Archive Result

11

0Sound file 19960408GRJHNL8VMT4619871116GR&RTMN2_01

Speaker Gelek Rimpoche & Robert Thurman

Location Jewel Heart Netherlands??

Topic Tibet Mystic NationLojong

Transcriber Vickii Cahill

Date August 17, 2022

(DT)

GR: That is example. (DT) So, in short. In short when you really meditate, you think two things here. One; you think, if these are the causes you require to be perfect human beings, how much that cause with me. And then started judging whether I’m going to have perfect future life or not. Judge from that point of view. Is one point. Two point. Second point is. Second point is, it works two ways. One, to inspiration and two, to sort of reminder yourself. Inspiration is, how lucky that I have been able to find such a life at this moment, though it was so difficult to find. That is the inspiration that you should get. Second reminder; if I continuously to work to have such a life, what I need to do. So, this is the when, the major point of the meditation will have to train your mind to be able to look in these three ways. (DT) What I have in here, this commentary. It says, 0:02:40.6 (Tibetan: tan she mi gye …) Meaning, this great body, important, difficulty to find. That’s the commentary. So, this great body, important, difficulty to find. (DT)

0:03:06.5 So, this great body, means recognition of the life. (DT) Important-ness. Important-ness what we talked yesterday. Materially important. Spiritually important. Just even to be in life itself is important. We talked that yesterday. (DT) And difficulty to find, we’ve talked now. (DT) From the cause point of view. From the quality point of view. Example point of view. (DT) So, let’s cover this word. The next word says, 0:04:05.6 (Tibetan: Ta pen..) The next word says, it is possible to lose this, even at this moment. (DT) That’s also true. We all know. This basically gives you the impermanence of our status. (DT) Transitory. (DT) Everything is transitory. (DT) I was thinking this morning. Looking through the window of the, my hotel bedroom. And when you have the label called hotel. Right? Then you have the label called hotel. So, then that reminds you, not your home. Do you know what I mean?

Translator: Yeah. (DT)

GR: (laughs) So not your home means. What do you mean by that? What you mean means, you’re temporary. (DT) These are my thoughts. I’m sharing you this morning, looking through the window. (DT)

0:06:02.7 So, then you begin to think, then if this is not/now(?) temporary, is your home? This is temporary. Is your home permanent? (DT) It’s supposed to be. So, that’s why you call home. Right? (DT) But that’s also not true. (DT) The what’s happening is, we’re all in transitory. (DT) Whether you’re in home or hotel. (DT) It’s only matter how long you stay. (DT) Maybe a week. Maybe ten days. Maybe a month. Maybe a year. (DT) But we’re all transitory. (DT) We never know. We never know when you’re going to go. (DT) And we don’t think about it. (DT) And if you think, people who die, they don’t plan to die. (DT) People die when they’re talking. (DT) When they’re eating. (DT) When they’re smoking cigarette. (DT) I mean, that’s what we see. (DT) And it’s amazing. Sometimes, particularly, remind me, you know, when the person aware of Kyabje Trijang Rimpoche. It was very shocking to me. (DT) That’s 1981, right? (DT) And here you have a solid figure, fatherly figure, you can go and ask any question, whether it is; whether it is spiritual, politics, economic, whatever it might be. And somebody you can rely on. And where you can go and see and ask anything. And suddenly the body doesn’t answer anymore. Really. (DT) Not only the body doesn’t answer anymore but you have to, whatever you do, the body doesn’t even sit up, you know? (DT)

0:09:12.2 And not only that, then body will be cremated and then nothing left. It will all become ashes. (DT) And that’s the. That’s the reality of everybody. (DT) So, in short. Well, this is not a Lam Rim weekend, so I better cut this short. Uh. In short, we plan everything. We have to. We do. We need to. We have to. However, there’s some interruption comes. One never know, when, where and how. (DT) So, in reality. (DT) In reality there is no absolute certainty that we will be here, even the next session. Hour, minute. Everything, you know? (DT) And that’s why it says, it is possible to lose, even right at this moment. (DT) Ok? So, what happens? This is not the point. If you die, you die. But it’s not the point. The point is, if you die, what will happen to us? (DT) What does that mean? (DT) That means the end of this precious important capable life. (DT)

0:12:11.9 Life is going to end anyway. (DT) Doesn’t matter. (DT) But what does matter is. (DT) If we can get something out of this. (DT) And then, it’s been worth. (DT) It’s like a businessman. Businessman goes to some kind of a big show. (DT) And show has provided an opportunity to get orders. (DT) On your products. And you go and spend money. You spend energy. You spend everything and worked hard and make a fantastic show. (DT) But if you fail to book any orders or even grow interest to your 0:13:23.4 products(?). Then your work has been failed. (DT) The energy is wasted. (DT) The money is wasted. (DT) Right. We know that, right? (DT) Anybody have problem with that? (DT) We know that. Right? But it is very similar to this. And we have been given opportunity. (DT) To be able to achieve something. (DT) And life become capable of delivering. (DT) If you go away without anything. (DT) Then whole thing’s wasted. (DT) So. (DT) So, the purpose of this is not to go away. Not to go away without achieving anything. (DT) Get something. (DT) Something. Like out of it. Let’s say great, medium or at least some; the lowest possible. (DT)

0:15:04.4 Not lowest possible. Lowest acceptable. Sorry. (DT) So. So, lowest acceptable is making sure at least next life is something right you can do. You have another chance and opportunity. (DT) And then the second one is everlasting freedom. (DT) And the best possible is to become fully enlightened. (DT) These are the three goals that Buddha has introduced us, if we are in the spiritual path. (DT) And that’s how we measure ourselves; where are we. (DT) This is where, how we focus ourselves. (DT) So, here is your spiritual aim, or spiritual goal, and these are the methods. (DT) And what you are going to get is up to you. (DT) So, that’s. This is exactly what it is. (DT) So, if you don’t get anything you have to go. Then it is a waste of life. (DT) So, the reminder of impermanent and particularly that of death is not to waste our time. Do something to get it. (DT) Impermanent is very detailly taught in Lam Rim. (DT) Like three. Three roots. (DT) Three reasons. (DT). Three resolutions. (DT) So, it’s called nine round of impermanent meditation. No. Nine round of impermanent realization. (DT)

0:18:00.5 That very effective. (DT) It is all for ourselves to look differently in the world. (DT) It is all for ourselves to see the transitory-ness of our life. (DT) In normal western culture, you don’t want to remind those. (DT) The reason why you don’t want to remind them of, is because that’s not a happy thing. (DT) So, sometimes people only like to hear the happy things. (DT) And don’t want to look into the seriousness of our life. (DT) And that’s a problem. (DT) And that’s why people make joke and love and light. (DT) Because some people would just like to live in love and light. (DT) And even the spiritual path is associated with love and light. (DT) And you keep on singing and dancing or whatever, you know. And try to build up a high. You know, it’s the same thing. Whether you build up high by chanting or whether you build up high by chemical, or whether you build up high by whatever ways. But the problem will be, you’ll landed down. (DT) When you landed down then it’s hard. (DT) It is hard and it is painful. (DT) And one got to go through it. (DT) Because you don’t get up there. That up there high level is, high way, is not permanent. (DT) Unless you reached there spiritually. (DT) Even spiritually, if you reach there, two kind of levels. (DT)

0:21:02.3 Simply concentrated meditation will get you there. (DT) And that will also doesn’t last ever. (DT) Because that meditative power reduces. You fall down. (DT) So, the only way to live there permanently is by cutting the negativities. (DT) And that’s what they call it; permanent establishment. (DT) The real home. (DT) That’s what it is. And that level you can only get, only get, by cutting down the negative emotions. (DT) So, the bottom line of the spiritual practitioners is the cutting out the negative emotions. (DT) Period. Full stop. No more talk. (laughs) (DT) That’s what it is. So. So, all of those; life important, precious, difficulty to find, impermanent, all of them. Why do you meditate that? (DT) One, to realize the real nature of life itself. (DT) Two, to cut down laziness. (DT) Once it has become part of your life, then you don’t have those problems. (DT) Until it become part of your life, then you always have problem. (DT) Particularly, if you try to divide your daily life and your spiritual practice separately.

0:24:08.4 (DT) And that’s what we mostly, we do. (DT) We have a problem of putting them two together. (DT) So, we say spiritual practice. We divide that. And probably allocate a whatever; a half hour, forty-five minutes, one hour, one hour forty-five minutes. I think two hours or three hours maximum for anybody who does allocate for spiritual practice. (DT) Then rest of them, you divided between your responsibility to family. (DT) and your daily chore. (DT) and all this. (DT) So, then you feel the pressurized. (DT) You feel that’s not enough time. (DT) And everything you have to catch. (DT) Ah. And don’t forget laziness comes in between. That will take a lot of time too. (DT) So, that’s why we build up a lot of stress. (DT) And pressure. (DT) So, the trick is, make every chore that you do. Make every living you do. Make them spiritual. (DT) It’s easy for those people. Those who are. Those profession, who think they’re doing something, helping others. Like say, doctors, nurses, or health care or massagers, or the healers or what else there? Community service. (laughs) You know. All this type of people, they think it’s easy for the artist, you know. (DT) But then those who are regularly working in the office. You know, like lawyers or scientists, or workers. You know, whatever. You know, regular, or the road builders. Or whatever. You know?

0:27:12.9 And they may think, “I’m not doing anything spiritual.” (DT) Teachers. (DT) Or shopkeepers. (DT) But the point is. The point is, you can make them spiritual. (DT) It depends on your motivation. (DT) And the principle of your personality. (DT) You know, there are some people who will totally; when you look at the person. The person is totally dedicated for goodness. (DT) There are people. Right? (DT) And if you make yourself in that manner and every single thing. Even washing your own dishes can be very spiritual. (DT) We talked, “cleaning your house is spiritual,” yesterday. (DT) And then washing your dishes are definitely spiritual. (DT) Doing laundry is spiritual. (DT) So, this is how you deal with your life. (DT) And when you don’t know that, then you have a lot of pressure. (DT) If you just do your laundry. Is that spiritual? No. Really. (DT) No but make that spiritual by your motivation. (DT) Yeah. What you’re washing is you’re not washing the dirt alone. You remember, this is not just dirt and dust. But the dirt of attachment. The dirt of anger. With that understanding, with that motivation, with that. With that sort of cleaning presentation idea, can make it spiritual.

0:30:00.2 (DT) Milarepa says, 0:30:17.8 (Tibetan:…sa shin se shen...) Milarepa says, while I’m eating, I’m meditating. Every single food that I’m eating, it has become tsoh offering. (DT) 0:30:39.5 (Tibetan: ne she ne she..) Let me finish this. While I’m sleeping I meditate. Every sleep goes in meditation. 0:30:49.2 (Tibetan: ..) This human being has this method, but others don’t. If others have, how happy I will be. (DT) Milarepa sits naked. (DT) So, his niece came. And niece feels very shy when she come to see him, because he’s totally naked. Totally naked. No underwear. (DT) So, she worked very hard and found a piece of woven wool cloth. (DT) So, she said, “Here you are. Make some clothes for you.” (DT) And she said, “When things are stucking out of your body, I feel embarrassed. “ So, what he did? He cut all this cloth and make a some case to put each finger. (DT) The fingers. (DT) Ten of them and ten of the toes. And eleven one too. (DT)

0:33:02.4 So, the next time when she came, and he showed them. (DT) She said. She said, “how stupid you are! I worked so hard to get that. You know, by cutting my own food and all this. I made this. And now you waste totally.” (DT) So, Milarepa is not stupid, for sure. (DT) He had hard life at the beginning. (DT) He took a lot of revenge. (DT) And he purified negativity and obtained enlightenment. (DT) So, he was wealthy. (DT) And he was content at the end of life. (DT) And that’s achievement. (DT) Material achievement and spiritual achievement. (DT) And he also showed when he was wealthy, he was not contented. (DT) And he also showed in his life, even wealth is impermanent. (DT) Uncle and Auntie took it away. (DT) Made him and his mother total beggar. (DT) And he also showed in his life story, that one cannot take other’s wealth. Easy to easily swallow. (DT) So, thirty some relations died on that account. (DT) Including that big house, which collapsed. (DT) So, I mean. So, the Milarepa’s life shows a lot of things. You know? (DT) It is big melodrama. (DT) But the problem is we also have the same life, but we don’t. We don’t. We can’t make it like he does. (DT) What he really cut that piece of cloth, putting all those fingers. He didn’t really cut the piece of cloth. (DT)

0:36:05.0 He cut attachment of his niece and embarrassment of his niece. (DT) That’s what it is. Can you see it? (DT) When you read the life story. When you talk about it. It’s some sort of laughing joking thing. But the real thing is that behind. And that we all have it. If you look in our own life. We all, each and every one of us, we have those. (DT) We have those things to cut. (DT) And we have the opportunity to deal with it. (DT) So, bottom line is to know how to combine them together. (DT) Then, if you know how to combine them together, everything you do. (DT) You eat, it’s become spiritual practice. (DT) You sleep, it’s become spiritual practice. (DT) You walk, it’s become spiritual practice. (DT) You take bath, it’s become spiritual practice. (D T) You work, it’s become spiritual practice. (DT) And you can’t get job. Yeah. (DT) And that will also become spiritual practice. (DT) You know why? (DT) Because of our, what do you call those? Stinginess. Miserliness. Because of our miserliness. (DT) And we don’t make it. (DT) We don’t get money. (DT) We don’t get job. (DT) So, by not getting job, by working for, looking for job, one has to think, this will not only purify mine only.

0:39:04.7 But all other beings. And particularly, those who are connected with me. Those who I am responsible. All of their miserliness, negativities, may be purified. (DT) Any hardship that you get, because of that. (DT) And use that purification. (DT) Of not only all negativities, but also particularly the miserliness. (DT) Yet, then on the other hand, some people do everything. Everything. But still, you don’t make it. (DT) And that’s what that, you do this. (DT) Then some people don’t do anything. (DT) But a lot of things happening. (DT) And those people should appreciate. (DT) Of you and your previous. You and your connected beings. Generosity. (DT) So, in short, the difficulties in life, be utilized for purification of negativities. (DT) And enjoyable excitement in life is used for appreciation of the previous use of good karma. (DT) And remind that to yourself to create more positive karma. (DT) The remind that difficulties for yourself to cut down more negative karma. (DT)

0:42:05.4 If you sit straight and carry on mala in hand and try to count the mala alone, that’s not spiritual. (DT) It’s not. (DT) That’s show biz. (DT) Spiritual becomes depends on the heart. (DT) Really, it depends on the heart. You know, one thing what’s happening. The spiritual practitioners in the West, sometimes they look different than the normal western people. (DT) And why? Because they carry some mala in hand. (DT) And sometimes even they dress differently. (DT) And sit differently. (DT) And I think that’s a problem. (DT) I don’t think it is. I don’t know. It may be good, but it’s not. It is problem too. (DT) And the problem is the spiritual becomes show biz. (DT) So, that’s. That’s a problem. (DT) And beside that, the people must be. People must be absolutely normal. (DT) I don’t mean the. I don’t mean the spiritual people are abnormal. But don’t misunderstand me. But people must be absolutely normal. (DT) Very yuppie. (DT) Yet, very spiritual. (DT) This is the trick. (DT) Really. Again, I’m not objecting hippiness, ok? (DT) If you’re a hippie, you’re a hippie. That’s fine. (DT) But be normal hippie. (DT) Really true. So, that’s what it is. So, if you create a different class, and then it is no good for you. No good for future of spiritual practitioners. And certainly not good for the future of Buddhism. (DT)

0:45:05.5 So, again, to have less stress in life. To have more benefit in your life. To be able to succeed in both material and spiritual life, one must know the union of the spiritual and the material life together. (DT)

Translator: Sorry, I missed the last.

GR: Union of spiritual and material life. (DT) Anyway I’m not going to talk too long on this. I believe this is the weekend topic anyway. (DT) So, then what happens when you die. That’s where we are. Right? What happens when you die. (DT) Again, the spiritual practitioners don’t look, how you’re going to die; what do you feel about it much. That is Vajrayana subject anyway.

Translator: Sorry

GR: The spiritual practitioners don’t look much how you die, what you feel about at that time. That’s not issue. (DT) The issue is, death is natural process. (DT) It has its beautiful quality. (DT) I mean, it has its bad quality, too. (DT) Some people get disturbed when you know the badness about dying. (DT) Because they fear. (DT) Fear drives you crazy. (DT) So, you’re afraid and throughout your life. (DT) And afraid of losing. (DT) Losing that loved ones. (DT) Losing that you care. (DT) And losing life. (DT) That is our fear. (DT) I mean, we’re afraid, but sometime you don’t know what you are afraid of. That’s what we’re afraid of very deeply.

0:48:04.9 (DT) When the death comes, this is the time when you materialize all of your fear, actually. (DT) And if you think about death, people get afraid. People get unhappy. (DT) They get disturbed. (DT) Everybody tries to build some kind of positive, smooth line, including the therapists. I’m sure there are a number of therapists here. But including. Is there anyone a therapist here? I’m sure there is. So, I don’t even want to see who is who. But including therapist, everybody tried to make some kind of nice smooth process in life. And they do it. That right. They should do it. That’s their job. (DT) And spiritual teacher’s job is both. (DT) To contribute to the smoothness what they built. (DT) And also to share the reality. (DT) The bad things, what really happening. (DT) And be prepared. (DT) And be prepared in the sense. Just say, “I’m prepared.” And wait. It’s not that. (DT) Be prepared and gain control. (DT) See the difference? (DT) You know people say, “I’m prepared.” (DT) Then you sit there like a dog.. (DT) And they will hit you, hit you, hit you and say, “I’m prepared. I’m prepared.” (DT) And but then there’s another one, “I’m prepared.” And you avoid the arrows hitting at you. You avoid this. You go up. You go down. You do all this. Even you don’t attack them. These are two different things. You know? (DT) So death is something. There’s no question.

0:51:03.7 It is a something materializing, or you feel throughout our life. (DT) And death means separation. (DT) Separation from this life. (DT) Ending of this life. (DT) Means association with the friend. Association with our body. Association with our home. Association with everything that we take comfort in. (DT) So, you must almost look the bad part of the death, too. (DT) Because it’s there. (DT) It’s there. You know it. (DT) And we all know it. (DT) The spiritual teachers know it. The therapists know it. And the patients know it. The disciples know it. The practitioners know it. (DT) We all know. (DT) But somehow, we like to put a little smooth plaster. (DT) And that’s how we living. (DT) The question. The “why I’m rising this”. I’m not trying to disturb your life. (DT) But I’m trying to make you think. (DT) And I’m trying to make you look for solution. (DT) I’m telling you, there is a solution. (DT) The solution is not to avoid the death. (DT) But death comes under control. (DT) That’s what it is. (DT) And what does Vajrayana offers? (DT) A. Death will be transformed. (DT)

0:54:04.8 And become ultimate mental development. (DT) If that’s not possible. (DT) Death made smooth with awareness. (DT) With awareness and decision making. Right to make decisions. (DT) Even that’s not possible, cheat death. (DT) And that’s what Vajrayana offers. (DT) Yeah. So, these are the solutions. (DT) So, we don’t have to be scared of death. Then you say, “Oh. I’m helpless and hopeless.” And cry there. No. (DT) Yeah Sometimes people feel, I’m stuck. (DT) Whether it is on death or on anything. (DT) And there’s no question of stuck. Never. (DT) No one. Nobody is stuck. (DT) I very often say that I’m a non-believer of guilt. (DT) I’m sorry. No one can play guilt trip on me. If you want to, you can’t. (DT) Because I’m not going to feel guilty about it. (DT) I make mistakes. (DT) Do I regret? (DT) I will. I do. I will. (DT) But do I feel guilty? No. (DT) Because I never feel I’m stuck. (DT) Why? There’s always a way out. (laughs) (DT) Definitely. That is message of the Buddha. (DT) That is the experience of the Buddha. (DT) That is Buddhism. (DT) Not only that, every single damn thing is impermanent. (DT) Our life is impermanent. Impermanent. (DT) Our stuck is impermanent. (DT) Our feeling of stuck-ness is also impermanent. (DT) It’s changed. (DT)

0:57:00.5 It’s changed by its own nature. (DT) It’s changed by time. (DT) It’s changed by how you deal with it. (DT) So, that’s why, impermanent is also good quality. (DT) But then you have to have the bad part. It’s also together. (DT) There’s a certain area in Tibet called 0:57:33.6Thakpo and Kongpo (??). In Thakpo and Kongpo in the natural water, there’s a lot of deficiency of iodine.

Translator: Of what?

GR: Iodine. People get a lot of those goiters. Or what do you call those?

(Dutch discussion)

GR: You know why? Because lack of iodine in the, in the water and salt. (DT) In these two provinces Thakpo and Kongpo. This, you know they have saying, “If you like to have a neck, you have to. Have goiter.” (laughs) (DT) So, the good part of the neck is there. You can use it. Bad part of then you have this goiter too. (laughs) (DT) So, the impermanence has a shortage of iodine. Both good and bad are there. (DT) You have to accept both. (DT) I mean, it’s true. I mean, this is joke. Right? Bad example. I picked it up. Because normally in Tibetan saying, you have that. (DT) But the reality is, impermanent has good quality, bad quality. (DT)

1:00:00.7 Good quality is, all the sufferings will end. (DT) Because it is impermanent (DT) Bad quality is, all good things in life will also end, because it is impermanent. (DT) So, how do you prepare? (DT) Not to swing too much. (DT) By the emotions. (DT) Make yourself stable. (DT) The good things in life, enjoy. (DT) Bad things in life, accept. (DT) In both cases make best use of it. (DT) In both cases turn them in spiritual practice. (DT) It is not difficulty. (DT) It is right in front of you. (DT) It is in your own hand. (DT) That is all about the Lam Rim. (DT) That is all about impermanence. (DT) That is all about important-ness of life. (DT) That is all about the recognition of life. (DT) Ok? And then the sufferings what we have here are painful. (DT) But not that big. (DT) Buddhism does not exclude hell realm. (DT) You know what I know? I don’t know about Holland much. What I notice. Many part of the West, America and all of this. Particularly, lot of former Catholics join Buddhism, because hoping there is no hell realm there. (DT) The unfortunate news is, in Buddhism there’s hell realm too. (laughs) (DT) Not only one hell realm, but there are eighteen hell realms. (DT)

1:03:06.8 Eight, hot suffering. (DT) Eight cold sufferings. (DT) Two around ourselves. Two within this area. Not in Holland. When I say within this area, I’m not talking about Holland, but in the human realm. (DT) So, when they have those eight hot and eight cold and the way and why they division, is the intensiveness of the problem. (DT) Basically each one of them are intensified by a hundred times more. (DT) Basically. That’s not. That’s the basic structure actually. (DT) So, the lowest or the deepest vajra hell is ultimately, ultimate suffering. (DT) It is almost look like that your body has no separation than that of fire, (DT) Yet you don’t become fire god. (laughs) You get burned all the time. (DT) And so does the cold. (DT) You know, when you look in those divisions in Lam Rim they will say, that they cracks. It’s so cold, it cracks, cracks into like. Crack like that of lotus. Crack like that of a hundred times more and a thousand times more and a hundred thousand times more. So cold so then crack. You know? So, cold they’ll tight everything together. And then the tightness will also cracks. And that’s we see. When it’s cold you see every ground even frozen tight. And so cold they cannot froze together, they crack and melt into pieces. Right? Break into pieces. We see that in the winter. So, likewise it also can happen on our body. (DT)

1:06:14.7 Who experienced those? Beings like ourselves. (DT) The human beings cannot take that. (DT) Why? The human being’s life is very comfortable. (DT) So, when it has gone beyond comfort level, we cannot take it. We die. (DT) But there are other lives who can take that. (DT) And then we become one of those. (DT) And when you take it and you can take it, that doesn’t mean you don’t have pain. (DT) So, you’ll be experiencing the pain all the time. (DT) So, that’s the. That’s the bad part of the sufferings. The bad part of the hell realm. (DT) But one thing you have to remember is they’re no different beings than ourselves. (DT) Many of the people that we know, been there too. (DT) And there’s every possibility that we can be that too. (DT) So, the goodness of this life is we can make it now, not to have those problems. (DT) That is one of the bigger message behind. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have been doing this. But one of the bigger messages behind, that we are responsible in our life. (DT) Can you get it? (DT) Meaning, we can make a difference, what we are going to be in future. And no one else can do. (DT) Can you see that? (DT) When you see, when you hear, you are responsible to yourself, they will like it. (DT)

1:09:03.6 And it’s right to be happy with that. (DT ) Because I make difference to my life. (DT) And you don’t (DT) So, when I make difference in my life, it is up to me what do I do. (DT) Right? In our normal life, what does a friend do? (DT) When the friend sees the good and bad of things you do, you tell that person. If you do this, you’re going to have these problems. (DT) And whether you. It’s up to you whether you avoid or you follow, you don’t follow. (DT) No one can impose anything on you, right? (DT) Though the doctors normally try to do that by putting you in hospital. (DT) But still, how much they can really do. (DT) You know that. Right? So, it’s the same thing in the spiritual path. (DT) We’re here to tell you, if you do this, these are the problems you will face. (DT) We will also tell you; these are the solutions. (DT) Then it’s up to you. (DT) No one can impose on you. (DT) whether you meditate or you don’t meditate. (DT) Whether you correct your behaviors or you don’t correct your behavior. (DT) Whether you change your lifestyle or you don’t change your life style. (DT) Whether you change your motivations or you don’t change your motivations. (DT) That’s entirely up to you. (DT) Right? That is all about Buddha’s teaching. (DT) I better go now. I’m talking too much nonsense. Ah. And what I said, the word, 1:11:40.6 (Tibetan:…) It is impossible to lose, even this moment. Right? (DT) Next word is, 1:11:55.2 (Tibetan: nyen ..)

1:12:03.2 These are very interesting. Two verses. Two verses. In lower realms; hot, cold, thirst and hunger, and dullness and stupidness and other people’s controls. These are called lower realms. Did you get it?

Translator: No.

GR: In lower realms. (DT) Hot, cold. (DT) Hunger and thirsty. (DT) Dullness and stupidity. (DT) Slavery. Slave. People used them as slaves. Slaves. You know slaves. (DT)

Translator: People are slaves of those.

GR: Didn’t say people.

Translator: Beings. Beings are slave

GR: Huh?

Translator: In the lower realms beings are slaves of

GR: Hot. Hot. Cold. Hunger. And thirst. Dullness. Stupid. And slaves. Slave work. (DT) So, hot, cold is the hot hell realm, cold hell realm. (DT) Meaning. Meaning. Now with commentary. And 1:13:48.7 (Tibetan: de kung) which is the hunger and the thirst is the hungry ghost. (DT) The hungry ghost have tremendous. That’s why it’s called hungry ghost. They’re always hungry. (DT) And the 1:14:10.5 (?) stupid and dullness is the animals. (DT) And also using them worse than slaves are the animals. People, human beings, use them. (DT) But these days. These days, luckily, we use machines instead of animals. Earlier we used animals. Worse than slaves. (DT) So, that’s the. That is the basic description of the sufferings in lower realms. (DT)

1:15:01.6 I told you yesterday, no matter how intelligent your animals might be, but they’re stupid. (DT) People who keep their pets, they don’t like to hear that. (DT) But you think your pet is very intelligent. (DT) Yeah, it is, to a certain extent. (DT) But they’re not as intelligent as you are. You know that. (DT) If they’re so intelligent as you are, you can give your home key for them and let them go out and come back and cook their own meals. (DT) You can’t do that. (DT) You knew it. (DT) So, no matter how much you say, “They’re intelligent.” But that’s end of it. (laughs). (DT) I’m being bad today, I’m sorry. So, but anyway, so the nature of the suffering in animal realm is the lack of understanding. (DT) The lack of capability. (DT) The lack of expression. (DT) They can’t talk to you. They cannot explain to you. (DT) They can only yap or bark or meow. (DT) So, then you have to think, “They’re happy.” You have to think, “They’re upset.” You have to think that they’re saying this and that. I mean, you keep on thinking that all of the time and it is right, and you say, “Oh yeah. He said this and that.” But she didn’t say it. She said, “Meow.” Only. Truly. (DT) So, it’s not. Nothing bad about it. (DT) But that, that’s their life. (DT) Their nature is such. (DT) And that is their suffering. They may or they may not recognize. (DT) And you watch your own pet. How much they’re trying to express. (DT) Their intelligence is limited. To express you; they’re happy or they’re sad.

1:18:01.1 Limited to that. (DT) And they express their happiness when you walk in. They will come and wag their tails or get all over you or whatever they do. It is their happiness expressed. (DT) And when they’re not happy they will also can show you by expression of not listening and not coming and not doing what you wanted to do and when you call them, they don’t come. That’s how they express. (DT) And beyond that they cannot. (DT) I had a friend, Geshe-la. Geshe Losang Tharchin. It’s very, very nice Geshe. And who lives in New Jersey and who wrote a number of books and I went and saw Geshe-la one day. That’s many years ago. Geshe-la has a little dog. And Geshe-la told me the dog knows how to say, “om mani padme hung.” (DT) Geshe-la insisted to show me. (DT) So, what he does. You know, that Jacobsen’s biscuit called, golden puff. It’s no longer there, is that? It’s like a cream cracker type of thing, but it’s bigger than cream cracker. It is British biscuit called golden puff. It’s a tea biscuit, I think. (DT) Is that available in England still? (DT) You have a Malaysian version of cream cracker, you know. But in England they’re supposed to be very good one. Used to be. You know. But I don’t know. Anyway, and then on top of that biscuit he has to have cream cheese. (DT) And then ham on top. (DT) (laughs) Make a nice sandwich. And then he showed this dog. (DT) And she recognized the sandwich. And then he won’t give it to her. (DT) Then he would sit there and tell her to say, “om mani padme hung.” Like for, you know, two or three minutes.

1:21:01.7 He keep on talking to the dog. (DT) After a little while she gets up and says, “woof woof woof woof, woof-woof-woof woof” six times. (DT) Geshe-la says, “See, she says, om mani padme hung.” (DT) So, that shows the intelligence. (DT) So, basically that’s suffering. Really. (DT) So, that even we. Even we, the human beings and we call them animals. (DT) Right? The word, expression of animals behind that what you get it. Think carefully. The language itself. (DT) So, it’s not we’re looking down on animals. (DT) But the nature is such. (DT) So, the suffering in nature. (DT) Like the human beings. The three higher realms. We have death. We have birth. We have aging. We have illnesses. (DT) People become old. (DT) People become sick. People get sick. (DT) People die. (DT) It’s not looking down. (DT) That’s natural. That’s natural. (DT) So, that is all three higher realms have it. Human beings, demi-god, and god and all this. All this happening. (DT) So, that’s why Buddha called them samsara. (DT) So, that’s why Buddha divides between samsara and nirvana. (DT) And samsara, as the place of suffering in nature. (DT) And nirvana as free of suffering. (DT) The big gap in between. (DT)

1:24:09.5 Is nature. That is the nature. It is nature. And it is natural. (DT) So, that when the Buddha says, “There’s a way out.” (DT) And from here, you can go there. (DT) You know what I mean? That’s the difference. (DT) You’ll continuously remain, take rebirth and die and born and again and again over here. (DT) But you can get out of here and get over here. (DT) The bridge in between these two is the practice of liberation. (DT) And what is practice of liberation? (DT) Cutting down the negativity. (DT) And the negative emotions. (DT) And when you’re cutting down, you are moving on the bridge. (DT) And that is the bridge. And when you cut it down, you get other side. (DT) I’m talking in the metaphor of this side and that side and bridge. However, that’s all taking place within ourselves. (DT) It is not a geographical division. (DT) It’s a mental state of division. (DT) That’s it. Ok. So, we stop here. But I want you to basically remember that is the, basically, the foundation, the fundamental principles of the first circle of the practice. (DT) Technically known as common with the lower level. Lower realm or lower level or whatever. Small scope some people call. (DT)

1:27:01.1 And when you. When you don’t have the guarantee that you had overcome the bridge, you cross the bridge. What you do is taking refuge, is the. Take refuge to Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, is the temporary solution for that. (DT) That is the temporary solution. It’s not permanent solution; taking refuge. (DT) Temporary solution across. (DT) So, when you get. After lunch we’ll talk about the refuge. Anyway, that’s the next verse here. (DT) Ok. What going to happen today. We will have afternoon session, as planned. (DT) And then after dinner, evening session. I think we will be, even you don’t make it, you cannot make it. But we can have some kind of informal hour. We can have questions and answers and informal meeting that will be seven until eight, right? We can do that. Right? Even without (DT) So, all your questions and answers and the statements that you want to make and complaints that you want putting in. And. And your pride that you want to own it. All of them will be done in that hour. (DT) And that will follow for Monday, Tuesday.

Marian: Yeah, and we’ll get some time for initiation, which you plan, how you plan

GR: But she’s not going to be available in the evening, so, we will have to put everything in the day time.

Marian: Can manage to … if necessary.

GR: Ok. So, that’s good. Yeah. That’s going to be the structure for Monday, Tuesday and maybe Wednesday too. (DT) The initiation what I’ve been requested here, is Avalokiteshvara long initiation. Should we really do that?

Marian: We can see.

GR: Or should we make a short Avalokiteshvara initiation? Will serve the same purpose for this particular group.

Marion: Let’s discuss that.

GR: Ok. (DT) Ok.