Archive Result

11

Soundfile 19980830GRSR

Speaker Gelek Rimpoche

Location ??

Topic Buddhist Psychology

Transcriber Vicki Cahill

Date May 12, 2021

Day to day. And they begin with a White Tara practice. And then we have Tarab Tulku giving his thoughts and ideas. And reworking the traditional ancient Tibetan text dealing with the, what they call it, Buddhist psychology and philosophy 0:00:37.5 landing his real(?). You know, we had a wonderful brave, wonderful, beautiful, inspiring, wisdom shared by Jack. And thank you so much. And as you know, we really appreciate, not only you been coming here, but just you being there and itself is a great contribution, not only to Buddhism but mankind. And so do you sir. And everybody else, too. And really had a very beautiful, very beautiful panel of discussion. And luckily, the cooks are late. And so, that’s why. And that’s why we had a longer time. It was very nice and appreciated. Well, mentioning this, there’ll be change of some schedules tomorrow. But one thing I definitely know, is we can’t have dinner at six o’clock. And so, it has to be. Excuse me. (sneezes) No, it’s ok. A little bug just flew. I’m sorry, really. Poor thing. Sorry. That’s not the dinner, right? (laughs) He thought we are vegetarian today. Excuse me. You can’t have dinner at six o’clock tomorrow, so it is going to be shift till seven. And hope. Because there’s too much work for this cook. Cooks. And after lunch, before dinner, there’s a lot of work. And a lot of people. So. The volume and the time, they just cannot manage. So, we’re shifting it to seven to seven-thirty. Between. I hope it’s seven, anyway, so let’s say that.

0:03:16.5 And also there will be change on the scheduling in the afternoon. After lunch, because Professor Thurman is leaving tomorrow. So, he has to catch five o’clock plane and they have all the planes totally booked. So, he has to go. So, that’s why we hope that he would have a little more time to participate in the panel. So, we shifting the free time and the panel. Switching it around. So, we utilizing the free time as a panel time that will be two-thirty to four-thirty. But we will have an hour, hour with you. But you may have to leave by three, three-thirty latest. So. So, that’s going to be the change tomorrow. Ok. So, then the free time will be shifted to four-thirty to seven. Ok. So that’s going to be change for tomorrow. And, but there will be like a couple of changes here and there in days. So. Please bear that. Ok. So, now today. Oh yeah. I was also told, explain little bit about the fire puja, what we did. And there’s, there’s only the Vajrayana group here would have understood what the fire puja is all about it. But I do not know how to explain it. Understand. I’ll try. I’ll try, what did I do. That’s about it. What did we there? What did we do today? So, what did we do with that playing with fire down there? It’s dangerous. So. Ok. As you all know, basically the puja. I believe it is Sanskrit word. Is it Sanskrit or Pali? The scholars will know. I don’t. Huh?

Audience:….Tibetan

Rimpoche: Chopa. It is chopa. Chopa. You know that. Right? Chopa. Like Lama Chopa. Means offering. So, fire offering. Is that right?

Audience: …

Rimpoche: Thank you. So, are you offering the fire? Or are you offering to the fire, or what are you doing? Who. to whom? What are you offering? That is the question.

0:06:40.4 So, there are two things here. These are the normal Vajrayana rituals. So, you really can’t change much. Because. You know because the rituals are ritual and you shouldn’t really change. If you change, not only you lose the value of the ritual, but the person who are changing who is not authorized for changing will have negativities. And that‘s why we always be very careful not to change those things. And the ideas are very interesting. But you cannot. I’m saying that before. Said, sort of, you cannot pick up certain ideas and then try to fit something else. You don’t do that for the Vajrayana practice and rituals. Particularly you don’t want to do that. Because you never know how it works. So, anyway. So, what we do is, we generate. Actually there’s two things; samsaric and non-samsaric. The samsaric end is the fire god. It’s like fire god. Funny word I use. 0:08:10.2 (?) Your fire god. They are not the traditional Egyptian one. But the fire god. If you look in the Hindu Buddhist mythological traditions or, it might not be mythological. May be real. I don’t know. But whatever may, you have those fire gods, water gods, directional protectors, directional gods. When we have the sixty-four offerings, you have those directional thing and all this. Among them there is a fire god. So, you generate the first, fire god and generate within the fire, you generate the fire deity or fire god, whatever. Generate that person and making all these offerings. There are like twelve different materials, like all these different types of grain and lot of liquid butter and all this, we’re making offering. Each and every one of them have obstacle to clear and something to gain.

0:09:27.7 Now for example. For example, you saw the kusha grass offering. And if you are looking in the Indian Brahmin tradition, kusha is the, what they call it, material for purifying. And if you look at the Brahmins, the real true Kashi brahmins. And if they had some impure, what they call it, things such as untouchables have come and touched their utensils or something. This is the traditional thing. And they think it has become impure. And how they have to purify, they take, pick up their baggage and goes. Baggage. Pick up their bag and goes to sleep in the kusha grass field for like seven days or something. Or depends how dirty they have been. So, accordingly they go to purify. And that is the traditional way. So, kusha grass was labelled as material for purifying. And that another, on another point is the kusha grass is nothing but broom in India. You sweep the floor. You clean it. So, anyway. So both way you see it. So, that’s why the obstacles to clear, the kusha grass, is the impurities that we have. That’s what we offer to the fire god and burn it. That’s what it is. All the impure things. 0:11:17.4 (Tibetan:..) Today my brain’s not working. And my brain is not working, so. Maybe I’m a little bit too tired. So, that’s why my brain’s not working. So, I asked him. Ah. 0:11:53.4 (Tibetan:…) Anyway, each one of them have a. Some are for purifying the obstacles. And some are for, what is it? Some are for wealth. Some are for strength.

Thurman: Health

Rimpoche: Health. Thank you. What else?

Thurman: Intelligence

Rimpoche Intelligence. Anyway.

Thurman: Power too, plus…

Rimpoche: That’s right. And all of those. There are twelve of them anyway. So, first offer is made to the fire god and so.

0:12:39.2 Number one, to pacify with the fire god. And number two. Two. Number two. And they also accommodate. The fire god will accommodate ourselves. Ourself to do. So, what we. What is accommodating is the, at the heart level of the fire god, the yidam will be generated. In this case, it was Tara, yidam. Now, for example, the black sesame is, seed is purifying the sin. The negativities. And then for example, the wheat, the grain. Wheat is for strength.

Thurman: …tama is strength

Rimpoche: Tama is strength. Ok. Tama is what? Pea.

Thurman: Peas are strength

Rimpoche: Peas are strength. I don’t know 0:13:39.9 (Tibetan:..)

Audience: Wheat is wealth

Rimpoche: Wheat is wealth. So, today my brain is not working. So, that’s what it is. Yeah. So, anyway. So. We generate at the heart level of the fire god. Then the non-samsaric deity, in this case, the yidam in the case of today is Tara. White Tara. In case of Tara. So, non, then you make these offerings to the Tara. And that also, some are offered at the mouth level. Some are offered at heart level. Some are offered at feet level. Some are offered at the cushion level. So, the purpose is the same thing. To clearing something which you don’t want it. Which releasing, letting it go. Whatever it might be. Depends on the materials. And then, the opposite, anti, opposite of that, to gaining the strength, health, wealth, and all this. And these are the basically you’re utilizing the most powerful. One of the most powerful element in the form of yidam or even with the fire gods. And offering one of the most important protections of the crafts of the human beings. They work and they gain. These are the grains. So, the food you grow, you work and you gain the food. So, the one of the most important things we collected for our survival has been offered to those, to those enlightened and non-enlightened deities for serving a purpose of this and that.

0:15:35.3 And basically, as Vajrayana practitioners always, is done for the benefit of all sentient beings. It also done for me to obtain. For me, means each and every individual. Obtaining enlightenment for benefiting all sentient beings. So, that is basically, everything. Even you’re working for wealth, even you’re working for purifying, protection, whatever it may be. But it is done for us to become closer to the enlightened. And so, for the benefit of that. That’s what it’s done. So, basically. Basically, that is the explaining fire puja. I’m sorry. I don’t remember very well today. So, then. Then you offer scarves. You offer the tormas, you offer all of those. That’s what it is. And then it depends how much you really want to. It is the Tibetan tradition that they really use a lot of those materials. And even now we are doing a little bit, compared with old times. But still, we are doing quite a lot. But then, you know, I also noticed the Hindu tradition, they do the same puja, that very similar type. But they almost do it on a little plate. And they have little thing goes and there they 0:17:09.8 (?) soha, blah, blah, soha. All this, this goes in Indian, you see them all the time. It must be some common usage. There’s a lot of common usage between Vajrayana Buddhism, Vajrayana Buddhism and Hindu tantra. And there’s a lot of common usage. And not only that, sometimes, you know, what makes it’s Buddhism and makes it’s non-Buddhism is also we say, whether we take refuge in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. And it may have a very important point to think in here. There are lot of those common things between Hindu and Buddhist tantra. I better keep my mouth shut. Otherwise, I may get (laughs). I think. I mean there are a lot of those common things there. And so, methods, whatever you use to help the individual from whatever tradition it may be, I don’t think it’s. Well, it has lot of qualities different here and there, sometime a lot of common things there, too. Am I right or am I wrong?

Thurman: You’re right.

Rimpoche: Thank you. Well, I feel a little easier to speak. (laughs) Anyway.

0:18:38.4 But what makes is a Buddhism practice is the refuge. That’s why refuge has become, Taking refuge becomes so important. And things like that. Little, tiny, little points you can see. So, I think that’s good enough explaining of the fire puja. Is it ok? Or you need more thing? Because, you know, people want. Because we do have two more fire pujas still. So. So, if you really want to know whatever, just raise question and if I remember something, can tell you. If I don’t, because you have the book out. (laughs) Can tell you, easy to say it. Ok? So. Doesn’t seem like any question. No? Right? Is it ok? I can go off the subject. Ok? Neither they say, ok, nor they say, not ok.

Audience: Ok

Rimpoche: Alright. Thank you. So, I’m going to get off that. Ok.

0:19:50.0 Now, what have we been hearing today. I mean it is so important. I thought it’s, not only it’s been wonderful there, but it’s also so important to see how mind functions. And what it is. And Jack kept on emphasizing the Four Noble Truths. And it is so interesting, you know? I always talk everywhere about Four Noble Truths. Remember that? Everywhere, wherever, always try to talk the Four Noble Truths. Wherever we go, talk Four Noble Truths only. This is not only the essence of Buddha’s teaching. But it is the total teaching. Really. And there will be no teaching of the Buddha which is not included in Four Noble Truths. If you can show me one, I will do anything. (laughs) Really. No. It is the key point. People may look. People may look, “Oh. It’s the Four Noble Truths.” But you know, just the label and wasn’t Tarab Tulku(?) 0:21:04.8 or somebody said we put everything in boxes. I’ll say, I think it is all sort of we like immediately packaged. “Four Noble Truth. It’s not that important. Well, it’s basic Buddhist thing. It comes very early. It’s not that important.” We put in compartment there. Then we pick up Three Principles. Say, “Oh. Three Principles. Oh, it is in another compartment.” We put in there. Then we take Lam Rim. “Oh, yes. Oh. It is kind of another compartment.” Then we take Vajrayana. It is another compartment. That perhaps is biggest problem with us. I don’t really think there is Vajrayana without having the love, compassion and wisdom. There is no Vajrayana at all. Vajrayana is totally based on compassion and wisdom. Combination of wisdom. What you call that? The union of wisdom and something. Your book at the Tibet house exposition, book. What you call that?

Thurman:….wisdom and compassion…..

Rimpoche: Wisdom and compassion. In Tibetan it is 0:22:20.5 She Rap Nin je Ro ma.

Thurman: Roma

Rimpoche: Roma.

0:22:26.1 So. Anyway. It is the wisdom and compassion without which there is no Vajrayana at all. There may be Hindu tantra. But there is no Buddhist Vajrayana at all. Am I right or wrong? Huh?

Thurman: Right

Rimpoche: Thank you. I wanted to hear from one of them here, this side Am I right or wrong? Whoever.

Audience: Right

Rimpoche: Why? (laughs) Please tell me why?

Audience: Vajrayana ….

Rimpoche: Is that correct? Brenda?

Audience:…..Every teaching about Vajrayana you have the combination……..

Rimpoche: Bliss and void. I think you remember more bliss than void.

Audience:……….

Rimpoche:….correct

Audience:

Rimpoche: That still doesn’t. Does it? Does it really explain there cannot be Vajrayana without. What are we talking about? Wisdom and compassion. Does that explain? I think it needs a little more explanation than that. Yeah.

Audience:…

Rimpoche: That’s good. Yeah. I like to hear from somebody else. Let’s see, Robert is raising hand.

Robert: ….

Rimpoche: You’ve got to say little louder than that. That’s ok. I can repeat. I can repeat. Supa. Supa. I can repeat. Wait. Ok. There you go.

0:25:18.9 Audience: Ok. Without suffering there’d be no compassion. Without compassion there is no easy way. Without wisdom, or even emptiness. Emptiness is no waste. Without universal love and compassion and the idea of no waste, then Vajrayana would be totally neurotic. There’d be nothing to. You would leave the planet. And I think there’s some kind of way to have pure, pure. There’s way to have purity. But even that itself implies that something was made pure, you know. So, the raw materials. It seems like Vajrayana would be a hallucination without its root in suffering.

Rimpoche: Yeah. Ok

Audience: I mean if one has a pure picture or vision of the fruit or the result or even of the innate quality, then one doesn’t have to worry about the fire of purification. I mean, there’s some kind of funny balance. You know?

Rimpoche: Yeah. Ok. Let me hear from David. David Lewis.

David: Well, with them you’re trying to accomplish wisdom compassion in your mind. And I think Vajrayana is another technique…

Rimpoche: I know. But that still doesn’t explain. Yeah. You try to establish a wisdom compassion in Mahayana and then Vajrayana is another. That doesn’t explain. I mean, I wanted to know why there it will be no Vajrayana without wisdom and compassion.

David: There would be nothing to accomplish. There would be no goal.

Rimpoche: But there’s a Hindu tantra. Does Hindu tantra function with compassion and wisdom together basis. Techniques are probably the same. Quite similarity.

Audience: You have to have wisdom to want to help all sentient beings(?) 0:27:38.8. With compassion you want to help all sentient beings. You have to have wisdom to be able to accomplish

0:27:43.6 Rimpoche: But. But. But why you want to help all sentient beings?

Audience: Because you have compassion.

Rimpoche: (laughs) Well, you got a point there. But. Yeah. Huh? Tony?

Tony: Well, all I can say the purpose of Vajrayana is the same as the purpose of Buddhism which is to attain enlightenment.

Audience: Can’t hear in the back.

Tony: Well, since the purpose of the Vajrayana, is purpose of any path in Buddhism, which is to attain enlightenment. My understanding would be may be wrong understanding of enlightenment is, is both freedom from suffering but also attaining a union of wisdom and compassion. Ultimate, ultimate compassion. And so therefore it’s necessary. I mean if that’s the goal, then we have to have compassion and wisdom.

Rimpoche: Can I ask you a question? How does Vajrayana begin?

Tony: How does it begin?

Rimpoche: Yeah. Any practice of Vajrayana begins.

Tony: With breath.

Rimpoche: Vajrayana?

Tony: With. Oh, you mean how do you begin doing this practice? With initiation.

Audience: OM SVABHAVA SHUDDA SARVA DHARMA..

Rimpoche: There you go. OM SVABHAVA SHUDDHA

Tony: …

Rimpoche: SARVA DHARMA SVABHAVA SHUDDO HAM. That is the beginning. The first word we say. So, the first word what we saying is, the word of emptiness. There. So, the first visualization or first idea and first thought. Whatever you put, is the emptiness. The emptiness that have essence of compassion. It’s not the emptiness of the total empty, but emptiness with essence of compassion. Right? So, very first what you say, A B C D, is SVABHAVA SHUDDHA. What is it? Natural empty.

Audience: empty, everything pure.

Rimpoche: Everything pure. Naturally pure. That’s what I am. Remember. There’s Allen’s contribution here. So, that’s the beginning. The first word. The first thought. The first point, where we touch with Vajrayana. So, therefore without which. I mean, you’re right. There’s nothing there. I mean, that’s fine. There’s nothing. So, that’s the reason why there cannot be Vajrayana without compassion and wisdom.

0:30:40.7 Likewise. There cannot be. What we. I mean this is Mahayana point of view. There cannot be Mahayana without compassion. Can there be? Can there be? No. Why not? Somebody give me some straightforward answer. Would you?

Audience: motivation is the highest practice.

Rimpoche: Motivation. Motivation.

Thurman: There can be no bodhicitta without compassion

Rimpoche: Can be no bodhicitta without compassion. Why not?

Audience: …

Rimpoche: Oh, I read that. I heard that. But I’m trying to get the compassion business here. (laughs) Yes.

Audience: I’m sorry to just give definition. You know, it sounds like I’m just using definition. But bodhicitta, meaning the mind that aspires toward enlightenment in order to help all sentient beings is another definition of compassion, in my mind, great compassion. So, therefore requires.

Rimpoche: Oh. Is that right? Is he right?

Audience: Yeah.

Rimpoche: Yes. So, why we call it two separate? One’s called bodhicitta and the other’s called compassion. Same thing.

Audience: …

Rimpoche: 0:32:31.5 Oh…(?) What’s the matter? Is that ok with you, Supa?

Supa:….All beings also.

Rimpoche: Well. You know. When I’m sometimes I may be doing disservice for you. You know, I really begin to think I may be doing disservice for you. You know why? Because I used to say the bodhimind is nothing than that of the ultimate unlimited unconditioned love compassion is the bodhimind. Maybe I’m making disservice to you. You know why? Because you have to grow the bodhimind out of great compassion. Bodhimind is rooted to the great compassion. Right? 0:33:16.0 (Tibetan: De yi saw a nin je…) Maitreya’s very important viewpoint of where does the bodhicitta coming from. The bodhicitta is born out of the combination of the compassion and love. That’s why at the beginning of the Madhyamaka, it is the explanation of, Buddha’s born out of the bodhisattva. Bodhisattva’s born out of Pratyekas and Sravakas. 0:33:45.8 (Tibetan: Nen je san gye….) That is the reason why they go. So, the compassion, great compassion is. Great compassion and love is the basis on which the bodhimind grow. And the bodhimind.

0:34:05.7 Can you give me slightly difference points between the bodhimind and compassion? Is there any difference? Yeah. David.

David: Bodhimind is…

Rimpoche: Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. There’s a prayer form of bodhimind. All the bodhimind not necessarily action form. Maybe we are going too technical and a lot of people left out there. Might. I hope not. But. But. I really wanted to make this clear too. Because bodhimind is. I mean love compassion, no question. And on top of that. Bodhimind. You know you talk about two pronged mind. 0:34:05.7 (Tibetan: Sem che….) Maitreya says the bodhimind is nothing but that of seeking enlightenment for benefiting all beings. Right? So, not only compassion and love as on one prong. But the other prong is desire to become a fully enlightened Buddha. A combination of that becomes bodhimind. Right? 0:35:21.9 (Tibetan: Sem che…) Don’t forget. Sometimes when I try to make it so easy, the bodhimind is ultimate love, unconditioned love compassion. It’s true. But that’s not alone. That’s second prong. Seeking enlightenment for benefit of all beings. So, the combination of that becomes bodhimind. So, plus love and compassion. Ultimate love and compassion. And also desire to become a fully enlightened Buddha. You may be totally committed for the benefit of all others. So, if you don’t have that desire to become a Buddha, it doesn’t become bodhimind. Well. I’m sorry. That’s been carried out for in between. So, anyway without bodhimind you cannot become a Mahayana or whatever that’s call it. 0:36:15.6 (Tibetan: tekpa chenpo) and without having Four Noble Truth understanding. Without having Four Noble Truth, can you become a good Buddhist practitioner? Huh?

Audience: I would think, you wouldn’t be Buddhist at all. …

Rimpoche: Alright. So, let’s say there’s a guy who takes refuge to Buddha, Dharma and Sangha and knows nothing about the Four Noble Truth, would you call that guy a Buddhist or?

Audience: A Buddhist in name..

Rimpoche: Why name? Because he took refuge to the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. So, he is a Buddhist. He has a Buddhist, Buddhist vow. Buddhist vow, refuge vow.

Audience: …in name.…What is Dharma, but the Four Noble Truths

Rimpoche: Why does, he took refuge to Dharma. He may not have dharma. But still has to be Buddhist. Well, I don’t know. Maybe I’ve become too technical and funny today. So. Huh?

Audience: …Parrot

Rimpoche: Parrot. What does parrot think what they say? No.

Audience: ….The person doesn’t think….

Rimpoche: The person doesn’t think. Do they have refuge? That’s a very good question.

0:37:59.9 If a person doesn’t think and just simply say, “I take refuge in Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha.” That person becomes. Do they take refuge?

Audience: Refuge grows.

Rimpoche: Refuge grows?

Audience: Yes, it grows.

Rimpoche: Why?

Audience: The meaning of the word refuge comes from…I think when we first take refuge, we have no idea…

Rimpoche: Maybe you got a point. Maybe you got very good point. Huh?

Audience:…good start

Rimpoche: No doubt there’s a good start. Wrong reason. That also fine. But really you have to think whether you become a Buddhist or not, just simply saying the word without knowing anything. Be just like tape recorder, right?

Audience:…… offering yourself…...

Rimpoche: Debbie, my question is, “are you really saying it or you just? Are you really saying it? Are you really taking refuge or you just simply saying the word, I take refuge.” That is the question. You may be repeating the word. You may be reading it. Are you really taking? These are very important questions we can really think about it. And. Yes sir.

Audience: …Four Noble Truths….

Rimpoche: I’m sorry.

Audience: …Four Noble Truths. You’re not really.

Rimpoche: Well. Yeah, you can. Like me. I talk about the Four Noble Truths. I don’t understand. John? Sean? Sorry.

Sean:…

Rimpoche: Yes sir.

Sean: ….matter of motivation

Rimpoche: Matter of motivation.

Sean:…..you’re just saying..

0:41:05.6 Rimpoche: I did say this morning, motivation makes difference, so I cannot withdraw that, my word. Because I said it this morning. But motivation makes. It is a positive or negative karma on that, it make difference. But I’m not sure the motivation alone can make you take refuge or bodhimind or all this. I’m not very sure about that. Motivation is important. No question. It makes different on the karmic point. But it might not make, make. Might not make difference on the, whether you become a Buddhist or bodhisattva on the. That might not be good enough. Motivation alone might not be good enough to be. These are very funny thoughts come up today, anyway. So, the. So, the, to me, actually, taking refuge. You know 0:42:07.1 (Tibetan: Gam den ..) It really that we do have the biggest, biggest problem what we have is the fear. Not. Afraid of what. I don’t even know what we are afraid of. Let’s not go in detail. We have a tremendous amount of fear. And because of that fear, we are seeking some kind of protection. Someone who will be able to help. Who had some experience. Who had gained something. And we’re seeking protection from those. From that. And that. And sort of we rely on the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. That’s probably is basically taking refuge. Unless you have really good feeling from your thought. To me. I mean this might not be Buddhist theory or whatever. To this fellow, this person, whatever word that I say. If I do not have anything to think, thought behind the words, my words become empty.

0:43:18.1 But having said that, I give you a lot of Tibetan things to read for you people. Right? To say together. Probably have no support behind that. But then that’s why still you have the translations. You have the teaching. You have explanations. Like in the case of the Lama Chopa, we went three years over. Once and again and again. And so, that’s the reason why we try to build something to think the word what you say. There’s a support of thought. Of not only a visualization but also sort of, really the force behind that. So, for this fellow without force, any word what you say might not really mean much. So, for me to have refuge without really understanding at least some idea of taking refuge to Buddha, to Dharma, to Sangha. And knowing “what is Buddha”. I’m using word “what is” rather than “who is”. What is Buddha? What is Dharma? What is Sangha? And relating ourself, this individual with connecting with that Buddha, and with the Dharma, with the Sangha, without which I’m not very sure whether it’s going to be proper refuge or not. In the case of Tibetan tradition, if I remember correctly, when I was like three or four, somebody cut my hair off and say, 0:45:00.8 (Tibetan: pran gyi…) meaning taking refuge in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. I did that. Did I really grow Buddhist vow, vow, refuge at that time? I don’t know. Probably not. But I think when I begin to understand what really Buddha is, what really Dharma is, what really Sangha is. When I begin to understand, they have the quality. When I begin to understand, admiring, begin to understand to admire their quality. And then taking refuge. And knowing protection for the fear and all this. And then beginning to establish my refuge within it. So, we all. Maybe we have to redo all our refuge all over again. Maybe. But even then, it is no problem. Better late than never. But I really look in that way. This is some, something. Every single practice, whatever we do, if we don’t have the feeling behind that, then I don’t think it’s that great.

0:46:18.9 Having said that. I’m not meant to say that today at all. I meant to go on Four Noble Truths. Because that was the major thing what we saw today and what we heard. What we learned today. So, basically, basically, as I said yesterday, all the teachings of the Buddha is totally based on the Buddha’s personal experience. The suffering. The awareness of suffering and the suffering. Recognizing. Not rejecting, not denying. Not rejecting. I’m sorry. Not denying. Acknowledging suffering. Bringing awareness and understanding and all of those are the total personal development. Personal experience of the Buddha. And the Buddha begin to look, he speak, “Can I do something?” Not only as a Buddha, but as a prince of that kingdom who is responsible to the subject. Can I help those people? Am I immune with this problem? That my parents are immune with that problem. What about my subjects? So, when you begin to look in that, that is how Buddha begin to pick up his own spiritual development. His own Four Noble Truths within. That is the discovery of Buddha. It’s really that’s how whole Buddhist teachings came out of that. As I said earlier, there’s nothing which is not, not a single word that Buddha taught, which is not part of the Four Noble Truths. Really simply you look. The Truth of Suffering is our condition. The reality what we are in. The Truth. Fourth Truth is what we need today. The third truth is what we are looking for. What we are seeking. Right? And the second truth is something that we can avoid. Suffering to understand. First Noble Truth. Second Truth to avoid. Third; something we’d like to have and obtain. Fourth; something we meditate. Something we build on in our life. So, there is no Buddhist practice without Four Noble Truths. The Four Noble Truth is a total practice within us. So. There. That’s my simple stupid understanding of Four Noble Truths. Every single point what we did, we have different, you know like this. We have Lama Chopa. We have this sadhana. That sadhana. This mantra. That yantra. That tantra. This compassion. That, this, that, this. This is the, what is the 0:49:47.6 she la(?) that generosity, this patience, that patience, all of them you bring it in. There will be nothing which is not part of the Four Noble Truths. Nothing. And the totality of the Four Noble Truth in every day in our life. Every minute of our life. Is living with that, working with that, thinking with this. To me, it is the total complete. What is? Contemplation and practice of Buddha’s teaching, Buddhist. And that’s what we look for, our life, to live in that manner. That bad? Maybe not. Is it bad?

Audience: What?

Rimpoche: Living in that manner.

Audience: Good

Rimpoche: Thank you. I’m sorry. That’s my simple way of looking Four Noble Truths. That. Thank you.

0:50:59.5 So, when I really look in the Four Noble Truths, within our lives. Within dealing with life. And every minute of it. Every minute of our life. If we live within that. I believe that is Buddha’s way of dealing with life. A lot of people ask me, “Where do I begin? How do I start? Look, I like it what you talk about.” Looks like this, I can say clearly, easily. So, this is where you begin. This is where you. Actually, this Four Noble Truth. You live with this. You die with it. This is what really what the Buddha’s teaching is. Essence. So, it is so important. I don’t know. I don’t have. Sort of, my mind’s not working today. So, I rather quit, and then make fool of myself.

Audience:…

Rimpoche: Thank you. The time is also nine-thirty. So. Anybody have any questions or anything, burning thing that you want to say it. Or. Yes.

Audience: I do have an answer to your question.

Rimpoche: You should have answered at the time when I asked.

Audience: I know. But you said, “Is it burning?” It is burning.

Rimpoche: Alright.

Audience: So, it’s the question of, what. Ok. So, if a person doesn’t understand, you know, Four Noble Truths at all. And I said wasn’t a Buddhist. And so, you said, what if simply takes refuge. And I said, not a Buddhist. Maybe not a Buddhist. Maybe a Buddhist. But definitely just a refugee.

Rimpoche: Refugee. That’s fine. That’s me. Good. Ok. Anybody else? Anything?

Audience: …

Rimpoche: Who? Oh. Aura.

Aura: I didn’t really catch. I didn’t really understand your explanation of OM SVABHAVA SHUDDHA SARVA DHARMA ….why. I don’t

Rimpoche: Ok. Well. The first thing. First word what you say in Vajrayana is OM SVABHAVA SHUDDHA SARVA DHARMA SVABHAVA SHUDDO HAM. Am I right or wrong?

Audience: Maybe I’m not understanding your question. Are you asking…..are part of Vajrayana. Right?

0:53:52.3 Rimpoche: No. The essential basis of the Vajrayana. The question was, “Can we have Vajrayana without love compassion and wisdom?” And said, “No.” And I keep on saying, “Why? Why not?” So, then he give you like, you know, explanation of union and non-duality and all this and that. All of them. It’s all true. But still doesn’t come there. So, to me the first thing what you do in Vajrayana is, is OM SVABHAVA . Am I wrong for that?

Audience: …

Rimpoche: No. Am I wrong for that?

Audience:….

Rimpoche: Why are you shaking head?

Audience: ….. answer why…

Rimpoche: Because the first thing you do. First thing you think. The first word what you say. The first thought you put in. Does that explain? Still. No. Go ahead please.

Thurman: Because everything is empty, than you can transform from being an ordinary person to

Rimpoche: You don’t. He doesn’t need that. (laughs)

Thurman: And therefore you can have a Vajrayana. You can have a transformation.. If it was not empty, you would be stuck where you are and there’s no way. No way. So, that’s why emptiness is …

Audience 2: …..

Thurman: Because you wouldn’t want to.

Audience 2: …..

Thurman: I think …..

Rimpoche: (laughs)

Thurman: Because that is the problem, I have a burning… That is that in my old age

Rimpoche: Ok. They needed that, they said.

0:55:58.5 Thurman: I’m freaking out nowadays. Definitely freaking out nowadays because I can’t. Is it working? I can’t recover. I cannot get over. I cannot get over the 0:56:20.4 tanks(?) that of the third noble truth. The third Noble Truth is freaking me out, because it is so fantastically wonderful. But I realize that somewhere in my mind, I still cannot believe it. It is so hard to believe that we really can be really free. Forever and completely and totally happy. Completely free of suffering. That Noble Truth to me is the. That is the dharma, right? That’s the ultimate dharma. When you take refuge, you take refuge in the hope of that. The faith of that. And I’m so conditioned to feel that something awful is going to happen. That nothing. Or that nothing will happen. That you know, that we just blow our brains out at death and there will be nothing. You know, because it’s all material from our American filter. And then from sort of our previous backgrounds. Like maybe Christian culture, theistic culture, that, you know, something awful will happen. You know? Some hellish kind of thing. I mean, that’s really deeply engrained, I believe, in my cultural psyche or my personal psyche. So, the idea of this man, this prince of India, who suddenly like went through hell and high water and then proclaimed that there is real freedom from suffering. Is the cessation of suffering. I think it’s almost impossible to realize. It’s miraculous I think. And it freaks me out all the time. It freaks me out all the time. And I think that emptiness is part of that, you know. Emptiness that is in that word is born of that possibility.

0:58:05.0 Rimpoche: Ok. Let’s. Let’s leave that emptiness for a minute. And I’m glad you said that. I’d like to share a little story. And I think I did share couple of times here. It is the person is here. So, I’m not going to name it. And there is a very good old, very really wonderful friend. And been in Jewel Heart for a long time. And one fine morning that person called me. Woke me up. But that’s what, actually it’s late, but I was sleeping. Should have been up hours ago. But I was sleeping and woke me up. And person hesitated a little bit to think. “Oh, well I have a question. Well, I shouldn’t ask that question. But it’s embarrassing to asking that question. I really don’t think I should.” I said, “Well, you woke me up anyway. Might well as say it.” And then all of a suddenly that person said, “ Well, I put a lot of times and energy here.” And maybe not exact words but something like that. “Is there such thing really called enlightenment? Is it really true? Is there something there?” I’m. Remember I’m half asleep too. And I thought about this. This question hit me very strong. And I thought about. But do we know? I think the question is, “Do we know? Is there really? How do we know that this enlightenment real?” It hit me very strong. So, I thought about it. I said, “No. We don’t. We really don’t know” I said, “We don’t know. But we do know one thing. If we look back, there’s a tremendous improvement within ourself?” This is, I’m half asleep. This thought came. If you look back, we have a lot of improvement. We have come from, what you call it? Far away. And what is that telling us? That telling us, there’s still room to go. And when you end. When you reach at the end of the journey, I believe that’s called enlightenment. That’s the Third Noble Truth. That’s cessation. And I’m sure you get there. Don’t get freaked out. (laughs) So, I thought. I thought I’d share that with you.

Audience: Thanks

Rimpoche: Because that is exactly what happened, you know. A few months ago. Maybe about a month of two. I don’t know. Maybe little more than that. Few months ago. Yeah.

Thurman: Just trying to. I mean, I’m not

1:01:08.1 Rimpoche: I think it’s a. I know that. I know that.

Audience: strong belief

Rimpoche: But I’m

Thurman: And sense of nearness. But you know, I’m just mentioning that after of about twenty years of I’ve been practicing Buddhism,

Rimpoche: only

Thurman: one time, one time issue only. After about twenty, one time Geshe Wangyal said to me, said, “Yeah, such and such.” He was mentioning something in the future. He said, “That time you will really appreciate the dharma.” He said. So, I was offended because I thought I already appreciated a lot. And then it took me another ten years to begin to. Now I’m beginning to appreciate more. And more. That’s all.

Rimpoche: Ok.

Thurman: So, that’s why I’m freaking out. I’m freaking out in a happy way.

Rimpoche: And now, I will make one attempt to this union of compassion and wisdom. I’m not sure whether I’m going to communicate to you, Kimba, or not. But again, I’m coming back some old stuff. The but really thing is, what do you do where do you begin with the Vajrayana? Alright. Vajrayana begins with the initiation, right? The initiating what? I mean, initiating yourself. Yeah, I mean, sort of you really introduced and become authorized and becoming yourself in the form of yidam and all of those. Right? And it is the same thing I would like to put the different way then professor Thurman put. But the same point. Same point. And when you have to visualize yourself. Visualize yourself in the, in the form of yidam, it is. It is very difficult in this ordinary form. I mean, you just, simply imagining or sometimes even people may think you’re wearing a mask. And you’re inside of that mask. Or you’re wearing like a dancing costume or things like that it will become rather than the person, the really, the subtle consciousness of the individual becoming in that form. And it is only made possible when you can yourself dissolve into the nature of reality.

1:03:39.0 And still I’m not making good sense here. But. Yeah. Really true. Still I’m not making good sense here. But, you know, I’m sort of, half my brain’s drawn on Professor Thurman’s saying that, 1:03:54.7 (Tibetan: kala tong pa nyi…) whoever can accept emptiness, that can have everything. Who cannot accept emptiness, there’s nothing is possible, because static and all this Nagarjuna’s view. But wherever he’s saying that, I mean, you know, my half brain’s pulling to that side. And that’s why I’m not making sense to you. But every tool we utilize in Vajrayana practice, at least pretending to be. The first thing is the emptiness. And without which you cannot make anything out of it. And that’s why I keep on saying that, OM SVABHAVA SHUDDHA is the first thing to do. Every, every visualization that you build. Every practice that you build. Everything is, we’re going through that. That’s why I think it is. I’m still didn’t make sense but you’ve been kind enough to acknowledging. But really. And that’s what I think it is. And that emptiness is also not an empty without compassion, without essence of compassion. I don’t think it works. It will be simply, it becomes lack of existence. Lack of.

Thurman: How about that shunyata is the Third Noble Truth.

Rimpoche: Yeah. I think that

Thurman: Vajrayana begins from the Third noble Truth.

Rimpoche: That’s true. That’s true. Shunyata is Third Noble Truth

Thurman: Affirming the presence of a higher reality is the Third Noble Truth, then the First Noble Truth. Therefore it’s the beginning of the path away from First Noble Truth, the Third Noble Truth. Therefore Theravada teaches Vajrayana. 0:56:20.4 (?) Are you happy?

Audience: There’s no higher reality

Thurman: Huh?

Audience: No higher reality. All simultaneous.

Thurman: Yeah. Ultimately.

Rimpoche: It remind me that poetry that you read this morning.

Thurman: Going backwards.

1:06:14.5 Rimpoche: Anyway, so I’m sorry we took thing and you had a very long day and I should shut my mouth. And should know because, just, just like to remind you once again, keeping love and compassion in principle of every part of our life, every functioning, everything. And I don’t think we have compassion and love at the beginning. We begin by copying, at least pretend to be. At least saying the words. And at least try to think in that direction. And that’s where we begin. And once we going through with this, and then we be ok. One thing I can tell you, when you really have the compassion and caring and whatever you do, even you say a single word, it is become helpful to the people. And if you don’t have the compassion, no matter if…Everybody has compassion. You don’t influenced by the compassion, anything, whatever you do, how wonderful it might be, but the effect to the individual is much less. This is my personal experience. So, keeping with that in mind. Everything, what ever you do, remember the kindness and compassion as a principle in mind. Whether you go to sleep or whether you get up, take a shower, swim, walk, eat. I don’t want to say the other one. So, that’s it. Ok? And thank you so much. I’m sorry I kept you too long. And goodnight.

Migtsema