Archive Result

19980728GRAABWL

TAPE FIFTEEN (07/28/98)

We are doing this Guide To The Bodhisattva's Way Of Life by Shantideva. Shantideva was a great Indian saint and scholar. He composed this simultaneously as a simple normal teaching but it has become one of the best poetic example of the spiritual path. There are number of different translations and as you all know, each one of them has its own advantage and disadvantage. After talking to a number of people we thought Stephen Batchelor's translation seems to be the closest we can get. But that doesn't mean every single thing is right or wrong.

Now I have to give you little background. The first is the word 'bodhisattva'. I am sure it is Greek to so many of us.What happens when you follow the Buddha's path? Or, what happens when you pick up the path that Buddha shared? The Buddha's path which is his personal experience is basically divided into two or three categories. Normally what is know in the West, they called it the three yanas. 'Yana' is a Sanskrit word meaning 'vehicle'. So it is like whether you have a BMW, or Rolls Royce or Mercedez. These are the three different vehicles. All are good. I am sorry for being proGerman. I should have said Lincoln and Cardillac, and Chrysler. Anyway, there are three different vehicles. Now this is complicated. Even the terminology itself is terrible issue. We used to say Hinayana, Mahayana and Vajrayana. Maha means big, and Hina is small, so that is the small and big vehicle. The division into the three vehicle is okay from the practitioner, from the contemplator or person who is contemplating on those paths. But normally, it is divided into two. One is call the Big and the other the Small. It is comparative. The small compared with the Big makes small; and the Big compared with the Small, makes big. And the Tibetans are very proud of being Mahayana, A1. When we came to India and was kicked out of Tibet in 1959, and we began to talk with the Indian scholars. We really have a very strong pride of being Mahayana. There was a great Indian scholar and Kashi Pandit, the real seed of Hinduism tradition and fundamental basis Varanasi. He is the head of department of Sanskrit University. He is Professor Ubedeya. He is a true Kashi Pandit meaning he never eat or drink even a drop of water before taking his bath. It is a Kashi Pandit's rule. You can never even have one from the low caste walking in the wrong direction, meaning if the wind is blowing there and you go there,then you are in trouble. So the Kashi Pandit. And you have to wear spotless white dress every day, clean and spotless. He is a great being. These are not qualities of a great person, but he does that. He sat down and looked at all of us. And then he said, the Mount Everest is very high, and we know it is so because we can measure from the ground. If the ground is not there, you cannot measure the Everest is that high. True. Mahayana is great, but if there is no Hinayana base, who will know Mahayana is great. So he said you have to accept Hinayana in order to accept Mahayana. Anyway, he is absolutely right. We just looked at each other and did not know what to say.And even in the Buddha's traditional teaching, Maha and Hina is measured because of its inter dependent relationship, and the interdependentness. And one brings the other. And that is why it is measured in that. And then somehow you got carried away,you lose the fundamental basis in which you go and you lose, so that is what happens.

So the ground zero level, the foundation within individual is the Theravadan teachings or the Hinayana path principle teachings. It is the foundation basic teachings for us. Having said that, one may wonder whether Mahayana is that great and therefore not that important , as is Hinayana. That is not true. Mahayana is equally important but without Hinayana foundation you cannot reach Mahayana level at all. And that's the point. You measure how high the Mount Everest is from the ground level. And if you don't have the ground zero level, the uniqueness and qualities of the Mahayana you will never know. You can simply hear, or read about it and believe it, but you will not really know beyond that. Truly, that is not a valid reason. If you have heard, so what? How do you know it is the truth? We hear Monica Lewinsky, we hear Clinton, we hear Starr, what is the truth, we don't even know right now. The same thing,the fact that you heard is not a valid reason to prove your point. I have read it, is not also a valid reason to prove the point is right. This is because you can read all the gossip magazines,the Inquiry or Times or Newsweek. All sorts of things -just I read or I heard is not a valid reason, unless you can substantiate with a valid proof. So it is not necessarily true because I read or heard. In America it is very easy for people to say it is true because I read it. In America people easily believe because they read in some printed material. Also we know anybody can write and print anything you want to. Like when I was in India, the Indians would say the Americans came for three days, and go back and write a thick book on India. They always say that and it may be valid too. Why? Because I notice that in myself. After being in China for two weeks I begin to analyze the chinese policy and begin to figure out what and started saying it. This is exactly like what they said in India. Maybe it is the American air or water. So that itself will tell us that anything just written or printed is not necessarily right or true. If it is anything else like Clinton-Lewinsky-Starr business, doesn't really matter, whatever the truth maybe. As long as there is no undermining constitution really doesn't matter. But these sort of things do matter because ourself who is putting energy and efforts, and time to do something right, to bring some spiritual result is travelling on a dark road with no map. There is a map but there are no good road signs and it is worst than India. In China, if you go to Beijing, you can't find what road it is because there is no road sign except for one or two in Chinese. You almost have to remember and visualize where the ring road is and all these. If you don't the taxi driver will bring you round until he gets forty yuan or more.

So there is not a very good map, and it is a big risk we are taking. It is a big risk because whatever the efforts we put in, we want to make sure it is worthwhile, and not wasted. That is necessary because we have a very limited time. And whatever little time we have if we put our energy in the wrong direction then we are going to be the big loser. That is why it is important to know something about it. That is why it is not enough, if somebody wrote about it, or I heard it. At least you should have a very strong and convincing idea and thought yourself. This is true, I am talking to the people who are intelligent, educated. Those few who are mentally challenged, for them they have no other choice but just to believe it and make through. For them it is fine. Simply we can rely on that because people like the Buddha and all his followers and disciples and they landed in the same enlightened area. So if you follow the same footsteps you will not be let down. That much you have to hold. But the intelligent, educated people we have this great mind, with unlimited capability, intelligence and witty too, and all these thoughts are popping up in our head, all the time. And capable enough to select and perceive and also stream the popping thoughts into consciousness. You can judge whether you are wise or foolish. If you are able to screen the thought and reject certain things, or you can accept or receive certain things, you are a wise person, even if you don't have that white chinese beard here. And if you cannot screen your thoughts and its automatic for you to act when your mind is influenced, then you are foolish. So you know yourself and can judge for yourself. Don't judge others, judge yourself. That is how you make the division between wise and foolish.

So let us presume we are wise. When we are wise then you have to have whatever you are accepting or rejecting, you have reasons behind. It is not because I feel like it . That doesn't make sense. You may feel anything anytime anywhere. So this just can't do. It is not a valid reason at all. You may feel like robbing a bank even at the age of fourteen. But you can't. So then, what is there? Try to make sense of that and what does that do? Who gain what and who lose what? After all we are all human beings. Some thing good for people, I have also the chance of it being good for me. So you pick up the spiritual path in that manner, rather than on the basis of love and light. It is very shallow. It is beautiful, love is wonderful and light too. You need better than that. You need something solid.When you picking up the practice, it is almost like being in the war. In the war you only want to win. You are in the war with negativity and we lost a number of times repeatedly. That is why we are here tody in this condition. Today we have better condition, with better weapons, better consciousness, better understanding and we have B2 Bombers. So we got a better chance. On what basis are we fighting the war? The fundamental strength of the human quality which is better than anything else. When you see the human quality a lot of people will say it is usual . I am a human being, so what? I have quality, so what. This is not the point. The point is lets us say if I am a cat, what level of intelligence will I have today? How much I can communicate today? What can a cat do? If you too hot you can only miow and same thing when you are too hot. It shows the limitations. I know there are many people who told me their cat is more intelligent that them. I used to joke and said to them, give it your car key and let

your cat go and buy your grocery. Your own human quality you cannot see it.If you look at the other side and switch your body with the cat and try to visualize. If you are a cat and you try to come into somebody's house they will chase you and try to throw the stone at you, and you cannot express. You cannot think that much . The limitation is attached to the life that we have. So we have better capacity that human body and mind is attached. There is tremendous amount of relationship betwen mind and body. Because we have this human body the mind which occupies this beautiful rented apartment, is also extremely capable. You are capable to utilize all these apartments that you have. That is why we have better capacity and that is why we are better equipped to fight the war against negativity. We are better equiped this time, and we have the chance to win the war. This is because we are much better prepared, and we are on better ground. We have better equipments, and better facility. We have the chance to win. If you lose this time, it is a big loss. Another couple of generations will be difficult, so it is important. So if you lose, it is a big loss. We are now on a better battle so if we lose, it will be a lot. That is why we have to make sure we don't lose. That is why we rely on a person such as Buddha and their experience and lineage. This is because they have won the war, so if we follow them, why don't we win? There is no reason why. That is reason why we follow the Buddha's shared experience.

Basically I told you two things, Hinayana and Mahayana. Hina is not necessarily small vehicle just because it is narrow-minded. Lot of people think that way. It is not true. It is not narrow minded. It is called Hina because the principle they work for is self-liberation. It is the self, individual getting freedom from the negativities and samsaric conditions, rebirth, situations. So seeking freedom from that. The principle theme is to get freedom for yourself, freedom from the neuroses such as attachment, anger, hatred or our addictions to all these, and ignorance. So seeking freedom for me by me, so it becomes narrow compared to the other one. The other one is at that level, you have freedom, you are already free. You are already supposed to have gain freedom, you already liberated yourself, so your concern is not only me but all beings. That is why it is called Big, Maha. A lot of people says Hinayana is narrow self interest and Mahayana is for all mother beings. This is just another bla bla bla, it has no value. It is narrow because it is only self concern, the principle theme. It is not that they don't have compassion or care, but it is me, how do I free myself. How do I get my own freedom? The liberation is really truly a birthright for us. We can gain that. So how can I gain liberation which is mine? So major focus on that is called Hina.

And Maha is when I get it, how can I help others.So it becomes Maha. It is not that Maha is better and Hina is smaller. But people do that and translate that, and they think it is right. Even Jack Kornfeld told me once when people talked about Hinayana they do it differently. They changed the name to Theravadanyana, which means self liberating. That is fine, it is okay. The title is title if you are comfortable. But Jack Kornfeld told me about a year ago, people started having funny interpretation of self-liberation so I like to call it now 'The Elders Way' So would you please use 'Elders Way'. The label does not matter. What is is the purpose. So if you really know why it is called Maha or Hina till you really see. So in order to reach the Mahayana,the bigger caring, loving, compassion-oriented thing, you have to have self establishment. If you cannot help yourself, how can you help others. It is very limited. If you are helpless and hopeless, how can you give help and hope to others. So one brings the other. One provides the base, the ground zero level. Self liberation, self freedom which is called Hinayana is the fundamental ground. Once you have that solid ground built, then you are safe, sound, can manage. But then, what about the person that I love and care. Here you start to turn your thoughts out to other persons other than yourself. You begin to observe and commit yourself to help them. Then you begin to have compassion for all beings not only human alone. The strong compassion should be able to help to develop strong love and care.

Now this is a very interesting point and many of you I know are not going to like what I am going to say. I will say in a sarcastic way but I don't mean it. But if I don't say it is not right. We all have compassion, and we all feel it. When we see an animal is hurt or something, we feel like touching them, picking them up and padding them. We do that, it is good. But not enough, definitely not enough. It is like offering a chocolate to a crying child and asking him or her not to cry. It is almost to that level. Lots of people don't like that but still I have to say it. You can give them physical comfort, there is nothing wrong, it is great. But that is not enough. You really have to help them, help what they need. What do they need, is the same thing what you need. Your need is the same as their need. I need freedom, joy, pleasure; I don't need misery and helpless hopeless situation, so do they. So my need and their need there is no difference. Therefore if I am going to help them I must bring them the joy, the freedom, the liberation, the wisdom. That is a more important help than physical padding on the shoulder. So when you have such a desire and commitment and you are unable to bear the sufferings you see. When we see an animal ran over by a car, and it is lying in pain shaking their body, we can't help it. We really have to feel and do something. So the same thing with others, all beings. And then we commit ourself to help, to bring the total liberation, the freedom once and for all, free from sufferings. That is why we say 'May all beings be free from suffering and the cause of suffering. May they remain in joy and never be separated from the joy that knows no suffering' . All of those, and then it is making sense here. So that moment you begin to commit yourself to be able to do that. You first pray it may be. Second you try to act and execute. And third, you make sure it will be done. That is how it works. So you begin with the praying, second taking action and third you make sure it happens. That is how the spiritual Love Compassion steps work.

So when you commit yourself and you pray it is not going to be answered just like that. So you pray harder and think what can I do, I have to do something. You started looking what am I capable of doing,how can I do, do I know the way, or am I educated on this path, on this particular point. Then you begin to see I have no knowledge on this, I have no over here, how can I function?Then you asks, who can? Buddha is supposed to be able to. In order to fulfill all my commitments to sentient beings, I must become a Buddha. That is how you generate these thoughts of committing yourself for the service of all sentient being. And desire to have the highest spiritual development because that way I can help all beings. 'a being' can become attachment but not 'all beings ' .

(End of Side A)

Side B

This is the morality of committing yourself , helping yourself and helping others. It is the morality we are looking for. I am not concern about the normal morality, your sexual orientation or anything. I am not talking about that morality at all. The spiritual morality I am talking here is your own motivation, and your own reasons why you are doing it, and your commitment to other beings and your commitment to yourself. These are your moral principles in your spiritual life. So once you have that mind of seeking Buddha level of capability for all beings, then you are called a bodhisattva.

But the first level is liberating yourself, seeking freedom. And the second level, this is bodhisattva. So the bodhisattva way of life is if you are a bodhisattva, how would you like to function, what the way in your life. When difficult questions pop up, how do you manage? And how do you disentangle your problem. How would you solve them. If somebody brings their problem to you, how are you going to solve the problem? The bodhisattva's way of how you think, how you function,how you interact with other beings, is the bodhisattva's way of life. This was put in poetry form by an Indian teacher.

Actually it is very interesting. I must say this. Buddhism originates from India 2500 years ago. And as like any other traditional religion Buddhism is also quite a powerful male chauvenist religion. True at that time and everything was a little male chauvenist. Every second week both the monks and nuns are supposed to meet and confessed. They have that every fifteen days. You confess and purify. It is not like you have this little box where you go and tell your problem and on the other side James Bond listening to you. I am not talking about that type of confession. It is not because everybody in that hall no matter how many whether there are four people (the minimum in order to do that) or a thousand people, they all stand up and say the same old words together. So they will count and recite all the broken vows and whatever you have broken you think a little more on it. So nobody knows what you confess and nobody is going to blackmail you. In the male chauvenist tradition what they did is, when the nuns are there together, on the day of the confession, one monk would be sent over to as a principal and also give teaching. So the author of this book, Shantideva, was sent over. His equals knew him as the one who knows three things -eat, sleep and how to let it go(shit). When the nuns knew of this, they felt insulted that such a worse possible person was sent. They decided to insult back and therefore built a very high throne, maybe twenty feet or something,with their robes and cloths, and did not leave any means to climb up. When Shantideva saw the throne, he wondered whether it was done out of respect or insult. When he knew it was done out of insult, he stretched his hand like an elephant's trunk and raised it to the top of the throne and pressed it down , and sat on that and gave the teachings. At the beginning he said, there is nothing new he had to say, nor he was a composer or poet but he had a few things to share. As he gave the teachings the throne went up higher and higher and at the tenth chapter, only the voice could heard and he had gone beyond the clouds. And that was how his life ended. That is why the Bodhicaryavatara is important.

It is also important in the Tibetan tradition whether it is Sakya, Nyingma, Kargyu or Gelug. All read the Bodhicaryavatara; they all use it. Otherwise the Gelugpa uses Lam Rim, the Sakya would called their Lam Rim, Pei Rim; the Nyingmas used another different name, and the Kargyus used Jewel Ornament of Liberation. In all the four traditions the Bodhicaryavatara is used in the same name. Therefore it is important both historically as well as usage. It is also very practical, dealing with our life.

We are now on Chapter Four, page 28 of Stephen Batchelor's translation. It is entitled 'Conscientiousness' I believe this is an important one. What does that mean in English? He said (someone from the audience) the Webster dictionary said conscientiousness is the awareness of every surrounding. What about awareness of self. It is awareness but awareness alone cannot be just this. It has to be a little more detailed. It is a little bit of watching yourself. This is not mindfulness. Mindfulness is different. This is not exactly awareness.

What does this do? This thought or this idea want to make sure you remain free from attachment, hatred,and influence of ignorance. Also it makes sure you remain enthusiastic all the time. It protects your mind from being lazy. In Tibetan it is 'pa yu' which is awareness in detail making sure it doesn't go wrong. It is not just awareness of what's going on, but more than that. It is seeing yourself free from attachment and hatred and ignorance, and do not let you be lazy. This is an extremely important one for us.

Verse 1

The verse says:

Having firmly seized the Awakening Mind in this way

A Conqueror's son must never waver;

Always should he exert himself

To never stray from his practice.

The Awakening Mind is the mind I mentioned earlier, committing yourself not only you are freed but you also share and care for everybody and make them free like you do for yourself. If you grow Bodhimind within you, it is fine and great. But even if you don't according to the tradition you can take vows. Taking vows will help you to build conscientiousness because you are conscious. You say I can't do that. It is the same thing when you wear a ring here, it helps you to bring conscientiousness. It is the same things with the monks. If they wear robes it brings conscientiousness. If they wear suit and pants they lose the conscientiousness. So the vow helps in that way, the bodhisattva vows. It says here,'firmly seized' either through the meditative level you become bodhisattva or you take vows and act like a bodhisattva. You are not a bodhisattva yet just because you take the vow, but you act like one. You are given opportunity to behave like a bodhisattva.

'A Conqueror's son must never waver'. Again I told you, why can't they say 'a Conqueror's children'? Maybe it is a man to man talk. 'Always should he exert himself / To never stray from his practice.' Another words they are saying when you become a bodhisattva, you become a child of the Buddha. This means you are earmarked to be a buddha one day. It is just like the children of a family. One day we will become the head of the family or somebody in it. So you are earmarked to be so you are called one of the children of the Buddha. Even the word 'son' does not really mean as son and daughter. The 'son' means here it is born, grown and developed out of the mind of enlightened beings. All the spiritual development that we have are born out of the thoughts and minds of enlightened beings, and it gives birth to enlightenment. It brings us towards contemplating enlightenment. That is why it is called 'children of the buddhas'So what they should do? They should definitely hold very tightly and strongly both bodhimind, the relative and absolute. Relative bodhimind is actual bodhimind.The absolute bodhimind is something more than bodhimind. That is what is meant' never waver'.

How to 'never waver'. You can do so if you keep your commitment and vows are intact. If you lose your commitment and vows, you are losing ground slowly.If you are not losing ground slowly, you can be stable,you can be steady and you can make it. So what makes you not lose your commitment? It is the conscientiousness. It is the main thing. Here they will protect you to not lose your commitment. Conscientiousness is the base to build your mindfulness. It is the base in which to build enthusiasm. It is the base in which you can build morality. Conscientiousness can bring wisdom to you. So it is fundamental and important in our life, in our mind level. So this chapter has become so important.Even you read what the Buddha said, he said people who are conscientious like Sariputra, they will reach to ultimate enlightenment. They will remain with bodhimind. Those who are conscientious can fulfill all their wishes. If you don't have conscientiousness, then you lose everything gradually.You can forget about enlightenment, you cannot even liberate yourself. When you cannot liberate yourself, forget about becoming a buddha.

Here is a quote from the Sutra: This is the foundation on which you can build morality; foundation on which you can learn; foundation for generosity, and patience. It is the foundation on which you can build positivity and this is the root of all. That is why Buddha said one should appreciate knowledge of conscientiousness and it is important. One should be happy as though one has found a treasure, or win a lottery.

Remember the principle of this is free from attachment,hatred and no influence of ignorance. It is possible to be free from attachment and hatred, but very difficult to be free of ignorance right now. But still we should try. Every day in our life we should try, whether dealing with other people or in the public, or in private sitting by yourself. Whatever it might be, it is so important to see what is your own mind up to. If it is up to something, then how do I win or how do I defeat?How do I win for myself and my dearest and nearest. How do I defeat others? Once you have these questions, your conscientiousness should be able to detect and make you think 'wait a minute, what I am doing is something wrong.'And when you see yourself your motivation is good and your action is fine, and you don't have strong attachment on this, or hatred in this,when it is going through, then you know you are doing fine. Go ahead. That is the job of the conscientiousness, and it becomes so important. It is not what we normally call 'awareness'. Awareness is simply knowing but it does not do anything more than that. Conscientiousness not only know but correct. If you are not conscientious , you cannot be mindful at all. It is the foundation in which you build mindfulness

Mindfulness in the Mahayana tradition is not simply sitting there and watching. That is a blank mind, not mindfulness. Mindfulness must be mind full, cannot be blank. If you keep blank mind you get relaxation no doubt. You make yourself so busy physically mentally and emotionally so if you can get some time to sit (and blank your mind) you get a little relieve.

Somebody was telling me that day that after my prayers I have to cry a lot. Naturally if you look at the person's actions and they have completely keep themselves absolutely busy, giving no opportunity for your mind to even to breathe. So when you have the commitment to pray, automatically it gives you a little rest. The mind will share the sadness and difficulty you go through so naturally you cry. I told the person it is a good thing because occasionally you can air it. That is why the person is doing fine.

If there is no opportunity to air it out one day the person could collapsed and be injected with the morphine, and land in the MHA Hospital. so even saying prayers and commitments and being a little consciencious, so the difficulties mental and emotional you can air it out. So you don't have a big problem of becoming a cuckoo, or completely crazy or hospitalized. If you have strong conscientiousness you will never be cuckoo.

Questions and Answers

Question: (Regarding feeling of 'I felt like it' and feeling based on analyzing)

Rinpoche: There are probably two types of feelings. The feeling which is developed by understanding, analyzing, and feeling without any thing but 'just I feel like it' or I felt it. The feeling that you gain by analyzing and understanding is a reliable feeling. The feeling that you get 'just because I felt it' is unreliable thing. I am not putting down the feeling but giving here a point where you can really rely on is analyzing and understanding; it is better than feeling. The feeling that arise from analyzing and understanding is more reliable than the feeling of 'I felt like it' That is all I am saying, there is no mystery on that.

Question: (Regarding Hinayana and Mahayana presentation)

Rinpoche: You are absolutely right. It was supposed to be presented that way. But practically you are determine to get free, and you work along with that, and you work for Mahayana. But when you take to Mahayana to Hinayana, you are supposed to be complete Hinayana and then you gain freedom. It is the traditional old style and maybe it is a mistake. But it is the traditional style and we take that way.

Question: You talk about giving a child or animal who is suffering what you need when you are suffering.

Rinpoche: What did you say? You give your suffering?

Question: What you need for yourself you are supposed to give to the other.

Rinpoche: I mean what you need is their need. You need comfort, you need joy, and that is their need too. What I am trying to say is at that level just padding and giving physical comfort is not enough. For compassion like this you have to look even beyond that. So you look at yourself. What is my need? I need freedom, free from the negativity. My need is joy, the joy that never knows misery. My need is great equanimity. That is their need too. But I am not talking about normal life level. I am talking about how the mind of a spiritual person should be set up. So when you see that their need is total freedom, total enlightenment, and total equanimity so then simply just giving a pad on the children's shoulder is not enough. I am not saying it is bad. Don't misunderstand, it is great. It is wonderful, but that is not enough. That is what I am saying to be a bodhisattva.

Question: (About taking care)

Rinpoche: If you don't know how to take care of yourself, your hope of taking care of others is completely gone. So you have to take care of yourself. But that doesn't mean you have to abandone the other one either.

Question: How do you determine their need?

Rinpoche: Whatever I want they also want, that is how you determine their need. I want happiness, you want happiness. I don't want misery, you don't want misery. This is common.

Question: What can I offer my spouse to make her happy ?

Rinpoche: A peaceful mind. And a mind that don't have so much disturbance and craziness, and pressure; a little bit of relaxation; maybe a little bit of happy-go-lucky. A little bit of happy-go-lucky is not bad, I am telling you. But you have to be sharp. You have to be able to put a little time to get what you wanted. Find ways and that way you maintain seriousness. At the same time you have a little happy-go-lucky which will relieve the pressure from today's society. So sharpness quickness plus happy-go-lucky, is the key for happiness or success.

Question: (Regarding rebirth and evolution)

Rinpoche: That is a very good question. Neither you know or I know. Really true, but we can almost guess. We can almost say there is life after life, or life after death. But we don't have certain proof there yet. But what a buddhist such as myself, we are saying that because we rely on the Buddha's word. And also s we see many points almost there but we can't explain. That is number one. And I am not surprise if the scientist discover one or two lives. But they will only tell you when they know how to explain. There are a great number of scientist from Harvard who knew about this. They told us clearly that unless they can make sense to other people, they cannot come out, and they do not rule out the possibility. That is exactly what is going on.

So now this is another question. We are on a journey. It is not necessarily going up level. There is nothing to proof but I would like to share a story with you. There was a game we used to play as a kid. It is called 'Path and Stages'.What you do is, you pick up the dice and throw it, and it lands here and there. One number leads you to another. And in the middle suddenly zoom you go down, right at the beginning where you started. Just like that, that is supposed to be how our life is functioning.So there is a possibility that you can shoot down from that angle. I am just saying it is a game. No one knows it is not, and no one knows it is. We are better off to be open-minded. The possibilities are always there. This is my honest straightforward answer. I could say there is past and future lives and remain serious, but it won't do any good.

(End of the Session