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Soundfile 19980418GRCHWT1

Speaker Gelek Rimpoche

Location Chicago

Topic White Tara longevity initiation

Transcriber Constantijn Koopman

Date February 2022

Rimpoche: Welcome for this…… What do you call this? Whatever we call that. Whatever it may be, first let me welcome you everybody here. And what we are trying to do here is sort of two things together. What we’’re doing is traditional Tibetan way of longevity initiation through the practice of Tara. That is the traditional way. And then, we’’re also making it accessible to everybody to be able to participate together, rather than observing. So, participating together. And there will be brief visualizations and maybe brief saying mantras. Right now in very brief level in the morning, and then it will be farther expanded in the afternoon. And should be able to adopt in your life or daily practice or weekly or monthly or even annually. [laughs] Whatever you do, it may be sort of adaptable. You can pick up and try to get benefit out of it. I guess, these are the two things we try to put together.

And traditionally in Tibet, when you get initiations or teachings, that’’s simply listen. And then try to learn and they you try to practice by yourself. And that is one of the Tibetan traditions they do. And here, we try to bring them together and particularly remain true to the tradition. And yet, sort of, you know, sharing, explaining and all of those been added up, or maybe really a practice in the afternoon. 0:03:00.1 Right? So in other words, somebody who has been doing that practice will share it and say, ““Well, I have been doing this and this and that.”” And so you go accordingly to that. And so, you have a question, and you get answers and things like that.

So, that is what we try to do together. To symbolize that……. Normally, the traditional Tibet, you know, when any lama who does the initiation, they have a big throne, sit over there. And all sorts of things going on around. And we have today here a chair and table, and a lama who gives you initiation who gives you the initiation in suit and tie. That is the symbolization. [laughs] I’’m just joking, but it happens to be that’’s what I’’ve on??? I thought, maybe it is the first time doing an initiation on chair and table, but then I vaguely remember wherever it is. I think it is in Malaysia or Singapore. Since in Malaysia, I had to do a big long Avalokitesvara initiation. Two days has to sit on the chair and table because what happened is: they had some kind of funny looking throne brought in which…… It is, I think, out of some temple where the Buddha image sits. And they had a little, a square little thing and they put a cushion. And when I try to fit in that square, and after one sitting, like two or three hours, my knees no longer saying okay. So, I stopped there and moved and had a chair and table. Maybe, this is second time, anyway.

So, I don’’t have so much time, so I like to go through with this.

First part is the initiation part. Basically, word initiation... I mean, you know the initiation, what does that mean. Every different people have different way of explaining what initiation is all about it. 0:06:01.8 Sometimes, introduction; sometimes they’’ll let you in, whatever it may be. There is a number of people who’’ll explain differently. Here what we’’re going to do is we’’re really interaction, introducing yourself to a great female Buddha known as White Tara. So, it is going to be more or less introduction and invoking blessings and also utilizing certain meditative techniques to improve either your physical, mental, emotional pains, not to have them; or, if you have it, not severely experience. And so these are the two main goals that we try to introduce you, those of you who have come here for the first time. And those of you (since I say a lot of our usual face here), those of you who have initiations of maha-anuyogatantra, and who had this particular one a number of times, as you know, you’’ll be self-generating rather than front generation. By said that, all activities will be done from the self-generation rather than from the front, though I will try to talk here with the more??? and front generation point of views.

Basically, why do we do this? What is it for? What is all religion…… not, I shouldn’’t say ““religion,”” Buddhism is all about it? Why should I be interested? What is special about Tibetan Buddhism? These are a few important questions. Before I even go in that, I like to touch that first. I don’’t even say religion, I should say spiritual path. Right? Why a spiritual path, and what is a big deal with the Tibetans? And that is the two questions comes in your mind???. People have to…… 0:09:26.1 And the word ““spiritual”” thing is so much! I mean, it sort of way/vague???, widely used and over-usage. It’’s been very much over-used and have a lot of different ways and means people to translate that.

I think that two days ago I saw on TV, in television, in Michigan a group of Japanese ““monks,”” they call it, TV. And which has a big, long sword they are carrying, and walk over the fire and hit the sword some kind scare-crow type of thing other side and chop that down. And so, they call that a spiritual path, spiritual. And there are a number of people who encourage you to have brown rice and weed-grass juice; they can call that a spiritual path too. So, it is very widely used. And there are a number of people who are year after year involving to help themselves or to help their friends, others whatever way they could. And that’’s also a spiritual path. So, it’’s sort of a big buzz word, and yet not. I mean, very open-ended. I don’’t know, it’’s absolutely open. People can interpret anything anywhere, and no one will have neither the authority or nor in position to say one is right, the other is wrong. No one can say that. And the consequences of that, the number of people will also put a lot of time, energy and efforts. It also goes in there, whether you have good, successful or whatever it might be.

So, it also important…… Because of that, it is important to know what is a spiritual goal and what do you want to be achieve out of that. 0:12:02.1 What are we looking for? I think these are the very important questions regarding this. At least in my mind it’’s important. Why do we all do that? Why do I have to sit cross-legged while I have pain in my knee? Why should I? Why do I have to take one day out of my very busy schedule? And why do I have to pay $ 75, while I couldn’’t pay my bill on the other side, when I green-pay??? my whatever, my gas bill or electricity bill, or something. Why do I have to do that? And what I am going to get out of that, and what for? Why I’’m here?

These are the questions. I’’m not sure whether you’’re thinking that way or not; I definitely am thinking that way. [laughs] So, what I like to talk to you is only what I know; only what I know. So then, what is familiar to me is the Tibetan Buddhism. Having said Tibetan Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism is nothing different than that of general Buddhism. I mean, this is a very important point to me. The true paths, the true genuine Buddhist teaching and tradition…… No, sorry: true, genuine Buddha’’s message based on Buddha’’s personal experience and working with each and every individual, such as ourselves, is the true Buddhism. That’’s one part of it: pure true Buddhism. The other part of it is the cultural part of it. There is Tibetan culture, there is Chinese culture, there is Indian culture. So, it sort of came in, should I say, as a good ornament? Or should I say as baggage? So whatever it may be, they have been combined together. 0:15:03.4

So, there is a cultural aspect and there is a true, genuine Buddhist aspect. So, after spending about a decade in the United States, now almost ten years…… Ten years now, 1908, right? So 88, so it’’s ten years. After spending ten years in the United States and becoming American citizen, so when you really look through, the cultural aspects is not that important. It changes from country to country when Buddhism goes. Buddhism in India have Indian aspects of the Indian culture at that time, and Buddhism in Tibet has the Tibetan culture. The same thing you do, the same principle, but the things that comes inside is the culture of the land. And Buddhism in China has a Chinese culture, and Buddhism in Thailand has a Thai culture. So does the Laotian and Cambodia, and all this.

And talking about Cambodia, somebody told me last night…… this is Po Port? He claimed to be Buddhist, and I am really sorry about that. I just don’’t know what to say; it is sort of disgrace, so…… I mean, definitely, but…… So, what can you say? So, it is, even in Buddhism. We had some crazy guy in Japan, right, two years ago. They also claimed to be all the thing, Buddhist, Hindu, everything. [laughs] So, it’’s funny. And when you’’re looking at that sort of thing, like Po Phong?? , who claimed to be Buddhist or that crazy guy who wanted to put poison gas in Japanese train station or underground or something, all of them and you look at them, and you begin to really truly see it very clearly: they’’re going against Buddha’’s principle. And they can claim anything, but when you’’re against the principle in which Buddha really experience, his development and his message, he tried to share that with the people, when you’’re really going against that, and then it will be very hard for other people to accept whatever they claim.

There is no law somewhere and you can sue the person, say, ““Hey, you cannot claim Buddhist because you have this and that.”” There’’s no such a thing we can do, right? Which normally in our American culture, if you don’’t like it you can sue them. And doesn’’t matter whatever it may be, keep on suing back and forth. [laughs] So, keep on going on and all this. But I don’’t think that we can do this over here. But we need to understand. Somebody who’’s going totally against Buddha’’s principle cannot be good Buddhist at all. Forget about good, but even Buddhist.

Having said that, to be Buddhist, do I have to become a Buddhist? Do I have to change my whatever: tradition, religion or do all this. Well, there are a lot of different opinions expressed by the Tibetologists, or Buddhologists these days. And I think that is for them, the philosophical issue. I think I’’m going to let them to the philosophers to sort it out. But practically what we do, you know? Practically what we do, if you read in Buddhist tradition, they will say you have to take refuge in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. Which is the sort of doorway, whether you become a Buddhist or you’’re not Buddhist. It makes sort of the doorway they made that.

However, they are all either ritual or it is a part of... I don’’t know: concept??? performance, but.. part of a ceremony they call it. Part of a ceremony. And then the question rises if the ceremony is more important or mental effectiveness of that activity. Which is more important? And from my point of view there’’s no question: the effect to the individual is much more important than that of the ceremony of part. 0:21:08.1 So, in other words, taking refuge to Buddha, Dharma and Sangha is one form. It is a short-cut, where the question is really: ““Well, I would like to help myself. I would like to free myself from my neurosis? If I don’’t have time and if I have a problem……”” Let’’s say about dying tonight, which I’’m not supposed to say. Longevity initiation, you’’re not supposed to talk of impermanence ??? This is against tradition. I’’m sorry, just slipped out of my mind. They normally give you very brief whole lamrim or what we call here now ““Odyssey to Freedom.”” They give you very brief ???, except they avoid impermanent part of it. They just skip that. It is the tradition for this particular long-life practice, but some words slipped out of my mouth. It is not a detail, just one word. Perhaps, it’’s okay. So, the question is, ““Then, what do I do?”” I didn’’t have time to develop myself, so then you say, ““Oh, you can take refuge to Buddha, Dharma and Sangha,”” and they will try to help you. And you try to connect with them. So, that is main reason why you take refuge in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. It is just simple protection. Protection not from the car crash, protection not from the plane crash, protection not from the thunderstorm and tornadoes…….

Incidentally, the gentleman who interviewed me for this…… is it Suntime? Suntime. He was asking me, ““If you do this, do you think Chicago will be protected from tornado?”” I said..., I don’’t know what have I said, he said something. He said, ““Oh, you think that you can help the persons in prison or the ghettos where there are people are so angry, and all this, can you help? I said, ““If they have opportunity, they can help themselves.”” That I remember, I said that. If they have opportunity, and they can definitely help themselves. And incidentally, talking about this thing, certainly I’’m not keen of Dalai Lama at all. So, that part I have to say it. What they says is I am grand-nephew of the Thirteenth Dalai Lama, previous one that, and not the present one. 0:24:04.8 Somehow, you know, they got mixed up. So, if he had put Dalai Lama 13th or 13th Dalai Lama would have been fine but..., would be true. And when you put ““Dalai Lama,”” it is becoming wrong. Not wrong, but…… you can have an excuse, but it is. So that’’s where I like to clarify that, also taking the opportunity. Because many of you have come out of that or whatever, so I’’d like to share that with you and make clear. And, of course, and everything when even newspaper something is not exactly what you wanted to be is going to be there at all. We all know that very very well now. Even Clinton couldn’’t share???, so how could we share/have.

Okay, so now the point is: all the cultural part of the Buddhism is definitely changeable and you can adapt in any culture anywhere. There is no problem because if you look the Buddhist traditions of everything, it is exactly the same thing you’’ll find everywhere, as I mentioned. Or the South-East Asia, Asia, Mongolia, China, it all adapted in their culture. The principle of the Buddha’’s tradition has come out from India. If you really look how did the Buddha taught in India, even shared his experience, and he had a little piece of rock in the middle of a big garden. Or not really a garden, a forest, which is called ““Deer Park.”” And he sat in the middle of that little stone, and talked to five people who surrounded him. So, where he shared the first experience as a Buddha, the most important and absolute relevant to our life even today 2,500 years later, thing called ““Four Noble Truths.”” And that was he did sitting on a little rock and talking to them. And they go out, beg some food, come back and share it, and keep on doing that. That is the Buddhist culture, begin there.

Then, that very culture traveled within India with a lot of traditional Indian culture. And even that sort of high prominent class such as Brahmin picked it up. 0:27;11.2 And tradition of Brahmin culture of you have to white and clean and all of those cleansing business of the classy culture involved in that. Then, it started to move even beyond north and north and north, to the Himalayas, started reaching the cold climate. And there’’s no longer taking bath every morning or three times a day, and no longer it is white clean linen clothes is not there. It’’s adding up a little of woolen cloth and taking cleansing is becoming activity of a weekly, monthly, or even yearly thereafter. And then they adds up, you know, all this, and that is how the cultural transition they have gone through. Thrones have become a little bigger, there’’s some peacock decorations and lion decorations and bouquet??? coming out, and umbrellas starting putting up and trumpets coming in there. And all these things are adapted one after the other into culture.

So with the Chinese. So are the Chinese. Traditionally, Buddhist monk is not supposed to wear sleeve at all; they should always wear sleeveless. But even the teacher it goes up to here, it should be start here. And then it is again in culture, it is prestigious in China you should wear some kind of brocade robe, which not only have sleeves but has got a sleeve up to this long. And then the show is, you know, you raise your two hands and do like this, and then the sleeves will fall down. And you do something, and after a little while you do that. And that has been adapted to the monks, and they wore that sort of long sleeves and then add up another red, pure silk sort of shawl type of thing; goes around. Wear a huge mala, preferably made of coral or amber or something, and which goes crossed. And all this are culture, not really Buddhism. But it becomes a part of the Buddhist thing. 0:29:59.3

So, when we’’re in the United States and what is American culture? [laughter] This is American culture, and so it will be adaptable. That’’s my main point is, it will be adaptable. When we’’re looking for American Buddhism, and what we are looking about it, we are looking at the pure Buddha’’s experience message. The philosophical part whatever it is... Or the historical part, let historians worry. The philosophical part, let the philosophers worry. Political part, let the politicians worry about it. I’’d be nicer if we, the Buddhist Americans... we don’’t have a big national politics. But whatever tiny little politics you have, everywhere group, and if you leave them up to politicians and they’’ll be nice.

Anyway. So, having said that, what is the most important message that Buddha shared? Buddha shared, Buddha’’s discovery is the suffering. The poor??? fellow, the moment he was gone, he was locked in in an artificial beautiful palace they built, because they’’re afraid he was going to leave. So, to protect that, they made an artificial life for him, artificial palace. He cannot go out of the walls of palace, and no anybody outside can enter in there. There’’s a fixed number of people with a limited age and skill. And they made it some kind of paradise land over there, and try to maintain Buddha in that. So he spots??? are always wondering what is out there. So, he wanted look outside. And one day, he’’s sort of big enough, so he sort of have enough power, so he wanted to go out. And whether they allowed or not allowed, he sat on his horse cart and told the driver, ““Drive this way, drive that way; drive that way, this way.”” And so the driver could not say to the prince, ““I cannot go beyond that.”” He said, ““Go, go, go!””, saying it. So, they went on. And when he get out, and he began to see somebody sick, somebody died, and some old people. So old they cannot even walk, very difficult to walk. And he begin to say, ““What is all this up?”” 0:33:10.9 And then the driver has to explain him this is called illness, this is called aging and this is called death. And then, what happens, there is pain and suffering and misery and this and that. And then, the second question what the Buddha asked, ““Will I be subject for this? Will maybe kings and queens and I be the subject for this?”” And the driver has to say, ““Yes, you will be. You will definitely be subject to that.””

So, his mind is wandering. ““I’’m here as a sort of the most precious prince who is supposed to rule the whole kingdom. And if I have to do that, how can I help these people? How can I help my own parents? How can I help myself?”” And that becomes his number one priority. And he started looking. He started saying, ““Can I treat this?”” And so, this is 2,500 years ago, right? So therefore, there is not, what we have today, a great scientific development and all this –– they don’’t have that. So, the only alternative to the Buddha is to look inside and seeing where is it coming from. Where is aging coming from, where is death coming from, where is the illness coming from?

So, what Buddha really discovered: all of those, aging, the illness and even dying, all of them within ourselves, not external. Aging is not an external thing, within ourselves. Illness is coming within ourselves with the conditions which provide opportunity for that to be materialized, coming both from in- as well as outside. Death and dying: once you have that trouble within you, it is a matter of process. And so when that process took place, and when we for our physical condition can no longer shelter our mental entity... I should say ““physical identity,”” which is also the shelter for internal entity. When they can no longer shelter, you separate from your physical identity and the entity that you have inside which suffers. And that’’s called death. 0:36:36.7

So, these are the Budddha’’s discovery. So, then Buddha said, ““Do we have to keep on repeating that all the time or is there another way that we can work?”” So he’’s discover after that: yes, there is another way, though it is internal. But internal are not necessarily and absolute independent. Internal conditions have developed on the basis of the (what do you call it?) interdependent system or... Give me another word for interdependent systen. [Answers coming from audience] Ah? ““Cause and effect.”” Ah? ““Intertwine.”” This is not my native language, so…… ““Interrelated,”” sounds a little better. So anyway, it is all…… ““Relativity,”” yes. It depends: so much conditions that has to develop in the right point, where they can……

Now, take a flower as an example. They need so many conditions has to be right. There has to be good dirt, number one. If there is bad dirt or if there is no dirt, nothing will grow. And there has to be right seed, there has to be right moisture, there has to be right amount of heat. There has to be right amount of time that will puck??? and grow and then finally open. And when all this conditions are right, it will open. Right? 0:39:12.2 And that is I just said ““flower.”” But that is example for ever single thing, whatever is happening in our life. Absolutely. Absolutely.

So, not only external, but even in internal. Even in internal. So, it all depends on that. So, the Buddha discovered: all right, all these problems with this is dependent on the condition. So, if there is no condition, what will happen? When there is no condition nothing will happened because there is no condition. So, buddha said, ““Ha, here is the way out. Then, let them have conditions right. I can do that. How? These conditions depends on the negativity, certain conditions depend on the positive or virtue; or certain depends on the number of your negativities. So, let’’s avoid the negativities. So what can we do with that? We’’ve got zillions of them, so what do we do with that? Is there anything I can do?”” So Buddha found, ““Yes, I can neutralize it. I can make them doesn’’t work, I can neutralize them. It’’s like, you know, when we see in the movie, there is some kind of crazy guy set up a bomb, and they clounse and ticking???, there may be twenty seconds left or something. And the hero comes in and somehow dismantled, cut the right wire, whether it is blue or green or yellow or red or whatever it is. Cut the right wire and diffuse the bomb, right? So, the Buddha is exactly looking the same thing: we can diffuse this condition by cutting the wire. The line in which it’’s been feeding the condition, I can cut the supply line of the condition’’s feeding. So, what Buddha really discovered: the line in which we’’re feeding is our negative emotions. Negative emotions: the anger, the hatred, the jealousy, all of them are the feeding the wrong conditions for me. 0:42:14.5

So, what the Buddha really truly shared: how do this? How we diffuse this, how we cut the supply out and how we manage our life? That is the essence of Buddhism. Whether you wear suit or tie, or whether you’’re red or yellow, or whether you’’re in the pajamas or nude, and that is the essence of Buddhism. So, taking that as a principle, what do I do to help me? Number one, when you say, ““How do I do? How can I help?””, the question is: how can I help myself. It’’s not a question at this moment. How can I help others or how can I get help? This is question: can I help myself? If so, how? So, the answer the Buddha has is: only, mind you, they underline, only you can help yourself. Nobody else. You are the only person who can help yourself, nobody else.

That is the bottom line. So, in the Buddhist principle, you are responsible to your own things. You’’re absolutely responsible. It’’s nobody’’s fault, not Clinton’’s, not Monica Lewinsky’’s, no Kenneth Starr…… [laughs] Well, who else there? All those guys/counts??? over there. And they’’re not. No, you cannot blame them. It is ourselves, it is our fault. Even you’’re good account of me??? now is also our own deed. [laughs] It is true! The conditions have been provided who have did it. So, whether it is Clinton or Gore or Greenspan or congress or whoever; they have provided the condition. Right? So, it is our own good fortune and karma we’’re enjoying, the economic boom, at least at a certain level. 0:45:14.5 Maybe not at the bottom level at all, but that’’s what it is.

Having said that, if I am responsible for myself, what can I do? So, naturally what you wanted as a spiritual practice, what you wanted? What do I want? What I’’m liking? If I want\ed money or power, wealth, fame, I don’’t think spiritual practice will give you that. It’’s probably the wrong side. Maybe, they help a little bit here and there, not so much. And what I really need…… If you think very carefully, why don’’t I have all this? Why don’’t I have, why don’’t I have all this? I don’’t have all this because my limitations. Where is my limitation coming from? My limitations are coming from my ignorance and my negative emotions. If we can get free from my ignorance, confusion, and there’’s no reason anyone of us and everyone of us can do better than Rockefellers. No reasons, the limitations are coming out of ignorance. And ignorance not only provided that limitation, it also provided these negative emotions: anger, jealousy, hatred.

So, I need freedom. Freedom from those neuroses and freedom from the ignorance, confused state of mind. The really freedom what we’’re seeking is freedom from ignorance. The ignorance is the one who provides all the limitations. All our goal or vision we’’re unable to materialize because we don’’t know, because it’’s ignorance. And even you know, you cannot utilize them. Doesn’’t work because of the ignorance. 0:48:13.2 Because of that we have anger, hatred, all of them. They’’ll make the matter worse.

So, the goal for the spiritual practitioners, according to the Buddha, is the freedom from those neuroses. That’’s the goal. And it is definitely achievable. Definitely. People who had been a number of years with doing this, if you look in their condition, a few years ago and you’’re looking today, you’’ll find a big difference. Not only they acknowledge, but people can also recognize. And if one person or two person or ten people can achieve, why not me? What did I do wrong what did I find?? that? Everybody can achieve.

[0:49:24.4 interruption (13 seconds) in the recording ]

...throw it in the basket. No, throw it in the dumpster. So, that’’s what is the Buddha’’s message. So, what happened is that some gurus have come and shared their message, presented to us. And we did not investigate it, we just simply follow. So, the step really is: get the message, investigate and, if you like it, internalize. That is how you get free from the neuroses. Learn how the neuroses work. We have plenty of neuroses popping up on our brain. Every minute hundred time, popping up all the time. Even though you’’re sitting here and listening, however, somewhere some other things are there popping. And each and everyone of us will have that popping. There is no end to that popping. So, we don’’t have free in this. It will pop up even you’’re probably…… Okay, it will pop up, don’’t worry about it. Some people say, ““Look, I’’ve put a lot of efforts this and that, still it’’s popping up.”” 0:51:04.3 Of course, it will pop up because it’’s there. It’’s going to pop up. We don’’t try to stop popping up the thoughts. If you want to stop the popping the thoughts, you can take some tranquilizer or maybe a laughing gas or something like that. And that will do. But we don’’t try to stop the thoughts. If you stop thoughts, you try to bring yourself look wrong level. There’’s a big question whether it’’s going to be good for you or not in long time.

But what we try to do is: we try to filter the thoughts. Filter the thoughts. So, I really say from head to heart, all these thoughts comes up on our head. Until you take it deeply in and digest it, it cannot manifest out as your own doing. Some people will never filter. Thought comes up, boom: gone; boom, boom, all this. When you do this some become a little closer to crazy. I mean, a few screws we’’re all loose. Right? And when you have no recognition, thought goes up without realizing, action taking, and that means couple of more screws gone. So, we’’re not??? So, where we stop is: let the thoughts pop up. You don’’t care. And you watch them, you investigate them. You like it or you dislike it. In best occasion should not be based on you own personal feelings. These things has to be emphasized. I never did it before because in the West it is, ““Oh, I felt so good. And it is wonderful, and my feelings tells me this and that.”” A lot of people do that, I’’m sure a lot of you who are here too, today. However, I’’m going to disappoint you by saying this type of thing we call it love and light. Love and light. We also call them flying in the air, not grounded. So, I’’m sorry to say that, but don’’t get disappointed. You’’ve plenty of them coming up. [laughs] Don’’t get disappointed what I said it. 0:54:00.0

Okay, I also have to watch the time. We go till one, right? Do we take a break?

Organization: [inaudible]

Rimpoche: Okay, but can we take one break in between or will continue.

Organization: [inaudible]

Rimpoche: If we do, when ??? should we take it?

Organization: [inaudible]

Rimpoche: Okay, you tell me. Whatever, okay? For me, it doesn’’t matter. People can keep on going to the bathroom and go back and forth; that also…… There may be a time when I have to run too, but... [laughs]

So, what are we talking?

Audience: Love and light.

Rimpoche: Love and light. So, flying in the air, not grounded. So, you have to know that. You have to know that. So if you know that whatever you’’re doing, and you can observe yourself. You are the best judge for yourself, another point You are the best judge. Not even the Supreme Court cannot judge you but you can judge. Actually, you are the best judge for you, and you are the worst judge for the others. So, this is reality. And so, you have to judge whatever you’’re doing: is it love and light, or flying in the air, or am I beginning to ground?

The grounding here is so important. If you do not ground, you keep on flying here, flying there, going here, going there, doing there, doing this, participating in the ceremonies and participating in public gathering, and thinking that I am doing great, probably gets you nowhere. Or you think, ““Oh, it’’s so complicated, so many thing. I have to do everything, whatever there is any traditions will tell you or the Buddhists will tell you, even Tibetan Buddhists will tell you, or even among sub-sect like Gelugpas tell you: I have to do everything. You’’re not going to get anywhere.

So what you really do is pinpointed one little thing, the true message of the Buddha, try to apply on your life; and see what does that make a difference. Find out what obstacles are there, and find out how I will take care of those obstacles. 0:57:00.8 That will be the essence of the Buddhism, Buddhist practice. And therefore, I say: to be a true, good Buddhist, you don’’t have to be Buddhist. You can be a good human being, and every good human being in reality it is absolute good Buddhist.

It is interesting. I better stop talking because if I started telling you like this there is no end to it.

So let’’s say we have to achieve freedom. Not only freedom for me, but freedom for those who I care. Those are my friends, supports, circle, family, dependent relation, children, parents, and so... You know why? Why am I concerned? This is one thing I want to share. I said myself a number of times I’’m going to shut up but…… Why I have to say this? Why do I concern, why do I have to worry about the people that I care? Because you have opportunity. And each and everyone of us has A. opportunity, B. some method, something to do. Hopefully, most of them are right thing to do, but some thing to do. So, we have the capability and opportunity. And many will have not have it. The reason why they don’’t have it, actually the conditions not right. But whatever the reason may be, I’’m not interested, or it’’s too fancy for me, or it is too liberal for me, or whatever the reason may be, too conservative for me, or too liberal for me, or too foreign me, or too traditional for me, whatever the reason may be, and the people don’’t get. A number of people cannot get right conditions.

And I’’m quite sure among ourselves we try to get a number of our friends to come and participate in it, try to drag them, back them, do whatever, but they won’’t move it; they won’’t move an inch. I’’m sure we had many experiences of that. 1:00:01.7 And that’’s just because the conditions are not right to that person. Somehow, we are in opposite. Somehow we’’re open-minded, have some kind of conditions right, and we have the capability. And so, if I don’’t help, who else? Right? If I don’’t help my children, who else will help? If I don’’t help my spouse or my boy-friend or my girl-friend, who else will help? So, we have the responsibility, we have an opportunity and we have the capability. So, that’’s why not only me to get free, for those people too.

So, in order to do that, in order to get that, what do I have to do? I have to take steps, I have to take action. The steps in that Odyssey to Freedom is the 64 steps. Do I have all time to take all the 64? I don’’t know, but I’’d like to try, and go with that. In order to do that, I need a good and long enough and healthy life. Because if I’’m sick or if I have mental, physical, emotional illnesses overtake me, I can’’t do the thing what I wanted to do it. So, I need some kind of protection and help. And it is beyond my power. Can any enlightened beings or can any of those god-type of people, can you help me? That’’s the question you put. So, the enlightened society replies, ““Yes, there are certain methods and that works.””

For example, take White Tara. They try to help you, help us to protect, to help, to reduce our pains. And that’’s what??? we do. So, the motivation of what we’’re doing here is not only me, me, me, but everybody. Everybody. Not only everybody in Chicago, but everybody in whole universe. 1:03:03.0 Wherever, multi-galaxy universe, where there are living beings. For their benefit, and especially for this universe, especially for the United States, especially for the State of Illinois, especially for Chicago. So, we have to make sure there’’s no tornado today. [laughs] I’’m joking. Especially ourselves, and me. Right? So, that is the reason. So, it is not only me, me, me, but everybody included. But I am not excluded either. So, that is how we set up our motivation to do that.

And there is a long story about the Tara thing, but I am not sure that I have time to tell you that or not. One thing I like to share with you: this Buddhism came in India, when the Buddha came in India 2,500 years ago. It is very much associated with Indian culture at that time. The culture of that time is a male, chauvinistic society. No question, it’’s a male chauvinistic society. However, there is a woman called Tara, who has been fighting for the female thing, feminine issues, even at that time; who decided to work to generate a motivation to contemplate that, even after becoming Buddha, would like to remain as a female. Most of them, if you read it, all the most of them, because of the cultural orientation, they would like to become a male just before you get enlightened. Or you will like to [be] enlightened as a male, and day after you function as a male.

But Tara is the one who purposely been stubborn and try to be the feminine female and the position, and as a female she would like to become a buddha. And as a female she would like to function even after becoming buddha, whatever help or she can get. That is Tara.

There is a number Taras, yellow, green, red, blue, smoky (yeah, smoky color Tara), and all this. There is a number of things, but each one of them... 1:06.10.3 Like, for example, Golden Tara is specialized to build wealth; and White Tara specialized for healing and help; and Green Tara for activities. And things like that, they have their own specialization, though it is one person as a Tara. And when you become enlightened you manifest in a number of different ways. Sort of it looks like your corporate executive office been expanded. And some are the executive BP for wealth, and some of them executive BP for health and, you know, that type of thing. Might not even be BP, maybe a president. You know, who knows? And so we’’re in this White Tara.

And why White Tara? There are a lot of other of those longevity deities, those of you know. There is Amitayus and Ushnisha[vijaya], and all these, zillions of them. And why White Tara? Because, number one: Tara is…… I mean, all the buddhas and bodhisattvas are kind. But Tara is extremely, extremely close. I mean, really, she sort of have a passion for us. Really, she had very strong passion. I can’’t say she had attachment, but she had a very strong passion for us. Because we try to do something to help ourselves. So, it is great, sort of really, she had that passion. Plus: sort of she functions like mother, daughter, sister, and it has a little more sensitivity. Don’’t get angry, I’’m not trying to say against male. By being a female, there’’s sort of more sensitivity and also forgivingness.

You know, some of those enlightened beings, they say, ““If you do this wrong, blah-blah-blah will happen, blah-blah-blah will happen.”” People get scared. But over here, no matter whatever you do, you know, she couldn’’t care less. 1:09:03.1 And so, so strong passion and so effective! So effective. And when you have the right kind of trust and when you use the right kind of practice, when you build the right kind of atmosphere, and you will definitely gain the right kind of energy, and it affects. So effective.

What happened was: there was a great Tibetan…… Okay, there is a great Tibetan teacher who was in Nepal. This was in 1,100s. And there was a big, strong competition, sort of competition, between Hindus and Buddhists at that time in a certain portion of India and particularly in Nepal; because it is now Buddhism moving towards north, and Hindus also coming in; the Muslims coming from the other…… You know this history better than I do. So, this is coming on that direction, so there seems to be a little competition type of thing. And one great teacher, a Tibetan, who was a disciple of a very well-known Buddhist master in Nepal, was walking through a bazaar. And one Hindu teacher looked and him, and looked very carefully, and told him, ““Hey, you are a great being, but you don’’t have a life. You have only three days to live, you’’re going to die within three days. And if you follow me, and I will have some method. I will try to save you.””

He got a little suspicious. He said, ““Are you sure I have three days left?”” He convinced him: three days only left. He said, ““Look, I’’m riding a horse right now. I’’m on a horse. I’’m not going to get off the horse and ride the donkey.”” That’’s what he told him, ““Follow me. I’’m on the horse, you’’re on the donkey. I’’m not going to go on your donkey.”” That’’s what he said. Yet, the same time, he was worried, very worried. And he stopped going to, going to this roaming round the street and went back to his master, and said, ““I met some strange fellow today, a Hindu guru, somebody who told me that I have got only three days left. 1:12:10.3 And then he said, ““What did you say?”” ““And he says he has some method.”” So then, ““Did you follow him?”” And he said, ““No.”” ““What did you tell him?”” He said, ““I’’m not going to get from the horse and ride donkey.”” And he laughed. He said, ““Yes, I know you have only three days, I also know. But if I tell you, you’’re not going to buy it. So I sent you to the street, round the street and hopefully somebody will meet you and tell you that. So it worked.”” [laughter]

So, he said, ““What do I do?”” He said, ““Well, don’’t worry, I have a friend who is behind this mountain.”” Not back in Tibet. Those days, there’’s no boundaries that much. Right? And so he said, ““Behind that mountain, other side, I have a friend. And perhaps, he can help.”” And then he said, ““I’’ve got only three days, even you confirmed. And so, one day is almost gone, two more days: how am I going to reach that place?”” ““Yeah, don’’t worry. Take about a week. That’’s okay, I shall make sure nothing will happen.””

So, finally he went there and met the prime lama who’’s referring to Lama Lennawa????. I don’’t know, maybe he has a very jet-black hair, no bold-headed or something, Lennawa. Anyway, it just tells you it is completely black here, whatever it is. So, no bold. Lennawa. So, Lama Lennawa welcomed him and chitchatting all the time, nothing happens. Days go, two day go, two-three day go, four day go, nothing happening. And then, he got very nervous. You know, the weeks are going and, you know, get very nervous. And he started telling, ““Look, I don’’t have time! And possible??? to do something, useful to show me something. ““Oh, don’’t worry, don’’t worry.”” You know, that goes on. And after one day, he said, ““Well……”” He shared his Tara practice what are we going to do. He shared that, and he told, ““Now you’’re authorized. And yourself, go in the caves, and sit there and practice.””

And after a very period, maybe a week or ten days, so Tara appeared in front of him. And have been able to talk to Tara like a person to person, and says, ““What can I do for you?”” Andhe said, ““Hey, I need a longevity.”” She said, ““Well, well, how you work it’’s okay. I can show you that you have ten more years. So, then he lived ten more years. By the time when ten is over, he did the same thing again. Tara appears, another extension of ten; repeated that three or four times. 1:15:03.9 So, at the end of that, Tara said, ““You will live many more years.”” Not that long right there??? So, that’’s what happened with the Lama Lennawa.

And if you continue from that…… that’’s why the lineages been important. And each one of those lineages, and each and everyone of them have different stories of what happened, including this White Tara that I received from my late master Kyabje Labdron Rinpoche. Kyabje Labdron Rinpoche actually gave me this initiation a number of times. The last one is during the 1959, the revolution going in Tibet. The guns are flying, choose/shoots???, the war is going on, and he gave me this initiation. I received a little note from him, saying that tomorrow morning when sun hits the mountain peak behind the Drepung Monastery, you should be in a certain place in Lhasa. So, the war going on, everybody is getting shot, and anybody who goes up and down. The roads are blocked, but somehow I have managed to get there.

So, early in the morning, and he gave this initiation for the only very few people like, maybe we have, well, 17, 18, maybe 20 people, 25 top. So, normally, Kyabje Labdron Rinpoche normally does that, there are hundreds or thousands of people always there. So, that’’s a very small group.

And since then, and it has been extremely helpful for me, even personally. Personally. If you look the condition what I am in. You know, I am a diabetic over ten years. It is always numbers remaining 300, it never goes down, for ten years. And I have a high blood pressure that like going over 180 over 100 for fifteen, twenty years. And enlightened/enlarged??? heart perhaps 14 or 15 years. But I feel okay. [laughs] I can feel okay. I need to glass?? but I am getting 60. So, I need to glass. 1:18:13.1 I still don’’t have medical air??? yet, and I have no pain at all. Sometimes when I sit down for two, three hours, when I get up my knees will go like this. I’’m sure that is natural. And a few years ago, and I thought it is time for me to go. And since that also has to be, it seems to be changed. So, for those???, but how long?

They are all due to Tara. And that is the personal benefit that I have. And each and everyone of you will benefit of this, because Tara personally commits to the Lama Lennawa’’s disciple, Lama Drewapa?? and all these, ““And those whoever are following you, I will protect them.”” It is always, there is a commitment.

So, it is much more closer to us, and we are more closer to her than anything else because the commitments, the bound of oath between, the deal in between. It’’s a big deal, so it makes a big difference. ““Big deal”” sound funny, but it is a big deal.

So by saying that, and I should start…… And there is a number of things. There is more and more stories here. So anyway, in order to receive this, it is necessary for us to make a request. And I’’m sure you registered and then the $ 75 on it, is a good request. But however, you have to make the spiritual request here. [laughs] Anyway, the request is the way how the traditional goes. And you repeat the request or you can even read it. Do we have the request in English available here? We don’’t, okay.

And so, actually what you are saying is this request that is made to the lama, who happens to be me at this moment. So you’’re addressing the lama as a buddha of past and present and future. ““And show me and share with me the profound method of White Tara longevity activities.”” 1:21:10.9 And that’’s the essence of that translation. So do repeat after me three times:

[Rimpoche recites part by part, audience repeats what he recite]

DU SUM SANGYE SANGYE GYI MOWO PANDE LAMA YI

DALA YESHE PHOLLO YI……

Now you have a little visualizations. You have to visualize the lama not in ordinary form like me, what you see it, but actually living White Tara in light. As well as, one of the torma here. I don’’t now... [recording suddenly ends].