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;;Sound file 19960407GRJHNL8VMT1

Speaker Alfred Woll

Location Jewel Heart Netherlands

Topic Lojong

Transcriber Vicki Cahill

Date June 12, 2022

Speaker: (Dutch and prayers)

0:23:24.3 Speaker: If I speak in English is that ok for everybody? Or is there anybody who would like the translation? (?? Dutch) Is it good American English part? Ok. Yeah. I was asked to give a kind of introduction to the topic for the next five days. So, I didn’t mind to put the topic of mind training into the framework of Lam Rim, to see the context in which lojong appears. Before, most of the people I know from seeing. So, I think most of you, they have kind of a brief idea about Lam Rim. Is that right? Who is not, let’s say, familiar with Lam Rim? Just that I get an idea of what I am saying. So, the lojong teachings. Lojong is Tibetan word which means, actually “mind training”. Lo is the mind and jong is training. So, the lojong teachings, they are concerned with, I mean, basically training the mind. What does that mean? Maybe before that, I should tell a little bit about the origins of those teachings, where they come from. There was once a great saint called Shantideva. And he was, old days in India, he was a monk, studying at Nalanda University. Which was the biggest and most famous Buddhist University in old Indian days. And there he was just one of the ordinary monks studying there. And he attended the usual classes and then went home, sitting in his room, laying on the bed, sleeping, feeding, sleeping and just joining the common activities. So, he did not show that he is really doing hard practice whatsoever. So, his fellow students, they thought; they had not high opinion about him. About him. And so, the years of study and being at the monastery went on, went on. And one day, they thought of playing a little trick on him. So, they said to him, “Oh, listen, Shantideva, you are now such a long-time student here at the University. It would be nice if you would give us teaching. Would you accept that?” And he said, “Yes. Why not?” And so, then they said, “Ok. Give us big teaching outside in the yard. Is that alright?”

0:27:01.7 “Yes.”, he said. “But put a throne for me there.” And then they also (?) asked so. And then he asked them, “What kind of teaching you actually like to get? Any specific common topic? Or do you want something new?” And then they thought, “Oh. We probably ask something new. We will see. I mean, we know all the Buddha’s teaching, so he cannot bring up something new.” “So, teach us something new.” He accepted and then when the day came, when the teaching should happen, they had built a big throne outside in the yard, which was actually too high to get up. And then, and purposely, they didn’t put stairs on it. So, they thought, “We make a little bit of fool of him.” And yah. So, monks gathered together, time of the teaching starts. And then Shantideva came and then in the it story says, when he arrived and he saw that there is no stairs, he just put the hand on the throne and put it down and sat on him and it went up again. So, then he sat there and was and was starting with quite intelligent words. And he said he was asked for teaching to get something new. And then he started to present method on the training into bodhicitta. I mean the method, how to develop bodhicitta. And until then, there was the training or the teaching on bodhicitta was put up on in the seven cause and effect. So, that was the common, known way of developing bodhicitta. And he brought up new teaching, which was called exchange of oneself with others. So, that was something unheard til then. And he started to teach that, and it was such intelligent wonderful thing, so everybody was getting smaller and smaller. And he, on the end, it says in the story, he; his throne got bigger, bigger. He went up into the clouds, but his voice still was heard. So, that was story about Shantideva. So, what he was teaching, that was a way of developing bodhicitta, which was more relying on. Let’s say on intelligence. It was. It was not, how should I say? It was not simple minded. I shouldn’t say that. But it was meant for people with more discriminative mind.

0:30:08.9 And since that teaching was, was very extraordinary, it became one of the very famous Mahayana teachings. And Shantideva did not just talk about how to develop bodhicitta, he went on and in the ninth chapter, what he was actually telling there, he talked also about the deepest profound view of emptiness. So, he gave them a complete teaching. And that teaching’s there were collected and written down. Which was Bodhisattvacharyavatara from Shantideva. It’s a very famous Mahayana teaching. And Shantideva was also; the root of the mind trainings also come from Shantideva. Yeah. And so, one of the students of Shantideva was Serlingpa. So, he was also an Indian great saint. And in his later years, he was travelling to Indonesia. Because Indonesia there was also Mahayana Buddhism flourishing. And they have asked for teachers, so he went over there. And after Serlingpa was there, in India there was another great master, Atisha. I think everybody heard about him. He was the; all the Tibetan roots of Lam Rim teachings so far as they can come through Atisha. And Atisha, he travelled to Indonesia and received teachings from Serlingpa. And there he received the teachings on the lojong, on mind training. So, that is how the, how the teachings; how the lineage continues. And Atisha was the one who went to Tibet to teach there all the teaching which were prevailing at that time in India. So, through Atisha the lojong teachings came to Tibet and there they went through the Kadam Geshes. So, they were the scholars of Buddhism in Tibet.

0:33:01.7 And the first time they were kind of written down, was through Geshe Langri Tangpa. Actually, there was one Geshe before who made the kind of eight sessions of mind training, it was called. And then, Langri Tangpa wrote it down and that were the eight verses of mind training. Was the eight or the seven. Sometimes I mix it up. Seven points. That were the seven points of mind training. No, the eight verses. That’s how it’s called. Were the eight verses of mind training from Langri Tangpa. So, that was. I mean, that was the first kind of written down form. Because they were afraid that the teachings might disappear or be lost. So, they have written it down. And after that, there was another great Geshe, Geshe Chekawa and he received teachings from a disciple of this Geshe Langri Tangpa and wrote a small text which was a bit longer than this Eight Verses. And they are called the Seven Points of Mind Training. So, those, those are the most well-known teachings on Lojong. And from there on they were, they were actual part of the Tibetan teachings on bodhicitta. So, that that’s just to show where the teachings come from. It may be confusing, this many geshes and all that. But you don’t have to memorize that. Just, I mean, some of them, a few; they know the names and maybe it fits together, gives a picture. And if you don’t know the names, it’s not very important. Yeah. So, that is the lineage of the lojong teachings. Now, what is the content of the lojong teachings? What is it? What does lojong deal about? When we look at the several steps of the Lam Rim teaching, then we start with the initial scope. So, there we deal with all the steps up to getting the intention to get freed from cyclic existence. So, that is basically dealing with my own problems. With my own advantages, which I have at that time.

0:36:03.3 And then taking the chance to stop suffering and all the problems forever. That is getting out of cyclic existence. Getting rid of all types of suffering. So, those, those intentions are basically dealing with oneself. And then the Mahayana attitude starts from there on. So, one recognizes that it’s not just me who is suffering and who has problems. But there are others as well. So, then one broadens the view of not just seeing oneself, one’s own problems. But looking at others as well. And this view gets broadened and extended more and more. Until one sees that it’s even better to be really of service for others than just dealing with one’s own little problems. So, that is where Mahayana teaching really starts. And this concern for others, it gets broadened up and broadened up, until one puts oneself in total service for others. So, try to do just the best what one can do for others. And what is that? That is to liberate others. And in order to do that, one has to have the skills. So, one strives for enlightenment, in order to be of best service for others. So, around that area, the lojong teachings are applicable. So, lojong teachings, they help us to get away from our self-centeredness. To start to look more towards others. To stop self-cherishing and to start, yah, opening up. Getting a warm heart. And helping others. So, in the traditional Lam Rim teachings, we have the Seven Points or the Seven cause and effect development stage for bodhicitta. And we have the exchange oneself with others. Which is another approach, another method, to achieve the same results. And in conjunction with that, the lojong is practiced. So, I see that’s very theoretical. Maybe we have to. Yeah. Make that a bit more.

0:38:59.9 Yeah. That we can get a bit more grip of that. Again, I have to ask that I see that I’m not talking too much technically. Who is familiar with this Seven Stage development or exchange? Or who hasn’t heard about that? Yeah. So, I think it’s we all understand when I talk about this level of spiritual development where we look to get over our problems. So, we practice the spiritual path in order to solve our basic human problems. And all the future sufferings. So, we strive for ways and means in order to stop suffering. That’s very basic and general. And when we, when we start to get a bit away from a self-centered view and see others, then naturally that comes. Yah. I mean a 0:40:36.2 singing (?) process starts. And we see, “Ok. If I manage to reduce my suffering, what with problems of my dearest friend?” And we also know from ourself, it’s nice if somebody cares for me. So, we also know it’s nice to care for others. So, in a way, our view gets directed towards others and we see and come to understand that it’s nice. And that it’s even a higher aim to be concerned also with other’s problems and help to release them from their problems and sufferings. And so, this is a nice way. And this is a good attitude, we all understand. Because we perceive it by ourselves. We see when others are nice to us and so it’s a good thing. But then we are now at the point, “How can we improve them? How can we comfort them? Develop more love compassion; concern for others.” So, there, there are specific training methods which help to develop love compassion.

0:41:58.2 From a small little flame, which we all have within ourselves, that we. Maybe we care for our children, for our wife or husband. So, we have the ability for love and care. But that is at most very small and self-centered. So, me and my family maybe. But whatever goes further on. That’s, I mean gets less and less and who cares about the people living in, let’s say, in these other countries around also. Or what’s in Africa or, I mean, we don’t care much for those things. So, the idea, the ideal of the Mahayana attitude is to broaden that love and care, not just to the nearest dearest people. But to broaden it more and more, and further and further. And it goes in so far that it comprehends, embraces, all living beings. Which is not just human beings, but also all other levels of existence. So, that is very exclusive and special Mahayana attitude. And it’s a very difficult and hard step to develop such a broad sense of care. And this has to be developed. So, we have to overcome our habitual self-centeredness and being, being concerned just with ourselves, with our own well-being and we have to broaden that. So, in order to develop that, we have these seven causes. So, there are seven step by step training methods, which eventually go so far that we have the attitude wanting to liberate all other sentient beings. So, it’s great love and great compassion. So, the word great means that it’s concern for every living beings. Not just for a few. So, this great love and great compassion, that has to be developed. And the eventual step is that we not just love and care the others. But we take on the responsibility and say, “I am the one who is going to help those beings. And in order to help them I have to develop the skills to do that. Because now I’m very limited.” I mean, how could I help other sentient beings. I mean everybody. I cannot, I mean, I’m not even able to just cope with my family, so how could I help others? So, to be able to do that, we have to develop the skill. And who has this capacity and skill? A fully enlightened being.

0:45:01.5 If I say any words whatsoever, which you don’t understand, please just raise the hand and ask.

Audience: (Dutch)

Speaker: Because, I mean it’s my problem that I cannot speak Dutch. So, interrupt me. It’s true. So, just. Yeah, just interrupt me. That’s no problem at all. Yeah, so only an enlightened being has the capacity and the power, strengths, knowledge to really help others. So, if I want to help them, I should develop those skills and capacities. So, the motivation to become enlightened is that I want to help others. When I said before, the initial scope, when I look for self-liberation, for, to get rid of my own problems was self-centered. So, (recording cuts out) But now this has completely changed. I go on the spiritual path that I gain the capacity to help others. So, that’s a complete other motivation attitude. So, this attitude, to become a Buddha in order to help other sentient beings, we call that intention bodhicitta. So, bodhi means lights. Citta means mind. So, it’s a very high enlightened attitude. And very high enlightened intention. So. So, this idea; is that clear? What means bodhicitta? What this high intention is. So, that intention is not a natural thing, being within us. We have to learn it. We have to make ourselves acquainted with that and make that idea to unseparable part of our mind and being. So, that means a lot of work, a long time and hard work. Because we have to reverse our attitude completely. Because if we’re honest, I mean now, I’m basically concerned with myself . That’s what I really care for. But others; that’s very far away. So, to shift that completely; that’s the hard work. And to develop that strong intention. That high wish we have this seven causes and effect method. And we have the method of exchanging oneself with others.

0:48:06.6 That Shantideva, he expounded this exchange stage. And together with that, he also talks about lojong. So, those two support each other. Now, the exchanging oneself with others; that’s a method which we do actually in a formal meditation session. So, we sit at home on the cushion, and we do those practical steps. Train ourselves day by day in one step, until we feel we have accomplished something. Then we go on to the next step. And in that way, we try to develop that strong intention of bodhicitta. Now, if we do that only at home with our meditation cushion, that is very little time. Because how much do we meditate, actually? Each day, if you do it each day. So, it’s a small time. And Shantideva thinks that’s not enough to just have that time. And what he actually did feel as though I’m just attending the teachings and then eating and sleeping and sitting around. I mean, he was constantly using these methods in order to develop further. That’s why he gained his high development. But he was living in the monastery, so he had the time. He had nothing else to do, then being involved in this, you know, in this meditation actually. But what do we have to do? I mean, we at home, we have children, we have family. I mean, those things. You have to go to work. There are struggles in life. I mean, there are problems at our work place, our boss, whatever. I mean, we are, we are bombarded with so many difficulties and problems. So many stones which are in our way. That’s our situation. And exactly for those situations, he came up with the lojong practice. So, the lojong practice is our practical steps, using in daily life. So, besides the, the formal meditation on the cushion with the seven causes and effect, or the exchange oneself with others, we have daily life practice. Practice. And that is the lojong .And for us, I guess, at least for me. I don’t know for everybody, but for me, that is the major part of the day. And that’s the most important thing, where I have to do something. So, we have to use our daily life and whatever comes up there in order to make practice and make a path out of it.

0:51:03.1 And that’s the lojong teaching us. So, it’s actually, it’s, I mean. You could almost say, it’s the greatest advices which we could get. And 0:51:17.3 (??) also Shantideva says, those methods of lojong, they are especially for those in the degenerated age. Which means a time in which dharma practice is quite hard to do. Because there are so many distractions from outside. There are so strong delusion within ourselves. So, in order to use them, there is lojong practice. So, this is actually the practice for us. In our western life situation. So, I’m very happy that Rimpoche is giving those teachings now. Because, just two months ago, I have changed from living in a Buddhist center into family. There’s a lot of obstacles, I tell you. Til now, I thought. I didn’t think that it gives me really problems, but it does. And, I mean, when I was living in the Buddhist center, I mean, people, they told me that I’m a very patient person. Now I discover that; yeah, that I’m not longer a patient person. Because two boys roaming around the house, getting up the staircase, down. I give then order, saying do this now. And I turn my back and they do something else. So, it’s very easy to lose the temper. And, I mean, exactly that’s the point where lojong has to be applied. Or, I mean, you know, if the kids make such noise and things. I mean, it’s all so easy to quarrel with the wife. Because I mean, just you’re, how you say it? Yeah, I mean, you’re just at the borderline, you know, but you still keep quiet. So, another little thing comes. So, there’s so many things in the daily life which makes lojong very useful. So, I’m happy that Rimpoche came up with this topic now. And gives us new input. Yeah, so the lojong teachings we can use, and it’s important to stress that word “use”, the problems; in order to make or transform them into dharma practice.

0:54:00.3 So, to give a little example. Maybe you wake up in the morning with a headache, and so the headache and feeling kind of sick or not so good. Usually that is something which, you know, we feel miserable and it’s a little hindrance of, let’s say, having a clear happy state of mind. So, lojong practice would mean, that we use that condition in order to. Yeah, to practice. So, that could be, for example in that way, that I say, “Ok. Now this terrible headache. Or I have this flu now and feel so bad. What’s it actually? It’s a result of my previous actions. So. So, whatever I experience does not come from nowhere, nothing. It has a cause. And the cause I have created. It’s not somebody else’s fault that I have a headache now or whatsoever. But I have created the causes.” So, by thinking on that, I already involved my mind with dharma ideas. So, I bring to my mind topics out of Lam Rim. So, I see karma functions that way. And if I don’t want to have headaches, I should create better causes. So, in that way, the problem, which actually could be a cause that I sit around and shout and say all this and that, and, why me and why that and whatever. I use in order to get a constructive idea in my mind. So, lojong means to use any little problem in order to get a virtue mind. In order to get reminded on the dharma. So, I can use that and can think. Can even think further. I can say, ok. Now I have this headache and I can use it as a practice. When we do the exchange of oneself with others. I can see, ok. May this be the problems from others, which I take on. Because I intend to develop bodhicitta. I intend to help others. So, what I said before, part of this formal practice steps is that I imagine taking on all problems from other sentient beings and giving them my happiness. Which is the complete reverse manner of thinking than what I usually do. Usually, I want everything for myself. And the problems, I push to others. Hopefully I don’t get it. Hopefully you get it. You know. I mean, when. I mean, when somebody, when you say, who’s going to clean the floor and the toilets outside? Then we think, “Oh. Hopefully somebody else puts that up. Not me.”

0:57:07.2 So, we try to always get away from things. And push to others. That’s our normal attitude. Now, we just reverse it We say, “I’m going to take the blame, the problem and the things. And leave others with nice stuff.” So, that is. I mean, that’s against our common habitual nature and exactly that we have to train. How can we get familiar with that? By setting it up artificially at first. So, we just put up and intentionally thinking that way. So, we do that, just, you know, like dry swimming. When we sit on the. When we lay with the stomach on a chair and do like this with the kids. This you have to do later in the water. So, they learn the movement. In the dry air. Later we put them in the water. And they do it. So, in the same way, we also sit on the meditation cushion and start to imagine that I take on all the problems and the pains from others. And I give them all my happiness. So, that makes us accustomed, acquainted with this reverse attitude. That means exchange oneself with others. So, this practice, we could also do when we have this headache now. So, instead of complaining and feeling self-pity, whatsoever that we got a headache. We say, “Oh, now I take on the suffering of other sentient beings and I give them my, all my happiness.” So, we use that adversive condition in order to make a practice out of it. So, we use it as path. That’s lojong. Or another way. There comes. There comes somebody at my work and makes me very upset. So, I’m very angry and. Yeah, usually I like to blame or shout or be aggressive or whatsoever and the lojong practitioner has a strong intention to develop better inner qualities. One of those qualities is patience. So, patience, love, understanding, tolerance, compassion, All those things a lojong practitioner wants to learn. So, when somebody comes and makes me aggressive, because maybe he blames me for something which I even have not done. So, usually I, I’m against and I defend whatsoever. And as a lojong practitioner I can say, “Now he’s starting to irritate me. That’s a great thing. Because if I would not have the chance to get irritated, how could I ever develop further?” And when I live as I said before, when I live in the Buddhist center and everything was peaceful, calm, there’s no challenge for me to develop further patience.

1:00:10.2 But if there are two violent kids standing on my head, that’s a new challenge. So, if I want to improve my patience, I need tougher conditions. I need more challenge. So, I have to face those things. So. So, if I want to improve my patience, I have to go into situations which challenge me more. So, somebody who makes me upset is welcome. Because he puts up this chance for me to improve. So, if my intention to improve the patience is strong enough, I’m happy that somebody makes me upset. So, getting these thoughts together in a situation, then somebody makes me upset, I say, “Hey guy. I like you. You’re the one who helps me.” I mean, I don’t have to say that, but in my mind, that helps to overcome my irritation. And I can use that moment of irritation in order to learn how to handle. So, another adversive condition helps me to develop further. Helps me to be more love, compassion, understanding and eventually to develop bodhicitta. So, all those little tricks and ways of how to do it, the lojong teaching is going to tell us.

1:01:40.3 Audience: I think.(???) One thing, I cannot having understanding (???) , so, right now, sorry,

Speaker: If you want to I in Dutch, go ahead.

Audience: (Dutch)

Translator: She had a question. They didn’t understand. They always use her as first, (???) She says, well, in that case it is sometimes really necessary. Necessary to show them the irritation. Otherwise, it doesn’t stop that situation. So, the idea of lojong is to be tolerant and grateful, mindful, too (???)

1:03:05.6 Speaker: Yeah. We have to see which stage we practice. First, we have to learn first. I think in the. In some. At some middle (?), we have to learn to remain stable. So, if there are situations where we, let’s say I mean if too strong of an irritation, where we can just not cope with. I mean sometimes it’s necessary to eh, to be able to not get thrown off. And that we learn also to, to remain stable in such a situation. So, that we do not take on the blame and feel bad. And think, “Oh, I’m useless.” Not this or that. You know that we can, that we can kind of defend or. How we say? To. To. To protect. That’s the word. To protect ourselves against excuses when it touches too much our ego and we cannot get over that. So, that means when we are in a state where we cannot handle, then such a lojong idea to apply is maybe not the right thing at that moment. So, certain stability has to be there. Also, the lojong ideas have to be built up, the more we proceed. For example, one of the lojong things; it says, “Give the victory to others.” And sometimes we’re just not at that stage where we can do that. So, we have to excuse ourself and defend and say this and that. But then there are little things we can start training it. So, not the really heavy things where we cannot anymore handle. But when we start to learn that to handle and that to handle and that to handle. And eventually we can even handle such a thing. So, even then, you know, then you have enough inner strength that even if your parents put such blames and whatsoever on you, you can. You know, it’s not my fault. I mean, I have nothing to do with that. It’s just your problem what you put now on me. So, we don’t lose inner balance and then we can apply this lojong. But in order to do that, there has to be a certain inner strength which is also to be developed. So, in individual cases we have to sort out where we are. If we are over challenging ourselves or if we can handle it.

1:05:59.3 So. Yeah. When I. Like I said before, somebody who learns to swim in the dry. I mean, he learns to swim in the dry because he cannot handle the water already. And then, I’m not going to throw the kid in the sea with waves like that, because that would be just too much. And then I put him or her in small water. So, we have to gradually increase the challenge. In that way, we are not over demanding ourselves and we can really practice at our stage. So, everybody has to find out where is you or you or your stage. And the lojong ideas, sometimes, I mean they are very high. I mean, when they put up the ideals in the sentences. See everybody take every enemy as your dearest friend. I mean, that’s an ideal. Which I mean, I cannot, but it shows me the direction in which I have to develop. It does not mean now I have room to do that, because I cannot. And if I would try to do, I mean, I would lose balance. So, also lojong. Also, it’s formulated in high ideals. We have to translate it to our level and do the little steps. So, learn swimming on the dry. Go into the shallow water. Go into the sea. Go in, you know and so forth. Any other questions?

Audience: The relationship to tonglen. Is tonglen a part of lojong?

Speaker: It’s go side on side.

Audience: Yeah.

Speaker: So, this tonglen is this exchange oneself with others. Of taking and giving. This is the actual translation. So, this is, what I said before. That’s the formal meditation. You can also do it in daily life. So, for example when this irritation or whatever comes, you can quickly just feel that whenever you breathe out, you give him all the happiness. And whenever you breathe in you take on the sufferings. So, you can combine that also. Not just on the meditation cushion. But this exchange oneself with others is basically a form of meditation. And lojong is daily life activities. Is using adverse conditions as practical means to develop more care and love for others. So, it goes side on side.

1:08:40.4 Audience: So let half’s (?) the meditation part?

Speaker: You could say it. But also tonglen, you can also do outside, but it goes side on side.

Audience: Yeah

Speaker: Questions

1:09:08.0 Audience 2: (Dutch)

Speaker: Yeah

Audience : (Dutch)

Translator: In our culture, it’s very much an ideal to defend yourself, fight for yourself. And she just the impression that it doesn’t really suit her, this lojong business. Right?

Audience 2: Yeah

Translator: 1:09:43.7 (??) personal situation when she really has to fight lojong

Speaker: Sometimes fighting is also, ok. Nope, You really have to see where we are. For example, in the, let’s say, the psychological model of 1:10:02.6 let’s say, Jung (?) . I mean, he says, a child for example, has to build up a kind of self. An idea, that’s me. And the child has to fight its parents in order to experience that he or she is an independent person. So, it has to come a period in the development of a child, where this idea of identity and self gets felt quite strong. That I see, “I’m independent. I can stand on myself.” So, that is a natural development step. And, you know, in a way, we have to, examine. Yeah. Once in our life whatever, I mean, we have to improve in that stage. And have to get, let’s say, an independent strong personality.

1:11:00.2 Audience: (?) the words what you say are

Speaker: You see, the problem is if I get too much of a strong independent personality, I get egocentricity. Egocentric. So, where is the border line. So, let’s say, you mentioned somebody who has such a strong “I” and such a strong self of “me” and then that overrides others. So, as a person develops also there has to be respect toward others. In order to a sense of living in a community. So, that other values come also. So, caring and maybe taking oneself back in favor for somebody else. So, that is also important quality which has to be developed in this stage of human being or a child growing up. So, both are values.

1:12:02.7 And to be a strong. I mean, Gelek Rinpoche’s an extremely strong personality. But it’s combined with loving care. So, he’s not egocentric overriding others. But he sees whatever, whatever attitude or whatever personality aspect should be present right now. So, to have strengths and force. To be able to really protect myself if it’s necessary. That’s a quality. And to be able to open completely up and be vulnerable at a situation is a quality. And if we have inner strengths than we can also open up because actually nobody can really harm me. You know, so the inner strengths is also a little bit of a prerequisite to really open up. 1:12:56.7 Trungpa (?) Rimpoche, he talks very much about the idea of a warrior. So usually, in the usual sense, when we think of warrior, that’s somebody completely tough with much protection that can fight and all that. But he says, a real warrior is somebody who can open completely up. Make himself completely vulnerable. So, opening, being. You know, I mean, we don’t want to be hurt, but let’s say in a close relationship the opening up of also being hurt. You know, admitting that I can be hurt. That is real brave. How you say, braveness?

Audience: Courage

Speaker: Courage. So, that is a real quality and Trungpa Rimpoche says, “A real warrior, that is somebody who can completely open up.” And that needs a lot of inner strength and discipline and courage. So. Yeah, so we have to develop both. We have to see, also, when it’s more appropriate to protect or to make stop and when we have to give up and say ”Yeah, give the victory to others once in a while.” So, in order to do that, we have to have discriminative wisdom. So, we have to be able to judge and see what is in this situation, most appropriate? So, I mean actually, when we see, we need wisdom. We need courage. We have to have strengths. We also have to be open to open up and have devotion and all that. So, all those things have to be developed. And for me that is also a wonderful thing within the Buddhist practice. So, Buddhism does not mean, make yourself to a pathetic, weak. What is the word?

Audience: Wimp

Speaker: Wimp. What is a wimp? Dutch.

Audience: ??

Speaker: Yeah. So, that’s not.

1:15:00.2 That’s not a thing. I mean, we should not be as a weak wimp, but we should be this warrior, which Trungpa(?) Rimpoche talks about. So, we should be able. We should be able to really surrender. And give victories to others. And we should be multi-dimensional. That’s for me the concept, which I have. In whatever situation, most appropriate aspect, we going to live. So, we have love. We have compassion. We have strength. We have power. We have everything. And it’s not that just one of those aspects is 1:15:36.7 (?) and all the rest we have to deny. We have to develop everything and use it for the right purpose. And the right moment. And the right situation. So, that is the great skill. Therefore, we need wisdom. And therefore, we have to develop and enfold all of our qualities. All to the strengths. Also, to draw borderline, whatever and u se it in the right moment. Other questions?

Audience: Question This text of Geshe Chekawa, Seven Point Mind training. Does that comprise all the things you just mentioned? Both the lojong and tonglen, seven cause and effect. Is that all part of the Seven Point Mind Training?

Speaker: Mind training is always; it’s an additional thing. So, the mind-training deals with the 1:16:36.9 daily life (?) situations. And how to transform them, how to use them, how to overcome them.

Audience: Seven Point Mind Training, based on the text of Geshe Chekawa is based on the lojong teachings Rimpoche is about to give?

Speaker: What is it?

Audience: The eight verses

Speaker: The eight verses. Yeah. So, eight verses. Which are the seven points. They are later. So, Geshe Chekawa was two generations after Langri Tangpa. Langri Tangpa, he wrote these eight verses. So, the eight verses. They are more. They are short condensed eight verses. And the Seven Points. That is a little text, which is more elaborate. And has also more elaborate ideas in it. So, that came later on. And it’s also nice if you have the chance, to read that. It also shows, especially these Seven Points, that in order to use mind-training, it’s good to have preparations. So, preparations for using mind-training are, is the initial scope.

1:18:03.4 So, that is having developed the inner wish for liberation and getting free, free of cyclic existence. So, when we have developed that wish. Only then, when we really understood our own suffering and our own problem, then we can understand the problems of others. So, in the initial scope, we deal with our own problems and also our chances. And then we broaden up our attitude and our mind and look towards others. So, and then comes the point where we have to; or when we want to get rid of our self-cherishing, or our ego-centeredness and try to focus on other beings as well. So, then mind-training becomes necessary 1:18:53.9 to go on fast (?). Then we look for means and methods in order to bring that other attitude about. Mind-training.

Audience: Since this seven cause and effect on the part of lojong. Could you tell you little about that 1:19:09.4 subject (?)?

Speaker: It’s part of the lojong. It’s. You use that at the same time. I mean lojong is lojong. And methods to develop bodhicitta in the seven cause and effect. What did you just ask? Maybe I mixed up.

Audience: Tell us something about 1:19:32.7 (?) seven cause and effect

Speaker: Seven cause and effect. Yeah. So, I must have tried. Yeah. So, that goes parallel. As I said that before, that’s more done in a formal meditation. And in daily life, you apply lojong teachings. And actually, it’s less seven points than the exchange stage. Because Shantideva, he expounded the. Expounded? Is that the word? Proposed or whatever. Showed? Gave? The method of exchanging oneself with others. So, together with that, usually it goes.

1:20:23.4 Audience: (Dutch or something) translation?

Speaker: (Dutch or something)

Audience; (Dutch)

1:21:49.7 Speaker: Not Seven-Point Mind-Training, but as a point of developing bodhicitta.

Audience: (Dutch)1:22:31.3 Speaker: So, I think I made more confused with seven and eight and this and that. But there is .

Audience: (Dutch)

1:22:55.6 Speaker: I think I break (?) again make the point clear with what Marianne just was asking. So, in the very early teachings of the Buddha, when he taught how to develop bodhicitta, then he gave seven causes, which bring one result. That is bodhicitta. So, that is practical method, which you mainly do in formal meditation. So, you sit on your cushion, and you start with the first point. And there you learn how to generate equanimity. That means that you see all others as equal good friends. So, you get rid of this concept of enemy.

1:24:02.1 And very dear friends. So, you see all are actually friends. Then the second step is to recognize that every single sentient being at one time in the ages back or whatever, had been as dear and as close as your mother. Actually, you could say has been your mother. That’s the second step. The next one is, that you see, actually, somebody who is so close as a mother, I should repay the kindness. Though, recognizing the kindness.

Audience: Yeah

Speaker: And so, then I reflect, “Ok. If somebody was like my mother. I mean, what all good things do I have received from that person.” So, I contemplate and reflect and see that a mother does so many nice things and good things and protect me and this and that and this and that. So, with that naturally, there comes the next point which is, that I want to give them back. Because I received so much. So, the natural inclination is to repay the mother’s kindness. So, then next is, that I generate great love. So that means, I want the best for those mothers. Which have been all other sentient beings. And then I also see that they suffer tremendously. So, then I generate great compassion. Which means, I want to release all their sufferings. And then when I have these two strong wishes that I want to give them all happiness and want to relieve all the sufferings. Then I say, “Ok. If I wish that, just they don’t get it. I’ve got to do it. I give them all happiness. And I remove all suffering.” So, that is the strong intention. The 1:26:08.0 grace (?) of commitment, Rimpoche says. Because I mean, if I take such a task and want to fulfill that, I must have incredible big strong mind. So, then with this intention that I’m going to do it, then the next is, how I’m going to do it. I have to become enlightened being. Then I have the capacity. So, then that is bodhicitta. So, then these are the training steps of developing bodhicitta through the method of seven causes and one effect. Then Shantideva came up with another method to bring the same result; bodhicitta. And this method was like this. So, you start again with equalizing others. Slightly different method of equalizing.

1:26:59.7 You see that everybody wants happiness. Every single sentient being, being a duck, whatever, you see even little chicks, whatever, they all don’t want suffering. They want happiness. Everybody. So, in that sense, wanting happiness, and don’t want suffering, everybody is equal. So, we have all the same intention. So, in that sense we’ve come to an equal basis, of everybody. And then we’ll reflect on the second point which is, if you are seeing the advantages of helping others, or cherishing others, so we can experience on our own, in our own life that if somebody does, if we get presents. If we get support, if we get help, whatever makes us happy. And always that is, somebody cares for me. So, I can logically conclude that is difference between the previous method. That is a logical conclusion, more involved than seeing others as mother beings. So, understanding logically that all good things in life, come because somebody does it for somebody else. And then we recognize that all bad things come because somebody is egocentric. So, every war, every robbery, every beating, whatever comes because ego centeredness. So, we clearly recognize ego-centeredness creates problem. Cherishing others creates happiness. So, when we see those things, we can logically conclude, it’s better to completely reverse my attitudes and cherish others and not myself. That’s the cause for universal happiness. So, with that understanding, I start to exchange myself with others. That means previously I looked that I get things, that I’m happy, that I, you know, I, I, I, I. Now I just take the opposite around. So, I look that he gets happy. She gets happy. That she gets this thing. He gets this thing. That I care for him, instead of me. So, we reverse our attitude. We exchange ourselves with others. Actually, the word exchanging oneself with others is a little bit funny putting it in words. What it actually means, we exchange our intention. So, instead of cherishing myself, I cherish others. That means exchanging. So, then this I actually do. And the formal way of training in that is the method of taking and giving.

1:29:56.7 So, it’s a meditation in which I start to imagine that I take the problems of all other sentient beings and I give them all my happiness. And all happiness. So, that is a formal training way where I can do this exchanging. And then the result again is bodhicitta. So, that are the two methods. So, now when I say the seven causes and effects, you know what I mean. And the exchange method, you also know what I mean. So, Shantideva in the old days, Buddha Shakyamuni, he was teaching the seven cause and effect, which was this mother being method. And Shantideva brought up this more logical consequence thing of exchanging. And he also came up with the lojong teachings, which helps in practical daily life to transform negative circumstances, hindrances and so forth into a practical path to overcome self-cherishing and to develop cherishing others. So, that’s what Rimpoche is going to talk these five days.

Audience: (Dutch)

Speaker: So, Gelek Rimpoche is giving. Yeah. Is giving the teaching based on the eight verses of training the mind.

Audience: (Dutch)

Speaker: Yeah. So, it’s this one. (Dutch) Ok. So. So, that is the very basic text or verses on mind-training. So, that he is going to give the teaching on. Yeah. I’m sure that during those five days, we get the chance maybe on the evening or whatsoever, to do also some practical meditation. Also, on those seven cause and effect and the exchange oneself with others. So, what I have now, briefly mentioned. It will get again repeated through Gelek Rimpoche and you also do meditations to it. So, just see that as a brief introduction and all which is unclear will get clear during the next five days. So, I just wanted to put up a bit of a framework, that, you know, gives a little background and I’m pretty sure Rimpoche will repeat the same things and will tell you properly/probably (?). Whatsoever. So, then it will get clear.