty years. This is my story of how of how I have wasted my life.” This is for girls, right? One stanza is what he wrote. The master didn’t waste his life, but he reminded us that could happen.

While we are kids, why should we worry about it [our baggage for future lives, creating positive karma]? Why would we also think about it during the teenager years? This type of thinking will consume the first twenty years.

Then for the next twenty years we feel that we are ready to do something. Yes, yes, yes! [Let’s see...] The spirituality is important, I know about it. I have to do something, but first I have to pay my bills, do this and that, and then another twenty years will pass by.

After that, we say, “I am sick and it is terrible that I didn’t do it. I abide, angry, this and that…” Then we give ten million reasons why we couldn’t do it. If this happens, then it will be regrettable.

We will meditate on this and convince [resolve] ourselves that we won’t be overcome by laziness. We will get [keep] that base that the death is definite and we have two reasons [to prove it].

[1:21:02]

The first reason is there is no addition [to the lifespan], and it continuously dropped [goes away]. The second reason is that there is no power exists that could stop the death. The time will come when we won’t be able to help ourselves to escape the death. With those two reasons you pass the resolution, “the death is definite, and I will do something that I won’t regret”.

I am giving those pointers for you to meditate on. To meditate really means we are not doing meditation, but when you meditate, you use those ideas [as response to hindrances]. What does meditation mean and what Dharma really means we talked about yesterday. Correction, the meditation will also put our thoughts in certain direction.

The current mindset is what we call “live forever”. We assume that we are going to die one day, but it won’t be now. I sort of not going to go, I am not ready to go yet. This is the mindset we have now. By meditating on death, we will form the correct view. The correct view is that we will definitely die, but we should be prepared.

[1:24:04]

This is a traditional style, with a little bit of burying and dying, but it is very important in our lives. Nevertheless, it is very important in our lives when we are looking for our benefit at the time of death.

Our main obstacle is laziness. It is not laziness of not doing something, but the laziness of procrastination. As we have talked about it yesterday, by avoiding death topics or thinking about death, you won’t avoid death itself.

On the other hand, contemplating about death will bring benefits. Those benefits won’t shorten your life, but will prepare you when it is time to go. Your intent, your suitcase of your intent is packed with positive karma. When you get into this view, you will get better future life. That is important. If you think of the karma as a principle, that is what it is, what you do. If you don’t think of karma as a principle, and you think that somebody will do something, then it is called “good luck”.

That is the first reason on how you meditate on death. The point is that it is definite. Once you are convinced, then you will move [start doing something]. You don’t move until you are convinced.

[1:27:08]

Then you ask [yourself in the inner monolog in your meditation session], “When?” The answer will be, “I don’t know”. The time of death is uncertain. Who knows, it might be tonight, next hour or hundred years later. Who knows? However, be prepared. Once you are prepared, it doesn’t matter when it comes. If it comes before you are prepared, they will not wait for you. When Ahmud and Hartmut come together to get me, if I am not prepared, they will wait. Death won’t wait. This one won’t wait. [audience is laughing]. If you drink a cup of tea or a cup of coffee or whatever, you drop the cup and go. If you are smoking the joint … [he is laughing, everybody is softly laughing] I am sick of it. There is no time, you have to go. The axe will bring and drop it here. There is no certainty.

If anybody has any questions, or anybody would like to make any statements, you have an opportunity right now.

[Question]: There are two questions. Are there any teachers to help us when we are in the bardo state? When does bardo enter the body, at the moment of conception or at the later point?

[1:30:02]

[Answer]: Whether the teachers are there to help you in bardo state depends on your own progress. For some people the answer would be yes. However, for others even [if teachers are there], they can’t help.

There are people who receive help at the time of the death, they remember them. One I just remembered, the friend of mine who was from here. It happened about 4 or 5 years ago. I saw him at the hospital and stayed with him during the time of death. At the time when he was ready to go, he was sort of passing through and I was saying some prayers. Suddenly he said, “Oh, is it time for the monks to sing prayers, where are they? I can hear them. Where am I? Those monks are chanting, where are they? Oh my God, it is such a beautiful music they are playing. What kind of music is that? I have never heard it before. My piano is about to go now, what is she is up to? Could you call her?”

So it sort of one pull and one goal, and I have noticed that. Those are definitely when the people ask [to recite chants for dying person], we pray. We normally say that at the time of the death the protectors, dakers ? and dakinis will come with the music and flowers and receive me. This is what we normally pray for. On one hand it had been materializing, on the other hand, his viable was not moving. He is going late for the party; he is going to miss the plane. It is sort of time because at the time of the death people can get confused, so the mind of this life is getting subtle and even the next one is beginning to pick up and also the death is reducing the gross mind down.