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123

Soundfile 19950805GRGLG2

Speaker Gelek Rimpoche

Location Ann Arbor

Topic Ganden Lha Gyema

Transcriber Roger Johnson

Date August 30, 2022

(Continued from recording 19950805GRGLG1 answering audience question.)

Rimpoche: …produces. Merit of karma of falling into lower realms. So, since there is no karmic cause there is no result. So, any bodhisattva who likes to go to hell realm has to use the positive karma uh as an activity uh action to go into hell realm. That’s what it is.

So the Buddha’s will continuously produce karma, but positive karma only. No more negative karma production.

Audience member: So in other words they can there is no limit to the amount of human forms a Buddha can take it is not limited to karma…

Rimpoche: There is no limit. There is no positive karma has no limit for that. People get misinformation sometimes they think there is no more karma produced. That is not true. Always positive karma…if there is no more they cannot exhaust it. There’s no exhaustion therefore it is always there. Always constantly produced through every action thereafter becomes positive action even if you kill a human being it becomes a positive action. I’m sorry to say that, but.

Audience member: Talk about homeless buddhas…

Rimpoche: There is no homeless buddhas…

Audience member: In other words…

Rimpoche: There is no homeless Buddha. There is no homeless Buddha. There is no homeless Buddha (laughs).

Audience member: Buddhists who obtain enlightenment (inaudible) merit wisdom, the wisdom merit. Then after the attainment of buddhahood should be able to create an endless amount of positive karma said to be (inaudible) manifest in any way so they probably arise.

Rimpoche: So? What happened to the homeless Buddha?

Audience member: That’s…I don’t think

Rimpoche: What is the question? I didn’t get it.

Audience member: The question is you’ve mentioned many times the importance of merit merit. Without merit merit you become…there is only wisdom merit you can become a Buddha but a Buddha with only a begging bowl. However, once you are a Buddha you should be able to make and you know an inexhaustible amount of good karma, merit merit, to manifest any retinue in any palace in any home an everything.

Rimpoche: So? There you go.

Audience: The reason is because he is just saying (inaudible).

Rimpoche: I’m against certain viewpoints where people where people think property is merit. Poverty. Okay. There are people who think poverty is merit. Bullshit. Celibacy, uh, poverty, celibacy, obedience…bullshit. You don’t seek obedience. You have commitment you honor with willingness. By willingly. You don’t go under command.

0:03:59.5

So make money as much as you can. You’re not taking it away from anybody. Do not feel bad. Make it. Use it. Whatever the way you want to use it. It’s your own. Doesn’t matter. Even if you spend $800,000 in sixteen days, fine. Use it. Huh?

Audience member: Waste it if you have it. You know?

Rimpoche: I’m thinking sixteen days. If you use $800,000 in 16 days fine. Make it and spend it. Make more. Fine. But don’t be loser (laughs).

What else?

Okay, now where are we? We should do more. Because I don’t want to be stuck at seven limb prayer.

Audience: Purification

Rimpoche: Purification I mentioned earlier. So you can start with (Short Tibetan recitation) whatever the negativities. You know, the purification really needs serious regret. You don’t need guilt. Because you are not helpless. You are not stuck. Don’t entertain guilt trips. You don’t cause yourself guilt trip. Do not play guilt trip to others. Because it doesn’t work. It is cheat. It is a lie. It is nothing. Guilt trip play. Because no one stuck. No one is helpless. No one is hopeless. Don’t play guilt trip and don’t give guilt trips at all. But you need regret because you did something wrong. It’s bad. Acknowledge.

It is very important to distinguish between two of these. If you feel it, “Oh I’m stuck. I’m terrible.” No one is stuck you can put fire underneath your, under you so we can see you stuck and see you jump. (inaudible “sorry”?). No one is stuck. Spiritually, karmically, even otherwise. You may have difficult corners, but there is always way out.

So regret is must. No guilt. Remember this. I am saying this. Buddha went on preaching this for thousand years…two thousand five hundred years. All these Buddhist practitioners thereafter have followed that. If you want to manipulate then you put them on guilt trip and then you can have that. That’s on your fingertip. You can play with them. But you don’t want to do that. You don’t want to be yourself in that, you don’t want to put anybody else in that position.

So, stop playing guilt trip. Stop laying guilt trip on others. And make sure you don’t take it. You don’t get yourself in that. But regret yes. You did something. Not only regret, but you should also be ashamed of yourself. Yeah. Ashamed of yourself to others and to yourself. It is more important to be ashamed of yourself to yourself rather than to others.

Audience member: Can’t shame cause guilt?

Rimpoche: That’s your problem. That’s your problem. You feel shame?

Audience member: No, I feel regret. I don’t really feel shame.

Rimpoche: You got regret you got to feel ashamed sometimes (laughs). Not because you are homosexual or bisexual or anything but keep on doing the (inaudible) thing again and again and again, how embarrassing of me. And that’s shame. Embarrassment. Is shame too strong of word.

Audience member: No. No. John Bradshaw talks about healthy shame and all of John Bradshaw’s work is in this country we have one meaning for shame and elsewhere they have two meanings. Shame means regret and also means you’re stupid piece of shit. Right? But, there is a distinction here and Rimpoche talking about shame as regret and not as that you’re guilty and hopeless. Good to hear that.

Rimpoche: Good to hear that (laughs).

Audience member: I’m feeling shame that I didn’t understand the two different things of shame (laughs).

Other audience member: The kind of shame isn’t the idea that when you feel like embarrassment then you hesitate to do it again. Isn’t that the main idea?

Rimpoche: Um, these, in the Buddha, what Buddha used is two of those mental faculties. Um, if I went and did this and if other people know how embarrassing it will be for me. And another is oh how embarrassed myself. These are the two mental faculties for the individual to keep your uh moral commitment. The moral, don’t misunderstand. In the west immediately you think the moment you say moral you think sexual orientation or something it is not. Um, the, uh, you’re keeping your you know whatever your vows and commitments and uh positiveness and not to be mean person and not to be a cheat, and lie and you know. All these are the two mental faculties used for, instead of um Catholic Church comes and tells you are terrible or something or you have to go and stand there and say “I did this and I confess and blah, blah, blah…” Instead of that you use two mental faculties. And embarrassing, making embarrassment by you for yourself by you or to yourself within you and uh I’ll be embarrassed by others or if others knows I’m…two of these are separate. We separate these two. One is called shame and the other is called behavior or something. So, somebody who can behave or behavior or something whatever. So, we sort of separate these two. So that is how we utilize, how the Buddha utilize these two mental faculties to create more positive karma and restrain the individual indulging in negative karma. These are the two reasons.

0:12:27.6

Not because um. You know, yesterday, the day before yesterday in the house and um (inaudible name) bring in the banner called shame, shame, shame, not that…not that way…(laughs)…that doesn’t do any good. The Democrats are bringing banner in the house saying shame shame because you are cutting all your social programs and no matter how many banners are put out the bill passed, so…(laughs). Called Republican solidarity. And that is what the CNN reported and ultimately they demanded Republican solidarity and then the bill passed. So, people who give speech against those they also bothered because of Republican solidarity, there is some kind of understanding they got the vote. So, that’s that.

So, even when you have a banner saying “shame shame” it doesn’t do any good (laughs). So.

0:13:38.9

Audience member: I have another question about regret.

Rimpoche. Hm. You should give opportunity to those people. But anyway, go ahead. They don’t ask questions.

Audience member: About you know regret and recounting negative actions and stuff it is almost impossible to be able to go through and um

Rimpoche: Because you don’t forget. So on doesn’t matter. So on doesn’t matter you can say etc etc, you can put them under E.T.C. huh? ETC.

Audience member: But it is hard to generate genuine regret about etcetera isn’t it?

Rimpoche: Yeah and know, you know why? You can create a general regret about whatever I did that I’m sorry you saw me. You can get a sincere idea on that.

Audience member: But specifically, for me the question arises when I’m doing the practice about um what I see as a result of past negative karma is limitations in in my capability to be of use myself and others and limitations in terms of how well I’m able to engage my path and work (inaudible) and certainly I have regret that arises from my lack of capacity to be able to be of use to myself and others. So regret that stems from my own limitations, I mean I see these limitations on myself and I realize that these limitations have to be a result of previous negative karma and the regret for the the regret over the limitations imposed on my by myself now serve the purpose of regret for purification.

Rimpoche: (audience member name inaudible “Mike”?) To tell you the truth I didn’t hear you. You know why? My thoughts went off somewhere else. Because when you say regret, when you are saying my incapability of functioning is result of my bad karma my thought went off on that. It is true. It is the result of bad karma as well as the creates bad karma. So it is serving a double purpose that’s what my own thought went so I didn’t hear your last uh. In what way because one is fulfilling the earlier karma sort of taking your way from the positive work. In other words it’s also creating another negative karma trying to pull you away from the positive actions you wanted to it is doing the double work. Fulfilling the previous karma and creating a future karma. So, whatever (addressing audience member who is speaking at the same time as Rimpoche) you know whatever. For creating the future karma. So that’s what’s called continuation. So that is how it works. That is where my thought went to this exact example of a negative karma bringing negative karma. It is continuation serving a purpose of fulfilling an earlier karma and creating a future karma. Function very well. So does the positive karma do too. Both ways. Interesting. So what is the question now?

0:17:23.8

Audience member: So then the question of when seeing the lack of capacity to develop you know people I would want to help or myself for that matter overcome stuff um there is certainly regret right there of them the capacity especially when a friend dies or something to that extent or dangerously ill or when stuff comes up. So can the regret from not having the capacity you feel that maybe maybe I should have or could have can can that regret serve the necessary purpose to make the purification effective?

Rimpoche: That regret is not a negative at all. Unable to help others unable to help myself is non-negative. It is regret but it is not negative.

Audience member: I do not think it is negative but it is twice removed from the original act that is why I’m wondering if the regret feeling bad is sufficient to be able to make the purification practice effective? You know what I mean, after the fact regret. I don’t remember the original act but I can see what the act has created. I regret the consequence without remembering the action. So can that still serve the purpose of purification of the original act?

Rimpoche: Could be when you don’t have anything better than that. But that original negative which you are looking at it. You think it is negative but it might not even be negative. Might not 3even be negative. What I’m understanding what you are thinking if I understand you correctly what you’re looking is that you are presuming it is a negative something I have done so I didn’t do it. And might not be negative. It might not. Simply didn’t act. Simply didn’t do. Maybe not right opportunity. Maybe not…might not necessarily be negative.

0:19:42.5

(Speaking with audience members regarding lunch arrangements)

0:20:44.7

I don’t know what. It does help understanding a little better? I hope so. Otherwise why we spending time? Any questions?

Audience member: I don’t have a very good understanding of the visualizations. I was wondering can you recommend a particular (inaudible) or…

Rimpoche: Cloudy will be okay. Sort of cloudy visualizations okay. Or you do…some people have a genuine problem visualizing anything. You know (Ed Hoperman?) he’s not listening to this tape anyway (somewhat inaudible). Ed Hoperman(?) could never visualize anything. It was the first two years I didn’t even get it what he was talking about it. At that time he didn’t speak good English, eh, and uh and uh and uh I speak much better English than he does, in those days. But I’m not getting what he’s talking about it actually he had a problem imaging an image. So, so (inaudible) to the three or four years later what he’s talking about it. So, then, alternative for that is the energy. If you don’t have the picture it is the only the energy. Energy which you feel, sort of feel it is there, and the level it is there, acknowledge it is this and that is how you go about it.

(inaudible) one can’t give training to to uh to one can’t force to have image when you can’t imagine image. Yeah, people get that sort of thing..some people have a lack of uh picturing anything. You can’t picture. That is what it is. I mean that also, I think Ed told me I tried to picture Tsongkhapa it goes so yellow long it is he’s probably have some kind of particular some problem you know? He don’t get it. He goes (whirrrrring sound) he can’t imagine. You know? Just cannot project at all. That sort of a problem. Energy. Just think. Acknowledge. Even people have very difficult even us we just talk about it and we move as though we have all mastered but if you really visualize I don’t think people can really think clearly about anything. They just simply may have some kind of of uh red lump yellow top or something like boom, something. Probably that much. Huh? Because there’s a yellow hat. Sort of a little red lump sort of yellow on top, you know. Uh probably that much everybody. I can’t say everybody. Many people have that much. And some people may have some faces but there is no nose, or mouth or eye or ear or when they look at it the nose they don’t have, nose they don’t have ear or anything. That’s very common. People just. I’m sure people just don’t speak about it. Many of them do that.

Audience member: Would you recommend looking at um different pictures and things like that then closing your…

Rimpoche: If it helps you, do anything. Any help get you it is okay. Most important thing is perceiving and acknowledging. That’s what it is. So if you think it is there you acknowledge, you accept that it works. And if you are, if you are meditating for a shamata meditation then clarification, clarity and all this are necessary and in that case you need it. But in general practice for accumulation of merit purification and all this uh it, clarity is not absolutely necessary. Therefore, perceiving, acknowledging is good enough. It is good enough.

0:25:52.9

Any question? Kimba.

Kimba: I don’t know how to ask this. But you know when we’re visualizing Tsongkhapa and his disciples and then from Tushita and (inaudible) comes the cloud you said that…

Rimpoche: Cloud? And then the tip of the cloud then three person as you meditated coming and what you visualizing here dissolve into that and become oneness.

Kimba: Why?

Rimpoche: Why? Why, you know I will give you why. Why? Just to satisfy our rational mind. Our rational mind will say I only created that and there is no such thinking. So you say “Oh, I said the ritual. I invoke.” And it came from that. Just gives you a little more, additional one more buffer ground. Ne more buffer point. You don’t get crushed by too materialistic mind. You know the materialistic mind will say: Whatever I’m doing. I’m imagining something. I’m just simply projecting it. And just doing it. It has no meaning. No proof. Nothing. What is this? What I’m doing. So there’s no Tsongkhapa here. What I’m doing? So if it is so (inaudible) and I’m going to hit it or wherever it is and nothing is hidden. So these are the normal, rational mind (inaudible). So, to give one more buffer protection from that mind to crash over you said the rituals. Okay, ah well ritual is something whatever that does I don’t know, but it somehow a lot of people accept that, people does, I did the ritual or maybe something, okay, it gives one more buffer protection.

Otherwise you don’t really need it. If you are intelligent enough. I don’t mean you are not intelligent, don’t take it personally or literally. But if you are intelligent enough what happens enlightened minds are everywhere. Everywhere. Even in the toilet. Even in the pot. Inside. Yeah, it’s there. So it is known. And so it is there. It is everywhere so you don’t have to visualize it is there. The question of doubt never arise. For extremely intelligent person. But intelligent not extremely brilliant and people like us and a lot of materialistic influence, materialistic understanding materialistic education will have those questions. And just to give one more, it may not be strong enough, it can be knocked out. But it gives you one more buffer. So, to fulfill.

And also rational mind to satisfy “Ah…there is a way. I have connection. There is a cloud path there. The path is still open. I can go. I can die. I can take my uhm huh? BMW? Alright. So Tony wants BMW. So you want that? Okay. Huh? What?

Audience member: We’ll all think good thoughts for that.

Rimpoche: You can get it. There’s nothing there. So.

0:29:53.4

Audience member: The prayers should be the supreme field of merit for my mind of faith.

Rimpoche: My mind of faith. Do not misunderstand faith.

Audience member: You mentioned that before.

Rimpoche: Mind of faith is it is my mental thing. What does faith mean to you?

Audience member: Trust. Not blind faith but trust.

Rimpoche: No, what does faith mean? What is difference between faith and trust? John, that is your language not mine.

Audience member (John): It is trust that maybe you have investigated and you really believe it because you understand it and you have searched and found that you really do believe that and it becomes faith, possibly?

Rimpoche: Does language express that? Faith? When you go to the church and all this. They don’t say investigate. They just say “Believe that God is here.” What is the difference between believe, faith? Trust is totally different to me at least.

0:31:05.8

Audience member: We use the word confidence…

Rimpoche: No, no, no, no no, that’s okay. I’m trying to get here grounded with people so that’s what I’m saying what is the word faith mean. I mean, I don’t mean Tibetan Buddhist wise, I mean the language wise. Normal American language “have faith” what does that mean? Huh? You say it is not normal language?

Audience: No. Here are we necessarily dealing with normal American language?

Rimpoche: Are you a normal American person?

Audience: No (laughter)

Rimpoche: You are normal person. Aren’t you? Of course you are. Don’t doubt that. You are normal, of course. You are absolutely normal American, okay? (laughter with audience).

I would have you finish that what we’re talking about it, just to get a little more clear on this. They use the English language which is a problem. So, and faith is a problem. You understand Elizabeth? You say whatever you want to say.

Audience (Elizabeth): Like, faith. Mind (inaudible) to me sounds its more um it is more a point at which what I perceive doesn’t provide all of the (attention?) and that there are events that what I can perceive I don’t I can’t make a judgment based on my own perceptions. And so I have I have to form a relationship um without full knowledge of the rest of it.

Rimpoche: You’re not talking from the Tibetan Buddhist influence?

(Elizabeth): No. I’m talking about from growing up here.

Rimpoche: Which means sort of rely on, what?

Multiple audience members: Leap of faith. Relies upon whatever you got is not enough and there is going to have to be a relationship with something forged with something else to be able to get you to where you want to go. That’s what we (inaudible).

Rimpoche: (inaudible at 0:33:57.8 - “Okay…that’s it. Right”

Audience: Yeah. Yeah.

Rimpoche: So the Tibetan Buddhism translation of the word comes from “depa”, which people translated from “faith” which does not say that at all.

Audience: Okay. What does it say?

Rimpoche: Depa here means one is trust, that is what he is bringing up. There are three meanings. Depa, three different meanings. Number one: Is desire. Number two is trust. Number two you get good feelings and you know and sort of impressed and good feelings. Something desire, wanted. And something you just Ohhhh, and appreciating and how wonderful. Appreciating it. It is called (Tibetan phrasing inaudible). Three different depas.

(“Tah wah”) depa is: “Oh, you like it wonderful. Ohhh.:” And sometimes you get in that mood of you know…you that in that you get. That is the number one faith you count that as that kind of thing. “tah wah” depa.

Number two is the ha, not only that but I really want it in that way. Desire. In seeking yourself in that.

And number three you putting gin trust. I know I can do it. I know I can make it. I know this one did it and I can get there. Sort of making yourself more confidence and putting trust in you to be able to achieve. That’s why I’m trying to pinpoint this faith because the words in English words we used in translation, but everybody does. Every translator uses that. When you really point it down it gives you different meaning.

Audience: So is this close to, you did an explanation once in the lam rim teaching on prostration.

Rimpoche: Yes, I did that.

Audience: And you said, you said like don’t have the image that like you’re making yourself lesser than when you prostrate, it is more like you say I respect and make me like you and thank you…

Rimpoche: I did not say don’t make yourself lesser than than the…I don’t think I said that, but I said you are expressing your desire to get it. I used the word chak and tsel in Tibetan. Tsel is seeking. Chak is admiration, and seeking. I remember that. Unless I remember wrongly. But I don’t think so. Okay…play the tape back (laughter). In the presence of Judge Ito (laughs).

Audience: He’s real good with tapes these days.

Rimpoche: (laughter)

Audience: No, the piece I got from the language you used is do not diminish do not turn prostration to something where you diminish yourself

Rimpoche: That’s right. That’s right. I did say that. Yeah. I did say that for sure.

Audience: Is this the same thing? Are we talking…

Rimpoche: Close. Close. It is relation it is not the same thing. I’m talking about here the faith. I mean it is a very big difference in understanding, in the western understanding and the eastern understanding. But at the same time there is also trust of that. Trust of that is uh the word trust itself is indicates that you don’t see all the way through. However, you rely on that what you sort of go ahead and do it, you not be let down. That is the word trust. And that we do use very strongly in this faith you have that. But I don’t think you sort of totally um, I don’t know how to say it, I’m sort of lost on what I’m talking about.

Audience: A few years ago you used the word confidence

Rimpoche: Well, the confidence is that I’m not the one. I don’t know what I’m talking about it. Supa, you raise your hand earlier I stopped.

Supa: I was actually getting back to the um why you do that in (inaudible) Isn’t part of it that uh, I don’t know this is something (inaudible) but um isn’t it partly that you’re trying to sort of like you know the idea of a commitment being and a wisdom being and it’s not just because you’re trying to you know be with yourself and you’re not just visualizing nothing but actually isn’t it part of (inaudible) that we’re actually getting used to the idea that commitment being and wisdom being are coming together for future (inaudible) the path (inaudible). The only reason you are trying to provide a buffer for yourself is not just a …

Rimpoche: No, you’re right. This is what I’m saying to Kimba is the invocation is at this moment at this level the invocation is to satisfy our rational mind.

Supa: That is the only reason?

Rimpoche: I didn’t say it was the only reason. Did I? I give the reason why and also I answer that. I answer that how our rational mind, our material mind will work will think and there is something more than that to block, I mean you don’t get crushed by that idea completely because there is some point to understand. I didn’t say that is the only reason

0:40:00

A – you have to think this is pure sutra and not pure vajrayana, yet. And um, B – yeah, you don’t talk about the commitment being a wisdom being at this level yet. This is the beginning of the general invocation – and people make invocations everywhere, not only Tibetan Buddhism everybody makes rituals and invocations and all this sort of thing which is somehow conceptually accepted in the western culture anyway.

0:40:41.4

Audience: (inaudible) say why you do that but whoever you (inaudible) came up with this particular visualization put myself in a position in I will be doing this strictly for that reason. I, like you say, I know you are saying now it is more than one reason but I, you’re saying this lovely guild offer that to people for instance we’re all vajrayana practitioners you say that but if..

Rimpoche: You can say that, yeah.

Audience: …sutrayana practitioner then they…

Rimpoche: You also go according to the text too, you know? And if the text is over extended then you have to do your mantras, (laughs).

Audience: (inaudible) told us that when, you know, I started to figure out from the (inaudible) oh that’s why we did that before you know

Rimpoche: Yeah, that’s good. Okay, there you go. That’s how you figured out. That’s a great way.

0:41:30.2

Okay, (inaudible) answered the Kimba’s question completely uh I will just a little answer there.

And, uh, that’s it!

And you shouldn’t go beyond this it would not be fair for the (inaudible) and uh…(giggles). I have a problem remembering like this, you know. Name of people, numbers…sometimes very embarrassing but I do. Huh?

Audience: You seem to be okay with the written word. Remember stuff…

Rimpoche: What I learned I remember.

(Tape interrupted)…earlier I was talking about, um, about…purification and um um and then the regret. That’s where we stopped, right? So, anybody else have any questions, particularly those who are new to Ganden Lha Gyema? All old ones, too. Yeah?

Audience member: I just have one question about visualization, the lions and the lion thrones. Um, (inaudible).

Rimpoche: All four, eighth, six, sixteen, uh whatever you want to. I don’t think there is anything specific. Recommended is eight and um what you mean the color?

Audience member: Colors of the lions. Are they white?

Rimpoche: Mostly lions are snow lions so it is sort of white they do. I don’t think it is mythological figure. I think it is a (tape cut out at 0:44:08.4)…

Audience: (inaudible) asked a question about the historical um perception and what we learned about what things actually look like and then bringing in what you have just thought about, mainly the things we can hook to, that we can connect with into this. And then you said um to function, it’s the goal to function independently and collectively and for like I’m just aware that I have almost no skills or abilities to bring collectively to anything at this point. I don’t because I don’t know enough. I don’t even know enough to know when I’m wrong. When I…so, I, could you speak a little more about that?

(Some conversing back and forth while microphones are not working – conversation is not on topic - 0:45:41.4)

Audience: I don’t know what you were thinking in terms of the collectively or individually collectively, but what my understanding with what Rimpoche was saying earlier is that is has to do with being something as being what it is in its own individual part and seeing it at the same time as being like a whole, like containing the whole so that each part of each atom, each thing, each part of the mandala also is the true function as the whole mandala but it also is its own discreet part So I’m not sure when you’re saying, I don’t know what I’m talking about, I don’t know what, how your question fits into that or whether there was a misunderstanding about what the collective means. I think that is just a real misunderstanding about what the collective…because I…you made a joke and you said you can’t sort of make a triangle out of four square mandala you know that would be like a mistake. Well that’s the level of mistake I could easily make.

Rimpoche: I didn’t say it was a mistake.

Audience: It’s not a mistake?

Rimpoche: I didn’t say it was a mistake. I said I’m not here to permit you to make four square mandala into triangle. I, if I remember correctly I didn’t say that.

Audience: So you were (inaudible) authorizing that? (more audience conversation and people talking over one another). But, it’s like the level of what I don’t know I could I could when I’m out there by myself…make that kind of an error.

Rimpoche: No. The idea…Elizabeth…I don’t think there is any error or anything. The question arises, the question started with the owner…you have the freedom of making your own choice you make your own shape or do things what you like or don’t like it and then how does that tell us with incredible details that has the giving a descriptions in the mandala and uh even a hair of a yak something in that manner and why it is here and what purpose it serve, what is the reason why it is here, what it is cost to be here, what it helps, all of them. It is such an incredible detail it works, how we can have the freedom of choosing what you wanted and what you don’t wanted. Similar, something in that manner the question arises. My answer to that, each and every item in the mandala is actually it is the result of one’s positive karmic which has materialized it is capable of functioning by itself, I’m talking about each item. Even the hair of a carpet that is what I use as an example. Be able to function as a hair of a carpet collectively in the mandala. Or if you take it out, individually it will be a hair of a carpet will be able to function and manifestate (sic) manifest as complete mandala. So collectively be able to function as a discreet manner of carpet hair, or independently be able to function as complete supporting supporting mandala. That’s what I said, I think. I hope so. Something like that I said.

Now are you with me?

0:49:57.0

Audience member: What I had done with that I had taken the initial remark of combining the the things which you say there is permission to put in with the historical material that is taught at that (inaudible). And…

Rimpoche: How do you even know whether this mandala says yak hair or not. Yak tail, alright…

Audience member: And like my concern, Rimpoche, is just not knowing enough to know if I was making a mistake by choosing, not knowing, basically not knowing enough to know when not on target. Like if I’m thinking about combining the historical material with the stuff…

Rimpoche: You have to get the question and then the answer goes, otherwise normally the lawyers call it…politicians call that…quoted in this, what is it? This…out of context, yeah. So you quoted out of context so that is what happens. That.

0:51:28.9

Audience Member: Um...(background speaking, laughter) But um…positive karma was mandala (fades)

Rimpoche: I’m sorry…

Audience Member: (inaudible) She was just talking about, what you were just thinking about, mandala, about it individually if it was suffer if it was still functional or even if (fades)…

So is that...two questions: is that interdependent? Just from a…positive karma, is it dependent on things? And is enlightenment permanent?

Rimpoche: Is it interdependent? I’m not sure if it is interdependent. Enlighten what?

Audience Member: Enlightenment.

Rimpoche: Is it enlightenment in the carpet here?

Audience Member: Good question.

Audience Member: Two different questions.

Rimpoche: Okay. I didn’t get the second question.

Audience Member: Is enlightenment permanent?

Rimpoche: Enlightenment permanent. Enlightenment permanent. That’s a very interesting question. Enlightenment is permanent. Person who has the enlightenment is impermanent. Enlightened beings impermanent. Enlightened is permanent. Interesting. What makes you think that way? It’s very funny. It’s true. Enlightenment is permanent. Person enlightened person impermanent. You know why? Okay it doesn’t matter. (background chatter) anyway Huh? Why? Because enlightened beings is person-being. Enlightenment is not a person. It is a…what is it? A phenomena, and it is permanent phenomena. But many enlightened is not a permanent though it change. It is not reversible. Enlightenment is not reversible. It’s a permanent.

Audience Member: (background chatter)…hard to accept sometimes…

Rimpoche: And then there’s (?)

Audience Member: But still enlightenment is going from good karma…(background noise)… creating other, normal…

Rimpoche: The constant drum in mind is permanent…it’s constant right? Constant enlightenment is permanent. The moment you say it’s coming out of good karma, it is you’re talking about personal lives. Not you as a person, individual, but it is joined with beings. Then it becomes impermanent. I believe.

54:18:7

Audience Member: So is there a time when Heruka will pass away?

(noise, background chatter)

Rimpoche: (background noise)…therefore… Heruka is not a name of a person. He-ru– ka . I know, but you use the word “Heruka”…yeah, so Heruka is permanent.

Audience Member: What about the central figure of the mandala?

Rimpoche: (Laughs) Hypocritical questions. Um…uh…

Audience Member:(laughing) Hypocrite

Rimpoche: Hypocritical questions…Buddha is permanent. Buddha Shakyamuni is impermanent. Um, things like that.

Audience Member: So the consciousness of a being-

Rimpoche: Base is permanent. This base is impermanent. Um…funny you think that way but it is. What brings such a thought in people’s mind is interesting, but that’s how it works. So let’s move…Ah, what about you? Questions? Beth…no. (laughs) Looking at baby and saying Beth.

Audience Member: (indistinguishable)

Rimpoche: Huh? (speaks in background) All those questions… I think with this, and it’s not whether they get it or not... I imagine tomorrow we might have to rewrite the Ganden Lha Gyema text.

Audience Member: You’re not serious. (Audience laughter, chatter)

56:32:3

Rimpoche: (background noise) I think I mentioned this morning…I said this is (inaudible) part…so you don’t write and don’t say those things. And so that’s what I mean we may have to rewrite and …(chuckles, Background chatter)

Audience Member: We get one month (inaudible)

Rimpoche: Sorry

Audience Member: I was…(hard to heard)

Rimpoche: We may be two (inaudible). That’s what it is. I don’t mean you had to. You don’t like you don’t mention reading this text…

Audience Member: I just wanted to-

Rimpoche: Let it be as that. (background chatter) We don’t We don’t. We don’t say…We just read it…and translator. You’re saying Tibetan. We’re saying Tibetan. It’s not Latin in there anywhere. So they let sutra alone function as sutra. Let it go alone then tantra as function as tantra. And that doesn’t mean you have to separate them like black and white inside or hot and cold. But uh, let it function its one way a little bit, you know. And um…when you said sadhana all is (Tibetan) and then you read it and they didn’t say that, no? And so…blah blah…Idon’t say that. And so, that’s that. But what if you say I’m the one person and I told I’m not responsible for making offerings without a blessing. Sure, you’re not supposed to make offering without blessing, but in the context of a certain text and certain function you don’t bring that into and make another one. That’s what it is.

Tibetans give you an example (Tibetan phrase). So no matter how good you may be, you may be a very wonderful musician or whatever it is. But when you’re functioning you have to follow the conductor. When you don’t (chuckles), then we create more trouble than a…your conductor will be standing there doing something and you’re expert and you’re doing something else and then you think it doesn’t sound right. So that’s what it is. In this case, the text or whatever you have, is the conductor. Okay? (laughs with Audience Member). Good idea. It’s easier now?….You don’t mind. Now you’re used to it, right? Good. Thank you. All right. So then what? Next is…

Audience Member: Rejoice.

Rimpoche: Huh?

Audience Member: Rejoices

59:52:8

Rimpoche: Ah, rejoice. That business. Remember that? So, I don’t mean you need much. Even though you don’t have lam rim, Ganden Lha Gyema teaching formally but you did have lam rim so… rejoice is rejoice. Don’t so much “but” it’s a nice “but”. You know that’s buts. But out.

(Tibetan phrase) So Tsongkhapa has mentioned in that short lam rim we did that. Without any, very little efforts and a huge year. And no risk of flopping down…flop…flopping….so that’s the... That’s a rejoice. K?

You have the Ganden Lha Gyema teaching before.

Audience Member: I had the Thursday nights. There was a number who spoke. Chris spoke, Supa spoke and there was number of senior students who came…fades out.

Rimpoche: Okay. So what else? Anyone else? (conversation with student as student gets up to leave)

Rimpoche: (to student) You haven’t come down to a teaching before.

Audience Member: I had…there were some Thursday nights. Names names…and a number of senior students who came…

Rimpoche: Okay. So what else? Anyone else? You have to go?

Audience Member:

Rimpoche: When are you coming back?

Audience Member: Maybe tonight. But…How long will you be teaching.

Rimpoche – Oh, definitely before midnight.

Audience Member: I’ll come back.

Rimpoche: No, no I’m just joking. Go home…go home. See you tomorrow. Ah, make sure you get the tapes in case whatever’s covered.

1:01:31:1

Audience Member: What time do we start tomorrow?

Rimpoche: 10:00 until 2:00 or 3:00

Audience Member:

Tomorrow 4-day is it? Hey, hey. John.

Audience: John? Tomorrow is Thursday

Rimpoche: I hope there’s more rain tomorrow.

What is it? Where are we? Ah, rejoice. Rejoice. Any more questions on rejoice?

Kimba. No. Elizabeth.

Audience member: I’m here.

Rimpoche: Where are you?

Audience member: I’m here. You’re up through…rejoice…

Rimpoche: Um, they said Ganden Lha Gyema teaching uh I did …some in the orange book. That should have good information on that. That should have additional information tomorrow may not even need it. Maybe there. Heeey you’re still here.

Audience Member: Actually, in regard to rejoicing. I read in some college…hard to hear…there are two rejoicing. The virtuous need dharma and number two rejoicing in the virtuous dharma can actually have more time…

Rimpoche: No…

Audience Member: The Ganden Lha Gyema specifically rejoicing in the deeds of the guru. Or Tsongkhapa or…

Rimpoche: Or anything else.

Audience Member:

Rimpoche: Doesn’t matter. The word says word.

Audience Member (too soft to hear)

1:03:46:4

Audience Member: Is there any particular visualization associated with rejoicing? I mean, for a lot of the other ones there was one in particular visualization so for rejoicing is there anything in particular?

Rimpoche: No that I’m…Any picture visualization? No. No. You can rejoice when you visualize (beer?). Big beer (?). (audience giggles) Also, (inaudible) Rinpoche doesn’t even have that big beer(?) in here. Smaller beer (?). (Goodie beer?) What else?

Audience Member: Request teachings.

Rimpoche: Request teaching. The next request teaching is very important if you don’t request you don’t get it. Um…I mean the West. Some of the organizations make programs and then say then you do it. But organizers normally make request, and when you don’t request you don’t get it. And that’s a…really true. In the old Tibet, even they ask big teachings and then there were whoever the benefit or supporter of the teaching they make request. But each and every individual, even if there is a thousand people, or two thousand people, each and every individual makes several requests. Um, the request was put to um…somebody there. You know there’s a Buddha and they accept or reject. They do that. And a request is practically a practice as well as individualization in daily practice. It is necessary. Daily practice if you’re not really requesting to go for the teachings but whatever is a need at the time.

But eh, whatever’s, whatever it is. Particularly, at the end of the path there are certain points that you should really need a teachings just before you become enlightened at that level and a those sort of things to be able to get it on time for that they make this request as a daily practice. And um…in the West you don’t have that much requests and now the modern times the organizers collect a fee and it becomes request. It’s funny isn’t it? Sort of like (Nina Thurman?) in there (laughs)

She makes everybody to appear and she sit on the steps. And nobody appears and nobody goes up. That Buddha talk but um, and that becomes a request.

Otherwise a, basically the request is necessary. And on the first day of the teachings, the mandala offerings get physical mandala offering, ah, is also not only a customary but it is also good part of practice. What else…we don’t do that because if I don’t want to tell somebody together the mandala offerings to do this. So that’s why. But when we notice whenever anyone else comes we make that. It’s not a special treat for guest speakers, but it is part of it. Um now what else…

Audience Member: Is the internal request, there’s an internal request serves a purpose, right? There’s a-

Rimpoche: What do you mean an internal request?

Audience Member: Pretty much just what I said. It comes from teaching, and uh, you hear everything in teaching for a lot of new lamas giving teaching. Um, if I come with the attitude consciously praying that I will receive this teaching that I was taught that makes a significant difference between…especially between (inaudible) or something. Because obviously when initiation or teaching is given to you, you don’t have everybody being at the request of the teaching center (fades out)…

Rimpoche: Well you should be doing it. That’s what I’m saying.

Audience Member: So from that question one thing arises, does the internal request come from these prayer forms?

Rimpoche: Did you mean to say a telepathic request?

Audience Member: Whatever you want to call it. Prayer request for…(inaudible)

Rimpoche: I don’t think that’s the purpose. When there is something physical happening and you go through the physical way

Audience Member: So that means that for a every-

Rimpoche: Even like Jewel Heart people who have given pledges and things like that. It automatically works in that way. Maybe it’s the semi western-Tibetan whatever it is combination. It must be. But somethings happen, maybe something is done serves purpose. I don’t know. It’s recommended make some request. It’s a sacrament. I don’t have to go and say I’m doing initiation. Buddha doesn’t have to come to me and said but you can tell Kathy or whoever’s organizing. You know? They can reject or select. If they reject make sure you grab them.

(laughter)

1:10:26.2

I know, that’s how you raise the question. (Laughs) That’s what happens in old times. So, then there’s a particular meditation physical visualization thinking that you’re offering to your master whose inseparable from Tsongkhapa in the physical form of Tsongkhapa. You offering a golden dharma chakara. If you know what that is.

Golden dharma chakara with a thousand spokes. That’s it. What else? Next?

Uh, additionally in normal rules and then make a a request to remain her too. But in the Ganden Lha Gyema the request to remain is already started earlier so sometimes they do a little additional verse here which is not in the normal Ganden Lha Gyema wrote by the (Tibetan name inaudible) but uh but uh I think (Tibetan name inaudible) added one verse saying , or was it before that, uhmmmm, (Tibetan phrase inaudible). So, the (Tibetan name inaudible – Tutala la sangpa?) I think you add one verse here and saying that uh that your body which it came out of clear, pure light. That combination body has neither disappearing or no uhm neither rising or nor setting.

1:12:53.8

So, for the in the for the purpose of ordinary beings uhm the the gross body whatever you have measurement forever. That’s what (Tibetan inaudible) adds to that. Some people follow, some people don’t follow it. If you follow it is okay, if you don’t follow it doesn’t matter, doesn’t miss Ganden Lha Gyema, that’s what it is. Um, then dedication.

(Tibetan recitation). The dedication. Right? dedication is sort of very important because dedication protects positive karmas getting burned by the negative anger. Negative angers normally consume the fuel of positive karma. That’s why Buddha says there is no powerful negativity like that of anger.

Anger is such a powerful it comes in the form of protecting yourself rather than harming you. So it is more expensive than that of Robert Shapiro (laughter). What? You don’t understand? How many don’t understand? How many do understand? (laughs) Look at it.

Audience overlapping discussion

Rimpoche: I should have said Johnny Cochran, people know better. See? Huh?

Okay. Comes for protection but (laughs) maximum (?) expensive.

Right? So, what anger does it gives you the idea of protecting. Uhm. Makes you deny things. Makes you feel bad. Makes you think that uhm I been treated like carpet. And comes in the forms of protecting it. But, however it consumes tremendous and virtuous. That is the fuel for the anger. And when there is no…

(recording interrupted)

The question is, when there is no positive karma left will anger still grow? Sure, it does. Even though there is no fuel. The fire keeps on burning. Funny, huh? Will positive karma completely exhaust anger can it become much more stronger? And lasting? Possible. Then they take something else. Physical. I think so. Did you say what, Claire?

Audience member: Yeah…musing.

Rimpoche: Musing? Huh?

Audience member: Ruminating.

Rimpoche: Ruminating, yeah.

Audience member: you know, if positive karma…how can you exhaust all positive karma with anger then you would be stuck. You would never have angry thoughts, no virtue, you would be stuck. (multiple members speaking at once).

Rimpoche: You know, Elizabeth is giving guilty verdict (laughing). She’s saying “guilty.” I’m not thinking whether it is possible or not. I’m just sort of going through the my little thing over there. Just keep on thinking, talking to myself. Are you hurt? Huh?

Audience member: While you were thinking out loud did you say that after it, after I consumed all the positive virtue it would go on to some other fuel and become even more…

Rimpoche: Yes. Its (whatever?) will burn, you know? Uhm, the physical existence. So it becomes a physical problem.

Audience member: So wouldn’t that be the end of an eon or something?

Rimpoche: I don’t know. No, not necessarily. I’m not talking about that.

Audience member: Not necessarily. But the notion that sort of the destruction…spontaneous combustion that…

Rimpoche: Maybe. But uh that end of the eon of burning the fire is I don’t think it is like that. It is some type of process. Natural process. I think it is different than what I’m thinking right now about this anger fire. That sort of natural process doesn’t really have to be…

Audience member: It is not negative necessarily.

Rimpoche: No, I don’t think it is negative necessarily at all. Though it hurts. But it is this other thing that is negative. Like the storms we had. Yesterday or day before yesterday, Florida right? Hurricane. Storm. Hurricane. Going back and forth. It hurts but it is not negative. It is a natural process.

1:20:52.9

Funny. So anyway. Let’s go. Uhm, what else. Dedication protects us. Anger doesn’t take it away. The positive karma. It doesn’t let the anger burn it. It is because karma is definite, that is the reason why. So dedication is some kind of specific purpose for specifically so recommended dedication is normally what we say: (Tibetan dedication verse inaudible). In that one page we have on Tuesdays we have like Manjushri’s something something, in English we have that. But in Tibetan it says (inaudible). And what do they say? Flawless example of Manjushri…terrible. It is not good translation.

Audience member: We dedicate all merit to all living beings.

Rimpoche: I don’t think it says “all living beings.”

Audience member: All living sentient beings. There was a typo there for awhile.

Rimpoche: Oh, all right. Basically that language is not that great and plus (inaudible) that’s great. Makes far better.

Rimpoche answering an inaudible question: It is that Tuesday night sheet. It’s there. You want some piece of, glass of water?

Audience: Maybe a shower?

Rimpoche: If that shower works go ahead.

Audience continues to talks (inaudible)

Rimpoche: I don’t think so. Who wants it? Who? Claire? Why? I think she tried it. You try it. Alright, now…

Then we reach to the point, now. What I wanted to talk. Oh, do I have to say, and then you can make mandala offering there. If you want to. And you don’t have to. You can make it a long mandala offering, there is the 37 heap mandala offering or 23 heap mandala offering or 7 or normal such (inaudible) that’s one. So any mandala offering. Word mandala is actually a center, I believe. If you translate that it will become center: C-E-N-T-E-R center. Center? C-E-N-T-E-R center…middle of it? C-E-N-T-E-R. R-E-T? Alright. (laughs) Supposed to be (inaudible). It doesn’t say something wrong. Okay. Center. Center.

That means the middle, right? So the mandala what you offer the mandala or the mandala of a certain deity whatever you say it is basically means the center. The center represents the circle. Everything around. So that’s why it is labeled in that way. Like a…like a person uhm somebody is important to you and then you know that person’s house you say that person’s house. Maybe that person is wife or husband or children or whatever it is. Uh, you normally name them sometimes, do you? Chris’ house. Ora’s house or Steven’s house. The different people will use different terminology. Many may say Ora and Steven’s house but then somebody says Steven’s house or somebody will say Ora’s house though it is referring to same house.

But I think it is some sort of relation to the individual who you are more connected. So according to that you use that person’s name so that is the think in general the old Indian culture so the center figure represents the whole thing. That would be the Yamantaka mandala. Yamantaka represents the all other retinues. If it is 13 deities you don’t name it, east Yamantaka’s house or something. You don’t say it. Or you don’t say (kanda kapula’s ?) house in Heruka mandala. Uhm, just say Heruka mandala or Heruka consort mandala or you don’t say (kanda kapula’s?) mandala or something like that, you know? And that is the center represents everything. So the mandala is the center. So the center offering the total essence of the center deep meaning, deep everything meaning you offer the rest.

So that’s what mandala offering, or mandala , all of them actually means center.

End of recording

1:27:17.4